Design for Learning

Instructor: Victoria Rivera

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: 4th, Logan
Lesson Title: Making Connections Date: April 10, 2014
Curriculum Area: Language Arts Estimated Time: 60 minutes
Standards Connection:
AL Language Arts 4th: 7.) Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or
oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and
directions in the text. [RL.4.7]
Learning Objective(s):
Students will be able to correctly identify a text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world on an exit
slip with 100% accuracy.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today, boys and girls, we are going to be learning about making connections. We will be reading
the book Two Bobbies and making connections between this book and another book, the book
and our own lives, and the book and events that have happened in our world.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
The teacher will give the students an exit slip at the conclusion of the lesson. On this exit slip,
the students will need to identify what a text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connection
look. The students will need to correctly match each type of connection with a corresponding
example. Students must receive 100% accuracy in order to be considered proficient.
Engagement:
To introduce making connections, the teacher will complete the activity I Nose About
Connections. The teacher will bring in a variety of scents for the students to smell. The teacher
will ask the students what the smell reminds them of. The two scents that the teacher will bring
in will be popcorn and peanut butter. Ok boys and girls, I would like everyone to quietly come to
the carpet when I have called up your table group. The teacher will call up each table group.
Today we are going to be learning about making connections, but first I would like you all to
pass a couple of scents around. I will pass out the first scent and I would like you all to smell it
and think about what this scent reminds you of. The teacher will pass out the first scent, popcorn.
After all of the students have smelled it the teacher will continue. Ok everyone, what did this
smell remind you of? Students will respond with various answers. Very good! I like hearing
about all of the different ways you can connect these smells to your life! I am now going to pass
around my second smell. The second smell the teacher passes around is peanut butter. The
students will pass around the peanut butter. Ok class, what does this smell remind you of? The
students will respond. Very good class! I enjoyed listening to all of your answers. Now, I know
that it may not seem like it but we were just making connections!
Learning Design:

I. Teaching:
After the teacher has completed the engagement portion of the lesson, she will move into the
teaching portion of the lesson. As we read, we are always thinking. We are constantly creating
mental images in our heads and using our prior knowledge and thinking about how these mental
images are related to the text. When we read about something that reminds you of your own life,
another book, or an event that has happened in our world, it is called making connections. These
three types of connections are called text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections. You
may already make connections while you are reading and might not even know that you are! I
bet you didnt even know that you were making connections in our smelling activity but you
were taking your knowledge of the smell and making connections to your own life! Now, there is
such a thing as making a bad connection. We do not just want to say that, This book is like
another book I have read. We are not fully explaining what kind of connection we are making.
We need to remember that we must expand on our explanations and make sure that we are being
thorough with out responses. Instead we want to make good connections while we are reading.
The teacher will refer to the anchor chart that she has created. She will put it in the front of the
room for all of the students to see. Here are some good examples about how to make a good
connection. The teacher will point to each bullet on the chart and go through the chart with the
students. All of these are good examples of making a good connection. Each of these
explanations are thorough and fully explain how they can relate to something else. Now that we
have a good understanding about making connections I am going to read you a book titled Two
Buddies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary
Nethery. While I am reading I want you to pay close attention to what is happening in the story
and think about the book that we read yesterday in class. For those of you who dont remember,
the book we read yesterday was about a father and son who lived in an airport because they
could not afford a home of their own. Keep this in mind as we read. The teacher will begin
reading the book for the students. After she has read she will ask the students some questions
about the book. Ok class, so can anybody tell me what happened in this book? A student will
respond and answer the question. Very good! Do you guys think the story that we read yesterday
is somewhat connected to the book that we just read in class? Students will respond with yes. I
am going to pass a worksheet out to all of you about the book that we read yesterday. We are
going to need to start by writing down a part of the story that we know we can connect to
something else. I am going to need all of your ideas and then we are going to pick which part of
the story we will make connections to. The teacher will write down all student suggestions and
will chose the part of the story for them based on student discussion. The teacher will ask the
students to write this down on the first part of their worksheet. The teacher will ask the students
to write down something that reminds them of the event that they just wrote down. After students
have written this down, the teacher will ask the students to think share what they have written
and she will guide them in determining what type of connection it is. She will then move into the
practice portion of the lesson.
II. Opportunity for Practice:
Ok class, I would like you all to return to your seats. The teacher will allow the students to return
to their seats. Now, I would like you all to turn your worksheet over. Students turn the worksheet
over. You will use the story that we read in class today to help you fill in this worksheet. First,
you need to write down a connection to the story. This can be any kind of connection. After you
have written down the connection you will determine if it is a text-to-text, text-to-self, or text-to-

world connection. You may complete this with your neighbor or individually. Please feel free to
ask me any questions that you may have. When you have finished put this in your purple folder.
III. Assessment:
Ok friends, I would like to finish todays lesson with an exit slip! On this exit slip you will need
to match the correct definition with its corresponding term! This is not a group activity, you will
need to do this on your own. When you have finished with your exit slip, you may turn it into the
paper tray on my desk. If you have any questions, please let me know.
IV. Closure:
As a closure for the lesson, the teacher will review the answers to the assessment. Ok friends,
would anyone like to share their answers with the class? Students will respond and provide
answers to the assessment. Very good! You guys did a great job today!
Materials and Resources:
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival by Kirby
Larson and Mary Nethery
Pencils
Worksheet
Peanut butter
Popcorn
Anchor chart
Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):
Reteaching: The teacher will pull out the students that need extra help and will reteach
the content from the lesson. The teacher will give them a different graphic organizer to
organize their thoughts on the story and making connections.
Extension: Students will be asked to pick a book of their choice. They must make
connections with this text and share their findings with a group.
Data Analysis:
Based on the results of the data, some students struggles to grasp the content and some did not,
but this was to be expected. My students were the lowest cluster of the fourth grade concepts and
it takes them twice as long to grasp a concept.
Reflection:
This lesson went very well. The students were actively engaged in the content and the activities.
They demonstrated on task behaviors. The students struggled a bit grasping the concept of
making connections, but I believe with more practice these students will finally grasp it.

Name:
Directions: Please correct match the definitions with the
corresponding definition.
1. _________Text-to-text

A. Making connections
to event around you in
the world.

2. _________Text-to-world

B. Making connections
to another text you have
read.

3. _________Text-to-self

C. Making connections
from a text to yourself.