5th Grade Eligible Content Lesson Plans
Week 3, Day 1
Topic
Title
Number
of
Minutes
Materials
Materials:
 QuickWrites PPT
 Projector
 Lined Paper
 QuickWrite Stamp Chart
 Timer
 Stamper
QuickWrite
Maximizing
Learning
Challenge
QuickWrite
“Build the
Alphabet”
10
10
Materials
 Projector
 Maximizing Learning
Challenges PPT
 Assessing and Scoring the
Maximizing Learning
Challenges handout (for
reference)
 Maximizing Learning
Challenge Team Tally (for
assessing and scoring)
Example/Description
Directions/Introduction to QuickWrites (5 min):
 Distribute one piece of lined paper per student.
 Project “QuickWrites” PPT
 Distribute Quick Write Stamp Chart and read aloud the “Quick
Write Quota” slide to explain what QuickWrites are and the
incentive plan for completing the daily QuickWrite to campers.
Writing (5 min):
 Advance to the next slide, “QuickWrite #11,” read aloud, and
give campers 5 minutes to complete.
 The teacher and camp coordinators should circulate around the
room and begin stamping campers’ QuickWrite Stamp Chart.
Be sure to check and stamp QuickWrites each day to increase
student motivation to receive the incentive at the end of the
week.
 When the time is up, you can call on a few campers to share
their responses.
When finished, ask campers to put their QuickWrite and Stamp
Chart in their SDA Binder. Remind them they will continue to
use this paper for future QuickWrites and supply new paper to
campers when needed.
Note: Maximizing Learning Challenges will require staff members
to prepare materials and determine how teams will be established
ahead of time in order prepare materials and have enough time to
complete the challenges in the allotted time on the lesson plan.
Directions:
 Explain to campers they are going to participate in their third
Maximizing Learning Challenge. Remind campers how these
challenges are opportunities to “grow their brains,” that they
will require them to be creative when deciding their plan of
action, and that to be successful in completing the challenge,
they must communicate and cooperate with one another. Recall

Maximizing
Learning
Challenge
(continued)
Eligible
Content
“Build the
Alphabet”
(continued)
Text
Organization:
Cause/Effect
Intro
&
Activity

25
“Build the Alphabet”
materials (one set of each of
these items per team):
o 2 straws
o 5 paper clips
o 10 toothpicks
o 1 clothespin
o 1 12-in. square of
aluminum foil
o 1 12-in. length of string
o 5 recycled plastic lids
o 3 rubber bands
o Scissors
Timer
Materials
 “Getting Your House In Order”
PPT
 “Getting Your House In Order”
Guided Notes (campers) and
Answer Key (teacher)
 Cause/Effect Article,
“Yaaaawwwwnn! Are You
Sleep-Deprived?” (campers)
and Key (teacher)
 Cause and Effect Graphic
Organizer #1 (campers)
their feelings after completing the first challenge as a way to
remember what worked well and what didn’t work well.
 Assign campers to their teams. Tell them to elect a team leader.
 Project the Maximizing Learning Challenge PPT.
 Read through the slides for “Build the Alphabet” – clearly
emphasizing the directions and what the campers can and
cannot do.
 After you read the directions slide, make sure campers
understand the task, distribute the materials to the groups, set
the timer for the time allotted, then advance to the next slide,
“Ready, Set, Go,” and let the campers begin.
 Advancing to the next slide will display the directions again for
the campers.
 Teacher and Camp Coordinators should monitor campers as
they progress through the challenge, keeping an eye out for any
potential conflicts amongst teammates and recording points on
the Team Tally.
 Advance to the next slide “So, How’d It Go?” to display during
the reflection/closing of the activity.
 Ask campers to reflect on the experience, focusing especially
on how they went about tackling the challenge (creativity), how
well they cooperated with one another, and how important
communication was to completing the challenge successfully.
(Refer to the Assessing and Scoring handout for more questions
to provoke discussion, if necessary).
 Share the results of the Team Tally and reward campers with
Promise Dollars.
Directions:
 Project Get Your House In Order PPT starting at the “Cause
and Effect” slide and have campers take out the Get Your House
In Order Notes from their SDA Binder.
Hook (2-5 min): “Excuses, Excuses!”
 Explain that campers are going to use the Hot Potato sharing
strategy to play a quick game called “Excuses, Excuses!”
 Display and read aloud, “Situation #1,” give everyone a few
seconds to think of possible answers, and then toss a ball to
camper.
 Camper who catches the ball gives an answer then tosses ball to


Eligible
Content
(continued)
Text
Organization:
Cause/Effect
Intro
&
Activity
(continued)
Projector
Beach Ball (or something
similar)


another camper who gives a new answer.
When ball is caught camper has only 5 seconds to answer and
toss the ball, so think quickly!
Move on to “Situation #2” when campers no longer have any
answers and play again.
Cause/Effect Intro Notes (10-12 min):
 Explain that “Excuses, Excuses!” is an example of cause and
effect. The situations gave the effect (the result) and campers
came up with the cause (the reason). For example:
o Cause: The dog ate my backpack.
Effect: I couldn’t finish my homework.
o Cause: I ate a big lunch.
Effect: I’m not hungry for dinner
 Continue to work through the PowerPoint as campers complete
the Guided Notes for the Cause/Effect section.
Cause/Effect Practice:
 Distribute the Cause/Effect Article, ““Yaaaawwwwnn! Are You
Sleep-Deprived?”
 First, read the entire article, then go back to the sections, “Food,
Clothing, Shelter… and Sleep” and “More Consequences
(Yawn!)” to identify the cause (sleep deprivation) and its effects
(numerous – refer to the key).
 Model reading the text, highlighting Cause and Effect key
words, drawing a box around the cause and a circle around the
effect(s). Campers should follow along with the teacher.
 Distribute the Cause/Effect Graphic Organizer #1. Explain to
campers that sometimes it is helpful to use a graphic organizer
when reading non-fiction articles as a way to keep track of
important details.
 Campers should complete the Graphic Organizer independently
by filling in the cause and choosing just three effects.
 As an alternative, campers can illustrate the cause and effects.
 When finished, campers can return their notes and copy of the
article to their SDA binder. Collect the graphic organizer and
consider displaying campers’ work around the room.

Word
Warriors
Vocabulary—
Word
Warriors Set
#2 Definitions
20



Nutrition
Education
McDonald’s:
Are You
Lovin’ It, Or
is it
Supersizing
You?
15
Word Warriors Set #2
 Project Word Warrior Set #2PPT
Definitions
 Distribute Word Warrior Set #2 Definitions.
Word Warriors Set #2 PPT
 For each word:
Word Warriors Set #2 Word
o Pronounce word and read definition
Wall Words and Definitions
o Have campers fill in the blanks in the sample sentence.
(staff member should post after
all words have been
introduced)
Class set of “McDonalds: Are
 Ask campers if they like to eat fast food. Have a brief discussion
You Lovin’ it, or is it
about what makes it appealing to them and their families.
Supersizing You? Worksheet
 Hand out the McDonald’s Activity. Explain to campers that
calories come from carbohydrates, protein, and fat within food.
Too many calories from any particular group can be bad for you,
and eating more calories than your body needs is how people gain
weight.
 Give campers at least 10 minutes to complete the activity. Ask
campers:
o What did you find out about your favorite meals?
o Were they within the recommended daily intake guide?
o How did you make healthier meal choices?
Optional take home; Ask campers to look up the movie “Super Size
Me” on Wikipedia. Find out what Morgan Spurlock did for 30 days at
McDonalds, and how much weight he gained from the experiment.
 Anyone who comes back the next day with the correct answer
will earn 2 Promise Dollars.
 (Answer: Spurlock dined at McDonald's restaurants three times
per day, eating every item on the chain's menu. He would always
choose to "super-size" his meal if he was offered by a McDonald's
employee. He gained 24.5 lbs)
Materials:
 Beach Ball (or something
similar)
Closing
Closing
5
Review the text organization strategy learned today, Cause and Effect,
with campers:
Say:
 What is another word for “cause”? (reason)
 What is another word for “effect”? (result)
Now I’m going to say two causes and you tell me the effect:
 I got at least a 2.5 grade point average.

Closing
(continued)
Closing
(continued)
I attended school 90% of the school year.
What effect will happen for me? (I will earn the Pittsburgh
Promise money / $10,000!
With any remaining time, play another game of Hot Potato with the
campers. Try to call on all of the campers as a means of formative
assessment. Reward correct answers with Promise Dollars. Feel free to
create your own Cause/Effect scenarios oruse the examples below:
Cause Statements: (ask campers to give effects)
1. Dad forgot to pay attention to the food cooking on the
barbeque.
2. Dizzy Dora forgot to add sugar to the lemonade.
3. Joe wasn't paying attention and drank a big mouthful of sour
milk.
4. The paint can tumbled off the ladder.
5. The fireman turned on the hose.
Effect Statements: (ask campers to give causes)
1. Dad forgot to pay attention to the food cooking on the
barbeque.
2. Dizzy Dora forgot to add sugar to the lemonade.
3. Joe wasn't paying attention and drank a big mouthful of
sour milk.
4. The paint can tumbled off the ladder.
5. The fireman turned on the hose.
5th Grade Eligible Content Lesson Plans
Week 3, Day 2
Time
Title
Number
of
Minutes
Materials
Materials:
 QuickWrites PPT
 Projector
 Lined Paper
 QuickWrite Stamp Chart
 Timer
 Stamper
QuickWrite
QuickWrite
5

10
Classroom
Culture
Final Project
Camper
Tic-Tac-Toe
Script Writing
(Thinking about
music and sounds)

25



9 chairs set up in 3 rows
(similar to Tic Tac Toe
board
Sample SDA question
sheet
Script Organizer
Sound Effects Planning
Sound Effects Source
Documentation
(Handouts in packet)
Example/Description
Directions:
 Ask campers to take out their QuickWrite paper from
yesterday.
 Project “QuickWrites” PPT, “QuickWrite #12” slide,
read aloud, and give campers 5 minutes to complete.
 Circulate around the room and begin stamping
campers’ charts. Be sure to check and stamp
QuickWrites each day to increase student motivation
to receive the incentive at the end of the week.
 When the time is up, you can call on a few campers to
share their responses.
 When finished, ask campers to put their QuickWrite
and Stamp Chart in their SDA Binder. Remind them
they will continue to use this paper for future
QuickWrites and supply new paper to campers when
needed.
 Divide Campers into two teams: X's and O's.
 Teacher asks site-based SDA questions to alternating
teams
 When team answers correctly one team member places
themselves on the “board”
 First team to get three in a row wins promise dollars
 Repeat if time allows
Objectives: CWBAT
 identify the characteristics of a Podcast script,
 write Podcast scripts,
 organize sound effects plan.
Procedures:
Final Project
(continued)
Script Writing
(Thinking about
music and sounds)
(continued)
Text Organization Text Organization
Compare/Contrast Compare/Contrast
Introduction
Introduction
&
&
Activity
Activity
25
Materials
 “Getting Your House
In Order” PPT
 “Getting Your House
In Order” Guided
Notes (campers) and
Answer Key (teacher)
 Compare/Contrast
Article, “Hurricanes
Versus Tornadoes”
(campers) and Key
(teacher)
 Projector
 Post-It notes
 Construction Paper
 Warm-Up:
 Activity: PPT. Review selecting sound effects for
Podcast. Go to PPS website and show students where
they can go to get audio clips. Often sites that they will
go to will be blocked. Remind students to write down the
name of the clip and where they got it.
 Students work in teams.
 Closure: Do this on half sheets of paper. The purpose
of this Exit Slip is to determine what students do and do
not know about downloading clips. Prompt: Tell me
three things you know about downloading clips. Are you
familiar with recording music? What is one thing you
still need to learn in order to complete this project?
Directions:
 Project Get Your House In Order PPT starting at the
“Compare/Contrast” slide and have campers take out
their Get Your House In Order Notes from their SDA
Binder.
Hook: Spot the Difference (5 min)
 Project Get Your House In Order PPT.
 Tell campers that they’re going to play a game called
“Spot the Difference.”
 Explain “Spot the Difference” directions:
o Two pictures will appear on the screen, and at
first glance they look identical, but they are
actually slightly different.
o Campers should look carefully at the pictures and
try to find all of the differences.
 Staff member should mark differences with a dry erase
marker or a Post-It (if not projecting on whiteboard)
Compare/Contrast Intro (10 min)
 Continue to work through the PowerPoint as campers
complete the Guided Notes for the Cause/Effect
section.
 Explain that when campers played “Spot the
Text Organization Text Organization
Compare/Contrast Compare/Contrast
Introduction
Introduction
&
&
Activity
Activity
(continued)
(continued)
Review Games
Materials
 Board Games
Board Games
15
Difference” they were doing a visual compare and
contrast—they had to look at the pictures and
determine what things were similar and what things
were different. The compare/contrast text organization
strategy is doing the same thing, but with words.
Compare/Contrast Practice:
 Distribute Compare/Contrast Article, “Hurricanes
Versus Tornadoes.”
 Model reading the article and highlight similarities in
one green and differences in pink (use Post-Its if no
whiteboard).
 Draw a Venn diagram on board or chart paper. Explain
that Venn diagrams are graphic organizers used to
compare and contrast topics. Explain that similarities
are written in the overlapping space in the center and
differences for each topic are written in their respective
circles.
 Distribute Venn Diagram handout.
 Campers should fill in the Venn Diagram by writing
the similarities and differences.
 As an alternate activity, or if time permits, campers
can illustrate one similarity and one difference of
hurricanes and tornadoes.
o Distribute one piece of construction paper to campers
and have them fold the paper in half. On one side of
the construction paper, campers should illustrate the
similarities of hurricanes (on the left) and tornadoes
(on the right), then illustrate the differences on the
opposite side of the construction paper.
 If there are any games in which campers have not played,
staff member should teach campers to play it. Explain the
rules and allow them to play the game.
 Or, form centers and allow campers to choose the game
they want to play in groups.
Materials
 Chalkboard or Chart
Paper
Closing
Closing
5
Review the text organization strategy learned today, Compare
and Contrast, with campers:
Say:
 What does it mean when you compare two or more
things?
 What does it mean when you contrast two or more
things?
Draw a Venn Diagram on the board or chart paper and ask
students to compare/contrast two music artists – use the
examples below if needed:
 Jay-Z and Beyonce
 Nicki Minaj and Sean Kingston
 Taylor Swift and Kanye West
 Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera
5th Grade Eligible Content Lesson Plans
Week 3, Day 3
Time
QuickWrite
Word
Warriors
Novel
Activities
Title
QuickWrite
Vocabulary Word
Warriors Set #2
Activities
Novel Activities
Number of
Minutes
5
20
15
Materials
Materials:
 QuickWrites PPT
 Projector
 Lined Paper
 QuickWrite Stamp
Chart
 Timer
 Stamper



Picture This
You’re the Star
Tell a Tale Time
Materials
 Novels
 Post-Its (to use as book
marks)
 Novel Reading/Activity
Logs
 5th Grade Novel
Activities (handout)
 Art supplies (for novel
activities)
Timer
Example/Description
Directions:
 Ask campers to take out their QuickWrite paper from
yesterday.
 Project “QuickWrites” PPT, “QuickWrite #13” slide,
read aloud, and give campers 5 minutes to complete.
 Circulate around the room and begin stamping campers’
charts. Be sure to check and stamp QuickWrites each
day to increase student motivation to receive the
incentive at the end of the week.
 When the time is up, you can call on a few campers to
share their responses.
 When finished, ask campers to put their QuickWrite and
Stamp Chart in their SDA Binder. Remind them they
will continue to use this paper for future QuickWrites
and supply new paper to campers when needed.
*There are three Word Warriors, Set 2 activities to use
throughout Set 2. (Refer to Word Warriors Section of binder for
handouts.)
*Teachers may chose to complete as a whole group or allow
students to work individually or with a partner to complete.
 Distribute novels to campers and ask them to take out
their Novel Reading/Activity Logs from their SDA
Binder.
 Distribute the 5th Grade Novel Activities handout.
Explain to campers that they have the option of either
reading their novel or completing one of the Novel
Activities that are listed on the handout. Keep in mind
some of the activities require students to have read the
majority, if not all, of their novel.
 Should campers decide to work on an activity, advise
them to do so quietly, as other campers may be using the
time to read.

Novel
Activities
(continued)
Novel Activities
(continued)



Script Organizer
Sound Effects
Planning
Sound Effects Source
Documentation
(Handouts in packet)
Final
Project
How to find music
and sounds (PPS
website) &
uploading
recordings
25
When the allotted time is up, have campers record their
progress or activity on their logs, go around and stamp
campers’ logs, then have them place it in their SDA
binders, and return all materials to a designated area in
the room for the novels.
 Ask campers to insert the Novel Activities handout in
their SDA binder.
 It is suggested to allow campers some time to share their
activities with the class, or that you post their work
around the room.
Objectives: CWBAT

Locate and list sound sources.
Procedures:
Teacher will need to skim student responses from exit slips
yesterday to help you determine your focus for today. You may
need to go back and reteach some things about using clips and
other areas where students need extra support.
 Warm-up: Use Post-its. Add to “Podcast Planning
Wall.” Think/Pair/Share (post during share time).
Prompt: Why is it important to document sources you use,
even audio clips?
 Activity: Continue from previous day. Teacher should
review rubric and do over-the-shoulder team checks to
determine if students are in an appropriate place. If note,
teacher may need to provide extra supports to teams that
are behind.
Closure: Rapid Response: What format is your team using?
Why did you select this format? Teacher uses timer and sets it
for 3-4 minutes. Students will select one team member to speak.
If extra time ask students a follow-up question. How does this
format help get your message across (motive)?



Nutrition
Education
Eat This,
Not That!
15


Closing
Closing
5
Eat This Not That
game sheets
Tape
10 sheets of
Astrobright
Summer Dreamers
Snack Attack Quick
Recipe
Scissors
Materials
 Word Warrior
vocabulary words

Explain to campers that we need to be realistic and know
that sometimes we are not going to eat all fruits and
vegetables, we are going to snack.
 Camper’s will discuss and play the Eat This Not That!
game for deciding the best snacks.
 Place the Eat This Not That! game around the room
according to the instruction sheet. Give the campers time
to go around the room and record their answers (in groups
or individually). The camper(s) with the most correct
answers win Promise Dollars
 As a take home, campers will receive the Summer
Dreamers Snack Attack Quick Recipe
Call on campers to review Word Warrior vocabulary – campers
can provide a sentence, synonym, or antonym for each word
learned so far. Reward correct responses with Promise Dollars.
5th Grade Eligible Content Lesson Plans
Week 3, Day 4
Time
QuickWrite
Novel
Activities
Title
QuickWrite
Number
of
Minutes
5
Novel Activities
15
Materials
Materials
 QuickWrites PPT
 Projector
 Lined Paper
 QuickWrite Stamp
Chart
 Timer
 Stamper
Materials
 Novels
 Post-Its (to use as book
marks)
 Novel Reading/Activity
Logs
 5th Grade Novel Activities
(handout)
 Art supplies (for novel
activities)
 Timer
Example/Description
Directions:
 Ask campers to take out their QuickWrite paper from
yesterday.
 Project “QuickWrites” PPT, “QuickWrite #4” slide, read
aloud, and give campers 5 minutes to complete.
 Circulate around the room and begin stamping campers’
charts. Be sure to check and stamp QuickWrites each day
to increase student motivation to receive the incentive at
the end of the week.
 When the time is up, you can call on a few campers to
share their responses.
 When finished, ask campers to put their QuickWrite and
Stamp Chart in their SDA Binder. Remind them they will
continue to use this paper for future QuickWrites and
supply new paper to campers when needed.




Distribute novels to campers and ask them to take out their
Novel Reading/Activity Logs from their SDA Binder.
Distribute the 5th Grade Novel Activities handout. Explain to
campers that they have the option of either reading their novel or
completing one of the Novel Activities that are listed on the
handout. Keep in mind some of the activities require students to
have read the majority, if not all, of their novel.
Should campers decide to work on an activity, advise them to do
so quietly, as other campers may be using the time to read.
When the allotted time is up, have campers record their progress
or activity on their logs, go around and stamp campers’ logs,
then have them place it in their SDA binders, and return all
materials to a designated area in the room for the novels.

Novel
Activities
(continued)
Novel Activities
(continued)
Review
Games
Inference
Games BINGO
Word
Warriors
Vocabulary
Word Warriors
Set #2 Final
Activity
Text
Organization
Inference and
Point of View
Exit Slip
35
Materials
 Inference BINGO
boards (campers)
 Inference BINGO
directions, answers, and
clues(teacher)
 Chart paper/marker or
chalkboard

15
10

Final Activity handout &
key
WW Tracker
Materials
 Text Organization /
Inference / POV Exit Slip
(campers) and Answer
Key (teacher)
Ask campers to insert the Novel Activities handout in their SDA
binder.
 It is suggested to allow campers some time to share their
activities with the class, or that you post their work around the
room.
Directions:
1.) Distribute a blank Inference Bingo board to every camper.
2.) Provide campers with the list of (25) answers written on chart
paper (or read aloud).
3.) Campers should write the answers onto the Bingo board, in any
block they choose. (All answers will be used)
4.) When all campers have their boards ready, the teacher or Camp
Coordinator can begin to read the clues out loud, each clue
ending in a question.
5.) Campers should be able to infer the answer, find it on their
Bingo Board, and draw an “X” over that square.
6.) First camper to correctly get a traditional Bingo (vertical,
horizontal, diagonal) will win Promise Dollars (amount can be
determined by the teacher or camp coordinator).
7.) The game can continue for more Bingos. Variations of the
traditional Bingo lines may be used (outside picture frame,
plus sign, inside picture frame, diamond, letter X, etc.)
 Review Set 2 Word Warriors
 Distribute Set 2 Final Activity
 Teachers and/or Coordinators grade Final Activity
 Campers color progress on Word Warrior Tracker
Directions:
 Distribute the exit slip to campers to complete independently.
 You can decide whether to collect and check or have campers check
each others’ work, however, be sure to collect and review in order to
see how well students grasped the Eligible Content skills covered.
 Using the data gathered from the Exit Slip, the teacher and CC’s can
place students into the proper group for the Differentiated Instruction
center activities taking place during Week 4, Day 16.
 Reward campers with Promise Dollars.
Closing
Closing
5
 Remind campers about the field trip tomorrow.