Below you will find part of a group unit plan based on first-grade English, PE, and Social Studies. Although this was a group project, I’ve chosen to only share my part, the other lessons can be found on Maddie and Melia’s pages.
LESSON PLAN (2023)
Candidateâs name: Grace Rogers, Melia Olson, Madison Webb
| Grade/Class/Subject: | Grade 1 English | School: | Imaginary Elementary |
| Date: | August 4th | Allotted Time: | 30 – 40 ~ minutes |
| Topic/Title: | Tiny the Mouse Writing Activity | ||
- LESSON ORIENTATION
Key resources: Instructional Design Map
| Briefly, describe purpose of lesson, and anything else to note about the context of lesson, students, or class, e.g. emergent learning needs being met at this time, elements of focus or emphasis, special occasions or school events. |
| This lesson is intended to have students write simple sentences starting with a sentence stem about Tiny the Mouse going on two different adventures. Students will think about what Tiny should wear on these adventures. |
- CORE COMPETENCIES
Key resources: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies
- INDIGENOUS WORLDVIEWS AND PERSPECTIVES
Key resources: First Peoples Principles of Learning (FPPL); Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives in the Classroom
| FPPL to be included in this lesson (check all that apply): | How will you embed Indigenous worldviews, perspectives, or FPPL in the lesson? |
| Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors. Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place). Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions. Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities. Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge. Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story. Learning involves patience and time. Learning requires exploration of one’s identity. Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations. | See Unit Plan for information about how the FPPL are embedded into this lesson. |
- BIG IDEAS
Key resources: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/ (choose course under Curriculum, match lesson to one or more Big Ideas)
| What are students expected to understand? How is this lesson connected to Big Idea/s or an essential question? |
| Big Ideas: ELA â Language and story can be a source of creativity and joy. ELA â Stories and other texts can be shared through pictures and words. ELA âThrough listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world. ELA â Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. Essential Question: Where would you take Tiny the Mouse if you could take him anywhere in Terrace? What would Tiny the Mouse wear if you could take him anywhere in Terrace? Where would you take Tiny the Mouse if you could take him anywhere in the world? During this lesson, students will answer the above questions using â5-starâ writing. |
- LEARNING STANDARDS/INTENTIONS
Key resources: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/ (choose course under Curriculum)
| Curricular Competencies: What are students expected to do? | Content: What are students expected to learn? |
| English Language Arts Comprehend and Connect (reading, listening, viewing) Use sources of information and prior knowledge to make meaning Use developmentally appropriate reading, listening, and viewing strategies to make meaning Engage actively as listeners, viewers, and readers, as appropriate, to develop understanding of self, identity, and community Recognize the importance of story in personal, family, and community identity Use personal experience and knowledge to connect to stories and other texts to make meaning Create and Communicate (writing, speaking, representing) Exchange ideas and perspectives to build shared understanding Communicate using letters and words and applying some conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation Social Studies Explain the significance of personal or local events, objects, people, or places (significance) Physical & Health Education Healthy and Active Living Identify opportunities to make choices that contribute to health and well-being | English Language Arts Story/text Elements of story Vocabulary to talk about texts Strategies and processes Reading strategies Oral language strategies Language features, structures, and conventions Concepts of print Print awareness Letter formation Sentence structure Conventions Social Studies Relationships between a community and its environment Physical & Health Education Practices that promote health and well-being |
- ASSESSMENT PLAN
Key resources: Instructional Design Map andhttps://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/classroom-assessment
| How will students demonstrate their learning or achieve the learning intentions? How will they know if they are proficient? How will the evidence be collected, documented and shared? Will you use observations, have targeted conversations, or collect products? Mention any opportunities for feedback, self-assessment, peer assessment and teacher assessment. What tools, structures, or rubrics will you use to assess student learning (e.g. Performance Standard Quick Scale)? Will the assessments be formative, summative, or both? |
| Formative Assessment – During the lesson, the teacher will use observational assessments to gauge studentsâ responses and contributions to the brainstorming prompts. The teacher will monitor all students by circulating and ensuring students are progressing appropriately through their writing activity. The teacher will offer spelling corrections and/or samples to students as needed, as well as verbal responses to their questions and clarifying questions. Summative Assessment – As students complete the writing activity sheets, they will approach the teacher and have their writing assessed for completion and 5-star writing (finger spaces, punctuation at the end, capital letter to start, neatness, spelling, and my sentence makes sense). If students have corrections, they will be given the opportunity to correct them. Students who finish early will be given Tiny the Mouse colouring sheets to work on until the lesson is finished. |
- DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Key resources: Instructional Design Map
| Make brief notes to indicate how the lesson will meet needs of your students for: differentiation, especially for known exceptionalities, learning differences or barriers, and language abilities; inclusion of diverse needs, interests, cultural safety and relevance; higher order thinking; motivations and specific adaptations or modifications for identified students or behavioural challenges. Mention any other design notes of importance, e.g. cross-curricular connections, organization or management strategies you plan to use, extensions for students that need or want a challenge. |
| The steps for completing the writing portion of this activity will be modelled by the teacher under the document camera so that all students can follow along. This will be helpful for all students but may be especially helpful for Ryan. Ryanâs EA will be given an early copy of the writing sheets so that he can start brainstorming ideas on where to take Tiny early on. This is intended to help them communicate with Ryan, so that he may not be so overwhelmed when the lesson takes place. Peter will also have an iPad available to him so he can communicate through typing, and a pair of headphones to help cancel out any overwhelming noise. As well, a class set of noise-cancelling headphones will be available for any students that may need them during the writing portion to help them focus and stay on task.Peter will be given extra time to write and draw so that he has an equal chance to complete this activity. This lesson will be delivered with a perky pace to help maintain studentsâ attention and prevent boredom. This may be especially helpful for Cassandra. There will also be a fidget toy available for her during the lesson to help stay focused and composed. We will complete the writing portions on the two activity sheets as a class going step-by-step so no one should finish significantly early. However, if it seems appropriate, students who have completed the current step may help those who may be struggling around them. And for students who finish both the writing and drawing parts of today’s tasks Tiny the Mouse colouring sheets will be available up front for them. The ideas generated during the brainstorming discussion will be recorded on the board for reference. |
| Required preparation: Mention briefly the resources, material, or technology you need to have ready, or special tasks to do before the lesson starts, e.g. rearrange desks, book a room or equipment. |
| A copy of The Adventures of Tiny the Mouse: What to Wear Access to document camera Pencils & erasers for all students Pencil crayons Class set of Tiny the Mouse activity sheet #1 Class set of Tiny the Mouse activity sheet #2 Class set of Tiny the Mouse colouring sheets for early finishers Sticky notes for spelling Smiley face stamp |
- LESSON OUTLINE
| Instructional Steps | Student Does/Teacher Does (learning activities to target learning intentions) | Pacing |
| OPENING: e.g. greeting students, sharing intentions, look back at what was learned, look ahead to what will be learning, use of a hook, motivator, or other introduction to engage students and activate thinking and prior knowledge | -Greet students and invite them to the carpet to start todayâs lessons. Then, share where they took their Tiny the Mouse over the weekend. âHappy Monday, my friends! Iâm so excited to hear about where each of you took Tiny over the weekend.â -Let the class know that theyâll be doing a fun writing activity about Tiny exploring Terrace and the world today. – Write all the places Tiny went in Terrace up on the whiteboard. | 10 minutes ~ |
| BODY: Best order of activities to maximize learning — each task moves students towards learning intentionsStudents are interacting with new ideas, actively constructing knowledge and understanding, and given opportunities to practice, apply, or share learning, ask questions and get feedbackTeacher uses learning resources and strategic opportunities for guided practice, direct instruction, and/or modellingCan include: transitions, sample questions, student choices, assessment notes (formative or otherwise), and other applications of design considerations | -Ask the class what Tiny would wear depending on where they took/want to take him in Terrace? -Write the answers up on the whiteboard, separate from the places, but still lined up with them so that the class can easily keep track and not get confused. -Ask the class if they could take Tiny the Mouse anywhere in the world, where would it be? -Write the answers up on the whiteboard, separate from the answers for places in Terrace so that the students donât get confused. -hand out Activity sheets 1 and 2 to the class and instruct them to go back to their seats. -Place activity sheet 1 under the document camera. -Remind the class about â5-starâ writing and whatâs expected of them. -Let the class know that they have to write their sentences before they can draw their pictures. âBefore you can start drawing your pictures, my friends, you have to finish your writing first on both activity sheets. Ok? Make sure to raise your hand so I can come around and check.â -Go over activity sheets 1 and 2 with the class under the document camera. -Pause between sentences to walk around the classroom, scanning the students and offering help when needed. Write any words down on a sticky note for the students. | 20 minutes ~ |
| CLOSING: Closure tasks or plans to gather, solidify, deepen or reflect on the learning review or summary if applicableanticipate whatâs next in learningâhousekeepingâ items (e.g. due dates, next day requirements | -Walk around the classroom helping students and looking over activity sheets before giving smiley face stamps out to finished students. -Once students have a smiley face stamp on both activity sheets they may begin drawing their pictures. -Let the class know that these activity sheets will be hung up outside the classroom for everyone to see Tinyâs adventures. âRemember, my friends, these will go outside on the wall for others to the amazing adventures of you and Tiny! So please remember to do your best work.â -Give the class a 5-minute warning that they need to start packing up and youâll be gathering their finished activity sheets to put up. -Thank the class for their hand work. Transition to the next lesson of the day. | 5 minutes ~ |
- REFLECTION (anticipate if possible)
| Did any reflection in learning occur, e.g. that shifted the lesson in progress?What went well in the lesson (reflection on learning)?What would you revise if you taught the lesson again?How do the lesson and learners inform you about necessary next steps? Comment on any ways you modelled and acted within the Professional Standards of BC Educators and BCTF Code of Ethics?If this lesson is being observed, do you have a specific observation focus in mind? |