Teacher Education Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Jaclyn Cordero Date: March 17, 2017

Title of Lesson: Giraffes in a Jiffy Cooperating Teacher: Kimberly Morgan

Core Components

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Language Arts/English, Reading, Science, a little Math, Guided Reading
Student Population
2nd graders
10 students total
Group A (lower reading level): 4 students
Group C (higher reading level): 6 students
Learning Objectives
The students will practice SOL 2.9 and 2.10 standards and learn about giraffes and some other
animals of the savanna at the same time. Students will identify the main idea of the text and find
supporting details. Students will also use background knowledge to provide a context for new
learning and they will utilize reference materials in the text, including the table of contents,
pictures, captions, charts, and a glossary.
Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills (SOL)
SOL 2.9 - The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
a) Preview the selection using text features.
b) Make and confirm predictions about the main idea.
c) Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
d) Set purpose for reading.
e) Ask and answer questions about what is read.
f) Locate information to answer questions.
g) Identify the main idea.
h) Read and reread familiar passages with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful
expression.

SOL 2.10 – The student will demonstrate comprehension of information in reference materials.
a) Use table of contents.
b) Use pictures, captions, and charts.
c) Use dictionaries, glossaries, and indices.

VDOE Technology Standards

C/T K-2.5: Practice reasoning skills when gathering and evaluating data.
A. Recognize that technology can be used to solve problems and make informed
decisions.
• Communicate how a decision was made based on assistance from a technology
tool.
B. Use technology tools to assist with problem solving.
• Demonstrate how technology can be used to investigate and solve problems in
various content areas.

C/T K-2.6: Communicate effectively with others (e.g., peers, teachers, experts) in collaborative
learning situations.
A. Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and
presentation activities.
English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)
1) Construct meaning from oral presentations and literary and informational text through
grade-appropriate listening, reading, and viewing.
2) Participate in grade-appropriate oral and written exchanges of information, ideas, and
analyses, responding to peer, audience, or reader comments and questions.
3) Speak and write about grade-appropriate complex literary and informational texts and
topics.
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 4) Construct grade-appropriate oral and written claims and support them with reasoning and
evidence.
8) Determine the meaning of words and phrases in oral presentations and literary and
informational text.

Materials/Resources
• Odgers, S. (2007). Giraffes of the savanna. New York, NY: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.
- 4 or more copies of Benchmark 14/Lexile 430
- 6 or more copies of Benchmark 34/Lexile 710
• Whiteboard (for vocabulary words, objectives/learning goals, questions, and/or K-W-L charts)
• 2 K-W-L charts (may be written on whiteboard or on posterboard)
• Markers for teacher use
• Sharpies (for writing on K-W-L charts)
• World Map
• Photos of giraffes, tickbirds, and lion
• “What I Learned About…” worksheets for students (x10)
High Yield Instructional Strategies Used (Marzano, 2001)

Check if Used
Strategy Return
Identifying Similarities & Differences 45%
Summarizing & Note Taking 34%
Reinforcing Efforts & Providing Recognition 29%
Homework & Practice 28%
Nonlinguistic Representations 27%
Cooperative Learning 23%
Setting Goals & Providing Feedback 23%
Generating & Testing Hypothesis 23%
Questions, Cues, & Advanced Organizers 22%
DOES YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL INPUT & MODELING YIELD THE POSITIVE
RETURNS YOU WANT FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
Check if Used Strategy Return
Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning 95%
Practice by Doing 75%
Discussion 50%
Demonstration 30%
Audio Visual 20%
Reading 10%
Lecture 05%
Safety (if applicable)
Papercuts may occur if a student turns a page of the text too quickly (try to have band-aids on
hand).

Time
(min.) Process Components
5 min. *Anticipatory Set
Teacher: Good morning/afternoon, 2nd graders! Today, we are going to learn about
giraffes of the savanna! But, before we dive into this guided reading lesson, I would like to
show you some pictures that I took when I went on a safari trip to Uganda earlier this

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 year. I saw many giraffes… (show pictures/explain)
T: We are going to be filling out a K-W-L chart. So, what do you already know about
giraffes?
S: *reply*
T: *write student responses on board*
T: What do you want to know about giraffes?
S: (reply)
T: *write student responses on board*
T: Awesome job! Each of you will have to write about what you have learned about
giraffes, so pay attention! Let’s see what we will learn!
*State the Objectives (grade-level terms)
1. The students will practice reading fluently.
2. The students will determine the main idea and any supporting details.
3. The students will use a table of contents, glossary, and captions to further reading
comprehension.
4. The students will compare and contrast giraffes with tick birds and lions.
5. The students will complete a K-W-L chart.
6. The students will be familiar with new vocabulary words.
7. The students will be familiar with the world map and know where Virginia is and where
Africa is. They will have a rough idea of where Uganda is.
25 *Instructional Input or Procedure
min. 1. Hook/Introduction of the lesson (see “Anticipatory Set” above)
2. Before reading, TTW review vocabulary words and their definitions with the students.
TTW have Group C (higher-leveled readers) turn to the index on page 15 for definitions of
words.
3. TTW show the students a map of the world and ask them to find the U.S. and the state
in which they live (Virginia).
4. TTW show students where Africa is on the world map.
5. TTW review the map on page 4 and ask both Group C (higher-leveled readers) and
Group A (lower-leveled readers) to determine if there are more savannas in Northern
Africa or Southern Africa. TTW point out Uganda (the country the pictures are from) to
Group A but ask Group C to see if they can find Uganda on the map.
4. TTW review page 7 with both groups. TSW answer the questions on the page aloud
(How tall is the giraffe? How tall is the horse? How tall is the man?) Both groups will also
answer the following question: About how much taller is the giraffe than the man?
5. TTW ask students to read different sections of the text. Struggling students will read
longer.
6. TTW ask what the main idea of the text is. (Ex: Giraffes are unique/interesting
creatures or Africa is full of interesting animals such as giraffes, etc.).TSW provide
supporting details for their main idea(s).
7. TTW ask students to compare/contrast giraffes, tick birds, and lions.
9. TTW ask students what they learned in order to complete the K-W-L chart.
10. TTW model how to complete the worksheet.
11. TSW fill out their “What I Learned About Giraffes” worksheets on their own.

1 min. *Modeling
The teacher will model how to complete the “Learned” part of the K-W-L chart and guide
students on how to read maps and charts and use the glossary (Group C students only) to
their advantage.
*Check for Understanding
The teacher will ask students questions to check for understanding.

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 *Guided Practice
Students will read the text with the teacher’s guidance.

*Independent Practice
Students will take turns reading on their own and will occasionally be called on to answer
questions. Students will also complete worksheets on their own about what they have
learned about giraffes.
5 min. Assessment
Students will fill out the “What I Learned About…” worksheets and the teacher will
review/grade for completion and understanding. Furthermore, the teacher will check to
see if every student can verbally state the main idea and supporting details.
2 min. *Closure
If time permits, the lesson will end with students sharing what they have learned about
giraffes. Otherwise, the lesson will close with students writing about what they have
learned about giraffes.

Differentiation Strategies (enrichment, accommodations, remediation, or by learning style).

Enrichment – Higher-leveled readers (Group C) will have more advanced version of the text and
more difficult vocabulary and questions.

• Group C’s vocab. words:

1. Nibble
2. Preen
3. Mammals
4. Blunt (type of horn)
5. Savanna
6. Predators
7. Camouflage

Accommodations – Lower-leveled readers (Group A) will have a basic version of the text and
appropriate vocabulary and questions for their reading levels.

• Group A’s vocab. words:

1. Beasts
2. Handy
3. Itches
4. Nibble
5. Preen
6. Puddles

Remediation – I will review answers to questions as necessary.

Learning Styles:

Visual – Objectives, vocabulary, and questions will be written on the whiteboard, and the text is full
of graphs and charts to look at.

Auditory – Questions will be asked aloud and students will hear their peers read and they will
read, too.

Kinesthetic – Students can follow along with their fingers to the book while their classmates read
McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
and they can touch and hold the pictures I will provide.

Classroom Management Issues (optional)

Students will be sitting close to one another at the guided reading table. Some students may get
annoyed with students who read slower or be impatient and say mean things. This is something to
look out for. Furthermore, students may bump elbows or kick each other underneath the table. This
is usually not an issue, but if it were to happen, I would call the students out on their bad choices
and/or ask the trouble-making student(s) to sit at their desks.
Lesson Critique. To be completed following the lesson. Did your students meet the objective(s)? What part
of the lesson would you change? Why?

*Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.

Intern Signature Cooperating Teacher Signature Date

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015