Lesson Planning Template

Lesson Title: Claiming The Land Short Story and Character Activity

Grade: 4

Goals or Objectives: The student will be able to read the short story and understand the minor and
major details in the text such as characters, setting and event relationship. The student will learn how
critical it is to connect the characters thoughts, feelings and actions to understand the whole meaning of
the story.
Grade Level Guide: Content Standards
Content Curriculum Focal Points Common Core State
(ex: NCTM, IRA)
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3
Students read a wide range of
Describe in depth a
literature from many periods in
character, setting, or event in
many genres to build an
a story or drama, drawing on
understanding of the many
specific details in the text
dimensions (e.g., philosophical,
(e.g., a character's thoughts,
ethical, aesthetic) of human
words, or actions).
experience.

Interdisciplinary Connections
I could co-teach this lesson with a
history teacher. The vocabulary
would be incorporated into the
lesson so that students will also
learn social studies terms and apply
them to literature.

Academic Language: What Academic Language specific to your content area is necessary for learning
to occur?
Vocabulary/ terms:
CALICO
CIVIL
CROPS
FABRIC
FERTILE FIREBREAKS
HOMESTEAD
IMMIGRANTS MIDWEST PIONEERS
PRAIRIE
SHORTGRASS SOD
TALLGRASS
WAR
Students Needs: What experiences, prior knowledge and/or knowledge gaps do students have that
relate to the lesson goals?
English Language Learners

Special Needs (can be a

group such as struggling
readers or individuals)

Students need to know how

to read in English and how
to identify action words,
feeling words and thought
words.

These students will need to

know how to pronounce
basic English words. They
will need to be able to
decipher between verbs and
emotions.

Materials:
Students:
Pencil
Marker/highlighter

Teachers:
Worksheet
Short Stories
Word Search Papers
Chalk
Chalkboard
Vocabulary terms list
Language Function: I will move them beyond a lower level of thinking by telling them to imagine
themselves in the story. When they put themselves in the shoes of the character, it will be far easier to
analyze the characters thoughts, words and actions to find a deeper meaning. The terms will be
incorporated into the lesson because they will be in the story so it is crucial for the students to know the
definitions before reading he story.
Analyze, Argue, Describe, Evaluate, Explain, Interpret, Justify, Synthesize
Lesson Plan
Before:
1. I will introduce this as an English lesson.
2. Before I hand out the packet/short-story I will ask the students to tell me everything that we
know about the Pioneers to introduce the text.
3. Then I will go over all of the vocabulary words with them that appear in the story.
4. I will then put them in small groups for the activity so that they may work with students in
different levels to incorporate diverse learning.
5. After giving them directions and their small group assignments, I will have them begin reading
the story out loud.
During:
1. During the activity I will walk around and monitor the groups.
2. Each group has a work sheet and will complete it together to prepare for the class.
3. The students should be taking turns reading aloud and helping each other if they are stuck on a
word.
4. As they are reading they should be jotting down notes about the characters, settings, and
dramatic events occurring. In the worksheet they will be organizing the ideas and events going
on in the story.
5. They will particularly focusing on the thoughts, emotions and actions of the characters.
6. The students will site the page numbers where they got the information so they know how to
refer back to it when looking for information.
7. I will assess the students by walking around and doing anecdotes to see what students are paying
attention and working as opposed to the students who are daydreaming.
8. A possible challenge will be keeping the students on task. I do think it will be helpful though to
put struggling students with advanced students so that they may assist each other.
After:
1. Once the students have completed the worksheet, we will go over it as a class.
2. I will ask the students to explain how they got each of their answers and what pages they found
them on so that the others may use their ideas.
3. I will then go over the worksheets to assess the students and see how thoroughly they were

completed.
4. As a fun relaxation activity, I made the class a word search online for them to complete with
various colonial words.
5. This time can be used for talking and playing with friends while completing the word search.
This will occur so that students may give their brain a break before we begin the next lesson.
Assessment: How will you determine who knows which objectives? Describe the tools and techniques
you will use.
Type of
assessment
(formal or
informal)
Informal, there will
just be a worksheet
that the student
needs to complete.

Description of
assessment

Modifications to the
assessment so that all students
could demonstrate learning

The students
will organize
the emotions,
thoughts and
actions of the
characters.

When I am walking around, I

will listen to each student
taking a turn to read so I can
know what level they are at. I
can also monitor the writing
styles of the students to see if
they comprehend he story.

Evaluation Criteria- What

evidence of student learning
(related to the learning
objectives and central focus)
does the assessment provide?
The student will learn how to
analyze literature and connect
the major points of the story
with the evaluation of the
characters mentality.

Resources: Worksheet, short story, word search, dictionary for vocabulary terms.
Analyzing Teaching: To be completed after the lesson has been taught
What worked?
What didnt? For whom?
Adjustments
What instructional changes do you need to make as
you prepare for your next lesson?

Proposed Changes

Whole class:

If you could teach this lesson again to this group of

students what changes would you make to your
instruction?

Groups of students:
Individual students:

Justification
Why will these changes improve student learning?
What research/theory supports these changes?

Claiming The Land Word Search

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