ED 345 Calvin College Teacher Intern Lesson Plan Template

Teacher Intern: Yvonne Boeskool Date: May 8, 2019

Grade Level: 5th Subject/ Topic: Reading
Approx. time spent planning this lesson: 2 hours
DOMAIN 1: PLANNING & PREPARATION
Main Focus/Essential Questions​: Final assessment and discussion for ​Firegirl
Brief Context​: This is the ​ninth​ lesson (of nine total) in a reading/literature unit on Tony Abbott’s ​Firegirl​ for a small
group of 5th graders. The novel study is part of a grade-level book club unit, mostly led by Calvin College Education
students in a class on teaching reading to upper elementary. I will have the largest group of students, the only ones
reading Firegirl, and we will be secluded from the rest in our own classroom since many of my unit requirements are
beyond the other Calvin students’.
Prerequisite Knowledge/Skills​: Students have worked with all of the standards in this unit before, with the exception of
RL.5.7. Students have some experience with comparing characters/settings/events and with figurative language. They
have much experience with quoting from a text, drawing inferences, and determining the theme of a story.

Lesson Objectives/Learning Targets Aligned Assessments

Consider formative & summative tools
Please number objectives and the aligned assessment measures.
The learner will be able to: I will assess learning by:
1. Discuss possible overall themes for Firegirl and match 1. Class discussion about overall theme
more specific themes to the appropriate chapters. 2. The final assessment (using the assessment rubric)
2. Apply each of the five standards to their chosen 3. The final assessment (using the assessment rubric)
chapter while working on the final assessment. 4. Lesson 9 Assignment - evaluate thinking about the
3. Consider multimedia elements while putting the pieces overall tone of the story and how it is reflected in pictures,
of the slide show together. symbols, words, fonts, and even color.
4. Create an entirely new cover for Firegirl using what you
know about the story and the theme to make a cover that
accurately represents the text.
Behavior Target
I can work quietly by myself in order to master the content of the final assessment that needs to be done today.

Standards Addressed in Lesson: ​(Include full standard.)

RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details
in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
RL.5.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as
metaphors and similes.
RL.5.7 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic
novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the
text.
RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or
drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
Instructional Resources:
Students’ school issued laptop computers
The ​sample​ of the project (using a different book or a chapter no one is using from this book)
The ​template​ of the slide show.
Self Evaluation Form
Lesson 9 Assignment
Writing utensils
Colored pencils
Firegirl​ by Tony Abbott (one copy for teacher and one for each student)
​ nit folder (character map inside)
Each student’s ​Firegirl U
Consideration of Learners:
How have you responded to your diverse learners?​ ​Consider UDL ​(Multiple means of Engagement, Representation,
Action & Expression)​ & principles of differentiation. If appropriate, identify individual accommodations you will make
in response to needs or interests of students.
The final assessment presents both audio and visual supports in terms of action and expression. The class discussion will
support those student who may not be able to verbalize ideas on their own. Using computers for the final assessment
will provide support for students who may do better typing than handwriting. The self evaluation form prompts
students to regulate their learning and evaluate their own work. The lesson 9 assignment, though some may not get to
it, will also allow for multiple means of action and expression as students are both writing and drawing. I will also make
physical accommodations for my one student in a wheelchair by leaving a space for her at the table.

DOMAIN 2: THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

COVENANT MANAGEMENT: Relationship & community building​ (Note any specific ways in which you plan to build or
strengthen relationships and community: student-student & teacher-student.]
As this is the last lesson of the unit, we have already established relationships between students as they are originally
from three different homeroom classes. Many of them had not met me yet either before the unit began. This final
discussion about how our faith interacts with the book we will be reading also frame our honest and meaningful
relationships in the class. If time allows, students will present their projects to each other, which will also strengthen
relationships between them. I will also make myself available and try to interact with each student as they are working
on the assessment as well as the assignment.

CONDUCT MANAGEMENT:​ (Behavioral expectations, strategies to encourage self-regulation, etc.)

Identify at least 2 ways you will gain whole group attention: ​If chatter erupts, I will wait until everyone is quiet to move
on. I will also respond to student behavior that is disrespectful towards their peers by specifically saying just that during
discussion time. I will also refer back to the behavior target when necessary.
Strategies you intend to use to redirect individual students: ​For students who are doing something that is distracting to
themselves such as reading or drawing while they should be listening, I will simply move toward them and tap on their
desk. They know this means that they need to put whatever it is away. If students are saying things or making noises
that is distracting everyone while I read, I will respond to them directly by pausing and asking them to stop. If a student
becomes a big problem, I will write their name on the board, indicating that they owe me five minutes of their break.

CONTENT MANAGEMENT: ​Note procedures/routines that are expected or embedded.

As this is the last lesson, I have already established a routine in which students bring their computers and a pencil to
every session. If I ever need them to bring anything else, I put up a sign by the door that indicates that. I will have all
other materials that students will need sitting out on the tables. Students also have assigned seats and their materials
will be waiting for them at their seat. Students have already spent one class session working on this final assessment, so
they should have a good start on it. They have all already shared their presentation with my Google account. There is
one student who was absent last time, so I will have to catch her up.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT​: Note any specific ways you will use the environment to contribute to the learning.
I will arrange the tables to make one large table in which students can all sit together. This will foster more effective
discussion. I will also make physical accommodations for my one student in a wheelchair by leaving a space for her at
the table and avoiding any activities in which she would need to move through tight spaces or sit at any other level than
what her chair allows.

DOMAIN 3: INSTRUCTION
CONTENT MANAGEMENT: YOUR ​INSTRUCTION
Motivation/Opening/Intro: [Think creatively about how to recruit learning.]
 ● Give students about 20 minutes to work on the final assessment
○ Give behavioral target: ​I can work quietly by myself in order to master the content of the final
assessment that needs to be done today.
○ Make the sample of the project (using a different book or a chapter no one is using from this book)
available as students work.
○ Show or give students the simple template of the slide show.
○ As students finish up, have them work through the self evaluation form.
Development: [It may help to number your steps with corresponding times.]
● Final discussion (on overall theme) - here are some guiding questions:
○ Go over learning target: ​I can discuss possible overall themes for Firegirl and match more specific themes
to the appropriate chapters.
○ Which chapter would this be a good theme for?
■ Friendship can change lives.
■ Sometimes in life, you have to fight peer pressure and do what is right.
■ Rumors can spiral out of control quickly.
○ What could we say is the overall theme of this book?
○ Why do you think the author wrote it?
○ Although Jessica was only in Tom’s life for a short time, she make a big impact. After she leaves, Tom
feels like a completely new person. How do you think meeting Jessica changed Tom’s view of life?
○ Has there been a person in your life who has changed you in a similar way?
○ What can we learn from Tom’s character?
○ What can we learn from Jessica’s character? Jeff? Courtney?
○ What does this book mean for us as Christians?
○ How can we apply these ideas to our lives right here at this school today?
● Give more time to work on the final assessment.
● As students finish the final assessment, have students redesign book cover using the Lesson 9 Assignment.
Closure​: ​(Be creative and consider authentic audiences for the work. Think beyond giving an assignment or
independent practice.)
● If time allows, have students present their final assessment projects. Depending on how much time is left, this
can be done as whole-class presentations or partner presentations.
● Thank students for their work on this unit and in this book club (give them a parting gift :))

DOMAIN #4: PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

REFLECTION AFTER TEACHING THE LESSON:
I had to be very flexible during this lesson. The assessment has taken most students much longer than I originally
expected and planned for. We started working on it in Lesson 7, and only two students finished within Lesson 9. On a
positive note, though, the students seemed to be a lot more focused in this session than the previous session. They
were a lot more productive and I think this is due much in part to how firm I was about where they were sitting and who
they were near. I was also much more firm right from the start about the expectations with playing music. Last lesson,
two of the boys kept turning their music on after I asked multiple times to stop it, since they were already done choosing
and linking the music to their slides. I made it clear from the start that I would not be hearing any music from those
specific students’ computers. They followed this well. I also had the added challenge of absences - one student who
was absent last lesson so I had to catch her up this time, and one students who was absent for this lesson. I'll have to
work with that one tomorrow, as she has not even started on the meat of the slideshow.
There are a few things I would do differently with this assessment. I will write more about this in the assessment
reflection, but there are three main things I would change. First, I would have students start even earlier in the unit.
Yes, that would exclude the later chapters from their studies, but that may have to be done. Second, I would create an
actual template of the slides (with titles and prompts) and push that out via Google Classroom. Third, I would make sure
that the Planning Guide lined up a bit better to my expectations of the slides. I would make it more clear that each box
on the guide would correlate to one slide.
 The final discussion of the book went okay, but students really faced difficulties digging deep into the lessons that
they could learn from each character. They did better with the theme, though, choosing chapters/scenes that would
align with each theme I gave and giving evidence verbally. They also came up with some great overall themes with good
supports. I wish I could have gone deeper into the faith perspective. I also wish I had some way to measure that each
student mastered the empathy element. It was impossible to add anything to the final assessment because of the time
crunch. Professor Rysdam suggested that I create some sort of interview/survey to have students complete during
break at the end of the week. This could be a Google form, or even a recorded verbal conversation with each student
individually. I thought seriously about doing this, in fact, I even created a Google form. However, it was absolutely
impossible to fit in as I only had two days left before the end of my internship and I spent all those breaks trying to get
the slideshow assessments turned in to me. It made it so much more difficult that these students were not in my class.