T&L Instructional Plan Template

(Updated 4/17/15)
(edTPA Aligned)

Overview
The information included in this document is to support faculty in teaching about and supporting students with
the T&L (and edTPA) Instructional Plan. While there are many variations of lesson plans, this format meets
departmental requirements and is aligned with the 2014 edTPA as well.

Background Information (When doing the actual edTPA, leave out identifiers)

Teacher Candidate: Sarah Shurm Date: September 18, 2018

Cooperating Teacher: Breezy Gosney Grade: 2nd
School District: Central Valley School District School: Liberty Creek Elementary
University Supervisor: Lori White
Unit/Subject: Writing
Instructional Plan Title/Focus: Writing Stories

Section 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment

a. Instructional Plan Purpose: Teacher candidates explain how this instructional plan develops students’
conceptual understanding of overall content goals. This is sometimes also called a “rationale” and
includes a “what, why, how” general statement (see also Central Focus in edTPA)

Additionally, explain where in a unit this lesson would be taught. What lesson topic came prior to this
one (yesterday) and what related lesson will come after this one (tomorrow)?

This instructional plan develops students’ conceptual understanding of overall content goals by providing them
with the opportunity to practice their “Turn to Your Partner” skills, collaborative conversation skills, narrative
writing skills as well as their listening skills. As this writing lesson takes place during the second full week of
the school year, practicing and establishing collaborative and listening skills is crucial for success in writing.
Before students are set free to work independently and in small groups, the teacher will model both good and
poor examples of “Turn to Your Partner”. This lesson will be taught on Day 2 of Week 2. Prior to this lesson,
students will have read “About Donald Crews” and will have discussed Donald Crews’ method for finding story
ideas by sketching things they see. The day prior to this lesson, students will have walked around the school and
drawn sketches of things they found around the school. Following this writing lesson, students will practice
using Donald Crews’ technique to write stories about fun things they do with their families.

b. State/National Learning Standards: Teacher candidates identify relevant grade level concepts/content
and align them to Content Standards—Common Core Standards or Washington State EALRs, or
National.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8
Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1.a
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others
with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1

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 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers
and adults in small and larger groups.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include
details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide
a sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.3
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

c. Content Objectives (to be copied in Assessment Chart below) and alignment to State Learning
Standards:

1. SWBAT…begin working with partners

Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1

2. SWBAT…learn and practice “Turn to Your Partner”

Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1

3. SWBAT…contribute to a shared story

Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1.a

4. SWBAT…write a story about one of their sketches

Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3

5. SWBAT…work independently during Writing Time

Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1.a

Language Objectives:
1. SWBAT…contribute to a shared story
Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.3

2. SWBAT…learn and practice “Turn to Your Partner”

Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.3

3. SWBAT…manage time efficiently so that they have time to both share and listen to their partners ideas
Aligned standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.3

d. Previous Learning Experiences: Teacher candidates should explain what students know and have
learned that is relevant to the current lesson topic and process.

Prior to this lesson, students will have read the article, “About Donald Crews” and will have discussed Donald
Crews’ method for finding story ideas by sketching things they see. Students will have had practice sharing their
ideas aloud with their class and table partners and have also had opportunities to free write about topics of their
choosing. Students will have completed a handful of beginners writing prompts accompanied by an illustration
of their own. Students have been told the importance of using descriptive words in their writing to best ensure
their readers understand how their illustration is connected to their writing.

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 e. Planning for Student Learning Needs (accommodations, student experiences, prior learning and
experiences):

If students are unfamiliar with “Turn to Your Partner”, this lesson may require an extended class period spent
teaching and familiarizing students with this procedure. If they are already familiar with this procedure and
remember doing a similar procedure in first grade and kindergarten, teacher will not need to model “Turn to
Your Partner”. Instead, teacher will only need to remind the students of the expectations. If while walking
around and observing student interactions the teacher notices several individuals whom do not seem to
understand this procedure, teacher will go over and model how to correctly do so one-on-one. Questions are
asked prior to students turning to a partner because this allows all students a chance to hear and consider the
question before moving to face their partners. When it comes time to write a story from a sketch, the teacher can
model illustrating a story, using a sketch as a model. If students seem to be struggling to write a story from their
illustration, the teacher can help the student refresh their memory of the part of the school they choose to
illustrate and help inspire details they could consider adding to their stories.

f. Assessment Strategies (Informal and formal)

Teacher candidates should attach questions, worksheets, tests or any additional documentation related to
their assessment strategies, including accommodations or modifications for students with disabilities as
stated in their IEPs. They may also attach appropriate marking rubrics, criteria lists, expectations, answer
keys, etc. Consideration for multiple means of expression should occur here. That is, how will teacher
candidates allow for K-12 students to express their learning in different ways? Will K-12 students be
given some choice?

Content/Language Objectives Assessment Strategies (Formal/Informal)

SWBAT…begin working with partners
SWBAT…learn and practice “Turn to Your
Partner”
SWBAT…contribute to a shared story
SWBAT…write a story about one of their
sketches
SWBAT…work independently during
Informal: Students will practice “Turn and Talk” with
assigned writing partner. Teacher will watch students as
they turn and talk with their partner and will listen for
respectful, responsible, on task conversations.
Informal: Students will practice “Turn and Talk” with
assigned writing partner. Teacher will watch students as
they turn and talk with their partner and will listen for
respectful, responsible, on task conversations.
Informal: At the beginning of the lesson, students will be
asked “What is something you like about school?” and
will be directed to practice sharing their answers using
the “Turn and Talk” method. Students will have to
manage their time responsible to make sure that both get
to share during their allotted “Turn and Talk” time. After
their talk time is up, students will be called on to share
with the class their partners ideas. This will show the
teacher that students were also listening during the “Turn
and Talk” time and were respectful to their partners.
Informal: Student will choose from a variety of writing
papers the one they feel is most at their level of writing.
They will then begin writing a story from one of their
sketches. As there are no rules regarding story length
during this lesson, the teacher will assess whether
students are meeting this learning target by conferencing
with students during writing time as well as walking
around the class to look at student work.
Informal: Students will be told and will understand that
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Writing Time writing time is a “Zero” voice level time. Teacher will
monitor this learning target/objective by observing the
class to look for responsible and independent working
students. When students are quietly writing and working
on their stories, the teacher will know that students are
meeting this learning target/objective.
Language Objectives
SWBAT…contribute to a shared story Informal: At the beginning of the lesson, students will be
asked “What is something you like about school?” and
will be directed to practice sharing their answers using
the “Turn and Talk” method. Students will have to
manage their time responsible to make sure that both get
to share during their allotted “Turn and Talk” time. After
their talk time is up, students will be called on to share
with the class their partners ideas. This will show the
teacher that students were also listening during the “Turn
and Talk” time and were respectful to their partners.

SWBAT…learn and practice “Turn to Your
Partner”
SWBAT…manage time efficiently so that
they have time to both share and listen to
their partners ideas
(Add rows as needed)
Informal: Students will practice “Turn and Talk” with
assigned writing partner. Teacher will watch students as
they turn and talk with their partner and will listen for
respectful, responsible, on task conversations.
Informal: Teacher will give students one minute to let
students “Turn and Talk” with their partner about what
they like about school. Teacher will not tell students
when to switch partners, but rather will let them try this
on their own. After the minute is up, teacher will ask
students if both partners got a chance to share. Students
will show how well they managed their time by showing
thumbs up, thumbs sideways or thumbs down. Teacher
can assess how well the class met this objective by
looking at what types of thumbs most students put up.

*In the right column, describe whether the assessment you’ll collect is informal or formal. Note: most
assessment is considered formative when thinking about day-to-day lessons. Summative is related to
mastery. An exception might be having a “formal” quiz mid-way in a unit to assure that students are on
track with a certain degree of proficiency. Should the quiz indicate students are not progressing, and
adjustment of timing in the instructional “unit” will be required.

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g. Student Voice: Student voice is a term used to describe students expressing their understanding of their
own learning process. For your lesson, respond to the three required components of student voice and
identify how students will reflect and/or communicate on their learning or progress toward meeting the
goals. (Use the following table.)

Student-based evidence to be Description of how students

K-12 students will be able to:
students: journals, exit slips, self-
1. Explain student learning
targets and what is required to
meet them (including why
they are important to learn).
2. Monitor their own learning
progress toward the learning
targets using the tools
provided (checklists, rubrics,
etc.).
3. Explain how to access
resources and additional
support when needed (and
how/why those resources will
help them).
collected (things produced by
assessments, work samples,
projects, papers, etc.)
Story about student’s sketch
Story about student’s sketch
Story about student’s sketch
will reflect on their learning.
Students will be able to
reflect on the learning target,
“I can write stories about a
sketch”, and will be able to
show their understanding of
this through production of
their story. Students will be
able to monitor their learning
progress by their ability to
write roughly 3-5 sentences
about their sketch
As there is no rubric or
required number of
sentences the students were
asked to write, students will
be able to monitor their
learning progress by staying
on task and responsibly
working to get at least 1-2
sentences started.
Students will also show they
are able to access resources
and additional support when
they are able to correctly
locate the class writing paper
and choose an appropriate
level of writing paper.
Students that quietly raise
their hand when they have a
question or practice the “ask
two before me” method if
they have a question about
spelling a word will also
show meeting of this
standard

h. Grouping of Students for Instruction: Describe why, how, and where in the lesson students will be
divided into groups, if applicable (e.g., "why" could be to support language learners, for reciprocal
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 teaching, and/or to use jigsaw, and "how" might include random, ability-based, interest, social purposes,
etc.). Recognize that some lessons or parts of a lesson may call for grouped work or individualized work
or both.

To begin the lesson, students will all meet at the carpet to discuss the lesson and behavior expectations. This
conversation is done in a whole group setting to ensure all students hear the same directions and all understand
what is expected of them. While at the carpet, students will be sitting next to their previously assigned learning
partners. While at the carpet with their learning partners, students will be given the chance to practice “Turn to
Your Partner” with the question, “What do you like to do at school?” After giving the student pairs a chance to
practice, teacher will explain that they will have several opportunities to turn to their partners to discuss their
thinking today. Later in the lesson, students work individually during Silent Write time to write a story to tell
about one of their sketches from the day prior. It is important that this task is done individually because it allows
the students to produce their own ideas and gives the teacher a resource to see where they are at regarding their
writing level.

Section 2: Instruction and Engaging Students in Learning

a. Introduction: Teacher candidates identify how they are going to introduce the concept, skill or task in a
way that gains students’ attention and gets them involved (the lesson “hook”).

“Good morning writers! Today, we are going to be working in partners and practice the “Turn to Your
Partner” method that we practiced a bit yesterday. In our classroom writing community, you will often be
asked to talk in pairs about your thinking and writing. Today, we are going to get the opportunity to practice
responsibly and respectfully turning and talking with our learning partners. Today we will also be choosing
one of our sketches from yesterday that we made during our walk around the school and turning it into a
story! I am so excited for today’s learning!”

b. Questions: Questions teacher candidate will ask during the lesson that drive thinking and learning and
engagement (5 or more questions) and in parentheses, indicate Bloom level and/or question type to
ensure that you are posing questions that push critical thinking and engagement (e.g.
Analysis/Divergent)

1. What do you like to do at school?

2. Did you and your partner both get to talk?
3. What can you do next time to be sure you both get time to talk?
4. What other responsible things did you do during Writing Time?
5. How did (making sure you had extra paper help your writing/you work well with your classmates?

c. Learning Activities: Describe what the teacher will do and say, and students will do during the lesson.
Write it as a procedural set of steps in the left column of table below. On the right, refer to a supporting
learning theory or principle driving that activity and/or your rationale for doing what you are doing.

Prompts for right hand column—supporting theories/principles. In the right column, use references from
texts, research/peer reviewed journals, or other learning theories to support your choice of activities. You
might draw from your 301 and/or your methods courses here.
o Connections between students’ own lives, experiences, cultures, interests and the content.

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o Active learning over passive learning (e.g. SCI Learning Experiences ladder—simulation over
verbal)
o Theoretical support for learning activities (e.g. Culturally responsive strategy, or processing)
o Multiple means of representation for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of engagement for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of expression of learning by the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Accommodations and modifications for students with diverse needs, including those with disabilities
(as stated in their IEPs)
o How the teacher candidate will assess the learning of the students (from table above)

(Add rows as needed)

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Learning Steps and Activities
Example: Transition from introduction by asking
students to look at “inputs” and in pairs, create a
list of additional community assets/contributions
(inputs) for social change diagram. Circulate
around groups to observe students’ progress.
Introduction: “Good morning writers! I am so
excited for writing today! When I notice the first
quiet table group is ready for learning, I will call
table groups down to the carpet one at a time!
When I call your table group down to the carpet,
please bring with you your paper of sketches from
yesterdays trip around the school. Remember that
you can find your sketches in your purple writing
folder. When you get to the carpet, please practice
sitting with your learning partners! We will be
spending more time today practicing “Turn and
Talk”. (*teacher calls table groups down to carpet
one at a time and wait to continue until all students
are sitting quietly with their learning partners,
ready to listen to further directions*)
Supporting Theories/Principles
(Why are you doing what you are doing?)
Supports multiple means of engagement and
allowing students to generate their own inputs
from experience; is more culturally responsive
than teacher generated ideas only.
Piaget’s Schema Theory. This theory discusses
the importance of understanding what students
already know and using this to shape their
lesson. During this part of the lesson, the teacher
understands that students already understand
how to “Turn and Talk” with their learning
partners and is using this knowledge to shape an
extension that allows them to practice time
management and responsibility during “Turn and
Talk” time.

Carpet Discussion: “Thank you for all coming to Vygotsky’s Importance of Language Theory.
the carpet so responsibly and quietly! Do you This theory discusses the importance of allowing
remember practicing “Turn and Talk” yesterday students to talk through a problem or concept
within our learning partners?” *students should with a partner or small group
nod yes* “Great! Today we are going to practice
“Turn and Talk” again but this time, rather than me
giving you the que that it is time to switch roles
regarding who is speaking and who is listening, I
am going to give you the chance to see if you can
manage your time efficiently and responsibly and
let you decide when to switch roles. I am going to
give you one minute to talk, and it is your job to
make sure each learning partner gets a chance to
share their ideas! The question I want you to talk
about during this one minute is, “What do you like
about school? Any questions?...

Okay! Ready? Start talking!” (*teacher waits one

full minute before stopping students’ discussions*)
“Classy Class!” (*students respond “Yessy yes!*) Bloom’s Theory of Taxonomy of Thinking deals
“Okay! How did that go? Did each learning partner with memory and reasoning and focuses on
get a chance to share their ideas? Show me a silent comprehension, analysis and evaluation.
thumbs up if you both had enough time to talk, a
thumb sideways if one person felt rushed to get
their ideas out before the minute was up, and a
thumbs down to show me that one learning partner
did not have any time to share their ideas. Great! It
looks like most of you are giving me a thumbs up!
I am so proud of you for responsibly managing
your time during “Turn and Talk. Would anyone
like to share what they like about school?”
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(*teacher can take 3-5 responses from students.
Teacher will also ask students to share what their
learning partner likes about school to tell that they
 b. Closure: Closure is the signal to students that the lesson is now coming to an end. In closure, teachers
review the learning targets (what was taught) for the day and refocus on what is important.

“Alright writers let’s return to the carpet to discuss todays learning! If you are feeling extra proud of your story
and would like to share your work, please bring it with you to the carpet. I will choose three students randomly
to share their stories with the class!” *once all students are at carpet* “I really loved seeing you working
respectfully and responsible today. I noticed several pairs of students practicing “Turn and Share” and listened
in on numerous on-topic conversations today. (without mentioning any of the student’s names, teacher would
describe several other responsible behaviors they noticed during Writing Time, and then ask…) “What other
responsible things did you do during Writing Time?” *Students responses may vary* “Those all sound like
excellent examples of responsible behavior. Thank you all for being such responsible second graders during
writing today. We covered a lot of new material that I am excited to continue practicing all year long! It is now
time to return to our desks and put our stories in our purple writing folders!

c. Independent Practice: Describe how students will extend their experiences with the content and
demonstrate understanding in a new and different context (perhaps even outside of the classroom).
Include possible family interaction (identify at least one way in which you might involve students’
families in this instructional plan.)

At the end of the lesson, the teacher will encourage the students to look around wherever they are – at
home, at the park, at the grocery store – to find things that interest them. Teacher will invite students to
sketch these images and write stories about them to share with the class. Teacher will explain to students
that if students wish to do so, they will be given an opportunity to share their favorite story and sketch
from the week during Fun Friday that week. Students will be required to get a parent signature by a
parent or guardian prior to sharing their story with the class. Students will need to check their spelling
and grammar with their parents before parent can give signature. This allows parents to read their
students work and gives them a resource to feel involved in their children’s learning.

d. Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology: Attach a copy of ALL materials the teacher and
students will use during the lesson; e.g., handouts, worksheets, multi-media tools, and any assessment
materials utilized.

- Model sketch from Day 1

- Writing/drawing chart (WA3) for modeling
- Writing/drawing paper for the students
- “Class Assessment Record” sheet (CA2)

e. Acknowledgements: Acknowledge your sources

Being a Writer: Second Edition (Second ed., Vol. 1). (2014). Alemeda, CA: Center for the Collaborative
Classroom.