Instructional Lesson Plan
English Language Arts
Grade: 7
Lesson Overview
Unit Title: Enhancing Writing by Using the “Tools” of
Professional Writers
Lesson: The Opener-Part One
Students will be introduced to using words, phrases, or dependent clauses as an opener in their sentences.
Essential Question/”Over-arching idea”/Unit Question
What “tools” can be used to enhance the quality of sentences?
Unit Standards Applicable to This Lesson/Integration of Standards
R.L.
R.I.
W.10-Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
L..1a-Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.
S.L.
Student Outcomes(ESK – specific to lesson)
Students will be able to match an appropriate opener to the correct sentence.
Students will be able to combine two sentences by using an opener.
Resources/Materials/Balance of Text Type
Sentences are taken from Paragraphs for Middle School by Don and Jenny Killgallon published by Heinemann.
Pre-Assessment *
.As I have evaluated student writing, I can see that all students need to work on improving the complexity of their sentences
Special Education students – accommodations/modifications
Students will have text read to them or use Read and Write. Students will be able to type answers if necessary.
Technology Integration: Examples of openers will be presented using a Power Point. Some answers will be submitted on Google
Classroom.
.
RELA Lesson Plan Template
2014-2015
Warm-up—What are the three parts of a sentence? Which one is used to add interest and dazzle to the sentence?
StandUp-HandUp-PairUp-Discuss your answer with your partner
Power Point- Define openers. Show examples of sentences from books by well- known authors. First show the sentence without an
opener then show the author’s actual sentence which will contain an opener.
Display authors’ sentences with something missing from the front and isolated openers. Students will match the opener to the correct
sentence.
All Write Round Robin- Students write their answers on dry erase paddles.
Show an example of how two sentences were combined to make one sentence with an opener. Tell students that they are going to be
combining two sentences into one sentence with an opener.
Rally Coach-Students take turns combining two sentences into one sentence that contains a word, a phrase, or a clause as an opener.
Closure- Review the definition of an opener and how using an opener can improve a sentence.
Assessment
Formative—During the Rally Coach activity, students will combine two sentences into one sentence that contains an opener.
RELA Lesson Plan Template
2014-2015