Student Teaching edTPA Lesson Plan Template

Subject: Central Focus:

ELA/ Literacy Character traits in biographies
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their
traits, motivations, or feelings) and Date submitted: Date taught:
explain how their actions contribute to
the sequence of events
Daily Lesson Objective:
I will determine a character’s traits by studying what they say and do.
21st Century Skills: Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Critical thinking Vocabulary):
Biography
Traits
Determine

Prior Knowledge:
Know how to find character traits

Activity Description of Activities and Setting Time

“Last week we talked about finding character traits. Can anyone tell me what 5
two ways we talked about on how to find character traits?” Students should
reply by saying to find character traits we have to study what they say and
what they do. Today, we are going to start a new unit. We are going to be
1. Focus and Review reading Biographies. A biography is a type of non-fiction text that tells about a
person’s life. A biography is written by someone else about another person. I
want you to think back to when we read fiction texts, one of the skills we
worked on was identifying character traits of the main character by studying
what they said and did. When reading a book about a real person’s life, we
can do the same thing!”
Today, when we read about Chuck Close I want you to be able to 2
2. Statement of Objective determine his traits by studying what the author states about what he
for Student says and does.

“Today, we will begin reading a book called - Rocks in His Shoes: The Story 10
of Chuck Close. This is a biography about a man name Chuck Close. The
author of this book is Myka-Lynne Sokoloff. Before we begin reading, let’s
preview the text.” (Take a picture walk and take time to read headings and
3. Teacher Input captions). Read aloud pages 2-3.
“Based on what I’ve read so far, I’ve learned a lot about Chuck Close. The
author tells me that he is a “remarkable artist.” Based on this, I would say that
Chuck Close is creative.”

“Now it’s your turn. Re-read paragraph 2 on page 3. Turn and talk to your 20
neighbor about what character trait you think would describe Chuck Close in
this paragraph.” Teacher should float around the room to hear the discussion
of the students. Teacher will call on students to express what traits they think
4. Guided Practice
he has and explain why.

Students should recognize that he is determined because he “never gave up

on his goal of being an artist.”

5. Independent Practice
30
“Now I want you guys to look over the biographies you are reading in your
guided reading groups and come up with three traits for the main character in
the book. When you write down your answers, I want you to give me the trait
and then elaborate with examples from the text on why you believe the
character has that trait.”
Teacher will float around the room and ask questions and prompt discussion
about the traits and why they believe the way they do.

6. Assessment Methods of The students will be graded on their determination of the character’s traits and their ability
all objectives/skills: to explain why with examples from the text.

“So today you guys learned all about how to find character traits in
biographies! I am so glad you guys can do this now and maybe you will come
7. Closure across another text that you can determine character traits in!”
2

12 students out of 17 students got a 100 on the assignment as they determine traits and cited
8. Assessment Results of
specific examples from the text 3 got an 80 as they elaborated but did not cite anything
all objectives/skills:
from the text. 2 of the students got a 50 as they just wrote down the trait without
elaborating at all.

Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations

Struggling students will be prompted with a graphic During the independent activity time, the teacher will pull the
organizer that has a slot for the trait, elaboration and a struggling students and work with them on filling out the
slot for examples from the text. graphic organizer for character traits in their book.
Advanced students will complete an analysis of their
own character traits with examples from their own
lives.

Materials/Technology: graphic organizer, Rocks in His Shoes: The Story of Chuck Close

Reflection on lesson:

 What worked? What didn’t work? Why?

Within my lesson plan, there were a lot of good things that came out of it. The students were
very well behaved and listened to me when I spoke or gave directions. In the lesson plan I was asked to read a
text and prompt discussion about traits in a character. I believe it went well as multiple students had responses
when I prompted them and asked them questions. When they did their individual work, they were silent and
asked questions as needed. On my feedback, the CTE stated I needed to slow down on my reading as I was
speaking really fast. Therefore, I would definitely need to work on that. Another thing I believe could have
gone better is giving students more modeling, even with different text. I think I did not explain it as well as I
should have.

 Based on the implementation of this lesson, what instructional changes would you need to make to
 prepare for future lessons?
The instructional changes I would make is to do more modeling with finding traits. I would do more
think alouds and make sure I elaborate on why I believe it would be that trait. The other instructional change I
would make it to change the independent activity. I think as the teacher it is only the student’s word that
determines if they are correct because the teacher hasn’t read each of the student’s independent books. I am not
sure what I would change it to but I found it unfortunate I had to teach it this way.

 How might these changes improve student learning? What research and theory in education would
support the implementation of these changes?
I believe giving more examples and modeling the skill would be beneficial to the student’s learning as it
is well known that a teacher cannot ask something of students that they have not explicitly done themselves. I
believe by giving the students more examples, it would cause less confusion when doing their independent
work. As I said, I would change the independent activity to be more general to the whole class and not so
personal to each and everyone’s book but that’s what the CTE asked me to do so I did it.

CT signature: ________________________ Date: ______ US signature: ____________________________Date: ______