Lesson Plan Reflection #2

Bailey Riddick

UED 496

28 February 2022
 Lesson Plan Reflection #2

This lesson focused fictional texts and using text evidence to understand the characters,

settings, plot, and theme of the story. The lesson centers around the story A Day’s Work by Eve

Bunting, but also requires students to look at a Pixar Short to better determine and recognize

theme using the events of the story. My lesson supports the Language Arts SOL 3.5: “The

student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction, and

poetry. Students will identify the narrator of the story, ask and answer questions about what is

read, draw conclusions using the text for support, identify the conflict and resolution, and

identify the theme” (Virginia Department of Education, 3.5 f-j, 2017). Throughout this lesson,

there is use of culturally responsive teaching and media resource competencies that give

substance and detail to my lesson.

Culturally responsive learning focuses on teaching students through cultural references

and discussions by diverse authors, literature, and language (Burnham, 2020). In today’s

classroom, diversity has become not only the norm, but an expected and encouraged part of the

curriculum. This type of teaching can help students learn about other cultures and traditions and

help teachers promote a diverse and inclusive community that looks at differences in a positive

light. This lesson’s literary text, A Day’s Work, tells of the story of Francisco and his Abuelo, or

grandfather. The book contains Spanish words throughout (muy bonita, de nada, etc.), and

includes certain parts of the Hispanic culture that are important to learn. For example, Francisco

mentions his mama’s chorizos, a type of pork sausage used in Hispanic cooking. While reading

the story and stopping at certain points, I made sure to stop and define these words to help the

students have a better understanding of the events and background of the story. In A Day’s

Work, Francisco is trying to find work for him and his Abuelo, who is new to California and
does not speak English. Therefore, Francisco must translate for him, which gets the pair into a

tough situation. Francisco is not honest about his grandfather’s skills as a gardener, so when

they are hired for a job, they pull the flowers instead of the weeds. Not only did we discuss the

theme of the story (honesty), but we looked at Abuelo and what he must be feeling, being in a

new country, not knowing the language or culture. We talked about how we would feel, and

what we might do if we were in Abuelo’s shoes. This lesson allowed me to use a story about a

different culture and use it to relate to the characters and the plot. Applying culturally responsive

teaching helped me give the students context and a better understanding of the story.

This lesson also included aspects of media resources to give students a good variety of

instruction. Technology integration in the classroom “creates pathways for differentiated

instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader classroom

climate” (Drexel University School of Education, 2022). During the lesson, the students were

able to view the story on the Smart Board as I read the story aloud. This gave them an

opportunity to view the illustrations and the text in bigger font so they could follow along. This

was differentiated as some students who struggle with reading or auditory could listen, and those

students who are more visual can see the illustrations and words play out. After the students read

the story, I used a graphic organizer on the Smart Board to help the students visualize and section

off various parts of the story. By focusing on one character, the student discussed the feelings or

character traits, conflict, and major events and theme that helped the story. Using the Smart

Board allowed me to write out the graphic organizer and allowed the students to see their

discussions recorded. After this exercise, played a Disney-Pixar Short “Piper” for the students.

This was to help them see theme in a different way other than a fictional text. While is story

does have the fictional story elements, it does not have any dialogue, so the students’ job was to
pay attention to the actions of the characters to determine theme. Using this media resource was

a fun way for the students to see how to find theme through fiction. Students to struggle with

reading or are more visual were able to see a story play out so they could uncover the theme.

These factors of media resources gave me chances to differentiate my lesson and give the

students a chance to better understand the content.

My lesson overall went well as far as content, but I would do some small things

differently to improve the transitions of instruction. The students loved A Day’s Work and

continue to this day to use Spanish words in the classroom with me (Hola, si, de nada). This is

encouraging for me as it shows me that they listened and retained what we discussed. Watching

“Piper” was great for the students, and they seemed very engaged and tuned in. I could tell

quickly when we discussed the parts of the story and as I read their exit tickets that they

understood how to identify the theme. One small thing I would change is the paint swatches I

passed out had more sections than I wanted, so it threw some of the students off. I grabbed extra

from my cooperating teacher, so I would just double check them before I passed them out.

Another thing I would change is the transition of discussion and finding ways to make the first

part of the lesson livelier. As the schedule calls for language to be done in the morning, some of

the students are still tired or not as awake as they could be, so next time I want to do something a

little bit differently at the beginning to make the lesson more engaging. I made voices for the

characters, fluctuated my voice, and tried to walk around as much as I could. But while the

students were listening, they seemed tired and not as excited as they would be in the afternoon.

Based on the data shown in their exit tickets and assessments, I know many students completely

understand what theme is and how to identify it. However, there are a couple students who see

theme as a simple fact or part of the story, instead of the overall idea. These students have
improved since this lesson, but it required some more guidance and scaffolding to help the

students out. I believe this lesson was executed well, except for some small hiccups throughout

that could be changed next time.

My teaching philosophy, deeply rooted in my faith, as helped me greatly in this lesson

and completing these competencies. I believe in a student-centered classroom, knowing that

each student is an individual who learns and thinks differently than his or her peers. This lines

up with culturally responsive learning, as it pertains to teaching students through a lens of

various culture and languages. This lesson let me expand student thinking, while still staying

true to the content. I was able to see the students understand and define words that were

unknown to them before. They even practice small conversation pieces with me in Spanish. I

think that this just points to God and His amazing creation. He creates good things, and

therefore people all over the world are made in the image of God, which is very good. He loves

diversity and community, which is a beautiful picture of what heaven will be like. Paul states in

Acts that “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,

having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should

see God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him” (17:26-27, ESV). There are so

many different cultures, languages, and nations, each one different and each one special. It is

important to use this in our classrooms, as well as implement to each child that they are loved

and unique. Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (ESV). Whether in a private or public

school, this is a vital message to give to your students: that they are loved and special because of

their differences, culturally or physically.

 References

Burnham, K. (2021, March 9). Culturally responsive teaching: 5 strategies for educators .
Northeastern University Graduate Programs. Retrieved February 28, 2022, from
https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/culturally-responsive-teaching-strategies/

Crossway Books. (2011). The holy bible: English standard version (Esv), containing the old and
new testaments.

Hammrich , P. (2022). How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom. Drexel University School
of Education . Retrieved February 28, 2022, from
https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/how-to-use-technology-in-the-
classroom/

Virginia Department of Education. (2017). Standards of Learning: English Grade 3. Retrieved

from https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/index.shtml