Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Grade Level/Subject: 5th Grade

Central Focus: Understanding how to identify unknown
Language Arts/Reading
words in expository texts by using context clues.
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
Date submitted: 4/1/15
used in a text, including figurative language such as
Date taught: 3/16/15
metaphors and similes.
Daily Lesson Objective: Using the article Hot For Hybrids, students will identify unknown words
in a text using context clues, showing mastery by completing 4 out of 5 questions correctly on
the questions that follow the article.
21st Century Skills:
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Collaborate-Students will have to
Vocabulary):
work in their groups to analyze the Interpret- Students will have to interpret different words in
article and identify unknown words. the text they do not understand
Explain- They will have to explain the meaning of the
different words in order to justify what they think the
meaning of it is.
Prior Knowledge: Students must understand the importance of test-taking skills, must already
know some test-taking skills, must understand what a synonym is, must know the basis of
context clues, must be able to read the Hot For Hybrids article, be familiar with expository
(nonfiction) texts.
Activity

1. Focus and Review

2. Statement of
Objective
for Student
3. Teacher Input

Description of Activities and Setting

Today we are going to discuss some test taking skills. What
do we know about test taking skills so far? What can help us
when we are taking tests? Allow some students to offer
answers. We are going to learn how to use context clues in
Expository Texts to help us when we dont know the meaning
of a word, this will be important on the EOGs. Can anyone tell
me what an Expository Text is? I will allow students to offer
answers. If none of them know, I will explain that an
expository text is another word to describe the Non-fiction
genre.
Today we are going to learn how to figure out the meaning of
a word we dont know when we are reading by using context
clues. This will help us to better understand what we are
reading, as well as become better test takers.
Today we are going to discuss some strategies that readers
use when they are trying to find the meaning of a word they
dont know. When Im reading a passage, I use context clues,
synonyms and antonyms, and root meanings to help identify a
tricky word. These are important skills that can help you when

Time

5-10
min

2-5 min
20 min

4. Guided Practice

you are taking a test and come across a word you may not
know. Another skill you can use is to take the answer choices
and put them in the question to see which choice makes the
most sense. Watch as I demonstrate these strategies on a
practice test question. The question reads, Forty Million
Years ago, when the Earth was much wetter and warmer,
huge forests with many kinds of trees thrived in the far north.
What does the word thrived mean in the sentence? When
Im reading this question, I notice that the context clues tell
me that forty million years ago, the Earth was much wetter
and warmer. What kind of environment do plants need to
survive in? What types of things do plants need to survive? I
let students offer up some examples about what they know
about plants and what they need to survive. I say, Now that
we know that plants need warm, wet places to survive, what
can we infer about the word thrived? We now know that the
most appropriate answer for this question would be grew
well. Watch as I try one more question, this time focusing on
using synonyms and antonyms to help me find the meaning of
an unknown word. The next question reads, One way is to
conserve energy. If we burn less fossil fuel, well produce less
carbon dioxide. What is a synonym for conserve? The answer
choices are, save, ignore, waste, and increase. After reading
the question to the students, I will then model how I would
take turns placing each of the answer choices in the question
in the same space as conserve, teaching them to find the
answer choice that best matches the definition of conserve.
Using the same skills I just showed you, I want you to try
these two questions on your own with your table or a partner.
Once students have had time to read and analyze the
questions, I will allow them to offer answers and we will
discuss as a class which answer is correct and the reasoning
behind them. Now that you have practiced some on your
own, I want you to split into your guided reading groups, as
Ive displayed on the board, and complete the list of activities
on the board, which is different for each group. Work together
with your group to complete these practice activities. The
first (lowest) group will work to jot notes down as they read,
circle words they dont understand, and discuss the reading
with me as a group once they are done reading individually.
The second (middle) group will do the same thing, but try to
use context clues to find the meaning of the unknown words
on their own. The third group will also jot notes, circle
unknown words and discuss the reading, but they must also

30 min

find 5 synonyms to replace the unknown words they find in

the text. In order to complete these activities, students must
use strategies that Ive shown them in the Teacher Input
stage.
Once students have finished the specific activities for each of
their groups, they will then work independently to complete
5. Independent
20-25
the 5 questions that follow the article Hot for Hybrids. I will
Practice
min
tell students they must return to their desks to independently
complete this assessment.
6. Assessment
Students will show mastery by completing the questions that follow the
Methods of
article, answering at least 4 out of 5 correctly. Students will show partial
all
mastery by answering 3 questions correctly and no mastery by
objectives/skills:
answering 2 or less correctly.
After the assessment is finished, I will bring the class back
together as a whole to talk about some of the strategies they
5-10
7. Closure
used to figure out the meaning of unknown words. Students
min
will also share what they thought was easy or difficult about
this topic.
8. Assessment
Out of the 20 students that were present for this lesson, 14 students
Results of
received full mastery, 4 students received partial mastery, and 2
all
students received no mastery. Of the students that received no mastery,
objectives/skills:
one of them has an IEP and the other has a 504 Plan.
Targeted Students
Student/Small Group
Modifications/Accommodations:
Modifications/Accommodations:
Some students with IEPs complete
Since the guided reading groups are based by
independent practice with the EC teacher in ability, each group has slightly different tasks
a different room where it is read aloud and
based on their individual strengths and needs.
more catered to their specific needs. Ell
students also have the option of the
passage being read aloud to them.
Materials/Technology: Smartboard, Hot For Hybrids article, pencils, paper/notebook, highlighter
(Include any instructional materials (e.g., worksheets, assessments PowerPoint/Smart Board slides, etc.) needed to implement the lesson at
the end of the lesson plan.)

References: Passage Hot For Hybrids is from Readworks.org, ../Downloads/IMB Reading

Lesson.notebook (Smartboard Presentation)