Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: Thanksgiving Narrative Writing Grade: 4

Goals or Objectives:
The students will be able to effectively write a narrative story using descriptive language. They will use
strong adjectives in their writing.

Grade Level Guide: Content Standards – you will have 4

Content Curriculum Focal Points
http://www.ncte.org/standards/ncte-ira
NCTE & ILA standards
ISTE standards (1 tech component)
http://www.iste.org/standards/standards
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure,
language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation),
media techniques, figurative language, and genre to
create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
● Just because this narrative writing assignment is
focused around Thanksgiving, in an English
classroom, narrative writing can be used in many
other subject areas. For example, in history class,
students could write about Benjamin Franklin.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to
accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning,
enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
● By learning how to write an effective narrative,
the students will be better able to communicate
their thoughts (written and oral) which will benefit
them across all subject areas in all grades.
5. Designer: Educators design authentic, learner-driven
activities and environments that recognize and
accommodate learner variability. Educators:
● Design authentic learning activities that align with
content area standards and use digital tools and
resources to maximize active, deep learning.
 PreK-12 Proficiency standards Standard 2: English language learners communicate
http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_prek- information, ideas, and concepts
12elpstandards_framework_318.pdf?sfvrsn=2 necessary for academic success in the area of language
arts.
● Speaking English language learners engage in
oral communication in a variety of situations for a
variety of purposes and in a wide spectrum of
settings. As part of oral communication, students
are constantly using language in meaningful
interaction with others.
● Writing English language learners use written
communication for a variety of purposes and
audiences. Writing can be used to express
meaning through drawing, symbols, or text.
English language learners may come with writing
styles influenced by their home cultures.

Common Core State Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences
or events using effective technique, descriptive details,
and clear event sequences.

Academic Language: Students will need to know the following words: Thanksgiving, narrative, story,
details, descriptive, paragraph

Students’ Needs:

English Language Learners Special Needs (can be a

For ELLs, a list of
descriptive words will be
on the board, to help
enhance their writing.
group such as “struggling
readers” or individuals)
For students with special
needs, depending on their
ability level, they will have
modified writing
guidelines. For example, if
the class is asked to write
three paragraphs, they will
only be expected to write
one.

Materials: construction paper, markers, scissors, stickers, computer, chalkboard, chalk, pens, notebook.
Language Function: The students will go beyond lower level thinking and engage in the content by
creating their personalized hand turkeys. They will be instructed expand their vocabulary by focusing on
good descriptive adjectives. We will incorporate these terms into our lesson by modeling them.
Analyze, Argue, Describe, Evaluate, Explain, Interpret, Justify, Synthesize

Lesson Plan: Procedures will be bulleted and scenarios are concisely written.

Before:
● Since everyday, there are prompts posted on the board, students will know to come up as the
enter the class and write their their response. The prompt will say “ Tasty Tuesday! What was
your favorite Thanksgiving food and why?”
● After they all write their answers to the prompt, the class as a whole will discuss what they wrote
to get them engaged and ready for the lesson.
● The teacher will then introduce the project (hand turkeys) and model to the students how it
should be done.
● Then, students will make hand turkeys, and write what they did over Thanksgiving break.
During this time, the teachers will walk around the classroom to assist any students who need it
and see if any of them have any questions on the project.
During:
● During this phase, we expect students to sit quietly, be attentive, and be actively engaged in the
concept being taught.
● The teachers will present the PowerPoint presentation on narrative writing.
● After the PowerPoint is taught, as a whole the class will review some descriptive words that they
can use in their narrative paper.
● The teachers will model descriptive words as examples and then the teachers will ask the class if
they can think of any others.
● After the lesson is taught, students will show what they learned about narrative writing through
writing their own narrative piece using their hand turkeys. In a fourth grade classroom this piece
will be one paragraph but in the college classroom they will be writing two.
After:
● After students have completed their writing assignment, they will individually present their hand
turkeys to the entire class.
● They will focus on what they wrote on the fingers, and how they expanded on the point in their
writing.
● The students will be graded by observation and through formal assessment of their papers.

Assessment:

Type of assessment Description of Modifications to the Evaluation Criteria- What

(formal or informal) assessment assessment so that evidence of student learning
all students could (related to the learning objectives
demonstrate and central focus) does the
learning assessment provide?
informal observation while For students with The students will have to show
the students are special needs, who their connection between the hand
presenting struggle presenting turkeys and their paper. This will
formal Students will be in front of a large show that they understood how to
graded on their group, will present
 knowledge of at a later time just in use the hand turkey while writing
narrative writing front of the teacher. their narrative.
through their paper
and hand turkeys. Students with this form of assessment will show
special needs will the teachers that the students
not have to use as understood how to not only write
many of the things narrative papers but also use
they wrote on the descriptive language to show the
turkey fingers. reader what happened in the story.

Resources: Include assessments, rubrics, and online resource links incorporated into the lesson, if
applicable.