Tusculum College Lesson Plan Template
Spring 2015
Name: Kimberly Anderson
Subject/Grade: 4th Grade Language Arts
Estimated Time Frame: 1 class period (45 minutes to 1 1/2 hour)
Standard(s):
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1 - Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse
partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1.D - Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.2 - Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details,
and clear event sequences.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.6 - Acquire and use grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that
signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife,
conservation, and endangered when discussing animal presservation).
Big Idea(s)/Essential Question(s):
 Week-long question: What experiences bring diverse people together?
 Lesson plan question: What is a dramatic retelling of a story?
New Learning:
 Students will be learning two new words (distinct and similar), a new concept (dramatic retelling), and building onto
their oral vocabulary skills.
 Students will also have a chance to build onto their speaking and listening skills.
Vocabulary – Students will be introduced to two of their amazing words: distinct and similar.
Concepts – Students will be introduced to the concept of dramatic retelling.
Skills – Students will build onto their oral vocabulary skills by incorporating distinct and similar into the classroom
discussion. Students will also build onto their speaking and listening skills.
Applications Learning Target(s)/Objective(s):
Throughout the whole week, students will learn that diversity:
1. means variety
2. means different people uniting
3. can teach us new things
Summative Assessment:
 At the end of the week, students will be graded on how well they know their amazing words, which will be incorporated into their spelling
tests as bonus/challenge words.
 Also at the end of the week, the grades from today's rubrics over the dramatic retelling may be factored in with the assessment over the
selection Because of Winn-Dixie.
Instructional Strategies/Activities:
 Classroom discussion building onto concept map
 Introduction of dramatic retelling
 Teacher-led dramatic retelling of the story
 Revision of week-long writing prompt
Materials and Resources:
 Week-long concept map (flow chart for whole class; enlarged, individual version for visually impaired students)
 Teacher's manual
 Because of Winn-Dixie script (enlarged version for visually impaired students)
 Speaking rubric
 Elmo projector to project script
 Vocabulary notebook
 Writer's notebook
 Pencils
INSTRUCTIONAL STEPS
BEGINNING
Assessment
Good morning class! Today, we will be continuing our discussion of how diversity
brings people together. Yesterday, we built onto our concept map by adding the
words introduce and variety under community events and work. As you guys
know, introduce and variety are two of our amazing words, just like kindness,
attention, teach, and understanding. Today, we are going to be learning two
more amazing words: distinct and similar. Now, who has a general idea as to
what one of our new words means? Good job, guys! I love your definitions of the
two words. Let's write the definition of each word in our vocabulary notebook
along with the actual definition of each word.
There is not an actual
assessment for the beginning
of the lesson. Basically I am
trying to get across the
meaning of two new amazing
words. My students do know
that their amazing words must
go into their vocabulary
notebook. My students also
know that their amazing words
Definitions:
can, and very well might be,
Distinct - recognizably different in nature from something else of a similar type
included on their spelling test
Similar - resembling without being identical
as challenge/bonus words, so
there is a chance that the
Now as you all can see, I have pulled out our concept map* again today. Who words will make it onto the
thinks they know where distinct and similar might fall underneath?
summative assessment at the
end of the week.
*Example on page UR 6 of teacher's manual under UNIT 1 Review tab.
**The word distinct falls under the heading community events, and the word
similar falls under the heading work.
***Once everyone is done writing the words into their vocabulary notebooks,
then we will move on to the next part of our lesson - the dramatic retelling.
Anticipated Learning
Difficulties/Misunderstandings and Strategies to
Address Them
For my visually impaired students (2), I will
have enlarged, individual (updated)
versions of our week-long concept map.
The two new amazing words will already be
added into their respective placing under
their respective headings for them, so they
will not have to worry about writing them
down.
For my English language learners, and the
whole class in general, I require a
vocabulary notebook in which all amazing
words or selection words (whichever I am
doing with the story) goes in. The students
will have two different definitions of each
word - the definition in their own words
and the definition that can be found in the
dictionary. For my ELL students, this can
help them gain a better understanding for
the words as they are putting it in their
own words. I also give them the option of
writing the word in their respective first
language, whether it be Spanish or some
other language.
MIDDLE
Content Input ( “I do” activities):
Attention getter: "It's peanut -"
Students: "Jelly time!"
Assessment
Anticipated Learning
Difficulties/Misunderstandings and Strategies to
Address Them
Guided Practice (We Do): The
only assessment for the
dramatic retelling is a rubric on
how well they did on their
speaking parts. Since I do not
For my visually impaired students, they will
be provided with enlarged versions of the
play. They will be able to use these
versions as they read aloud to the class
when their turn to speak is up.
Now that I have everyone's attention, I am going to introduce a concept
that I believe most of you might already know. For those of you who do
not know, I will discuss the concept in detail. Today, we will be discussing
the art of dramatic retelling. Dramatic retelling, for those who may not
know, is the art of taking the key elements of a story - like a character's
understanding of events. Dramatic retellings can take a few different
forms. You can either tell me what you know about the story Because of
Winn-Dixie or we can act out the play version of Because of Winn-Dixie.
Today, we will be acting out the play version of the story, because I
believe you will have more fun with it than you would listening to each
other retell the story by what you remember. Everyone will get a turn
with the characters since we will be switching out after every two scenes.
I will be reading Opal's voice over narrations, but I will be taking
volunteers for all the other characters*. As a class, we will all participate
in the dramatic retelling of Because of Winn-Dixie. If you do not have a
speaking part, then I hope you are respective of those who do and pay
attention to what is going on in the play. You all will be graded on your
speaking today using the rubric that is provided with your scripts. Be sure
to use your best fluency skills as you are speaking. Now let the fun begin.
*Characters:
Narrators 1-4
Opal
Winn-Dixie (optional)
Store manager
The preacher (Opal's father)
Miss Franny
Otis
Gloria
**Choose volunteers to read for the first two scenes. After the first two
scenes, switch out speakers, and repeat after every two scenes.
Guided Practice (We do):
Dramatic retelling using the provided Because of Winn-Dixie script.
have that many voice over
parts of Opal's, I have a chance
to fill out a rubric for each
student that speaks. These
scores may be added to their
summative assessment scores
at the end of the week.
For my ELL students, I would have already
given them the script to have looked over
and circle any words that they have
difficulty pronouncing. Before class, if they
have any, they will have the opportunity to
ask me the pronunciation of each word. I
will also provide assistance for them - as I
Independent Practice (You Do): would any student - during the read aloud
The week-long writing prompt of the play.
is not a part of the summative
assessment, but is a formative
assessment
since
it
is
homework for most nights.
Independent Practice (You do; may include Homework):
The students will have time towards the end of class to revise their weeklong writing prompts - and have teacher consultations, if needed. If they
do not get finished before the end of class, then it will be homework.
Students will need to have their final draft completed before next class
period.
END
Right before the end of class, I will ask my students to pull out their planners and write tonight's homework assignment down. Their homework assignment will
be as followed:
 Study your amazing words and spelling words for the test tomorrow.
 Revise your writing and write your final draft - Due tomorrow.
 Look over the story Because of Winn-Dixie for the test tomorrow.
Also, the students will fill out an exit ticket about what they thought of today's lesson - whether they liked acting out the play or not.
TEACHER REFLECTION
Reflection on Lesson Plan and Delivery (to be completed after lesson is taught):
Foresman, S. (2013). Week 1 Because of Winn-Dixie. In Reading Street: Common Core (1st ed., Vol. 4.1, p. 42b, 45a, UR 6). Glenview, Illinois: Pearson.
http://www.scholastic.com/winndixie/play.htm
Category
Fluency and Expression
5 (Great)
Students using clear fluency
skills and expresses the
emotions of the character
they are portraying.
Clear Speech
Students pronounce each
word correctly and use
understandable speech.
Comprehension
Students comprehended
what they were reading.
3 (Average)
Students used semi-clear
fluency skills and expressed
some of the emotions of the
characters they are
portraying.
Students pronounce most
words correctly and uses
some understandable
speech.
Students somewhat
comprehended what they
were reading.
1 (Poor)
Students did not use any
clear fluency skills and did
not express any of the
emotions of the characters
they are portraying.
Students are having trouble
pronouncing words and did
not use understandable
speech.
Students did not
comprehend what they were
reading.
Total score _____ / 15