Mini Unit Plan Assignment

Mini Unit Lesson Plan

Overview
GLO

Teacher
Subject
Topic/Focus

Aileen Davidson
Grade 2 Language Arts
Text-to-Self Connections

2-Comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts
2.2 Respond to Texts-Construct Meaning from Texts
SLO: connect situations portrayed in oral, print and other media texts to

personal and classroom experiences

Overarching
Question (SLO)

Can students connect situations portrayed in oral, print and other media texts to
personal and classroom experiences?

Performance Task
Overview

Student will create a short video using strategies such as WOW pages and text-to-self worksheets
they have previously used in class, to describe a connection they made between themselves and a
text of their choice. These videos will be posted on the class blog.

My overarching question for my lesson plans is from SLO 2.2 from the English Language Arts Program of
Studies, which reads connect situations portrayed in oral, print, and other media texts to personal and
classroom experiences. This connects to the GLO of responding to texts and creating meaning from
texts. The outcomes I want my students to be able to reach based on this overarching questions include:
Students will

Demonstrate that they understand connections by using their ideas to build on classmate ideas
and create a story.

Identify the three reading connections and describe one self, text, or world connection to the
story.

Explain a connection to self and text by using WOW pages to describe a reaction to a certain part
of the story.

Discuss personal experiences connected to the text.

Reflect on connected experiences through writing and visual representation.

I chose to approach my lessons with a focus on print texts and the idea of teaching students how to be
active readers through making connections. In these lessons students will learn what connections are
and different types of connections they can make while reading. These connections include text-to-self,
Mini-Unit Assignment

text-to-text, and text-to-world connections. The first lesson is where students will demonstrate that they
understand connections by building a story with classmates by linking ideas together. They will also be
given an overview of different types of connections they can make while reading with a class anchor
chart that will require large group discussion to fill in. I will use exit slips at the end to formatively assess
if students can identify the three types of connections, and if they understand them enough to actually
make a connection. The next two lessons focus specifically on teaching students how to make text-toself connections (connections between personal situations and the text.) They learn the strategy of
stopping to think while reading by using sticky notes to mark WOW pages. The last lesson reinforces the
text-to-self connections by taking it deeper. Students will be read a book, will discuss their connections
and act them out with a group, and fill out a worksheet that will be collected as formative assessment.
All of these lessons scaffold learning so that they will be successful at the performance task and be able
to demonstrate what they have learned.
I chose to approach the lessons this way in order to break the idea of making connections into chunks.
The first lesson gives an overview, and the others focus on text-to-self. Hypothetically, the class could go
on to learn specifically about making text-to-world and text-to-text connections. In order to construct
meaning while reading, students need to be able to make all three of the connection types. However,
those two connections do not hit the SLO as well as the text-to-self connections do, so that is what I
chose to focus on. I also approached the lesson in such a way that students have a chance to read to
themselves, read to others, write, and be read to at different points of the mini unit. This hits four out of
the daily five reading strategy that we discussed in language.
I approached these lessons with the idea of scaffolding. In my mind, the progression of the students
learning throughout the lessons goes like this:
1. Understand what connections are (focusing on text-to-self)
2. Use WOW strategy to make personal connections to text of their choice
3. Use WOW to make personal connections to text I choose for the class
4. Discuss and explain connections to peers
5. Use writing and visual representation to explain connections
6. Create a short video explaining how they used the WOW strategy to make a connection, and how
they connected to a text of their choice
I hope that students would learn to be better readers through these strategies, and I would continue to
have them use these strategies for reading after this mini unit was done.
Mini-Unit Assignment

Teaching Strategies & Classroom Climate Rationale

Teaching Strategies I Plan to Use & Why:

Direct Instruction (One of the most efficient ways to convey information to the whole class)
Whole class discussion and key questions (Used to keep students listening and engaged
throughout direct instruction.)
Differentiation: Include both audio and visual instruction. For students who cant focus
without moving, provide fidgets so that they can move around without being distracting
to others. If there are a lot of students having trouble paying attention, have a brain break
for everyone before coming back.

Group Work (Encourages students to work cooperatively and share learning)

Elbow Buddies: Students have a chance to share the connections they made with their
elbow partner, as well as read to someone else. This can help extroverted learners
externally process what they have learned, and makes sure that the introverts have a
chance to share what they found as well. Can also facilitate mediated learning if partners
help each other read.
Small Group: Students have a chance to share with more of their classmates, and to act
out a page of their book. Retelling the story is important for students to make
connections. This also gives students who need movement a chance to get out of their
desk and move around.

Individual Work (Students work on their own, can process on their own and work at their own
pace. The teacher can move around the classroom and help individual students who may be
struggling.)

Mini-Unit Assignment

 Reading: Reading on their own is great for students as they continue to develop decoding
and word identification skills. Differentiation is important here, as students who cant
read at grade level could be quickly left behind. Providing teacher, EA, or peer help could
help these students.
Worksheets: Students both write and visually represent what they have learned. As with
differentiation for reading, help can be provided for students who write below grade level
to put their ideas on paper.

Some of the ways I plan to intentionally engage students are:

Key questions

Smartboard interactive activity

Lego block manipulative

Elbow buddy discussion

Acting activity in small groups

Attention grabber video

Using sticky notes in their books to stop and think

Anchor Chart that they help fill in

Resource Rationale
Resources
Alberta Education Program of Studies Illustrative Examples

Mini-Unit Assignment

Why I used them

I knew it was there and available, so I
looked at it while brainstorming. I really
liked the idea of having students
demonstrate a knowledge of connections
by making links to each others ideas to
build a story, so I used that idea and then
changed it to incorporate technology.

http://teacherificfun.blogspot.ca/search?updatedmin=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2013-0101T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=19

I was searching Pinterest for resources for

Grade 2 text-to-self connections, and I
found this anchor chart. I love the way its
worded for kids, its eye catching, and I
can put it up s that kids can refer to it later
on.

http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pumpkins- Another Pinterest anchor chart find. I go

everywhere-and-making.html?m=1
over this in the intro of my third lesson to
help students remember what we already
learned. Its a great reference for them as
they work on their worksheets and for the
performance task later on.

WOW pages:
http://www.tips-forteachers.com/makingconnections_mini_lessons.htm

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/TextConnections-To-Self-To-Text-To-World-583532

Mini-Unit Assignment

I loved the idea of using WOW pages for

text-to-self connections. I used this
resource because I thought it sounded like
a really great reading strategy to help
students meet the outcome and become
better readers.
I used the text-to-world worksheet on
here as inspiration for the text-to-self
worksheet I made for Lesson 3 (attached
there). I liked this worksheet because it
gave the students a chance to visually
represent their connection, which is the
one language art I was missing from my
lessons. Now my lessons include listening,
speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and
visually representing.

Performance Task Hand Out

Great Readers Are Stars!
Weve been learning about what great readers do-stopping to think and
make text-to-self connections while reading.
We want our families and other classes to know how our class makes great
text-to-self connections-which is why we are going to become movie stars to
tell them how it works! We will spend the next two classes on this project.
For this project, you get to choose a book and make a text-to-self connection.
Miss Davidson will help you to choose a book if you dont know what to
pick. There are lots of great books that you can make connections to!
When you have a book picked, you can use your sticky notes while reading
to mark WOW pages.
After you have read your whole book and marked your WOW pages, you
can ask Miss Davidson for a Text-to-Self Connections Worksheet, where you
draw pictures of the text, of what it reminded you of, and write about your
connection. When this is done, we will use iMovie to record our connections!
With your partner (they will be assigned by Miss Davidson) you will film
each other using the iPads. In your video you need to discuss 3 things:
1. What is a self-to-text connection? Why is it important
to make connections?
2. How did you make your text-to-self connection? (Did
you use a WOW page? What is a WOW page?)
3. What was the book you read? What part did you
connect to yourself? Why did you connect this part?
These iMovies will be posted on our class blogs so that the other grade two
classes, parents, grandparents, and siblings can see them.
We need to do a really good job explaining how we made our connections
and how this makes us great readers! You will be able to use your
worksheet to explain your book connection, but how will you know what to
say for the other questions when you film?
A script! You will need to make a script to answer the first two questions.
You can do this in your reading journal.
Make sure to ask Miss Davidson if you have questions!
*This is a lot for Gr. 2s. I would go over this with them and make any clarifications they need, and post
the order of the assignment and the questions they need to answer on the board where they could
easily refer to it.
Mini-Unit Assignment

Assessment Criteria
4

Excellent

Proficient

Adequate

Limited *

Explanation of
What Connections
Are

I can tell you

what a text-toself connection
is.
I can tell you why
it is important to
make
connections in
order to be a
great reader.

I can tell you what

a text-to-self
connection is.
I can tell you that
its important to
make
connections.

I can tell you what

a text-to-self
connection is. I
can tell you that
its important, but
not why.

I can almost
explain what a
text-to-self
connection is. Im
not sure why its
important.

Lets work on learning

what a text-to-self
connection is and why
its important

Explanation of
Strategy

I can tell you that

I used a WOW
strategy. I can tell
you what a WOW
page is, how I
marked it, and
what I wrote on
my sticky note.

I can tell you that

I used a WOW
strategy. I can tell
you what a WOW
page is.

I can tell you that

I used a WOW
page strategy.

I did not tell

which strategy I
used, even
though I used
one.

Lets work on
learning the
WOW strategy to
be an active
reader.

Explanation of
Connection to
Text

I can tell you

which book I read,
and who wrote it.
I can clearly retell
the part of the
story I connected
to. I can tell you
why I connected
to it/what it
reminded me of
with good details.

I can tell you

which book I read,
retell the part of
the book I
connected to, and
what it reminded
me of in some
detail

I forgot to tell
which book I read
or who wrote it, I
can retell the part
that I connected
to, and I can tell
you why I
connected to it,
but I didnt
include much
detail.

I cant retell the

part of the story I
connected to in a
way that makes
sense, or if I do
retell it, I cant tell
you why I
connected to it.

Lets work on
making personal
connections while
reading.

iMovie/Script

All questions are

answered fully.
I can hear and see
really clearly in
the video.

I answered all of
the questions
clearly, but I could
have included
more information.
I can hear and see
mostly clearly in
the video.

I answered all of
the questions, but
some answers are
not clear. I can
hear and see
enough to
understand the
video.

I may have
answered all of
the questions, but
I cannot hear or
see the video well
enough to
understand.

Lets work on
answering all of
the questions or
making a better
quality video.

Connections
Worksheet

The pictures and

writing are neat,
detailed, and
include strong
explanations of
connections to
the chosen text.

The pictures and

the writing are
neat and detailed,
it includes clear
explanations of
text-to-self
connections.

The pictures and

the writing are
mostly neat. The
explanation of
text-to-self
connection makes
sense, but could
be more detailed.

The pictures and

the writing are
not very neat. The
explanation of
text-to-self
connection does
not really make
sense.

Lets work on
doing our best
work to make
neat, detailed
pictures and
sentences to
show how you
made connections

Level
Criteria

Mini-Unit Assignment

Insufficient /
Blank *

* When work is judged to be limited or insufficient, the teacher makes decisions about appropriate intervention to help the student improve.

I would go over this criteria with students and make sure they understand my expectations and
what is needed in order to score in the excellent category.

Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan 1
Grade: Grade 2 Subject: Language Arts Lesson Duration: 45 min.
SPECIFIC OUTCOMES FROM
ALBERTA PROGRAM OF
STUDIES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
(2-3, clear, and measurable)

ASSESSMENTS

2.2: connect situations

portrayed in oral, print
and other media texts
to personal and
classroom experiences

Students will:

(How will you know they met

learning objectives?)

Demonstrate that they understand

connections by using their ideas to build on
classmate ideas and create a story.
Identify the three reading connections and
describe one self, text, or world connection
to the story.

Formative & Summative

(Observations, Key
Questions,
Products/Performances)
-Observation
-Exit Slips

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

Resource #1: Alberta Education Illustrative Examples
Resource #2: http://teacherificfun.blogspot.ca/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:0008:00&updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=19 Connections Anchor Chart
MATERIALS/ EQUIPMENT/ SET UP
-Rorys Story Cubes App
-IPad with App
-Smartboard with iPad connector
-Lego
-Premade Connections Anchor Chart
-Book: Just Me and My Little Brother-Mercer Mayer
-Exit Slips
PROCEDURE
Introduction (5min.):
Attention Grabber: Give me 5! (A classroom routine that students are already familiar with when
being asked to pay attention.)
Stand up if you game
-If you have a pet, stand up. -If you ate cereal for breakfast today.-If you have a brother or sister
-If you have gone to a hockey game -If you are wearing green
Lots of us stood up for the same things! When people have similar experiences, we can make
connections with each other.
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Who can tell me what it means to connect? (Putting things
together, making links)
Connection to Curriculum: Its important to be able to connect our life experiences with others, as
Mini-Unit Assignment

well as working on putting our ideas together and working with others. Being able to connect
with other people helps us to work together, and it also helps us to be better readers. When we
read, we need to understand what were reading. Making connections to ourselves, the world
around us, and other texts or books can help us be great readers.
Advance Organizer/Agenda: Were going to use a really fun smartboard activity to connect our
ideas and build a story together! Then well look at some connections we can make while reading
to help us become great readers!
Expectations for Learning and Behaviour: What do you think is important to remember when
were working together and other people are talking? (To be good listeners, take turns) Thats
right. When we share our ideas with others, we all need to listen and be very respectful.
Transition to Body: Were all going to be in a circle in front of the smartboard for our first activity.
When I call your row you can come sit on the floor here by me.
Body (35min.):
What is the teacher doing?
Learning Activity #1: Story Cubes (20 minutes)
Explain game: were going to use the pictures on this dice
app to connect our ideas and build a story together. We
need to listen to each others ideas and then add our own
ideas to build the story. Im going to roll the dice, and the
first person is going to pick a picture to use in their one
sentence. Then the next person will pick a picture and make
up a sentence to continue the story.

E.g. If I pick a dice with a cat on it, I could say Once upon a
time there was a cat. The next person could pick a dice
with a rocket ship on it. They could say The cat went to
space in a rocket ship. And then the next person would
choose a dice and add a sentence. We need to be really
good listeners so that we add sentences that help our story
to makes sense. (If the story starts going off track, the
student can have a chance to make a new sentence.)

Explain lego: While we add our sentences were going to be

connecting blocks to our tower. When its your turn, you
connect your sentence to the story, and connect a block to
the tower. Were going to call it the talking tower. Only the
person with the tower can talk. When theyve said their
sentence and connected the block, it will be passed to the
next person in the circle. Just like we connect blocks to
build a tower, we connect our ideas to build a story.

As each person adds their sentence, Im going to write it

down and add it to the story. At the end, Ill read the story
back to you.

Mini-Unit Assignment

What are the students

doing?
Listening
Choosing Dice Pictures
Adding their sentence
Building the tower

Listening
Brainstorm descriptions of
self, text, and world
connections
Answering Questions
Filling out Exit Sheets

Specific Learner Considerations:

Some students may have trouble focusing long enough when it
gets to their turn. There should be reminders of what has
happened so far in the story so that they can add their idea as well.
Transition to Activity #2: What a great story! Good job making
connections. What does it mean to make connections? (to link
things together)
How did we make connections in our story?
Just like we can link ideas together to MAKE a story, we can also
link ideas to help us UNDERSTAND stories that we read. Now that
weve got a good look at what connections look like, were going to
move on to what it means to make connections when reading.
Learning Activity #2: Making Connections Anchor Chart (12
Minutes)
Describe active reading: Great readers stop and think and
make connections (links) when they read. They think things
like, What do I already know about this? This reminds me
of when Hey, that has happened to me before!

Introduce text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world

connections

Have students discuss what these connections might mean

(large group)

Fill in pre-started anchor (Text to text: It reminds me of a

book. Text to self: It reminds me of a time when. Text to
world: It reminds me of something in the world.)

Review the three (Using Just Me and My Little Brother,

describe an example for each type of connection. Text to
text: I remember another book I read about someone
standing up to bullies, but that book was about two sisters.
Text to self: I remember when my little brother and I used
to break the wishbones at thanksgiving. Text to world: It
reminds me of how we get snow in Canada, so we can do
things like build snowmen and have snowball fights.)

Choose a few students to make their own connections for

each example-Are there any parts in this book that remind
you of a time, memory, or feeling in your own life?

Formative & Summative Assessments

Formative-Observation (Are students able to think of ideas of what
these connections might refer to? After examples: Do students
have an idea of how to make connections?)
Specific Learner Considerations
This activity includes both written and oral instruction, as well as
Mini-Unit Assignment

student participation. Students who need more movement may

need fidgets so that they can stay focused.
For the exit slips coming up, students who are below writing level
may need help. Either I or an EA can help them to put their ideas
on paper.
Sponge: Class routine: free read, write/draw in journal, work on
class puzzle
Transition to Closure
Pass out Exit slips
1. What are the names of the three types of reading
connections?
2. What is one connection you made to Just Me and My Little
Brother?
Closure ( 8min.): * Connect your closure with learning objectives*
Feedback From Students: Everyone can take out their pencils and write on their exit slips. I want
you to tell me what the names of the three types of connections are, and one connection that
you made to the story Just me and My Little Brother. (Collect slips)
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Its important to be able to connect experiences and ideas
with other people so that we can understand each other. Being able to make connections makes
us better at understanding what we read. Great readers stop and think to make connections
while theyre reading.
Feedback To Students: Good job making connections today! I loved the story we made up! Thank
you for being respectful listeners.
Transition To Next Lesson: In our next lesson were going to talk about WOW pages, and how we
can use our reactions and feelings about books to make text-to-self connections.

Lesson Plan 2
Grade/Subject: Grade 2 Language Arts Lesson Duration: 45 min.
SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
FROM ALBERTA
PROGRAM OF STUDIES
2.2: connect situations
portrayed in oral, print
and other media texts
to personal and
classroom experiences

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
(2-3, clear, and measurable)
Students will:
Explain a connection to self and text by
using WOW pages to describe a reaction to
a certain part of the story.

Formative & Summative

ASSESSMENTS (How will
you know they met
learning objectives?)
(Observations, Key
Questions,
Products/Performances)
-Observation
-Questions
-WOW sticky notes

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

Resource #1: http://www.tips-forteachers.com/makingconnections_mini_lessons.htm#Primary Making Connections Unit (Grade
1 and 2)
Resource #2: http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pumpkins-everywhere-andMini-Unit Assignment

making.html?m=1 Making Connections Anchor Chart

MATERIALS/ EQUIPMENT/ SET UP
-Book: Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
-Library books (Each student needs one)
-Sticky notes (At least two sheets per student)
-Making Connections Anchor Chart (from last lesson) should be hung up where students can see
-Text-to-Self Anchor Chart
PROCEDURE
Introduction (5min.):
Attention Grabber: Give me 5! Last class we talked about how we can understand better when
we make connections. Last time we were connecting our ideas and experiences with our
classmates. Today were going to be connecting with what we read.
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Can anyone tell me what it means to make a connection? (to put
something together) We talked last time about our three connections to texts. Can someone tell
me one of the types of connections we can make? Can someone tell me another one? The last
one?
Connection to Curriculum: Were going to focus for the next couple lessons on text-to-self
connections. Everyone repeat after me: Text-to-self connections! That means that you make
connections between yourself and what you read. Great readers always stop and think while they
read. Sometimes the story or text reminds the reader of a time in their own life. When that
happens, the reader made a connection with the story. Thats what we call a text-to-self
connection! Sometimes connections are about adventures youve been on, special memories you
have, and people from your family, pets, or friends. Lots of the time connections are about
feelings.
Go over the premade Text-to-Self Anchor Chart. Show students where it will be posted so that
they can refer to it throughout the lesson.
Advance Organizer/Agenda: Today were going to talk about how WOW pages can help us to
become great readers by making text-to-self connections. Im going to read you a story and show
you how to mark WOW pages, and then youll have a chance to do it yourself.
Expectations for Learning and Behaviour: While I read the story, we all need to be really good
listeners. What do we need to do when we share ideas with each other? (Be kind, be respectful,
take turns)
Transition to Body:
Body (35min.):
What is the teacher doing?
What are the students
Learning Activity #1Model WOW pages (10 min.)
doing?
Explain what a WOW page is: A WOW page in a book is a
Listening to the
page that gives you some kind of feeling or reaction. It can
story/model
be a feeling, what you hoped would happen, or something
Reading
that reminds you of something in your own life. Its a page
that you make a connection to, and you think WOW! I get Marking WOW pages
Sharing their connections
it/I know how that feels/that reminds me of

Read: Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Less More

Model: Use sticky note, write WOW on the top, and mark

Mini-Unit Assignment

WOW page. Write a sentence that will help remember my

reaction i.e. this reminded me of when (Write sentence
on board so that students can use the sentence stem)
Formative & Summative Assessments
Key Questions:
What is it called when we make connections with ourselves to the
text? (Text-to-self)
Whats a WOW page? (A page that gives you a feeling or reaction)
What do I do when I find a WOW page? (Mark it!)
What do I need to write on my sticky note when I mark my WOW
page? (Write WOW on it, and a sentence to help remember your
reaction or why you connected to the page)
Specific Learner Considerations: Fidgets or ways for kids who have
trouble sitting still to focus while we do direct instruction
Transition to Activity #2: Now well all have a chance to mark WOW
pages in our own books. Everyone can take out their library books.
Youll all get two sticky notes. Remember to stop and think as you
read. Think about things like, How does this page make me feel?
What does this part remind me of? What do I wish would happen?
Have I had an experience like this before? How was it the same?
How was it different? When you find a page that makes you think
WOW! Mark it with the sticky note and write a few words about
why you connected to that page.
Learning Activity #2: Read/Mark WOW pages (15 min)
Formative & Summative Assessments
-Observation: Are students finding wow pages?
Specific Learner Considerations
Students who are below reading level may need help reading and
writing the sentence for their WOW pages
Transition to Activity 3: Now that everyone has at least one WOW
page marked, were going to share our connections
Learning Activity #3: Share WOW connections-Elbow Buddies
(10min)
Everyone can turn to their elbow buddies (another classroom
routine that students already know) and answer the questions I
will ask:
What WOW pages did you find in your books? Show your partner
the page that you marked, and read them what it says on the page.
(After everyone has had time to answer) What made you connect
with this part? What was the feeling or reaction your WOW page
gave you? Tell your partner.
Formative & Summative Assessments:
Formative: Observation of what students share
Specific Learner Considerations:
Those under the reading level may need help from their partner for
reading out loud.
Mini-Unit Assignment

Transition to Closure: Everyone can say thanks to their partner for

sharing, and give me five!
Sponge: Class routine: free read, write/draw in journal, work on
class puzzle
Closure ( 5min.): * Connect your closure with learning objectives*
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Today we discussed and practiced making connections to
the text. Great readers make text-to-self connections.
Key Questions (Formative Assessment):
What is a text-to-self connection? (making connections between yourself and what you read)
What is a WOW page? (A page that makes you go WOW, it gives you a feeling or a reaction)
What kind of self-to-text connections can we make? (feelings, memories, family, friends, pets)
Why are making these connections while reading important? (To become great readers! To enjoy
reading, to understand the story better)
Feedback From Students: Collect WOW page marker sticky notes. Make sure everyone has a
sentence or a few words of why they connected on it. Give time to finish for those who dont.
Feedback To Students: Good job making text-to-self connections! Were on our way to becoming
great readers!
Transition To Next Lesson: Next lesson well be working on making even more text-to-self
connections.
Lesson Plan 3
Grade: Grade 2 Subject: Language Arts Lesson Duration: 45 min.
SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
FROM ALBERTA
PROGRAM OF STUDIES
2.2: connect situations
portrayed in oral, print
and other media texts
to personal and
classroom experiences

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
(2-3, clear, and measurable)
Students will:
Retell a part of a text they connected to and
explain why it connects to them.
Reflect on connected experiences through
writing and visual representation.

Formative & Summative

ASSESSMENTS (How will
you know they met
learning objectives?)
-Observation of both
small and whole group
discussion
-Picture and written
response on worksheet

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

Resource #1:
MATERIALS/ EQUIPMENT/ SET UP
-Jess was the Brave One Book
-Video http://www.traileraddict.com/bambi-ii/learning-to-be-brave (Smartboard ready to go)
-Worksheets
-Class popsicle sticks to make groups
PROCEDURE
Introduction (5min.):
Attention Grabber: Video (Bambi II: Learning to be Brave) (Watch the first 30 seconds)
Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Key questions: How many of you have been afraid of something
before? What does being brave mean? Do you think Thumpers right-you just have to be scarier
than whats scaring you?
Connection to Curriculum: Were going to read a story about two sisters. One sister isnt afraid of
Mini-Unit Assignment

anything-she is very brave. The other sister is afraid of lots of things, but we will see that bravery
shows up in different ways for different people. Remember our WOW pages from last time? As
we read this story, I want you to pick a WOW page and remember it. You can think about some of
the things that the sisters do. Have you ever done some of those things? I want you to think of
some of the ways the girls feel. Have you ever felt like Jess does? Have you ever felt like Claire
does? We want to make text-to-self connections as we read.
Advance Organizer/Agenda: After we read the story together were going to break into groups,
where well do some acting to retell what we connected to. After you share your ideas, well have
some time to work on our own, write, and draw on our text-to-self worksheets.
Expectations for Learning and Behavior: What do we do when we read the story together? (Give
me 5, hands to ourselves, listening ears.) What do we need to do when were working in our
groups? (Take turns talking, be kind/respectful, stay on task.)
Transition to Body: Lets read our story. Remember to notice WOW pages-ones that give you
feelings or reactions, and make text-to-self connections.
Body (35min.):
What is the teacher doing?
What are the students
Learning Activity #1: Read Jess Was the Brave One (10 min)
doing?
-Listening to the story
Formative & Summative Assessments
-Answering leading
Ask leading questions while reading:
questions
Predictive questions:
-Discussing with group
Do you think Claire is afraid of the doctor?
-Writing/drawing in journal
Do you think Jess is going to be scared of climbing the tree?
What do you think Claire is going to do?
Connection questions:
How many of you have watched a scary movie before? Did you
like it like Jess did, or did you dislike it, like Claire did?
Have you ever had to get a shot at the doctors before? Was it
scary?
How many of you like climbing trees? Do you sometimes climb
too high and get scared?
Have you ever seen someone bullying? Have you ever thought
about standing up to them like Claire did?
Specific Learner Considerations:
Fidgets or chairs for kids who struggle to sit still, make sure smaller
kids are at the front/can see
Transition to Activity #2: Were going to do a group acting activity
now to help us share our connections with each other.
Learning Activity #2: Small Group Discussion/Acting (15 min.)
Explain group activity: In groups, students each share one
part of the story that they connected to and why. (3 min)

After everyone has shared, the group splits into partners.

The partners practice retelling their WOW pages by acting it
out. When they have practiced, the group gets back

Mini-Unit Assignment

together and takes turns performing

Formative & Summative Assessments
Listen to group sharing, ask questions of WHY they connected, and
offer guidance for deciding.
Observation of performance: Can students retell the WOW pages?
Do they have a reason why they connected to it?
Specific Learner Considerations
This is a good activity for students who need to move around, and
those who are external processors. For introverts-Make sure
everyone in the group gets a chance to talk
Transition to Activity 3
Great job everyone! I loved the connections. And your acting was
great! Now were going to work on writing down our connections
to the story.
Learning Activity #3: Writing and Drawing on Text-to-Self
Worksheet (10 min)
Hand out worksheet
Formative & Summative Assessments
Formative: Collect Text-to-Self worksheet
Specific Learner Considerations
Helping non-writers write about their picture
Transition to Closure: Everyone can put away their pencils and
hand in their worksheets now
Sponge: Class routine: free read, write/draw in journal about what
we learned today, work on class puzzle
Closure ( 5min.): * Connect your closure with learning objectives*
Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: One of the fun things about reading is that we can
connect situations in books to things that have happened in our own lives. Today we were talking
about some of the things we have done or felt that were the same as Jess and Claire.
Feedback From Students: Did you find the story more interesting when you thought about how
you have had a similar situation or feeling?
Feedback To Students: You all put in a good effort answering questions and writing in your
journals! Thank you for being respectful and taking turns talking in your groups.
Transition to next lesson (Performance task): Next lesson everyone will have a chance to read
their own books, mark wow pages, and make a short video of a text-to-self connection to post on
our class blog.

WORKSHEET FOR LESSON 3:

Mini-Unit Assignment

WOW! Text-to-Self Connections

Draw a picture from the book:
A picture of what it
reminds me of in my
life:

Title of the book I just read:

________________________________________________________________
The part where _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________reminds me of _________________
________________________________________________________________
because________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

Lesson Plan Rationales (Eval, Ed Psych, Ed Tech)

Mini-Unit Assignment

Rationale: Assessment A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson 1:
Description

What core assessment

concepts inform your
design choice?
Lesson
Lesson Outcome:
This lesson is meant to give
This lesson design gives
Overview:
Students will
students background
me the chance to assess
Demonstrate that they
knowledge that will be
students background
understand connections essential for the final
knowledge. I use both
by using their ideas to
performance task. Students
verbal and written
build on classmate ideas need to know what
evidence to see what
and create a story.
connections are, how to make they already know, what
Identify the three
them, and why they are
they are learning, and
reading connections
important.
what they have learned
and describe one self,
I use assessment in this lesson from the lesson. I need to
text, or world
to see if they have enough of a know this for my lessons
connection to the story. foundation to move on to the
moving forward. I also
next lesson focusing on making provide feedback for
Lesson Description:
text-to-self connections.
students throughout the
-Introduce the idea of
lesson. If they are unsure
connections
about a question I ask I
-Practice making
can help them, and I can
connections by building
provide written feedback
a story
on the exit slips to show
-Use an anchor chart
them what they might
and group discussion to
not understand.
go over the three types
of connections & model
these connections
Instructional
What formative assessment
How does your use of
Processes
techniques will you be using?
formative assessment
What information will you be
reflect key assessment
collecting? How will you use
concepts?
that information?
Description of what
I will use observation and
My use of formative
teacher is doing:
questioning to gain insight into assessment reflect the
-Direct instruction
where my students are at.
idea of knowing my
-Guiding story activity
students. I need to know
-Modelling
what knowledge they
-Observing
have and whether or not
-Asking Questions
they are ready to move

Mini-Unit Assignment

How does your lesson scaffold

to your performance task?

Description of what
students are doing:
-Listening
-Building story activity
-Answering questions
-Filling out exit slips
Sequence of key
questions:

Evidence of Lesson
Components (opening,
closing, content,
timeline)

Mini-Unit Assignment

I will use exit slips that

students fill out to see if they
understood the concept or
not. I will provide written
feedback on the exit slips to
help those who are maybe not
there yet.
Who can tell me what it means
to connect?
After first activity:
What does it mean to make
connections? (to link things
together)
How did we make connections
in our story?
After Second Activity:
Are there any parts in this
book that remind you of a
time, memory, or feeling in
your own life?
Opening: Use key question to
formatively assess background
knowledge
Content: Observe connections
students are making during
the story building activity to
formatively assess if they
understand the concept of
linking ideas.
Questioning after anchor chart
to assess if they can apply
making connections.
Closing: Formative through
exit slips to see what they took
from the lesson

on.
Using exit slips that I will
provide feedback on
reflects the importance of
useful feedback instead
of just grades. Formative
assessment is assessment
FOR learning. Im not
expecting all of my
students to understand
the entire concept, but by
using this strategy to find
out how much they do
understand, I can find out
where theyre at and
provide feedback to help
them learn more.

Rationale: Assessment A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson 2:

Lesson
Overview:

Description

How does your lesson scaffold to

your performance task?

Lesson Outcome:
Explain a
connection to self
and text by using
WOW pages to
describe a reaction
to a certain part of
the story.
Lesson Description:
-Review Text-to-self
connections
-Model WOW page
connection strategy
-Students read
individually and
make connections
using the WOW
strategy
-Share connections
with elbow buddies
-Review WOW
strategy

This lesson is all about learning

what text-to-self connections are
and learning a strategy to use to
make personal connections while
reading. These are the main
aspects I want students to
demonstrate on the performance
task, so this lesson is teaching
these things in order to set them
up for success.

Instructional
Processes

Description of what
teacher is doing:
-Asking questions
for review
-Modelling WOW
pages
-Checking
understanding of
Mini-Unit Assignment

What formative assessment

techniques will you be using?
What information will you be
collecting? How will you use that
information?
Questioning-seeing if they
understand what WOW pages are
and if they know what they are
supposed to do with them. If not, I
will explain in another way.

What core assessment

concepts inform your
design choice?
This lesson is about
setting my students up to
meet the objective. I
model WOW pages (the
strategy I want them to
use) and then give them
time to try it for
themselves. My
assessment of this is
largely through
observation. If I see a
student struggling, I can
help them figure out how
to make those
connections. If I just show
students how to do it and
dont observe them
actually doing it, dont
know if they understand
the strategy, and I cant
help them do it. So this is
largely about giving
feedback as students
work to help them
improve.
How does your use of
formative assessment
reflect key assessment
concepts?
I will be using observation
and feedback to help
monitor and assess
students as they learn. I
want to be able to help
them, and assessing their
use of the strategy being
taught and giving them

strategy

feedback to use it
effectively is key for them
doing well on the
performance task later.

Description of what
students are doing:
-Reading/Marking
WOW pages
-Elbow Partner
Sharing

Observation-Have they marked any

WOW pages in their books? Are
they making connections?
What were their connections? Are
they able to explain to their
partner?

Sequence of key
questions:

Intro: Can anyone tell me what it

means to make a connection? Can
someone tell me one of the types
of connections we can make? Can
someone tell me another one? The
last one?
After Modeling: What is it called
when we make connections with
ourselves to the text? Whats a
WOW page? What do I do when I
find a WOW page? What do I need
to write on my sticky note when I
mark my WOW page?
After Reading:
What WOW pages did you find in
your books? What made you
connect with that part?
Closure: What is a text-to-self
connection? What is a WOW page?
What kind of self-to-text
connections can we make? Why
are these connections important?
Open: Questions to review the last
lesson
Content: Checking understanding
after modelling, observing as they
use the strategy and providing
feedback
-Closing: reviewing and checking
for understanding through
questioning

Evidence of Lesson
Components
(opening, closing,
content, timeline)

Mini-Unit Assignment

Rationale: Assessment A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson 3:
Description

Lesson
Overview:

Lesson Outcome:
Students will
Retell a part of a text
they connected to and
explain why it connects
to them.
Reflect on connected
experiences through
writing and visual
representation.
Lesson Description:
-Read Jess was the Brave
One
-Students choose a
connection to share with
group and retell by acting
-Students will fill out a
worksheet describing
their connection to the
text and visually
representing the
connection as well

Instructional
Processes

Description of what
teacher is doing:
-Reading the story
-Guiding groups for
acting activity
Mini-Unit Assignment

How does your lesson

scaffold to your
performance task?
This lesson scaffolds to the
performance task by giving
students a chance to
practice making text-to-self
connections. I also have the
students use the same
worksheet as they will use
for the performance task,
so they will already be
familiar with it.

What core assessment

concepts inform your
design choice?
For this lesson I chose to
use a single book that we
all read together for
students to make
connections, because it will
be easier for me to assess
the types of connections
they are making when Ive
read the book theyre
connecting to. I can see
who is making deep
connections and who is still
struggling to explain what
the text might remind
them of or how they
reacted to it.

What formative assessment

techniques will you be
using? What information
will you be collecting? How
will you use that
information?
I will be using observations
and questions for most of
the class to make sure
students are getting it and
really making solid

How does your use of

formative assessment
reflect key assessment
concepts?

Observation-Knowing
where my students are, as
a class and as individuals.
Are they ready to go on to

-Helping students with

worksheet

connections. If theyre not

getting it, I will ask
questions to help point
them in the right direction.
Observing their acting will
help me to tell if they are
making connections well
enough to tell the story and
explain what it reminded
them of.
I will also be collecting their
worksheets at the end for
formative assessment. I will
be giving them
comments/feedback on it
so that they know what
they did well and what they
might need to work on for
the performance task.

Description of what
students are doing:
-Listening
-Remembering a WOW
page
-Sharing with group
-Retelling passage
(acting)
-Worksheets

Sequence of key
questions:

Mini-Unit Assignment

For Intro Video: How many

of you have been afraid of
something before? What
does being brave mean? Do
you think Thumpers rightyou just have to be scarier
than whats scaring you?
While Reading: Do you
think Claire is afraid of the
doctor? Do you think Jess is
going to be scared of
climbing the tree? What do
you think Claire is going to
do? How many of you have
watched a scary movie
before? Did you like it like

the performance task, or

do we need more practice
or a different way to
explain this so that
everyone gets it?
Who is getting it already,
and who still needs some
more help?
By collecting the
worksheets and giving
comment, Im using the
concept of the importance
of feedback for formative
assessment. Its an
assessment FOR learning,
so my comments are going
to be geared to help my
students to see their
strengths, but also weaker
areas that they can
improve on.

Jess did, or did you dislike

it, like Claire did? Have you
ever had to get a shot at the
doctors before? Was it
scary? How many of you
like climbing trees? Do you
sometimes climb too high
and get scared? Have you
ever seen someone
bullying? Have you ever
thought about standing up
to them like Claire did?

Evidence of Lesson
Components (opening,
closing, content,
timeline)

Opening: Key questions

Content:
Observation/questioning
Closing: Worksheet

Rationale: Ed Psychology A

Ed Psych Defense
Lesson #2:
Description
Lesson
Overview:

Lesson Outcome:
Explain a connection to self
and text by using WOW pages
to describe a reaction to a
certain part of the story.
Lesson Description:
-Review Text-to-self
connections
-Model WOW page
connection strategy
-Students read individually
and make connections using
the WOW strategy
-Share connections with
elbow buddies
-Review WOW strategy

Mini-Unit Assignment

Connections to Learning Theories & Demonstration of

Attention to a Classroom Structure and Climate
Erikson: Industry vs. Inferiority (Ages 6-12)
At this age students face the need for new skills. In this
lesson, I teach students a reading strategy that they can
use to stop and think while reading. This is a strategy I
would encourage throughout the year after these
lessons, which would also encourage individual
responsibility and industry while they are reading for
themselves.
Metacognition: This lesson is focusing on a reading
strategy that requires students to learn how to stop and
think and make connections while reading. This
encourages students to think about how they think while
reading.
Transfer: This strategy is going to be encouraged even
after the lessons are done, which will help students to
transfer it to contexts outside of school where they may
need to use a reading strategy to construct meaning
from texts.

Instructional Description of what teacher is

Processes
doing:
-Asking questions for review
-Modelling WOW pages
-Checking understanding of
strategy

Description of what students

are doing:
-Listening
-Reading and using WOW
strategy
-Sharing with elbow buddies
-Answering questions

Mini-Unit Assignment

Vygostky: I scaffold my lessons to set students up for

success on the performance task so they can learn and
meet the outcomes. For instance, in this lesson I model
the WOW pages strategy for students and check for
understanding. Then students get to use the strategy for
themselves and get some practice making connections
and being active readers.
Motivation: I attempt to motivate students in this lesson
by providing differentiation for different types of
learners. For instance, I use three different teaching
strategies: direct instruction (with questioning), partner
work, and individual work. I have also taken into
consideration students who may struggle with this
lesson because they are below reading or writing level,
and have mentioned that either I or an EA or a classmate
can help them (mediated learning).
I also reviewed some routines and rules in this lesson
that I expect students would already know in the
classroom (when working in partners be polite, take
turns. I pretended that my classroom routine for when
they were done their work early was that they could free
read, write in journal, or work on a class puzzle.) Having
classroom rules and routines is really important for
motivation because it helps students to feel secure and
safe in the classroom, which lowers anxiety. This is
evident in Maslows hierarchy of needs. I need to make
sure the deficiency needs of my students are met so that
they can move on to growth needs and learn.
Classroom structure:
One thing I considered for classroom structure was that
the desks should be set up in such a way that it is easy
for students to speak with their elbow partners. For
instance, have the desks set up in pairs so that students
are already used to working together, but can also face
forward and work on their own. If you have students in
pairs for a while, they will also be more comfortable with
each other and there will be less anxiety sharing their
ideas because you have already worked on building
community in the classroom.
As far as classroom management, the one thing about
this lesson is that there is not a lot of movement. For
students who need to move, they could have fidgets
during direct instruction and could maybe be allowed to
move as they work individually later on, for instance, be
given a brain break, or be allowed to move to different
spots in the room to read for a change of scenery.
There would also have to be pre-learned rules/routines

for working with partners so that everyone is respectful

of each other, and I do reiterate that expectation in my
lesson.

Sequence of key questions:

Intro/Review: Can anyone tell
me what it means to make a
connection? Can someone tell
me one of the types of
connections we can make?
Can someone tell me another
one? The last one?
After Modeling: What is it
called when we make
connections with ourselves to
the text? Whats a WOW
page? What do I do when I
find a WOW page? What do I
need to write on my sticky
note when I mark my WOW
page?
After Reading:
What WOW pages did you
find in your books? What
made you connect with that
part?
Closure: What is a text-to-self
connection? What is a WOW
page? What kind of self-totext connections can we
make? Why are these
connections important?
Evidence of Lesson
Components (opening,
closing, content, timeline)
Open: Questions to review
the last lesson
Content: Checking
understanding after
modelling, observing as they
use the strategy and
providing feedback
Closing: reviewing and
checking for understanding
through questioning
Mini-Unit Assignment

Vygotsky: I use language as a tool in this lesson mainly

through questioning. I use questions to review at both
the intro and the closing, and I use key questions to
check for understanding during the body of my lesson.
Students can explore their ideas out loud through
language without being expected to give a polished
product. I can use their answers and listen for key
concepts and words that I want them to know to gauge
their level of understanding.
Physical and Development & Language:
I do not expect a polished product from my students in
this lesson because they are just beginning to learn this
strategy. When they are answering questions and even
writing down their connections from the WOW strategy,
I want them to explore ideas. Language is not uniform,
grade twos are still developing language skills, so
although language skills are important to develop, that is
not the focus of my lesson and I would rather see
students focus on the concept of the strategy than on
having perfect language.

Constructivism: This is evident in my lesson through

scaffolding and emphasizing active learning and reading.
I think that I have included the five conditions for
learning in my lessons. For instance, my students have a
realistic learning environment. They are not expected to
just learn everything right away-they are given time to
learn, and what they are learning is applicable outside of
the classroom. There is room for social negotiation in my
lesson through activities such as elbow buddies where
students have a chance to share with peers. In this
lesson, there is room for many perspectives. Students
are making personal connections with the text, and their
unique experiences will provide the basis for multiple

perspectives. In this lesson, I hope I have nurtured the

idea of unique learners. I include both direct instruction
with whole group discussion, individual work, and
partner sharing. Although there is movement in my
other lessons, there is almost none in this one, and I
made a note of it saying that I would have fidgets for
kids who need to move during the lesson. I also think
that by encouraging active reading and having the
students use the strategy to make personal connections
in this lesson I encourage ownership of learning.

Rationale: Ed Technology A

Scaffolding Lesson Plans

Lesson #1:
Description

Lesson
Overview:

Lesson Outcome:
Demonstrate that they understand
connections by using their ideas to build
on classmate ideas and create a story.
Identify the three reading connections
and describe one self, text, or world
connection to the story.
Lesson Description:
-Introduce the idea of connections
-Practice making connections by building
a story using the ipad app and the
smartboard.
-Use an anchor chart and group
discussion to go over the three types of
connections & model these connections

Instructional
Processes

Mini-Unit Assignment

Describe how communication technology

used in the lesson/s, will promote student
engagement toward the identified learner
outcome(s). This should provide a strong
rationale for using technology.
In this lesson, I am using technology for one
of the main learning activities in the body of
the lesson. Using the Rorys Story Cubes App
on an iPad connected to a smartboard,
students choose pictures from dice and
connect their ideas to build a story.
I think that using the smartboard instead of
just using the iPad or even real dice is helpful
because all of the students can see all of the
dice. This can help with classroom
management and maintaining student
attention. This helps to keep students
focused on the task at hand, rather than
being concerned that theyre missing out on
something because they cant see it.
I think that this is also engaging for students
to be able to turn and roll the dice on the
iPad. When I was a student it was always
really exciting to use the smartboard, so it
engages students in that way as well.
Describe any potential downsides to using
this technology.

Description of what teacher is doing:

-Direct instruction
-Guiding story activity
-Modelling
-Observing
-Asking Questions

Description of what students are doing:

-Listening
-Building story activity
-Answering questions
-Filling out exit slips

Sequence of key questions:

Who can tell me what it means to
connect?
After first activity:
What does it mean to make
connections? (to link things together)
How did we make connections in our
story?
After Second Activity:
Are there any parts in this book that
remind you of a time, memory, or feeling
in your own life?

Evidence of Lesson Components

(opening, closing, content, timeline)
Open: Questions to review the last
lesson
Content: Checking understanding after
modelling, observing as they use the
strategy and providing feedback
-Closing: reviewing and checking for
understanding of lesson through
questions

Mini-Unit Assignment

One downside of this technology is that its

an iPad app, so it can be manipulated on the
iPad, but not on the smartboard.
The other downside is that technology does
not always work. I think that this one has a
pretty solid chance of working though,
because its just projecting the app onto the
smartboard, so calibration isnt a problem.

Mini-Unit Assignment