Leanna Casale Lesson Date: Thursday, October 19th

Mrs. Evans Lesson Time: TBD

Grade: 3
Subject: Reading
Aha Moments

Essential Question: How can I use Signpost strategies to become a more effective reader?
What is the Aha Moment Signpost strategy?

Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an

experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an
understandable pace.

Learning Objectives and Assessments

Objectives
SWBAT use the Aha Moment Signpost
strategy to recognize how things have
changed for a character.
SWBAT report on an Aha Moment in a
given poem.
Assessments
Students will identify the old ladys Aha
Moment in the YouTube clip Snack
Attack.
Students will present on the Aha
Moment they identified in their poem.

Materials
The Promise by Nicola Davies
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38y_1EWIE9I
Messy Room by Shel Silverstein
Sick by Shel Silverstein
The Terrible Thing about Cindy by Barbara Vance
Stage Fright by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Poster paper

Prior Knowledge: Students have been introduced to one other Signpost reading strategy prior
to this lesson, Contrast and Contradiction.

Lesson Beginning: Students will be called to the carpet. Teacher will ask, Who can remind me
what a Signpost strategy is? How do they help us? Teacher will explain how to use the Aha
Moment strategy and will read The Promise by Nicola Davies. Students will identify the Aha
Moment the character had.

Instructional Plan
Students will go back to their seats for the YouTube clip.
Students will discuss the Aha Moment the main character had in the clip with their
groups, then with the entire class.
 Students will be put into assigned groups. Each group will read a poem and create a
poster. The poster will include the title, the author, a quick summary, and the Aha
Moment.
Groups will take turns sharing their poster with the class.

a. Differentiation: Groups will be determined prior to the lesson. Groups will be a mix of
learning abilities so that higher-level students can assist the lower-level students.

b. Questions
What is a Signpost strategy? How do they help us as a reader?
What is the Aha Moment Signpost strategy?
What was the Aha Moment in the video Snack Attack? How do you know?
Was there ever a time you had an Aha Moment in your own life?

c. Classroom Management: The teacher will use classroom protocol and enforce the
classroom rules. Students will be reminded how to work in groups appropriately.

d. Transitions: Teacher will call students to and from the carpet. Teacher will give
reminders about timing. Teacher will use clapping and the chime to gather students
attention.

Conclusion: Students will share the posters they created and discuss the Aha Moment of the
poem. If there is enough time, students will think of an Aha Moment that has occurred in
their own life.
 Sick by Shel Silverstein
I cannot go to school today,"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
Im going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
Ive counted sixteen chicken pox
And theres one morethats seventeen,
And dont you think my face looks green?
My leg is cutmy eyes are blue
It might be instamatic flu.
 I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
Im sure that my left leg is broke
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly buttons caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankles sprained,
My pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbows bent, my spine aint straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart iswhat?
Whats that? Whats that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
Gbye, Im going out to play!
Messy Room by Shel Silverstein
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!
The Prince by Lee Bennett Hopkins
I wanted the role.
The Prince.
The Prince.
I got it.
Knew it.
I was totally convinced.
I memorized each line.
Learned them by heart.
I studied and studied
My perfect prince part.
But-
when I took center stage
I stammered
stuttered
hemmed
hawed
suddenly shuddered.
My heart skipped a beat.
Face turned bright red.
Until finally
Prince-words popped back in my head.
Though Ill always know
my mind simply snapped
I still got a thrill
when I took my last bow
as my classmates
stood up
shouted
and
clapped.