Name: Jaime Jones

Text needed: Schoolhouse Rock, Power of the Congress

Materials:, Power of Congress article, Connecting to text visuals (Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text,
Text-to-World), Double-Entry journal handout, Pencil, my personal connections, scrap pieces of paper
Common Core State Standard (need both number AND standard written out):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.

4 – C3.0.4 Describe how the powers of the federal government are separated among the branches.

Key Points: Making connections, government,

Before Reading
Anticipatory In preparation, I will create/write down my own personal connections to the
Set/Hook story that will be discussed in the lesson. This will be done so I can model my
examples to the students. I will next reflect back on the previous lesson on the
comprehension strategy we covered, monitoring comprehension. Then, I will
explain to the students that we are going to practice another comprehension
strategy of making connections. This allows students to personally relate to the
text we are discussing. Using the making connections visuals (links above), I will
introduce the three types of connections, Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and
Text-to-World. I will explain each one individually with sample questions that can
help guide their connection.
Text-to-Self: Connection between the text and something in your own life
experience.
● What does this story remind you of?
● Can you relate to the characters in the story?
● Does anything in this story remind you of anything in your own life?
Text-to-Text: A connection between the text and another story or text that you
have read previously.
● What does this remind you of in another book you have read?
● How is this text similar to other things you have read?
● How is this text different from other things you have read?
Text-to-World: A connection between the text and something that is occurring
or has occurred in the world.
● What does this remind you of in the real world?
● How are events in this story similar to things that happen in the real
world?
● How are events in this story different from things that happen in the real
world?
I will then review the three briefly and ask if the students understand or have
any questions. I will then explain to the students that we will be making
connections with the article called, The Powers of Congress and also listen to a
YouTube video about a bill. I will be reading it aloud to you then explain my
Text-to-Self examples with the students. I will then play the Schoolhouse Rock
song and then talk about Text-to-Text and Text-to-World.
Name: Jaime Jones

● Comprehension Skill or Fluency: Making Connections

● Vocabulary: Legislative Branch, Connection, Congress, Power
Learning Target I can: make personal connections to the text using the Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text,
and Text-to-World
I can: explain the powers that federal government has in the legislative branch
During Reading
During reading After I explain my personal connections, I will then tell the students I am going to
read through the article one more time. When I am reading the second time, I want
a student to raise their hand when they make a connection in the article. It can be
any of the three connections that they learned.

After we had discussion and a couple examples were provided through the text, I
will ask if the students have any questions and if they understand about making
connections.

After Reading
Lastly, I will hand out the double-journal entries worksheet out to each student. I will explain what to
do on the worksheet. On the left side it says, Idea From Text, in this part, students are going to write
down the part of the book they are making the connection with. Then on the right side it says,
Reaction/connection, this is where the student will write their connection. *Make sure the students
write down which type of connection they are making (Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, Text-to-World). I will
provide the students with a copy of the article so they can make connections at their own pace. I will
stop them to have them pay attention as I play the song once again to help them make connections
with Text-to-Text. Once the students are done, I will ask the students for an example of each
connection.

Check for understanding: I will provide a scrap piece of paper to the students. Then I will ask each
student to label their paper one through three.
1). What power does the federal government have in the legislative branch/
2). What are the three types of connections?
3). How can making connections help with our understanding of a text?

Students should be able to get 100% on these questions.

Name: Jaime Jones

Closure: I will remind and reflect about what we learned today in the lesson. Then I will ask them to flip
their scrap piece of paper and have them write down if they think this strategy is helpful in learning
material and why?

Next Steps: Questioning lesson plan.

Reflection: What went well? What surprised you about the lesson? What changes can you make for
next time? Who needs what reinforcement?

I found that this lesson plan went way better than the first. The students are getting used to me coming
into their classroom and are more open when it comes to discussion. Their body language has drastically
changed and they appear to be more comfortable during the lesson. The students were interactive with
me and held great discussions with myself and their classmates that are in the group as well. What
surprised me was how fast they got comfortable and they seemed to enjoy the lesson plan this time
around. They compliment the change in teaching. For their history, it is a lot of sitting and reading
together as a class from their textbook then moving on. They like how I am more interactive and they
said they learned more doing these strategies which not just surprised me but made my future teacher's
heart happy. The students prior to the lesson knew about making connections and the three types so the
lesson plan went well in this format. They also really enjoyed the technology piece in this lesson as we
got to listen to Schoolhouse Rock. Changes for next time that I would like to make is having more
individual and partner discussion prior to coming together to talk as a whole. I think the next lesson plan
of questioning will be a great time to make that change happen. I also would like to create more fun
activities because I want them to see how fun history can be. During the Double Entry Journal, one
student struggled with connecting with the article that I provided. They needed reinforcement during
and I helped break down the article into sections and helped him realize what connections he had to the
text. I made sure to provide many examples out loud prior to reading the article of each type of
connection. Then also I provided my examples from the text that I had made connections with really
helped them.

● What was done with the tutees and why (i.e., the strategies and activities presented and/or
reviewed)?

○ I presented the three different types of making connections that are listed above. I
explained how important this strategy is as it helps us comprehend the text more when
we can connect to the text. I gave them an article that is relevant with what they are
learning in history class currently and gave them a Double Journal Entry form where they
Name: Jaime Jones
got to note their connections that they made during the lesson. I chose that activity as
they were able to keep track of their thoughts easier and keep them organized. It
allowed for easier discussions as well.

● Consider how the lesson proceeded and if the goals and objectives of the lesson were met.

○ The goals of this lesson were achieved. The students gained additional knowledge on the
topic of congress power by utilizing the strategy of making connections. The overall
objective of the two standards provided were successfully met.

● How the tutees reacted to the lesson as a whole, what was successful and what less so?

○ I have previously said this in my above reflection, but the students were more engaged
and increased in their interaction with me and their classmates. The lesson was
successful as the students mastered the connection strategy that they have previously
talked about. They knew prior to my lesson what the three types of connections were
and the students were able to use those skills in a little bit more challenging article that
is relevant to their discussions in class. The only thing that may be less successful is the
students do not like to write. They love discussing their thoughts out loud or they like to
use their computers. I had to remind them to write a brief line down so I can reflect on it
later. We had great discussions as a group.

● How the lesson would be adapted for future?

○ Like the students answered in their exit slip, they can use these skills not just
in the social studies setting. They can use this strategy when doing silent
reading, during science, during math, any text they stumble upon. They can
always use the skills of making connections even when watching movies!