Literacy Lesson Plan and Commentary Assignment Description

Spring 2024
Purpose

To use developmentally appropriate assessments, instructional strategies, and teaching

materials within an integrated elementary school curriculum to foster students’ reading
and writing. This assignment is also an opportunity to earn 200 final grade points.

Directions

Students will identify developmentally appropriate literacy standards, instructional

objectives, assessment tools, instructional strategies, and teaching materials to plan and
document one 45-minute comprehensive literacy lesson. Students will use the Common
Core Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) posted on their CIED 321 Blackboard
to plan their targeted lesson. The lesson must include only one ELA lesson objective
that:
a. Aligns with ONE grade appropriate ELA learning standard.
b. May align with ONE grade appropriate Culturally Responsive Teaching
and Leading learning standard.
c. Utilizes a comprehension or composition strategy for learning and
communicating
d. Includes instruction in related skills of reading foundations,
speaking/listening, or language summarized by the seven literacy areas
studied in this course and included in the Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts and Literacy.
i. Writing Composition
ii. Vocabulary and Word Study
iii. Phonemic Awareness and Word Study
iv. Phonics and Word Study
v. Spelling and Word Study
vi. Reading Fluency
vii. Reading Comprehension

A subsequent learning standard and objective may be added to the lesson if the teaching
and learning sequence includes social studies or science content. However, all assessment
tools for the lesson will be chosen for pre-assessment, formative assessment, and
summative assessment of essential literacy strategies (comprehension or composition)
and related literacy skills that align with one Common Core ELA standard.

The lesson must include only ONE literacy objective and assessment plan for students’
learning of the target Common Core ELA standard. The chosen ELA standard must be
edited to show what part of the standard will be addressed in the lesson. The stated
objective(s) must include three parts: A Audience (who? student will…or I can...), B-
Behavior (What? observable and measurable literacy strategy and language function), C-
Conditions (How? assessment tool description, context description, criteria for
assessment. The literacy lesson must also include specific reference to diagnostic pre-
assessments of learning that may be used prior to the lesson, formative assessment of
learning used during the lesson, and summative assessments of learning used after the
lesson.

The behavior portion of an objective should reference the essential literacy strategy and
language function demand that will occur in the lesson. In primary literacy, the
language function refers to a verb that best describes how students will use language to
communicate. Krathwahl’s or Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs such as identify, analyze,
summarize, define, explain, conclude, justify, compare, sort are often used by literacy
educators to describe the cognitive level at which students are expected to communicate.
The essential literacy strategy refers to:
a. the comprehension strategy used to comprehend what is read (i.e.
predicting, questioning, drawing inferences, identifying important
information, summarizing, monitoring…see TRW textbook pages 9-12).
b. the composition strategy used to compose what should be written (i.e.
prewrite, draft, consult, revise, edit, publish see TRW textbook pages 286-
289).

The chart below shows how the essential literacy strategy of a lesson partners with the
language demands of the lesson to describe learning behavior in a variety of objectives.
Note how the behavior can be followed by a description of learning conditions in the
form of a “by statement” that includes the learning activity, assessment tool, text
discourse, text vocabulary, and text syntax.

Language Language Function Partnered with a Comprehension Strategy to

Function Describe Expected Reading Behavior
Define ...summarize characteristics, examples and non-examples of vocabulary
Synthesize word meanings to define the vocabulary word...by [conditions including
Evaluate assessment tool, text discourse, text syntax, and text vocabulary go here]
Analyze ...identify important information in informational texts about
Explain segregation laws to explain the unearned disadvantages these laws
created...by [conditions including assessment tool, text discourse, text
syntax, and text vocabulary go here]
Apply ...visualize characters interacting in a narrative text from different points
Create of view to draw a comic strip...by [conditions including assessment tool,
text discourse, text syntax, and text vocabulary go here]

A sample objective for a literacy lesson that meets these criteria is:
 I can [actor] recall actions (language function verb) of characters to
summarize (comprehension strategy) a story [behavior] by orally retelling
(learning activity) how each goat in the narrative (discourse/text structure)
Three Billy Goats Gruff responded to a troll using general academic
vocabulary (vocabulary) in simple sentences (syntax) [context].

But of course...literacy objectives are typically summarized so that children, parents,

administrators, and other school stakeholders can understand them:
  I can [actor] recall actions of characters to summarize [behavior including
comprehension or composition strategy] a story [context].

However, for this assignment the lesson’s literacy objective must be written in full. This
practice will enable you and your collaborative partners to fully envision and summarize
expectations for the lesson you will plan, document, and teach.

Using the Literacy Lesson plan template provided in this assignment description, each
teacher candidates will generate a draft of their lesson plan. The draft will be reviewed
with the course instructor for feedback prior to lesson implementation. The draft should
include direct references to diagnostic pre-assessments that could be administered to
students prior to the lesson. These pre-assessments may be found in CIED 321 course
textbooks.

Upon lesson implementation, target, acceptable, and unacceptable work samples should
be collected and referenced in commentary responses. Confidentiality of real student
work samples must be protected by removing names and other identifying
demographics.

Template

Solutions, Solvents, and Mixtures

Part 1: Lesson Overview

Teacher Candidate: Cooperating Teacher/School/District: Date Grade

Caitlin Foster, Emily Mrs. Geluck 4/10/2024 5th
Wiegmann, Josie Tedrick, Whiteside Middle School
Rachel Henns Whiteside District

Lesson, Learning Segment and/or Unit Topic: Instruction Time: 30 minutes

Solutions, Solvents, and Mixtures
Classroom Context:
The class is filled with numerous readiness levels. All students participated in the lesson whether
it was reading, taking notes, or doing the experiment. This class enjoys reading and learning
about science, so they are very involved during this lesson. The students have been building up
their knowledge about the unit of solutions and starting to pull it all together during this lesson.
The class's strengths are they are very engaging when questions are asked but might need
assistance when some direction might not make sense to them.

Part 2a: Common Core State Standard for ELA-Literacy and/or Other Standards
Abbreviation Written Out Fully:
1. Common Core ELA standard for:
a. Science –PS-1
Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of
two or more substances results in new substance
Part 2b: Lesson Objectives
1. Reading about solutions and how they are made.
a. Reading Comprehension - Read on the topic
b. Writing Composition – Completed an activity on what a solution, what they thought
was going to happen during experiment, and their conclusion.

The students will read, discuss and analyze a reading about solutions.
Part 2c: Foundational Skills Related to Objectives
Before completing this lesson, the students should be able to reflect on the prior days lesson
about mixtures by looking back in their notes to help them. At the beginning of the lesson,
students were asked if they knew what a solution was. Some students could explain what it was
while others were unsure.

Part 3a: Assessment Plan


List of Possible Misconceptions:
 In terms of solutions and mixtures, it is very possible that students get the two
mixed up because they can’t define the difference between the two.
o This could then lead to misconceptions when forming their hypothesis and
defining what a solution is on their worksheet.

Part 3b: Planned Supports THIS SECTION WILL NOT BE PART OF THE LESSON PLAN
REQUIRED FOR CIED 321!!!! It will be included in the lesson plans you write next semester
in CIED 311 Differentiated Instruction, as well as other future methods courses. Planned
supports differentiate literacy instruction assessment plans and teaching-learning sequences for
all learners. They are also meet the needs of students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs);
plans based upon Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (504 Plans); plans for
English language learners (ELL Plans); and plans for other diverse learning needs aligned with
lesson objectives.

Part 4: Identifying Language Demands- Ways academic language is used by students.

General academic words:

Solution: The answer to a math problem or the result of a mixture from a science experiment.
Mix: Could be defined as when you mix paint in art class or in terms of science, to mix things
together to form a solution.

Subject- Specific words:

Solution: A liquid mixture in which the solute is uniformly distributed within the solvent.
Mixture: A substance made by mixing other substances together.
Homogeneous: Two things that are alike.
Heterogeneous: Two things that are different.

Discourse Demands:
Students will experience cause and effect during this experiment. Due to the fact they are
pouring the lemonade packet into the bottle of water, this will cause lemonade to be made.

Syntax Demands:
a. Students will experience grammatical intricacy in the form of compound
sentences with more than one level subject and predicate while they are reading the
text as well as in the form of simple sentences with one independent clause while
they are writing their answers on their worksheet.
b. The lexical density in their reading will be excessive in terms of subject specific
vocabulary. Within their writing, it will be minimal in both subject specific as well as
general academic vocabulary.
c. While reading their textbooks, students will experience minimal grammatical
metaphors per sentence.
d. While reading their textbook, students will receive a strong amount of cohesion
between clauses and referential distance.

Part 5: Teaching/Learning Sequence

Elementary students should apply all literacy modalities during the lesson:
_*_ reading, _*_ writing, _*_ listening, ___speaking, _*_viewing, _*_ visually representing

Introduction:
At the beginning of the lesson, students were asked what a solution is. This gave us an insight as
to what the students knew prior to starting the lesson.
Development:
During the lesson, we were able to observe the students as they participated in the experiment,
this helped us determine how well the students were following the instructions and whether they
were able to create the solution using the two substances.
Closure:
Students participated in a class discussion describing the events that took place during the
experiment and how the solution was created.
Learning Extensions:
Students completed a worksheet that was then turned in for assessment to determine how well
they retained the information provided to them through the lesson.
Part 6: Instructional Materials and Resources
 Teachers will need:
o Promethean Board
o Slideshow on Canva
o Teacher Science Book
 Students will need:
o Pencil
o Science Notes
o Worksheet
 o Bottled Water
o Lemonade Packet

Commentary
1. Analysis of Teaching Effectiveness Using Self, Peer, and Professional Feedback:
A. Pre-assessment tools help identify common misconceptions or gaps in
understanding among students. For example, students may have prior knowledge
about mixtures from everyday experiences such as cooking or cleaning. This could
serve as a foundation for learning. By assessing their understanding of mixtures such
as what constitutes a mixture, students' familiarity with terms like homogeneous and
heterogeneous, and their ability to differentiate between the two. This can tailor the
instruction accordingly.

Understanding students' prior knowledge is essential for next steps on this lesson
because it enables us as teachers to achieve new learning. This information would
inform instructional decisions such as pacing, content selection, and the level of
detail provided during lessons.

B. Something I thought was successful from this lesson was how the students were
given clear learning objectives. We clearly stated what students were expected to
learn. This helped focus their attention and guided their effort. The students were
engaged with the material because they knew what was expected of them. With these
expectations it created a positive learning environment. Creating this supportive and
inclusive classroom enhanced their motivation.

C. The lesson could’ve been more effective by adding an activity for the students to
understand the meaning behind the vocabulary words. They read a passage from their
textbook together as a class. After we did this, we could’ve given a worksheet for
them to work on in groups. A couple students appeared confused or struggled to
grasp the meaning of the bigger words. For example, the words heterogenous and
homogenous. These words are big and harder to grasp. Breaking down complex ideas
into simpler steps, providing examples, and checking for understanding throughout
the lesson would help clarify this concept. This new idea would work because the
students would receive more clarification.

D. After this lesson, we could continue to expand on mixtures, heterogenous,

homogenous. We can do even more experiments. For example, we could demonstrate
how to separate a mixture of sand and iron filings using a magnet to show a
heterogeneous mixture, or we could demonstrate how to separate salt from water
through evaporation to illustrate a homogeneous mixture. After we present more
demonstrations the students can do group discussions, or hands-on projects where
they can create their own mixtures and separate them using different methods. This
will help them understand the definitions. Once the students seem ready and there
was plenty of opportunities the students will review the material and assess their
understanding through quizzes, worksheets, or other assessment methods.
2. Self-Reflection
What I saw and heard What it means Instructional Alternatives with
References
1 We conducted a hands-on 1 This event provides a real- 1 Instead of traditional recipe-
activity where students made world context for exploring based activities, we could
lemonade by mixing water and mixtures, allowing students to incorporate inquiry-based
a lemonade packet. Throughout see firsthand how different approaches such as guided
the activity, students observe substances combine to form a discovery or problem-based
the mixing process and discuss mixture. learning. These alternatives
whether the resulting mixture is encourage students to actively
heterogeneous or 2 This event promotes investigate the properties of
homogeneous. reflective thinking and mixtures and develop a deeper
metacognition as students understanding of the concepts
2 After making the lemonade articulate their observations and through experimentation and
mixture, students journal their reasoning processes. reflection.
observations of the mixing
process. This includes changes 3 This event fosters 2 In addition to observational
in color, texture, and collaboration, communication, journaling, we could implement
consistency. They also reflect and critical thinking skills as multimedia presentations or
on whether they consider the students actively engage in digital storytelling tools. This
mixture to be heterogeneous or dialogue and debate. would enhance students' ability
homogeneous and explain their to document and communicate
reasoning. their findings. These
instructional alternatives
3 Students share their journal leverage technology to scaffold
entries with peers and engage students' learning and provide
in small-group discussions to opportunities for creative
compare their observations and expression.
interpretations of the lemonade-
making activity. They 3 Alongside peer sharing and
collaboratively analyzed the discussion, teachers could
characteristics of the mixture facilitate online forums or
and evaluate whether it meets asynchronous discussions to
the criteria for heterogeneous or extend the conversation beyond
homogeneous. the classroom. These
instructional alternatives
promote inclusivity and
accessibility, allowing all
students to participate in
meaningful discourse regardless
of their learning preferences or
constraints.

3. Analysis of Three (3) Students’ Learning of the Lesson Objective During/After the
Lesson
Student 1:
  Student 1 demonstrated a strong understanding of the concept of heterogenous and
homogenous mixtures.
 They accurately made the lemonade and described the mixing process.
 Their explanation identified the lemonade mixture is heterogenous or homogenous was
clear and supported by relevant observations.
 Overall, student 1’s work sample showed a thorough understanding of the topic and the
ability to apply concepts to real-world situations.
Student 2:
 Student 2 exhibited a satisfactory understanding of heterogenous and homogenous
mixtures.
 They correctly made the lemonade, but struggled t articulate the mixing process
effectively.
 While their determination of whether the lemonade mixture is heterogenous or
homogenous was reasonable, their explanation lacked depth and clarity.
 Student 2’s work sample indicated some understanding of the topic but would benefit
from further elaboration and clarification.
Student 3:
 Student 3 displayed limited understanding of heterogenous and homogenous mixtures.
 They struggled to describe the mixing process and its implications for the nature of the
mixture.
 The explanation provided for whether the lemonade mixture is heterogenous or
homogenous was unclear or incorrect.
 Student 3’s work sample revealed significant gaps in understanding and would require
additional support and guidance to grasp the concepts fully.

1. Student 1 successfully achieved the lesson objective of understanding heterogenous and

homogenous mixtures through the lemonade-making activity. They accurately described the
mixing process effectively and provided a clear explanation supported by relevant observations
to determine whether the lemonade mixture is heterogenous or homogenous. Overall, student 1’s
comprehensive understanding of the topic and ability to apply concepts to real world situations
indicate successful achievement of the lesson objective.

Student 2 partially met the lesson objective by demonstrating a satisfactory

understanding of heterogenous and homogenous mixtures. While their description of the
mixing process may have lacked clarity and their determination of whether the lemonade
mixture is heterogenous or homogenous was reasonable, it lacked depth and specificity
in explanation. Despite some areas for improvement, student 2’s work sample indicates a
basic grasp of the concepts and their application to the lemonade-making activity.

Student 3 did not fully meet the lesson objective, exhibiting limited understanding of
heterogenous and homogenous mixtures. They struggled to describe the mixing process
and its implications for the nature of the mixture. The explanation provided for whether
the lemonade mixture is heterogenous or homogenous was unclear or incorrect. These
reflects fundamental misconceptions. Overall, student 3’s work sample revealed
significant gaps in understanding and would require additional support and guidance to
achieve the lesson objective effectively.
2. Student 1 Feedback: “Great job on accurately identifying the ingredients and describing
the mixing process in detail! Your explanation of whether the lemonade mixture is heterogenous
or homogenous was clear and well-supported. Keep up the excellent work.” How to use in the
future: Student 1 can continue to deepen their understanding by exploring more examples of
mixtures in different contexts. They can also focus on refining their explanations and providing
even more detailed observations to strengthen their understanding further.

Student 2 Feedback: “You did a good job of listing the ingredients but try to provide
more detail in describing the mixing process next time. Also, consider providing more
specific evidence to support your determination of whether the lemonade mixture is
heterogenous or homogenous.” How to use in the future: Student 2 can improve by
paying closer attention to detail when describing processes and concepts. They should
aim to provide clear and thorough explanations, backed up by specific evidence or
observations. Engaging in more practice activities and seeking clarification when needed
can also help strengthen their understanding.

Student 3 Feedback: “It seems like you may have missed some key details in describing
the mixing process. Take some time to review the concepts and consider how they apply
to the lemonade-making activity. Remember to ask questions if anything is unclear.”
How to use in the future: Student 3 should focus on reviewing the foundational concepts
of mixtures and seeking clarification on any areas of confusion. Engaging in additional
practice activities, such as hands-on experiments or discussions with peers, can help
reinforce their understanding. They should also develop the habit of asking questions
when they encounter challenges to facilitate deeper learning.

By providing specific feedback tailored to each student’s strengths and areas for
improvement, they can use this guidance to enhance their understanding and skills in the
future. Whether through additional practice, seeking clarification, or engaging in
reflective thinking, each student can leverage this feedback to continue growing and
achieving their learning goals.

3. Another way our group could use other assessment for our literacy instruction is by using
performance tasks. We could incorporate performance tasks that require students to apply their
literacy skills in authentic contexts. Performance tasks could include writing assignments,
projects, presentations, or group discussions. By observing students’ performance on these tasks,
teachers can gauge their ability to effectively apply literacy skills in real-world situations. For
example, a performance task requiring students to research and present information on a specific
topic. This not only assesses their reading and writing skills but also their ability to synthesize
information and communicate effectively.

Literacy Lesson Plan and Commentary Scoring Guide

200 Final Grade Points
Lesson Plan and Materials
1. Lesson plan includes accurate and aligned standard, objective, teaching strategies, and
assessments that enable: 1) preassessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment.
a. an understanding of the lesson’s language demands.
b. a detailed, “first person” teaching and learning sequence section including expected
student response.
c. meaningful use of writing and assignment template conventions. A complete appendix
includes required instruction artifacts and materials (45-50 points)

2. Lesson plan elements and materials present, well written, accurate and aligned, but plans for
assessment, meeting language demands, or executing a teaching and learning sequence are incomplete
(35-44 points)

3. Lesson plan elements and materials are not present, well written, accurate, or aligned, and multiple
sections of the plan are incomplete (0-34 points)

Commentary Claims
1. Accurate and meaningful claims are present for diagnostic assessment procedures, teaching
effectiveness, analysis of team member teaching, analysis of 3 students’ learning, and needs for future
instruction. (45-50 points)

2. Accurate and meaningful claims are not present for all commentary prompts (35-44 points)

3. Accurate and meaningful claims are not present for multiple commentary prompts (0-34 points)

Commentary Evidence
1. Evidence gathered from assessment and instruction supports claims that are made about diagnostic
assessment procedures, teaching effectiveness, analysis of team member teaching, analysis of 3
students’ learning, and needs for future instruction. (45-50 points)

2. Evidence for claims is not present for all commentary prompts (35-44 points)

3. Evidence for claims is not present for multiple commentary prompts (0-34 points)

Commentary Reasoning
1. Textbook reasoning, including but not limited to direct references to assigned reading, explains
claims about diagnostic assessment procedures, teaching effectiveness, analysis of team member
teaching, analysis of 3 students’ learning, and needs for future instruction (45-50 points)

2. Textbook reasoning for claims is not present for all commentary prompts (35-44 points)

3. Textbook reasoning for claims is not present for multiple commentary prompts (0-34 points)