5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Teacher: David Knapp

Date:
Subject/grade level: language arts / grade 3
Materials:
Literature:
Curtis, J., & Cornell, L. (2002). I'm gonna like me: Letting off a
little self-esteem. New York, NY: Joanna Cotler Books.
Fox, M., & Staub, L. (1997). Whoever you are. San Diego:
Harcourt Brace.
Kates, B., & Mathieu, J. (1992). We're different, we're the
same: Featuring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets.
New York: Random House.
Nolan, A., & Sakamoto, M. (2005). What I like about me!
New York: Reader's Digest Children's Books.
Parr, T. (2001). It's okay to be different. Boston: Little, Brown.
Petty, D., & Boldt, M. (n.d.). I don't want to be a frog.

Music:
Down in the Backpack *sung to the tune of: "Under the
Boardwalk"(Resnick/Young) Alley Music Corp/Trio Music Co New
Lyrics by Bill Harley (http://www.billharley.com/lyrics.asp?SongID=432)

Manipulatives:
Paper lunch bags: 1 per student
Glue sticks
Pre-cut templates (http://www.daniellesplace.com): 1 set per student
Colored pencils or crayons
Drawing paper
Blank Index Cards
Construction Paper
Scissors
Writing pencils/pens
Adaptive materials (specialized scissors, pencil grips, slant
boards for writing, etc.) as needed
Optional: pre-printed prompt cards (prompts can also be given
verbally) * http://www.teachingwithtaskcards.com/
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Arts Areas:
Visual Arts: students use text illustrations to facilitate understanding; product is to create visually appealing
bagpacks representing information about themselves
Drama/Theater Arts: n/a
Dance: movement & gestures encouraged during listening/singing aloud to Down in the Backpack
Music: listening & singing along to Down in the Backpack
Multiples Intelligences:
Visual-Spatial - drawing, texts with pictures
Bodily-kinesthetic -hands-on learning and real objects
Musical music as part of energizer introduction and in the background during small group work
Interpersonal understanding social norm/expectations of interacting with others while working
Intrapersonal - understanding one's own interests, goals; creating personalized bagpack
Linguistic - listening to/understanding text, using words effectively in discussion, written responses
Logical -Mathematical ** see extension activity: data collection and graphing
Naturalistic n/a
Curricular Area(s):
Language arts (reading, listening, speaking); **extension activity = math
Lesson objective(s):
Students will identify big idea/common theme in the literature books (see material) read aloud and discuss
in class/small group setting.
Theme: people have individual differences and commonalities; but everyone deserves to be valued and
accepted for who they are
Students work cooperatively with peers in discussion groups and share art/craft materials to complete task
related to getting to know you theme (creating a paper bagpack with information about themselves on
cards inside).
Students complete activity to write/draw responses regarding their personal traits and then verbally share
their responses to peers in class/ small group setting.
Standards:
Lesson Activities:
SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneonone, in groups, and teacherled) with
diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Follow agreedupon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

comments to the remarks of others.
c. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion
W.3.4
With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task and purpose.

**Extension standard:
3.MD.B.3
Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories.
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
Provide pre-cut templates, specialized scissors, pencil grips, slant boards for writing, etc. as needed
Options for task completion (written responses or drawings) as well as allowing students to give verbal
responses to scribe (peer or adult assistant) as needed
Anticipatory Set/Energizer/ENGAGEMENT
Play the song Down in the Backpack students are encouraged to sing along during a second playing
(lyrics provided on Elmo or Smartboard), as well as move along with gestures during the chorus
EXPLORATION
Read aloud picture books (see materials) allow students to choose; read as many as appropriate for
time/student interest level.
While reading aloud, ask students to identify key details in text using written text AND illustrations in
each text.
EXPLANATION
Vocabulary: unique
After reading aloud, ask students to compare the texts, identify key details that may be different, as well as
the same. As students discuss use visuals to represent/record their responses (ex.: Venn diagram). Ask
students to refer to the text or illustration to justify their response.
Prompt students to recognize the big idea common in any/all of the texts above i.e. that the characters have
individual differences and commonalities but each is valued and accepted for who they are.
ELABORATION/APPLY
Each student will create their own bagpack. The bag itself has a place for specific information about the
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

student (allow students to decorate the bag as part of the activity of putting the bag together).
Have parts of the template (see link in materials) pre-cut for younger students they should only need to
color, decorate, glue parts on the bag.
After students have created the bag, then give them each a stack of index cards. Use any of the get to know
you prompts (see materials) to have students write or draw additional information about themselves (one
card per prompt). When completed the students place all their response cards in their bagpack.
Have the students place their bagpacks on their desks and then throughout the day ask various students to
reach Down in their Bagpack and pull out a card to share the information with the class as a way for
everyone to learn about each other.

EVALUATION
Teacher Observation, student participation in identifying key details in read aloud text
Students responses (written/drawn/told), and their completed bagpack, identifying
characteristics/information about themselves shared in small group or class
CLOSURE
Class discussion of ways we can make sure everyone feels accepted (ex.: make sure everyone is included on
the playground and at lunch, listen politely to others ideas during class discussions, no put downs,
respect/acknowledge the traditions/clothing/mannerisms from everyones culture, etc.).
Include in discussion what a student might do if they themselves are not feeling accepted (i.e. speak up at the
time to peers, talk to teacher or parent, etc.), as well as what a student might do if they see someone else
being excluded because they are different (speak up at the time to peers, speak privately to the individual
later, make an extra effort to include them in another setting, talk to a teacher or parent).
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Extension (maybe the 6th E) Activities:

Math: Collecting/Graphing Data (see standard above)
The index cards where the students identify (writing or drawing) information about themselves can be
combined and used as a math lesson on collecting, recording and displaying data (tally marks for how many
people like to read or play football, how many people have siblings, how many families own dogs, etc)
followed by ways to display/communicate the information (bar graph).
*Use of their own information will increase their engagement in the math activity, as well as tie directly into
personal knowledge about how data is generated and can be collected.