Language Arts Lesson
Block 1
Name: Lindsay Pingor & Clay Nolan
Title of Unit: To Infinity and Beyond
Title of Lesson: “Space Travel Agency”
Grade Level(s): Fourth
Goal: Students will understand how to edit their own writing and others writing, focusing
on run-on sentences and using correct punctuation. Students will also learn to work in
groups to discuss and integrate ideas to create a presentation.
Objective
1. Students will identify and
correct run-on sentences.
2. Students will create a
paragraph about their
planet.
Standards/Assessment
Anchors
1. 1.5.5 D Edit writing
using the conventions of
language.
 Spell common,
frequently used
words correctly.
 Use capital letters
correctly.
 Punctuate correctly
(periods,
exclamation points,
question marks,
commas, quotation
marks, apostrophes).
 Use nouns,
pronouns, verbs,
adjectives, adverbs,
conjunctions,
prepositions and
interjections
properly.
 Use complete
sentences (simple,
compound,
declarative,
interrogative,
exclamatory and
imperative).
Formative Assessment
2. 1.5.5 B Write using welldeveloped content
appropriate for the topic.
 Gather, organize and
select the most
effective
2. Writing a paragraph
based on content in “My
Planet Creative Writing”
Outline
1. Questioning and writing /
editing sentences.
Language Arts Lesson
Block 1
3. Students will create and
present a brochure as a
group.
information
appropriate for the
topic, task and
audience
 Write paragraphs
that have a topic
sentence and
supporting details.
3. 1.6.5 E Participate in
small and large
group discussions
and presentations.
 Participate in
everyday
conversation.
 Present an oral
reading.
 Deliver research
reports.
 Conduct interviews.
 Plan and participate
in group
presentations.
 Contribute to
informal debates.
3. Observation and rubric
National Standards:
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g.,
spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to
create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own
purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of
information).
Rationale: Students need to know the proper format of sentences and be able to identify
incorrect sentence structure because it is important in everyday writing and reading as
well as future educational writing. Discussion and cooperative learning are also important
because students need to know how to work cooperatively with others.
Content Knowledge: correcting run-on sentences, reviewing the use of subjects,
predicates, and compound sentences, using punctuation, and creative
writing
Language Arts Lesson
Block 1
Procedures:
Lesson Beginning- DAY 1
The teacher will begin the lesson by reviewing what students remember about
subjects, predicates, and compound sentences with visuals on the board. The students will
write examples of each under their appropriate title on the board. The lesson will then be
furthered by having the students read the definition and examples provided in their
Language Arts textbooks on page 24. Next, the teacher will utilize the exercises 1, 4 7, 9,
11, 12, and 15 in the book on pages 24-25 to further explain the skill. These will be
recorded on the students’ notepads and the answers will be written on the board. The
teacher will then show students a creative writing piece he or she wrote about a made-up
planet. The teacher will discuss sentence structure and what a run-on sentence by
working with the students to edit the mistakes in the example created by the teacher. A
copy of the paragraph will be given to students so that they can also edit the paragraph at
their seats by writing the changes down.
Introductory Review: The teacher will model correcting the run-on sentences on
the hand-out to create separate, meaningful sentences. The students will also correct the
sentences on their hand-outs. To further learning, the teacher will utilize the lesson on
page 24 of the language arts basal series book, addressing correcting run-on sentences.
Motivation/Focus: The teacher will tell the students they will be writing their own
creative writing pieces about a planet that they discovered using their imagination and
drawing a picture of it. The teacher will also tell the students that they will be later
choosing in groups their favorite planet, which will be presented to the class as a travel
brochure at the end of the lesson.
Anticipatory Set/Advance Organizer: The teacher will show the students
examples of travel brochures to activate prior knowledge of brochures and their purpose.
The students will begin filling out an outline discussing things about their planets and
finish it for homework.
Lesson Development- DAYS 1 & 2
Instruction- The students will write their own pieces discussing the planets that
they “discovered”. The students will be encouraged to write at least 5 sentences about
their planet. This will be achieved by having the students use the information they wrote
about their planet on the outline sheet completed the day before.
Practice and Feedback- The students will edit their neighbor’s writing in their pair
seating arrangements, looking for run-on sentences. The students will make sure to use
the correct punctuation to end the newly formed sentences.
Student Involvement- After editing each other’s papers, the students will work in
groups. After discussing what a brochure is and its purpose with a whole group, the
Language Arts Lesson
Block 1
teacher will explain the procedure for creating the brochure and presenting it. An
example brochure created by the teacher for his/her made-up planet will be used to
explain the procedure, in addition to real brochures. In their groups, the students will
choose one planet out of all the group members’ to create a travel brochure for, which
they will present to their classmates. Requirements for the brochure and presentation will
be outlined in a rubric and discussed with the class.
Lesson Ending- DAY 2 (and 3 if necessary)
Review and Closure- Each group will present their travel brochures to the class
and tell their classmates about their planet. The class will vote as a whole for the planet
they would most like to visit (they will not be permitted to vote for their own). The
students will turn in their individual writing pieces to be looked at for future publishing.
Preview of Next Lesson- The next lesson will combine what students had
previously learned about subjects, predicates, and run-on sentences in a review. The
students can further edit their individual creative writing pieces in accordance with the
lesson, identifying errors in subjects, predicates, and run-on sentences or type them for
final published copies. For the review, students will also be given colored cardstock that
matches the colors on the review labels that were put on the board at the beginning of the
lesson. They will be given examples from the basal book and asked to hold up the card
that identifies whether the sentence focuses on the subjects or predicates to create
compound subjects and predicates, editing a run-on sentence, or creating a compound
sentence.
Materials:
1. Visual (subject, predicate, compound, run-on sentence labels and examples for the
board)
2. Example teacher-written paragraph about planet with run-on sentences to correct
(25 copies for class hand-outs)
3. Lined paper with space for drawing a picture of their planet (25 pieces) for
individual writing
4. Complete example teacher-made brochure
5. Real brochures for examples
6. 25 Language Arts textbooks
7. 25 Planet idea prompt writing handout
8. 5 brochure rubrics (one for each group)
9. Brochure materials
a. folded construction paper, markers, colored pencils, extra craft items
(glue, glitter, google eyes, etc.)
10. 25 of each color of colored cardstock for review
Language Arts Lesson
Block 1
References:
Arts, M. L. (2001). Mcgraw-hill language arts. 2001-01.
Mode: The students will sit at their desks for the lesson introduction and whole group
instruction of the lesson (run-on sentences) as well as the individual practice with
creative writing and editing. For peer editing, the students will exchange with their
neighbors. At tables of three, the students will pass their work to the person on their right
and the last person will pass his/hers to the first person. Then, the students will work in 4
groups of 5 students and 1 group of 4 students to create their group brochures.
Special Adaptations: Students will be grouped so that higher learners are teamed with
lower level learners. This will allow the students to work together and learn from each
other to support learning. Also, the brochure structure will already be made for the
students to save time, since classes are only 30 minutes long. The brochure outline clearly
displays what information the students should include on their brochure, so that all
students understand requirements.
Anticipated Difficulties: Time constraints may be the biggest difficulty faced with this
lesson. It requires a lot of time and management to keep the lesson and activity moving
smoothly and to finish all parts of the lesson (mini-lesson, writing piece, brochure
creations, and presentations). Some aspects of the lesson have to be fit in accordance with
the basal series, so this causes restrictions. It is important for the class to stay on track
with the lessons in the book, so extending lessons or fitting in entire lessons can be
difficult.
Reflection:
Language Arts Lesson
Block 1
Directions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Lesson
Individual Writing
Peer Editing
Group Work
Creating Brochure
Presenting Brochure
Review