T&L Instructional Plan Template

(Updated 4/17/15)
(edTPA Aligned)

Overview
The information included in this document is to support faculty in teaching about and supporting students with the
T&L (and edTPA) Instructional Plan. While there are many variations of lesson plans, this format meets
departmental requirements and is aligned with the 2014 edTPA as well.

Background Information (When doing the actual edTPA, leave out identifiers)

Teacher Candidate: Grace Ku Date: September 19, 2018

Cooperating Teacher: Nancy Nelson Grade: 2
School District: Pullman School: Franklin Elementary School
University Supervisor: Lori White
Unit/Subject: Reading
Instructional Plan Title/Focus: Identify the character and their response to problems in Bone Girl Stone Girl

Section 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment

a. Instructional Plan Purpose: Teacher candidates explain how this instructional plan develops students’
conceptual understanding of overall content goals. This is sometimes also called a “rationale” and includes a
“what, why, how” general statement (see also Central Focus in edTPA)

The purpose of the lesson is to help students identify a character and how the character responds to their
problem in the book. The students will be able to grasp specific details from the text to support their writing
on their assignment. The students will recall the information from the book they read aloud as an entire class,
and use it to complete their statement on the character’s response to their problem.

Additionally, explain where in a unit this lesson would be taught. What lesson topic came prior to this one
(yesterday) and what related lesson will come after this one (tomorrow)?

The lesson would be taught in the morning, during one of the read-aloud sessions of the day. The lesson topic
that came prior to this one was introducing and reading the book the students will need to recall to complete
their lesson for today. The students will read a biography about Mary Anning, and listen carefully the
problems Mary Anning had in the book and how she responded in the text. For tomorrow, the related lesson
that will come after this one will be understanding more of other character traits in the story.

b. State/National Learning Standards: Teacher candidates identify relevant grade level concepts/content and
align them to Content Standards—Common Core Standards or Washington State EALRs, or National.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.

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c. Content Objectives (to be copied in Assessment Chart below) and alignment to State Learning
Standards:

1. SWBAT… identify the main character from the story and the problem the character has encountered
2. SWBAT… recall details or information from the text to support their writing
Aligned standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

Language Objectives:
1. SWBAT…retell in writing about the main character and the problems the character faced in the book
2. SWBAT… capitalize the proper noun (name) of the character in their writing
Aligned standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.

d. Previous Learning Experiences: Teacher candidates should explain what students know and have learned
that is relevant to the current lesson topic and process.

The students should know how to identify a main character from a text and be able to describe the challenges
the character had faced during the story. The students will be able to use their previous knowledge and
practice to recognize the main character and the problem the character had from the story that was read aloud
to the entire class today.

e. Planning for Student Learning Needs (accommodations, student experiences, prior learning and
experiences):

For students who need extra support, the teacher will go around the classroom and help the students during
their independent work time. The T-chart that was created with the class will also be remained on the
whiteboard for students to look at if needed additional support.

f. Assessment Strategies (Informal and formal)

Teacher candidates should attach questions, worksheets, tests or any additional documentation related to their
assessment strategies, including accommodations or modifications for students with disabilities as stated in
their IEPs. They may also attach appropriate marking rubrics, criteria lists, expectations, answer keys, etc.
Consideration for multiple means of expression should occur here. That is, how will teacher candidates allow
for K-12 students to express their learning in different ways? Will K-12 students be given some choice?

Content/Language Objectives Assessment Strategies

SWBAT… identify the main character from
the story and the problem the character has
encountered
Formative: The students should recognize instantly the
character from the book, and be able to know and identify
specific information from the story. The students should
understand what problem the character had and how they
responded to it from the information in the book.

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SWBAT… recall details or information from
the text to support their writing
Formative: Students will recall details from both the book
from previous lesson and the activity the students had today
before working on their individual worksheet. This tool
(especially the T-chart the class created together) will be
essential for the students to use for their individual learning
on their desk.

SWBAT… retell in writing about the main Formative: Students will use prior knowledge and
character and the problems the character understanding by writing one problem the character had and
faced in the book how the character responded to the problem on their
worksheet.
SWBAT… capitalize the proper noun (name) Formative: Students should write the name of the character
of the character in their writing with a capitalized letter, because they had previous practice
with proper nouns. The students will capitalize the name of
the character on their worksheet.
(Add rows as needed)
*In the right column, describe whether the assessment you’ll collect is informal or formal. N Note: most
assessment is considered formative when thinking about day-to-day lessons. Summative is related to mastery.
An exception might be having a “formal” quiz mid-way in a unit to assure that students are on track with a
certain degree of proficiency. Should the quiz indicate students are not progressing, and adjustment of timing in
the instructional “unit” will be required.

g. Student Voice: Student voice is a term used to describe students expressing their understanding of their own
learning process. For your lesson, respond to the three required components of student voice and identify how
students will reflect and/or communicate on their learning or progress toward meeting the goals. (Use the
following table.)

Student-based evidence to be Description of how students

K-12 students will be able to:
1. Explain student learning targets
and what is required to meet
them (including why they are
important to learn).
2. Monitor their own learning
progress toward the learning
targets using the tools provided
(checklists, rubrics, etc.).
3. Explain how to access
resources and additional
support when needed (and
how/why those resources will help
them).
collected (things produced by
students: journals, exit slips, self-
assessments, work samples,
projects, papers, etc.)
Students will be part of the guided
lesson, where the entire class will
work on the T-chart about main
problems or events the character had
and how the responded in the book.
Students will be able to monitor
their own learning, by
understanding their knowledge as
they recall events from the book to
complete their individual worksheet
on their desks.
The T-chart the students created as
an entire class will be left on the
board for the students to use as
additional support to help them if
needed while completing their
individual work.
will reflect on their learning.
Students will be able to
verbally respond with the
teacher and listen to their
peers during the entire class
activity.
Students will complete their
worksheet independently, by
writing down one problem
they noticed from the story
and how the character
responded to the event.
Students will use the chart as
a tool for better understanding
from the lesson topic as they
complete their assignment.

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 h. Grouping of Students for Instruction: Describe why, how, and where in the lesson students will be divided
into groups, if applicable (e.g., "why" could be to support language learners, for reciprocal teaching, and/or to
use jigsaw, and "how" might include random, ability-based, interest, social purposes, etc.). Recognize that
some lessons or parts of a lesson may call for grouped work or individualized work or both.
The lesson will begin with the entire class on the carpet, so that all the students can recall the events that
happened in the book we read altogether from last class. As a result, the students who are unsure on the
character and how the character reacted to their problems, will understand from their peer’s participation on
the carpet.

Section 2: Instruction and Engaging Students in Learning

a. Introduction: Teacher candidates identify how they are going to introduce the concept, skill or task in a way
that gains students’ attention and gets them involved (the lesson “hook”).

Teacher will begin the lesson by saying, “Last class, we had a read aloud on the book Bone Girl, Stone Girl.
A real story about Mary Anning, a girl who loved to collect fossils. Today, we are learning more about the
character and how the character reacted to their problem in the book.”

b. Questions: Questions teacher candidate will ask during the lesson that drive thinking and learning and
engagement (5 or more questions) and in parentheses, indicate Bloom level and/or question type to ensure
that you are posing questions that push critical thinking and engagement (e.g. Analysis/Divergent)
1. Who is the character in the story?
2. What problems did the character have?
3. Do you agree that it was a problem?
4. How do you think the character’s problem be solved?
5. How did the character respond to their problem?

c. Learning Activities: Describe what the teacher will do and say and students will do during the lesson.
Write it as a procedural set of steps in the left column of table below. On the right, refer to a supporting
learning theory or principle driving that activity and/or your rationale for doing what you are doing.

Prompts for right hand column—supporting theories/principles. In the right column, use references from
texts, research/peer reviewed journals, or other learning theories to support your choice of activities. You
might draw from your 301 and/or your methods courses here.
o Connections between students’ own lives, experiences, cultures, interests and the content.
o Active learning over passive learning (e.g. SCI Learning Experiences ladder—simulation over verbal)
o Theoretical support for learning activities (e.g. Culturally responsive strategy, or processing)
o Multiple means of representation for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of engagement for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of expression of learning by the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Accommodations and modifications for students with diverse needs, including those with disabilities (as
stated in their IEPs)
o How the teacher candidate will assess the learning of the students (from table above)

(Add rows as needed)

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Learning Steps and Activities
Teacher will create a T-chart on the board.
Teacher will label the left “character’s problem”
and right as “character’s response”. Teacher will
say, “I made a chart on the board so I can write
my character’s problem and how they reacted to
the problem here. Hmm I remember from the
book that Mary Anning got struck by lightning.
So I’m going to write Mary Anning got struck by
lightning. How did Mary Anning react to this
problem? I remember Mary Anning opened her
eyes and smiled at her father.”
Teacher will say, “So, what were some other
problems the characters have in the book? Raise
your hand” Teacher will call on a student.
Student A may say, “Mary’s father passed away.”
Teacher will say, “Yes, how did the character
respond?” Student A may say, “Mary and her
brother went looking for fossils.”
Teacher will say, “What are some other
character’s problems from the book?” Student B
may say, “Mary’s family became poor.” Teacher
will say, “Right, Mary’s family were poor. What
did the characters do, how did they respond?”
Student B may say, “They sold fossils.” Teacher
will respond with, “Yes, they did sell their
fossils!”
Students will now individually use their
knowledge by recalling events from the book
and from the group lesson to complete their
worksheet on the desk. The teacher will go
around the classroom and check with each of the
student’s progress with their work.
Supporting Theories/Principles
(Why are you doing what you are doing?)
Bandura: Observational Learning; Students
learn from the teacher’s modeling of
problem solving, thinking strategies, etc.
The students will see the skill, before they
have to do it themselves which will help
them when it is their turn.
For students who need additional help, the
teacher will demonstrate the instruction with
visual representation. Student will see how the
teacher uses a think aloud and how the teacher
writes their thoughts on the board.
Vygotsky: Zone of Proximal Development;
support students’ learning through clues,
reminders, encouragement, breaking the
problem into steps, etc. Students will be able
to master a task, as they work and interact
with the teacher’s instruction to complete
their activity.
For learners who need accommodations,
teacher would show a teacher model on how
the students board should look like during the
instruction.
Constructivism
Students are well equipped at this point to
draft their writing from their learning
process. They have learned new information
and are now applying it in the drafts.
For students who need additional support, the
students can use the visual representation of T-
chart the class helped making.
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b. Closure: Closure is the signal to students that the lesson is now coming to an end. In closure, teachers
review the learning targets (what was taught) for the day and refocus on what is important.

Teacher will ask job helpers to distribute the worksheets on each individual student’s desk. As the job helpers
are passing the paper, teacher will say, “When you go back to your seat to work on your worksheet, just like
how we did on the carpet together as a class, think about a character’s problem from the book and how the
character responded to the problem. How did the character feel? What did the character do? When you are
done, put your finished worksheet in the wired basket.”

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 c. Independent Practice: Describe how students will extend their experiences with the content and
demonstrate understanding in a new and different context (perhaps even outside of the classroom). Include
possible family interaction (identify at least one way in which you might involve students’ families in this
instructional plan.)

Students will extend their experiences with the content and demonstrate understanding from the lesson, by
completing their individual worksheet on their desk. The students will recall information from the previous
read aloud yesterday and from the T-chart we created as a class.

d. Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology: Attach a copy of ALL materials the teacher and
students will use during the lesson; e.g., handouts, worksheets, multi-media tools, and any assessment
materials utilized.
 Whiteboard
 Dry erase marker
 Document Camera
 A physical copy of Stone Girl, Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning
 Pencils
 19 student copies of character and reaction to problems worksheets

e. Acknowledgements: Acknowledge your sources

Anholt, Laurence. (1999). Stone girl, bone Girl: the story of Mary Anning. London, UK: Picture Corgi
Books. Print.

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2018, from
http://www.corestandards.org/

[Appendix A]

Student’s Name: _______________________________________ Date: ________________________

Book & Author’s Name: _______________________________

Character vs Problem Rubric

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 Student provides one main problem or
3 challenge the character faced in the
book. The student also includes a clear
character’s response that relates to the
problem they describe with key details.
Student provides one main problem or
2 challenge the character faced in the
book. The student also includes a
character’s response that relates to the
problem they describe with no details.
Student does not provide one main
1 problem or challenge the character faced
in the book, along with the character’s
response to it.

[Appendix B]

Name: __________________________ Date: __________________

Character Response
Choose one problem from the book Stone Girl, Bone Girl and draw the
problem the character has in the box. Write the character’s problem
and how they respond to the problem.

Character: ________________________________________
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Problem:
_____________________________________________

How did the character respond to the problem?

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

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