TeachingIntern:BiancaMattia

School:MessmoreElementary
Grade&SubjectArea:1stand2ndGrade
LessonTitle:LetterstothePigeon
TimeNeededforLesson:Approximately35minutes
1. LEARNERS&LEARNINGENVIRONMENT
a. EngagingandSupportingDiverseLearners:
i. Accommodations:Noaccommodationsareneededforthislesson.
b. Materials&DigitalToolsNeeded
i. DontLetthePigeonDrivetheBusbyMoWillems
ii. Letterwritingpaper,1perstudent
iii. Pencils,1perstudent
iv. Anchorchartpaper
v. Assortedcolormarkers
2. OUTCOMES&ASSESSMENT
a. LearningOutcomes,Content,Skills,andThinkingTools:
i. CommonCoreStateStandards(CCSS)1stgrade:
1. CCSS.ELALITERACY.L.1.1.APrintallupperand
lowercaseletters.
2. CCSS.ELALITERACY.L1.2Demonstratecommandof
theconventionsofstandardEnglishcapitalization,
punctuation,andspellingwhenwriting.
3. CCSS.ELALITERACY.L.1.2.ACapitalizedatesand
namesofpeople.
ii. CommonCoreStateStandards(CCSS)2ndgrade:
1. CCSS.ELA.LITERACY.L.2.2Demonstratecommandof
theconventionsofstandardEnglishcapitalization,
punctuation,andspellingwhenwriting.
2. CCSS.ELALITERACY.L.2.2.BUsecommasingreetings
andclosingofletters.
iii. Asaresultofalltheactivitiesinthislesson,studentsshouldbe
ableto:
1. Understandthefivecomponentsthatmakeupafriendly
letter.
2. DemonstrateanunderstandingofsimpleEnglishgrammar
practices,suchascapitalizingthefirstletterofallnames.
3. Understandtheuseofcommasinafriendlyletter.
b. AssessmentandEvaluation:
i. Studentswillbeassessedinformallybyteacherobservationwhile
studentsarewritingattheirdesks.
ii. Studentswillbeassessedbasedonthecompletionandqualityof
theirfriendlyletters.

3. INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE
a. Introduction: Clime the bell to indicate to students that you need their
attention. Once you have the attention of the students, instruct them to sit
on the lesson rug. Introduce the book Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
by Mo Willems. Read the book aloud to students.
b. Instructional Moves:
i. After you finish the read aloud, let students know that they will
have the opportunity to write a friendly letter to the pigeon.
Explain that they can write a letter to the pigeon about any topic
they please.
1. Examples
a. Ask the pigeon a question they may have for him.
b. Explain why the pigeon should not drive the bus.
c. Suggest a more appropriate activity for pigeon
rather than driving.
ii. Explain to the students that they will need to learn how to write a
proper letter before they head back to their desks. Place anchor
chart paper against the white board so all students can see properly.
Model how to write a letter by writing a letter to the pigeon. Make
sure to include the 5 components of a friendly letter and their
purpose (heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature). Make
sure to label each section of the letter and write each section in a
different colored marker. Take student questions as you model how
to write a friendly letter. Afterwards, sent students back to their
desks by grade level and pass out one copy of the letter-writing
template to each student. Give students about 15 20 minutes to
brainstorm and write their letters to the pigeon. Monitor the
classroom while students are writing.
c. Closure:Whenstudentsarefinishedwithwriting,askthemtogatheratthe
lessonrug,again.Studentswhowishtosharetheirlettertothepigeon
maydosowiththeclass.Afterward,collectallstudentwork.
4. REFERENCES&RESORUCES:
a. Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems.
5. PROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITY
Overall,Ithoughtthislessonwentwell.Duringthefirstportionofmy
lesson,Ireadaloudtothestudents.Ithinkthisportionofthelessonwentgreat
becausethestudentswereveryengagedandinterestedinwhatIwasreading.
Whileshowingthemhowtowritealetter,IthinkIdidagoodjobandthe
studentsunderstoodtheinformationIwasteachingthem.
TheoneaspectofmylessonIwoulddodifferentlynexttimeistell
studentsthattherecanbemanywaystophrasetheclosingsectioninaletter.

Whilemodelinghowtowritealetterfortheclass,Iwrotefromasmyclosing
butintheletterwritingtemplateIgavetothestudents,yourfriendwasthe
typedclosingontheletterandsomeofthestudentsdidnotunderstandwhatthis
meant.