Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Name: Dawn Bratton

Central Focus/Big Idea of the Lesson:
th
Grade Level/Subject: 4 grade, ELA
Using literature to analyze story setting
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or
technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific
Date taught: October 31, 2014
information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.8
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular
points in a text.
Daily Lesson Objective:
The student will analyze the setting of the chapter read by illustrating three key aspects of the storys setting.
21st Century Skills: (Go to this link for more info about these
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
skills:
Vocabulary):
A. Learning and Innovation Skills: Critical Thinking and
a. The students will be speaking,
Problem Solving Communication and Collaborationlistening and writing in this lesson.
Guided practice and teacher input.
They will be listening to others
B. Information, media, and technology skills: ICT
explanation of their supporting
(Information, Communications and Technology)
evidence. The students will write
Literacy-In guided practice, teacher input, and closure.
when answering questions about the
Using the website.
trail and when writing a letter.
b. Vocabulary- Tsalagi, Real People,
Hopewell Treaty, Treaty of New
Echota, John Ross, Sequoyah, Little
People, The Great Spirit, The
Coughing Disease
c. Analyzing-Students will observe,
analyze and discuss Soft Rain and the
Trail of Tears.
Prior Knowledge:
Students will have prior knowledge of North Carolina Native Americans, President Andrew Jackson, The Indian Removal
Act and the suffrage of Native Americans.

Activity
1. Focus and Review
2. Statement of Objective
for Student

3. Teacher Input

Description of Activities and Setting

To introduce the main topic of the Trail of Tears, the teacher will show a
BrainPop about the Trail of Tears.
The student will be able to analyze the setting of the short story by
illustrating key aspects of the storys setting. The student will respond to
their peers work.
The teacher will begin the lesson, by giving more background information on
Soft Rain and what her family endured.
Soft Rain is a 9-year-old Tsalagi (pronounced Cherokee by the white

Time

settlers) girl in 1838, the year that the American government determined that
the fertile mountains and foothills of her people would be taken from them,
and the Tsalagi people would be moved westward. If they were to resist, they
would be moved by force.
White soldiers take Soft Rain and her mother from their home with only a
small pack of personal possessions, only as much as they could carry. Left
behind is the rest of Soft Rains family. Soft Rain travels over mountains and
plains, across small creeks and raging rivers, and through harsh sun, cold
rain, and deadly snow. Behind her: her home, father, brother, grandmother,
her puppy, and everything she has ever known. Ahead of her: only a
mysterious land. Soft Rains story follows the path forever known as Nu na da
ul tsun yi, The Place Where They Cried known today as the Trail of
Tears.
The Teacher will read chapters 6-9 of Soft Rain.
While the teacher is reading the students will be listening to answer a series
of questions. The teacher will briefly stop after every couple of pages to
review answers to questions already answered while reading.

4. Guided Practice

5. Independent Practice

6. Assessment Methods of
all objectives/skills:

7. Closure
8. Assessment Results of
all objectives/skills:

1) Why did the soldiers take Old Roving Man, but not Soft Rains
Grandmother?
2) Why did Old Roving Man refuse to drink from the river when the
soldiers told him to? How was he convinced to drink?
3) Describe the stockade when Soft Rain first sees it. Why is Soft Rain so
distressed about it?
4) What do you think happened to Old Roving Man? What clues help
you make this inference?
5) Describe the conditions that Soft Rain and her people find while
living in the stockade.
6) Why does the smell of the soldiers bother Soft Rain?
7) What do the soldiers think about the Cherokee people? How do you
know?
Students will work in four groups of five to create a storyboard of the setting
for the chapter they have been assigned. Each group will create a poster that
illustrates the assigned chapter. Student will have to pay attention to key
details in each setting that show not only setting, but enhance the plot, and
what happened to the characters, as well. Each group must use at least three
quotes from the story to support illustrations on the poster.
Students will imagine that each of them is a Cherokee child whose family is about to
embark on the Trail of Tears. Based on what theyve seen and read, the students will write
a letter to President Andrew Jackson illustrating to him through words the grim setting
and torment endured while they travel the Trail of Tears.
The teacher will hang the posters on the wall in sequential order. The
following day, students will complete a carousel walk using post-it notes to
comment on what should be added to each scene and why.
13 out of 20 were able to complete the letter before class ended. 7 students had to finish
during recess.

Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations:

Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:

Oral discussions
Group work
Reading chapter of Soft Rain aloud

Materials/Technology:
Soft Rain
Chart Paper
Markers
White board
Notebook Paper
Pencils
References:
www.lessonplanpages.com
http://coolkidlit-4-socialstudies.pbworks.com/w/page/16473378/Trail%20of%20Tears%20Lesson%20Plan
www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/trailoftears
Reflection on lesson:
Overall I thought this was a great lesson. One that the students and I enjoyed. Some strength I would like to point out is
the students were very engaged from the beginning. They had been reading Soft Rain for a couple of weeks now so that
was a great way to engage them into the lesson. Several teachers used Brainpop videos and explained how the students
enjoyed them, so introducing that in my lesson really got the students engaged in the lesson. Having worked closely
with my cooperating teacher allowed the lesson to flow smoothly and increased the chance for the students to enjoy
and engage in the lesson. The workshop model has just been implemented this year and allows students to do a lot of
cooperating learning. I noticed that they enjoyed working with their partners and groups so I thought it would be great
to have them bounce ideas off of each other.
Some weakness that I did observe were when working with their partner some students go off task and were not
engaged in the activity. The students would have to be redirected to the assignment and then retold the instruction of
the assignment. I did not give clear instruction on how I wanted the discussion to flow, so I often had to redirect
students to hold their thoughts until their peer is done speaking.