LESSON TWO

Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment (MoPTA) Lesson Plan Format

Unit of Study Focus: Activating Background Knowledge and Making Connections (Schema) 3 rd grade
Standards/Quality Indicators/Skills
Missouri and national standards, quality indicators, and skills addressed by this lesson

Missouri State Learning Standards for English Language Arts: 1C Grade 3 Develop and apply
skills to the reading process.
A) Text to text (text ideas, including similarities and differences in fiction and nonfiction)
B) Text to world (text ideas regarding experiences in the world)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in
a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting
Learning Objectives/Goals
The lessons objectives and learning outcomes appropriate for meeting curricular and student
needs

The purpose of this lesson is for students to be able to make connections to texts before they read
it. Students will know what to look for to make connections to texts before they read using the
cover, illustrations, title, book flap, author, or any other information they can analyze before
reading the text. Students will be able to apply their background knowledge to make connections to
texts before they read it.
Assessment (type[s] of assessment used throughout the lesson)
Assessment(s) before, during and after the lesson

The most important piece of assessment for this lesson will be a worksheet students fill out during
the Carousal Walk Activity. The worksheet will have students say what book they landed on, what
connection they made, the connection itself, and what part of the text allowed them to make this
connection.

Before: To start the lesson I will assess students during a classroom discussion reviewing what they
know on using their background knowledge to make connections. I will then have students tell me
ways to make connections to the text before they read it. I will assess their responses and add any
information needed to give them a complete idea of making connections to texts before they read
it.

During: I will assess students during the Carousel Walk Activity. I will walk around them room
asking students questions and encouraging them to make deep connections to features of the text
often forgotten.

The final assessment will be the worksheet students turn in explaining the connections they make
to the features of the text before they read them. I will know if students understand the concept by
this worksheet.
 Lesson Structure and Procedures
Sequence of events of the lesson elements. (The before, during and after the lesson, e.g.,
Engagement/Opening, Procedures, Guided Practice, Conclusion)

1) Review the previous lessons content. We have been learning about applying our
background knowledge to make connections to texts we read. I will have students tell me
the different kinds of connections readers make and the purpose of making these
connections.
2) Introduce todays lesson content: making connections to texts before readers read it.
3) Have a class discussion with students. Where can readers find information on the text they
are reading before they read it? Answers can include: cover, book flap, author, illustrations,
etc.
4) Model to students an example of this using the story, City Green. Show students
connections I make to myself, other stories, and the world using features of the text.
5) Have students participate in the Carousel Walk Activity. Students will walk around the
room filling out a worksheet on connections they make to the different stories laying
around the room. Two stories included in the Carousel Walk will include Tar Beach, Here I
Am, and How Full is Your Bucket. Students will have five minutes to report on the story in
front of them before they move to the next story. Students will look at at least five different
texts.
6) Before concluding the lesson, I will invite a few students to talk about their experience
during this activity and any major connections they were willing to share.
7) We will end with a short discussion on the purpose behind making connections to the text
before they read it and why it will help them understand the text. For example, it will help
students choose stories to read that they are interested in.

Instructional Strategies
Teacher approach to helping students achieve the learning objectives and meet their needs

I will facilitate a class discussion reviewing what students remember from yesterdays lesson
which included types of connections readers make. I will then introduce students to todays lesson
of making connections to texts before students read them. I will explain why making these
connections is important. I will have students come up with ways to make connections to texts
before they read them and provide any other ways students can do this that they do not come up
with themselves. I will model this using the book, City Green. I will not read the text itself but
show students how to make connections using the cover, title, author, book flap, etc. I will then
explain to students the Carousel Walk Activity and oversee them participating in this activity. I
will walk around encouraging students to make meaningful connections and make sure every
student understands expectations.
 Learning Activities
Opportunities provided for students to develop knowledge and skills of the learning objectives

Students will participate in a class discussion reviewing yesterdays content and answer questions
on how to make connections to text before they read. Students will listen to teacher modeling and
understand how to use the different features of text to make connections. Students will participate
in Carousel Walk Activity and use their background knowledge to make connections to different
texts without reading it. Students will fill out worksheet showing their understanding.

Resources and Materials

List of materials used in the planning of and during the instruction of the lesson

Anchor chart for review

City Green

Over 20 diverse texts to use for the Carousel Walk Activity

(including Tar Beach, Here I Am, and How Full is your Bucket)

Carousel Walk Activity Worksheet (one per student)

Writing Utensil (one per student)

 Technology
Instructional and/or assistive technology incorporated into the lesson to enhance instruction and
student learning

Technology will not be used during this lesson, however, if needed, students could have an online
version of this worksheet to fill out on their IPad. They could take a picture of the text feature they
made a specific connection to and upload it to their worksheet. This way students could come back
and see what exactly made them have that connection.

Differentiated/Accommodations/Modifications/Increase in Rigor
To help meet the needs of all learners, learning differences, cultural and language differences,
etc.

To increase rigor in this lesson; I will challenge students to only use each text feature once when
making a connection to the text before reading. This means that they can only make a connection
to the illustrations for one book, a connection to a book flap for one book, etc.

For students who need modifications for this lesson, I will have them to go books during the
Carousel Walk that are easier to make connections to than others. If I place all of the texts in a
circle, and place books that are easier to make connections to text features on one side, and texts
that are harder to make connections to on the other side, I can have students start on certain books/
areas of the circle so that they land on planed out books without them knowing. Books that are
easier to make connections to could be picture books.

Classroom Management
Strategies consistent with the learning needs of the lesson that also meet student behavior needs
to help keep students on task and actively engaged

Our class would have had many classroom discussions before and would be aware of the
expectations of class discussions. If needed, reminders of classroom discussion rules could be
stated. I can call on students to provide me with the expectations of discussions. Before finding a
spot on the carpet, students will be asked to make smart choices of who they sit by and if need be,
they can sit right next to me to reduce the distractions.

Students will be told expectations of Carousel Walk before they start. Expectations include
focusing on own work, not going on before time is up, filling out worksheet, etc.
 Extensions
Activities for early finishers that extend students understanding of and thinking about the
learning objectives by applying their new knowledge in a different way

If students finish making a connection to the text during the Carousel Walk before it is time to
switch to the next text, students will be encouraged to make another connection to a different text
feature and write it on the back of the worksheet.

Follow-up to Todays Lesson

Quick activity for review or building on todays learning that will deepen student understanding
and interconnect concepts (may be incorporated tomorrow or throughout the unit)

After todays lesson is complete, I will evaluate the students worksheets to make sure students
understand how to make connections to texts before they read it. They will discuss any major
connections they want to share and be asked to review what we did today at the beginning on
tomorrows lesson. We will continue working on this unit tomorrow, but instead of making
connections before students read, we will be working on making connections while reading. The
goal of todays lesson was for students to be able to make connections to texts before reading them
and understand why this is an important skill to have.

Additional Information
Any area or lesson component that may not have been covered by this format that you think
is vital to include in this lesson

This might be a new concept to students so reminding them of the many text features they can use to
make connections (besides just the title and cover page) might be necessary. Making connections to the
author will also help students make text to text connections. Students might also think that this is a
waste of time so really emphasizing the purpose of making connections before reading texts will be
important. Students will only be able to make these connections using their background knowledge so
students who are exposed to more experiences and texts will have an easier time than others.
However, reading levels will not play a huge role in todays activity.

This lesson will be a one day lesson for 50 minutes.

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