Content Area Text Set and Mini-Lesson

Background Information
Teacher Candidate: Makenna Taylor and Karissa Olson
Cooperating Teacher: Freemont
School District: Pullman School District
University Supervisor: Barbara Ward
Unit/Subject: History
Instructional Plan Title/Focus: Inspirational People in History

Date: November 3rd, 2015

Grade:
School: Jefferson Elementary School

Using Biographies

Section 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment

a. Instructional Plan Purpose:
Students will be read a biography about a specific person in history. This will help students understand the
significance that certain people have had on the world. Students will demonstrate their knowledge about the
person and/or events done by the person by answering follow-up questions to the biography that was read.
Students will also learn about the importance of biographies.
This lesson would be taught on 9/11. The book The Man Who Walked Between the Towers would be read
aloud. After reading this book to the class, there will be a discussion about the significance of the twin
towers, as well as how Philippe Petit inspired many people. Students will then answer questions about who
Philippe Petit was and what it was that he did. Students will also be asked about the significance of the twin
towers. This lesson will be used to lead into a discussion about what 9/11 is.
b. Content Objectives (to be copied in Assessment Chart below) and alignment to State Learning
Standards:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

SWBAT
SWBAT
SWBAT
SWBAT
SWBAT
SWBAT

recall what the twin towers were

know who Philippe Petit was
summarize key events from book they were just read
understand the vocabulary used in the book
utilize the information in the book to begin a discussion about 9/11
demonstrate why biographies are important

Section 2: Instruction and Engaging Students in Learning

a. Introduction:
Biographies are books that were written about specific people in history. These people have often times left
some sort of impression on the world. Biographies are important because they allow us to learn about and
understand things about people in an interesting way.
Today is a significant day in the history of the United States. We will not only learn about the events that
occurred on this day 14 years ago, but we will also learn about an adventurous man who is part of the
memory of the twin towers. We will start off today by reading The Man Who Walked Between the Towers a
loud. Reading this biography will allow you all to understand the impression that Phillipe Petit had on the
world. By understanding this event in Phillipe Petits life, you will also be able to learn about why the twin
towers and this day are significant.
b. Questions:
1. What do you already know about biographies?
2. What do you know about the Twin Towers?
1

3.
4.
5.
6.

Who was Phillipe Petit? (Comprehension)

When did Phillipe walk across the towers? (Comprehension)
Where are the Twin Towers located? (Comprehension)
Why are biographies important? (Comprehension)

c. Learning Activities:
Learning Steps and Activities
1. Introduction to the class, then transition into an
introduction discussion. Ask questions to the class to
start getting them to think. As things such as: What
is a biography? What are some biographies you have
read?

2. Then introduce the book we are going to read,

which is The Man Who Walked Between the
Towers. Give a short summary of the beginning of
the book (due to the fact that with time we are only
reading part of the book) Then ask the students what
they know about the twin towers.
3. Then Makenna will pass out the hand out, and we
will have the students read the questions before the
book so they know what to look for. However they
will not answer them until after the book is finished.
4. After the discussion Karissa will read the book to
the class starting on page 17.

5. Then after the book is read Makenna will explain

the handout. One more time There are a few
questions that deal with comprehension that the
students should be able to answer regardless of
starting in the middle of the book. The last few
questions deal with vocabulary and are words from
the text students might not understand.
6. Then if there is time we will go over the worksheet
as a class. Making sure everyone has the right
answers and if there is any questions.

7. After last discussion, Makenna and Karissa will

collect the papers and the lesson will be over.

b. Closure:
As students start to finish up their handout sheet we will go over any final questions about the book. We will
have just had a small discussion going over the questions, but this time can be used to ask anything about
biography or what they learned. We will touch on how reading the questions before reading a book can help
the listener comprehend what they are reading. Also how you can look through the text and find words they
dont understand and look them up to help comprehend the information. Then Makenna and I will talk about
what we enjoy about biographies and how there are many different styles of talking about a persons life.
Then we will talk about how you can use biographies for many different projects and have the students think
about different people they might be interested in learning more about. Then we will collect the sheets and
complete the lesson.
c. Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology:

The book: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Printed copies of the worksheet for every student
Whiteboard
Markers
Pencils