Mini Lesson Plan #2

Lesson Plan Title: The Age of Explorers

Active Involvement
Section II: Small groups and partners

Name: Claudia Bravo Date: 2/20/17

Grade Level: 5

ELD Objectives: ELA Language Standards for Grade Level

After the mini lesson on explorers, ELL students in grade 5
will be able to understand the concept of exploration and
present orally on at least two explorers.
ELD Language Objective:
ELL students in grade 5 will listen actively to spoken English
and speak English to orally present information.
ELD Content Objective:
ELL students in grade 5 will write notes using research and
oral explanations.
Cog. Taxonomy/DOK Levels
Level 1: Define, Label, Recognize
Level 2: collect,
Level 3: investigate, explain
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.B
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other information and examples
related to the topic
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
(Editing for conventions should demonstrate command
of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 5
here.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.6
With some guidance and support from adults, use
technology, including the Internet, to produce and
publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with
others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding
skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting.
ELA Content Standards for Grade Level
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7
Conduct short research projects that use several sources
to build knowledge through investigation of different
aspects of a topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.8
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather
relevant information from print and digital sources;
summarize or paraphrase information in notes and
finished work, and provide a list of sources.
ELD Standards (2014) that apply
Collaborative
1. Exchanging information and ideas with others through
oral collaborative conversations on a range of social and
academic topics.
Interpretive
5. Listening actively to spoken English in a range of
social and academic contexts.
Productive
12. Selecting and applying varied and precise
vocabulary and language structures to effectively
convey ideas.

Materials Key Academic Vocabulary Research Based Learning

 Explorer Strategies (provide text
Exploration
History books Discovery chapters/reference)
Video: https://youtu.be/5kRfdSFnfwY Route Ch. 4 Small groups and partners (50
Compass
Chromebooks Trading Strategies)
Notebooks Funding Theory Base of Instruction
Rubrics handouts o Skills grouping
Sharing guide handouts o Partner work
Interview question handouts o Peer tutoring
o Cooperative learning
o Verbal interaction
o Pairing schemes
Contextualize the Lesson Group
Discussion, Hands on Activities (SDAIE)
Student to Student Interaction
(SDAIE)
Authentic tasks

Pre-Assessment: How will you determine
prior knowledge?
Students will share what they already know
about explorers such as Christopher
Columbus in pairs and revisit vocabulary
words to share a few facts about the
discovery of America. Discussions will then
follow the activity.
Motivation Strategy: How
will you catch attention of
students and focus their minds
on the learning goals?
Teacher will show a video
about different explorers from
all over the world. As you will
learn there are many different
explorers other than Columbus
and you will have the chance
to explore one of your
choosing. Then teacher will tell
students that they will have a
chance to be researchers and
interviewers.
Real World Connection: How are
learning goals relevant to students
lives?
Students will be given the opportunity
to explore any explorer of their
choosing. This will give ELLs the
opportunity to choose an explorer from
their own culture so that they can relate
to their own lives. Students will also
work in pairs with their peers so that
they can interact and build sense of
community within the classroom.

All strategies will be research based and from one of Students: Practice and Application
the texts. Please provide reference for each. 1. Students will gather in pairs and share what they
already know about explorers such as Christopher
Teacher: Presentation/ Learning Activities (Strategy Columbus.
Steps) 2. Students will watch a video about the Age of
1. Assign students to sit in pairs and share what they exploration.
already know about explorers such as Christopher 3. Students will listen and ask questions about the video.
Columbus. 4. Students will think-pair-share about the video and an
2. Show video on screen https://youtu.be/5kRfdSFnfwY explorer they learned about and might want to research.
3. During and after the video explain to students that 5. Students will be introduced to the research interview
there were many explorers that came from all over the strategy.
world. 6. Students will be able to choose an explorer to research
4. Ask students to think-pair-share about the explorer that and learn about.
most interest them. 7. Students will take notes on their research.
5. The teacher will introduce the activity and ask students 8. Students will take turns interviewing their partners
to choose an explorer to research and be ready to be about their explorer using the interview question handout.
interviewed by their partner about their explorer.
6. Research Interview Strategy
Students will choose an explorer, from the Age of
exploration
Teacher will then give students a set of requirements or
rubric to guide their research
Teacher will demonstrate each step as he/she talks
about it
Teacher will then give each student a set of interview
questions to ask each other during the interview portion of
the activity
After each student researches and takes notes on their
explorer, they will take turns interviewing each other and
taking notes on their partners explorer.
7. After pairs of two have interviewed and taken notes on
their partners explorer they will move into their table
groups of 4 or 5 to share.
8. Students will only share about their partners explorer
and ensure that every student has a chance to share by
following cues from the teacher of when to switch to the
next speaker.
9. Each group table is carefully modeled and key English
vocabulary is taught and practiced.
10. Students will be reminded on what to do at each of
their group tables through a guide taped to each table,
listing the steps and points they should be sharing.
11. Teacher will be able to work with small groups of
students in the back table with students who have difficulty
working in groups or need more guidance.
____________________________________________________________
Collaborative (engagement with others)
1. Collaborative Discussions in Class
2. Pair share
Interpretative (comprehension and analysis of
written and spoken texts)
1. Students will comprehend different writing skills when it
comes to writing on their research and interviews
2. Students will interpret different resources (web and
peers) they have studied in class and connect it to their own
language development.
Productive (creation of oral presentations and
written texts)
1. Students will follow verbal explanations and visuals of
directions in order to create oral presentations and written
notes.
Review and Assessment: What specific assessment tools
are being used?
Whole-Group Assessment (Informal):
9. Students will take notes during the interview.
10. Students will go back to their table groups to share
about their explorers.
11. Students will take turns sharing about their partners
explorer using the questions and important points guide
given to each group.
12. Students will listen to the teacher's cue for switching to
the next student to begin sharing about their explorer.
13. Teacher will work with some students in the back table.
_____________________________________________________________
_
Collaborative (engagement with others)
1. Collaborative Discussions in Class- Students will discuss
their background knowledge about explorers such as
Christopher Columbus.
Interpretative (comprehension and analysis of
written and spoken texts)
1. Comprehend Visual and Writing Skills- Students will
comprehend how to write notes from spoken texts when
they interview each other..
2. Interpret Different Resources (Visuals)-Students will
interpret different information they have studied explorers
through videos, the web, and through peer interviews.
Productive (creation of oral presentations and
written texts)
1. Students will orally present their partners explorer to
their table groups using their notes and guide.
Student Reflection: How will you provide for student
reflection on learning?
Teacher will observe discussions being held in class that lead
to language development and which students participate in
the teacher-led and student-led discussions about explorers.
Individual Assessment (Formal):
Students will produce well-developed written research on one
explorer and well-developed notes on their partners explorer
by demonstrating their ability to follow verbal explanations.
In addition, students will be provided with a rubric for their
notes and oral presentation.
Students will have the opportunity to verbally share with their
teacher and classmates about what they have learned during
this activity. For example, what they found interesting about
their explorer and their partners explorer. In addition, any
other comments about their explorer that can extend their
language and academic development.

Teacher Reflection Extension:

What do you anticipate to be a problem for specific
students?
ELD Objective
EL students may struggle to listen and comprehend the steps
required for the art activity, which contains academic domain
specific language. In addition, ELL students might struggle to
take notes from verbal explanations during interviews.
Content Objective
Students may struggle to correctly incorporate usage of their
assigned vocabulary words and other words they might
encounter during research.
What would likely go well? Why?
All students will likely benefit from guides and rubrics because
they can help them guide their research and notes. ELL
students will also benefit from sharing guides during group
presentations to guide their oral presentations. Lastly, students
will enjoy working together and interact successfully with their
peers that lead to less student anxiety.
Based on data/evidence, what are the next steps
for future lessons? Provide evidence for your
answer.
After students verbally share what they have learned
throughout this activity, I will reflect on the responses by
answering the following questions:
1. How did this lesson help students extend their
learning?
2. How did this lesson help students develop more of a
language development toward their own learning?
3. What strategy/strategies helped them? Why?
4. What did they learn from this lesson?
5. What did they learn from other students
presentations?
Modifications will be made if needed (vocabulary, etc.) in
order to meet the needs of each student.

In what area(s) would you like to develop more

proficiency?
In order to develop more proficiency during this lesson, I would
like to spend more time observing students following the
directions and determine the sections that need to be
remodeled. I would also like to model proficiency in note taking
maybe as a separate lesson or providing a template. Overall,
students would benefit from proficiency in research skills and
looking for information in different sources.

What theory or theorists would most strongly support

use of this strategy?
One theory that would most strongly support this strategy
would be, Meyers, 1993 Partner work which is a strategy of
cooperative learning that is effective with ELL because of the
opportunities for verbal interaction and support it provides
(Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2002). Additionally this lesson plan
supports the conversation theory by Gordon pask which states
that students learn best by teaching back to a peer.

Attach copy of student work

Growth Mindset Reflection- (completed after the

lesson)

http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-
growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/

1. What part of your lesson prompted students to

move into a growth mindset?

2. Why do you think this particular activity/or

learning task prompted a GM?

3. Mention students by name and describe

specific demonstrations of growth.

4. How will you let students know they have

developed more GRIT / GM?

5. What changes overall have you seen in your

class that indicate that a Growth Mindset has been
supported and expanded to this point in the
semester?

6. What did not work that you will change for next
lesson:

7. Next steps based on analysis of this lesson: