Literacy Lesson Plan 2: Non-Fiction Writing

Teacher: Jenna Graziadei Grade Level: 1

I. Content and Standards

Connecticut State Standards:

W.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

Content Standards: Students will continue to strengthen their skills in writing an

informative/explanatory text through the use of a scaffolded approach that includes an
exemplar and modeling. The task will entail experiencing an alternative approach to non-
fiction writing that differs from their previous experiences of story-telling about events
experienced in their own lives. Previous lessons have addressed elaboration in a different
way, but this will use the senses to add details. This lesson will enhance their skills in
creating non-fiction pieces of writing within which details can lend a hand to the readers
visualization of the topic of discussion. The focus will be on describing a food that is
liked through descriptors associated with the senses. They will be able to explore these
details in a hands-on manner by discussing a food that is consumed during snack time,
which is intended to guide their thought processes without requiring them to recall details
about foods from their memory. The concepts will be grasped to use in future reading and
other relevant endeavors within and outside of school whether they are spoken or written
topics of discussion.

II. Prerequisites

In order for this lesson to be approached and completed in a successful manner, the
students must have average writing skills appropriate for a first grade student that will
enable them to articulate their thoughts and ideas in writing. This entails a developing
vocabulary and other relevant literacy skills to tackle the adjectives for the task of writing
about the senses to provide details on the topic. The students must have a basic
understanding of how to use adjectives and elaborative techniques within their writing.
This will be brainstormed as a whole class. All of these skills mentioned will be worked
on and further developed within the lesson.

III. Essential Questions

1. How can I use adjectives to create a detailed description my topic?

2. How can I use my senses to create an explanatory text?
3. How can I elaborate in my writing to help the reader better understand my topic?
IV. Instructional Objectives

At the end of this lesson the students will be able to tactfully utilize a variety of
adjectives to describe characteristics of foods associated with sight, smell, taste, and
touch. They will be able to provide detailed descriptions of the foods that enable the
reader to envision the sight, smell, taste, and feeling associated with the topic. The
students will understand a new approach to elaborating within ones informative/
explanatory text by using the senses.

V. Instructional Procedures

Prior to the lesson, the materials required for the activity will be organized into packets
to ensure that each child has all that he or she will need.
The students will sit on the floor in the area in front of the Smart Board in a semi-circle.
Slide 1- The teacher will explain the learning target for the lesson. The students will be
asked if they know what their senses are. They will turn and talk to a peer next to them,
and then volunteers will share their ideas.
Slide 2- The teacher will explain what the senses are. As each sense is discussed, the
students will be required to point to the body parts associated with the sense being
focused on. The teacher will have the children turn and talk to a peer about what that
part of the body is used for and how it can provide one with information. Ideas will be
shared, and the teacher will build upon those comments to ensure that students fully
understand the functionality of each sense.
Slide 3- The teacher will have the students pass around an item to study using their
senses. The teacher will guide them to use adjectives through modeling. They will turn
and talk to their partners about what they see, hear, smell, and feel replicating the
teachers process. This is a discussion that will help them naturally begin using
adjectives to describe an object using the senses. The students will share these ideas and
brainstorm them on the board within the appropriate sections of the chart. Using sign
language, the children will show their agreement with the adjectives offered by their
peers.
Slide 4- The teacher will explain that this lessons activity will require that they learn
about their snacks through their senses and use the appropriate terms to describe their
food. The teacher will read the example out loud pausing after each sense description to
have the students offer ideas of other adjectives.
Slide 5- The teacher will review with the students how they will describe their snacks
by identifying the body parts associated with the senses. The slide will be repeated at
least two times, and in unison, the children will say I use my eyes to see, my ears to
hear, my nose to smell, my hands to feel, and my mouth to taste while physically
identifying those parts for practice.
The teacher will ask the students if they understand what is expected of them for the
activity, respond to any questions, and provide clarification where necessary. The
 teacher will state that they want to be able to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the snack
the child is describing after reading through their work.
Slide 6- The teacher will explain that the information on this slide will be on the board
throughout the lesson so that if anyone forgets what to do, they can use the information
as a reference. This slide is outlined as a process that includes questions that the
students should be asking while they think about their snacks.
While requesting that the students use their whole-body listening while being instructed
on the next steps, the teacher will mention that following an orderly process, the
children will gather their snacks from their cubbies and sit at their desks prepared to
have a working snack. The teacher will outline the expectations of having a working
snack and emphasize the importance of taking time so that he or she can gather the
necessary information about the food.
Once the students are at their desks with their snacks and worksheets, the teacher will
ask again if there are any questions or confusions.
While the students are working, the teacher will walk around the classroom discussing
with the children the foods that they have. To check for understanding, prompting will
be used to understand how the students are using their senses to come up with
adjectives to describe their snacks. Anecdotal notes will be taken for assessment
purposes. Additional modeling and instructional techniques will be implemented should
any students require additional assistance.
Once the activity is complete, the students will return to the semi-circle on the floor.
One child at a time will stand and present their description for one of the senses. The
students will use sign language to show their agreement with the word choices.
Slide 7- The student rubric will be shown on the Smart Board. The teacher will guide
them through the selection in detail to ensure that it is understood how to represent
ones feelings about the lesson through a numerical/pictorial system. Rather than
circling the self-reflection on a piece of paper, the students will be asked to show what
number stage they are at in their learning on their fingers. This will be tracked by the
teacher on the rubric.

VI. Materials and Equipment

 A slideshow will be used by the teacher within the short lecture portion of the lesson to help
communicate and explain concepts that are necessary for the students to be able to engage in
the lesson. This will also entail a scaffolded example of the task that the students are intended
to complete within the period.
A Smart Board will be used to project the slideshow on. This interactive board will allow the
students to write their ideas for all to see during the appropriate points of the lesson, which can
serve to further engage them in the discussion.
An information worksheet will be provided to each student as a resource that can remind them
of the whole-class discussion during which they were guided through the process of using their
senses to generate adjectives about the selected topic. They can reference this worksheet when
necessary while working on the assigned activity.
An activity worksheet will be used to guide the students through the process of writing an
explanatory text using their senses. There will be an area for writing, as well as a space to add
an illustration to further enhance their writing.
Each student will have a working snack that will help them within the process of determining
the appropriate adjectives to describe their food.
Food flashcards will be available should any students complete the activity early and show that
they have mastered the objectives. The flashcards will be used to practice using the senses
describing the foods pictured, but instead this requires the students to use their memories.
A student-centered rubric will be utilized by the teacher as informal assessment for the purpose
of gathering information about how the children felt upon the completion of the lesson.
The teacher will have a packet that contains a blank table and a rubric guideline. Notes will be
taken during the lesson while walking around listening and interacting with the students. The
remaining parts of the table will be complete at a later point in time when assessing students on
their efforts.

VII. Assessments/Evaluations

Exit Slip: Students will be asked to present to the class their explanatory text by sharing
one or two details about their selected food. The teacher will analyze their use of
adjectives based on the senses, and whether or not growth in non-fiction writing
associated with the objectives shows.
Student Rubric: The student rubric will include various levels of understanding that the
children can use to assess how they feel about their completion of the lesson.
Anecdotal Notes: The teacher will walk around the classroom checking on the progress
of the students. He or she will take notes as they listen to the children communicating to
complete the assignment. The students can explain to the teacher how they are going
about finding the solutions with the project given. This will help to get a perspective of
their thought processes. Notes will be taken on any questions students may have
because if one child has a misunderstanding, it is highly probable that other students
will as well. In the case that help is needed, guidance will be provided through
prompting so that students can arise to the correct answers themselves. This will help
 assess the students understandings of using persuasive text to discuss topics associated
with diversity.
Teacher Rubric 1: A rubric specifically designed for the assignment will be used to
assess each students focus, safety, collaboration, assignment completion, assignment
accuracy, and understanding of the lesson. This will help assess the students ability to
correctly structure their informative texts to introduce, explain, and conclude their
reasonings for the topics they selected to discuss.
Teacher Rubric 2: A student-centered rubric will be used by the teacher to grade the
students writing pieces. These will be returned and reviewed with the students to help
guide revisions and help guide improvements in their learning.
Portfolio for the full-time teacher: A portfolio would be used to assess each students
overall development and progress throughout the unit and school year, as well as
analyze their use of their new skills in future situations. Through writing workshops
and other literacy opportunities, the educator can track the childs utilization of skills
developed in this lesson and thereafter. The portfolio would be comprised of all projects
and activities created within each subject area. It would be created and bound by the
students as to make a final product that can be used and discussed during conferences.
The finalized portfolio would be graded with a rubric with defined guidelines to give
the student the appropriate score and provide some written feedback.

VIII.Differentiation

The materials used in this lesson, including the slideshow contain word banks and key words
that are highlighted or colored. This is intended to help ELLs and students with special needs
by guiding them to focus on the terms necessary for them to be able to execute the lessons
assignment. It also serves as a way to stress the particular ELA vocabulary that they should
learn to be familiar with as they progress through the subject of ELA.
By performing an example with the class, ELLs and students with special needs will be able to
understand what is being expected of them.
The students will be allowed to describe their individual snacks as to acknowledge the
diversity in tastes and interests. This differentiation will help them be more engaged in their
own writing because each text will then be uniquely creative.
If students finish early and show that they have mastered the concept of elaborating in a non-
fiction text using descriptors associated with the senses, an additional activity will be made
available that will be a flashcard game. This game will take place with a peer and they must
practice describing the image on the card with adjectives associated with the senses.
As I walk around the classroom while the students work on the assignment, I will put some
extra attention on any ELLs and students with special needs to ensure that they understand the
task and procedure.
I can offer alternative phrasing or methods for what they are being asked to do and guide
them through additional examples.
If I am aware of these key terms in the main language spoken by the child, I can help them
to associate the words with the English translations.
 I will utilize any accommodations that could benefit the students with special needs to
maintain their activeness in the lesson.
Beyond my guidance, other students will be able to collaborate with ELLs and students with
special needs that can possibly present the information in a different manner that the child can
better understand.
If necessary and available, I may have the opportunity to have a language specialist teacher
within the classroom during the period who can provide further guidance to the ELLs, as well
as a special education teacher to guide the students with special needs.
Given that the teacher will being describing exit slip and rubric directions aloud, the students
with individualized educational needs can better understand the task and be more capable of
completing it.

IX. Technology

A slideshow will be used to expose students to the information and skills necessary to be able to
learn about using their senses to create a detailed non-fictional text. The Smart Board will be
used to present the slideshow that will allow the students to further interact with the lesson by
including them in brainstorming tasks during the lecture portion of the lesson. They will have
opportunities to volunteer to write on the board as ideas are gathered.

X. Self-Assessment

Exit Slip: The teacher can use the information from the student exit slip to analyze
who may need additional explanations of the material, if the teaching method needs to
be altered, and how to conduct a review in the lessons over the following days to
gradually expand upon and advance the skills of the students.
Student Rubric: The teacher can use the information from the student rubric to make
swift determinations about any necessary review or lesson approaches for the following
days.
Anecdotal Notes: Observations gathered from the teachers anecdotal notes provide a
context for any questions, confusions, or individual student challenges that should be
addressed in future lessons. The teacher can use this information to structure review
sessions for skills and concepts.
Teacher Rubric 1: The teacher can use information about each students focus, safety,
collaboration, assignment completion, assignment accuracy, and understanding of the
lesson to ensure that learning objectives were met and skill development associated
with the defined standard took place. If the teacher acknowledges any lack of progress
or concerns in within any of the grading categories for a single student or several, plans
can be made to address them the following day and guide improvements for students.
Teacher Rubric 2: This rubric can be used by the teacher to analyze who was able to
show development of these literacy skills in the writing. He or she will be able to
identify the strengths and challenging areas of the lesson for the children that will allow
him or her to modify how the lesson the following day is approached. Whether
additional instruction is necessary using alternative methods, a small group of students
should be pulled aside for individualized help, or all of the children have mastered these
skills, the teacher can make the appropriate judgments.