Name: Lindsey Piro

Lesson # 1 of 3 Title of Unit and Lesson: Mars Opinion Writing

Duration of Lesson: 20 minutes Grade Level(s): 4th Subject(s): Writing
[Plan 3-5 consecutive literacy lessons. Lesson plans should be detailed enough that a substitute teacher could implement them. Each lesson plan should be no more than
4 pages. Provide citations for all materials you did not create. List citations by lesson number at the end of Planning Commentary.)

Central Focus of Unit: The central focus should support students in developing an essential literacy strategy and the requisite skills
for comprehending or composing text in meaningful contexts. The content focus addresses what you want your students to learn
about the topic (content knowledge). All your lesson plans should address this central focus. Consider: What do you want your 
students to learn? What are the important understandings and core concepts you want students to develop?
Essential Literacy Strategy Focus: Using evidence from text to support opinion

Related Skills (skills that support the use of the strategy): Knowing details and opinion

Content Focus: Opinion writing

Standards: List CCSS and/or relevant state-adopted content area standards. Include the number and text of each standard that is
being addressed. If only a portion of a standard is being addressed, then strike though the portions that are not relevant.
CC.SS.ELA-LITERACY.WS.4.1B: Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
CC.SS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.9: Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or
speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Instructional Learning Objectives: Objectives are what  Assessments: How will students demonstrate their learning? List
students will be able to do as a result of this lesson. These  the formal/informal assessments used to monitor student learning
of each objective.
objectives will directly support and align to the Central Focus. 
They should also align with standards, instructional activities, 
and assessments.  Write objectives using clear, measureable 
terminology. 
Students will provide reasons from articles that Responses during classroom discussions. Discussions
support an opinion with their partners

Students will use information from two texts to Responses during classroom discussion and with their
provide support on an opinion partners

Language Function and Demands: Consider the importance of speaking/listening/reading and/or writing as a part of all learning. Make sure you provide
students with opportunities to practice using the language function in ways that support the essential strategy.
Language Function: Identify at least one language function Additional Language Demands: Identify additional language
essential for students to develop and practice the literacy strategy demands required to achieve the objectives. Address vocabulary
within your central focus. This language function should be or key phrases. Also, address syntax or discourse.
derived from the objectives.
Opinion- students will use their opinion to find certain Vocabulary: opinion, facts, evidence
information in the text to support it
Identify- identify details of the text that support Syntax: I think ____ should be a reason because _____
opinion

Resources and Materials: List all resources and materials necessary to complete this lesson. Submit key instructional materials (no
more than 5 additional pages per lesson plan).
Articles – Our Unusual Earth and Our Neighbor Mars
Graphic Organizer
Doc Cam

Student Prior Knowledge: Describe the knowledge, skills, personal/cultural assets your students already have related to the
instructional learning objectives, language expectations, and activities of this lesson. What do they know? What can they do? What
are they still learning to do? Make clear connections to their skills and knowledge.
Students have read both articles prior and have taken detailed notes as a class. We have circled key
information and discussed the main points of both articles, while keeping the prompt in mind, will people one
day live on Mars?

Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks to Support Student Learning: Describe lesson procedure in sequential and detailed steps. Design instructional 
strategies, learning tasks, and assessments that will support student learning and language use. Consider how your teaching is supported by research and theory.

Introduction/Anticipatory Set: How will you introduce the lesson to students? How will you build on their prior learning or knowledge?
Transition from Previous Activity: How Students have just finished correcting their language arts homework as a
will you transition students from the prior class when I ask them to take out only their articles so we can discuss
activity/learning to this lesson? How will
you incorporate or build on students’ prior
these in detail
knowledge? (Review.)
Hook/Purpose for Learning: What I will remind students that yesterday we briefly started the graphic
experiences/backgrounds and/or interests organizer. I am choosing to say that my opinion is, I do not think people
do students bring that could be used to
excite students to the activity? How will you
will one day live on Mars. We are now going to finish completing the
set learning expectations for your students? graphic organizer.
(Introduce)

Focused Instruction (Modeling): How will you present/teach the content and skills to your students?
I will get out the graphic organizer that I began modeling for the students the day before. I filled out the
opinion part where I state that I do not think people will one day live on Mars. I remind students that when we
are going over mine as a class, they are not to have their graphic organizers out. I want my students to come
up with their own thoughts and ideas, and if they are doing it as I am modeling, they will end up writing
everything I have provided. My modeling is to walk them through the thought process and the steps so they
can begin brainstorming and preparing for when they will fill out their own with their own opinion.

Differentiating/Scaffolds – Refer to Context for Learning. How will you further support students who need more instruction beyond what you just provided? How 
will you differentiate instruction for specific groups or individuals? (IEPs/504 plans/English Learners/Struggling Readers/Underperforming Students/Gifted Students)
ELLs: Students are in assigned seats next to assigned partners for discussion purposes
IEP: Students are in close proximity to the front of the classroom so they can hear and see better

Guided Instruction/Practice: How will you provide student opportunities to practice what you taught in a supportive and
collaborative learning environment?
I will tell students that we are going to first look at, “Our Unusual Earth”. I will remind students that my
opinion is we will not one day live on Mars. We need to come up with two reasons from this article that
support that opinion with reasoning. This particular article tells us a lot about why people are able to live and
survive on Earth, so I remind students that choosing those reasons are also a good idea when arguing why we
won’t be able to live on Mars. I have students partner share first what my first reason could be from this
particular article. I then call on a student to share what they discussed. As they tell me, I am filling out my
graphic organizer on the doc cam for them to watch. I then have students partner share what evidence from the
text we could use to support that main reason. Students will discuss with their partners for a little before I
bring them back together as a class. I will call on students to give me direct evidence from the text to support
that reason. (such as, the atmosphere on Earth supports life. There is lots of air and oxygen that allows us to
thrive and breathe) I will then continue this process for the next main reason to use from this text. They will
partner talk and then share out. (Water is important for life, water is all around us on Earth.)
We will now move on to the next article, “Our Neighbor Mars”. We will follow the same procedure for this
article, coming up with two reasons that support my opinion and provide evidence from the text. I will have
students partner talk and then share out as I fill in the graphic organizer. (On Mars, the atmosphere is not good
for living. The weather is extreme, etc.)

Differentiating/Scaffolds – Refer to Context for Learning. How will you further support students who need more instruction beyond what you just provided? How 
will you differentiate instruction for specific groups or individuals? (IEPs/504 plans/English Learners/Struggling Readers/Underperforming Students/Gifted Students)
ELLs: Students are talking with their assigned partner during partner talks and benefiting from the modeling
that I am providing
IEPs: Students are talking to their assigned partners and I am constantly walking around checking in with
them.

Independent Practice: How will you provide students opportunities to master what you taught them?
Students will have a chance to independently work on their own graphic organizers. Students will choose
reasons to support their opinion and provide evidence from the text just as we did as a class.

Differentiating/Scaffolds – Refer to Context for Learning. How will you further support students who need more instruction beyond what you just provided? How 
will you differentiate instruction for specific groups or individuals? (IEPs/504 plans/English Learners/Struggling Readers/Underperforming Students/Gifted Students)
ELLs: Students have their articles that have notes we have taken as a class at their desk. I will provide
assistance as they work
IEP: Students have notes at their desk and I will provide assistance as we go along.

Closure: How will you bring closure to this activity/lesson? How will you transition students to the next activity?
Remind students that when we are writing an opinion piece, it is important to give reasons and provide
evidence. We must always refer back to the prompt so that the reader always knows what it is they are reading
about.