NAME OF STUDENT: Victoria Staker SCHOOL: West Middle Island

CHILD STUDY COURSE: CS 414 DATE OF LESSON: 02/08/2021

COOPERATING TEACHER: Mrs. Alexandre GRADE: 2nd GROUP SIZE: 22
SPECIFIC LESSON: Chinese New Year/ Opinion Writing
CURRICULUM AREA: Social Studies/ English Language Arts

Central Focus:
Expand knowledge base about other holidays or events, traditions and cultures in different parts
of the world.

Learning Objective:
• Students will formulate an opinion statement about a trait from their Chinese zodiac year,
including a minimum of three reasons of support.
• When sharing with a partner, the students will elaborate their reasoning in order to create
a strong argument.
• Students will build upon their knowledge of holidays or events, and traditions of other
cultures.

NYS Common Core Standard(s):

Social Studies
Concept 1: My community and region today
2.1.2: Urban, suburban, and rural communities differ from place to place.
2.1.3: Events, people, traditions, practices, and ideas make up my urban, suburban, or
rural community.
Concept 6: Symbols of Citizenship
2.6.2: People living in urban rural, and suburban communities celebrate various holidays.
Writing
Text Types and Purposes
W.2.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing
about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g.,
because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or
section.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.2.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2
topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

Rationale:
Previously, the students have been learning about different holidays or events, different
traditions, and different cultures in different places in the world. The students have also been
developing opinions and elaborating their reasoning. In the lesson, the students will be able to
further their knowledge and learn about the Chinese New Year and create an opinion piece about
a trait from their Chinese Zodiac year, including three reasons of supports. In the future, the
students will have a deeper understanding about other holidays, events, traditions, and/or cultures
in different parts of the world. The students will also be able to argue their opinion statements.
Materials:
• Smartboard
• Dragon picture on Smartboard
• Chinese New Year presentation
• Chinese New Year flipbook
• 2013 Year of the Snake characteristics chart paper
• Teacher Easel
• Opinion piece graphic organizer
• Opinion piece final copy paper (without dotted lines)
• Opinion piece final copy paper (with dotted lines)
• Pencil

Development/Procedures:
Introduction/Motivation Instructional Strategies:
To begin the lesson, the teacher will explain to the class that they have been learning about
different holidays or events, traditions, and cultures in various parts of the world. Then, the
teacher will present a picture of a dragon on the Smartboard and ask the class, “Does anyone
know what this is a picture of?” “Does anyone know anything about the Chinese New Year?”
The teacher will allow for students to raise their hand and share anything they might know about
the picture and Chinese New Year. The teacher will explain to the class that they will be learning
more about the Chinese New Year. “Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of a new year
and includes tons of celebrations and traditional activities, such as dancing dragons, exchanging
red envelopes, and setting off fireworks.”

Instructional Strategies:
1. To introduce the Chinese New Year, the teacher will share a presentation on the
Smartboard with some background information. The teacher will also hand-out a Chinese
New Year flipbook containing information from the presentation, so the students can
follow along.
2. The teacher will go through the presentation and ask questions based upon what is read.
a. Slide 3: Does anybody know what country this is? (China) Does anyone know
what continent China is in? (Asia)
b. Slide 6: Does anybody have any traditions that they do with their families? Such
as eating different foods for different holidays?
3. From slide 12 to slide 14, there are multiple-choice questions in which the teacher will
read the question and the students will recall information from the presentation or use
their flipbooks to answer the question. The teacher will read off the answers and the
students will raise their hand if they think that choice is the answer. The teacher will call
on students to elaborate their reasoning.
4. On slide 15, the teacher will read the discussion question (What are some ways that
people celebrate the Chinese New Year?) and the students will recall information from
the presentation or use their flipbooks to find an answer. The teacher will call on students
and ask them to elaborate their reasoning.
5. After the presentation, the teacher will say, “Everyone in the class is born in 2012 or
2013. So, Dylan is born in 2012 and 2012 is the year of the dragon and some of his
characteristics are; power, honor, luck, success, strong and independent.” While walking
 over to the easel, the teacher will say, “Everyone else is born in 2013, so 2013 is the year
of the snake. Some characteristics include; calm, thoughtful, wise, mysterious, caring,
intelligent, kind, observant and loyal.”
6. The teacher will explain that for the assignment, the students will choose a trait from their
Chinese Zodiac year list, whether that’s the dragon or the snake and write an opinion
statement as to why they think that trait describes them the best. The teacher will explain
that they need to include an introduction statement, three reasons of support, and a
concluding statement.
7. The teacher will hand out a graphic organizer to the students to organize their opinion
statement and reasoning.
8. When the students are done with the graphic organizer, the teacher will come around the
check their work. The teacher will hand the students a final copy paper once the graphic
organizer is checked so the students can write their final draft of their opinion piece.

Academic Language:
• Chinese New Year
• Zodiac
• Characteristic/Trait

Differentiation:
• Work closely with students needing extra support to help them in their opinion piece
writing.
• Provide students with dotted lined paper for handwriting to help the students form their
letters correctly.
• For the students who need enrichment, the teacher will ask the students to provide more
details in the writing, such as twin sentences.

Technology Component:
Technology will be incorporated into the lesson through use of the classroom Smartboard. The
Smartboard will be used to present a picture of a dragon for the motivational activity and to
present a slideshow about Chinese New Year. The students will also answer the multiple choice
questions and discussion question presented on the Smartboard.

Closure:
As closure, when the student’s opinion pieces are completed, the students will share with a
partner their opinion pieces and elaborate their reasoning in order to create a strong argument.

Assessment:
Informal: During the presentation, the students will participate in the class discussion and
questions. As the students are writing their opinion pieces, the teacher will walk around the
classroom and make sure the students are on task. The teacher will also walk around and check if
the students need any help, assisting if needed.
Formal: The teacher will check the student’s graphic organizer in order to move onto their final
copy of their opinion piece.

Re-engagement:
For any student(s) who did not understand the lesson, the teacher will have the student(s) work in
small groups or one-on-one. The teacher will break down the lesson completely and explain what
a trait or characteristic is. The teacher will ask the student(s) what trait or characteristic describes
them the best. When the student(s) have the characteristic, the teacher will ask them why they
think that characteristic describes them. The students will put their reasoning in the graphic
organizer. If the students are having difficulty with writing their opinion on paper, the teacher
will have them cut and paste their graphic organizer into the format they want.

Chinese New Year Dragon Picture

Chinese New Year Flipbook
Pages 1 and 2

Pages 3 and 4

Pages 5 and 6
Chinese New Year Presentation

Slide 1

Slide 2

Slide 3
Slide 4

Slide 5

Slide 6
Slide 7

Slide 8

Slide 9
Slide 10

Slide 11

Slide 12
Slide 13

Slide 14

Slide 15
Slide 16

Opinion Piece Graphic Organizer

Opinion Piece Final Copy Paper (with dotted lines)

Opinion Piece Final Copy Paper (without dotted lines)