Alexa DAuria

Grade/Subject Area: 1st Grade ELA

Class Description: This lesson was designed for a first grade collaborative class in a
suburban public school. The class contains 20 students: 7 females and 13 males. There
are three male students with IEPs. Two of them are classified as Autistic and ADHD, the
third student is currently classified with a speech and language impairment. In addition he
presents avoidant and oppositional behaviors. All of the students, except one with an IEP,
are reading above level F according to the Fountas and Pinnell reading system. The lower
student is receiving individualized instruction to practice phonics and sight words. The
three students with an IEP receive instructional support in the classroom, including visual
aids (graphic organizers and charts). There are two 1-1 teaching assistants to ensure that
the students are focused and on-task. Two students receive speech and language and their
parents attend quarterly counseling.
Date of Lesson: April 14th, 2015
1. New York State Common Core Learning Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are
writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some
sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.5
With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and
suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
2. Essential Questions/Purpose
o What are the parts to a book review?
o What are books I can write a book review on?
3. ObjectivesAs a result of this lesson, students will be able to:
o List 10 books they are able to write a book review on.
o Organize their thoughts using a graphic organizer.
o Write an introduction that captures the readers attention.
o Identify their opinion about a book.
o Write three reasons to support their opinion.
o Write a conclusion by ranking the book out of 5 stars and re-stating their
opinion.
o Recognize and make editing suggestions to their classmates book
reviews.
4. Vocabulary and Key Terms
o Introductiona question that captures the readers attention and states
why you think they should do something
o Opinionwhat you think/want the reader to do
o Reasonsupports your opinion, why you think the reader should do
something
o Conclusionrate book out of 5 stars, re-state opinion
o Book reviewrecommend titles and authors you believe others should

read
5. Pre-Assessment- Prior to this lesson, the students brainstormed a list of 10
places, games, toys or movies they could write a review about. Each student wrote
about two reviews. They are able to write an introduction, state their opinion,
provide three reasons that support their opinion, and write a conclusion that restates their opinion and rates that place/game/toy/movie.
6. Lesson Presentation:
a. Set InductionThe students will be asked to sit in their squares on the
rug. The teacher will tell the class that today I want to teach you that
review writers write book reviews to recommend titles and authors they
believe others should read. You can use all you know about writing
reviews to convince people to agree with your opinion. It can be about a
specific book or a book series. The teacher will review with the class the
parts of a review including an introduction, opinion, reasons, and
conclusion. The teacher will gesture to the charts on each of these
sections.
b. Procedure
o The teacher will tell that class I think we should write a book
review together on the Flat Stanley series. The teacher will lay out
the five Flat Stanley books we have read along the board.
o The teacher will ask the students how we can write an introduction.
The teacher will call on students who are sitting quietly in their
squares and raising their hands.
o The teacher will remind the class of what they can include in their
introductions using the chart.
o The students will build off of each others ideas and the teacher
will repeat and add on to what they say.
o The teacher will write down the introduction on the graphic
organizer under the projector.
o The teacher will ask the students for their opinion on the Flat
Stanley book series and then write in on the graphic organizer
under the projector.
o The teacher will then ask the students for one reason why they like
one of the specific books in the series. The teacher will encourage
students to provide examples.
o The teacher will repeat student suggestions and write them down
on the graphic organizer on the first reason page under the
projector.
o The students will provide at least two more reasons for other books
in the series. The teacher will count each reason and repeat them
using her fingers.
o The students will work together to create a conclusion. The teacher
will tell the students to put their thumbs if they think they should
rate the series with five stars.
o The teacher will show the students the graphic organizer, which
provides space for 10 books/series they can write a book review

on.
o The teacher will remind students of books we have read aloud in
class and place them along the board for students to refer to.
o The teacher will also tell students that they can look at their leveled
books for ideas.
o The students will be told to go back to their seats and brainstorm
10 books/series they know a lot about and may want to write a
review on.
o Some of the students, including the special needs students, may not
be able to come up with 10 ideas and that is ok.
o The students will be told to raise their hands when they have
written as many ideas as they could and circled one they wanted to
start writing about today.
o The teachers will check to make sure they have provided
appropriate books and spelled them correctly.
o The teachers will instruct students to pick up a review graphic
organizer in the writing center and tell them to begin writing their
book review.
o The teachers will walk around the room to help the students plan
their book review.
o Mrs. Tighe and myself will work at the cubby table with HZ, LS,
and RC.
o I will then work with one to three struggling students on planning
their book review. I will tell the students to use their fingers to
count out three reasons.
c. Closure
o The teachers will choose two students to share their book review
choice and what they have written so far.
o The students will share their work on the projector.
o The class will give editing suggestions, as well as comments to
encourage giving more detail to each student.
o Why is this on your list? Why is it a good book?
7. Materials and Resources
Pencils
Introductions chart
Reasons chart
Conclusion chart
Review graphic organizer
List of 10 books graphic organizer
Leveled book baggie books
Read aloud books including Flat Stanley series
Projector
8. Follow-Up Activity or Assignment

The next day, the students will continue their writing. When all
students seem about done writing their review, the students will work with
a partner to edit their review using a checklist. Then, the following day the
students will write a review on the same book the teacher reads aloud. The
students will share their ideas on the rug and then write independently. The
students will compare their reviews.
9. Evaluation/AssessmentOngoing observation
Do the students come up with 10 books to review?
Do the students write an introduction?
Do the students state three reasons?
Do the students write a conclusion by rating the book using up to five stars
and restating their opinion?
10. Differentiation
This lesson was designed for a number of different learning styles and
levels, including two students with Autism and ADHD, as well as one student
with a speech and language impairment/oppositional defiant disorder. The needs
of students who are visual learners will be met with the teachers review model on
the projector, as well as the graphic organizers and large charts. Kinesthetic
learners will be moving from the carpet, to their desks, and back to the carpet.
Interpersonal learners, with an emphasis on social skills, will be able to participate
in a grand discussion on the carpet reviewing the Flat Stanley book series.
Intrapersonal learners will benefit from the independent writing time.
11. APA References
http://www.corestandards.org/

Name: _______________________

Date:__________________

10 books or book series that I can write a review about:

1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________
6. _________________________________________________
7. _________________________________________________
8. _________________________________________________
9. _________________________________________________
10.

_____________________________________________