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Topic: Clifford, the Big Red Dog

Grade Level: 2nd grade

Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.3
Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or
steps in technical procedures in a text.
I. Objectives
1. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to answer comprehension questions.
2. At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to put events from the story into
sequential order.
II. Materials
Book Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Pencils
4 x 10 writing paper
stapler
glue
crayons, markers
25 copies of pages 62 and 63 of Read! Write! Publish! Making Books in the Classroom by
Barbara Fairfax and Adela Garcia
Long lined construction paper
25 copies of the Rubric

III. Methods or Procedure

1. Anticipatory Set: Scramble game
2. Teacher will have students play a Scramble game on the SMARTBoard. This game will
engage students and introduce the concept of sequential order.
3. Teacher will use http://www.scholastic.com/clifford/play/scramble/ , scramble game to
introduce Clifford and order of sequence. Teacher will allow all the students to participate
once and then ask them to explain what they just did.

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4. Explain that Sequence is the order of events in a story. To explain the sequence one can use
time order words. Examples are in worksheet A. Teacher will explain that transitional words
can help improve students writing and that they are used to signal a sequence. Teacher will
call on student volunteers to give an example of sequential order using transitional words.
5. Teacher asks if they want to learn more about events in Cliffords life, Lets find out!
6. Teacher will show a short video of Clifford the Big Red Dog Opening Theme song,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWwIyKOCrd8.
7. Shared reading with the students of the book, Clifford, the Big Red Dog. The students will
be called one by one to sit on the floor in a circular position.
8. Students will answer the following questions during the story:
a) What is the girls name in this story? (Emily Elizabeth)
b) What color and size is the dog? (Biggest and reddest dog)
c) What do Emily and Clifford like to do for fun? (play games: throw stick, play hide and seek,
camp out, and he does tricks)
d) What are some of Cliffords bad habits? Does anyone know what a habit is? (Habitssomething you do all the time), (runs after cars and catches them, runs after cats, digs up
flowers, chews shoes, eats and drinks a lot)
e) What is Clifford very good at? (Being a watchdog)
f) What prize did Clifford win?
g) Would you keep Clifford? Why?
9. Teacher will review the order of events in the Clifford book by asking students to help her
with the order.
10. Let students make predictions. Teacher will reveal the sequence one by one on the poster.
a) At the beginning, Emily introduces herself.
b) Second, She says she has the biggest and reddest dog.
c) Third, Emily introduces Clifford.
d) Clifford plays with a stick.
e) Then, he plays hide and seek with Emily.
f) They play camping out.
g) He does tricks by sitting up and begging.
h) Clifford runs after cars and catches them.
i) He runs after cats.
j) Then, he digs up flowers.
k) He chews on shoes.
l) He eats and drinks a lot.
m) Clifford is a good watchdog.
n) Emily gave Clifford a bath and took him to a dog show.
o) Clifford won second prize.
p) At the end, Emily keeps Clifford.
11. Teacher will hand out supplies for video book. The supplies include: 25 copies of pages 62
and 63 of Read! Write! Publish! Making Books in the Classroom by Barbara Fairfax and
Adela Garcia, 4 x 10 writing paper, stapler, glue, crayons, and markers.

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12. Explain to students that they will make a video book that includes 6 scenes they remember
from the book in order or they can choose any 6 from the poster but that they have to be in
order.
13. Students will be assigned partners to do the video book activity. They will draw and color 6
scenes and write a description on the bottom. Attached are the directions on how to make it.
This should be no longer then 10-15 minutes.
14. Closure: Review what sequential order is and then handout the Exit slip. See below.
Assessment:
Formative: Teacher will allow students to peer review their finished products using the
analytic rubric (see attached).
Summative: Teacher will use the same rubric to grade the students on their knowledge of
sequential order. Students must achieve a score of 10/15.
Accommodations:
-Student with special motor needs will get more time to do the video book project and
supplies will be already cut and ready for the student.
-Students with special needs in writing or reading will be given extra time to complete the
video book with help from the teacher.
Closure:
Exit Slip: List five things you do in the morning before coming to school in sequential order
from beginning to end. Use transitional words like first, like, then, after that and finally.
Students will be assessed on the number of correctly used transitioned words. Students
should use 4 out of 5 transition words correctly.
References:
"Clifford Play and Learn: School House Scramble." Clifford Play and Learn: School House
Scramble. Scholastic Inc., 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.scholastic.com/clifford/play/scramble/ >.
"Clifford the Big Red Dog Opening Theme." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWwIyKOCrd8 >.

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Worksheet A

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Rubric
3

Order of
events is
correct
Uses correct
punctuation
Grammar
Neatness
Creativity

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Name: __________________________________________________________
Exit Slip:
List five things you do in the morning before coming to school in sequential
order from beginning to end. Use transitional words like first, like, then, after
that and finally.

1.______________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________
2.______________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________
3.______________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________

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4.______________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________
5.______________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________
Reflection
In creating this lesson, I tried to find ways that will constantly
engage the students. The objectives of this lesson were to have the
students answer comprehension questions and put events from the
story into sequential order. In this lesson, Students were assessed
with an analytic rubric by their peers and by their teacher on their
video book. Students must achieve a score of 10/15. Their Exit slip
is assessed with the same analytic rubric. Students will be
assessed on the number of correctly used transitioned words.
Students should use 4 out of 5 transition words correctly. The
Lesson plan was not exactly executed as it was written.
Experienced teachers have told me that as thorough the lesson
plan might be, the lesson will never be executed exactly as planned
since students behavior affects the timing of the lesson. Also
technical difficulties are not taken into account when writing the
lesson. I encountered technical difficulties with the SMARTBoard
but still continued my lesson trying to avoid any distractions.

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The most important thing I tried to teach my students was to pay

close attention to transition words. I had given myself between an
A- and B range since I had gotten nervous and had forgotten my
words. From my students I learned better management skills and
that I need a better behavior plan. I would have initially had calming
music, disciplined a child acting out, and do more hands on
activities in order to improve this lesson.