Lesson Plan

Grade Level/Subject Area: Grades 3 & 4/ELA

Grade Level/Subject Area: Grades 9-12/ELA
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024; 9:30-10:30 am
Lesson Topic: Sharing original short stories written by high school students; reading aloud with
elementary school students

Content Standards for Grades 3 & 4

RL.3.13 Read and comprehend high quality dramas, prose and poetry of appropriate
quantitative and qualitative complexity for Grade 3.
RL.4.13 Read and comprehend high quality dramas, prose and poetry of appropriate
quantitative and qualitative complexity for Grade 4.
SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.
SL.4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.
SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information
presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
SL.4.2 Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media
and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Content Standards for Grades 9-12
RL.9-12.3 Analyze how complex characters over the course of a text, interact with other
characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
RL.9-12.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events
within it, and manipulate time create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
SL.9-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners.
W.9-12.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.9-12.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting,
or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific
purpose and audience.
W.9-12.10 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing.
W.9-12.11 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Overview: Students of different ages will collaborate during a read aloud in the library. Some
students will be read to by the high school students who wrote and illustrated their own original
children’s books; some students will read to the high school students from library books they
checked out or from books they bought at the Scholastic book fair. Students of different ages will
shop at the book fair, discuss the books they are reading, and talk about the writing and creation
process of the books they wrote. The high school students wrote original stories written for
children after learning about the elements of picture books, the elements of fairy tales and
folktales, and the overall plot structure for short stories. After analyzing many different picture
books, the high school created their own stories as a fairy tale/folktale retelling; as a hybrid of
fairy tales/folktales, or a completely original short story. They revised their stories, published
their stories, and then decided which ones were the most appropriate for the field trip to
Vermillion High School. After some class discussion, the high school students agreed to the
expectations of monitoring their language around younger students, engaging in reading and
discussion with students, and avoiding the distractions of technology.

Kid-Friendly Learning Objective(s):

● Students will read original stories or books in the library.
● Students will discuss the books they read in small groups.
● Students will check out books from the library or buy books from the book fair.

Instructional Design

1. Opening
a. Gain attention
i. Students are given instructions to put coats on their assigned numbers and
to sit on their assigned numbered spots in the reading corner. The librarian
Steph Hills usually starts off a lesson with Good Things (Capturing Kids
Hearts staple) at least once per week for each class. Certain students know
it is their turn to participate and are called on to share a good thing.
b. Review
i. Steph Hills reminds the class of who I am and lets me give some
instructions.
c. Preview
i. I will give a brief introduction of my creative writing class to the students.
I will give instructions that there should be one or two high school
students at each table with at least two elementary students. The high
school students will read aloud their books, and then they have other
library books available to read together once they are done.
ii. After students spend about 10 minutes reading, the elementary school
students will rotate to another table and get a chance to read another book
with another high school student.
2. Lesson Delivery – Work/Instructional time
a. Demonstration (I do it):
 i. I show students their options of reading with the high schoolers, looking at
the books in the Scholastic book fair, or checking out a book from the
library.
b. Guided Practice (We do it)
i. Students read aloud at their tables while elementary school students are
called individually to go check out books or look at books at the book fair.
ii. Students rotate to another table 2 or 3 times before the end of the class.
c. Checking for Understanding (You do it)
i. Students discuss the reading at each table while I monitor and check
in/listen in at each table during the reading.
3. Closing
a. Review
i. Don’t forget about the carnival-themed book fair occurring during
Parent/Teacher conferences.
ii. Push in your chairs, put away your supplies, and line up on your numbered
spots.
iii. What is the Joke of the Day? (Steph Hills posts a joke and the answer for
the students to see at the end of the week).
b. Preview
i. Get ready for the book fair! Steph Hills will share
announcements/information on the book fair, which will occur during
Parent/Teacher Conferences February 21-22.
c. Independent Work
i. Students will buy books from the Scholastic book fair.
ii. Students will check out books (at least one of the classes needs to check
out books). We are going to be reading with two different classes today.
d. Launch: Students all chime in as a chorus because they have repeated this so
often: Today is your day. Make it great! Then they follow the library para to their
next class.

Evidence of Learning – How will students demonstrate their level of understanding?

Student interactions and discussions will indicate the level of engagement from the elementary
students. High school students will also share their opinions and reviews of the activity after we
leave the library and walk back to the high school.

Materials needed:
● Copies of the high school students’ short stories.
● Library books for students to read with the high school students.
Technology:
● None needed for this lesson.

Reflection
Based on my observations and the feedback from my high school students, I think the positives
outweigh the negatives of this “field trip.” (I discuss the negatives in my reflective journal).
I observed students asking questions as my high schoolers read aloud. I observed how engaged
many of the elementary students were; although a few of my high schoolers thought they seemed
uninterested in reading, whether it was due to the content of the book or the reading level of the
book. However, I think some of the third and fourth grade students have started to lose interest in
reading in general. My goal was for my high schoolers to share their written work, to see the
impact it could have on potential readers, and to encourage younger students by showing them
the example of the “cool” high schoolers in championing reading and writing and creative work.