Knox County Schools
C & I Department
TEAM Lesson Plan Template
Teacher: Hannah Louderback
Class: 4th Grade
Course Unit: Vocabulary/ELA
Lesson Title: Vocabulary Theater
LESSON OVERVIEW
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or
community link.
I will begin the lesson by discussing our learning objective with the students (I can determine the meaning of a word
by using context as a clue RI.4.4). I will then lead them through a vocabulary hook to “springboard” a discussion on the
vocabulary words in an art context. We will have a whole class discussion about each word, using the art as a clue to
what each word might mean and activating students’ prior knowledge about the words. In order to make it personally
meaningful for students, the teacher will elicit connections to out-of-school connections. We then move to a time of
reading the vocabulary words within the context of a paragraph from the basal reader. Further context will be explained
through this part of the lesson. After whole group introduction of the vocabulary words, students are assigned
differentiated roles of Voice Virtuoso, Synonym Scholar, or Movement Mentor in differentiated groups for vocabulary
theater. I will explain the expectations of each role, assign the students to their groups, and distribute their assigned
vocabulary word and necessary papers and materials, such as thesaurus and reading glossary.
In groups, students will work around the room to complete the vocabulary theater brainstorming sheet, which asks
for a glossary definition, student created definition, synonym, and things the word makes the student think of. Also on
the brainstorming sheet students brainstorm how they’ll use their body, voice, and synonym in their skit. This is done in
sync with practice of their skit, depending on the group dynamics. Students will have 3:43 minutes (shown on a
classroom timer) to complete the independent work. At that time, students will get with their group member and
create their skit. They will share ideas, brainstorm, and help one another. I will circulate during the entire work time and
skit creating time to scaffold, redirect, and differentiate instruction as needed. Once skits are created, students will be
asked to return to their seats.
Students then turn their paper over in order to record the evidence that they view in the skits. They will record
synonyms, body movements, and/or definitions in order to guess the right word intended for the group. Students will
raise their hands when they know the word, and I will call on students to guess the word. The goal is for groups to use an
accurate synonym so the class can guess the vocabulary word accurately. The team will be awarded a point for having a
fellow student guess the context word and the word correctly. The team that guesses the word correctly will also be
awarded a team point.
After performances, students will take a few minutes to write three sentences using three of the vocabulary words
and complete a self-reflection. As a closure activity, the groups will write a “Tweet” for what they learned today. These
will then be shared as the lesson concludes.
STANDARDS
Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT College
Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4a Use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
OBJECTIVE
Clear, Specific, and Measurable – NOT ACTIVITIES
Student-Friendly
I can determine the meaning of a word by using context (i.e. pictures and definitions) as a clue (L.4.4.a)
Vocabulary words: colonel, quaint, lurking, glint, palettes, affords, resemblance
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C & I Department
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
Students show evidence of proficiency through a variety of assessments.
Aligned with the Lesson Objective
Formative/Summative
Performance-Based/Rubric
Formal/Informal
1. Students brainstorming sheet and 3 sentences will be used as a formal formative assessment graded with check
minus, check, and check plus system which translates to 75%, 87%, and 100%. Students who receive a check minus
based on lack of understanding of the vocabulary words in sentences will receive re-teaching. This will assess if students
can use different contexts (definitions, thesaurus, pictures, prior knowledge) to determine the meaning of the word.
2. Student created skits will be used as an informal formative assessment – whether or not the class can guess the
correct word based off of correct use of a synonym.
3. The context sheet with story and illustration will be used as a formal formative assessment graded with check minus,
check, and check plus system. Students that use their word in a context that makes sense to the meaning of the word
will receive full credit.
4. At the end of the week, students are scored through a “Vocabulary Quick Check” to assess their retention of the
knowledge gained on Tuesday. The quick check is designed in such a way that they have use the context of the sentence
to decide the definition of the word.
MATERIALS
Aligned with the Lesson Objective
Rigorous & Relevant
Vocabulary Hook: Casa del Sol (http://photoweblab.com//33doors/virtualtour.html)
Smartboard
Pencils
Teacher made vocab theater brainstorming sheet (1 per student)
Vocabulary Cards to assign words to groups
Vocabulary Cards to post on wall for labels for learning
Teacher made Role Cards for vocabulary theater
Teacher made context sheet (story & illustration) (1 per student)
Reading textbook glossary (1 per student)
Thesaurus (1 per group, 6 groups)
iPad (for use of Thesaurus if paper copy does not have the chosen word)
ACTIVATING STRATEGY
Motivator/Hook
An Essential Question encourages students to put forth more effort when faced with
a complex, open-ended, challenging, meaningful and authentic questions.
Students love vocabulary theater, so I hook them by providing an art connection or real-world connection that provides
a “springboard” for discussion of the majority of the vocabulary words. Students know that I have traveled extensively to
the Dominican Republic, so I will draw on that connection in order to hook them into the vocabulary theater. We will
discuss our learning objective.
INSTRUCTION
Step-by-Step Procedures-Sequence
Discover/Explain – Direct Instruction
Modeling Expectations – “I Do”
Questioning/Encourages Higher Order Thinking
Grouping Strategies
Differentiated Instructional Strategies to Provide Intervention & Extension
“I-Do”
1. Discuss objective and what it means to find context of a word.
2. Show art connection (Architecture in Dominican Republic: Casa de Sol) to begin discussion of vocabulary words in that
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C & I Department
context in order to hook students.
3. Whole class discussion of most words (i.e. palettes, glint, resemblance) each word (using picture and prior knowledge,
what might each of these words mean?)
4. I will model and explain my thinking about each word after students share their ideas
5. I will assign students to differentiated groups with assigned roles for vocabulary theater skits
Differentiation: During whole group instruction, students are seated in differentiated groups. I will call on volunteers
and non-volunteers for participation. Students have resources such as glossaries, thesauruses, and pictures to help them
make meaning of new words.
GUIDED & INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
“We Do”-“You Do”
Encourage Higher Order Thinking & Problem Solving
Relevance
Differentiated Strategies for Practice to Provide Intervention & Extension
“We-Do”
1. In assigned and differentiated groups with roles, students will complete their brainstorming sheet. They will use
resources to decide the definition and synonym, as well as use those contexts to determine their own definition and
things the word reminds them of. They will brainstorm how to use their body, voice, and synonym in their group’s skit
before meeting with their group.
2. After a designated amount of time, students will collaborate with their group mates to create a skit that depicts the
meaning of their assigned word.
3. Students will perform their skits in front of a live audience. They will be reminded of the team points, explained
above. (Note: These points add up each day and the team with the most at the end of the week earns a prize). We will
also note certain drama techniques throughout the performances, in order to grow in understanding of the drama
standards. For this lesson, drama standards are not the main focus, simply a support strategy.
-- We will watch the performances and students will have to guess the vocab word of the skit based on the groups’
movements and use of synonym
“You-Do”
4. Students will independently complete a self reflection and write 3 sentences correctly using 3 of the week’s
vocabulary words.
Differentiation: Groups are heterogeneously grouped based on ability and behavior for student success. Each student is
assigned a role so he/she knows his/her contribution to the group. Students receive individualized and additional
instruction on the lesson objective in small homogenous groups during Reader’s Workshop.
CLOSURE
Reflection/Wrap-Up
Summarizing, Reminding, Reflecting, Restating, Connecting
To close the whole group portion of the lesson, we will review the objective and students will complete a self-reflection
on their work during the lesson. Groups will also create a “tweet” for their learning objective for the day. Groups will
then share out their “tweets”. We will transition to our end of the day routine.
CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
Theater Standard 2.0 Character Acting: Students will develop basic acting skills by portraying characters in improvised
and scripted scenes.
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C & I Department