Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template
General Information
Lesson Title: Identify the Theme
Subject(s): Reading Skills and Writing
Grade/Level/Setting: 4th-grade class, consisting of 22 students, 12 on-level readers, 3 El, 2 students
with dyslexia, and 2 above-level readers.
This activity will consist of a small group whole group and individual.
Prerequisite Skills/Prior Knowledge:
The students must understand the roles of authors and illustrators in creating a story. Additionally,
students should recognize and appreciate differences among people. During story time, students are
expected to listen attentively and participate by raising their hands to answer questions. It is also
important for students to have the ability to write complete sentences.
Standards and Objectives
State/National Academic Standard(s):
https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/sboe-rules-tac/sboe-tac-currently-in-effect/ch110a.pdf
TEK.ELA.7.
(B) write responses that demonstrate understanding of texts, including comparing and contrasting
ideas across a variety of sources;
(D) retell, paraphrase, or summarize texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order;
TEK.ELA.8
(A) infer basic themes supported by text evidence;
Learning Objective(s):
Students will identify the story's theme, then they will write 3 supporting details on a graphic organizer
with 3 out of 4 accuracies.
Materials Technology
22 copies of Finding the Theme Augmentation. The teacher will use the
smart board to display the reading
Theme anchor chart
material and guide the activity. This will
Blank anchor chart enable her to model and demonstrate to
the students how to solve the worksheet
22 pencils
and what is expected from the answers.
3 Pocket translator The use of technology in this way makes
learning more interactive and motivating
22 Chromebooks for students, thereby facilitating their
Reading journals learning process.
1 copy of The Day You Begin by Jacqueline
Woodson. Redefinition. During independent work,
A bad case of the stripes students will use their Chromebooks to
listen to the story. They will also write a
https://www.youtube.com/watch? quick summary and identify the theme of
v=GF1ogZc5jdk the story on Google Classroom. This
platform allows them to type their stories
and submit them online. The teacher can
then view them on her computer.
Dyslexic students will be provided with a c-
pen.
A pocket translator will be provided for EL
students.
Language Demands
Specific ways that academic language (vocabulary, functions, discourse, syntax) is used by students to participate
in learning tasks through reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking to demonstrate their understanding.
Language Function(s):
Identify
Determine
Write
Vocabulary:
Analyze
Theme
Main Idea
Determine
Inferred
Moral
Acceptance
Belonging
Discourse and/or Syntax:
The teacher will employ various scaffolding techniques, such as questioning and offering support as
needed, to assist students in developing the ability to identify and understand the underlying themes of
a story.
Planned Language Supports:
The teacher will display previously created anchor charts on how to identify the Theme of a story and how to
write a complete sentence.
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks
Anticipatory Set:
Activity Description/Teacher Student Actions
The lesson will be explained by the The students will sit at their desks and raise
teacher. their hands to share what they remember and
The teacher will remind students about the ask questions.
previous lesson when they create a Theme
anchor chart and display the previously
created anchor chart.
The teacher will also point out the
“Sentence” anchor chart.
This will help the students recall the key
concepts of the previous lesson.
The teacher will guide students in
reviewing both anchor charts, by asking
relevant and thought-provoking questions
that will help the students understand the
material better.
Presentation Procedures for New Information and/or Modeling:
Activity Description/Teacher Student Actions
The teacher will introduce the learning The learning objectives will be repeated by the
objective and instruct the class to retrieve student to the teacher.
their reading journals. Students will retrieve their reading journals.
The teacher will go over the vocabulary Students will use their journals to write the
words. vocabulary of common themes of stories.
The teacher will lead a discussion about
Students will raise their hands to assist the
the importance of close reading to identify
teacher in creating the vocabulary anchor chart
a story's implied messages, morals, and
using terms from their journals.
themes.
If a student does not understand something,
The teacher will ask students for their
they will ask questions.
assistance in creating a Word Wall with
Students tell the teacher the Three Little Pigs
common themes from stories (courage,
theme is that taking extra time to do things well
acceptance, dreams, compassion,
pays off.
empathy, love, family, and so on).
The teacher will ask students to help her
identify the Theme of the Three Little Pigs.
Guided Practice:
Activity Description/Teacher Student Actions
Students will work in small groups they
will use their notes and the displayed anchor
The teacher will explain the book she will charts to help them find the Theme.
be reading and how they will need to The students will use the provided worksheet to
identify the Theme of the story. identify the Them and provide a summary.
The teacher will ask students to listen for Students will ask the teacher for assistance
clues that can help them identify the when need it.
Theme of the story. Students will share their Theme Ideas;
The teacher will read the book The Day classmates will provide thumbs up if they agree
You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. or thumbs down if they disagree.
After reading the book the teacher will
instruct students to work in their previously
assigned small groups.
The teacher will ask students to use their
notes and the display anchor chart to find
the Theme of the story.
The students will use the provided
worksheet to complete the assignment.
The teacher will walk around the room
providing guidance and support when
needed.
The teacher will instruct students to
identify the theme of the story and provide
supporting details in a short paragraph.
The teacher will ask groups to share what
they feel the story’s theme is.
Independent Student Practice:
Activity Description/Teacher Student Actions
Before beginning their work, the teacher Students will collect their Chromebooks as
will ask students if they have any instructed by the teacher.
questions and will clarify them. Students will open their browsers and locate
The teacher will ask students to collect the assignment tile Theme.
their Chromebook and take it to their Students will ask questions from the teacher
desks. before beginning their work.
The teacher will ask students to open their Student will watch the story and complete the
Google Classroom. graphic organizer, providing 3 supporting
The teacher will instruct students to work details and the Theme of the story.
independently, on the assignment title Students will submit their work to be graded.
Theme they must first listen to the story of
The Bad Case of the Spots and then
complete the graphic organizer achieving a
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/
3 out of 4 accuracies.
1oekpCtwNJ6HIjUbVL5yUr4hMClLgIfBy7CY23YqsG98/
The teacher will inform students that they
edit?usp=sharing
will be allowed to go back to the story and
find the supporting details if needed.
Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity:
Activity Description/Teacher Student Actions
It will be a reflective activity and it will Students will write a reflective paragraph in
their Google Classroom; they will make text-to-
concentrate on the theme of
self-to-self connections.
accepting oneself and being aware of
the feelings of others.
When they have completed the paragraph
students will turn in their assignment.
The teacher will ask students to open
the tab Reflective and write a
paragraph on the story The Day You
Begin.
https://docs.google.com/document/
d/1nBQSWQ45gyzi7OjnSea-
CHt5GMDyrs0CLMervZS6ZZk/edit?
usp=sharing
The teacher will ask students to make
Text-to-Self connections by recalling a
situation when they were nervous or
uneasy. Did something happen that
made you feel more at ease? Is there
something unique about your family
or you?
Differentiated Instruction
Consider how to accommodate for the needs of each type of student. Be sure that you provide content specific
accommodations that help to meet a variety of learning needs.
Gifted and Talented:
These students will be challenged to use new vocabulary words in their graphic organizers, as well as the
requirement to write more complex sentences.
This benefits these students since they are pushed to expand their vocabulary and explore a higher order of thinking.
EL:
Students will be provided with a pocket translator as well as vocabulary words and definitions.
This effectively meets the learning needs of the students, since it gives them the resources, they need to
reach the same objective as the rest of the class.
Students with Other Special Needs:
Dyslexic students will be allowed additional time to complete their work, and they will also be allowed to use voice
typing. Finally, students will not be penalized for misspelled words.
Assessment
Formative
It will take place during small group discussions; the teacher will move around the room observing and taking notes on the
student’s comprehension levels. The teacher will use these notes to determine where more support/scaffolding should be
provided when planning future lessons.
Summative
It will occur during independent practice. The students will use their Chromebooks to access their Google classroom assignment
titled “Theme”. Students must identify the Theme and three supporting details and the page where they found them with an
accuracy of 3 out of 4.
B. Describe an opportunity for students to demonstrate digital literacy within the lesson plan.
In this lesson, students showcase their digital literacy skills by typing their paragraphs using Google
Classroom. This exercise demonstrates that they are proficient in accessing the website, working with its
tools, and typing. Through this activity, students gain an understanding of how digital writing differs
from writing on paper with a pencil.
Reference
Chapter 110. Texas Essential Knowledge and skills for English language ... (n.d.-a).
https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/sboe-rules-tac/sboe-tac-currently-in-effect/
ch110a.pdf
Woodson, J., & Lopez, R. (2023). The Day you begin. Playaway Products, LLC.
YouTube. (2020, August 25). A bad case of stripes: Kids Books read aloud by books with blue. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF1ogZc5jdk
