Teacher Education Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Ashlee Dillingham Date: 03/02/2021

Title of Lesson: Informative Writing Grade: 4th
Performance Task Day 1

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Language Arts
Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills (SOL)
ELA.4.1.1
ELA.4.6.2
ELA.4.7.1

Lesson objectives
TSW:
-Students will reflect on what they know about informative/explanatory writing. Students are introduced to the
topic of the performance task, watch and discuss two videos, and take notes on an article.

Students will read and discuss an article about the challenges of space travel. Students write notes on their graphic
organizers as they collect information.

Materials/Resources
Mars in a Minute: Is Mars Red Hot?, video
Mars in a Minute: How Do You Get to Mars?, video
Mars: Exploring a New Frontier,
The Challenges of Space Travel
Scaffolded Note-Taking Graphic Organizer
Safety (if applicable)
N/A

Time
(min.) Process Components
3 min. *Anticipatory Set
TTW state, “Today we are going to begin our Performance Task and our trip to Mars!
Remember, this performance task will show how much you have grown as great
readers and writers!”

TTW review what a performance task is and why students must complete them.

This activity activates prior knowledge and also introduces the lesson components.”
*State the Objectives (grade-level terms). The student should be able to say:

1 to 2 I can read and gather information about a given topic.

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 min.
7 min. *Instructional Input or Procedure
TTW then introduce the Performance Task’s directions for the next few days and emphasize
today’s steps.

TTW state, “Now when we think about informative nonfiction writing, what makes it
informative? TSW answer verbally and afterward TTW state, “Now, what makes a good paper?”
TTW display the Informative Writing Anchor Chart for students to review:

TTW introduce the topic of Mars and display the Mars in a Minute: Is Mars Red Hot?, video and the
Mars in a Minute: How Do You Get to Mars?, video
two videos on the SmartBoard screen for students to view. TTW then ask after each video,
“What have we learned about Mars so far?”

TTW pass out the blank and scaffolded article notes as the students are discussing what they
have learned from each video.

TTW state, “Now that we have a little bit of Mars facts, it’s time to jump into our research
articles for today! I will read this aloud as we go through this together, but remember,
performance task sources for you to read will normally be done on your own!”

5 min. *Modeling
TTW model identifying key details for notes in the article text by displaying the blank graphic
organizer on the document camera and reading to stop at each paragraph to underline and
write down important notes.
2-3 *Check for Understanding
min. TTW ask students questions based on the text during “Stop and Think” sessions to assess
understanding.

After “That leaves Mars, the closest planet to Earth.” TTW ask, “What did we learn about
exploring space or surviving on Mars in our first chunk of text?”

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 Repeat above after stopping on “...harmful solar radiation.” and “next step in exploring Mars is
to send humans there.”

15 *Guided Practice
min.
TTW review and re-Read the article aloud. TTW pause after each paragraph and the same
designated sections to model and discuss as a class some of the key details and allow students
to add to their note organizer.

TTW stop and ask in the middle of the article, “What important notes have we pulled so far?”

TTW also state, “Remember, we are looking for details we can pull that relate to space travel
and space capsules before we make it to Mars.”

TSW add to their organizer.

15 *Independent Practice
min. TSW complete the note organizer section.

As an extension, the TTW review the second research article for Day 2 of the
performance task and TSW then complete the next article by reading the text,
highlighting important information, and gathering research notes onto their graphic
organizer
5 min. Assessment (formal or informal)
TTW ask the students “What did we learn overall about traveling in space?” and TSW answer
promptly.
3 min. *Closure
TTW ask, “Why do you think it is a good idea to read a source, like our article
today, more than once?” and TSW answer voluntarily.

TTW then state, “Tomorrow we will fly into the challenges of exploring Mars
without an airplane! Then, we will be back into our space capsule as we will use
all of our information gathered from our two article sources to answer some
research questions about our destination!”

TTW present students the opportunity to ask any questions not recorded in the informal
assessment to answer and review.

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

For visual learners, the Anticipatory set and instruction allows students to interact with the learning
targets to enhance comprehension of the performance task. Students on lower academic levels may
have scaffolded note organizers, question stems, or read alouds for other components of the lesson.
Classroom Management Issues (optional)
Students may become inattentive or distracted during guided practice and instruction, therefore TTW
refocus the class before disruptions occur.
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.

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
 3/02/2021
Intern Signature Cooperating Teacher Signature Date

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