Lesson Plans

Name: Emily Harper

Logan (pseudonym), a third grader, is on a second grade instructional reading level. His WRC (Word Recognition in Context) was 97%, COMP
(comprehension) was 75%, and rate was 74 WPM (Words Per Minute) at the second grade level. His independent reading level (first grade) was
99% for WRC, 92% for COMP, and 102 WPM. Lastly, his frustration reading level (third grade) included 94% for WRC, 44% for COMP, and 126
WPM. Regarding Word Recognition in Isolation, Logan is also on a second grade instructional spelling level, receiving a 70% on the flash and 85%
on the untimed. Similar to his independent reading level, Logans independent spelling level was first grade; he received a 95% on the flash and
100% for the untimed. Lastly, his frustration spelling level is also third grade, given that he received a 60% on the flash and 65% on the untimed.
Therefore, Logans instructional reading and spelling level is second grade, which will be used in the guided reading portion of this lesson plan.
Whole Group (approximately 20-30 minutes daily)
Objectives Use the determining importance comprehension strategy that will aid students in learning how to distinguish between what information
in a text is most important versus what information is interesting but not necessary for understanding.
Standards of Learning 3.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional text and poetry.
a) Set a purpose for reading.
e) Identify the authors purpose.
f) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
i) Identify the main idea.
k) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process (Virginia Department of
Education, January 2010).

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Teach/Model:

Teach/Model:

Teach/Model:

Teach/Model:

Teach/Model:

Introduce the strategyExplain to students that the

main ideas of a story help
readers understand what
the text is about.
Nonfiction texts sometimes
have the important ideas in
bold or italicized print
(provide an example). For
nonfiction texts, big ideas
are usually supported with
details. Big ideas also help
readers organize
information (which will be
discussed later in the
Writing portion).
Strategies to use to
determine importance for a
text1) Read through the whole
text carefully
2) After reading, think
about what ideas
helped shaped the
story.
3) Think: Could the story
have had the same
meaning without the big
idea you just included?
4) Think: What detail does
the author want us to
walk away/take from
this text?

Review the strategies from

yesterday for determining
importance. Explain that
the strategies from the day
before were mainly for
fiction texts (even though
you could use some of
them for nonfiction).
Today, we are going to
learn some ideas that will
help you in determining
importance for both fiction
and nonfiction books. This
chart would also be helpful
in connecting this whole
group time to what we
would be learning during
writing time (utilizing chart
organizers). For example:
Main Idea and Detail
-What is the story or
passage mostly about?
How Can I Find the Main
Idea?
*Look at the table
*Repeated words
*Look at text features
*Look at pictures
*Main themes
*Fiction or nonfiction
Signal Words
*Most likely
*Mostly about
*Best describes
*Main purpose

Ask the students to apply

the determining importance
comprehension strategy to
a real situation. A real
situation could include
going camping. Create a
chart that has Very
Important, Kind of
Important, and Not
Important along the top
horizontally. Under each of
them, include items in
random order (with pictures
also representing each
item) that one could take
on a camping trip. For
example, deck of cards,
flashlight, chapstick,
sleeping bag, an umbrella,
and TV remote. During
whole group time, ask the
students to state under
which category (Very
Important, Kind of
Important, and Not
Important) they would
place one of those items,
and why. For example, a
sleeping bag would belong
under the Very Important
category for camping
because you need it to
sleep and stay warm. After
the students have
completed the activity,

Prior to reading a book to

the students, explain, We
will be reading Snowflake
Bentley today. It is a story
about this man, Wilson
Bentley, who was always
interested in snowflakes.
One day, he decided to
take pictures of the
crystals. While
photographing the
snowflakes, he found out
two important truths about
them. During this book, Id
like you to always be
thinking what the main
points are to the book.
What details could not be
left out? Lets read to find
out more about Wilson
Bentley. Read Snowflake
Bentley to the students.
Once the book has been
read, ask the students what
they think the big ideas are
to take away from the text,
writing them down on the
whiteboard as they mention
each one. Remind the
students that these main
ideas are crucial to
understanding the book; if
any of them were to be
taken out, the reader would
not have the same

On this day, I think it would

be best if we review what
we have learned all week
by writing down a list of
what was discussed about
the comprehension
strategy.
Determining Importance
-Authors have important
things to share with readers
-Good readers dig deep to
find the treasure/theme
-Good readers sort through
information
-Good readers open their
hearts and minds as they
read
-Authors sometimes plant
seeds of wisdom in the
story

Practice:

Practice:
Announce to the students
that they will be playing a
game based on the
determining importance
strategy that they have
been playing all week, in
addition to a few previously
learned strategies.
Introduce the game by
stating, Partner up with
one other person and pick
a book that both of you

Read a book aloud to the

students and ask them to
write down what they think
the important ideas are to
the story.

*Sums up
Graphic Organizer
Main Idea
-detail
-detail
-detail
(see below)

Share:
Practice:
Ask students to share main
ideas that they wrote down
from the book that was just
read out loud.

Ask students to read a

book with a partner and
come up with what the
important ideas are
together. Write them down
and the class will discuss
them as a whole after this
activity.
Share:
Ask students in any would
like to share their thinking
process regarding what
would details would be
considered important for
their book.

explain to them that this is

similar to reading. There is
some information that is
just interesting but not vital
to understanding the text,
while other details in the
book are very important
and you need to know them
in order to understand what
they author is trying to
convey.

understanding of the text.

So, readers always need to
keep in their minds the
important information and
try to find connections, or
the relationship, between
the main ideas.

enjoy. After reading the

book, roll the dice that each
of you will have and answer
the question located under
that number. For example,
after I read my book, I
would roll the dice and if
the number on it was 6, I
Practice:
would answer the question:
How did the characters feel
Give passage to class as a at the end of the story?
whole, ask them to read it,
How do you know? Each
Practice:
and then take turns writing
student will roll the dice
on the board what they
twice, so each of you will
Give a passage to the class think the author wants us to answer two questions
and ask them to highlight
take away (important ideas) about the story. However,
what is important in that
from the story.
do not answer the same
text in order for them to
question that you or a
determine the main point(s) Share:
partner has already
of the text.
answered. So, if one of
Ask each student why they you rolls a 3 and answers
Share:
chose to write down what
the question, neither one of
they did on the board.
you can answer the
Ask students to share what
question for 3 again. If you
they highlighted and why
roll the same number a
they chose to mark that
second time, roll again until
idea. How does it
you get a number that you
contribute or support the
havent answered yet.
main idea?
Come see me if you have
any questions. Students
will play the
Comprehension Dice
Game (pictured below). As
they are reading their
books and answering the
questions according to the
numbers they roll, go
around to a couple of
students and answer any
questions they may have

and take notes on their

comprehension of the text.

Share:
Ask students if any would
like to share their thinking
process regarding
determining the important
ideas in a story and how it
has helped them with
reading and writing. For
example, mention Can
someone explain to their
classmates how a reader
determines what the main
idea(s) is in a book? Why
is finding the important
ideas important?

Guided Reading (approximately 15-25 minutes daily for each group) (You will be planning just one group for the week, based on results of the
student assessed that would be grouped with other similar readers)
Objectives Students read through fiction and nonfiction texts throughout the week with teacher, answering questions about the books in order to
assist in their reading comprehension.
Standards of Learning 3.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional text and poetry.
a) Set a purpose for reading.
e) Identify the authors purpose.
f) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
i) Identify the main idea.

l) Differentiate between fiction and nonfiction.

3.6 The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
a) Identify the authors purpose.
c) Preview and use text features.
d) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction texts.
g) Identify the main idea.
k) Identify new information gained from reading (Virginia Department of Education, January 2010).
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Before reading:

Before reading:

Before reading:

Before reading:

Before reading:

Introduce book.
Teacher explains, This
book is called A Snake
Mistake. It is about a
snake, Jake, who
swallowed something that
he thought was a chicken
egg, but it wasnt. You will
read to find out what he
swallowed and what
doctors had to do to take
what was in his stomach
out. New vocabulary words
you will come across in this
book are gulp, wince, and
incubator.

Introduce book.
Teacher explains, This
book is called Whales. It is
a nonfiction book about the
different species, or kinds,
of whales. You will read to
find out the differences
between certain species of
whales and how whales are
born, breathe, eat, and
other interesting facts
about them. New
vocabulary that you will see
in this text includes
mammals, ectotherm,
endotherm, blubber, and
blowholes. Remember to
look at each caption as you
come across them for more
information.

Yesterday we began
reading about whales and
how they are considered
mammals. To refresh your
memory about what we
read, why dont you read
the last two pages of
yesterdays chapter (pages
12 and 13)New
vocabulary that you will
come across today is
predators, baleen,
plankton, pods, and
echolocation. You will read
to find out about baleen
whales and how whales
communicate, or talk to
each other.
Remember to look at each
caption as you come

Yesterday we learned
about baleen whales and
how whales communicate.
Why dont you read the last
two pages to remind
yourself of yesterdays
readingNew vocabulary
that you will see in this text
includes migrate, and
breach. You will read to
find out about how whales
are born and why whales
migrate, or travel.
Remember to look at each
caption as you come
across them for more
information.

Yesterday we learned
about how calves, or baby
whales, are born and why
the mammals migrate.
Lets read the last two
pages of yesterdays
reading so that we can
remember what we
readNew vocabulary that
you will read about and
learn today is stranding,
extinct, and fluke.
Remember to look at each
caption as you come
across them for more
information. You will find
out today why some whales
are becoming extinct, or
few left in the oceans.

During reading:
Ask students to read to

During reading:

where the farmer takes

Jake to the hospital. When
they have finished reading
that part, ask them, What
has happened so far?
Once children provide
some answers, ask, Is
there anything so far that
has confused you? Then,
ask them to read to the end
of the book. After the
students have finished
reading, ask them, What
were the main events in
this text?
Students respond to text:
After the students have
finished reading, ask them,
How do you think the
farmer felt when he was
waiting for Jake to get out
of the operating room?
After students have
provided some answers,
ask, Are there any
questions or comments you
have about what you
read?
HomeworkRead 10-15 minutes

During reading:
Ask students to read
through page 11. After
they have read that portion,
the teacher asks, What
has happened so far?
After the teacher receives
several answers, ask the
students to read through
chapter 1 (stop at the
bottom of page 13).
Students respond to text:
After the students have
finished reading, ask them,
What did you learn in this
chapter about whales?

HomeworkRead 10-15 minutes

across them for more

information.
During reading:
Ask students to read
through chapter 2. After
they have read that
chapter, ask them, What
did you learn in this
chapter? After the teacher
receives several answers,
ask the students to read
through the third chapter
(stop at the bottom of page
19).
Students respond to text:
After the students have
finished reading, ask them
to give a description of
baleen whales. Also, ask
them to explain how whales
communicate. Once they
have responded, ask, Did
anything in this chapter
confuse you or is there
anything you would like to
learn more about?
HomeworkRead 10-15 minutes

Ask students to read

through page 31. Once
they have finished reading,
ask them to explain how
calves, or baby whales, are
born. Once the teacher
has received a few
responses, ask them to
read through the end of the
chapter (through page 36).
Students respond to text:

During reading:
Ask students to read
through chapter 5. After
they have read that
chapter, ask them, What is
causing certain species of
whales to become extinct?
Once the teacher has
received a few responses,
ask them to read through
the end of the book.

After the students have

finished reading, ask them,
From your reading, why do
whales migrate? After a
few students have
responded, ask, Do you
have any questions about
what you learned in this
chapter?

Students respond to text:

HomeworkRead 10-15 minutes

HomeworkRead 10-15 minutes

After the students have

finished reading, ask them,
Retell what this book was
about? After a few
students have responded,
ask, What confused you?

Independent Reading (Do not really need to plan, but need to know that it fits into you plan each day and that teacher will be conferring with
students during this time).

Objectives Students continue to build on their comprehension of texts through independent reading.
Standards of Learning 3.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional text and poetry.
d) Compare and contrast settings, characters, and events.
f) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
h) Identify the problem and solution.
i) Identify the main idea.
l) Differentiate between fiction and nonfiction.
m) Read with fluency and accuracy.
3.6 The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
d) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction texts.
k) Identify new information gained from reading.
l) Read with fluency and accuracy (Virginia Department of Education, January 2010).
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Talk with individual

students about what they
are reading, asking if there
is anything that they need
more help on.

Talk with individual

students about what they
are reading, asking if there
is anything that they need
more help on.

Talk with individual

students about what they
are reading, asking if there
is anything that they need
more help on.

Talk with individual

students about what they
are reading, asking if there
is anything that they need
more help on.

Talk with individual

students about what they
are reading, asking if there
is anything that they need
more help on.

Writing (This will be whole class writing instruction with a mini-lesson, independent writing, and sharing for approximately 30-40 minutes each day).
ObjectivesStudents will learn how to organize their own writing, through the use of web and list organizers.

Standards of Learning 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
b) Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
e) Use strategies for organization of information and elaboration according to the type of writing.
f) Include details that elaborate the main idea.
g) Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
3.11 The student will write a short report.
a) Construct questions about the topic.
b) Identify appropriate resources.
c) Collect and organize information about the topic into a short report (Virginia Department of Education, January
2010).
Monday
Pre-writing stage:

Tuesday
Pre-writing stage:

Wednesday
Drafting stage:

Thursday
Drafting stage:

Friday
Revision Stage:

Model with Mini-lesson:

Model with Mini-lesson:

Model with Mini-lesson:

Model with Mini-lesson:

Model with Mini-lesson:

Teach students how to

organize their thoughts
using a web organizer. For
example, the topic of winter
(see attached sheet).

Teach students how to

organize their thoughts
using a list organizer. For
example, the topic of
certain sports and why I
like them (see attached
sheet).

Take one sport that I

included in my organizer
yesterday and write about it
to demonstrate the
important of organizing
information prior to writing
(see attached sheet).

Model how to change a

story so that it is better
organized.

Student Writing:

Student Writing:

Model how to finish writing

the topic that I started
yesterday regarding sports.
Demonstrate to the
students how to take
details from the web
organizers and translate
them into a paragraph
format.

The students have an

opportunity think about
what they want to write
more about and create a
web or list organizer about

Allow the students to

practice writing about one
of two of their subtopics in
paragraph format.

Student Writing:
The students have an
opportunity to learn how to
make a web organizer to
organize their thought
about a topic of their
choice.

Student Writing:
Encourage students to
change what they dont like
or would like to change in
their writing.

Student Writing:
Sharing:
Ask students to finish their
own writing, letting me
know if they have any

Toward the end of the

writing period, ask the

Sharing:
Ask if any student has a
web organizer that they
would like to share with the
class. Ask his/her peers if
they have any questions
about his/her organization.

that topic.

Sharing:
Ask if any student has a
web or list organizer that
they would like to share
with the class. Ask his/her
peers if they have any
questions about his/her
topic or organization.

Sharing:
Toward the end of the
writing period, ask the
students if any of them
would like to share their
topic and text so far. Ask
his/her peers if they have
any questions about his/her
topic or how they went from
organizing the topic to
writing about it.

questions or need further

assistance. As they work,
walk around and see where
the students are at in their
writing process.
Sharing:
Teacher asks class to
share with a neighbor what
they have written so far and
how that relates to their
main topic.

students if any of them

would like to share how
they changed their story
today to have better
organization. Ask his/her
peers if they have any
questions about his/her
topic.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/536561743076342565/

Found on teacherspayteachers.com

Bibliography

Virginia Department of Education. (2010, January). Retrieved December 4, 2014, from

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english3.pdf