Karla Usinger

Lesson Plan 1: Comprehension

Describe the context:
(Students, grade level,
geographic location, community
and school population, socioeconomic profile, school
culture, availability of
technology, content, learning
styles, ethnic breakdown,
special needs, . . Be detailed.
Do not make casual
references, or surface level
connects to students
backgrounds, interest, and
learning needs. Provide details
on class demographics,
significant subgroups of
students with similar
characteristics and varied
strengths (including personal
cultural and community assets.
Identify their learning needs.
Identify their strengths, learning
styles.) Include the schools
philosophy, vision and mission
statement. Explain how these
affects, or guides instruction in
the classroom.

This semester I am completing my field work at Giese

Elementary School, which is located on the south side of
Racine, WI. I am observing a 5th grade class that consists
of 11 females and 13 males with ethnicities that include
Hispanic, African American, and White not Hispanic.
Overall, the ethnicity breakdown for the entire school is,
52% African American, close to 19% Hispanic, 28% White
not Hispanic, and less than 1% Asian and American Indian.
Also, 16% of the students have a disability and over 80%
are economically disadvantaged.
Giese Elementary is a Title I School, which is a federal
program that provides funds to the schools who have a high
percentage of children from low socioeconomic
backgrounds. This program helps to ensure that all
children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to
obtain a high-quality education.
Technology plays a big role in this classroom. Being Giese
Elementary is a Title I school and does get extra financial
assistance, they are fortunate enough to have a wide range
of technology available to them. There are a number of
programs and technology used to facilitate learning and
literacy development. There are four desktop computers in
the classroom along with a Smart Board. Also, the students
each have their own laptops assigned to them which is
shared with the other 5th grade class. There are a variety of
computer programs available that the students use on a
daily basis, such as, Raz-Kids, First in Math, and Compass
Learning.
Their mission states "Giese provides a nurturing climate of
high expectations that foster student mastery of the learning
goals and objectives defined in the district's curriculum."
They also implemented Positive Behavioral Intervention
and Supports (PBIS), which uses a variety of programs,
practices, and strategies for all students to increase
academic performance, improve safety, decrease problem
behavior, and establish a positive school culture.
There are a few disabilities present in this classroom.

Three students are classified as having a LD, one has EBD,

one has OHI, and also one ELL.

Learning Goals/Objectives
Content Standards (CCSS)
Affective Objectives: (related to
student attitudes and values;
think dispositions)
Cognitive: (related to the
mastery of knowledge: think
Bloom)

Part of the time I observe in this classroom, the teacher

pulls groups for guided reading and RTI, while the others
are participating in centers. For this lesson on
comprehension, I will be working with one particular group
with similar reading and writing levels. The guided reading
level for this group is level N. This is a brainstorming
activity using the strategy LINK.
CCSS.Literacy.SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 5
topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing
their own clearly.
Affective Objective:
Listen to the importance of brainstorming and
instructions for the LINK strategy.
Complete the LINK strategy using The Paperboy.

For help please go to Blooms

Taxonomy of Learning
Domains

Cognitive Objective:
Generate a list of everything you know about
paperboys and their responsibilities.
Engage in collaborative discussions about your
prior knowledge of paperboys with peers.

Pre-Assessment: (How do you

know what to teach and how to
teach it? What did you do to
discover this information?)

Academic Language:
Brainstorm, Delivered, Garage, Pedal, Route

Academic Language

Assessment
(Criteria / Look Fors; How will
you assess learning? What will
you do to know if the students
have met the objectives?)

What Rubrics or other

scoring scales will be used? Be
specific (Identify the criteria
you will use. This should align

To assess students learning, I will be observing how much

they participate during the activity and our group
discussion. I will be observing while they are
brainstorming and generating their lists about paperboys,
and how well they perform the LINK strategy.

At the end of the lesson, I will ask them to complete an exit

slip. The exit slip will allow the students to reflect on what
they learned and write any questions they have. It will also
provide me of an informal measure of how well students
understood the LINK strategy and the importance of
brainstorming. The exit slip will consist of the following:
1. Write one thing you learned today.
2. Write one question you have about todays lesson.

with the objectives and CCSS.)

3. Why is brainstorming before reading important?

Students Self-Assessment

Enduring
Understanding/Essential
Question(s): (What are the big
ideas? What thought provoking
question(s) will guide the
lesson?)

Instructional Procedures
Learning Strategies: (Be sure
to include specific strategies to
develop literacy of content)

Introduction
Pre (How will you motivate,
activate prior knowledge, what
will be your hook? . . .)

During
Demonstration

Participation

Practice

Closure
Post
Extension
Time
(Total and Specific)

How does brainstorming prior knowledge enhance literacy?

Introduction-Explain goals of the lesson. Discuss

brainstorming and the importance of activating
prior knowledge.

Demonstration-Model the LINK strategy.

Participation-LINK activity. Have the students

write down everything they know about paperboys.
Have a group discussion about their lists.

Practice-Read half of The Paperboy. Then revisit

their lists and discuss any new knowledge.

Closure-wrap up activity. Explain how activating

prior knowledge is an important aspect of
comprehension.

Exit Slip-Have students complete exit slip.

Post (for next lesson)-Have students write down one

responsibility or job they do. They will bring this to
the next lesson. We will finish reading the book and
they will participate in a writing activity on the job
or responsibility they have.

Introduction and Demonstration-5 min

Participation-5 min
Reading-5-10 min

Exit Slip-5 min

Closure-5 min

Student Accommodations
Differentiation/Planning for
Individual Needs (IEP goals if
known; RtI; learning styles):

Resources and Materials:

(Include technology where
applicable/available/appropriate
)

Reflection on Planning
(Explain which
theory/theorists you are using
to guide your
practice/planning of this
lesson? Be sure to explain the
connections.)

Total Time: 25-30 min

I do not need to make special accommodations for this
lesson. The students that need accommodations will be out
of the class with the special education teacher. This
particular reading group is already differentiated because
they are grouped according to their reading level. This
group is level N. This lesson is differentiated because this
strategy meets a variety of learners. I discussed
brainstorming and the importance of activating prior
knowledge for the auditory learners. I modeled the LINK
strategy, and the students generated their own lists of what
they know about paperboys which benefits the visual
learners. Coming up with words and sentences while
brainstorming is great for students who are linguistically
smart. Working collaboratively and group discussion
benefits the intrapersonal learners.
Guided Reading Books-The Paperboy, paper, writing
utensil, exit slips

I used the theory of constructivism to guide my planning

for this lesson. Constructivist theorists describe students as
active and engaged learners who construct their own
knowledge. Students learn when they integrate new
information with their existing schema. When students are
familiar with a topic, the new information is added to their
schema in a revision process that Jean Piaget calls
assimilation. Activating prior knowledge by brainstorming
before reading is important for students to do because they
make meaningful connections to the text and are more
engaged when reading which will increase comprehension.