Lesson Plan Template
Subject: English Language Arts
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2
Determine the main idea of a text and
explain how it is supported by key details;
summarize the text.
Daily Lesson Objective:
Students will be able to identify the main idea of a nonfiction text using a graphic organizer (double entry
journal) with 75% (9 out of 12) mastery according to student rubric.
21st Century Skills:
Work Creatively with Others
● Develop, implement and communicate new
ideas to others effectively
● Be open and responsive to new and
diverse perspectives; incorporate group
input and feedback into the work
Make Judgements and Decisions
● Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence,
arguments, claims and beliefs
Communicate Clearly
● Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively
using oral, written and nonverbal
communication skills in a variety of forms
and contexts • Listen effectively to decipher
meaning, including knowledge, values,
attitudes and intentions • Use
communication for a range of purposes
(e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate and
persuade)
Central Focus: Students identify the main idea of
nonfiction text.
Date submitted: Date taught: 3/21/18
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Vocabulary):
Learning Target: I can identify the main idea of nonfiction
text.
Language Function: Identify
Interpret Language Demand (method to express
understanding):
● Identify text evidence (oral and written language)
● Explain the main idea (oral language)
● Identify and explain the main idea (written
language)
Language Support:
● Model thinking
● Provide feedback to students
● Small group support
Syntax (system for organizing):
● Graphic organizer (double entry journal)
Discourse (write or speak):
● reading aloud, oral collaboration, written
expression
Vocabulary (specific or general):
● Main idea
 ● Nonfiction
● Nonfiction text features and structures

Prior Knowledge:
Students have prior knowledge of reading nonfiction text. Students also know how to read a short passage, as
well as work in pairs to discuss what they read. Students are familiar with a double entry journal.

Activity Description

Focus and Review Teacher will recap what a nonfiction passage is with students. Teacher will
have a short, open discussion about text features within nonfiction (captions,
comparisons, glossary, index, labels, maps, etc.), and why they are
important. The teacher will also recap text structure examples, which include
case and effect, description, order and sequence, compare and contrast,
and problem and solution.

Statement of Objective I can identify the main idea of nonfiction text. I will fill out a double entry
for Student journal to illustrate my knowledge of the nonfiction text.

Teacher Input The teacher will show her thought process and how to use a double entry
journal on smartboard. On the smartboard, the teacher will show this
passage. The teacher will read aloud the passage from slideshow about
Easy Bake Ovens. The teacher will think aloud about what kind of nonfiction
text structure this may be. The teacher will then think about what the main
idea of the text is.

The teacher will use the double entry journal from slideshow to illustrate her
thinking. The teacher will show how she picked the main ideas from the text
(use smartboard to underline and circle examples from the passage). The
main ideas will go on the left in the “From the Text” section, and then write
her response to it on the right in the “From Your Mind” section. The teacher
will complete both sides of the double entry journal, with about 3 bullets for
each part.

Example of conversation could be-

“Alright class, today we are going to be reading nonfiction texts and
identifying the main idea. To start off, I am going to read aloud this passage.
*displays passage on SmartBoard and reads aloud*. Hmm, what an
interesting read. I am going to go back through the text and underline any
important or meaningful words or phrases. I can see that the word “Easy
Bake oven” is used quite often. *underlines that* I can also see there is
some type of subtitle here as well. *underlines that* Now I am reading a lot
of examples of what the Easy Bake oven can make! *underline those* From
 this, I can tell that this is a descriptive nonfiction text. It is describing what an
Easy Bake oven is and what it can do to the reader. Knowing that, I also
know that the main idea is the Easy Bake oven! Now, I want to put all the
information I just found out onto my double entry journal. So, from the text, I
gathered that a common word used was Easy Bake oven. *writes that on left
side* Going off of that, in my mind, I know that since that word was often
used, and is used in the subtitle as well, that this is the main idea! So, on the
left side, I will write that it is the main idea. *writes main idea on left side*
Now I also know there were examples of what easy bake oven can make,
like red velvet cupcakes. So that is something I will write on the left side that
came from the text. *writes that on left side* Now going off of that, I know
that these phrases were descriptive phrases, so that makes this text
structure a descriptive piece. So, I want to write on the left side that due to
that text evidence, I know this is a descriptive piece. *writes descriptive piece
on right side*

The teacher will ask questions to the students about what she should do to
find the main idea, and what information she can put in the double entry
journal.

Guided Practice The teacher will tell students she wants to see how they do it. The teacher
will go to slide with passage about Hip-Hop. Students will read the passage
silently. After students read the passage, the teacher will work with their
shoulder partner to talk about what the main idea of the text is. The students
will use their knowledge of nonfiction text features to identify what kind of
nonfiction text it is. After the students work with their partners, they will come
together as a class to discuss their findings. The teacher will pull up a blank
double entry on the SmartBoard. The teacher will ask the students what
should go in each side. The teacher will ask questions like, “What was the
main idea of the text? What was an important fact you read? What kind of
text is this?” for the “From The Text” side of the double entry journal. The
teacher will ask questions like, “What was your reaction to this text? What
are any ideas you have about the author’s ideas? Is there a comparison you
can make between your life and what you read?”

Independent Practice Student will go back to their desk to work independently. Students will have
printed out passage, “First American Woman in Space: Sally Ride”. Students
will silently read the passage, and fill out their own double entry journal.
Teacher will go over instructions on the double entry journal just in case,
making sure the students know that there needs to be three entries under
“From the Text” section, as well as 3 entries under “From your Mind” section.
Students will hand in their double entry journal worksheet to the back desk
when completed. Students who finish their work can silently read or work on
unfinished assignments.

** Grading rubric found at bottom**

 Assessment Methods of Students will complete the double entry journal independently to
all objectives/skills: demonstrate their learning. This comes from their independent work.
Students will hand in work for teacher to grade using rubric below.

Closure Teacher will share some of the things she observed during the workshop
time. The teacher will remind the students how to use critical thinking skills
to find the meaning of nonfiction text.

“Nonfiction texts have many different text features and structures. We can
use what we know about these features and structures to interpret the main
idea of the text. We can use our knowledge to try to figure out what the
author is trying to do when writing a nonfiction text. A way we can figure out
the main idea of a passage is to fully read the text and figure out what the
author is talking about. We can circle the main idea, and then underline
details to support our findings. Nonfiction texts are usually used to inform the
readers of true facts or events.”

The teacher will address any questions students may have.

If needed, teacher can show this video to illustrate how to find the main idea
in nonfiction text.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-1DZWNVBT4
- To elaborate on the video if needed, we can talk about how the
detective identified the topic. He took context cues and “investigated”
what the topic was. Going from there, the teacher can relay to the
students that they can act as a detective when reading nonfiction
text. The detectives job is to find out what the main idea is, so the
detective has to undergo an investigation. The students will examine
the text and use their knowledge of text features and structures to
help them identify what the main idea is.

Assessment Results of Percentage of students who achieved mastery:

all objectives/skills: ● 100% of the students achieved mastery.
● Only two students received a 75%, the rest received 100% on
assignment.
Strengths of students:
● Following the directions
● Identifying the main idea of nonfiction text
Errors:
● Two students did not identify the main idea, just interesting facts.

Targeted Students Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations

Modifications/Accommodations
English Language Learners
During Learning: ● Guided small group
● Small group of supported instruction ● Strategic selection of texts
 (with teacher) ○ Text can be on same subject or topic, just at a
● Peer support level for that specific student.
● Differentiated texts (picture books) ● Teacher can read aloud the text to students.
During Individualized Work:
● One-on-one instruction w/ teacher
○ (w/ IEP student or non-speaker)

Materials/Technology:
● Sources for texts used:
○ http://www.k12reader.com/worksheet/first-american-woman-in-space-sally-ride/view/
○ http://lincolnpark127.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/0/3/23031780/real_world_nonfiction_text_structu
re_examples_ccss.pdf
○ https://www.education.com/download/worksheet/99909/history-of-hip-hop-music.pdf
● SmartBoard
● Printed worksheets of Sally Ride passages for each student
○ Modified passage from website listed above.
● Printed blank worksheet of double entry journal for each student
○ Modified template used from READ 3226 class.
● Pencils for each student

CT signature: ________________________ Date: ______ US signature: ___________________Date:

______

Link to slideshow for lesson

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zbdlcouyvwtl4wR0Z8hzcGE12eoD37q_TIx1wj1_cNM/edit?usp=sharin
g
Grading Rubric:

Excellent Good (3) Satisfactory Needs

(4) (2) Improvement
(1)

Following You followed all You followed You followed some You did not follow any
directions, most of the of the directions, of the directions,
directions
completing three directions, including at least having no ideas from
ideas from the completing most one idea from text the text and no
text, and three at least two ideas and one response. responses.
responses. from the text and
two responses.

Correct You identified You identified the You identified just You did not identify
the main idea, an main idea and an the main idea. the main idea.
Information
important fact, important fact.
and something
interesting.

Response to You responded You responded to You responded to You did not respond
to 3 pieces of 2 pieces of text one piece of text to any text evidence.
text
text evidence, evidence, evidence, including
evidence including including thoughtful
thoughtful thoughtful responses like
responses like responses like reactions, text
reactions, text reactions, text features, ideas,
features, ideas, features, ideas, comparisons.
comparisons. comparisons.

First American Woman in Space: Sally Ride

Sally Ride was the first woman astronaut from the U.S. to go into space.
She flew two missions on the space shuttle. One was in August 1983, and the
other was in October 1984. Both times she flew as a member of the crew of the
space shuttle Challenger. Sally Ride was born in 1951 in Los Angeles, California.
She was interested in science, but
she was also an excellent tennis
player. She studied physics at
Stanford University, where she
earned her doctorate degree.
While Dr.Ride was at Stanford, she
answered an ad in the student
newspaper for students interested
in the space program. She was
accepted into the National
Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) program in
1978 to become an astronaut.
During her space missions, she was
the first woman to operate a
robotic arm, and she also retrieved a satellite using the robotic arm. She spent
a total of 343 hours in space, which is over 14 days. Dr. Ride was getting ready
for another mission in 1986 when the Challenger space shuttle exploded. She
was appointed to a group that studied what had gone wrong with the shuttle.
She later became part of a group at NASA that made plans for future space
missions. In 1987 Dr. Ride retired from NASA and began working and teaching
at Stanford. In 2003 she was part of the investigation into the next shuttle
accident, this time on the space shuttle Columbia. Dr. Sally Ride died in 2012.
Although she was famous as the first American woman in space, she said she
always thought of herself just one way: as an astronaut. She inspired many
people, both male and female.

Double Entry Journal

 From the Text From your Mind
State at least 3 text pieces that stuck out at you. For each text evidence, share your thinking.

Think about: the passage, interesting language, Think about: your reaction, a comparison, ideas,
an important fact, main idea. explanations, or questions related to the author’s
main idea.