Lesson One
Teacher: Jessica Kirkpatrick/Melissa Kahlil
Unit Name: Making Inferences
Lesson Title: The Wednesday Surprise
Grade Level: 4th
Standards
Objective(s)
Assessment
CCSS:
Refer to details and examples in a text when 1. explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
SC Standards:
Standard 4-1: The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.
4-1.6 Interpret the effect of the author’s craft (for example, word choice, sentence structure, the use of figurative language, and the use of dialogue) on the meaning of literary texts.
The student will be able to infer what an author is saying in a written work and draw their own inferences from their reading.
The student will record their answers to questions posed about the story read by inferring what they think is going on a sticky note provided by the teacher. The student will share their inferences during the class discussion.
Materials and Resources:
The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting
Blue sticky notes
Pink sticky notes
Pen
Lesson Introduction
Opening Question: “Do authors always tell us everything that we need to know in a book or do we sometimes have to guess and read between the lines?”
“We’re going to read the story The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting and lets see if there is anything that we can figure out and predict without the author directly telling us.
Procedure
1) Read The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting aloud to the class.
2) Stop throughout the story to ask the students what is happening in the story and what they think is going to happen. These questions will be written on blue sticky notes and found within the pages of the book.
-Q: What do you think Grandma and the little girl are doing? (Page 13).
-Q: What do you think the surprise is going to be? (Page 13).
-Q: What is going to be the surprise on Saturday? (Page 15).
-Q: Why do you think Grandma keeps pretending like she doesn’t remember the birthday dinner? (Page 15).
-Q: Why is the little girl sick from being nervous? (Page 21).
-Q: Why do you think they are hiding the bag of books behind the couch? (Page 21).
-Q: So who actually was the one who was learning to read to surprise Daddy? (Page 25).
-Q: Why do you think Grandma didn’t already know how to read? Why didn’t she learn when she was young? (Page 27).
-Q: So was our guess of what was going on in the story correct? (Page 32).
3) Ask the students to write their answers to the questions asked on the pink sticky notes handed out to them. The students will then share their answers with each other during the class discussion
*Lead the students to believe that the Grandmother is teaching the little girl to read.
4) After the story is over discuss how it was really the Grandma learning to read which means what we inferred from the story was incorrect.
5) “What we just did throughout the story is called making inferences. An inference is a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. Inferencing is like making predictions.”
6) Ask students: “Why do we make inferences while reading?” “Why don’t authors just tell us everything instead of having us ‘read between the lines’?” “Are our inferences always going to be right? Why or Why not?”
Differentiation
How else could your students demonstrate proficiency? What other products could they create?
Differentiation (A)
The students could write their own stories in which the reader must infer what is going on.
The students will be creating something with what they have learned.
Differentiation (B)
The students will identify inferences that can be made based on different passages.
The students will be identifying something based on what they have learned.
Unit Name: Making Inferences
Lesson Title: The Wednesday Surprise
Grade Level: 4th
Standards
Objective(s)
Assessment
CCSS:
Refer to details and examples in a text when 1. explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
SC Standards:
Standard 4-1: The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.
4-1.6 Interpret the effect of the author’s craft (for example, word choice, sentence structure, the use of figurative language, and the use of dialogue) on the meaning of literary texts.
The student will be able to infer what an author is saying in a written work and draw their own inferences from their reading.
The student will record their answers to questions posed about the story read by inferring what they think is going on a sticky note provided by the teacher. The student will share their inferences during the class discussion.
Materials and Resources:
The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting
Blue sticky notes
Pink sticky notes
Pen
Lesson Introduction
Opening Question: “Do authors always tell us everything that we need to know in a book or do we sometimes have to guess and read between the lines?”
“We’re going to read the story The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting and lets see if there is anything that we can figure out and predict without the author directly telling us.
Procedure
1) Read The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting aloud to the class.
2) Stop throughout the story to ask the students what is happening in the story and what they think is going to happen. These questions will be written on blue sticky notes and found within the pages of the book.
-Q: What do you think Grandma and the little girl are doing? (Page 13).
-Q: What do you think the surprise is going to be? (Page 13).
-Q: What is going to be the surprise on Saturday? (Page 15).
-Q: Why do you think Grandma keeps pretending like she doesn’t remember the birthday dinner? (Page 15).
-Q: Why is the little girl sick from being nervous? (Page 21).
-Q: Why do you think they are hiding the bag of books behind the couch? (Page 21).
-Q: So who actually was the one who was learning to read to surprise Daddy? (Page 25).
-Q: Why do you think Grandma didn’t already know how to read? Why didn’t she learn when she was young? (Page 27).
-Q: So was our guess of what was going on in the story correct? (Page 32).
3) Ask the students to write their answers to the questions asked on the pink sticky notes handed out to them. The students will then share their answers with each other during the class discussion
*Lead the students to believe that the Grandmother is teaching the little girl to read.
4) After the story is over discuss how it was really the Grandma learning to read which means what we inferred from the story was incorrect.
5) “What we just did throughout the story is called making inferences. An inference is a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. Inferencing is like making predictions.”
6) Ask students: “Why do we make inferences while reading?” “Why don’t authors just tell us everything instead of having us ‘read between the lines’?” “Are our inferences always going to be right? Why or Why not?”
Differentiation
How else could your students demonstrate proficiency? What other products could they create?
Differentiation (A)
The students could write their own stories in which the reader must infer what is going on.
The students will be creating something with what they have learned.
Differentiation (B)
The students will identify inferences that can be made based on different passages.
The students will be identifying something based on what they have learned.
Lesson Two
Teacher: Jessica Kirkpatrick
Unit Name: Electricity
Lesson Title: Series and Parallel Circuits
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Standards
Objective(s)
Assessment
CCSS:
SC Standards:
Standard 4-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties of light and electricity. (Physical Science)
The students will be able to create a working series circuit.
The student will have to create a series circuit that works using more than two pieces of the Snaptricity set.
Materials and Resources:
Snaptricity sets
Flip Chart on Circuits
Lesson Introduction
“This week we have been learning about electricity and how we can create electricity. Today we are going to learn about the different types of circuits.”
Procedure
I will begin by going over the flip chart on circuits with the class. After the first two slides that define the different circuits the students will be called on to come up and drag circuits to their particular category. This will show whether or not the students fully understand series and parallel circuits. After going through the flip chart with the class the students will get into their groups and will be given a Snaptricity set. The groups will have to create a series circuit using both the batteries and the light bulb. The groups have to use more than two pieces of the set but can create their series circuit any way that they would like to. I will walk around and observe the students working on their series circuits and help any students that need help coming up with the idea.
Lesson Closure
After all of the groups have created their series circuits the students will present their circuits to the rest of the groups and explain how they came up with their idea.
Differentiation
Differentiation (A)
If the students found creating the series circuits easy or did it very quickly then the students can create a parallel circuit using the sets as well.
Kinesthetic and Visual learners will benefit from this part of the lesson because the students are creating circuits.
Differentiation (B)
For students who do not like the creating aspect of the assignment they can write a passage explaining how they would create a series circuit or describing a series circuit they have come in contact with before.
This is more for visual learners as they are writing about something. The students have to identify and explain the series circuits.
Unit Name: Electricity
Lesson Title: Series and Parallel Circuits
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Standards
Objective(s)
Assessment
CCSS:
SC Standards:
Standard 4-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties of light and electricity. (Physical Science)
- 4-5.7 Illustrate the path of electric current in series and parallel circuits.
The students will be able to create a working series circuit.
The student will have to create a series circuit that works using more than two pieces of the Snaptricity set.
Materials and Resources:
Snaptricity sets
Flip Chart on Circuits
Lesson Introduction
“This week we have been learning about electricity and how we can create electricity. Today we are going to learn about the different types of circuits.”
Procedure
I will begin by going over the flip chart on circuits with the class. After the first two slides that define the different circuits the students will be called on to come up and drag circuits to their particular category. This will show whether or not the students fully understand series and parallel circuits. After going through the flip chart with the class the students will get into their groups and will be given a Snaptricity set. The groups will have to create a series circuit using both the batteries and the light bulb. The groups have to use more than two pieces of the set but can create their series circuit any way that they would like to. I will walk around and observe the students working on their series circuits and help any students that need help coming up with the idea.
Lesson Closure
After all of the groups have created their series circuits the students will present their circuits to the rest of the groups and explain how they came up with their idea.
Differentiation
Differentiation (A)
If the students found creating the series circuits easy or did it very quickly then the students can create a parallel circuit using the sets as well.
Kinesthetic and Visual learners will benefit from this part of the lesson because the students are creating circuits.
Differentiation (B)
For students who do not like the creating aspect of the assignment they can write a passage explaining how they would create a series circuit or describing a series circuit they have come in contact with before.
This is more for visual learners as they are writing about something. The students have to identify and explain the series circuits.
Lesson Three
Lesson Plan Form
Teacher: Jessica Kirkpatrick
Unit Name: Addition and Subtraction with Multi-Digit Numbers
Lesson Title: Dinner at the Drive-In
Grade Level: 4th
Standards
Objective(s)
Assessment
CCSS: CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4 Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
SC Standards:
Standard 4-2: Through the process standards students will demonstrate an understanding of decimal notation as an extension of the place value system, the relationship between fractions and decimals, fluency with multiplication, and a beginning understanding of division and a beginning understanding of addition and
subtraction of decimals.
4-2.12 Generate strategies to add and subtract decimals (through hundredths).
-The students will fill in a spreadsheet template using what they know about addition and subtraction with multi-digit numbers.
-The students will create a poster illustrating their spreadsheet.
The students will create a spread sheet and a poster that will be graded on correctness and presentation. The poster cannot be made until the spreadsheet has been marked as correct. The students will be graded by a rubric.
Materials and Resources:
St. Cloud Drive In menu
Spreadsheet already made for students
Computers to create posters
Markers, color pencils, crayons, and paper to create posters
Lesson Introduction
“Today we’re going to go to a Drive-In. You each have $35 to spend on whatever you want but you have to make sure you spend at least $20 but no more than the $35 that you have.
Procedure
Lesson Closure
After the students present their posters we will discuss as a class what they have learned from the assignment.
Differentiation
How else could your students demonstrate proficiency? What other products could they create?
Differentiation (A)
For students who need extra help they can work with a partner for ideas as well as have extra time to complete their spreadsheet if necessary.
The students are creating their poster and spreadsheet with help from others if needed.
Differentiation (B)
If a student finishes early they can spend $15 more on food from the Drive-In. They will add these purchases to their spreadsheet and their poster. However, they will still only be graded on the first $35 they spent like the rest of the class.
The students are getting to create more by adding to their poster and using their creativity even more.
Teacher: Jessica Kirkpatrick
Unit Name: Addition and Subtraction with Multi-Digit Numbers
Lesson Title: Dinner at the Drive-In
Grade Level: 4th
Standards
Objective(s)
Assessment
CCSS: CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.4 Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
SC Standards:
Standard 4-2: Through the process standards students will demonstrate an understanding of decimal notation as an extension of the place value system, the relationship between fractions and decimals, fluency with multiplication, and a beginning understanding of division and a beginning understanding of addition and
subtraction of decimals.
4-2.12 Generate strategies to add and subtract decimals (through hundredths).
-The students will fill in a spreadsheet template using what they know about addition and subtraction with multi-digit numbers.
-The students will create a poster illustrating their spreadsheet.
The students will create a spread sheet and a poster that will be graded on correctness and presentation. The poster cannot be made until the spreadsheet has been marked as correct. The students will be graded by a rubric.
Materials and Resources:
St. Cloud Drive In menu
Spreadsheet already made for students
Computers to create posters
Markers, color pencils, crayons, and paper to create posters
Lesson Introduction
“Today we’re going to go to a Drive-In. You each have $35 to spend on whatever you want but you have to make sure you spend at least $20 but no more than the $35 that you have.
Procedure
- The students will review addition and subtraction with decimals to begin with. (5 minutes)
- The students will be handed a blank spreadsheet and a menu for the St. Cloud Drive In.
- The students will be instructed that they have $35 to spend at the drive in. They can buy whatever they want but they cannot spend over $35.
- The students will record the items that they want to buy and how much each item costs in the appropriate column. (The students must spend at least $20)
- The students will then add up the amounts of each item in the appropriate column and record the total money spent.
- The students will then subtract the total amount of money they have spent from the amount they started with a record it in the appropriate column.
- The students then have to check their work and show their work in the appropriate column.
- The students will then list other places thy might have to use this kind of math. (20 minutes)
- Once the students have completed the spreadsheet they will show it to the teacher and once the teacher has checked that all their information is correct the students can start making their poster illustrating their spreadsheet.
Lesson Closure
After the students present their posters we will discuss as a class what they have learned from the assignment.
Differentiation
How else could your students demonstrate proficiency? What other products could they create?
Differentiation (A)
For students who need extra help they can work with a partner for ideas as well as have extra time to complete their spreadsheet if necessary.
The students are creating their poster and spreadsheet with help from others if needed.
Differentiation (B)
If a student finishes early they can spend $15 more on food from the Drive-In. They will add these purchases to their spreadsheet and their poster. However, they will still only be graded on the first $35 they spent like the rest of the class.
The students are getting to create more by adding to their poster and using their creativity even more.