Group Lesson Plan

By: Diana, Kayla & Alcina

Lesson Title: Chester by Melanie Watt
Unit Title: ELA

OBJECTIVES
Things to Think About: Today’s Objectives:

● What do I want students to Students will be able to describe important events,

“take away” from today’s details, and characters in the story.
lesson?
● What should the students be Students will be able to interpret, explain and
able to do after today’s lesson? distinguish the character’s feelings toward one
● How can I frame today’s another. This will include comparing and contrasting
learning goals using Bloom’s character traits and feelings.
Taxonomy of higher-order
thinking? Students will be able to create their own acrostic
→ Objectives must be measurable. poems to illustrate an understanding of their own
Students must be able to demonstrate individual traits as well as the traits of their peers.
the learning of each objective and
teachers must be able to assess the
learning of each objective through
formative and/or summative
assessments that are built into the
lesson.

NEW YORK STATE LEARNING STANDARDS

Things to Think About: Today’s Lesson will Address the following Standards:
 ● What skills will the students be 2R3: In literary texts, describe how characters
learning or practicing in today’s respond to major events and challenges. (RL)
lesson?
● How does this lesson fit in with 2W4: Create a response to a text, author, theme or
the “bigger picture” of the year- personal experience (e.g., poem, play, story, artwork,
long curriculum? or other).
● How will I design instructional
2SL4: Describe people, places, things, and events
procedures that ensure that
with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings
students will practice the range
clearly.
of tasks that the standards
demand?
● How can I use the standards to
develop or guide the selection
of curriculum and individual
lessons? What are the best
practices that will help students
to achieve these standards?
*** Shaded areas should be completed first.

MATERIALS
Things to Think About: Materials I will need to teach this lesson:

● What will I need to prepare The book ‘Chester’ by Melanie Watt.

and/or assemble in order to
teach this lesson? A worksheet with a Venn Diagram labelled
“Chester” on the left, “Melanie” on the right, and
“Similarities” in the middle.

The worksheets titled, “Acrostic Poem,” “Who,”

“Where and When,” and “Why.”

Blank paper and sticky notes.

PROCEDURES
Things to Think About: Today’s Procedures:
● What will I be doing during
today’s lesson? What will the
students be doing?
● In what order will we address
the learning objectives?
● What methods of instruction
will I employ (direct
instruction, independent work,
partner work, group work,
discussion, debate, gallery
walk, etc.)? By what methods
do my students learn best?
How much time will be allotted
for each activity?
● What learning activities will be
most effective in helping
students meet today’s
objectives?
● How will I introduce the
lesson? How will I “hook” the
students/peak the students’
interests? How will I connect
today’s lesson to yesterday’s
lesson or to previous course
content? How will I activate
the students’ schemata?
● How will I close/wrap up the
lesson? How will I summarize
today’s content? How will I
ensure that the students will be
able to bridge today’s content
to tomorrow’s lesson?
1. We will start with an introduction activity.
As a class, we will recall what words we use
to describe ourselves (ex. beautiful, charming,
handsome, brave, athletic).
2. We will read the book ‘Chester’ by Melanie
Watt.
3. As a class, we will construct a Venn diagram
on the whiteboard to outline the similarities
and differences in character traits among
Chester and Melanie. Students will also be
given their own individual Venn diagrams to
fill out while it is being constructed. As there
are two characters of focus, students will be
guided to compare and recognize the point of
view, character, tone, and mood.
4. Students will then receive a blank sheet of
paper where they will practice creating their
own acrostic poem using the letters of their
name. They will apply different adjectives to
describe themselves. This relates to the
Acrostic Poem that Chester made for himself
in the story. Students will then be asked to
state their poems with the individuals beside
them to foster collaboration.
5. Students will then be placed into four groups
for the 5 W’s.
Who: Students in this group are to draw Chester and
Melanie (similar to how they are in the book).
What: Students are to explain what happened (plot).
This is done with sticky notes that are provided to
assemble a sequence of events.
Where & When: Where and when does the story take
place? Students will write their answers on the sheet
provided.

Why: Why was Melanie so frustrated with Chester

throughout the book? Students will write their
answers on the sheet provided.
ASSESSMENT
Things to Think About: Today’s Lesson will include the following Formative
and/or Summative Assessments:

● What formative assessments Formative: Teacher will observe peer discussion of

will I work into today’s lessons the acrostic poems and check-in with group work
to ensure that objectives are during the final activity.
being met (journal entry, brief
writing assignment, checking in Students will produce a Venn diagram, acrostic
with group work, exit ticket, poem, and prepare one of the 5W responses as an
etc.)? artifact of their learning.
● What will my students produce
This lesson will help build skills they need to be
as artifacts of their learning?
successful on future summative assignments because
● How will this lesson help
students will be able to interpret, distinguish,
students build the skills that
compare, and contrast details of a literary text.
they will need to be successful
on the summative assessment
(test, final exam, project, etc.)?

RATIONALE
Things to Think About: This is my Rationale for today’s lesson:
● In what ways does this lesson
demonstrate a thorough
understanding of the specific
needs and interests of all
learners in my classroom?
● Why did I select specific
instructional methods? Why are
these the best methods to help
my students learn?
● How have I differentiated
instruction to meet the needs of
all students (including ELLs,
students with IEPs and 504
plans, and advanced students)?
● How does this lesson
demonstrate my attention to the
cultural differences among my
students?
The activities in our lesson related to the story and
learning standards in various ways. Students are
able to recall as well as describe characters and
then relate it to their own personal individuality.
This will help to encourage reflection and an
understanding of adjectives. It also demonstrates a
thorough understanding of specific needs by
encouraging collaboration as a class and in groups.
This also meets the needs of students that enjoy
thinking independently and then communicating
afterward with fellow peers.
Differentiated instruction is met by providing a
hand-out of a Venn diagram for students to write
on with teacher facilitation from the classroom
discussion. This allows students who are in need of
support to have the opportunity to follow along
both orally and through the provided handouts. For
ELLs, we will put these students with native
English speakers that can offer assistance.
To demonstrate cultural differences amongst
students, the acrostic poem specifically promotes
acceptance of uniqueness and diverse traits that
each individual offers. This helps to consolidate the
lesson in a way that is meaningful to students.