LITERACY FOCUS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Adapted from Calkins (2001)
Your Name: Laura Capps
Unit Topic: Reader’s Workshop-Fluency
Focus Lesson Topic: Using Punctuation as Clues to How Text Sounds
Grade Level: 1st Grade
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOCUS LESSON
Learning Goals/Objectives: Students will be able to use punctuation in the text as clues to how the text
sounds and how voice changes depending on the punctuation mark.
Relevant Common Core Standards:
 EL.1.1.15 2006
o Read aloud smoothly and easily in familiar text.
 EL.1.1.3 2006
o Recognize that sentences start with capital letters and end with punctuation, such as
periods, question marks, and exclamation points
Teaching Strategy: ____Modeled Writing _X___Reading Mentor Text ____Sharing Student Writing
Materials including literature:
 Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
 Anchor Chart
 Chart Paper
 Marker
Rationale for the Lesson:
*We have noticed that when students are reading, they are ignoring the punctuation marks at the ends of
sentences, causing them to read all of the sentences the same way. Changing voice inflection to match
punctuation increases reading fluency which in turn increases comprehension. Changing their voices to
match the punctuation allows readers to get a better understanding of what the author is trying to
communicate with them.
References for Materials and Instructional Ideas:
Seuss, D. (1960). Green Eggs and Ham. New York:Random House
Collins, K. (2004). Readers Use Strategies to Figure Out Words. Growing Readers: Units of Study in the
Primary Classroom. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.
LITERACY FOCUS LESSON PLAN
Connection (use to introduce mini-lesson)
 I’ve noticed recently during our conference times that many of us seem to skipping right over a
very important of texts: the punctuation! Good readers know that punctuation can tell you a lot
about what the author is trying to tell us. So today we are going to review what our punctuation
marks are and learn what they each mean and how they sound when we are reading aloud.
Teaching
1. Review punctuation (periods, question marks and exclamation points). Write the words and marks
on our chart.
2. Go through flagged sections of Green Eggs and Ham to show the different types of punctuation.
Read them with appropriate punctuation (raised voice for question marks, excitement/anger for
exclamation points, flat voice for periods).
3. Ask students what they noticed about what my voice was doing at the end of each type of
sentence. Point out the punctuation at the end of that sentence.
4. Read some sentences with incorrect punctuation (flat ending for exclamations, raised voice for
sentences, excited voice for questions, etc)
5. Ask students to whisper to their elbow buddy (person sitting right next to them) what was wrong
about the way I read those sentences.
6. Have students work with other elbow buddy to figure out how that sentence should have
sounded.
7. Ask some partners to share their thoughts. Then reread the sentences with correct voice
fluctuation.
8. Finish anchor chart by writing out what each punctuation sounds like.
9. Dismiss students to independent/partner reading time using the link statement below. (Students
should know routine of selecting books and finding places to sit in room)
10. As students are reading, walk around and confer with students/pairs that need extra assistance.
11. At the end of the Reader Workshop block, instruct students to carefully place their books back
where they retrieved them and return to their seats.
Active Engagement
 Asking students about what they notice with my voice.
 Talking to elbow buddy about what was incorrect about some sentences.
 Working with other elbow buddy to fix incorrect inflections.
 Sharing corrections with class.
Link
 Now during our independent reading time, I want you to pay special close attention to the
punctuation in your books. You may want to practice reading to a partner and see if your partner
can tell what the punctuation is just by your voice! Then switch roles so you both get to practice
using different voice inflections at the end of sentences with different punctuation. As always, you
may also choose to read by yourself. I will be around having conferences with you so just keep
reading even if I come and sit with you! If you have long socks on today, you may go get your book
and find a partner. If you have no socks on today, you may go get your book. If you have short
socks on today, you may go get your book.
ASSESSMENT & SUPPORTS
Chart
Punctuation as Clues to How Text
Sounds
Period (.) = Take a quick break, then keep going
Question Mark (?) = Raise your voice
Exclamation Point (!) = Voices get excited
Assessment
o Conferences- I will be able to hear how children change their voices to match the end punctuation
of sentences when they read to me during conference time.
o Observation of partner reading- while children are reading to their partners, I can be listening as I
monitor the room.
Supports and Accommodations (for children with special needs and/or language differences)
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Jonathan: Because Jonathan has a learning disability and mainly has difficulties in reading and
comprehension, some accommodations will be needed for this lesson. Built into the structure of
the lesson is the choice for Jonathan to read alone or with a partner; this way, he does not have to
read aloud in front of the class and avoids the teasing of his peers. However, working with a
partner he feels safe with may help to increase Jonathan’s comprehension. He could talk with his
partner at designated points in the book about what is happening so far, who the main characters
are and what they think is going to happen. With the input of his peer, Jonathan may collect facts
about the story that he would have missed on his own. If Jonathan would prefer to work on his
own, I could use a modified self-questioning strategy. After I have helped Jonathan select a book
that is both interesting to him and at his reading level, I would mark certain pages with a sticker
that would indicate Jonathan should stop and answer the short list of basic comprehension
questions I have provided for him. I would give him a tape recorder to record his answers because
he has trouble spelling and writing. Every time he comes to a sticker and at the end of the book,
Jonathan would listen to his previous answers again and then answer the next set of questions. I
would also make sure to confer with him during reading time in order to address any immediate
problems and also make note of his progress.
o Rationale: The accommodations of possible partner work and self-questioning are
appropriate because both serve to increase comprehension while preventing Jonathan
from being embarrassed in front of the class. He can choose his partner so it would be
someone he feels comfortable with. Even though the focus of the mini-lesson was fluency
and punctuation, it is more important for Jonathan to work on comprehension first. Using
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the tape recorder to record answers to self-questions allows Jonathan to focus on the
content of the story rather than the task of handwriting the answers.
Andrea: Because Andrea has ADHD and an EBD, her behavior during the mini-lesson may cause
issues. Therefore, I would have her sit up front by me so that she would be able to focus on the
lesson instead of everything else going on. This would also allow me to keep an eye on her; if I
notice she is getting restless or starting to disrupt, I would ask her to help me by holding the book
while I read from it. As it is a mini-lesson, I will try to keep it brief which should decrease the
likelihood of disruptive behavior and inattention to the lesson. During student reading time,
Andrea also has the option of partner reading and if she indicates she wants a partner, I would
aide in the selection of an appropriate partner, since she does not have many friends. Andrea
would be able to pick her own book which should increase her interest in it. I could also provide a
magnifying glass for her to use as she is reading; the novelty of it may help her focus. Once the
magnifying glass becomes ineffective, I could provide another pointer of some kind to help Andrea
stay focused on her reading.
o Rationale: Andrea needs some extra stimulation because of her ADHD. Providing her with
the reading guides (magnifying glass and other pointers) could provide that stimulation.
Having her sit close to me allows me to monitor if she is becoming overwhelmed or
unfocused on the lesson at hand. She also has trouble with social interactions so allowing
her the option of working with a partner but not forcing her to could open up an
opportunity for her to work on social skills. Partner selection would need to be guided so
she would have a trusted student as her partner in order to increase the likelihood of a
positive social experience.
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Midori: During the mini-lesson, I would have Midori sit up front close to me so she could hear the
lesson. If needed, I could wear an FM transmitter with a frequency tuned into her hearing aids.
That way, my speaking would be directly received. During discussion portions of the class when
other students are giving answers, I would be sure to repeat the answers so that Midori could hear
them if she didn’t when the student spoke. An ASL translator could also be provided if Midori’s
hearing deteriorates to the point where she can no longer hear me with her aids. I would sit close
to Midori and speak clearly and loud enough for her during conferences. If needed, the ASL
translator could confer with her instead, so Midori could use ASL to communicate what she is
doing in her reading.
o Rationale: Midori only has trouble comprehending what is happening if she can’t hear
properly. The FM transmitter would ensure that she is able to hear clearly what is being
said, especially if I am repeating the responses of the other students. Once she becomes
proficient at ASL, it would be necessary to have an ASL translator so that Midori can
communicate with me and the other students effectively.
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Angelo: The mini-lesson would probably be review for Angelo but his individualized and more
challenging tasks would come during independent reading time. I would make sure that Angelo
has access to books that challenge and interest him; these could be in a special section of the
classroom library, from the school library or from home. He would be allowed to work with his
best friend as long as they are engaged in the books they are reading. During my conference with
Angelo, I would introduce to him more complex reading strategies, such as inferring and making
alternate endings. We could also talk about the relationships with the characteristics or the morals
of the book he is reading. Our individual lessons would depend on the book he has chosen and the
progress he is making.
o Rationale: Angelo has advanced language development and vocabulary, so most likely he
would be reading at a level beyond that of his peers. Therefore, it is important to challenge
him in expanding his language while also ensuring comprehension is occurring and
expanding as well. The books he would have available to him would be above grade level
but would still need to be appropriate for the level he is at. By allowing him to choose the
book, it ensures he will be interested in the book and should want to read it. The strategies
I teach him during conferences need to be different from the strategies I teach to his peers
because his needs will be on a different level than his peers. Although the mini-lesson is
designed to fill a need of the majority of the class, the individual conferences allow me to
fill the needs of each student.
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Chris: