Name of Teacher Candidate: Date: 3/16/21

Cate Dowell
Grade Level: Kindergarten

Lesson Title: How Would You Catch A Leprechaun: Opinion Writing

Curriculum Areas Addressed:

ELA Reading and Writing
Time Required: Instructional Groupings: Are you using whole group, small
40 Minutes group, partners, quads, homogeneous, heterogeneous?
Whole group, small group, partners

Standards: List the GPS/CCGPS that are the target of student learning and are key to this lesson. Include the number and the text of each
of the GPS/CCGPS that is being addressed. If only a portion of a standard is addressed, include only the part or parts that are relevant.

ELAGSEKW1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion

pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are “writing” about
and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book

VAK.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject
matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

As a result of this lesson students will…

Essential Question: (Essential questions should be used to guide instruction.)
What is an opinion and how can we express an opinion through writing and drawing?
Learning Objectives: (Objectives are stated in measurable/observable terms. These should reflect the thinking skills, skills of the
discipline. These represent the skills that will be assessed.)

Students will be able to compose the basic structure for their own opinion statement. Students
will utilize key details comprehended from the text and the definition of opinion.

Support for Academic Language

Key Vocabulary: (What Academic Language will be taught or developed? Identify the key vocabulary and/or symbols specific to the
content area that are necessary for comprehension of this learning experience. These may be derived from the standards.)

Opinion: What someone thinks about something. This is based on how someone feels and
thinks, not always facts.
Compose: to write or create

Other Vocabulary: (List other vocabulary and interesting words that will be emphasized during the learning experience.)

St. Patrick’s Day: A cultural and religious holiday celebrated on the 17th of March
Leprechaun: Fictional character from Irish folklore known for partaking in mischief
Language Demands: (Language demands is defined as the 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
disciplinary understanding. Identify the following way/ways that students will participate in learning tasks to demonstrate disciplinary
understanding: reading, writing, listening, or oral language.)

Listening: the book is read aloud

Writing: an opinion sentence is written with the sentence starter “In my opinion...”
Speaking: responding to questions, voicing opinions, sharing writing
Reading: reading written responses to a partner
Syntax: (Syntax is defined as the set of conventions for organizing symbols, words, and phrases together into structures, such as sentences,
tables, or graphs. Identify the supports that will be provided for students to organize the information – charts, graphs, diagrams. These must
relate to the Language Function.)

A sentence stem is provided to assist students in composing their opinion sentence.

Assessment (Each learning objective must be assessed. How will students demonstrate their understanding of the lesson’s objectives?
How will you provide feedback for the students? What type of assessment will be used? What evidence will be collected to demonstrate
students’ understanding/mastery of the lesson’s objective? What constitutes success for the students?)
Assessment Strategy: (Identify the assessment strategy/strategies to be used for assessment of the learning objectives listed above.
Each learning objective should be assessed. DO NOT restate the learning objective.)

Focused Observation: 1) students copying the sentence starter 2) continuing the sentence by writing an
opinion 3) collection of papers for review
Evaluation Criteria: (Indicate the qualities by which levels of performance can be differentiated and that anchor judgments about the
learner’s degree of success on an assessment.)

Excellent: Student can restate the meaning of an opinion and create their own based on
evidence related to the book.
Satisfactory: Students can restate the meaning of an opinion. They cannot create their own
opinion based on evidence related to the book.
Needs Improvement: Students cannot restate the meaning of an opinion. They cannot create
their own opinion based on evidence related to the book.
Steps in the Lesson (Include the attention getter or the hook for the lesson; the introduction; the lesson procedures including
strategies/planned supports for whole‐class, small group, and individual instructions; and differentiated activities.)
Attention Getter or Hook: (State how the attention of the students will be piqued at the start of the lesson.)
- There is note left in the classroom from a lucky leprechaun that did not get caught!
Read the note with the class using a confused, but excited tone.
- Ask the students if they saw a tiny leprechaun in the classroom this morning.
- Encourage engagement by allowing students to speak and relate to the topic and inform
them that we may learn a way to catch him!
Introduction: (State how the lesson will be introduced. This should communicate the purpose of the lesson, be directly related to the
goals and objectives of the lesson, tap into prior knowledge/experiences, and develop student interest.)
- After finding this note, I think we need to learn how to catch this leprechaun! Today
we will be reading the book How to Catch a Leprechaun.
- The author of this book is Adam Wallace and the illustrator is Andy Elkerton
- Engage previous knowledge by asking students “If Adam Wallace is the author of this
book, did he write the words or draw the pictures?” and “If he wrote the words, what
do you think the illustrator did?”
- After we read, we are going to compose (new word) a sentence or two about our
opinions about the best way to catch this leprechaun. What do we already know about
opinions? An opinion is what someone thinks about something. This is based on how
someone feels and thinks, not always facts.
- When have you used an opinion before?
Instructional Strategies: (Use a bulleted or numbered format to communicate the procedures for the lesson – what the teacher will do
as well as what the student will do. Describe the strategies which will be used to support students’ learning. Knowledge of students’ cognitive,
social, emotional, and physical development along with their cultural backgrounds should be evident.)

- Read the book How to Catch a Leprechaun. While reading, remind students to focus
on the different ways the kids try to catch the leprechaun. They will be directed to
formulate their own ideas and opinion on which is the best way.
 - After reading, instruct students to think to themselves about their opinion on the best
way to catch the leprechaun that came in our class. Instruct students to think as they
walk to their desks and sit down quietly to wait for what’s next. As they are walking,
pass out the writing handout.
- Now, we are going to draw our ideas. You can get out your crayons to color your
drawing. You will have 3 minutes to draw your picture. Remember, this is your
opinion, so make it your own! (Set a timer for 3 minutes on the board)
- When the timer goes off, instruct students to put their crayons away and keep their
pencil out to write. Remind students what an opinion is and how it can be used in this
scenario.
- Allow students to write independently without the help of the teacher for the first 5
minutes. Remind students of their resources by asking “Where can we look to find
letters when sounding out a word? (alphabet strip) What is a strategy for sounding out a
word?” (shoulder taps, sound boxes)
- Walk around and assess who needs more help and who can continue on their own after
the independent 5 minutes is up.
- Offer the small table to students that need extra help (LB, ZG, JJ, MS). Work in a small group
setting to allow more one on one time.
- Allowing 10-15 more minutes of writing. Walk around to assess the progress students
are making on their own. Encourage more than one sentence for those that are ready
(SB, KD, CL, MB)
- Have students return to their seats and prepare to share their opinions with a partner.
Direct students to turn to a friend next to them and take turns sharing their opinion
writing and pictures.
- Hold your paper up and I will come collect them.
Closure/Wrap up: (Describe how the CONTENT of the lesson will be summarized.)
- Today we focused on our opinions and how we can write opinions. I think we had
some really great opinions on how we can catch this leprechaun.
- How can we use opinions in our writing in the future?
Instructional Supports
Resources and Materials Used to Engage Students in Learning (List all materials and resources needed for
implementation of the learning experience including the number of each. Provide citations for all resources that you did not create. Attach
key instructional material needed to understand what you and the students will be doing. Examples: class handouts, assignments, slides, and
interactive white board images.)
- Class handout
- Crayons and pencils
- Book How to Catch a Leprechaun.
- Interactive white board/Elmo projector
Additional Resources and Materials Used to Increase Teacher’s Background Knowledge of the Content:
(List any websites and sources of materials and background information that you will need or use as the teacher to engage the students.)

What is an opinion?
https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/blog/opinion-writing-in-kindergarten/

Other Relevant Information

Clear Links to Learning Theories, Educational Research, and Principles of Development:

Connections to Technology and/or the Arts:

Drawing/coloring - converting ideas into images
Description of Collaboration with Others: (These might include the inclusion teacher, media specialist, counselor, guest speaker,
grade level coordinator, community experts, families, etc.)
- Partner Teacher collaboration