EXAMPLE: EDC424 Lesson Plan
Whole Group
Name: Terry Deeney
Book: Ira Sleeps Over
Author: Bernard Waber
TEXT OVERVIEW
Summary: Ira Sleeps Over is a delightful story of a little boy who struggles with whether or not to bring his favorite teddy bear, Tah Tah, to his first sleep over at a friend’s house. Ira doesn’t want his friend to laugh at him, but is concerned that he has never slept without Tah Tah. Ira weighs the pros and cons, aided by some solicited and unsolicited advice from family members. Without his teddy, Ira enjoys the night until the boys tell scary stories in bed. When Reggie needs his teddy bear, Ira realizes it’s okay to have a teddy.
Readability: According to the Fry formula, Ira is at a beginning second grade level, with an average of 15.6 sentences and 125.6 syllables per 100 words. The content of the book is appropriate for third grade, as this is an age when some children face their first sleepover without a family member.
Fry Calculations:
1st 100 words: 129 syllables, 14 sentences
2nd 100 words: 126 syllables, 12.4 sentences
3rd 100 words: 122 syllables, 20.3 sentences
Average = 125.6 syllables, 15.6 sentences (Beginning 2nd grade)
Grade: I have chosen to use this book at the beginning of third grade. Since students will be reading the book in pairs, the lower readability (second grade) is appropriate.
OBJECTIVES
Comprehension: Students will complete a compare and contrast chart with reasons Ira should and should not bring his teddy bear, basing their answers on the text. (See attached rubric.)
Corresponding GLEs:
R-2-5.3 Analyze and interpret elements of literary texts, citing evidence where appropriate by making basic inferences about problem or solution.
Corresponding RIBTS:
2.3 select instructional materials and resources based on their comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness for representing particular ideas and concepts
2.5 use a variety of explanations and multiple representations of concepts
3.2 design instruction that meets the current cognitive, social, and personal needs of students
4.1 design instruction that accommodates individual differences
5.1 design lessons that extent beyond factual recall and challenge students to develop higher level cognitive skills
5.2 pose questions that encourage students to view, analyze, and interpret ideas from multiple perspectives
8.2 use a variety of modes of communication
9.2 use a variety of assessment strategies that are aligned with instructional content and methodology
Word study: Students will complete with 80% accuracy a spelling chart in which they add ing to one-syllable base words (e.g. hop + ing = hopping).
Corresponding GLEs:
R-2-1.1 Applies word identification and decoding strategies by identifying regularly spelled multi-syllabic words
R-2-2.1 Students identify the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary by using strategies to unlock word meaning
Corresponding RIBTS:
1.2 use a broad knowledge base
2.1 know their discipline and understand how knowledge is created, organized, and linked to other disciplines
2.3 select instructional materials and resources based on their comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness for representing particular ideas and concepts
2.5 use a variety of explanations and multiple representations of concepts
3.2 design instruction that meets the current cognitive, social, and personal needs of students
4.1 design instruction that accommodates individual differences
4.2 use understanding of students to create connections between subject matter and student experiences
5.1 design lessons that extent beyond factual recall and challenge students to develop higher level cognitive skills
5.5 use tasks that engage students in exploration, discovery, and hands-on activities
8.2 use a variety of modes of communication
9.3 encourage students to evaluate their own work and establish learning goals
Reader Response: After a discussion of Ira’s sister reaction toward his dilemma, students will write a letter to her telling her what they think of her behavior toward Ira, citing at least one event from the story to support what they write.
Corresponding GLEs:
R-2-5.2 Analyze and interpret elements of literary text, citing evidence where appropriate by identifying relevant physical characteristics or personality traits of main characters.
Corresponding RIBTS:
2.5 use a variety of explanations and multiple representations of concepts,
2.7 generate multiple paths to knowledge
3.2 design instruction that meets the current cognitive, social, and personal needs of students
4.2 use understanding of students to create connections between subject matter and student experiences
5.1 design lessons that extent beyond factual recall and challenge students to develop higher level cognitive skills
6.4 provide and structure time necessary to explore important ideas/concepts
8.2 use a variety of modes of communication
8.4 emphasize oral and written communication through the use of discussion listening, and responding to the ideas of others
PREREADING
Prior knowledge: To activate prior knowledge, I will tell students what a sleepover is (when you sleep over at someone else’s house) to make sure they understand the concept. I will ask the students if any of them have been on a sleepover before. I will ask two or three of those who say yes to tell where they slept over. I will then say that my daughter is going on a sleepover this weekend. Showing her suitcase, I will ask students what they think my daughter should bring to the sleepover and why she would need that item. As the students respond, I will take each item out of her backpack. (The students will probably mention PJs, toothbrush/toothpaste, clothes. They may mention a blanket, pillow, and teddy.) If students do not mention a teddy bear (or “stuffie”), I will take out my daughter’s and tell the students that my daughter wants to bring “Bunny.” I will explain that Bunny sleeps with her every night. I will ask students how what my daughter is bringing matches with what they thought she should bring to a sleepover.
Vocabulary/concepts: I will tell the children that we are about to read a story of a boy who is going on his first sleep over, and has a decision to make. I will explain what it means to “decide.”
“Decide” means you need to make a choice. Like when my children go to McDonald’s, they need to decide or choose a chicken nugget or hamburger happy meal. Say the word with me: decide. If you were going to the beach, what would you decide to bring? Try to use the word “decide” when you answer. (I will allow students to use the word “decide” in a sentence that relates to their own experiences about going to the beach.)
Purpose for Reading: Tell the students that we are going to read a story about a boy named Ira and what he needs to decide when he’s invited to a sleepover.
GUIDED READING (To build reading comprehension)
I will work with students in small groups. Students will rotate through the guided reading group. Students NOT in group will read the book in pairs (buddies). Each pair of students will have a guided reading sheet to do while reading.
I will read the first few pages of Ira aloud to students as a whole group (up to p. 11 where Ira is trying to decide whether to bring the teddy). Then I will give directions for guided and independent reading.
Independent comprehension activity:
“When you are not in group with me, you will be reading Ira with your reading buddy. (Hand out guided reading sheet.) I want you to figure out what Ira’s problem is—what Ira needs to decide. We really already know what Ira’s problem is, right? Write it in the top part of the sheet where it says, ‘What does Ira need to decide?’ Then, as you read, you are going to be thinking of reasons Ira should bring his teddy bear, and reasons he should not. Write these in the spaces on your sheet. Make sure you have three reasons why Ira should bring the teddy, and three reasons why Ira should not. Remember, these reasons are going to come from what you read in the story, not from what you already know about sleepovers.”
What does Ira need to decide?Tell reasons Ira should and should not bring Tah Tah.
Reasons Ira should bring Tah Tah / Reasons Ira should not bring Tah Tah
1.
2.
3. / 1.
2.
3.
Answers to comprehension activity:
Ira needs to decide whether to bring his teddy bear to Reggie’s.
Reasons Ira should: Never slept without it before. Reggie plans to tell ghost stories. Reggie’s room is very, very dark.
Reasons Ira should not: Reggie will laugh. Reggie will think he’s a baby. Reggie will think Tah Tah is a silly, baby name.
Guided Reading Questions:
Students in group will read silently up to the pages specified below. When each student has completed the reading, I will ask the following questions:
Page 11: Initial Q (Open): What’s going on? (literal)
Response: Ira is going to sleep over Reggie’s.
Follow-up Q: What is Ira’s problem? (inferential)
Response: His has to think about taking his teddy or not.
Follow-up Q: Why did Ira say it’s silly to take his teddy bear? (inferential)
Response: Answers will vary (he is embarrassed, etc).
Follow-up Q: How has he changed him mind from before? (text connection)
Response: Before he was sure he wouldn’t take his teddy, now he’s not so sure.
Page 15: Initial Q (Closed): What’s one reason Ira doesn’t want to take his teddy? (literal)
Response: Reggie will laugh.
Page 21: Initial Q (Open): What’s going on? (literal)
Response: Reggie is telling Ira the things they will do, but Ira is concerned with finding out how Reggie feels about teddy bears.
Follow-up Q: What has Ira decided to do about the teddy bear?
(literal)
Response: Bring him.
Follow-up Q: Why? (inferential)
Response: Because Reggie plans to tell scary stories with the
lights out. His teddy will make him feel safer.
Page 25: Initial Q (Open): What does Ira think now? (literal)
Response: He won’t bring his teddy.
Follow-up Q: Why? (literal)
Response: Because Reggie will think “Tah Tah” is a silly, baby
name.
Follow-up Q: How do you think Ira feels? (inferential)
Response: Answers will vary (frustrated, upset, etc.)
Page 33: Initial Q (Open): What’s happening? (literal)
Response: They’ve had fun playing and now it’s time to go to bed.
Follow-up Q: What do you think will happen now? (inferential)
Response: They’ll tell stories and be scared (or other such
responses)
Page 37: Initial Q (Open): What’s going on? (literal)
Response: Reggie gets his teddy bear. (inferential: because he is
scared)
Follow-up Q: How do you think Ira feels? (inferential)
Response: Scared. Wishes he had his teddy, etc.
Follow-up Q: What do you think will happen? (inferential)
Response: Answers may vary.
Page 45: Initial Q (Open): Why is Ira so sure Reggie won’t laugh? (inferential)
Response: Because Reggie has his teddy and he probably feels
the same way about Teddy’s as Ira does.
RESPONDING
After reading the story, I will bring the students back together as a group and ask:
Q: “What did Reggie decide?” (literal)
A: He decided to bring his teddy.
Q: “What made him change his mind once at Reggie’s? (literal)
A: Reggie had a teddy as well.
Q: So why did that make Ira change his mind? (Inferential)
A: Because if it was okay for Reggie to have one, it was okay for Ira; Reggie was not going to laugh at him or think he was a baby.
Once we wrap up the ending, I will ask the students what they thought of the way Ira’s sister tried to help him make his decision.
Q: What did you think of the way Ira sister acted in this story?
After a brief discussion of the sister, I will explain the letter writing activity:
“What you’re going to do now is to write a letter to Ira’s sister telling her what you think of how she treated Ira.” (For the purposes of this lesson plan, I will have already taught students letter-writing format. This is hanging on display in the classroom. I will remind students of letter format prior to writing.) “Remember, when we write a letter, we start with a greeting, like ‘Dear…’ But, do we know Ira’s sister’s name? No, we never learned her name. So what should we write after ‘Dear…’?” (Solicit ideas and choose.) “So, you’re going to set your paper up in our letter format (point to display). You’re going to tell Ira’s sister what you think of her behavior. You might start something like, ‘I think you …’ You need to tell at least one thing she did in the story that make you think that. So you need to say, ‘I think you…. because…’ It would be great if you could give her some advice, too. Tell her what you think she should have done instead.”
EXPLORING - Integrate your Word Study Demonstration into this section of the Lesson Plan
(Note: This example is for the whole group. Keep in mind that not all students would be developmentally ready for this concept. In “real life” you would work with small groups for word study instruction.)
Word study principle: The doubling rule is appropriate to third graders in the early syllables and affixes stage. I will take one aspect of the doubling rule (adding ing) and teach it to the students.