Common Core Standards

Curriculum Analysis and Lesson Plan

LeeAnna
University of New England
December 5, 2013





Introduction
One of the most dangerous temptations when teaching writing is to assume that the
students will just naturally get better with time and practice; practice makes perfect, right? This
has been proven wrong again and again (Graham, S., MacArthur, C. A., & Fitzgerald, J., 2007).
This research appears to have not reached the Korean education system, where rote
memorization and thoughtless reputation is the main stay of education (Blazer, C., 2012). As a
result, it is often assumed that students can just naturally improve their skills by doing the skills
without any instruction. Within my school the largest and clearest example of this is within our
Kindergarten writing curriculum; during class our units all focus on sentences creation and order
but at home the students are expected to write par graphical journals. As expected, most of these
are just random sentences that tie together with no topic sentences, ending sentences or proper
formatting. None of my students indent their paragraphs, a few still start each new sentence on a
new line, and each week's topic sentences and ending sentences are always the same. Thus, my
new unit is designed to help teach students the basic properties of a paragraph. It has been placed
later in the year, about a month before the journal writing homework starts. This is done so that
our students can have guided, in class instruction with instant feedback before they go home and
try to do this independently.





Professional Development and Support

Due to the high turnover rate of English educators in Korea, our school has a weeklong
training before the school year begins to help all the new teachers get accustomed to our
curriculum. This training is broken up into group days and whole school days. On the group days
we go over the details of our grade level's curriculum. While meeting as a whole school we go
over the school culture and school-wide events. This is the time when we go over our curriculum
map and would be a great time for the second or third year teachers to help the new teachers.
Often the training is lead by the supervisors, who are at a distances from the classroom. If the
teachers are given a chance to have some input, I feel the school can improve greatly.
Students are not the only people who need feedback and advice; we teachers need it too.
This is an area that our school already has a great system set up for. Every morning we have a
short meeting with all the teachers and supervisors to discuss current and future plans in the
school. Since each grade level has their own supervisor, the other teachers have asked for us to
have a weekly meeting within our grade levels. These meetings have become a teacher-lead time
to discuss problems and solutions within our classroom, and need to continue throughout our
new curriculum changes.








Curriculum Map
Theme Writing Skill Standard
Myself, Friends and School Handwriting
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.L.1.1 Demonstrate
command of the conventions
of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or
speaking.
Shapes and Colors Word Order
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.L.1.1 Demonstrate
command of the conventions
of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or
speaking.
Family Reading Comprehension
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.5 With guidance
and support from adults, focus
on a topic, respond to
questions and suggestions
from peers, and add details to
strengthen writing as needed.
Plants & Animals Sentences Creation
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.8 With guidance
and support from adults, recall
information from experiences
or gather information from
provided sources to answer a
question.
Food and Health Reading Comprehension
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.5 With guidance
and support from adults, focus
on a topic, respond to
questions and suggestions
from peers, and add details to
strengthen writing as needed.
Body, 5 senses, and Textures Sentences Creation
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.8 With guidance
and support from adults, recall
information from experiences
or gather information from
provided sources to answer a
question.
Sports Order of Events
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.3 Write
narratives in which they
recount two or more
appropriately sequenced
events, include some details
regarding what happened, use
temporal words to signal
event order, and provide
some sense of closure.
Nature Pronoun Comprehension
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.8 With guidance
and support from adults, recall
information from experiences
or gather information from
provided sources to answer a
question.
Jobs & Communities Paragraph Writing
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.2 Write
informative/explanatory texts
in which they name a topic,
supply some facts about the
topic, and provide some
sense of closure.
Christmas Holidays Journal Writing
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.3 Write
narratives in which they
recount two or more
appropriately sequenced
events, include some details
regarding what happened, use
temporal words to signal
event order, and provide
some sense of closure.
All Around the world Letter Writing
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.7 Participate in
shared research and writing
projects (e.g., explore a
number of how-to books on
a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of
instructions).
Space & Environment Book Reports
CCSS.ELA-
Literacy.W.1.1 Write opinion
pieces in which they introduce
the topic or name the book
they are writing about, state
an opinion, supply a reason
for the opinion, and provide
some sense of closure.





Newly Designed Unit
Theme Jobs & Communities
Length 4 weeks
Standard CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.2 Write
informative/explanatory texts in which they
name a topic, supply some facts about the
topic, and provide some sense of closure.






Week 1
Learning targets:
Identifying paragraphs via proper formatting.
Identifying and creating topic sentences.
Day Objective Review Activity 1 Activity 2 Assessment
1 Identifying
paragraphs
formatting
styles
What is at the
beginning of a
sentence? What
is at the end of a
sentence?
As a class:
Circle all the
periods in 1
paragraph.
Independently:
Circle all the
periods in 4
more
paragraphs.
Discuss: Where
do the sentences
end? Where do
they start?

*Differentiation:
visual
As a class:
Draw a square
around 1
paragraph, and
draw attention
to the indent on
the first line.
(color/
circle/draw a
shape there).
Independently:
Repeat with 4
more
paragraphs.

*Differentiation:
Visual
Can they do
both
activities
alone? How
much help do
they need?
Give
feedback as
they work
and observe
for the next
day
2 Locate the
Topic
Sentence
What is at the
beginning of a
paragraph?
Where do all the
sentences start
in a paragraph?
As a class: Read
a paragraph and
discuss the main
idea. Then talk
about which
sentence
matches the
main idea
In groups of 3-
4: Repeat and
underline the
sentences that
matches in 3
more
paragraphs.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal ,
Come together
and talk about
where these
'main idea'
sentences are
located.
Alone:
underline where
the topic
sentence is
located in a
paragraph.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal ,
Intrapersonal ,
verbal , visual .
Activity 2
& verbal

3 Selecting the
correct topic
sentence
Review
formatting and
topic sentence
location via
coloring the
indent,
beginning and
ending of each
sentences and
the topic
sentence.

*Differentiation:
Visual , logical
As a class: Read
a paragraph that
is missing its
topic sentence.
Of the 4 written
on the board,
which one best
fits the
paragraph?
Why? Repeat 2
more times as a
class

*Differentiation:
Visual ,
Interpersonal
In pairs: Match
the topic
sentence with a
paragraph using
the cards they
are printed on

*Differentiation:
Kinetics
Asking
individuals in
pairs why
that topic
sentence
matches that
paragraph.
(Orally)
4 Identifying a
topic
sentence
without a
paragraph
Give a list of 3
paragraphs.
Circle the
correctly
formatted one.

*Differentiation:
Visual
As a class: have
a pair of
sentences on the
board. Which
one is a topic
sentence? Why?
Repeat 2 more
times.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal
In groups of 3-
4, separate
sentence cards
into topic and
non topic
sentences piles.

*Differentiation:
Visual, logical,
kinetic
Orally -
explain why
1 topic
sentence is a
topic and a
non topic
isn't a topic.
5 Writing a
topic
sentence
Color the topic
sentences and
not the detail
sentences

*Differentiation:
visual
As a class: Read
a paragraph on
the board that is
missing its topic
sentence. Fill in
the blank
together. Repeat
3 more times.
*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
visual, verbal
In pairs: Read 3
paragraphs and
identify the
main idea of
each paragraph.
Alone: Write a
topic sentences
for those 3
paragraphs.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
intrapersonal,
verbal
Collect the
sentences,
give written
feedback
(return on the
following
Monday)


Week 2
Learning targets: Identify and create conclusion sentences.
Day Objective Review Activity 1 Activity 2 Assessment
1 Identifying a
properly
concluded
paragraph
1. Review how
well your topic
sentences were.
Make any
changes you
think are
needed.

2. Label the
beginning of a
paragraph
(indent) and the
topic sentence
on a worksheet.

*Differentiation:
Visual, verbal,
intrapersonal
As a class: Read
a paragraph on
the board. Is it
finished? Why
or why not?
Read another
paragraph and
repeat. Compare
the differences.
Talk about the
importance of
an ending
sentences.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
logical, verbal
In Groups:
On the review
worksheet, read
and circle the
paragraphs that
are properly
'finished".
Explain why to
each other.

*Differentiation:
Verbal, visual,
intrapersonal
Listen to
reasons in
act. 2. Give
feedback
and help
2 Locating
the
conclusion
sentences.
In Pairs: Read a
paragraph out
loud to your
partner. Partner:
Is it finished?
Switch roles.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal, listening
As a class: Read
a paragraph, talk
about what
makes it feel
finished.
Underline that
sentences.
In groups of 3-
4: Repeat with 4
more
paragraphs.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal, visual
Come together
and talk about
where these
finishing
sentences are
located.
Alone:
underline where
the conclusion
sentence is
located in a
paragraph.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal,
intrapersonal,
Activity 2
3 Selecting
the correct
Review location
of the topic
As a class: Read
a paragraph that
In pairs: Match
the conclusion
Asking
individuals
ending
sentence
sentences and
ending
sentences

*Differentiation:
verbal, visual
is missing its
conclusion
sentence. Of the
4 written on the
board, which
one best fits the
paragraph?
Why? Repeat 2
more times as a
class
*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal
sentence with a
paragraph using
the cards they
are printed on

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, kinetics
in pairs why
that
conclusion
sentence
matches that
paragraph.
(Orally)
4 Identifying a
conclusion
sentence
without a
paragraph
Give a list of 3
paragraphs.
Circle the topic
and ending
sentences as
well as the
indent.

*Differentiation:
Intrapersonal,
visual
As a class: have
a pair of
sentences on the
board. Which
one is a
conclusion
sentence? Why?
Repeat 2 more
times.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal
In groups of 3-
4, separate
sentence cards
into conclusion
and non
conclusion
sentences piles.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
kinetics,
Orally -
explain why
1 conclusion
sentence is a
conclusion
and a non
conclusion
isn't a
conclusion.
5 Writing a
conclusion
sentence
Color the topic
sentences and
the ending
sentences.

*Differentiation:
visual
As a class: Read
a paragraph on
the board that is
missing its
conclusion
sentence. Fill in
the blank
together.
Discuss how the
topic and
conclusion are
very similar
Repeat 3 more
times.
*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal
In pairs: Read 3
paragraphs and
identify the
conclusion
sentence of each
paragraph.

Alone: Write a
conclusion
sentences for
those 3
paragraphs.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal,
intrapersonal,
Collect the
sentences,
give written
feedback
(return on
the
following
Monday)



Week 3
Learning Target:
Identifying the details in a paragraph.
Putting the detail sentences in the correct order.
Day Objective Review Activity 1 Activity 2 Assessment
1 Identifying
the non-
topic and
concluding
sentences in
a paragraph.
1. Give back the
worksheet.
Check how your
ending
sentences were.
make any
changes you
want.

2. Color the
topic and ending
sentences

*Differentiation:
Intrapersonal,
visual
As a class: Look
at the review
worksheet, what
is between the
topic and
conclusion
sentences? How
many are there
(1/2 or many?)?
What do they
do?

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal
In pairs:
Color the topic
sentences 1
color, the
conclusion
sentences
another and the
detail sentences
another color.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, visual
Watch their
coloring.
2 Locating
the detail
sentences.
In Pairs: Read a
paragraph out
loud to your
partner. Partner:
Is it missing
anything?
Switch roles.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, listening
As a class: Read
a paragraph, talk
about what the
details are.
What is their
job? How are
they helpful?
What is similar
about them?
How are they
different from
the topic and
conclusion
sentences.
Underline that
sentences.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, visual,
In groups of 3-
4: Repeat
activity 1 with
4 more
paragraphs.
Discuss with
each other how
the details help
the paragraphs.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, logticaly
Listen to
their
discussions.
logical

3 Identifying
un-needed
details.
Color all the
parts of the
paragraph (four
colors: topic
sentence, indent,
conclusion and
details)

*Differentiation:
intrapersonal,
visual
As a class: Read
a paragraph that
has an extra,
unrelated
sentence. Talk
about which one
doesn't fit and
why.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, logical

In pairs: cross
out the un-
needed
sentences in the
paragraphs and
explain why.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, logical
Activity 2
4 Identifying a
detail
sentence
without a
paragraph
Give a list of 3
paragraphs.
Circle the topic
sentence,
conclusion
sentences. Cross
out the extra
detail sentences.

*Differentiation:
intrapersonal,
verbal, logical
As a class: have
a pair of
sentences on the
board. Which
one is a detail
sentence? Why?
Repeat 2 more
times.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
logical, verbal
In groups of 3-
4, separate
sentence cards
into topic,
conclusion, and
detail sentences
piles.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
logical, kinetics,
Orally -
explain why
1 sentence is
in each
group.
5 Writing a
detail
sentence
Playing 4
corners. Is the
sentence the
teacher just read
out a detail,
topic,
conclusion or
un-needed
sentence for the
paragraph on the
board? Go to the
correct corner.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
intrapersonal,
kinetics
As a class: Read
a paragraph on
the board that is
missing a detail
sentence. Fill in
the blank
together.
Discuss how the
detail helps the
paragraph and
how there are
many different
sentences that
can be used.
Repeat 2 more
times.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
Alone: Write a
detail sentences
for 3
paragraphs.

*Differentiation:
intrapersonal,
verbal
Collect the
sentences,
give written
feedback
(return on
the
following
Monday)
logical, verbal

Week 4
Learning Objectives:
Create a brain map independently.
Write a paragraph about a job that interests them.
Day Objective Review Activity 1 Activity 2 Assessment
1 Fill in a
brain map
In pairs:
Use the
sentences cards
and create a
paragraph.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal, logical,
kinetics,
As a class:
Pick a job
(teacher) and
create a brain
map about
everything
related to
teacher.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal
In pairs:
Have students
help each other
fill out a brain
map about what
they want to be
when they grow
up.

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal
Orally,
watching
Activity 2
2 Construct a
Brain map
Be able to
identify un-
needed
details
before
writing
them.
Color the parts
of a completed
brain map that
match the
sentences in a
paragraph (topic
sentences and
middle bubble
both the same
color)

*Differentiation:
Intrapersonal,
verbal, logical,
visual
In groups: Have
them draw and
complete a brain
map on a
randomly
chosen card (can
go to classroom
library for info
in needed).

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal
Come together,
talk about brain
maps. Is there
enough
information to
write a
paragraph? Too
much?
Groups: Trade
brain maps with
other groups and
remove what
you think are
un-needed
details from the
brain map. Then
get together and
talk about the
changes made

Activity 2's
group to
group
discussion
*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
logical, verbal
3 Construct a
paragraph
using a
brain map.
Using the
Velcro details,
work as a class
to complete the
wall brain map

*Differentiation:
Logical, verbal,
kinetics,
interpersonal
Using the
review Brain
chart, write a
paragraph
together as a
class. Discuss
the un-needed
details first.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
verbal, logical
Give students a
randomly
chosen brain
map and have
them write a
paragraph based
on it.

*Differentiation:
Intrapersonal,
verbal, logical
Give Oral
feedback and
help them
write.
Collect
paragraphs.
4 Be able to
combine 2
sentences
into one
longer one
1. In pairs, fill
out a brain chart
from a
paragraph.

2. Separate
cards into
subject and
predicate piles

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
verbal, visual,
kinetics,
As a class go
over a basic,
repetitive
paragraph. Ask
if it is
interesting. Why
or why not?
How can we
change it?
Combine using
Sentences
Combining
(Graham, S.,
etc., 2007).

*Differentiation:
Interpersonal,
logical, verbal
Individually:
Have students
make 4 long
sentences from
8 shorter ones
(outside of a
paragraph).

*Differentiation:
Intrapersonal,
verbal, logical
Activity 2
5 Be able to
make
changes to
a paragraph
Give the
students 2
paragraphs,
circle and list
reasons why one
is better than the
other.

*Differentiation:
Intrapersonal,
verbal, logical

Return the
paragraphs and
brain maps from
Day 3. Give
them a small
check list to use
while editing**.

*Differentiation:
intrapersonal,
verbal, logical
After editing,
read your
paragraph out
loud to a
partner. Partner:
Are all the parts
of a paragraph
there? Is the
paragraph
interesting?
Why or why
not? How can
them make it
Collected
final drafts.
Give back
the
following
week.
better?

Alone:
Make any
changes your
partner
mentioned for
your paragraph.

*Differentiation:
interpersonal,
intrapersonal,
verbal, logical,
listening,

**Week 4 Day 5 editing checklist:
o Do I have a topic sentence?
o Is there an indent (space) on my first line?
o Did I use "and", or "but" once in the paragraph?
o Do I have any un-needed details?
o Do I have a conclusion sentence?

















References

Blazer, C. (2012). Is South Korea a Case of High-Stakes Testing Gone Too Far? . Information
Capsule, 1107, 1-7.
English Language Arts Standards Grade 1 6. (n.d.). Common Core State Standards Initiative.
Retrieved November 18, 2013, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/1/6
Wiles, J., & Bondi, J. (2011). Curriculum development: a guide to practice (8th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall.