Language Arts Lesson Plan-Fragments in Writing

Brittany GriffinEDTEP 581Fall 2013

Language Arts Lesson Plan-Fragments in Writing

Objectives:

Students will be able to identifyfragments in written work.

Learning Activities:

Students will work individually and in pairs to detect fragments in their work.

Assessment:

Entry tickets with 3 questions where students will select what is and what is not a fragment (Pre-Assessment and Formative Assessment).

Exit tickets with (3 different than entry questions) questions where students will select what is and what is not a fragment (Formative Assessment).

Name: Brittany Griffin
Title: “Is this sentence complete?”
Grade Level(s): 8 / Subject(s): Language Arts
Essential Questions (overarching questions):

• How does clear, strong and organized writing look?

Standards (EALR’s or GLE’s):

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4- Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will learn what a fragment is and how to identify fragments in written form.

Higher Order Thinking Skills:

• Students will be questioned to think deeper about their comments.
• Students will be challenged to think about whether or not a fragment is necessary or not.

Social and Affective Skills:

• Students will engage verbally and non-verbally in class discussion.
• Students will be encouraged to participate by raising their hands.
• Students will be encouraged to assist others throughout the learning process.

Learning Activities
Materials and Resources: Entry/Exit tickets, Doc Cam, Pen, Hat

• Exit tickets with 3 questions regarding fragments. Doc Cam/board.

Hook: “Have you ever been talking to someone and they become distracted? Or the phone goes dead? Or maybe you send a text message and they never respond? It’s sometimes irritating right?”
Directions/Procedures (including transitions and scaffolding):
Teacher Does… / Student Does… / Time Frames…
“How is everyone today? Show me with a thumbs up, down or to the side.”
Teacher takes note of thumbs down or to the side.
“Well hopefully we can make it bit better day for some of y’all.” / Students say hello and show their thumbs.
(Most have thumbs up, a few have thumbs in the middle or down) / 30 sec
“Student G, can you read the learning objective for me?”
“Thank you Student G. Student H can you put that in your own words for me?”
“Thank you Student H. So to help up with this objective, we’re going to do a quick activity”.
Teacher grabs entry tickets / Student reads learning objective:
“Students will learn what a fragment is and how to identify fragments in written form.”
Student H put objective into their own words. / 1 min.
“Alright y’all so I’m going to hand you a quick entry ticket”. / Students receive their entry tickets. / 20 sec
As teacher finishes handing out each student their ticket, she asks the first student she hands a ticket to, to read the directions aloud. / 20 sec
“Student B can you read aloud the bolded directions on the entry tickets for everyone?”
(Student B is a student who struggles so they are still able to participate but not put on the spot for grammar trouble). / Student B reads the directions aloud. / 30 sec
“Thank you Student B. Student R can you tell me in your own words what you’re going to do?” / Student R tells the class in their own words what they will do with the entry ticket. / 30 sec
“Perfect! Alright y’all please do not let anyone read your questions, and complete the entry ticket on your own. When you are done, just turn it over on your desk and remain silent for others so concentrate. There is no need to write your name on the slip.”
Teacher tells students when they have about 30 seconds left. / Students work on entry tickets. / 1 min.
“Have you ever been talking to someone and they become distracted? Or the phone goes dead? Or maybe you send a text message and they never respond? It’s sometimes irritating right? So what we’re going to take a look at today is how to prevent those sometimes uncomfortable moments.”
“Alright so let’s look at some of these sentences that we just did individually on the entry ticket. “ / Students listen and make connections to own experiences. / 30 sec
“Student R can you please read this question aloud?” / Student R reads question aloud.
Students look at options and listen to question. / 30 sec
“Alright y’all, by raising your hand, who can tell me if this is a complete sentence or a fragment?”
Wait 10 seconds
(Correct response if a complete sentence) / Student U raises their hand. / 15 sec
“Student U.”
If student states that it is a fragment, ask student why they think this. Explain that complete sentences need to be able to stand on their own and must a have a subject or a verb. Move to another one and encourage same student to keep trying on another one. Commend student on great effort and completion. / “It’s a complete sentence.” / 30 sec
“Alright, by a show of thumbs do y’all think s/he is correct? Up is correct, down is not correct and in the middle if you’re not sure.” Wait 10 seconds / Students put thumbs up or down depending on Student U’s response. / 15 sec
“Alright, looks like most folks agree with you Student U. Student Y can you tell me why this is a complete sentence?” / Student U is satisfied.
Student Y (a student who had their thumb pointing up) explains that the question had a subject and verb, or is an “independent clause”. / 30 sec
“Nice job! Alright, so pulling on some of the grammar we’ve talked about this year so far, can somebody else remind me of what an independent clause is?”
Wait 10 seconds
“Alright, nice job Student E”. / Student E raises their hand and states it is when a clause is able to stand on its own, and has a subject and a verb. / 20 sec
“Alright, let’s do one more and then we’re going to switch gears.”
Teacher picks the opposite of what the students picked before (if a fragment was picked 1st, now pick a complete sentence, if a complete sentence was picked 1stnow pick fragment) / 10 sec
“Alright, Student P can you read this question aloud for me?”
(Student P is a student who struggles so they are still able to participate but not put on the spot for grammar trouble). / Student P reads fragment aloud. / 15 sec
“Thank you Student P, now who can tell me whether they decided this was a complete sentence or a fragment?” Wait 10 seconds / 15 sec
“Student M?”
“Why do you say it’s a fragment Student M?” / Student M raises their hand.
“It’s a fragment.”
“Because it can’t stand on its own, it doesn’t have a subject and a verb.” / 20 sec
“Nice, so Student W, what do we call that when a clauses can’t stand on its own?”
“Thank you Student W.” / Student W answers “dependent clause”. / 10 sec
“Alright so if a fragment can’t stand on its own it’s kind of leaving you hanging right? Like that friend that doesn’t finish her thought? Or when your phone dies and you were just about to find out some good gossip?”
“So they leave us hanging right? So when we’re writing our multi-paragraph essays, we want to keep this mind. Why?” Wait 10 seconds
“Yes and maybe sometimes fragments work, but we want to make sure it is intentional when we have fragments in our writing. So unless you’re purposely not trying to tell your friend or your audience something, use a complete sentence.” / Students listen and agree and begin to relate how fragments work and what they do in sentences.
Student L answers that “We’re working on becoming better writers.”
Students listen to close. / 20 sec
“Alright any questions?”
Wait 10 seconds / No student questions. / 15 sec
“Alright everyone nice job today! So were going to look at our essays, and see if we have any questions regarding fragments. We’re going to focus strongly on making sure we don’t use unnecessary fragments because why (Students respond)? Alright, does anybody have any questions? (Wait 10 seconds)
Move forward if no questions.” / 20 sec
“Alright we’re going to put this idea to use in our multi-paragraph essays, but first I’m going to have y’all fill out some exit tickets.” / Students listen / 10 sec
Start passing out exit tickets
“These questions have the same exact directions as the entry tickets, but they are different sentences. Make sure you put your name on them. Go ahead and work individually, and do your best. Raise your hand when you are finished and I’ll pick up the slip up paper.” / Students receive exit tickets
Students work on exit tickets and slowly begin to raise their hands. / 1 min
Adjustments For Diverse Learners

• Students receive peer and class assistance through class discussion
• This accommodates visual, social, kinesthetic and auditory learners through class discussion, using hand motions to answer questions, and using a Doc Cam and strips of paper for visual learners.

Incorporates knowledge of this unique group (including their background knowledge, interests, and individual differences)

• This mini-lesson touches on social aspects of adolescent’s lives, including socializing. It also mentions technology (text messaging).
• Students are able to use their prior knowledge of independent and dependent clause from past class discussions.
• Students’ individual differences are also considered during the different ways to participate, specifically using thumbs up or down, raising their hand, getting called on, class participation, class support, discussing aloud to work through misunderstandings of grammar.

Closure:

• “Alright everyone nice job today! So were going to look at our essays, and see if we have any questions regarding fragments. We’re going to focus strongly on making sure we don’t use unnecessary fragments because why (Students respond)? Does anybody have any questions? (Wait 10 seconds)Move forward if no questions.”

Assessment
Prior Knowledge:

• Teacher has students use the language they have learned in the past including independent clause.
• Teacher also has students explain what fragments and complete sentences are in order to gauge what students’ prior knowledge is regarding the topic.

Formative Checks:

• Entry tickets and class discussion. Thumbs up, thumbs down responses and verbal responses.

Formative Assessment Criteria:

• Students must demonstrate sufficient understanding of discussion and grammar rule through their verbal, non-verbal and written responses.

Summative Assessment:

• Exit tickets
• Multi-paragraph essay

Summative Assessment Criteria:

• Students must demonstrate sufficient understanding of grammar rule through their written responses.
• Students’ essays will convey whether or not students fully understand fragments and complete sentences.

Adaptations and Differentiations:

• Students have questions posted and in front of them while they follow along and examine their possible errors.
• Students are able to mark on questions to in order to interact with the text.
• Students are given different ways to participate in discussion (thumbs, verbal, non-verbal on paper slips)
• Students who are known to struggle with the issue (as observed in their writing and class work) are called on to read aloud but are not yet “put on the spot” for their responses. This is to ensure their inclusion and allow for their confidence to develop when discussing grammar.
• The students who are a bit more advanced with their grammar are able to assist others and validate responses.

Reflective Questions:

• How does this lesson enable students to meet the learning objective?

This enables students to meet the learning objective because it breaks down a large idea into a smaller, more manageable piece for the student to work with. Specifically by continuously having students rephrase the objective, or state what certain terms mean, student voice is not only considered and included, but it also allows the teacher to understand where the students “are at”, or what they do understand, therefore better assisting teachers in their lesson, adjusting (including possible accommodations and modifications) and narrowing the focus of the lesson, and knowing when or if to review certain elements of the lesson.

• Describe the instruction (not directions).

The instruction is much more student-focused with as much student engagement as possible. Student engagement includes having the students read and put the objective into their own words, attempts to call on every student, moving around to help students not become bored, always have students working towards something, having students demonstrate their understanding with thumbs up or down, and ensuring that students have both entry and exit tickets in which they are able demonstrate their existing and newfound knowledge of a concept. The instruction is not only encouraging but supportive if misunderstandings occur, and community assistance is encouraged. Since all students are encouraged to share aloud and directing student questions to the class. In the future, I would like to ensure that misunderstandings or confusion is clarified before moving on, rather than having students move forward without a clear idea of the concept as I unfortunately did during my mini-lesson.

• How do you believe students will learn via the instruction?

I believe students will learn via the instruction through not only practice and direct interaction, or engagement with the text, but also through the multiple modes of instruction available to the student, including, written form, non-verbal form with thumbs, verbal responses and practice individually and with the class.