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Lesson Plan Design

Subject: Language Arts
Grade:
First Grade
Candidates Name: Julie A. Pellegrini
Site Supervisor:
N/A
NU Supervisor: N/A

Lesson Topic: Vocabulary

ID #
Date: _________________

1. Introduction: (Identify Grade Level K12 Academic Content Standard(s),

rationale, focus learner, create bridges from past learning, behavior expectations).

English-Language Arts Content Standards for

California Public Schools:
1.17 - Classify grade-appropriate categories of
words (e.g., concrete collections of animals, foods,
toys).
2.2 - Respond to who, what, when, where, and
how questions.
1.1 - Match oral words to printed words.
1.2 - Identify the title and author of a reading
selection.
History-Social Sciences Content Standards for
California Public Schools:
1.1 - Students describe the rights and individual
responsibilities of citizenship.
1.1.2 - Understand the elements of fair play and
good sportsmanship, respect for the rights and
opinions of others, and respect for rules by
which we live, including the meaning of the
"Golden Rule".
Prior Learning:
Students have daily practice with new vocabulary
words through their independent reading time and
through using specialized software programs from
computer lab time.
Focus Learner/Behavioral Expectations
Due to the fact that the students are at all different
reading levels, their ability to learn and understand
new vocabulary terms are too going to be at
different levels as well. With a hand full of students
feeling confident with their ability to understand

Rationale:
In order to meet the California State
Academic Standards for reading, an activity
to produce an adequate amount of practice
is required. Students will work together and
independently to create a firm
understanding of new vocabulary terms and
their definitions. Understanding new
vocabulary terms play a large part in
creating the solid base needed to begin to
learn to read and write successfully.
Students will be expected to wait their turn,
and to raise their hands when wanting to
answer a question in order to begin to learn
how to be patient and respectful to others.

new vocabulary terms quickly, they tend to yell out

the answers to another student's question. The
students will be reminded as needed to wait their
turns to give an answer, and to always raise their
hands before speaking.
2. Learner Outcome(s)/Objective(s): (What will students learn from this lesson?
How will you measure mastery of the outcome?)

Purpose:
-Students will increase their knowledge of
vocabulary by defining words from a read-aloud
book. (Franklin in the Dark)
-Students will be gain familiarity with the
vocabulary words by playing a matching cards
activity with their class.
-Students will test their familiarity with the new
terms by using a Word Wizard tool to match the
new vocabulary term to the correct definition
through this computer software game.
-The assessment will come in the form of a game,
without the students feeling any test anxiety. Two
games will be implemented to assess
understanding of the new terms. A matching game
and a computer based game that keeps track of
all answers given by the student.

Rationale:
-By having the students sit to listen to the
story, gives them a chance to hear the new
vocabulary terms embedded into a text to
help develop meaning of the term/terms.
-By having the students play a matching
game, they are implementing their
comprehension of the new terms.
-By incorporating a computer game into the
lesson, students will also be receiving
adequate (REQUIRED) technology use
within the classroom while engaging in a
fun and interactive game that helps them
develop a better understanding of the new
terms and their definitions.

3. Pre-assessment Activity: (Determine students abilities to achieve the learner

outcome and prescribe instruction accordingly. Consider: linguistic background,
academic language abilities, content knowledge, cultural and health
considerations, interests and aspirations, physical development, social
development, emotional development. )

Pre-Assessment:
- Introduce students to the vocabulary words that
you have chosen from the book (Franklin in the
Dark) during large group instruction. Write them
on the SmartBoard and have students come up
with simple definitions or use the words in
sentences. (RIGHT-BRAIN ACTIVITY) Depending
on the needs of your students, you may choose to
provide a sample definition or sentence to help
them get started.

Rationale:
-By having the students come up their
own definitions before informing them of
the "dictionary" definition, this allows for
students to think deeply as to what they
think the word might mean. It also allows
students to recall past experiences and
perhaps relate it back to the new term
and/or terms being learned.
-By having students participate in the

NEW VOACBULARY WORDS:

Dizzy, help, they, bird, slide, problem, afraid,
crawl, small, mother, water, shell, turtle, dark,
wear.
- After the teacher introduces the vocabulary
words during large group instruction, as a quick
review assessment activity, the students will play
a type of rapid fire game with the new terms.
When you point to the new word on the board, the
students will shout out the name of the word.
(Point to each word two separate times)

rapid-fire activity, the teacher is given an

opportunity to see which students can
read/understand the new terms and which
students are finding the information to be
more difficult to process within a short
period of time.

4. Differentiation, Adaptation & Accommodation Strategies: (Based on the preassessments, modify Learning Activities based on learner characteristics to meet
the needs of ELL & special needs students, highly achieving students and low
achieving students)

Modifications for ELL:

In order to successfully provide differentiated
instruction within this pre-assessment phase for
ELL students, the teacher must be aware of their
possible minimal vocabulary that these students
may know. Repeating the new vocabulary terms a
minimum of 4 times remembering to speak slowly.
(SDAIE strategy: repetition and speak at a slow
speed.)
Seat the students close to where the instruction
will take place.
Call on the students to answer a question,
however give them a warning that they will be
answering the next question into to start preparing
to speak.

Rationale:
-In order to provide ELL students with
SDAIE strategies, the teacher will speak
slowly and repeat new terms often in order
for these ELL students and other students
with exceptionalities to learn and retain the
information as best as they possibly can.
-By having the students sit close to the
teacher, this helps focus the students who
need extra help.
-By calling on the students to give an
answer to a question, the teacher is
providing the student with an opportunity
to develop social skills and to not be afraid
to speak in front of their peers.

5. Resources: (Identify materials needed for this lesson accounting for varying
degrees of skill level)

Materials:

Rationale:

Franklin in the Dark by Paulette Bourgeois,

illustrated by Brenda Clark (Scholastic, 1986)
Computers with internet access
SmartBoard with internet access
Digital Storytelling document ready to click on
the SmartBoard
Index cards with terms written on one side (2
sets)
Stuffed turtle or picture of a turtle
Writing Supplies

-In order to provide students with the best

learning possible these materials are
needed.
-Computer involved activities successfully
meet the CA Common Core Standards for
technology within the classroom, which is
why the computer activity was
incorporated.

6. Learning Activities: Explicit Teacher Instruction - (Explain, model,

demonstrate, check for understanding)

TEACH:
Inform the students that they are going to listen for
the vocabulary words as we read Franklin in the
Dark aloud, during read-aloud time. Repeat all of
the new terms that are on the board, point to each
of the terms as you say them out loud. Tell them
that when they hear one of our new vocabulary
terms to raise their hands. As we read, stop
frequently asking students questions like: What
does the word afraid mean? What animals did
Franklin find along his journey? What was special
about these animals? What did Franklin discover
that he was most shocked to find? What did
Franklin learn from his special journey?
After we finish reading the book, it is time to
review the vocabulary words that were already
have written up on the board. Have the students
read them aloud one at a time, followed by the
class repeating the words together as a group.
With using the SmartBoard white-board-feature, it
is now the time that the teacher will provide the
students with the full correct definition, which then
the class and compare and contrast their
definitions to the correct definitions. Be sure to say
the definitions aloud as you are writing them on
the digital SmartBoard. Repeat the term with its
definition a minimum of 2 times, or until the class
seems to have a firm understanding.
On the SmartBoard pull up the storytelling
document title FRANKLIN 1ST GRADE
VOCABULARY. Press the begin button and have

Rationale:
- By having the teacher repeat the new
vocabulary words, this helps the students
remember which words they should be
listening out for.
-By having the students raise their hands
when they want to answer a question
teaches them to be patient and to be
respectful to others.
-Repeating words and having visuals aids
in the learning and comprehension of
English Language Learners and is a
SDAIE strategy.
- Guided reading helps all students
become more familiar with new words and
helps introverted and quiet students begin
to become comfortable with reading in a
large group setting.
- Providing the full definition helps students
understand the meaning and connect to
real life situations.
-By integrating digital storytelling, students
are more likely to stay engaged with the
lesson at hand due to the feeling as
though they are watching a fun video,
while gaining motivation to learn the new
terms as well. The digital story used within
this lesson will help students acquire a firm
understanding of each new vocabulary

the students watch the animated story about

Franklin in the Dark that CLEARLY discusses
each new vocabulary word that the students are
studying. (RIGHT-BRAIN ACTIVITY)

term being learned.

7. Learning Activities: Guided Practice/ Collaborative Practice (Check for

understanding and provide feedback and re-teaching)

PRACTICE:
Tell the students that they will now be playing a
memory game with our new terms as a group.
Remind the students to not call out the answers
without raising their hands unless it is their turn.
Have the students sit in a large circle leaving the
middle open.

Rationale:
-By having the students raise their hands
when they want to answer a question
teaches them to be patient and to be
respectful to others.

- By having the students sit in a circle,

allows everyone to feel 100% apart of the
Now choose one student to mix up the index cards group without leaving anyone out.
with the blank side down. They should lay them
out on floor with the words facing down in the
- Playing matching games helps the
middle of the circle. Then each student will have a students learn the new terms. They are
turn to flip over two cards, to try and find the words seeing the words many times which is an
that match. If they don't get a match, they should
excellent form of repetition.
turn the cards back over; if they do get a match,
they should pick up the pair of cards and state the - Students who need a more challenging
definition (offering help when needed) and go
activity would benefit from the extra
back to their seat within the circle. The game is
practice of using the new terms in a
over when all of the cards have been correctly
sentence after making a match.
matched.
Students can also play in pairs during child
directed choice time, taking turns to try and find a
correct match; the person with the most cards at
the end of the game wins! Note: Make sure
students say the vocabulary words and their
definitions as they pick up the cards.
DIFFERIENTIATION: You may want to have more
advanced students use each word in a sentence
when they pick it up.

8. Independent Practice: (Provide practice that supports the learning outcome.

Note: Independent activities are assigned assuming that students understand the
concept well enough to work on their own.)

APPLY:
Students will utilize the computer lab within the
classroom to guide themselves through
independent practice time.

Rationale:
- By having the words visible allows for the
students to use the visuals to help
reinforce the new materials.

Have the vocabulary words visible on the board

for students to refer to while playing their
instructional computer game.

- By having the students gather to explain

how to play the instructional activity on the
computer could perhaps minimize any
potential misunderstandings.

Have students gather around one computer to

model how to use the online Word Wizard. Explain
to students that they will unscramble vocabulary
words from Franklin in the Dark. Students should
complete all exercises and raise their hands when
they are finished. (Within this online program
students will be asked to problem solve) Students
have the option to work in pairs on the computer in
order to ask each other strategic questions as a
part of the problem solving process. Students will
choose to work independently or as a pair.
(RIGHT-BRAIN ACTIVITY)

-By allowing students to choose if they

would like to work independently or with a
peer allows them to feel as though that are
a part of the decision process when it
comes to learning.

9. Assessment and Evaluation: (Describe how you will assess and/or evaluate the
students learning. Describe differentiating assessment strategies you will use
for ELL, special needs students, highly achieving students and low achieving
students.)

Assessment:
Have the vocabulary words listed on the board,
and visible so all students can see it from their
desks. Give each student a piece of lined paper
and tell them to write 5 sentences using one or
more new term in each one. You might provide
them with examples of two sentences, one that
shows meaning more fully than the other, for
example "I have a problem" versus "It is a problem
to be afraid of school."

Rationale:
- Giving students extra credit for their extra
work helps to motivate the students to
work to their best possible potential.
-Students will be assessed on their
sentences to see who understands the
concepts of the terms and who is in need
of additional help and where.

Have a set rubric to effectively and fairly assess

the students. Give extra credit when students use
more than one vocabulary word in a sentence.

10. Closure: (Describe how students will reflect on what they have learned.)

Closure:
Once students have successfully had a turn on the
computer and have played the matching game a
few times, bring the students back over to the
group area to discuss what we learned about.
Re-read the story without stopping this time, to
have students listen to the new terms within the
book without interruptions. After reading the story,
ask the students a number of comprehension
questions about the story to be sure that they
understood the general story line and were not
getting caught up in the new vocabulary terms.
Ask questions and have students guide the
conversation until interest begins to diminish.
Have the students say the new terms as you point
to them once again on the board. Remind
students that these new terms will be up on the
board for the remainder of the week, and to refer
to the board as much as possible during writers
workshop and free writing time.

Rationale:
- Re-reading the book allows students the
chance to comprehend the storyline, and
the chance to hear the vocabulary words
used within the story after knowing their
meaning.
- Repetition of the terms helps students
store the new terms into the long term
memory.
- Having the terms up on the board allows
for the students to begin to spell the new
terms correctly.
- SDAIE strategies are met by having the
terms visible anywhere from the room.

11. Lesson Reflection/Assessment: (Collect student learning data to determine:

What went well? What needs to be changed? Were learning outcomes met?
What activities will you add, change, modify in the future? What can be done to
follow up on the learning from this lesson? Who needs additional help? Who
needs enrichment or higher level work?)

N/A

References
California State Board of Education. (2009). History-Social Science Content Standards for
California Public Schools: Kindergarten through grade twelve. Retrieved June 28, 2014
from: http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/histsocscistnd.pdf
California State Board of Education. (2009). English-Language Arts Content Standards for
California Public Schools: Kindergarten through grade twelve. Retrieved June 28, 2014
from: http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/elacontentstnds.pdf
Cennamo, K. S., Ross, J. D., & Ertmer, P. A. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful
classroom use. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Eby J., Herrell A. & Jordan M. (2011). Teaching in K-12 schools: A reflective action approach.
(5th ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.