Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Caroline Chiusano

Grade Level/Subject: 4th Grade/Reading

Central Focus: Focusing on the major differences of poems and drama.

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.5
Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer
to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and
drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage
directions) when writing or speaking about a text.

Date submitted:

Date taught:

Daily Lesson Objective: Explain to the students how a drama and a poem have different features, such as, different parts
of a play and different parts of a poem.
21st Century Skills:

Academic Language Demand (Language Function and Vocabulary):

Figurative language
Prose
Refer
Language function
Syntax-structure of language
Discourse- language kids should use
Explain

Prior Knowledge: Students know what features are in a piece of drama. They know that different genres have different
features depending on the text.
Activity
1. Focus and Review

2. Statement of Objective
for Student

3. Teacher Input

4. Guided Practice

Description of Activities and Setting

The past few days we have been focusing on some fiction drama and some
non-fiction drama and we have read them out loud as a whole group and out
loud in our readers theaters groups. Who can tell me the five features of a
play?
Today, we are going to read the poem, Freedom and talk about the different
features that a poem has compared to a play. By the end of this lesson, the
students will be able to tell the differences of features from a play compared to
a poem.
Today, I am going to read to you the poem, Freedom. As I read, I want you
to think about the difference between features from poem Freedom
compared to the play Langston Hughes that we read yesterday. Ask
students the different features that can be found in a play. Their answer will
be, setting, characters, dialogue, narrator, and stage directions. Before the
teacher reads the poem, they will go over different text features that are in a
poem. These features are repeated words, figurative language (simile,
metaphor, onomatopoeia, etc.), rhyming, stanza, story format, and sometimes
dialogue. Text features for a poem may vary depending on the style of the
poem. After I read the poem I will ask students what they noticed was
different by the way I read the poem compared to the way they read a play the
previous day. Emphasize to the students that often times a play is telling a
story and a poem is analyzing a story, an object, or a person.
http://writeshop.com/5-features-childrens-poetry/
As a class we are going to make a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting
the poem Freedom and the play, Langston Hughes. The teacher will
draw the Venn Diagram on the SmartBoard as they go over the features of
each piece of writing. The teacher will ask the students what they think is
different about the poem compared to the play. Ask them what they think is

Time
2 min

1 min

8 min

8 min

5. Independent Practice

6. Assessment Methods of
all objectives/skills:
7. Closure

similar between the two pieces of writing. The teacher will leave the Venn
Diagram up on the SmartBoard for the students to refer back to while they are
doing their independent practice in case they need help. Remind students that
even though one poem may have certain features, does not mean all poems
will have the same features.
The students are now going to independently read the poem, Grandpas Pigs
and create their own Venn Diagram on a blank sheet of paper comparing this
poem and Langston Hughes play. As the students are reading Grandpas
Pigs, I will have them stop and jot features on sticky notes to find features as
they read the poem. Doing this as they read the poem will help them when
creating the Venn Diagram. When students are finished reading, they will
create their Venn Diagram. Remind students to refer back to the poem and the
play to be sure they include all of the different and similar features in each
piece of writing. Remind students to keep in mind as they complete their Venn
10 min
Diagram that depending on the poem, the similarities and differences may
vary. The teacher will walk around the room for students who need help or
have any questions regarding features or anything else they may be confused
about. To help students who are stuck, the teacher may ask questions like, how
is this poems paragraphs broken down? Are the characters in this poem
speaking? How can we tell if there is dialogue in a poem? When students are
finished with their Venn Diagram, they need to turn their paper over and they
may pull out a book and read until their classmates are all done. The teacher
will go around and collect the students Venn Diagrams.
The students are to have at least two features under each of the sections on the Venn
diagram.
Today we compared the different features between a poem and a play. Who
can tell me some of the different text features between a poem and a play?
Who can tell me some similarities between a poem and a play? Theme.

2 min

8. Assessment Results of
all objectives/skills:
Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations:

Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:

For struggling student, I will have a pre-printed Venn Diagram
for them to write in so that they are not having to take the time
to draw a Venn Diagram themselves.

Materials/Technology:
SmartBoard
Imagine It Textbook
Pre-printed Venn Diagram for struggling students
Students need a piece of paper for Venn Diagram
References:
Bereiter, C. (2008). SRA imagine it. Columbus, Ohio, Ohio: SRA/Macmillan McGraw-Hill.
Reflection on lesson (if taught):
I was extremely pleased with the way this lesson went. The students seemed engaged and they were all eager to
participate in the activities. Overall, the students mastered the objective that I was teaching.