LESSON PLAN #2
TRANSITION TO TEACHING
CURRICULUM ASPECTS
Unit Topic/Title To reach a goal takes hard work
Lesson Plan Title Vocabulary Bash
Student Academic Standards 3.L.5 b. Identify real-life connections between words
and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful).
Content Covered Go over 10 vocabulary words that are the focus for the week and use
them in a sentence. They will play a domino game using the 10 vocabulary words
(matching vocabulary word with its definition).
Lesson Objectives
 Teach the students what each vocabulary word means and practice using it in a
sentence
Lesson Rationale Students don’t benefit from merely memorizing definitions. By
teaching them the definition AND practicing using it in a sentence, they build a bigger
vocabulary. (Sometimes the definitions are so complex that merely memorizing it won’t
help them to use the word which is our ultimate goal.) Hopefully by making them
practice using it, they will feel more comfortable making it a part of their everyday
language.
INSTRUCTIONAL OVERVIEW
Introduction Have you heard of a person named “Vanna White”? (Yes). Where is she
from? (A game show on TV). What is her job on the game? (To turn over letters) or
(Present the letters that people guess). Does someone want to pretend to be Vanna
during our game? (Pick someone who is familiar with what Vanna does so that they can
show others what she does).
Procedures/Activities Students will be gathered up front on the carpet, sitting down.
I will be sitting in the rocking chair and Vanna will stand next to me but in front of the
white board. I will give the first vocabulary word and allow students to guess what they
think the meaning of the word is. If the student guesses correctly or is pretty close, I will
reward them with a jelly bean from the candy jar. If another student can use the word
correctly in a sentence, I will give that student a jelly bean as well. I will also make sure
I give them a sentence using the word correctly. I will also show the students a picture
that goes along with the sentence so that they can visually see what the word means.
Once those things are done (definition and sentences), I will hand over the vocabulary
card to “Vanna” so she (or he) can put it up on the whiteboard to showcase it. Vanna
gets the opportunity to showcase the vocabulary card however he/she feels (it could be
just like Vanna White would do it or they could develop their own style). Repeat the
process with all vocabulary words. Every other word I will have them turn to their
partners to teach other the definition. The other ones they will get with their partner
and have to come up with a sentence using the word correctly. Then, a couple of
partners will share.
Checks for Understanding Allowing students to guess the definition before I tell
them is a way for me to assess which ones they might know and which ones they don’t.
Students will have the opportunity to play the domino game during Daily 5 rotations.
Once the dominos are all matched up, they will have to write down which order they
placed the dominos. Any Daily 5 activities which require them to record information
(such as this) will be turned in that day. I will be reviewing those to see if they
accurately matched up the word with its definition.
Conclusion Vanna will do one last “hoorah” of all of the vocabulary cards. I will
encourage them to use these new words during conversations, during writing activities,
and look for them in books they are reading. If they spot one and show me, they will
earn a jelly bean.
Follow-Up
I have made up a domino game where the students have to match the vocabulary game
to the definition. Then once they have put the dominos together, they will write them on
paper and use the word in a sentence. This will be a Daily 5 activity and will be handed
in for review during the week.
Materials
 Vocabulary cards for Vanna activity
 Domino pieces with vocabulary words and definitions written on them.
 Sheet of paper with space for vocabulary word, definition and using it in a
sentence.
SPECIFIC DIFFERENTIATION ASPECTS
Technology Aspects None
Classroom Management Aspects During this lesson, there aren’t any transitions
between the activities. There are certain students who are not allowed to sit next to one
another when gathered on the carpet for whole group because they don’t make good
choices. As long as I am cognizant of where students are sitting, that should limit the
distractions. I am offering jelly beans to students who volunteer which will help keep
their attention during the lesson.
Educational Psychology Aspects Anytime you dangle a reward (in this case jelly
beans) in front of students, they usually conform. Also, the students love it when a
boring thing like learning vocabulary words is turned into a cute game where they can
show off their personalities too. Sometimes these things can get a little carried away
and if that’s the case, we will just stop.
ELL Aspects The vocabulary cards that I will be using have pictures on them so that
even ELL students might be able to look at the picture and decipher what the word
means. When deciding whether students receive a jelly bean for a guess, I will be more
lenient with the ELL students.
High Ability Aspects I am going to assume that most of the HA students will know
what the words mean. So, with those students, they must give a strong definition and be
able to use it in a sentence.
Disability or At-Risk Aspects These students will probably have heard the word
before but might have difficulty explaining what it means. The pictures on the
vocabulary cards should help them. Plus, I try to help them by asking them what a
synonym might be.
PROFESSIONAL REFLECTION (completed after the lesson has been taught)
Reflection (What went well in this lesson? What went poorly? What was okay but
needs more work to reach every student more effectively? What professional
dispositions were displayed during this lesson—either in its planning or its
implementation? How did your own cultural background influence the planning and
implementation of this lesson on students with backgrounds different from yours?
MOST IMPORTANTLY—how did student assessment data indicate
improved student learning by the end of this lesson?)