Integrated Skills Lesson Plan

Grade: 4 Subject: Language Topic: Myths

ELL Students Present:

Xin is a new student, recently arrived from China. He was evaluated as an ESL student, with limited
English instruction before arriving in Canada. He is able to read short texts with visual supports, pre-
taught vocabulary, and high-frequency words with understanding (STEP 2). Similarly, he is able to write
simple sentences with familiar words/appropriate high-frequency words, and a framework provided by
the teacher (STEP 2). He is shy to speak in-class, and is beginning to engage in social interactions with
peers using pre-taught and high-frequency vocabulary in simple sentences (Approaching STEP 2).

There are 2 other ESL students in the classroom, Sharan (STEP 3-4 in Oral/Reading/Writing) and Ata
(STEP 6 in Oral/Reading/Writing).

Lesson Description:
Students will be reading and comparing various pourquoi stories, and create their own original
pourquoi story.

Overall Expectation:
Students will…
• Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational
texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning
• Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and
audience;

Specific Expectation(s):
Students will…
Reading
• Read a variety of texts from diverse cultures, including literary texts
• 1.6 Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge,
experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them
Writing
• 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic using a variety of strategies and resources
• 2.1 write more complex texts using a variety of forms
LESSON PLAN

Minds On:
1) Think-Pair Share: On the board, draw a porcupine
a. Ask students what animal it is write the word “Porcupine” underneath it, and draw a
label for “quills”
b. Ask students to come up with an explanation for why the porcupine has quills, and
how it uses them
2) Read-Aloud: “Why the Porcupine Has Quills” A Anishnaabe Myth
a. While reading, ask questions for clarification for any unknown words, and create a
running vocabulary list
3) Watch the video: How the Tiger Got His Stripes A Vietnamese Folktale
a. Draw two circles on the board and ask students to compare the two stories, what did
they have in common? How were they different?

Action:
1) Write “What we discovered about Pourquoi stories” on the board, and ask if students know
the word, and what language it comes from- explain that “Pourquoi stories” are old legends
told to explain why certain events happened.
2) Reader’s Theatre: Give students short pourquoi stories, and have them prepare a short
presentation of them to the class either through tableau, reenactments, or drawings
a. Stories here: https://www.worldoftales.com (e.g. Why Dog and Cat are enemies a
Chinese folktale; Why the Sun and the Moon live in the Sky a Nigergian folktale)
b. As students present their stories, continue to add onto the chart “What we
discovered…” including:
▪ The story explains why something exists
▪ It is often about nature
▪ The main characters can be animals or humans
▪ The story tells something about the people it came from and what they
believe
3) Write a pourquoi story as a class using interactive writing
a. As a class, pick an animal to do a “pourquoi” story about, and then brainstorm ideas
that start with “How…” or “Why…” (e.g. How cats got their claws; Why owls are
awake at night) vote to pick an idea
b. Model the writing process and writing strategies as you brainstorm ideas, plan, write,
and edit your story; invite students to write down their ideas

Consolidation:
1) Students will work in groups to write and present their own original pourquoi stories.
2) Divide students into groups. Distribute and review the Pourquoi Writing Rubric to help them
understand the project.
3) Distribute graphic organizer to help students brainstorm/ organize their ideas, create a
storyboard, and draft a rough copy
4) Once students have written their stories, have groups peer-edit each other’s stories to give 3
compliments and 3 critiques
5) Groups have the option of presenting their story in one of two ways: either as a skit or as an
illustrated narrative.
 Accommodations/ Modifications

• Myths may use unknown vocabulary – pre-teach essential vocabulary and/or model vocabulary-
acquisition strategies as you read
• Video of Tiger myth speaks quickly with an accent – captions should be included
• Teacher can select texts suitable to student-group reading level
• Bilingual pourquoi story texts and/or texts from various cultures and nationalities
• Groupings allow students to pick a role (e.g. actor, reader) and choices for presentation (e.g.
tableau, narrator) do not require all students to speak
• Graphic organizer includes writing scaffolds (e.g. sentence starters)

Task Part 2 - Lesson Evaluation

Criteria Rating Why was this difficult

1-5
(1=weak,
5=strong)

Student learning is scaffolded to be able to perform the 4

intended task independently

Selected texts set the right challenges for students (not too 2 In a group setting, it is difficult to select a text that
easy/too hard to comprehend) is at once not too easy or too hard for all students.

Prior knowledge is activated by reviewing academic sub skills 1 This was difficult because I am not sure where this
learned so far lesson falls in the grand scheme of things

A multicultural and/or ecological perspective is addressed in the 4

lesson

Opportunities are provided for students to further their 4

understanding of the content through collaborative oral
language interaction

Students are given writing supports to help them engage in the 5

writing process (e.g. graphic organizers)

Promote recall of content learning through interactive writing 3 I included interactive writing in the modelling part
of my lesson, but I wasn’t sure how to integrate
recall of content learning as well.

Feedback from the teacher, peers, and self-reflection are 4

embedded throughout the writing process

Integration of speaking, listening, reading, and writing in literacy 3 I have a lot of reading and writing in the literacy
tasks task, but I found it difficult to design rich tasks that
also included speaking and listening apart from
interactions within the group.

Opportunities for students to represent their voice/identity in 3 I felt this was difficult to include in a group setting,
their work are provided although creating their own story is a way of
representing their voice.