Michelle Ridder

Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade

Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017
Mentor Text Writing Lesson Plan

A. TITLE OF LESSON (Writing Focus): Using the Problem-Solution Method in Writing

B. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING

Virginia SOL 4.5: The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts,
narrative nonfiction texts, and poetry.

a) Identify the problem and solution.

C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

UNDERSTAND The students will understand how using mentor texts can be used to help shape
their writing skills.

KNOW The students will know how to identify the problem and solution in a mentor text and how
it can help them in their writing.

DO The students will use a graphic organizer to determine the problem as a class and the
solution individually of a mentor text, and create their own solutions to a given problem.

D. ASSESSING LEARNING
I will assess students learning through observation and asking questions during the mentor text reading,
through their responses on the graphic organizer following the mentor text, and through the students
responses on the Padlet exercise at the end of the lesson. By observing the students and asking questions
during the reading of the mentor text, I can establish that the students are paying attention. The graphic
organizer will show me that the students are able to identify the problem and solution of the mentor text, so
I can formally assess their knowledge of the lesson. The Padlet exercise will assess the students use of
their knowledge of problems-solution by applying it to their own thinking and creativity. I will be taking
photocopies of the graphic organizers and take a screenshot of the students Padlet responses.

PART TWO: LESSON PLAN PROCEDURE

A. CONTEXT OF LESSON
I will be teaching the concept of identifying problem-solution themes using the mentor text The
Hatmakers Sign by Candace Fleming. This will be a whole-group lesson to review and bookend the
week of lessons based on problem-solution. The students will have already learned the definitions and
what to look for when identifying problems and solutions within a text and how it applies to writing. By the
end of this lesson, I will have determined who has completely grasped the concept of problem-solution
within text, and who still needs some support in this area. The students should be able to produce
problem-solution ideas within their own writing after the lesson.

I will begin by reviewing with the students what a problem and solution in text looks like. Once we have
established what problem-solution writing looks like, I will give out the graphic organizer for the students to
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017
fill out while I read the mentor text, The Hatmakers Sign. After reading, I will have students work with an
elbow buddy to complete the graphic organizer to determine the problem and solution in the story. I will
have the students share out what they discovered to be the problem and solution, and discuss if they
agreed or disagreed with Lillys solution. To end the lesson, I will have the students watch a short Pixar
animated film called Knick Knack to help them write a problem-solution piece of their own. To incorporate
technology, I will have the students post their problem-solution ideas to a Padlet page that I will have set up
for them and we will share out the ideas as a class.

B. MATERIALS NEEDED
The Hatmakers Sign: A Story By Benjamin Franklin Retold by Candace Fleming
Link to Knick Knack
Padlet Word Wall
Chromebooks
Graphic Organizer (via http://www.fourthnten.com/2012/03/march-currently.html)
Pencils

C. PROCEDURE

CONNECT Call the attention of the class by repeating the whole-

Students learn why todays
instruction is important to them
as writers and how the lesson
relates to their prior work (if
applicable). The teaching point is
Before stated.
TEACH
The teacher shows the students
how writers accomplish the
teaching point in the mentor text
During
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
After we teach something,
students are given a chance to
practice what has just been
brain exercise of Classity-class! Who can tell me the
important strategy for writing we have been learning this
week? I will call on a student who raises their hand
and answers, Problems and Solutions! Can I have
another friend tell me what that looks like? I will have a
student give me an example of a problem and a
solution. Today, we will be working with problems and
solutions again with this awesome book! I will hold up
the book to the class. But first, we need to go over the
graphic organizer that we will be doing after we read! I
will hand out the organizer to the students and go over
expectations for the organizer.
I will begin the book, pausing to engage students if I
notice they are not paying attention. After I have
finished the text, I will ask the students to work with an
elbow buddy to complete the graphic organizer and
determine the problem and solution in the story. I will
allow about 10 minutes for them to complete the
organizer. Once all of them have finished, I will then
ask one or two volunteers to tell the class what they
came up with was the problem and solution in the text.
After we have turned in the graphic organizers, I will
have the students get a Chromebook from the charging
cart and bring it to their desks. I will then show the first
few minutes of the Pixar animated short film, Knick
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017
taught with new writing or Knack to get some ideas flowing for their writing piece.
revising a prior piece. (May When I stop the film, I will tell the students that they will
assess during this time) now begin their problem-solution writing piece! I will
have the students copy the Padlet URL exactly how it
appears on the board. While they are pulling up the
website, I will walk around and help anyone who has a
problem or needs help getting to the Padlet site. When
every student is at the sight, I will then tell the students
that they will be posting their solutions to the snowmans
problem on the Padlet site. They will need to write a
paragraph of at least 4 sentences to describe the
problem and solution, to create a complete thought. I
will show them how to post their final product and then
have them write. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
After LINK While they are writing, I will be walking around the
The teacher reiterates what has classroom to answer any questions and observe
just been taught and gives students thought process. Once all of the students
students an opportunity to share have posted on the Padlet page, I will bring up the page
(May assess during this time) on the SmartBoard for the class to see and I will ask for
volunteers to share what they posted. Once we go over
about 3-4 posts, I will review with the students what a
problem-solution story looks like. We will end the lesson
by finishing the Pixar animated short film to see what
the snowman actually did as the solution to his problem.

D. DIFFERENTIATION I have planned a differentiated lesson by using written techniques and

technological techniques in order to help those who work better typing than writing and vice versa. There is
also a lot of independent work required for this lesson, so I will make sure to keep myself available for
questions that students might have and provide enough support for those who are struggling. If a student
prefers to write instead of type on the computer, I can provide sticky notes for them to write on and stick
onto the board to participate. I will also provide a sentence starter to get some students to start thinking
about what they want their solution to the problem to be. There are a few higher-level students that will
likely finish ahead of the others and in that case, I will challenge them to come up with a different solution
than what they see on the board already, or come up with a solution that is opposite of the one they posted.

E. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?

First, and foremost, I am using technology so there is always a possibility it will not work. In the case
that it does not work, I will have the students write their solutions on sticky notes or index cards and have
them tape them to the board in the front of the classroom. Students could also have problems logging on
to the Padlet page, in which case my goal is to have all of the Chromebooks loaded with the site before the
lesson so that there wont be any confusion or difficulty. I hope to have the page bookmarked for them.
Time is always a concern. I could get so nervous (because I am being observed) and fly right through the
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017
lesson so that it is a lot shorter than planned, or it could take the students a lot longer than expected to do
some of the activities. If I go shorter than allotted time, I will have a discussion about why the hatmaker
chose his solution to the problem. I can also add in discussion about why some students chose to write
their solutions. Another thing that could go wrong is that there is a student in my class who does not
always want to participate in activities and cause an interrupting scene in the middle of class. If this occurs,
I will try and get him to participate in the various ways that I have observed with my cooperating teacher
and other aids that interact with him.

Links:

Knick Knack
https://youtu.be/9uhM_SUhdaw

Padlet
https://padlet.com/MsRidder/36h1rodb7iz7
Password: Stilwell
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER:
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017

RUBRIC FOR ASSESSMENT:

Student Name:________________________________________ #___________

1-Needs Improvement 2-Approaching Target 3- On Target

Graphic Organizer (Problem)

Graphic Organizer (Solution)

Padlet (Problem)

Padlet (Solution)
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017

Student Work
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017

Student Name:___Maecy_____________________________________ #______4_____

1-Needs Improvement 2-Approaching Target 3- On Target

Graphic Organizer (Problem)

3
Graphic Organizer (Solution) 3

Padlet (Problem)
3
Padlet (Solution) 3
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017

PADLET:
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017
Michelle Ridder
Mrs. Stilwell, Clymore Elementary School-4th Grade
Submitted: November 2, 2017
Implemented: November 9, 2017