Lesson

Ugly Sweater Reading Comprehension Date December 3rd, 2019

Title/Focus
Subject/Grade Time
Grade Five, English Language Arts 40 minutes
Level Duration

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
GLO 2: Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to comprehend and respond
Learning
personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts.
Outcomes:
Specific 2.1: Use Comprehension Strategies: preview sections of print texts, and apply reading rate and
Learning strategies appropriate for the purpose, content and format of the texts. Comprehend new ideas and
Outcomes: information by responding personally, taking notes and discussing ideas with others. Use the
meanings of familiar words to predict the meanings of unfamiliar words in context. Monitor
understanding by comparing personal knowledge and experiences with information on the same topic
from a variety of sources
2.2 Respond to Texts: write or represent the meaning of texts in different forms.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Create an ugly sweater based on the description provided in the letter
2. Apply the necessary instructions described in the letter in order to create the ugly sweaters
ASSESSMENTS (How I will know students have achieved the objective(s))
 Students exemplify an ability to follow instructions and their comprehension skills by putting all necessary components
of the ugly sweater in the correct locations as described in the letter

Prior to the Lesson MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

 Create Ugly Sweater Letter from Bob  Ugly Sweater Letter from Bob
 Print off copies of the Ugly Sweater Letter and the Ugly  Ugly Sweater templates
Sweater template  Coloring supplies
 Pencil
PROCEDURE
Introduction Time
- Introduce the activity
o describe to the students that their imaginary pal in their class, Bob, has hired them all
(without pay) to design the ugly sweater of his dreams
o The students are to follow Bob’s description of his dream sweater that he wrote in the
letter and draw the sweater on the template according to Bob’s wishes
- Tell students they may highlight or markup the letter if needed in order to help them follow the
directions
3 minutes
- MAKE SURE STUDENTS RIGHT THEIR NAMES ON BOTH THE LETTER AND SWEATER TEMPLATE
- Tell students that if they finish they can work on the various activities that need to be completed
(listed in the sponge activities)
o Write the backup activities on the board after describing them to the class
- Students are allowed to use markers if they wish since there is nothing on the backside of the
sweater template
- Verify that all students understand the task at hand then allow them to get to work
Body Time
- Students will work on their Ugly Sweaters
o If they finish instruct them to look at the board and work on the necessary assignments
o If they have finished all of the necessary assignments they can do something quietly at
their desks (read, draw, color, etc.) 35 minutes

Closure Time

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 1

 - Staple the Ugly Sweater drawings to the Letter if they are finished
- If not make sure they have written their names on BOTH sheets and hand them in to you to
continue working on at a later date if need be
- Ensure they clean up everything off their desks and the area around their desks then they can get 2 minutes
ready for recess!

Complete either the synonym/antonym word searches, or the Johnny Spellright letters, or
Sponge Activity/Activities
their Sandwich descriptions

Reflection:

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 2

 Why hello there! Can you help me design the ugly sweater of my dreams? Firstly, I
would like my ugly sweater to have three purple stripes on the left sleeve. The stripes
need to be nice and thick and have a small gap between each of them. I would also like
there to be a large snow globe on the front of my shirt with two gingerbread men inside
the snow globe. The gingerbread men should have three buttons, one green, one orange,
and one yellow. The order of the colors should go from top to bottom, yellow, green,
then orange. Draw the funniest gingerbread faces you can, remember it is an ugly
sweater! After you have completed drawing the snow globe with the gingerbread inside,
could you add some red polka dots around the neck of the sweater? I will let you decide
how big and spaced out the polka dots should be, but remember to leave some space for
my many other ideas! Next, I would love if you could create a pattern going down the
right sleeve that incorporates snowmen and elves. I am really liking where I am going
with this sweater. I might win some sort of competition with your help. Oh! I just had a
great idea! What if the left sleeve was orange and the right sleeve was blue? Hot dog I am
so smart! Also, the center part of my sweater should be my favorite color, brown! Best
color ever am I right? Do you think you could do that for me? Wow I am a creative genius.
You are doing alright as well I guess. Lastly, to complete my masterpiece, could you write
my name underneath the snow globe? My name is Bob by the way. I am old but loving
life being 41 in the fifth grade. So fun. You guys are great. Thank you for making my ugly
sweater dreams a reality! Now if only I could pass the fifth grade…

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 3

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 4