Kathleen Green

READ 3226
Direct Instruction Lesson Plan
Grade Level/Subject: 4th grade Central Focus: To describe characters, setting, or events in
using historical fiction. the story drawing on specific details in the text
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective: RL.4.3 -
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or
Date taught: 3-22-17
drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a
characters thoughts, words, or actions).
Daily Lesson Objective:
Performance: The students will be able to correctly answer specific questions and use evidence
(a characters thoughts, words, or actions) from the text in order to back up their response.
Conditions: The objective must be completed independently.
Criteria: The students must receive 7 of the 10 points to reach mastery. On the character frame
worksheet students will receive 3 points for personality traits, 2 points for physical trials, 1 other
characters involved in their life, and 4 points for the characters involvement in the plot.

21st Century Skills: Academic Language Demand (Language Function and

Critical thinking Vocabulary):
Communication and collaboration Academic language demand: Describing in depth a
character
Vocabulary: Setting, or event in a story, drawing on
specific details in the text
Prior Knowledge: Students should be aware of what historical fiction is. Students should know
how to summarize a text and refer to details in a text. They should be able to explain what the
text is explicitly saying and how to draw inferences.

Activity Description of Activities and Setting Time

1. Focus and Review
I will ask students if they know what it means to go into 12 min
depth when describing characters.
I will have them turn and talk with a partner for one
minute and discuss what it means.
When describing a character in depth you take the
characters thoughts, words, actions they preformed in
the text, and use specific details to describe them.
I will ask what are things you look at when describing a
character and write it on the smart board as they list
things.
Appearance, actions, personality traits, relations to
others, why is their role important, what do we know
about this character, our own personal thoughts on the
 Kathleen Green
READ 3226
Direct Instruction Lesson Plan
character, how does the character react.

Today we are going to go over how to describe characters in

2. Statement of
depth and go over certain passages in the text that we have
Objective 1 min
read to discuss and collaborate on the things we just talked
for Student
about before you free write about a character of your choice.
I will explain that there are so many things to think
about when describing a character in depth.

Today we are going to look a different passages that
really describe different characters throughout the book
Number the Stars
I will introduce Annemarie by reading an excerpt on
page 14 after reading this I will ask students what
specific things did they notice about how the character
is described and contribute my thoughts back.

I will introduce Ellen Rosen by reading an excerpt on

page 12 after reading this I will ask students what
3. Teacher Input specific things did they notice about how the character 20 min
is described and contribute my thoughts back.

I will introduce Mrs. Johansen by reading an excerpt on

page 50 after reading this I will ask students what
specific things did they notice about how the character
is described and contribute my thoughts back.

I will introduce peter by reading an excerpt on page 20

after reading this I will ask students what specific things
did they notice about how the character is described
and contribute my thoughts back.

4. Guided Practice Students will use a character frame worksheet to get 15 min
them thinking about the personality traits, physical
trials, other characters involved in their life, and
involvement in the plot of the character they will be
free writing about.
I will explain each section. Especially the involvement in
 Kathleen Green
READ 3226
Direct Instruction Lesson Plan
the plot and explain to students that this is where you
write how the character you pick contributes to the
story line.
While they are completing their chart I will walk around
and make sure students are on task and filling out the
worksheet and helping struggling students by asking
them about the excerpts we read.
Students will independently free write for 10 minutes
5. Independent
about the character they chose to describe in depth. 15 min
Practice
Then I will have two students share their work.
I will assess students by collecting their character framework.
6. Assessment Students will receive 3points for personality traits, 2 points for
Methods of physical trials, 1 other characters involved in their life, and 4
all points for the characters involvement in the plot.
objectives/skills: To reach mastery the students must receive 7 out of the 10 points
possible.
Today we learned that describing characters in a story in
depth is based on specific details. If you examine a characters
7. Closure personality traits, physical trials, other characters involved in 3 min
their life, and their involvement in the plot you can describe a
character in depth.
According to my criteria the students must receive 7 of the 10 points to
8. Assessment reach mastery. After assessing the students the results came back in
Results of that 92% of the 24 students in the classroom reached mastery. The
all students used specific things we talked about in class and understood
objectives/skills: the assignment. The 8% of students who did not reach proficiency either
ran out of time or didnt take the assignment seriously.
Targeted Students Student/Small Group
Modifications/Accommodations: Modifications/Accommodations:
For students that are struggling I will help
them by talking through and asking them The teacher should provide scaffolding to students
guided questions to help them think. The during the guided practice. For students that are
early finishers can get on iready or read completely lost the teacher can pull them aside
independently. and review the excerpts from class.
Materials/Technology:
Markers
Smart board
24 books
24 worksheets
Pencils
 Kathleen Green
READ 3226
Direct Instruction Lesson Plan
24 pieces of notebook paper for freewrite