Backward Design Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan Version 1.0

Section 1: Framing the Lesson
I imagine this lesson fitting into a unit that might be called: Creative Writing
Subject/Course: Language Arts - Literacy
Necessary time frame for this lesson: 55 mins (~20 minutes for reading, ~35 minutes for
worksheet)
Strand: Oral Communication, Writing, And Visual Arts
Grade(s): 3 (can be adapted for other grades by changing book and response question)

Section 2: Desired Results

Lesson Objective(s):
[list the skills, understandings, dispositions, accomplishments that students will have
made/acquired during this lesson]
By the end of this lesson, students will
Be able to listen to read aloud with the purpose of understanding the characters in the
story
Independently reflect on the story and characters in order to answer response question
Answer response question using full sentences and proper grammatical techniques (i.e.
starting sentences with capital letters, and proper punctuation)
Use their imagination and creativity to create their own piece of work

Ontario Curricular Overall Expectation(s) with which this lesson aligns:

Oral Communication: Listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a
variety of situations for a variety of purposes (p. 64)
Writing: Use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge
of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work
effectively (p. 70)

Visual Arts: Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to produce a variety of
two-and three- dimensional art works, using elements, principles. and techniques of
visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings

Ontario Curricular Specific Expectation(s) with which this lesson aligns:

Oral Communication: 1.6 Extending Understanding - Extend understanding of oral texts
by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience
Writing: 3 Applying Knowledge of Language Conventions and Presenting Written Work
Effectively - 3.1 through 3.8 are all touched on and aligned with this lesson
Visual Arts: D1.2 - Demonstrate an understanding of composition, using principles of
design to create narrative art works or art works on a theme or topic

Section 3: Gathering Acceptable Evidence

What Information will you collect during this lesson that will allow you to make claims
about how your students are progressing toward the curricular expectations?
Observe their engagement through the read aloud on the carpet; are they paying
attention, are they answering questions, are they asking questions?
The response question allows me to see and assess their application and use of proper
writing techniques
Their art work allows me to see their use of creativity in visual art and their creative
thinking behind the art

Section 4: Plan
Sequence of Learning and Instructional Activities [including assessments for learning]
Use the table below to list the ordered sequence of learning, teaching and assessment
activities that will take place [adjust/edit the table as necessary by adding/deleting
rows]. The sequence of activities should align with the stated objectives, and align with
what you know about how learning happens.

Teacher Will

Students Will

Introduce the book and explain that the

story is about a group of students who go
on an adventure.

Listen and prepare to understand the

story.

Read the book (The Dunderheads),

pausing at any new or difficult vocabulary
for clarification.

Listen to the story and raise their hands

when there is a word that is new or
difficult and they would like clarification.

Ask the students to name the characters

from the story and write the names on the
chart paper.
This is when the teacher can see how
engaged the students were and how
much they remember.

Raise their hands and name a character

from the story.

The teacher will then explain the

Listen and ask any necessary questions
assignment (a response question and an about the assignment before returning to
art project).
their seats.
The first part is a response question: Who
was your favourite character in the story?
Explain why?
(Prompt written on chart paper in front of
class: My favourite character was
_______ because)
The second part is an art project: Create
your own character to join the
Dunderheads on their next adventure.
Give him a nickname.
The students are encouraged to use
markers, coloured pencils, google eyes,
and any other materials in the class room.
Observe students working habits (i.e. are
they sitting quietly and working? are they
using their personal dictionaries as
resources?)

Sit at desk and answer response question

on the hand out.

Begin reviewing and assessing the written Hand in written work to teacher and then
response work.
begin the art assignment
Assess the quality of thinking and writing
in written responses

Receive individual feedback (i.e. Dont

forget to use capital letters, you cant start
a sentence with because)

See the students use of creativity in

Hang their artwork in the classroom for

ideas, nicknames, and physical materials

used to complete art work.

display

Logistics and Materials

Student Groupings: All together for read aloud, working individually on hand out
(response and art)
Materials Required: The book, chart paper, work sheets for response work, markers,
coloured pencils, google eyes, construction paper, any other desired art materials, glue.

Rationale for this Lesson Design

(a) Based on what you have learned in this class so far, how does the design of your
lesson plan address the official curriculum expectations that you have identified?
Provide a justification for your design using your understanding of learning and methods
that support student learning.
My lesson plan is touching on various strands in the Ontario Curriculum to create a
lesson which involves integrated learning (i.e. learning more than one subject at a time.)
My lesson is focusing on the writing expectations and the students ability to apply
knowledge of proper language conventions. The writing portion of the assignment
shows me clear evidence of the students understanding of this expectation (i.e. by use
of capital letters, correct punctuation, etc.).
Chapter 3 of How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school discusses
learning and transfer. Something I personally struggled with was the difference between
memorizing and understanding. I would memorize math equations, but could never
apply them because I was lacking the understanding. The reading response question in
my lesson is very personal and reflective, which promotes understanding of the text
rather than memorizing. This is very important to help students through their lifelong
journey of education. In class we discussed various ways to help student learning when
faced with difficult or unfamiliar vocabulary (for example: when we read the science
article). I will stop and discuss any unfamiliar terms while reading the story, and will
encourage the students to use their personal dictionaries when answering the response
questions.

(b) How does our lesson plan incorporate concepts from the backward design
approach that is advocated by school boards in Ontario and as represented in the
course materials?
The backward design approach allowed me to plan a lesson based on my students
needs and how they can be incorporated into the needs or special goals of the Ontario
Curriculum. I have designed this lesson with my CSL class in mind. The students need
to practice their basic writing skills, for example, writing in full sentences, as well as the
capitalization of first letters of sentences and names. I started this lesson plan by
looking at the expectations of a third grade student in the writing strand of Language
Arts. An entire section of this strand is dedicated to knowledge of proper language
conventions (expectation 3); so that is where I started. From there I thought it would be
a nice idea to incorporate some reading and art in order to keep the students engaged
and motivated to write (in order to practice their writing without feeling as though they
were writing this huge piece of uninteresting work). By knowing what my end goal and
expectation was, I was able to plan my activity knowing what I would want the students
to complete in order to assess their work properly (i.e. I knew that I was looking for
proper use of language conventions, therefore it was obvious that I would need the
students to complete a piece of writing in order to assess their application of this
knowledge). The backwards design plan is a great approach for new teachers (or
student teachers) who are still familiarizing themselves with the curriculum expectations.
I felt as though starting at the end goal really helped me develop a meaningful and
purposeful lesson.