CEP Lesson Plan Form
Teacher: Angelia Martinez
School: Blevins Middle School Grade Level: 7th
Title: Writing Children’s Books and Plot Diagram
Lesson Idea/Topic and Rational/Relevance:
What are you going to teach and why is this
lesson important to these students? What
has already happened in this classroom
surrounding the subject you will be
teaching? What do students already know?
Why are you going to teach this topic now
(how does it fit in the curricular sequence)?
What teaching methods/strategy will you
be use and why?
Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences
Date: 2-26-19
Content Area: PreAP English
Lesson #: 3 of 4
The class period will start off with a journal prompt.
Students will be answering the following question(s):
What lesson are you wanting to include in your
children’s book? Why have you chosen that particular
lesson? Why is it important? Students are required to
write at least 3-5 sentences in response. This gets our
brains moving and warmed up for the day’s lesson (plot
diagramming).
Students will begin class doing SSR (sustained silent
reading). It enhances reading skills and builds vocabulary.
I will then read one children’s book to students to use as
a mentor texts for this lesson. I will then play a
video/audio of a children’s book that will be read to
them. Students are exposed to themes they may want to
incorporate in their children’s books.
Students will then be introduced to the plot diagram,
where we will begin to organize our writing. I will model
this lesson by creating a sample plot diagram for The
Little Engine that Could children’s book. Students will
help do so by giving input.
I am going to teach this topic now because we have just
about ended our Civil Rights Movement/Jackie Robinson
unit. We just finished writing personal narratives, so
transitioning back into fictional narrative writing (from
the beginning of the year) is familiar and beneficial for
students, especially prior to standardized testing. It is
also a tradition at Blevins Middle School and builds
connection with our feeder schools.
Agenda:
-Journal
-SSR
-Read aloud
-Plot Diagramming
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-Learning target reflection

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards directly from the standard)

7.3.1 Writing and Composition: Composing literary and narrative texts that incorporate a range
of stylistic devices demonstrates knowledge of genre features

https://www.cde.state.co.us/coreadingwriting/statestandards

Teacher Candidate Quality Standards CEP:

CEPTC Quality Standard #1

Teachers demonstrate mastery of and pedagogical expertise in the content they teach.

Element a: Teachers provide instruction that is aligned with the Colorado Academic Standards, and their
district’s organized plan of instruction.

Element c: Teachers demonstrate knowledge of the content, central concepts, inquiry, appropriate
evidence-based instructional practices, and specialized characteristics of the disciplines being taught.

CEPTC Quality Standard #2

Teachers establish a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of
students.

Element b: Teachers demonstrate an awareness of, a commitment to, and a respect for multiple aspects
of diversity, while working toward common goals as a community of learners.

CEPTC Quality Standard #3

Teachers plan and deliver effective instruction and create an environment that facilitates learning for
their students.

Element c: Teachers integrate and utilize appropriate available technology to engage students in
authentic learning experience.

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

Students will understand how to organize one’s writing by plot diagramming.

Students will be able to incorporate a lesson/moral into an age-appropriate story.

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction, select
applicable questions from standard)

What are commonly used stylistic devices in fictional narrative writing?

How does the audience impact the author’s writing?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets) AND (Success Criteria)

I can: Diagram a plot.

This means: I can use a plot diagram to organize my writing. I can incorporate a lesson/moral into my
story that is age appropriate.

List of Assessments: (Note whether the assessment is formative or summative)

Formative Assessment:

Plot Diagram

Summative Assessment:

Children’s Book

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences Page 3

CEP Lesson Plan Form
Name and Purpose of Lesson
Should be a creative title for you and the students to
associate with the activity. Think of the purpose as
the mini-rationale for what you are trying to
accomplish through this lesson.
Approx. Time and Materials
How long do you expect the activity to last and what
materials will you need?
Anticipatory Set
The “hook” to grab students’ attention. These are
actions and statements by the teacher to relate the
experiences of the students to the objectives of the
lesson, To put students into a receptive frame of
mind.
 To focus student attention on the lesson.
 To create an organizing framework for the
ideas, principles, or information that is to
follow (advanced organizers)
An anticipatory set is used any time a different
activity or new concept is to be introduced.
How do you intent to engage your students in
thinking during the Anticipatory Set?
Why are you using it at this point in your lesson?
Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences
Planned Lesson Activities
Writing Children’s Books and Plot Diagram
 Writing utensil, highlighters
 Individual books for SSR, Journals
 Projector/Computer/Smartboard
→ possibly for read aloud and plot diagram instruction
Children’s book #2 video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFORvXhub28 (5:01
min.)
 Documents Needed:
1. Brainstorming Handout
2. Plot Diagram
“We entered our Books for Bauder unit yesterday and started off by reading a few
children’s books. We are going to do that again today, starting with The Little Engine That
Could.
The second children’s book is called Rainbow Fish; how many of you have read of heard
of this one? It’s very popular and I just so happened to find an audio reading of it with
video, so we are going to watch that now.”
“Now we are going to create a plot diagram with The Little Engine That Could.”
→ Review Plot Diagram
The strategy I intend to use is: Read Aloud/Video
I am using this strategy here because: I will have already read one children’s book aloud
to students. Reading children’s books are enjoyable and may bring back memories for
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CEP Lesson Plan Form

students. The second children’s book will be read through video to regain the attention of
students that may have zoned out thus far.

Procedures  Journal: What lesson are you wanting to include in your children’s book? Why
(Include a play-by-play account of what students and have you chosen that particular lesson? Why is it important? – 3-5 sentences (10
teacher will do from the minute they arrive to the min.) QUESTIONING STRATEGIES Musical/Rhythmic/Intrapersonal
minute they leave your classroom. Indicate the
length of each segment of the lesson. List actual  SSR: Students will read silently/independently (15-20 min.) INDIVIDUAL
minutes.) PRACTICE Intrapersonal
Indicate whether each is:
-teacher input  Children’s Book #1 Reading (5 min.) MODELING Read stories to others
-modeling
-questioning strategies  Children’s Book #2 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFORvXhub28
-guided/unguided: (5:01 min.)
-whole-class practice
-group practice → After each reading, we will debrief/discuss possible lessons/morals that the story tells
-individual practice
-check for understanding
-other  Plot Diagram: As a class, we will complete a plot diagram based off of the whole-
class children’s book that was read aloud (The Little Engine That Could) and then
students will be given work time to complete their own (30 min.)
MODELING/INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE Naturalist

 Learning Target Reflection: Ask students to write down one’s answer to this.
Warn students that I will be drawing names, so one must think of something to
say if their name gets called. Students will be answering the following learning
target reflection question:

What are the 5 keys parts to a plot?

(exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)

(5 min.) QUESTIONING STRATEGY/INDIVIDUAL/CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING – possibly

sharing answers Intrapersonal

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CEP Lesson Plan Form
How do you intend to engage your students in
thinking during the PROCEDURE?
Why are you using it at this point in your lesson?
Closure
Those actions or statements by a teacher that are
designed to bring a lesson presentation to an
appropriate conclusion. Used to help students bring
things together in their own minds, to make sense
out of what has just been taught. “Any Questions?
No. OK, let’s move on” is not closure. Closure is used:
 To cue students to the fact that they have
arrived at an important point in the lesson or
the end of a lesson.
 To help organize student learning
To help form a coherent picture and to consolidate.
How do you intend to engage your students in
thinking during CLOSURE?
Why are you using it at this point in your lesson?
Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences
 Homework Reminder: (1 min.) TEACHER INPUT
o Vocab due Thursday
o Read for 30 min.
The strategy I intend to use is: Plot Diagram Input
I am using this strategy here because: This strategy allows students to orally share
thoughts and intriguing information about possible writing ideas. Students will not only
be able to share burning ideas, but also to listen to ideas of one’s peers. This may also
help inspire those that are having trouble coming up with something to write about.
Learning Target Reflection:
What are the 5 keys parts to a plot?
(exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)
(5 min. writing this down, possibly sharing answers)
The strategy I intend to use is: to refer back to the learning target/thinking strategies, as
well as have students complete a learning target reflection.
I am using this strategy here because: it’s important for students to understand the
importance of going over the learning target, success criteria, and thinking strategies.
When making such connections, students will piece together parts to a whole and begin
to independently guide one’s own learning. This specific reflection allows to students to
begin thinking about one’s future writing.
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CEP Lesson Plan Form

-Potentially cutting down the plot diagram for those students that need it and
Differentiation: giving more guidance, such as saying come up with three points for the rising and
Differentiation should be embedded falling action, rather than 4-5 for each.
throughout your whole lesson!!
This is to make sure you have met the - For students that want to challenge themselves, students may incorporate
symbolism or foreshadowing in one’s children’s books (as this is optional). Also, if
needs of your students on IEPS or 504 students need more space to plot diagram, they may write on the back of the
To modify: If the activity is too advanced for a child, handout.
how will you modify it so that they can be
successful?
To extend: If the activity is too easy for a child, how
will you extend it to develop their emerging skills?
Assessment Reflection: (data analysis)
How will you know if students met the learning  Students complete journal prompt and share answers.
targets? Write a description of what you were
looking for in each assessment.  Students participate in activities throughout the lesson and read silently during
SSR.

 Students are listening and engage in discussion/debrief after read aloud.

 Students can demonstrate understanding of a lesson/moral and plot

diagramming.

 Students begin pondering the learning target/success criteria/inquiry question

and share one’s thinking.

 Students are attentive during video and use work time (plot diagramming)
effectively and productively.

 Students engage in learning target reflection.

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

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