Elementary Education Lesson Plan

Caroline Steward
2nd Grade
Central Elementary; Becky Bossong
November 2, 2016
Topic: Reading Small Group

Enduring Understandings: (What big idea(s) will students understand as a result of this
lesson?)
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Students will understand that using information from the text to answer questions
will support their understanding of the text

Essential Questions: (What question(s) will students grapple with as they learn through
this lesson?)
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What strategies do readers use to help them understand the text?

What information is given in fictional texts?

Primary Content Objectives:

Students will know: (facts/information)
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What the problem and solution is in a fictional story

Students will be able to do: (skills and behaviors)

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Ask and answer questions related to the text

Identify the problem of the story
Identify important clues given by the author and make predictions based off of
those clues

Related state or national standards: (Examples include State Standards of Learning,

Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards or National
Curriculum Standards for Social Studies)
Virginia SOL English 2.8:
The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fiction texts:
c) ask and answer questions about what is read
d) locate information to answer questions
f) Identify the problem and solution

Assessment: (How (and when) will students be assessed? What evidence will you collect
to determine whether students have met the lesson objectives? Will the assessment(s) be a
pre-assessment (diagnostic), formative (ongoing feedback) or summative?)
Formative Assessment: I will be informally observing how the students are answering
my questions as we are reading. I will be looking to see whether or not they can answer
the comprehension questions to see if they understand the text. The question sheet the
students will be completing will also be a form of formative assessment so I can see
what they are understanding or what they are struggling with.

Materials and Resources: (List here all materials that you will need in order to
successfully teach this lesson. Include technology and website links, texts, graphic
organizers, student handouts, physical manipulatives, etc.)
-

Students word sorts

Fluency folders
Students reading folders
Text: Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones
Cam Jansen Ch. 5 Questions (worksheet)

Key Vocabulary and Definitions:

Problem: what goes wrong; a challenge or an obstacle
Solution: how the problem is fixed or solved
Lesson Procedures:
1. Introduction and goal orientation:

Students will come to their assigned reading group seats. I will instruct students to
take out their word study words and sort their words. Sort your words and then
read through your sorts. I will go around and ask students about their features
and why the words are sorted this way.
If students are done sooner than others, I will give them a poetry folder and they
will practice their fluency.
When all students have a poetry folder, I will ask them, What makes us fluent
readers?
o Student Responses: Good speed, expression, reading the correct words
I will remind the students that re-reading these poems are a way to practice
becoming fluent readers and that we need to be sure we are practicing good speed,
expression, and reading the correct words.
Students will practice their fluency for a few minutes.
I will say, Close your fluency folders and hand them to me. I will collect the
folders. I will then pass out our text, Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Dinosaur
Bones. I will say, Today we are going to read more about our mystery and look
to see what clues we can find.

2. Connecting to prior knowledge and experiences: (Questions or activities that help

students make links)
- I will say, Who can remind me what has happened so far in the story? What was
happening when we stopped yesterday?
o Student Responses: They were on a field trip to a museum. Cam noticed
that three bones are missing on the dinosaur. The tour guide didnt believe
her. The class left the museum but Cam and Eric went back. They hid after
the museum closed, but somebody found them.
- I will ask, What were some of the predictions we made yesterday about who we
think the man is? Students will respond with their predictions. I will say, Lets
read more and find out.
3. Tasks and activities: (What challenging tasks and activities will students engage in
as they construct knowledge, learn new skills or behaviors and develop
understandings?)
- I will call on different students to read each page. I will call on a student to read
the first page (Chapter 5, pg. 27). I will be asking questions as students read to
check for understanding as well as to promote higher level thinking.
- After page 28, I will ask, Who is Cam and Eric speaking to?
o The director
- At the end of page 29, I will ask, How does the director respond to Cam and
Eric? Why do you think he responds this way?
o Student Response: He says nothing is missing and tells them to leave; He
may be a part of it;

After the students respond, I will say, So far the tour guide, Janet, and now the
director arent listening to Cam and Eric. How do you think they feel? If you
noticed something missing in the museum but no one believed you, how would
you feel? What would you do?
o Student Response: Cam and Eric are probably feeling frustrated or angry
After the fifth paragraph on page 30, I will ask, What do you think could be in
the brown bag? At the end of the page I will ask, Do you think the milk man is
important to the story?
o Student Responses: More bones, money
At the end of page 31, I will ask, What does Cam remember about the truck?
o Student Responses: Its not the kind of milk they drink at the museum
At the end of page 32, I will ask, Who do you think is in the milk truck?
o Student Responses: (will vary)
After reading the chapter, I will remind the students, We have talked about how
this story is a mystery and all mysteries have problems that need to be solved.
What is the problem of this story?
o Student Response: The dinosaur bones are missing
I will say, In mysteries, the author gives clues throughout the book so that the
reader can try to solve the mystery along with the characters. What clues were
given to us in this chapter? Does the new information change any of our
predictions about the mystery?
We will discuss as a group.

4. Closure: (How will you wrap up the lesson and reinforce key ideas? Closure may
include some form of assessment or exit slip)
- I will say, We have had a great discussion about the mystery and I am noticing
more of us are using the text to help us answer questions. When I hand you back
your word study journal, I will also give you the questions that go along with
Chapter 5, which we just read. You will answer these as part of your seatwork. I
will read through the questions. We have discussed a lot of these today, but you
can also use your book to help you answer them so you will be taking your book
with you back to your seat. When I hand you your journal and word study, you
may quietly go back to our seat.
- I will hand out the journals and questions and collect their reading folders.
- I will ring the bell to rotate.

Accommodations for individual differences: (How will the lesson be differentiated to

support diverse learners? Describe additional supports that can be used for re-teaching if
needed, and a challenging extension for students for demonstrate mastery quickly or
show evidence of a lot of prior knowledge.)

Students are put into reading groups based on their reading ability and the pull out
schedule. If I notice throughout the lesson that the group or certain students are struggling
to understand or remember the story, I will stop more frequently and ask a
comprehension question or ask a student to retell what happened. If students understand
the text well, I will push them to a higher level of thinking through my questions.
Behavioral and organizational strategies: (What behaviors will you model or discuss
with students? What do you want to remember about organizing the lesson and materials?
Use this section for reminders to yourself about behavioral and organizational strategies.
For example, do you want to explicitly model how to work with partners in this lesson?
Or demonstrate how to use mathematical tools?)
Students have assigned seats during reading groups. I will be sure to give clear, explicit
directions during the lesson. Students should be familiar with the expectations of reading
group, but we will quickly review at the beginning of reading group, especially the hand
signal we use for comments or questions. I will positively reinforce the students who are
following expectations and redirect students who are misbehaving by asking them what
they should do instead or to remind me of a specific expectation. When a student follows
the expectations, I will be sure to acknowledge so and positively reinforce their behavior.
Students are given skittles throughout the reading group for being on task and following
all directions.