Literacy Lesson Plans
Title of Lesson/Task: Charlotte’s Web
Grade Level: 4
Subject: English, Language Arts
Specific Learning Outcomes:
Students will be expected to respond personally to a range of texts.
- SWBAT describe, share and discuss their personal reactions to texts
- SWBAT Give reasons for their opinions about texts and the works of authors and
illustrators.
Connections
(1) Cross-curricular Links: art
(2) What current event(s) (Local, National, International/ How can I connect students’ lives to
this topic : Students are able to make connections with the characters in the novel and observe
similarities and differences between themselves and characters such as Wilbur who they will base
their open mind portraits on. Students are able to make personal connections with characters and
put themselves in the character’s shoes.
Materials and Media:
-
Sheet of paper for each student
Pencils
Markers
Crayons
Charlotte’s web by E.B White
Short video of chapters 1-3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdX69cWtu6w
Learning journals
Differentiated Instruction, Modifications and Accommodations
Increase time, space, amount
Decrease time, space, amount
organizers
Change seating, groupings
Other: ____________________
Scribe
Oral explanation
Peer tutor/Partner
Use manipulatives
Include visuals, models, cueing,
Applying or Extending the activity
This class includes two students with exceptionalities. There is an ESL student as well as a hearing
impaired student.
Learning environment: The hearing impaired student will require that the teacher makes use of an FM
system and wears a microphone while giving instructions to the class, the student should also be placed
strategically so that they are close to the teacher when he/she is speaking. In regards to the ESL student,
the teacher must use visuals to demonstrate an example of what the students should be doing In class.
Content: The ESL student may need help to understand more words than just the words introduced to
the entire class. The teacher can allow the ESL student to look up any words he or she does not
understand. The video will be helpful for the ESL student because he/she will be able to see a visual
representation of the chapters just read.
Process: The ESL student as well as the hearing impaired student will be given a red card that they can
raise in the case that they may need to have something repeated or explained in more detail/with different
wording. In addition, the teacher will check with the ESL student to make sure he or she understands. The
hearing impaired student will be placed close to the front of the class so that he or she is able to hear the
teacher explain the lesson.
Product/Assessment: The hearing impaired as well as the ESL student should not have trouble
developing the open mind portrait, since it is a primarily visual task with few words, however, the
teacher may need to encourage the ESL student to use a few words in their open mind portrait even
though it may be outside of their comfort zone.
Assessment
Possible Assessment Strategies:
o Personal Reflection
o Discussion
o Interview/Conference o Project
o KWL
o Achievement Chart
o Pre Test
o Quiz
o Oral Report
o Observation
o Work Sample
o Presentation/Performance
o Checklist
o Audio/Video/Technological
o Learning Log/Journal o Rubrics
o Self-Assessment
Other
o Peer Assessment
Students will be expected to respond
personally to a range of texts.
- SWBAT describe, share and
discuss their personal reactions to
texts
- SWBAT Give reasons for their
opinions about texts and the
works of authors and illustrators.
Assessment for Learning
(Diagnostic) Students will create their
facts in five about Wilbur’s character traits
which are exhibited in the first three
chapters of the novel. They will also create
a group mind map of Wilbur’s character
traits.
(formative) The teacher will observe and
take anecdotal notes.
Assessment as Learning:
(Formative) Students will write in their
journals to reflect on the open mind
portrait activity and write about how they
relate to Wilbur’s character.
Delivering the Lesson
APK (Minds On):
Approx 10 minutes
Assessment of Learning:
(summative)
The students’ open mind portraits. The
teacher will mark these using a rubric. (see
appendix a)
What are the students doing?
What are you doing?
-
-
-
-
-
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Watch a short video clip of
the movie “Charlotte’s
Web” which depicts what
happened in chapters 1-3.
(These chapters have been
read in class previously).
Using the strategy “facts of
five” students will choose
five important facts
specifically about Wilbur.
Work in table groups to
discuss and share the five
facts each group member
developed for Wilbur.
Following discussion, table
groups will create a mind
map detailing Wilbur’s
character traits which were
drawn from the facts in five
activity
The member of the group
which has the closest
birthday to the current date
will present their group’s
mind map to the class.
Groups will add any
additional character traits
to their mind maps as
groups present.
-
-
The teacher will
write the
instructions for the
facts in five activity
on the board, and
explain that students
will need to take
notes while
watching the video.
C4U
Teacher will
monitor students
while circulating the
room and taking
anecdotal notes.
Teacher will
observe each teams
presentations and
make notes.
Action
Approx. 30 minutes
.
-
-
-
Students will listen to the
teacher explain the open
mind portrait activity.
One student (the youngest)
from each group will
gather paper and
writing/coloring tools for
their group.
Students will create their
open mind portraits.
Students who wish to share
their portraits will be given
a chance to do so. They
will show the class their
drawings and say why they
chose to draw what they
did and what those
drawings represent.
MIs (Interpersonal,
Intrapersonal, visual spatial,
naturalistic, bodily kinesthetic,
verbal linguistic)
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-
-
-
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The teacher will
explain the open
mind portrait
activity to students.
(they will be
creating a portrait
for Wilbur)
Teacher will model
the strategy for
Fern’s character in
the novel.
C4U
After 10 minutes of
drawing, the teacher
will remind students
to begin the other
half of the portrait.
The teacher will
circulate the room
while making
anecdotal notes.
The teacher will
listen to the
students’
presentation of their
portraits and provide
positive feedback.
Guided Practice:
How do you think Wilbur feels?
How do you think Wilbur felt
when he was left in the barn with
the other animals?
The teacher can pose these
questions before students
begin their open mind
portraits.
How do you think Wilbur was
feeling when he found out that
Charlotte was a spider?
Independent Practice:
Approx 30 minutes
Consolidation/Closure:
Approx 10 minutes
Reflection of Lesson Plan
Preparation:
Students will have the opportunity
to work independently while
creating their open mind portraits
and also while writing in their
learning journals.
The teacher will observe
students and monitor their
work to make sure they are
staying on task.
Students will be given ten minutes to respond to the questions
“How can you relate to Wilbur’s character” and “How are your
character traits different from Wilbur’s character traits?
There are definite advantages and disadvantages to using the
open mind portrait strategy. It can be an ideal activity for students
who are very visual and enjoy, or are talented at art. However, for
those who do not feel artistically inclined it can be a challenge.
The teacher should always make it clear that an activity like this
is not an art competition, but a way of representing knowledge.
The students should be ensured that they will not be marked on
how good their drawings are, but what they represent.
While planning this lesson I reflected on how difficult it can be to
incorporate the many different MIs. It is easy to plan a lesson
centered around just a few, such as focusing on visual auditory
and kinesthetic. However it is extremely difficult to create a
lesson where every activity adheres to all of the multiple
intelligences.
Open Mind Portrait
Expert
10 pts
Personality of
Expert
Character
Personality Traits At least 4
personality traits
are included and
depicted with
explanation or
examples
Thoughts and
Feelings of
Character
Behavior,
Emotions,
Motivations
Speech of
Character
Quotes
Expert
Proficient
8 pts
Proficient
Approaching
6 pts
Approaching
3 personality traits Personality traits
are included and are included
depicted with
explanation or
examples
Proficient
Character's
Character
behavior, emotion, behavior,
and motivation are emotions, and
accurately
motivation are
described in order adequately
to understand who described
character is
Approaching
Incomplete
(N/A)
Incomplete
No score is
awarded because
there is insufficient
evidence of
student
performance based
on the
requirements of
the assessment
task.
Incomplete
Behavior,
emotions, or
motivations of
character are
unclear or
underdeveloped
Expert
Proficient
Approaching
Key quotes from
story are used that
reveal character's
personality
Quotes from story
are used that
reveal character's
personality
Quotes from story
are used, but do
not fully reveal
character
Incomplete
Title of Lesson/Task : Charlotte’s Web Role Play
Strand
Grade Level: 4
Subject(s): English, Language Arts
Specific Learning Outcomes (SCO) (from curriculum documents)
Students will be expected to communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to respond
personally and critically.
- Use word choice, tone of voice, facial expressions and gestures appropriate to the speaking
occasion.
- Engage in and respond to oral presentations (e.g retell a story, sing a song)
Connections
(3) How can I connect students’ lives to this topic? Students are able to relate this particular lesson
to their lives because they are able to interpret the story in their own way, and demonstrate their
interpretation though a role play activity. The activity allows
(4) Cross-curricular Links: Visual arts,
(5) What current event(s) (Local, National, International) or other real-life connections might
spark further interest in the topic? During grade four students are learning a lot about
friendship and the struggles involved in friendship. Students will be able to relate this lesson to
their own lives and friendships.
Materials and Media:
What materials and media might I use to introduce and expand understanding?
Differentiated Instruction, Modifications and Accommodations
Increase time, space, amount
Scribe
Use manipulatives
Decrease time, space, amount
Oral explanation
Include visuals, models, cueing,
organizers
Change seating, groupings Peer tutor/Partner
Applying or Extending the activity
Other: ____________________
This class includes two students with exceptionalities. There is an ESL student as well as a hearing
impaired student.
Learning environment: The hearing impaired student will require that the teacher makes use of an FM
system and wears a microphone while giving instructions to the class. The student should also be placed
strategically so that they are close to the teacher when he/she is speaking. In regards to the ESL student,
the teacher must model what the students should be doing during the role-play activity.
Content: Both students have been paired with a peer buddy during reading, so that they are able to
match the reading pace of the rest of the class, and a resource for understanding. It is also an opportunity
to work on vocabulary and language skills. Both students will not be pressured to take on a large role eo
ensure they feel comfortable speaking in front of the class.
Process: The ESL student as well as the hearing impaired student will be given a red card that they can
raise in the case that they may need to have something repeated or explained in more detail/with different
wording. In addition, the teacher will check with the ESL student to make sure he or she understands.
The hearing impaired student will be placed close to the front of the class so that he or she is able to hear
the teacher explain the lesson and will be able to hear the groups who are presenting their role-plays.
Critical Thinking – keep in mind Bloom’s Taxonomy – higher order thinking – not to complete as
a separate section in your final plan.
Assessment
- Use word choice, tone of voice,
facial expressions and gestures
Possible Assessment Strategies:
appropriate to the speaking
o Discussion
o Personal Reflection
occasion.
o Interview/Conference o Project
Engage in and respond to oral
o KWL
o Achievement Chart
presentations (e.g retell a story,
o Pre Test
o Quiz
sing a song)
o Observation
o Oral Report
o Work Sample
o Presentation/Performance
o Checklist
o Audio/Video/Technological Assessment for Learning
(Diagnostic) Through the APK activity,
o Learning Log/Journal o Rubrics
table groups will construct a mind map of
o Self-Assessment
Other
what happened in the chapter read during
o Peer Assessment
the last class.
(Formative) Teacher will observe and
take anecdotal notes.
Assessment as Learning:
(Formative) Students will write in their
learning journals about what they learned
during the role-play activity and discuss
the process of constructing the role-play.
Delivering the Lesson
APK (Minds On): 5 mins
Assessment of Learning:
The presentation of the role-play. Teacher
will take anecdotal notes.
What are the students doing?
What are you doing?
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Students will listen to
teacher’s instructions.
Students will brainstorm in
their table groups and
construct a mind map that
details what happened in
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Teacher will explain to
students the activity and
do a C4U. (See student for
instructions).
The teacher will be
circulating around the
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Action Approx. 35 minutes
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Chapter 5, read in the last
class.
One person from each table
group will present the mind
map to the class.
Students will listen to
instructions for role-play
activity given by teacher.
C4U
Students will brainstorm
ideas and create role-play
within classroom, each group
in a different area of the
room. (MIs:
Verbal/Linguistic,
Logical/Mathematical,
Visual/Spatial,
Bodily/Kinesthetic,
Interpersonal)
Students will go back to their
seats.
One student will go gather
art supplies to create props
from art center.
Students will create props.
Students will take turns
presenting their role-plays.
classroom in order to
observe students as they
construct their mind maps.
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Teacher will explain roleplay activity and a C4U
Instructions: Students
will work in their 5 table
groups (teacher approved)
of 4 to create a role-play
of what they predict will
happen in the text based
on the guiding question
written on the board.
Students will be given
15mins to prepare the 2
min role-play. Students
will be then given 10mins
to prepare any props they
made need using art
supplies with a focus on
cutting paper and using
pastels.
Teacher will write
question on the board,
“Now that Charlotte
promised to save Wilbur’s
life, how do you think she
will do so”?
Teacher will watch
students prepare role-play
while taking anecdotal
notes.
Teacher will ring chimes
to get all students
attention and tell them to
go back to their seats and
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-
Guided Practice: Sample
guiding questions and
prompts can go here
send one person the art
corner to get supplies.
Teacher will monitor prop
making.
Teacher will ring chimes
and pick a name from her
random selection jar to
find out the order of the
presentations.
Teacher will take notes
and watch role-plays.
Observe and probe if needed.
Now that Charlotte promised to save
Wilbur’s life, how do you think she
will do so?
What do we know about Charlotte?
What are her characteristics?
Independent Practice:
Approx. 10 minutes
Journaling activity.
Consolidation/Closure:
Approx 10 min
Students will be asked to write in their journal silently for the last ten
minutes of class. The two questions they must ask are; What did you
learn about the novel by participating in the role-play activity? How did
the role-play activity help you to understand the novel?
Reflection of Lesson Plan
Preparation:
The teacher will be moving
around the classroom to ensure
that students are on task and will
answer any of their questions.
It was difficult to create a lesson that was “fun” while also educational.
We wanted to incorporate a role play because it is a great way for
students to demonstrate understanding in a physical, kinesthetic way. The
problem with activities such as role plays is that sometimes students can
become overexcited and may get a little off topic with their “predictions”
of what will happen in the story. Having the students get over excited
can definitely be an obstacle when doing a lesson like this one. We
decided to use the end journal activity