COMPREHENSION LESSON PLAN: Determining Importance/Summarizing

JMU Elementary Education Program

Maggie Leonard
D. Mathias, Fulks Run Elementary School

A. Comprehension: Prediction/Determining Importance

B. CONTEXT OF LESSON
The students will be read aloud the story Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt and understand new
vocabulary terms and determine how they are significant to the story.
C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Each student will
Expand on one of the vocabulary words given in Sweet
Clara and the Freedom Quilt. They will then teach their
word to the rest of the small group.

ASSESSING LEARNING
They work sheet should be completely filled out with
accurate information about their vocabulary word.

Discuss how these 6 words are important to the story.

Students must write in complete sentences how these

vocabulary words are important to the story. They must
include the main idea of Sweet Clara and the Freedom
quilt and other events that really developed the story.

Each student will

Listen to their classmates as they teach the vocabulary
word they are an expert of and take notes on the
definitions.

Take notes when their classmates are speaking and

understand the other 5 vocabulary words.

D. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING

4.4
The student will expand vocabulary when reading.
a)Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
b)Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones.
c)Use word-reference materials, including the glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus.
e)Use vocabulary from other content areas.
4.6
The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
a) Use text structures, such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information in
both print and digital texts
USI.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes, major events, and effects of the Civil
War by
a) describing the cultural, economic, and constitutional issues that divided the nation;
b) explaining how the issues of states rights and slavery increased sectional tensions;
f) describing the effects of war from the perspectives of Union and Confederate soldiers
(including African American soldiers), women, and enslaved African Americans.
E. MATERIALS NEEDED
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
Vocabulary Web Worksheet
Vocabulary notebook
Pencil

Dictionary
Thesaurus
F. PROCEDURE
To begin the lesson, we will review the book Sweet Clara and the freedom quilt. I will ask the
group to recall the events that happened in the story to get their brains thinking about the
topic. Then, I will ask them to pull out their vocabulary sheet and we will go over the six
words we looked at yesterday. After, I will assign each student a vocabulary word that they
will study and become the expert of knowing.
Each student will create an individual vocabulary chart on the word they are assigned. For the
word, they must find the definition, two synonyms, two antonyms, the part of speech, use it in
their own sentence, and draw a picture that represents the word. The students will be given 15
minutes to work on this task.
Once the students have finished, they will share their web with the group and teach their
classmates the word. While the other students are learning, they need to take notes on the
word in their vocabulary notebook to make sure they develop an understanding as well. After
each student shares, I will ask the group if they have any questions and we will clean up the
materials.
Finally, as an exit ticket, the students will have to write a few sentences on why these words
are important to the story. In the paragraph, they must emphasize what the main idea of the
story was.
G. DIFFERENTIATION
Because Andrew is unable to express himself by writing, I will work with him on his vocabulary
graphic organizer and exit paragraph. I will have him orally describe his predictions and definitions to
me and I will write it down for him.
H. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
The students may need more time to finish the graphic organizer. If this happens, we will extend part
of the lesson into tomorrows literacy block. If a member of the group is absent, I will create a
vocabulary web for that child.

Own the Word

My Definition:

Part of Speech:
My Sentence:

Synonyms:

Word:

Antonyms:

A Picture from an important scene in the story to remind me of this word: