Rachel Birkey

Lesson Plan Template Reading, Writing, and Oral Language

2007 ACEI Standards
Square Cat
READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal:
Students will understand that we all have differences, but they will also seek to find strengths in
differences.
B. Objectives:
-Students are able to tell me the three characters in Square Cat, and identify the role they play.
-After the story is read, students are able to verbalize that it is okay to be different, and share points from
the story during our group discussion.
-Students draw their own square cat on the handout, and talk in groups about differences.
C. Standards:
K.RL.1 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
K.RL.2.1 With support, ask and answer questions about main topics and key details in a text heard or read.
K.RL.2.3: Identify important elements of the text (e.g., characters, settings, or events).
II. Materials:
Square Cat, by Elizabeth Schoonmaker, coloring sheets for each student, crayons
III. Anticipatory Set
When I was little I lived in a different country, called Ecuador. This meant that my life was different from many
kids, so when my family moved to the United States, I wanted to pretend that I was fully American. I didnt want
other kids to think that I was weird. I would pretend that I didnt understand any Spanish. While I did forget some
Spanish, I later realized I was only hurting myself pretending that I was like every other American kid. I didnt get to
do all the things you guys can but I had lots of fun living in a different country and I can use the Spanish that I do
know to help others. I decided it wasnt good to pretend I am something different than I am. I figured out that it is
good to be different. In this story the main character, Eula, wants to be just like her friends. While Im reading I
want you to think of how you feel when you are different, but I also want you to pay attention to what Eulas
friends do to make her feel better. After I read I will ask you to tell me things that you saw the cats do and think.
IV. Purpose: We are looking at this story because we are all different from each other, but I also want you to be like
the characters and see the good things in other people and in yourself.
PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION
(ACEI 1.0)
Foundational Theory: Reader-response criticism is a school of literary theory that focuses on the reader (or
audience) and their experience of a literary work, in contrast to other schools and theories that focus
attention primarily on the author or the content and form of the work.
Adaptation to Diverse Students
- Special Needs Students- For several students I will provide them an appropriate spot to sit on the carpet,
that way I am able help the student, but provide an environment which encourages positive interaction.
- Remediation I will place the story on the bookshelf, this way if students want to reference the story we
read, or practice reading on their own.
- Enrichment As I watch students complete the worksheet I will talk to the students who exceled in the
lesson and provide them with other questions, such as What could Eulas friends say about your cat? How
is a way you can make a friend feel better? Are there other details you can add to your picture?
- ESL- As I am reading and writing key words I will point out the picture as I saw the word. This way I can
reinforce the word/ meaning for ELL learners.
(ACEI 3.2)
Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)
Read the book
Can anyone tell me what a character of a book is?
We can learn a lot about a character in a book by paying attention to what they say, think and do. Now I want
you to respond and tell me things that you noticed about Eula and her friends.

(While students are sharing what they learned I will be writing on the board- I will also use different colors/
symbols on the chart since the students are just starting to learn how to read).
What did you notice? (Allow students to think and share ideas).
Who are the characters in this story? (Eula and her two friends)
What did Eulas friends do to try to make her like a round cat? What did they do when she was still sad? What
did you learn about her friends?
Is it bad to be a round cat? (no, just like being a square cat it is good!)
What is a way that we can make other people feel comfortable when they are different?
What ways are you different? (Color of skin, hobbies, gender, height, talents) How is that something good?
Should we be mean to other people who are different? (no)- we should look to find ways that it is good that they
are different.
You each will get a sheet of paper with a big square on it. Here you can draw your square cat. I want you to
imagine that you are making your own character for this story. Your cat can be different in anyway just like how
Eula is different from her friends. The characters in this story show us how to find strengths in each others
differences. You can choose the colors, or even make it look like you, but as you work on it I want to you to also talk
to your neighbor about the good things you see in their picture. Does this mean you should say they are doing
something wrong? (No). I want you to use nice words, and be like Eulas kind friends. Students are allow them to
talk with peers to look at the differences between each cat. At the bottom it will say. We are all different, but being
different can be good.
As students are completing the activity I will walk around the classroom. I will listen as the students offer to talk
about their cat. I will also ask students to tell me one cool thing about their neighbors cat. (These can both be
similarities and differences; both are good). I may point out some differences as I walk around too: (___ , I love how
your cat is pink, and ____ I think it is cool that yours has strips. I like both of them even though they are different.
Its like how both you and ___ are two different people, but great students!) Students are allowed to talk as they
work on their sheet.
(ACEI 2.1) (ACEI 3.3)
V. Check for understanding.
After the book I will ask students questions and we will have a group discussion to see what they got out of the
story.
As students are at their desk I will be observing their behavior/ conversations. I will also ask students to tell me
about the strengths their cat has and a strength that their neighbors cat has.
VII. Review learning outcomes / Closure
Boys and Girls I loved seeing all of your cats. Who can tell the class what a character is? Who else can tell us a fact
about the characters from our book Square Cat? Once you finish your picture you can place it on the chair and go to
the carpet. I hope you are able to see how we can all use our differences as a strength, and as a way to help each
other rather than exclude people who are different.
PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT
Summative: In group discussion, students will be able to answer questions about the story, specifically questions
about differences and the characters. (I will write down their comments on the board as proof of what they learned)
Formative: Students will be able to draw a cat with differences that they will compare and contrast to their neighbor.
These cats will be their own character, and I will ask students what they think their cat would act like if he was in
the book with Eula.
(ACEI 4.0)
REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a. Blooms Taxonomy
b. Gardners Multiple Intelligences

7. How did students talk with their peers about their drawings?
8. Did students understand the purpose of the story?
Revision Date: August 3, 2015 2007 ACEI Standard

We are all different, but being different can

be good.