T&L Instructional Plan Template

(Updated 4/17/15
(edTPA Aligned)

Overview
The information included in this document is to support faculty in teaching about and supporting
students with the T&L (and edTPA) Instructional Plan. While there are many variations of lesson plans,
this format meets departmental requirements and is aligned with the 2014 edTPA as well.

Background Information (When doing the actual edTPA, leave out identifiers)

Teacher Candidate: Hannah Ellison, Alexa Date: 3/25/18

Vanmeighem
Cooperating Teacher: Barbara Ward Grade: 5th
School District: Pullman School District School: Sunnyside Elementary
University Supervisor: Lori White
Unit/Subject: Reading
Instructional Plan Title/Focus: Contrasting and Comparing in Reading

Section 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment

a. Instructional Plan Purpose: Teacher candidates explain how this instructional plan develops
students’ conceptual understanding of overall content goals. This is sometimes also called a
“rationale” and includes a “what, why, how” general statement (see also Central Focus in
edTPA)

The purpose of our instructional lesson is for students to be able to compare and contrast
information while reading. We want students to fully comprehend the definition of comparing
and contrasting by using books and passages. Students can get a better understanding of what
they have reading when using the strategy comparing and contrasting in reading. The students
will learn this by receiving explicit instruction through activities and discussion.

Additionally, explain where in a unit this lesson would be taught. What lesson topic came prior
to this one (yesterday) and what related lesson will come after this one (tomorrow)?

This lesson would be taught in the reading unit after predictions and before any other strategy.
This is because we feel that this strategy is one of the most essential ones to learn and it can be
one of the hardest to learn. We believe that comparing and contrasting helps guide other reading
strategies.
 b. State/National Learning Standards:
· CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.6- Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic,
noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.

· CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5- Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g.,

chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or
information in two or more texts.

· CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3- Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or

events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
·

c. Content Objectives:
1. SWBAT compare and contrast different key elements of a story such as major events or
important lessons to be learned
2. SWBAT compare and contrast by finding key similarities and differences between
important parts of the text ( setting, characters, etc)
3. SWBAT display comprehension of what comparing and contrasting looks like through a
short essay

Aligned standard:

1. ( CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5) & (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3)

2. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.6) & (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3)

Language Objectives & aligned standards :

1. SWBAT…
Explain what comparing and contrasting is using what they have learned and read in the
books. ( CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5) & (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3)
2. SWBAT…
Discuss the similarities and differences in setting, characters and plot of two different
books. (( CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5) & (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3)
 d. Previous Learning Experiences:

Students will know how to read, that books have many similarities and differences, and that reading
with comprehension strategies helps you get a better understanding of what you are reading.

e. Planning for Student Learning Needs

We will prepare for the ELL students by: having books that are maybe in their native language and give
students who do not fully understand learning with reading comprehension strategies some extra
assistance. I think it is important to give examples of what comparing and contrasting is so that students
can get a better understanding of it if they do not understand by just hearing the definition.

For students with learning disabilities: For these students we will try and get some one on one time in
order to be sure they understand and have the extra help they may need. If a worksheet is used, the
student may be given a simpler version of what to do but is still being taught the same concept.

f. Assessment Strategies (Informal and formal) (Formative and Summative)

Content/Language Objectives Assessment Strategies

SWBAT...compare and contrast
different key elements of a story such as
major events or important lessons to be
learned
SWBAT... display comprehension of
what comparing and contrasting looks
like through a short essay
Formative: After reading the chapter book Wonder
(Figure.1) together over the course of the unit,
students will create a venn diagram (Figure. 2) to
compare and contrast the main ideas of the story and
how they all connect to the overall storyline.
Summative: Choose two books of your choice from
classroom library of different genres, and write a 3-
paragraph essay comparing and contrasting the key
details of the two books (characters, main ideas, plot
etc). Students will refer to checklist of learning
objectives to help them write (Figure 3).
 SWBAT compare and contrast by Formative: Students will make a t-chart (Figure. 4)
finding key similarities and differences comparing and contrasting any two main characters
between important parts of the text ( in our assigned reading (Figure. 1).
setting, characters, etc)

SWBAT Explain what comparing and Formative: In an exit slip at the end of the lesson,
contrasting is using what they have students will explain what they learned from
learned and read in the books. comparing and contrasting and how it will help you
better comprehend text.

SWBAT Discuss the similarities and Formative: At the end of the lesson, students will
differences in setting, characters and discuss at their table groups the differences in the
plot of two different books two books they chose to read themselves and share
their thoughts and ideas.

(Add rows as needed)

*In the right column, describe whether the assessment you’ll collective is informal or formal. Note:
most assessment is considered formative when thinking about day-to-day lessons. Summative is
related to mastery. An exception might be having a “formal” quiz mid-way in a unit to assure that
students are on track with a certain degree of proficiency. Should the quiz indicate students are not
progressing, and adjustment of timing in the instructional “unit” will be required.
g. Student Voice:
Student-based evidence to be Description of how students
K-12 students will be able to: collected will reflect on their learning.

1. Explain student learning Checklist Before we start on the unit on

targets and what is reading comprehension
required to meet them strategies, we will pass out a
checklist of what that reading
comprehension is, for
example, this one will be
comparing and contrasting,
and the checklist will have
each learning target listed for
referencing, and they can
check them off as we go.
(Figure. 3)
2. Comprehend what Comprehension questions and class Once we are reading, we will
they read using discussion guide the class by asking
comparing and multiple comprehension
contrasting questions to make sure
students are understanding
the text and

3.Monitor their own learning Journal Entry While reading the book
progress toward the learning Wonder, after each reading,
targets using the tools students will write in their
provided journals a summary of what
was read, and the main ideas
they have taken away from it,
so when they have to
compare and contrast at the
end of the unit, they can refer
back to their journal entries.
 4. Explain how to access
resources and additional
support when needed
Exit Slips At the end of the block of
literacy instruction, we will
have students compare and
contrast one main idea from
either the class book Wonder
(Figure. 1) or one of the two
books they are reading for
their short essay. Students
will also use exit slips to
explain their comprehension
on comparing and
contrasting.

h. Grouping of Students for Instruction:

During the class reading, students can sit where they are comfortable around the room. Whether that
be their desks, or chairs, or on the carpet, it is up to them. Once class reading is over and it is time for
them to write in their journals, they will go back to their desks and begin their independent reading on
the two books they will be comparing and contrasting. During this time, students can also sit where they
would like. We like to encourage comfortable reading, so students can be fully engaged.

Section 2: Instruction and Engaging Students in Learning

a. Introduction: Teacher candidates identify how they are going to introduce the concept, skill or
task in a way that gains students’ attention and gets them involved (the lesson “hook”).

“Hello class! I am Ms. V and this is Ms. E. Today we are going to learn something brand new.
Yesterday we learned that really interesting thing called inferencing. Who remembers what
inferencing was?” (class answers) “That is correct. Inferencing was a strategy we use when we
read to help us better understand what we are reading….”
“Well class today, we are going to learn another strategy that will help us better understand what
we read. This one is called comparing and contrasting.” “I want to know what you all know about
comparing and contrasting. So, first i would like you all to discuss with an elbow partner what
you think this strategy means and how you think you can compare and contrast while reading.”
“after you discuss for a few minutes, we will call on your groups to see what you came up with.”

(allow students to discuss)

b. Questions:
1. When you are asked to find the similarities in something what does that mean?
 2. When you are asked to find the differences in something what does that mean?
3. When you are asked to compare two different things what does that mean to you?
4. When you are asked to contrast two different things what does that mean to you?
5. How can you compare and contrast while reading a story?
6. How does comparing and contrasting when reading make you a better reader?
7. What have you learned from this book?
8. Is there anything you do not understand about this text?

c. Learning Activities: Describe what the teacher will do and say and students will do during the
lesson. Write it as a procedural set of steps in the left column of table below. On the right, refer
to a supporting learning theory or principle driving that activity and/or your rationale for doing
what you are doing.

Prompts for right hand column—supporting theories/principles. In the right column, use
references from texts, research/peer reviewed journals, or other learning theories to support
your choice of activities. You might draw from your 301 and/or your methods courses here.
o Connections between students’ own lives, experiences, cultures, interests and the content.
o Active learning over passive learning (e.g. SCI Learning Experiences ladder—simulation over
verbal)
o Theoretical support for learning activities (e.g. Culturally responsive strategy, or processing)
o Multiple means of representation for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of engagement for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of expression of learning by the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Accommodations and modifications for students with diverse needs, including those with
disabilities (as stated in their IEPs)
o How the teacher candidate will assess the learning of the students (from table above)
Learning Steps and Activities Supporting Theories/Principles
(why are you doing what you are doing?)
Reading The Hatchet and discussing it Paivio: Dual Coding-by doing this reading
and talking through the text and going
through the book will store in the students
long term memory

Making ven diagram and writing essay Constructivism:learners construct their

own knowledge- this supports this theory
because students are able to actively engage
with the new concept of using comparing
and contrasting to understand text
Reflect on what we have learned
Vygotsky's: importance of language- this
supports this theory because the students
are able to talk through their thoughts and
the concepts of using voice
 b. Closure:

“Comparing and contrasting while reading makes you a much stronger reader and helps you
better understand the text. We are going to continue learning about different strategies that help us
become better readers throughout this year just like this one we have learned today. Tomorrow we will
learn about making connections to what we read.”

c. Independent Practice:
Students will use comparing and contrasting in their future reading to help them comprehend text.
When they continue to use strategies such as inferencing, making predictions, it will help them
understand the importance of comparing and contrasting in stories, or even between different genres.
Not only will this help students understand assigned reading better, but they can also use it in
independent reading at home, or in any preferred text of their choice. Comparing and contrasting
supports a lot of other different reading comprehension strategies as well, and can be incorporated in
different ways to learn them.

d. Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology:

-Pencil
-Paper
-Worksheets
-Class book: Wonder
-Journals
-Any two books of students choice
Figure. 1

Figure. 2

Name: __________________________________

What am I Comparing and Contrasting?

Figure 3.
Checklist of Learning Targets:
❏ SWBAT: compare and contrast different key elements of a story such as major events or
important lessons to be learned
❏ SWBAT: compare and contrast by finding key similarities and differences between
important parts of the text ( setting, characters, etc)
❏ SWBAT: display comprehension of what comparing and contrasting looks like through a
short essay
❏ SWBAT: Explain what comparing and contrasting is using what they have learned and
read in the books.
❏ Discuss the similarities and differences in setting, characters and plot of two different
books.

Figure. 4

Auggie Olivia

-Smart -Smart
-Trust -Trust worthy
Worthy
-Shy
-Funny
-Sweet
-Loveable
-Accepting
-Accepting
-Keeps to
-Outgoing herself
Acknowledgements:

-Alexa Vanmeighem and Hannah Ellison

-Common Core State Standards: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/K/