EDUC 2220- Educational Technology Lesson Plan Template

Thank you, Mr.Falker Lesson

Jennifer Brown
Second Grade/ Language Arts

Common Core Standards:

Reading Standards Grade 2
Key Ideas and Details
3. Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
Writing Standards Grade 2
Texts Types and Purposes
5. With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by
revising and editing.
Lesson Summary:
Students will learn and review making connections to the story and looking at how the characters respond to
challenges. Students will also learn how to format a letter and write a letter with the purpose of thanking
someone who inspired them. Making connections will help with reading comprehension and extending their
thinking while reading.
Estimated Duration:
For this lesson I will be breaking it up into 5 periods, where students work for 45 minutes each period. It will
take a week to complete each component of the lesson as a whole.
Commentary:
This assignment will have few challenges for students because it will be review of their writing and speak to
their strengths as readers. The most challenging parts of this lesson will be in the technology components.
Following a read aloud and discussion of the book, Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco, Students will
use Power Point to make a presentation about bullying. Many students are not familiar with using the
computer and are new to Power Point. The duration of the lesson will allow time for students to have enough
time to complete the lesson and be versed with Power Point. To hook students into the lesson, a Read aloud of
the book will inspire them to make connections so they can write a letter about a person who has inspired them
and create a Power Point about bullying.

Instructional Procedures:
Day 1:

Objective: Make connections to the story and identify the main characters journey of overcoming an obstacle.

Gather students together. Do not show them the cover of the book yet. Ask the following questions:

-Have you ever really wanted to learn to do something?

- How did you do it? Was it easy or difficult?
- If it was difficult, how did you feel? Were you able to do it? Who or what helped you? Who or what didn't
help you?

To start the discussion, it may help to talk about a personal experience as an example to help students
understand the objective.

Show students the cover of the book. Then ask:

What do you suppose my questions and your answers have to do with this story?
Can you predict the connection?

On the Smart board, have a student recorder write down brief notes about the discussion. So class can
refer to it during the read aloud.

Explain that during the read aloud teacher will ask turn and talk questions. Students should pair up with
a partner and be prepared to discuss questions with partner when the teacher pauses and asks a
question, then turn back to the teacher when teacher starts reading again.

As you read the story aloud, ask students to think about the following questions:

-Are they similar or different from the main character, Trisha?

-Does the story remind them of anything that has ever happened to them?

Read the story aloud.

-Pause at page 6: Turn and talk Question

Ask students to identify what Trisha (main character) is feeling and if they can relate?
-Pause at page 21: Turn and Talk Question
Have you ever felt good or bad about yourself because of what someone else said or did?
-Pause at the end of the story: Turn and talk question/discussion
Reflect on how the story was a true story about the author Patricia Polacco. Comment on how lucky she was to
be able to thank Mr. Falker. Ask to think about someone they would thank because of an impact they made in
their life.

Tell students that they have been making personal connections with characters in the book. Tell them
that good readers do this to help them understand the text better.

For the next 15 minutes have students brainstorm on a graphic organizer about a person who inspired
them. Explain to students that tomorrow they will be writing a letter to the person who has inspired
them on the computer.

-If students are stuck, on the smart board, use the graphic organizer template to use an example of a
brainstorming.

Day 2:
For the first 15 minutes:

Use smart board, with letter writing template to review the proper format of a letter. Create a checklist
for important parts students should include in the letter.
Letter template on Smart Board: http://express.smarttech.com/?
url=http://exchangedownloads.smarttech.com/public/content/db/db4ed06f-3123-4c6a-933cabe93f86033a/Writing%20Friendly%20Letters.notebook#

Ask students how to construct a letter and what the components of a letter are.

Components of letter:
-Where does the date go?
-How does it begin? Dear, (capital D) (Comma after Dear, ) Indent
-How does it end? Sincerely (Capital S) (Comma after Sincerely), your name

Display this letter writing checklist on the smart board

Letter writing checklist:

My writing is neat.

I included the date.

I included the greeting ( Dear, Jen) and included correct capitalization.

My letter has a message or body.

I ended my letter with a closing and signed my name.

I read over my writing and it makes sense.

For the remaining 30 minutes Students will work on composing their letters.

Day 3:
For the first 15 minutes students will finish writing their letters:

Students will continue writing their letters. Teacher will go around and have each student letter checked
for completion.

For the next 15 minutes: Review Microsoft Word: Event Flyer and introduce how to use
https://imgflip.com/memegenerator to create a meme and upload their photo.

Explain that students will make an Anit-Bullying pro school Leaders Flyer.

Remind kids this is a light hearted activity to promote being school leaders. Discuss the importance of
promoting leaders more than bullying. Explain that flyers and memes should be encouraging and
informative.

Instead of google images, Students should use ClipArt through word and their created Meme to

decorate the flyer.

Students will get into groups of 3 and first use a digital camera to take pictures of each other.

Then they will upload the pictures to their computer.

Using https://imgflip.com/memegenerator create a meme about promoting anti-bullying to put on their

flyer. For example, Bully Free Zone or Buddies Not Bullies

. They will copy and paste their meme to their flyer and decorate their flyer.

Day4: Students will continue working on their flyers and memes.

Day5: Presentations
Each group will present their flyer. They will explain why they were inspired to make their flyer and what
message their flyer is promoting.
Then students will post flyers around the school to encourage pro leaders and anti-bullying.

Pre-Assessment:
To Pre-assess student knowledge of identifying how the main character of a story responds to major events and
challenges, how to revise and edit writing, use Word to create a flyer and to create a Meme review of each
topic will be implemented. To review I will introduce what students are expected to do and have them walk
through the review. Before the read aloud, discuss the main character in The Plot Chickens and how the
character overcame a challenge. This will be used as in example to explain to students what is expected of
them for the duration of the read aloud.

Scoring Guidelines:
During the pre- aloud read aloud discussion teacher will observe students ability to recall the recently read
storys main character and how the main character overcame the challenge. During the reviews teacher should
note students ability to conduct review and answer questions during each review. During the letter format
review specifically, have students come to smart board and arrange letter format, to take the lead.
Post-Assessment:
Through the students letters and their pro leadership and anti-bullying flyers teacher can assess students
comprehension of letter format, ability to make connection to the text, how the main character overcame a
challenge and revising abilities.
Scoring Guidelines:
When grading letters a list of criteria is needed to check student comprehension of letter formatting. If
students dont have the following criteria they will be deducted and it will inform teacher of

comprehension.
-Proper use of commas.
-Proper Capitalization.
-Correct greeting.
-Correcting heading.
-Body with a minimum of 5 sentences.
-Proper closing and signature.
-Correct date with comma.
When grading the flyers students will need to do the following:
Include:
-One Meme
-Two Pictures from Clip Art
-Appropriate Positive Message promoting Anti-Bullying and Pro leadership values.
-A minimum of ten words describing the theme of the message of their flyer.
-Neat and creative work.

Differentiated Instructional Support

For this assignment there is integrity as well as technology needs that need to be done. The second grade class
is capable of doing this assignment but to make sure the integrity of the sensitive topic of bullying and to help
students who may struggle with technology it will be helpful for the teacher to strategic chose some of the
partners for this project. Students can help each other to use word and the meme creator.

Extension

Here is a interactive game where students can practicing formatting a letter, from the website:
http://www.abcya.com/friendly_letter_maker.htm

Here is a website to share with parents that summarizes what students learned about bullying and can
help parents to be informed about bullying.
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/social-emotional-skills/bullying-and-teasing-nolaughing-matter

Homework Options and Home Connections

For an extended assignment, a teacher could have students work on being school leaders. Students could be
creative by incorporating technology into this assignment by researching websites about community
involvement and how be involved in the school. Students may need the aid of a parent to complete this

assignment and extra could be given to students who research about community involvement and take a
picture of them participating in a form of community involvement.

Interdisciplinary Connections
This lesson could easily incorporate a second grade social studies standard:
TOPIC: CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND SKILLS RULES AND LAWS GOVERNMENT STRAND
Content Statements:
10. Personal accountability includes making responsible choices, taking responsibility for personal actions and
respecting others.
11. Groups are accountable for choices they make and actions they take.
Content Statement:
12. There are different rules that govern behavior in different settings.
To extend the lesson about bullying and what makes a good school leader, teacher could refer to this strand and
explain civic participation, skills rules and laws. The school could be related to a community and have the
students picture themselves apart of a community and society.
Materials and Resources:

For teachers

-Smart Board
-Computer lab or lap top cart
-The book, Thank You Mr. Flaker by Patricia Polacco.
-Printer

For students

-Laptop or Computer
-Digital camera, with chord to upload pictures to computer.
-Microsoft Word.
-Printer.
-Letter paper and pencil.

Key Vocabulary

Meme, Microsoft Word, Main Character, revise, edit, letter, body, format, closing, greeting, comma, indent and
the date.

Additional Notes
Bullying is a sensitive topic, it will be important to stress the seriousness of the subject, yet make it light
hearted with a positive outlook of teaching students leadership values. The importance of the lesson is to see
the effects of bullying and how it is more important to be a leader in the school, rather than put other down.