Simmons College Programs in Special Education

Lesson Plan Format (Moderate, Severe, Reading Specialist)

Practicum Student: Sara Toga Collings Subject/Skills: English Language Arts Grade Level: 8th grade Number of Learner(s): small group (6) Time of Lesson (Period): Period 4 (9:54-10:43am) Length of Lesson: about 35-40 minutes Curriculum Frameworks (use only Frameworks that would be taught to same age non-disabled peers) Grade Level: 8 Subject: English Language Arts Strand: Composition Standard: General Standard 23: Organizing Ideas in Writing

23.10 Organize information into a coherent essay or report with a thesis statement in the introduction, transition sentences to link paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Page Number: 85 Publication Date: June 2001

1. Purpose/Objective/Function Given their prior class reading of ‘The Tell Tale Heart’, a second reading and review of the story in the Learning Center, their notes on thesis statements and brainstorming, as well as a small group lecture on writing an outline for essay drafting, students will complete an outline of their ELA essay providing a thesis statement, concrete examples, and transition sentences.

2. Pre-requisite skills/knowledge Prior to this lesson, students have been taught the genre of mystery and suspense fiction, the elements of characterization, plot, foreshadowing, tone, mood, as well as what a thesis statement and outline are in the writing process.

3. Schedule and Pacing 1.) When students arrive, they will find the tables already arranged in one long table. Students

will be asked to take out their thesis and brainstorming worksheet from the prior LC class. The teacher will direct their attention to the agenda on the front board, where the steps of the lesson are posted. Teacher will read aloud the steps, “First you will review your thesis and brainstorming worksheets from yesterday, and for those of you who were not with us, you will look over the notes from yesterday’s class and start the worksheet. Then we will have a brief review/discussion of what side you have chosen for the essay topic. We will have a brief brainstorming session about examples for both sides of the argument, to help anyone who is having trouble getting started. I will then pass out an outline worksheet and we will go over how to fill out the outline, as well as a hint sheet with helpful transition words to use in your essay. Then we will refocus back on the thesis statement, and everyone will leave here with a thesis statement, 3 concrete examples from the text to back up their thesis, and an outline partially completed” (about 2 minutes).

2.) The students will be asked to look over their worksheets, and will be asked “How will these be used for an outline?” For the students who were in the LC on Wednesday, Oct. 7th, they will be highlighting or picking three of their brainstorm examples to use in their essay. These students will be asked to then go into the text to find details to back up their examples. For the two (or three) students that were not in the LC the prior class, the teacher will go over the thesis and brainstorming worksheet as well as provide notes from the lecture/discussion that happened in the LC on Wednesday to go along with the worksheet.

The teacher will ask these students to concentrate on choosing their side, and getting some brainstorming examples down on the worksheet (about 8 minutes).

3.) Next, the teacher will bring everyone back together and ask for everyone to share what side they have chosen and why. The teacher will restate that in an argument essay, students should chose the side they feel most strongly about, and cannot be wavering from side to side in their essay (about 5 minutes).

4.) The teacher will then write on the board ‘guilty’ and ‘innocent by insanity plea’ and ask students to look over their notes, and check back in the story to brainstorm some concrete examples. Teacher will provide first example for each argument, and then discuss why they are examples with the students to get them on the right track (about 5 minutes).

5.) The teacher will then pass out the outline worksheet and go over it with the students. The students will be directed to look at the board as the teacher goes over the outline. It will be the same as the one Ms. Kole asked them to put in their notebook on Wednesday, but this time will be provided in hard copy form. The teacher will stop at each section of the outline to explain in more depth, and will encourage students to write down tips/notes as she goes along. The students will also receive a transition words worksheet, along with an explanation about where these words would be used in the body of the paragraph and why (about 15 minutes).

6.) Teacher will then ask students to return to their outline worksheet and fill in their thesis statement, as well as make note of the three concrete examples they will be using in the body paragraphs of their essay. Teacher will walk around and check in with each student, making sure that each student has a completed thesis statement before the end of class (about 5 minutes).

4. Materials

1. Pencils 2. White board markers 3. 10 hard copy print-outs of ‘The Tell Tale Heart’ 4. 10 copies of outline worksheet 5. 10 copies of transition words worksheet 6. 10 copies of notes from Oct. 7th LC for students who were not there 7. 10 highlighters

5. IEP Goals/Objectives/Benchmarks a. Written Language Goal- Given a writing assignment, student will, with increasing independence and decreasing teacher support, write an appropriate response that includes an opening, details/supports, and a conclusion.

Rewritten: Student will use writing skills such as creating a topic sentence, providing details and examples, and creating a conclusion, to demonstrate ability beyond the current performance level as identified through the following objectives, and as documented from quarter to quarter.

b. Written Language Goal- Student will, with increasing independence, and decreasing adult support, be able to write a 3 - 4 paragraph essay/response that includes an introduction, appropriate details and support, and a conclusion.

Rewritten: Student will use writing skills such as composing essays with topic sentences, topic appropriate details and support, and creating a conclusion, to demonstrate ability beyond the current performance level as identified through the following objectives, and as documented from quarter to quarter.

6. Specially – Designed Instruction a. Methodology – Student benefits from small group instruction in inclusion math and ELA classes, as well as in the Learning Center.

7. Accommodations/Adaptations a. Seating- near teacher or positive role model b. Presentation – visual aids, graphic organizers

- repeat or restate information - simplify complex or lengthy directions - visual cues and prompts (i.e. tap desk, make eye contact) to keep student focus - visual reminders of steps in an activity/lesson (i.e. written agenda)

c. Timing – extra time to complete assignments d. Response – encourage student to read aloud own work to find errors, and check for

understanding - encourage student to ask questions to check for understanding

8. Possible Problems and Solutions a) Students may show up to LC without their worksheets from the previous lesson and need

to go back downstairs to their locker to get their work – if the student is only missing their hard copy of the story, then the teacher will provide a new copy. If they are missing their notes from last class, they will have to go to their locker (and this will take away a few minutes from the lesson).

b) One of the students is being non-cooperative (rolling eyes, etc) – teacher will talk to the student to check in with how they are feeling about the essay, they may just be overwhelmed and expressing their exhaustion through uncooperative behavior.

c) Students forget their position on the topic, or have changed their mind from the day before – teacher will take a few extra minutes to talk out any problems students are having in making up their mind, and pull up the brainstorming session to the beginning of the lesson to help clarify ideas for the students.

9. Lesson Closure

The teacher will check on student progress to make sure that everyone has a thesis statement. The teacher will explain to please keep all worksheets from the LC, as they will be used in ELA to help with beginning to draft your essay. Teacher will explain that Ms. Kole expects you to have these materials in class to use. Teacher will explain that on Friday, they will focus on the steps of revising and editing any draft they have written so far.

10. Assessment

Teacher will be able to see who understands the lesson from their active participation (raising hand, eye contact, providing examples during discussion). Students will work on an outline worksheet, and the teacher will walk around and check student progress on filling in their outline using complete sentences and providing detail from the text. Teacher will ask questions to students of what they have written so far, to check for their understanding.

11. Extension of the Lesson

Students will be going to ELA class after LC, so they will take their outline worksheets with them to help start their first draft in ELA class. The outline the students have started/completed will help them to write their first draft of their essay, which is due on Friday.