Lesson Plan

I. Demographic Information
Jennifer Swain
3-21-2014
5
th
Grade
Grammar
Reach Academy
Reach Academy District
Foldable Present Tenses/Scavenger Hunt (total time estimated 35 to 40 minutes)

II. Common Core Standard/GLCEs:

CCSS.ELA-Language
01-02. Conventions of Standard English
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.

L.05.1b. Form and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have walked) verb tenses.

III. Objective:
Students will be able to use the perfect tense in written sentences with 78% accuracy (7 out of 9
correct). This unit meets the Common Core standard for forming and using the perfect verb tenses
in fifth grade.
IV. Materials needed:

Document camera, computer and Screen
Handouts for each student (approximately 80 copies)
Index cards for each student (approximately 80)
Every student needs access to scissors.
Dry erase markers
Students will need pencils and their writing journal/vocabulary book.

V. Teacher Procedure/Lesson Development
a. Introduction:
b. I Can: I can use three forms of Perfect Verb tenses.
Hook: BrainPop video: http://www.brainpop.com/english/grammar/tenses/ from the
beginning, and stop at 5:11
Activate prior knowledge:
Ask students, What are the three main verb tenses that we have learned and practiced
during workshop?
Cold call. Guide student responses to include past, present and future. Inform students
that there are more verb tenses, including the perfect tense that will be discussed
today.
c. Pass out the handout and have a student pass out the scissors to those that do not have
their own.
d. Show students the folds using the document camera. Also, show where to make cuts
using the document camera. Provide a completed foldable with cuts to each table to
use as an example. Have extra copies in case students do not fold and cut correctly.
e. Activity: Students will watch the BrainPop video (start at 5:11) and watch for the
definitions in the scavenger hunt. Stop the video to give students time to write each
definition. They will get an extra chance during the Prezi presentation.
f. Bring up the Prezi using the link:
http://prezi.com/p6mq6rfjvjq6/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0sha
re
g. Teacher will begin with the past perfect tense. Teacher will instruct students that using
the past perfect tense involves using the verb had plus another verb. It implies that
an action has taken place sometime in the past, but that the exact time is not known.
The following examples will be given.
Pam had carried the groceries to the car.
The road had curved away from the lake before the construction began.
h. Teacher will continue with the present perfect tense. The present perfect tense is
formed by using the verb has plus another verb to indicate an action that happened
sometime before the present, but is still true at the present time. Again, the exact
time is uncertain.
The following examples will be given.
Jane has written a poem for class today.
The grass has grown considerably high during the spring rains.
i. Teacher will then instruct students about the future perfect tense. The future perfect
tense is formed by using the verb will have plus another verb to indicate an action
that takes place sometime in the future.
The following examples will be given.
Shawn will have organized his trading cards by the time his friend arrives for a
sleepover.
The big dog will have buried more bones in the yard by summertime.
j. Assessment/goal: Students will write 3 sentences in each of the three Perfect tenses on
index cards.
k. Accommodations:
For this class, I will place students with behavior/distractibility issues in separate desks
away from groups. I will provide a sample of the completed foldable to pass around to
help students see what is expected. I will have some foldable handouts cut and folded
for students with motor skill difficulties. Some students may come up to the front of the
room if needed to see the sample more clearly.
l. Closure: Upon completion of the handout and writing their own sentences, they may
put away their materials and begin to pack up for transition. All students will write in
their planner, Perfect Tenses Foldable, No Homework and their color.
VI. Outcomes/Methods of Assessment and Evaluation:
Students will be assessed based upon the sentences they have written. They will be
required to write 9 sentences (3 of each kind: past perfect, present perfect and future
perfect), having at least 7 of the sentences written without errors in tense use. Those that
do not pass the assessment will have a small group review and opportunity to correct
mistakes on assessment.
VII. Communication with Parents:
Students will write the name of the activity, their color and no homework in their planner.
VIII. Teacher Reflection:
This lesson worked well and students remarked that they understood the perfect tense
better after delivery of the lesson. As an afterthought, I had the students keep the foldable
in their writing/Language Use journals to refer to when they studied for upcoming
standardized NWEA testing. Although not all students were at the same ability level, the
use of the Brainpop video along with the Prezi seemed to make the information more
understandable. There was a great deal of scaffolding and examples were given which
proved to be helpful. In the future, for the lower ability learners, the changes I would make
would be to have them write two of each kind of sentence on the assessment (three of each
took a really long time and two would be just as informative for this group) and I would fold
and cut the handout for the most highly challenged students. For the advanced group, this
lesson was very quick and they needed more extension activities prepared. I would have
those that finish quickly write a paragraph about an upcoming event (perhaps a school
event or even a fictitious one) and use all three perfect tenses in their paragraph.