Quanesha Medina

LTM 612
Rationale Statement

This unit plan focuses on the curriculum area of Reading. I taught it during my LTM 612 field
placement at HOPE Christian School: Semper, 1st grade level. My instructional objectives were
for scholars to be able to select an appropriate pre-reading strategy based on the previewing of
text and questioning (ex. skimming, reading the front to back book cover, reading slowly, reading
fast), and the ability to identify the setting of a story using picture clues and text evidence.
During the lesson scholars were able to engage in collaborative conversations using turn and
talks (SL.1.1), answer questions prompted by Teacher (SL.1.2, SL.1.3), and describe the
characters, setting, and major events happening in the story (RL.1.3). Read Aloud is taught as a
whole group instruction on the carpet. The Instructor models what a good reader looks like and
then the scholars are given opportunities to show the mastered skill through verbal
communication.
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin is a fiction book utilize for this Read Aloud to learn objectives
and capture the interest of our first graders. The scholars can relate to diaries utilizing their
writing journals and many having their own personal journals/diaries. Worms are relatable
because they are very familiar creatures. Anchor charts displaying vocabulary/key terms with
bright colors and images were also utilize to instill learning. This was also an excellent book
choice for this grade level because of the humor and consistent setting changes, meeting
objectives and appropriation (Conceptualization).
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #2 means that teachers need to know how children grow. The
teacher must understand how children with broad ranges of ability learn and provide instruction
to support their intellectual, social, and personal development. Cognitively, first Grade scholars
(age range 6-8), enjoy repeating task and reviewing learning, likes to finish what they started,
good at classifying (sorting pictures, words, and phrases), and likes to read. All of these factors
are incorporated into the Read Aloud sessions of the class to ensure scholars are meeting
objectives through differentiated learning. Scholars repeat songs and phrases about the story
from the instructor, interact with peers (turn and talks) to discuss predictions and setting
changes within the story, and whole group ask and answer questions to ensure comprehension.
Coordination. This lesson demonstrated coordination because of the transition and setting of
whole group Read Aloud. Through sequential steps scholar’s transition to the carpet. Step 1-
Stand, Step 2-push in chair, Step 3-go to designated tapeline, and Step 4-transition to one spot
on the carpet. All scholars are given expectations of sitting strong, with a bubble in their mouth,
and hands in their laps. Once every scholar has taken their spot on the carpet right away Read
Aloud takes place. Students are seat in rows and may utilize the pattern on the left or right
during turn and talks. I was very flexible within my lesson. I prompted the scholars with
preplanned questions and answers, but I added appropriate questions/humor needed to
increase learning and engagement.
Communication. All scholars were given the opportunity to discuss what they noticed in the text
utilizing pictures, what was different about the setting/date, and the characters reactions.
Discussions took place whole group, randomly calling on scholars to participate, or with partners
giving scholars the opportunity to share what they are thinking with a peer. A discussion point
everyone was given to respond to was why do we as good readers need to determine the setting
of a story to fully understand the story? Scholars were randomly selected to share their response
and coming to a common ground that the setting is important so that we as good readers know
where the characters are and what they are doing in that environment.
Integrative Interaction. During the turn and talks students were discussing what the setting was
on the current page and how they knew their answer was the setting. Scholars discussed utilizing
text clues; pictures, phrases, key WOW (vocabulary) words, and the characters reactions. At one
point I had the scholars place themselves in the shoes of the worm and see visualize what their
reaction may have been depending on their setting. The scholars had ranges of answers, many
have positive and some mutual reactions depending on the setting or character change.