edTPA Lesson Plan

Grade Level/ Subject:

Third/ Reading

Central Focus:
To teach students what context clues are and how
they can help readers understand the meaning of
unknown words.

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

Date taught:
CCSS.L.3.4.a: Use sentence-level context as a
03/19/2015
clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Daily Lesson Objective:
Given a context clues worksheet and their Ready North Carolina: English Language Arts 3 workbook,
students will meet the core objective by answering 3 out of the 4 context clues questions in each of
their workbooks correctly.
21st Century Skills:
Reason effectively/ Make judgments and
Academic Language Demand (Language Function
decisions- Students will determine the meaning and Vocabulary):
of unknown words by reading the rest of the
information in the sentence and making an
Context clues
educated guess.
Students will be reading sentences to determine
Use systems thinking- Students will analyze
the meanings of the underlined words with the use
the whole sentence in order to produce a
of context clues throughout the entire lesson.
meaning for the unknown words.
Prior Knowledge:
Students will need to know how to read and how to draw conclusions.
Activity

Description

1. Focus and Review

By a raise of hands, who remembers learning about context

clues yesterday? The teacher will wait for students to respond
and follow up by saying, Ok take a couple seconds to turn to a
partner on the carpet and take turns explaining to each other
what you remember about context clues. Students will disperse
into discussion until the teacher calls their attention back to the
front. When we read, there are many times that we come
across big or unfamiliar words. Today we are going to practice a
reading strategy that will help us figure out what the unknown
words are in any given text.

2. Statement of Objective
for Student

Today we are going to read a few sentences and practice

using context clues to understand the meaning of unknown
words.

3. Teacher Input
10 points

4. Guided Practice

The teacher will write the word context clues on the white
board so that all of the students can see. We can remember
the meaning of context clues by picking out words in side of the
words that we already know. (The teacher will underline text in
context) For example, we can pick out the word text in
context because we know that text is another word for a piece
of writing. The teacher will continue to underline the word
clues and say, We can also pick out the word clues because
we know that another word for clues is hints. When we put
these two ideas together then we remember that context clues
are the words in a sentence or passage that can help us
determine the meaning of the unknown words that we come
across. When we come across a word that we do not know then
we use our context clues and pay attention to the surrounding
words and what the main idea of the sentence is over all.
The teacher will hand each students a context clue worksheet
and instruct each student to sit at their desks and write their
name at the top of their worksheet. The teacher will display the
worksheet on the doc cam as well so the students can follow
along. Every one look at your worksheet. Lets practice the first
two together. Lets use our context clues to figure out the
meaning of the underlined word is question number one. The
disease made one of her legs very weak. What is the meaning
of the word disease? The word we are trying to figure out is
disease. Go to number one and circle a word/words in that
sentence that gives you clue to what the meaning of this word
is. The teacher will give students a few seconds to circle their
answers before continuing, If I were to answer this question
then I would circle the word weak because it tells you the effect
of the unknown word. Is it good or bad if you are weak? Bad. If
we use our context clues then we will understand that a disease
must be something bad that makes someone weak so lets look
at our answer choices to see which words best describes the
unknown word: disease. Letter A says brace, so lets think to
ourselves does that make sense in the sentence? No, so we
will cross it out. Letter B says illness, hmm that sounds like it
might fit but lets move on to the last option to check just to
make sure. Letter C says exercises. Now that doesnt make
sense either so the answer must be B. The teacher illustrates
this process over the doc cam, crossing out the wrong answers
and circling the right one so that the students can follow along
and write the answer on their own paper before moving onto
the next question. Lets move on to number two. Gently, I
dragged my hairbrush through Sables matted fur, careful not to
pull. What is the meaning of the word matted? The word we are
trying to figure out is matted. Go to number two and circle a
word/words in that sentence that gives you clue to what the
meaning of this word is. The teacher will give students a few
seconds to circle their answers before continuing, If I were to

5. Independent Practice

answer this question then I would circle the words gently and
careful not to pull because these descriptions tell you that one
must be careful when dealing with Sables fur. Why might you
gently brush your hair in order not to pull it? Is it easier to brush
if it is tidy or messy? If we use our context clues then we will
understand that a matted must mean that Sables hair is not in
single file, or a mess so lets look at our answer choices to see
which words best describes the unknown word: matted. Letter A
says tangled, so lets think to ourselves does that make
sense in the sentence? Maybe. Lets look at our other choices
just to make sure. Letter B says torn, hmm not quiet. Lets look
at letter C. Letter C says colored. Now that doesnt make sense
either because a color doesnt determine whether or not
someone must brush hair gently so the answer must be A. The
teacher illustrates this process over the doc cam, crossing out
the wrong answers and circling the right one so that the
students can follow along and write the answer on their own
paper before moving onto the next question. Lets move on to
number three. Digging around in the treasure box, I uncovered
a ball of twine. What does uncovered mean in the sentence?
The word we are trying to figure out is uncovered. Go to
number three and circle a word/words in that sentence that
gives you clue to what the meaning of this word is. The teacher
will give students a few seconds to circle their answers before
continuing, If I were to answer this question then I would circle
the words digging around because it implies that the person
doesnt know what is in the box or where the twine is. If we use
our context clues then we will understand that uncovered must
mean something along the lines of discovering something so
lets look at our answer choices to see which words best
describes the unknown word: uncovered. Letter A says found,
so lets think to ourselves does that make sense in the
sentence in the sentence? Yes it could fit but lets look review
our other choices just to make sure. Letter B says buried, hmm
that sounds like it might fit but not quiet. Lets look at the last
option. Letter C says threw out. Now that doesnt make sense
either so the answer must be A. The teacher illustrates this
process over the doc cam, crossing out the wrong answers and
circling the right one so that the students can follow along and
write the answer on their own paper.
After guided practice, students will be instructed to turn to page
294 in their own Ready North Carolina: English Language Arts
3 workbook. I will go over the instructions with the students and
explain that this workbook page is just like the worksheet that
we just did but contains different questions. I will call on
students to state what the task is for the workbook page to
ensure that they understand the task. The questions will have
sentences with challenging underlined words. Students must
practice what they have learned throughout the lesson and
apply their ability to use context clues to determine the meaning

6. Assessment Methods of
all objectives/skills:

7. Closure

of an unknown word. Students must work by themselves. The

teacher will walk around the classroom and answer questions
by scaffolding as needed. When students are finished then the
teacher will instruct them to place their workbooks on the back
table so I can check them when everyone has finished.
The teacher will check page 294 as it will serve as the students
assessment for the lesson. There is only one correct answer for
each question. Students must answer 3 out of the 4 questions
correctly in order to meet the daily objective.
When all of the students have stacked their workbooks on the
back desk then the teacher will turn to the class and say,
Someone raise their hand really quick and tell me what the
topic of todays lesson was? The teacher will call on students
to answer. And how can using context clues help us when we
are reading? Are they helpful?

8. Assessment Results of
all objectives/skills:
Targeted Students
Modifications/Accommodations
The teacher will work along with the students on
her own workbook by displaying it on the doc
cam so visual learners can see steps to solve
the problems and follow along. The teacher will
read aloud the questions so that all students are
able to hear and understand them.

Student/Small Group
Modifications/Accommodations
If the students are having a hard time answering
the questions on their own then the teacher will
allow the students to work with the members at
their group to solve the problems. The teacher
will walk around the room and individually help
the students that require the extra scaffolding
and explanation.

Materials/Technology:
- Doc cam
- Pencils
- Context Clues worksheet
- Each students Ready North Carolina: English Language Arts 3 workbook
- Teachers Ready North Carolina: English Language Arts 3 workbook
CT signature: ________________________ Date: ______ US signature: ___________________Date: ____

Context Clues
Name: _________________

1. The disease made on of her legs very weak.

What does disease mean in this sentence?
a. Brace
b. Illness
c. Exercises
2. Gently, I dragged my hairbrush through Sables matted fur, careful not to pull.
What does the word matted mean?
a. Tangled
b. Torn
c. Colored
3. Digging around in the treasure box, I uncovered a ball of twine.
What does uncovered mean in the sentence?
a. Found
b. Buried
c. Threw out

Clinical Teacher Signature: