EDUC 2220- Educational Technology Lesson Plan

Nonfiction Research and Writing

Miss Slone
Second grade English

Common Core Standards:

RL.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text.

Lesson Summary:

Students will learn what nonfiction is and will research and write about their favorite nonfiction topic. Students
will then share their research with others using Google Slides.

Estimated Duration:

This lesson will take about 60 minutes per day. Two 30 minute blocks of time. One 30 minute block will be
during their reading time and one 30 minute block will be during their writing time. I plan on dividing this
lesson into four days.

Commentary:

I know I will need to teach and demonstrate what Nonfiction books are. Some of the challenges would be to
get them excited and focused on Nonfiction books, and create a Google Slide presentation on the information
they learned about their topic. I plan on “hooking” them on Nonfiction reading and writing by reading a book
that shares interesting facts about a topic that is age appropriate for second students.

Instructional Procedures:
.

Day 1:
First 30 minute block of time.
I will pre-assess by passing out a half sheet of paper and have students write their name at the top. I will
instruct the students to write on the paper what they think the word nonfiction means.
Introductory activity: Students will come to the carpet area and I will ask the following questions:
Has anyone ever heard of the word nonfiction before?
What do you think nonfiction means?
The students will then give their responses.
I would write on the chart paper: Nonfiction is about true facts on different topics.
I will then ask the students:
Do you have any examples of nonfiction books?
I will then record correct responses, but explain why the incorrect responses cannot be nonfiction.
Then I will ask the students:
What are some nonfiction topics that you are interested in?
I will then record their responses on the chart paper.
This should take about 10 minutes.
After I have finished recording student interests, I will read a nonfiction book to the students.
This should take about 5-10 minutes.
Students will return to their seats.
I will instruct students that they will need to choose their favorite nonfiction topic. Students can choose from
our chart of ideas or they may pick their own.
I will instruct the students to begin researching their topic from their iPads. Students will research from the
school library website for nonfiction books today.
This will take the remaining 10-15 minutes.
This will take us to the end of our first 30 minute block of time.
Second 30 minute block of time.
I will remind students about our nonfiction definition and ask:
What are some topics you have chosen?
What is some information you have found out about your topic?
Students will continue researching and becoming experts about their topic.
This will take us to the end of the 30 minute block of time.
During the lesson, students will be able to ask questions or share information to the rest of the class.

Day 2:
First 30 minute block:
Introductory activity: Students will come to the rug.
I will ask what they have learned about their nonfiction topic.
I will refer back to my nonfiction book that I read yesterday. I will ask students: Why do you think it’s
important to have nonfiction books?
I will explain to the students that we read nonfiction books to learn about different topics.
I will then write on the chart paper:
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
This should take 5 minutes.
I will reread my book from yesterday and ask students to call out when they hear one of these questions being
answered in the book. I will write out on the chart paper the correct responses to the questions listed.
This should take 10 - 15 minutes.
I will instruct students to return to their seats, get their writing journals out, and write: who, what, where,
when, why, and how like I did on the chart paper.
Students will continue researching their topics and record their findings to the questions in their journal.
This should take 10 = 15 minutes.

Second 30 minute block:

I will instruct the students to come to the carpet. I will ask for a couple of volunteers to share what they have
learned about their topics.
This will take about 5-10 minutes.
I will instruct students to return to their seats and continue researching and continue to write down what they
learn about the who, what, where, when, why, and how their topic.
This will take 20-25 minutes.

Day 3:
First 30 minute block:
Student Activity: I will tell students to stay in their seats
I will ask if anyone has been a Google Slides
Students will take a few seconds to answer then the students will only watch my screen
I will guide them through the following steps:
I will go to my Google Homepage
I will go to the nine dots at the upper right part of the screen
I will scroll down a little bit and click on a yellow app called “Slides”
I will sound out “S-L-I-D-E-S” for my students so they know what I am talking about
I will then click “Blank Presentation”
I will then click on the little plus sign at the upper left side to make a total of seven slides
I will click “Click to add title” and title my slides about the Nonfiction topic I am doing
Each slide should have a title at the top like:
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?
The last slide will be title “Glossary”
I will slowly spell out “G-L-O-S-S-A-R-Y” and explain that a glossary is a list of words and what they mean
After I do this process, I will have student do it with me
After going through it again, they will start working on their own
If some students are stuck then I will go around and help them

Second 30 minute block:

Students will start working on their slides
I will walk around to each student and ask what topic they are doing
I will encourage them and tell them to “Keep up the good work!”

Day 4:
First 30 minute block:
Student Activity: Students will finish slides
Second 30 minute block:
I will partner up the students with a table buddy. Each student will share their own Google Slide presentation
with their partner.
I will give the students my school email on the board/screen, so they can share their slide presentation with me.
Students will share their finished slide presentation with me for final assessment.

Pre-Assessment:

A pre-assessment my students will have is getting a half sheet of paper for students to write what nonfiction is.
 Scoring Guidelines:

I will be using teacher judgment on whether each student understands the meaning of nonfiction
writing. I will be scoring all 7 slides not including the title slide based on correct information.

Post-Assessment:

Students will create a google slide presentation to share what they have learned about their topic with me and
one classmate.

Scoring Guidelines:

Score of 1 out of 4 = 1-2 slides correct = understand very little concepts

Score of 2 out of 4 = 2-4 slides correct = understand some concepts
Score of 3 out of 4 = 4-6 slides correct = understand most concepts
Score of 4 out of 4 = all 7 slides correct = mastered all concepts

Differentiated Instructional Support

For struggling students: I will pair up students to work with a buddy to do their research and presentations.
Students can bounce ideas off of each other and have support throughout their project. Students may also use
the read-aloud features during reading their books. I will also assist as needed to keep students on track and
help guide them where needed.
For EL students: I will allow these students to use Google translate and speak their responses on each slide.
These students can also find books in their native language or use the read-aloud features to assist their
learning.
For gifted or accelerated students: I will challenge these students to find as many facts as possible about
their topic. I will also allow these students to assist the struggling or EL students to help guide them in
completing their research and presentations.

Extension
National Geographic for kids- This is a nonfiction website about animals, history, space, or etc. Students will
benefit from this because they can get their topic and information about their topic on this site.
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Homework Options and Home Connections

Students will continue their research and slide presentations at home. I will also be doing a Google Slide
presentation as an example for them to look off of.

Interdisciplinary Connections

This lesson integrates reading, writing, social studies within the use of technology.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers Smart board

Chart paper
Nonfiction books

For students Ipads

Writing journal
Pencil
Nonfiction books

Key Vocabulary
Nonfiction- True facts on different topics
Facts- Something that is proven to be true
Google slides- An online app where you create a presentation and present it
Presentation- Creating something to teach people about a topic

Additional Notes
When teaching the students it’s “I do it, we do it, then you do it”.