UNLV/Department of Teaching & Learning

UNLV Student: Sarah Johnson

PSMT Name: Melanie Boyer

Lesson Plan Title: Selling a Haunted House

Lesson Plan Topic: Persuasive Writing

Date: 25 September 2014

Estimated Time: 50 minutes

Grade Level: 5

School Site: Ober ES

1. State Standard:
a. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
2. Teaching Model: Direct Method
3. Objectives:
a. SWBAT explain what it means to persuade others
b. SWBAT explain how others can persuade us.
c. SWBAT improve descriptive writing by adding adjectives.
d. SWBAT creatively write and successfully persuade readers.
4. Materials and Technology Resources:
a. Paper
b. Writing utensil
c. Highlighter
d. 35 pieces of dark blue construction paper
e. Markers
f. 35 houses (pre-cut)
5. Instructional Procedures:
a. Motivation/Engagement (10-15 minutes)
i. Bring students to the pink carpet
ii. Lead discussion on persuasion
1. Ask students how they persuade others and how others persuade
them. How can we avoid being persuaded?
iii. Begin describing assignment: See b.
iv. TW lead a brain drain on the board. Students will share adjectives that
come to mind when thinking of a haunted house.
v. SW be dismissed to desks to begin writing.
b. Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences (30-35 minutes)
i. Students write for 15 minutes as a real estate agent, trying to sell a haunted
house.
ii. Students exchange papers with a partner and the partner highlights all
nouns in the writing.
iii. Students get paper back and add two adjectives to every noun.
iv. Students re-write on blue construction paper

v. Students decorate haunted house and glue onto paper

c. Closure (5 minutes)
i. SW Round Robin to share with table
ii. TW ask students what they have learned (regarding persuasive writing)
iii. Discuss how descriptive writing improves writing
iv. Ask students if they have any questions about persuasive writing.
d. Extension:
i. Students will get in a group of three. Two students will read their writing
to the buyer. After listening to both students, the buyer will choose
which haunted house he/she wants to buy.
6. Accommodations, Modifications and Differentiations for Diverse Learners
a. Writing in larger print when discussing adjectives
b. Allowing extra time during writing
c. For Berlyn and Dakota- pull back to kidney table to clarify instructions and assist
with writing when needed
d. Formative:
i. Into discussion about persuasion. How are we as individuals persuaded?
How do we persuade others?
e. Summative:
i. Observation during writing time.
ii. Listening observing as students Round Robin what they wrote.
7. Homework Assignment:
a. SW decide on a dream vacation. Using previous knowledge of writing a friendly
letter, will write a letter to their parent/guardian persuading them why this
vacation is necessary.
8. Reflection:
a.
This was the first lesson that I have ever written and carried out in the
classroom. I could not describe the amount of nerves I had leading up to this
moment! With that being said, there was so much for me to reflect on after the
lesson was over. The brain drain worked very well and was also a refresher for
some students who were unclear of what adjectives were. When the students
began sharing their ideas, I began to hear the excitement in their voices, especially
because Halloween is just around the corner! I also implemented CHAMPS for
the first time, so it was exciting to see how well the students responded to that and
was such a great way to keep them accountable.

If I were to teach this lesson again, I would definitely break it up over a

few days. As it was my first lesson, I was very uncertain on the time expectations
I should be setting for the students and I had unrealistic expectations (by a long
shot) on how quickly they would be able to write.
The students absolutely loved the lesson! It was great to see how engaged
they were and just so excited to get their work done! As a future teacher, nothing
made me feel better than watching these students react in such a positive manner
to my first lesson! It was also the first time I was implementing a Kagan strategy
during my closing which felt very comfortable with me and opened the students
up to discuss their learning.