LESSON #1

Students: Lauren Spotkov/ Vivian Stein

Professor: Dr. M. Schiering

Course: EDU 504-01

Date: February 2015

Grade: 3 Grade
rd

Topic: The Solar System

Content Area: Reading

Lesson Objectives

Following the students having a discussion about the Solar System, the teacher will read to the
class, The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System. Then the students will be shown a sample
Story Map Graphic Organizer with all six elements on it. The students will then identify these
sections by naming them and state what belongs in each element section. They will then create
their own Story Map Graphic Organizer on the book read in class with 100% accuracy.

CCLS/+NYS

ELA & Literacy Standard (CCS): Reading: Craft and Structure (R.5)

5. Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of

events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
Indicator:

This will be evident when the students identify the six story elements from the book, as
well as when the students create their Story Map Graphic Organizer.

English Language Arts Standard (NYS) #1: Language for Information and Understanding

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As
listeners and readers students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships,
concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and
electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written
language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire,
interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Indicator:

This will be evident when the students respond to their reading of The Magic School Bus:
Lost in the Solar System, by Joanna Cole by responding to textual evidence to identify the
storys six elements.

MOTIVATION (Engaging the Learner)

Students will be introduced to the planets through viewing a mobile that was previously
produced by the teacher and had the eight planets on it and the names of each one.

MATERIALS

Story Map graphic organizer, The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, scissors, glue,
construction paper, mobile of solar system, SMART board, markers, teacher constructed rubrics,
video clip, and PowerPoint.

STRATEGIES (Learning Strategies)

Direct Instruction, Indirect Instruction, Whole Class Discussion, Small Groups,

Collaborative Groups

ADAPTATIONS (Exceptionality*)

The student with hearing impairment will receive a modified visual worksheet with stepby-step instructions on how to create a Story Map graphic organizer.

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

The students will be separated by Ability level to complete a matching game and answer
ten literal comprehension questions about the Solar System from The Magic School Bus:
Lost in the Solar System. The students that are above-grade level will answer all ten
questions correctly. The students that are on grade-level will answer eight of these
questions correctly and the students that are below grade level will answer five of these
questions correctly.

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCEDURES

Students will review the previously read book and be shown a Story Map graphic
organizer provided by the teacher. (What does the book explain about Solar Systems?
What is a Story Map graphic organizer? What does it mean to organize something?
How does this organizer do that? How many element sections are on the organizer? How
would you explain the design of it? Do you think it would be fun to make one? Why or
why not? Do you prefer to work alone or in small groups? Why did you select that
answer? What do you suppose it is about the Story Map graphic organizer that makes it
unique?)

Students will use the Story Map graphic organizer provided by the teacher to identify and
name the storys six elements. They will state what goes in each section of the Story Map
in accordance with these titles for each section. (What are the six story elements? Why do
you suppose they are significant? What one comes first, second, third? What sections are
connected? How do you suppose this creates scope and sequence of the graphic
organizer? What story elements can you easily identify in the story?)

Students will create their own Story Map graphic organizer in groups incorporating the
storys six elements that they identified from the reading. They will decorate these with
pictures outside the Story Map Element sections. (How did creating your Story Map
graphic organizer enhance your understanding of the story? What did you put in the
characters section? What did you put in the setting section? What did you put in the
Moods section? What did you put in the Events section? How many events did you have?
What was the story problem and solution? What did you enjoy most about doing this
project? What decorations did you use and why? How was it working in a collaborative
group? How did you decide on that answer? What do you think is unique about your
Story Map? ).

Students will present their Story Map graphic organizer to the class in groups. (What are
the components of an oral presentation? What is meant by body stance? How do you
suppose you create interest in your topic? Why is it important to have eye-contact with
your classmates? What sort of gestures would you use? How should your voice sound?
Observing your classmates graphic organizers, would you change anything on your own
Story Map graphic organizer? Why or why not? How will this activity help you to better
understand future readings? What do you suppose is the overall purpose of the Story
Map? What are other ways you could review a story with these six elements present?
Would you prefer to be the presenter or the audience? Why?).

ASSESSMENT (Evaluation)

The teacher will observe the Story Maps made by the students and see that all six elements are
addressed correctly.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

Following the lesson for homework the students will be given an assignment to read a book of
their choosing and will identify and fill-in each section of the storys six elements. The teacher
will collect it the following day.

FOLLOW-UP: DIRECT TEACHER INTERVENTION AND ACADEMIC

ENRICHMENT

Direct Teacher Intervention: The students, under direct instruction of the teacher, will take part in
the game Around the World, with the questions presented on the SMART board to reinforce
the six story elements.

Academic Enrichment: Students will draw a picture about a visit to a distant planet for a
classroom sharing.
REFERENCES
Cole, J. (1990). The magic school bus: lost in the solar system. New York, New York: Scholastic.
Merten, S. (2015). Reading and writing assessment across content areas. Science Scope, 38(6),
12-18. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.molloy.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=eft&AN=100772039&site=ehost-live
Schiering, M.S., Bogner, D. and Buli-Holmberg, J. (2011). Teaching and learning: A model for
academic and social cognition. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield.