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LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE FOR EDPR 3100, 3200, 4100, 4200
Lesson Title:
Name:
Connecting – Some Things are Scary*
Lesson #
Subject:
Sample Lesson Plan
1
Date:
English Language Arts
Nov. 4, 2015
Grade(s):
2
*adapted from suggestion in Adrienne Greer’s Making Rich Connections
Rationale: This lesson is important because making connections between texts and students’ own experiences will help
them personalize what they are learning and become more engaged in reading. Making these personal connections is
effectively creating meaning, an essential skill for children to learn.
Core Competencies: found at: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies

COMMUNICATION
(4) Explain/recount and
reflect on experiences
THINKING
PERSONAL & SOCIAL


Big Ideas: (UNDERSTAND) found at: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca
Stories help us learn about ourselves, our families and our communities.
Learning Standards: found at: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca
(DO)
Learning Standards - Curricular Competencies
 Using oral, written, visual and digital texts, students
(KNOW)
Learning Standards - Content

are expected individually and collaboratively to be
able to use personal experience and knowledge to
connect to text and make meaning.
Students are expected to know metacognitive
strategies such as reflecting on learning.
Instructional Objectives & Assessment:
Instructional Objectives (Students will be able to…)
 write one sentence about something that scares you
 illustrate a picture to add details and deepen their
connection.
Assessment


Assessment for learning
understanding of scary connection (anecdotal
comments on stickies)
student representation and sentences of something
they find scary (complete/incomplete)
Prerequisite Concepts and Skills: Students need to be able to listen quietly to the story reader without disrupting their
classmates. Students need to be able to write simple sentences.
Aboriginal Connections/ First Peoples Principles of Learning: Learning is embedded in memory, history and story.
Resources:
The first peoples principals of learning: https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/documents.htm#curriculum
Aboriginal Education Curriculum: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/10-12
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Implementing Aboriginal Content Across the Elementary Curriculum:
http://www3.sd73.bc.ca/education/content/fn-cross-curricular-elem-resources
The Learning Circle - Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada:
http://www.etfo.ca/Resources/ForTeachers/Documents/The%20Learning%20Circle%20%20Classroom%20Activities%20on%20First%20Nations%20in%20Canada.pdf
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada - Classroom Resources:
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1302868012055/1302868605384
Teaching in a First Nations School - An Information Handbook for New Teachers:
http://www.fnsa.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Teaching-in-a-FN-School1.pdf
Reese Tipis:
http://reesetipis.com/index.cfm
The Aboriginal and Environmental Education Circle (AEE Circle):
http://education.davidspencer.ca/wiki/Inuit_History
A Celebration of Aboriginal Heritage, Grade Level- High School, Social Studies, Language Arts:
http://archives.cbc.ca/society/native_issues/topics/3531/
Education is Our Buffalo: http://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/HumanRights-Issues/Education%20is%20Our%20Buffalo%20%28PD-80-7%29.pdf
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI):
This lesson is designed to engage auditory learners through the tradition of oral story-telling as well as visual and kinesthetic
learners by having them visually represent their personal story connection. The teacher will read the story slowly and with
expression, pausing to tell her stories and giving the students ample time to think about connections to their own lives. The
lesson could be adapted for students with visual or auditory impairments by using the projector to show the illustrations as the
teacher reads from the front of the class rather than walking around with the book. At this point in the year the teacher has
already identified students who are struggling and will make efforts to call upon them first when their hands are raised, to boost
their confidence, and will monitor when they are exhibiting comprehension by giving correct answers without raising their hands
or being called upon. (The students invariably answer out of turn which the teacher addresses in Behavioural Management
Strategies.) For the student with special needs (A), the teacher will call upon him first if his hand is raised. Students who are
strong writers (A2, M) will be challenged privately to write an entire paragraph rather than a few sentences.
.
Resources:
What is Universal Design: http://universaldesign.ie/what-is-universal-design/
About Universal Design for Learning: https://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.vnmsduloyul
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Materials and Resources:
Teacher
 Some Things Are Scary by Florence Parry
Heide
 “
is scary” worksheet (20 copies)
 Adrienne Greer Making Rich Connections
 pre-read Some Things Are Scary and note the
pages that bring up strong memories for her
 practice reading Some Things Are Scary
aloud, pausing to tell stories that are related
from personal experience
 print 20 copies of the “
is Scary”
worksheet
Lesson Activities:
Teacher Activities
Brain Break:
-open the lesson by having the students do a brain
break activity
-students stand up and all together do the hokey
pokey for a few rounds
-not touching anyone else and sitting back down when
the song has ended
Introduction (anticipatory set – “HOOK”)
Share Scary Halloween Experiences
-students quietly return to their desks again
-uses “class, class, class” if necessary
-praise students who do this quickly and quietly
-ask the students to raise their hands without talking if
they had fun on Halloween
-ask the students to keep their hands raised if they
saw anything scary on Halloween
-call upon one or two students to share their story
Body:
Introduce and Connect to Some Things are Scary
-prepare to read them another story called Some
Things Are Scary (No Matter How Old You Are) by
explaining that this is no ordinary book. It is a book
that brings up scary memories and tales from her own
life and she might share some of those stories if the
students can listen carefully
-tell the students that since they did such a good job
listening quietly last week she is sure they will be able
to do the same this week
-relate to the students that reading stories can bring
up all sorts of stories from their own lives and that
different people will have different memories
-ask the students that if something she reads triggers
a memory from their lives that they should give a
thumbs up symbol rather than blurting out their story
-explain that after finishing reading the book they are
going to create a scary book of their own all together
Students


Pencil and eraser
Pencil crayons or markers or crayons
Student Activities
Time
The students do the hokey pokey with the teacher,
getting out their stagnant energy and moving around
a bit.
3
mins
Students raise their hands if they had fun on
Halloween. Students share their scary Halloween
stories only if called upon.
5
mins
2
mins
Students raise their hands and if called upon explain
that they are to listen quietly and not disturb their
neighbour during the story but they may make a
thumbs up sign if the story reminds them of
something in their own life.
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by each writing about something in their own life
-ask the students to repeat what is expected of them.
Read Book Some Things Are Scary
-engagingly read the book aloud, pausing to tell
stories and explain pictures that bring up memories
personally
-after modelling a few times, periodically call on one
or two students with thumbs up to share their
memories and then continue reading.
Representing Activity Explanation
-finish reading the book and tell the students that
many good authors write about what they know,
meaning they write about their own lives
-tell the class about how big a book would be if she
wrote all of her memories and experiences
-explain to the class that they are going to practice
being authors by each creating one page about
something the book they just read reminded them of.
At the end of the lesson she will combine all of the
stories into a book they will keep in the classroom for
a few weeks.
Writing and Representing Time
-walk around passing out the worksheet and instruct
them to write 1-2 sentences about something they find
scary and when they are finished writing their
sentence they are to draw a picture that goes along
with the memory, adding as much detail as they can
-encourage students to practice what they learned in
Ms. H’s lesson by using adjectives in their sentences
-tell them she will be walking around the class to help
students spell tricky words or work on their ideas but
that they should all be working independently, not
talking to their neighbor
-if students finish early they can get a book from their
book box and read independently
-gives the students a 5 minute and 2 minute warning
-continue to circulate and check to see that students
understand and are completing the task.
Closure – Sharing & Review Scary Connections
-time is up but they are welcome to take their book
pages home if they are not finished
-instruct the students to pack up their pencil cases
and put them under their desks so that they can finish
the activity
-ask students in order around the semi-circle if they
want to share their story or pass
-tell students that sharing in front of the class can be
scary itself so everyone needs to listen carefully and
applaud their classmates when they are finished
-review with students that today they were making
personal connections to text.
Students listen attentively to the story. Students give
a thumbs up if they are reminded of a story and will
share that story only if called upon.
The students continue to listen attentively without
disrupting their neighbours.
Students work independently to write 1-2 sentences
about a scary memory triggered by something in the
story. Students will draw a picture to enhance the
story
12
mins
2
mins
13
mins
1 min
Students will pack up their pencil cases and put
them away.
Students share their story if they choose or say
pass.
5
mins
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Organizational Strategies:






students participate in a brain break before the lesson to release some energy
back at their desks students will be asked to listen attentively
teacher will increase proximity to those who are distracting others while the story is being read
worksheets will not be distributed to students until after the story is finished
students may use exercise balls as chairs if they are antsy
desks are arranged in a semi-circle around the classroom with friends not seated near each other.
Behavioural Management Strategies:
 teacher will move around the room as she reads and spend more time in close proximity to students who are not







focused or distracting others
to get the class’ attention she will say, “Class, class, class” in the fashion of her TM to which the students will respond
“Yes, yes, yes” and it may be repeated in variation as necessary to control chatter around the room
teacher will verbally acknowledge and thank students who are on task and will verbally address students who continue
to distract others
teacher will have widgets in her pocket to give to students who are shutting down and need something to occupy their
hands and bring their focus back
make behaviour expectations clear – sit quietly and listen attentively without distracting other students, only speak if the
teacher calls on you – by stating them before and during the lesson
read expressively to engage the students’ interest and address questions promptly to not distract from the story
if there is enough natural light the teacher will keep the lights off while reading the story
if necessary separate students who continue to distract each other and move one to another pod for the lesson.
Extensions:
This lesson could be extended to in a year-long activity wherein the students create their own books or journals, writing one
page and making connections for each story they read. This lesson could also be part of a making connecting unit wherein
students explore quick connections (eg I have a dog too) vs deep connections (eg That story made me sad because my dog
recently died and I thought about all the fun things we used to do together but now there are no new memories to be made.)
Reflections (if necessary, continue on separate sheet):





Students were highly engaged – use this lesson in future
Some students shared incredibly personal stories – acknowledge that bravery and be prepared for some trauma to
surface
Future emphasize scary real things (non-fiction) vs scary Halloween things (fiction)
Do not rush telling my own stories to stick to approximate timeline – students loved hearing them and connected to
them
Do brief review (3 min) of sentence structure and brainstorm good writing techniques (write on board as students share)
for students to reference during writing portion
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