CEP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher: Emma Burns Date: 4/12/17

School: Webber Middle School Grade Level: 8

Content Area: English Language Arts

Title: Constructing body paragraphs for an argumentative essay on Flowers for Algernon
Lesson #: 1 of 1
Lesson Idea/Topic and For this lesson, I will be teaching students how to properly
Rational/Relevance: construct a body paragraph for their final argumentative
What are you going to paper on Flowers for Algernon. Focusing on organizing the
teach and why is this paragraph will be one aspect of the lesson, as well as
lesson of importance teaching students to come up with strong reasoning to
to your students? How support their claim and evidence. Students in eighth grade
is it relevant to are passionate. They need an outlet to express their opinion,
students of this age yet they also need to learn to back-up their arguments with
and background? strong support. This lesson aims to give students the proper
tools to construct a strong argumentative essay.
Student Profile: Write The room is filled with all different types of kids, and
a narrative about your learners. Some need extra motivation in order to believe in
learners. What are themselves, and others are sensible and confident.
their special needs?
Exceptionalities? Scaffolding is the best way to approach these kids. Walking
Giftedness? them through each developmental stage of how to compose
Alternative ways of an essay will meet the needs of all learners in the class. After
learning? grading many of their papers it is evident even the most
Maturity? Engagement? proficient writer in the class needs an outline for his or her
Motivation? essay.

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson:

Reading

Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

(8.2.1)

Writing

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
(8.3.2)

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Understandings: An argument can only be strong and effective with good reasoning.

Inquiry Questions: What makes a strong argument? Why do we argue?

Evidence Outcomes:

I can structure a well-organized body paragraph that contains a

topic sentence and strong reasoning to support my claim.

This means I can analyze three different paragraphs and determine why one is strong or weak.
I can fill out my outline before the end of class with all the required elements of a body
paragraph.

Planned Lesson Activities

Name and Purpose The overall purpose of this lesson is to model for students how
of Lesson to construct a well-organized, strong body paragraph in an
Should be a creative title argumentative essay. This is not yet tapping into the counter
for you and the students argument; this lesson focuses solely on the first two. By looking
to associate with the at three different examples of body paragraphsone being
activity. Think of the proficient, one being developing, and one being beginner. Using
purpose as the mentor texts is a proven way to enhance student writing. By
minirationale for what you the end of the lesson, students will understand what
are trying to accomplish components are needed to write a proficient paragraph.
through this lesson.
Approx. Time and Taking attendance (2-3 minutes)
Do Now (should be while students walk in and during
Materials
attendance)
How long do you expect
Hook activity (10-15 minutes)
the activity to last and
Weed em out activity introduction (3 minutes)
what materials will you
Weed em out group work (20 minutes)
need?
Go through one paragraph with class (10 minutes)
Transition back to desks with stand up activity (2 minutes)
Independent outline work (20 minutes)
Closure (5 minutes)

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 Anticipatory Set I begin class by having students participate in a free-write. The
The hook to grab prompt is: Write about a time when you were taken advantage
students attention. These of; or, write about a time where you have taken advantage of
are actions and someone else. Students have around seven minutes to write a
statements by the teacher short narrative on this prompt in order to set them up for the
to relate the experiences
of the students to the day. After students write I will share my own personal story of a
objectives of the lesson, time I had taken advantage of someone. This way students see
To put students into a me as a human being capable of making mistakes, and will also
receptive frame of mind. serve as a way to set a tone of vulnerability in the classroom.
To focus student After sharing a couple, I will explain how Charlie, the main
attention on the
lesson. character of Flowers for Algernon, is taken advantage of a lot
To create an in the story. Students need to have some relation or care for
organizing Charlie or else the story will not matter to them thus directly
framework for the affecting their argumentative essays. Students need to say that
ideas, principles, in some way they can relate to Charlie.
or information that
is to follow
(advanced
organizers)
An anticipatory set is used
any time a different
activity or new concept is
to be introduced.

How do you intend to This strategy is known as everybody writes

engage your students in taken from Teach Like a Champion. The idea
thinking during the behind this strategy is to engage students on a
Anticipatory Set?
challenging level. Writing refines their thinking
Why are you using it at and processing and should be something they are
this point in your lesson? actively engaging with.

Teacher Actions Student Actions Data Collected

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Procedures 1. Greet students as 1. Students enter 1. The Do Now is
(Include a play-by-play the door and tell classroom, look at simply directions
account of what students them to begin the Do the board, and see on the board to
and teacher will do from Now. they are supposed prepare them for
the minute they arrive to to take out a piece the free-writing
the minute they leave
your classroom. Indicate of paper and pen. exercise. No data
the length of each will be collected
segment of the lesson. List
actual minutes.) 2. Take roll call. 2. Students answer 2. I will be able to
Indicate whether each is: the question: if you hear their
-teacher input/actions,
student actions were Charlie, would responses, and
-modeling you have the note which
-questioning strategies surgery or not? students said what
-guided/unguided: in order to make
-whole-class practice connections later
-group practice on.
-individual practice
-check for understanding 3. Introduce the free- 3. Students listen to 3. I will be walking
-other write prompt. Have directions and begin around the room to
students begin responding to the see if students are
writing for about prompt. participating. I will
seven minutes. As collect this at the
students are writing I end as a form of
will pass out sticky participation.
notes with a number
between 1-8. This
way the groups will
be set up for the
activity.

4. Start class 4. Students share 4. I will receive

discussion by telling what they wrote data from their
my personal story with the class, or participation with
attached to the with a partner. this activity.
writing prompt.
Then, open the floor
to students to share.
If no one shares after
a while, I will have
students turn to the
person next to them
so they can be more
comfortable sharing
with just one person.

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 And then I will open
the floor again.
5. Students will be 5. Informal
5. Thank the students listening. assessment bases
who shared, and give on body language
a short lecture on and eye contact.
how the prompt can
relate us to Charlie.
6. Verbal feedback
6. Ask students to put 6. Students will be from certain
away their writing, listening and select students will be
and introduce the students will be how I assess if they
weed em out repeating the understand the
activity. Explain the directions back to activity.
directions on the me so I can make
overhead and walk sure they fully
them through each understand.
section of the
activity.
7. The sticky note
7. Tell students to 7. Students break ensures each
break up into groups up into groups. student is in the
by finding the people right group.
who have the same
number on their
sticky note.
8. I will be
8. Walk around the 8. Work on the circulating the
class and sit with weed em out classroom to check
each group as they worksheet with for active
work. their groups of participation and
three. understanding.

9. Assess each
9. Bring the class 9. Students will be group by their
together to go sharing their feedback.
through the findings with the
worksheet. Have class.
each group share
something about
each paragraph.
10. This data is
10. Transition the 10. Students will collected visually
class back to their choose which side by seeing which
seats by having them of the prompt they students are

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 Closure To close,
Those actions students fill
or out an exit
statements slip with
by a teacher something
that are
they learned all stand up and go to will be arguing for arguing for which
designed to one side of the room in their essay, and side.
bring a lesson which helped
presentation them with depending on which go to that corner of
their body prompt they are
to an the room.
appropriate writing their
conclusion. paragraph and
argumentative essay
Used to help something
students they still needon.
bring things 11. I will be
help with.
together in 11. Instruct students 11. Students take circulating the
Reflection is
their own to pull out their out their packets room checking on
minds, to an effective
way to help outline packets and and begin each individual to
make sense
out of what begin working on independent work see if they need
students think
has just been more deeply their body on their outline. further help. I will
taught. Any paragraphs. also be collecting
Questions? about the
the packet from
No. OK, lets days events.
move on is each student and
In an eighty-
not closure. giving him or her
minute
Closure is feedback.
period,
used:
students can
To cue 12. I will collect
studen forget much
12. Close the lesson 12. Students will the exit slip and
ts to of what they
by presenting the put away their assess each
the learned.
Spending the exit slip questions
fact materials and fill student based on
that and having students out the exit slip. their feedback.
last five
they
have minutes of answer them to
reflect upon what
arrive class
d at reflecting, is they learned.
How doan you intend to tool The strategy I intend to use is
a great
engage your students
impor in
to end the Inquiry based learning
thinking
tantduring the
PROCEDURE?
point day strong.
in the Exit slips alsoI am using this strategy here because:
lesson
Why are you using atan During the class discussion going over the
serveitas
or thein your
this point lesson? worksheets, I will be asking students more
assessment
end of questions than giving them answers. This way,
tool, so
a
collecting students will be investigating as they learn
lesson
. these can be instead of being fed the correct responses. I want
To data to the conversation to be students led with me
help evaluate probing questions to keep the conversation lively.
organi where
ze students are
studen
at after the
t
learni lesson. From
ng there, it will
To help be important
form a to see if
cohere students need
nt an extra day
picture to continue
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to University College of Health and Human Sciences Page 6
consoli body
date. paragraphs.

How do you intend

have met the needs of

your students on IEPS Extensions Content Process Product Environmen

or 504. Consider your The weed em If these Students t
student profile out worksheet students will now It is vital to
narrative at the is finish have the make
beginning. What do approachable earlier, I rewritten differentiation
your students need for the lower will instruct version of noticeable in
to be engaged and level students the whole each a way which
successful? To modify: if they go class to paragraph will not make
If the activity is too through and begin re- and I can students feel
advanced for a child, pick out the writing have them insecure;
how will you modify it parts of the each part present rather,
so that they can be paragraph that of the their challenge
successful? is good or bad. paragraph product to them to want
To extend: If the For the in order to the class to to get to
activity is too easy for advanced improve it. show the where the
a child, how will you students, they rest how it other students
extend it to develop have the could be are. Students
choice to re- improved. will be
their emerging skills?
write the topic working in
sentence, or small groups
evidence, or and
analysis into a independently
more on their
proficient outline.
example.
Assessment At the end of the lesson, I will collect the students exit slips
that will tell me how they are feeling about constructing
Reflection: (data body paragraphs. However, I will also be collecting their
analysis) outlines to see how much they worked on in class.
How will you know if
students met the Therefore, I will not only receive a personal description of
learning targets? Write where students are at with the writing process, but will also
a have tangible evidence of their writing. I expect each
description of what you student to understand what needs to be in a body
were looking for in paragraph in order to meet the standards. I expect to see
each assessment. an attempt of that in their outlines. I do not expect their
writing to be perfect, but I am looking to see if they have all
of the elements of a body paragraph that we went over in
class.

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 Post Lesson Reflection
1. To what extent were lesson objectives achieved? (Utilize assessment
data connected to the learning target(s) to justify your level of achievement)
The outcome of the exit slips and outlines were not as developed as I would have
hoped. The main issue was completeness, which signals to me students need more
time. Even the advanced students had not made it through much of their outline.

2. What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to
teach again? I would give students more time to work on their outlines. They will not learn
much if they do not experiment with what they learned right away. I would have explained the
directions of the weed em out activity with more detail, since students seemed to be
confused.

3. What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice, reteach content,
etc.) I would spend more time allowing students to work on their outline. I want students to
practice what we learned in an environment that encourages trial and error. I want to be there
to support students who are really struggling. During workshop time, I could approach the
students who responded negatively on their exit slips and give them more encouragement.

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