EDPS 5350 TEXT TALK LESSON PLAN

Preparation for instruction:

1.
2.

Identify potential Tier 2 words in the text: varied, uneventfully,

abandon, sanitation, gorgonzola, drifts, coastal.
Select Tier 2 words for direct vocabulary instruction:
Varied, uneventfully, abandon.

Name: Alyson Miller

Date: 11/12/14
Grade
Level: 1
1. INTRODUCTION
Purpose of the lesson:
The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn difficult/new vocabulary words from an anthology read aloud. The
teacher uses text talk to help students understand new words through interactive discussion and making
connections.
Learning Goal written on the board: I will be able to understand three new vocabulary words through teacher
text talk as a whole class.
Utah State Standards covered:
Language Standard 5: With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate understanding of figurate language,
word relationships and nuances in word meaning.
c. Identify real-life connections between words and their use
Language Standard 6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and
responding to texts.
2. EXPLICIT READING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION
FOCUS:
Text Talk

Interesting/appropriate TEXTS for lesson purpose:

Text the teacher reads aloud to students:
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

INSTRUCTION:
1: Provide a read aloud of the text with a focus on comprehension.
Introduce the book: The book we will be reading today is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Have any of you
read this story or seen the movie? If not, thats ok. We are going to read and talk about this story. As we read, lets
pay attention to some words we hear that we may not have heard or used before.
Engage students in an interactive read aloud that focuses on comprehension.
What do you already know about the story Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs?
Ask students to think about what is different about the town of Chewandswallow and Salt Lake City. How are they
the same?
If you could pick one food to fall from the sky all day, what would it be?
As we read the story, lets be thinking of connections we can make with our own lives. What happens in the story
that you have seen in your own life? Can you think of some things the character does that maybe you have done
before too?
2: Provide explicit vocabulary instruction of the Tier 2 Words.
Target word: Varied
In the story we will read,
The menu varied
Using this passage, what might the word varied mean?
Varied means something changed; it was not always the same. When you say something varied you mean it is
different.

Say the word with me: Varied

Lets think of some words that mean the same thing as varied. I am going to read some words. If it means the
same thing as varied, give a thumbs up. If it does not, give a thumbs down.

changed

different

not the same

mixed
What are some things that might be varied or have variety? For example, I could say, The students hair varied
every day. Give me a complete sentence using the word varied.
(Call on 3 or 4 students)
What is the word that means something is different?
Varied
Target word: Abandon
In the Story we will read,
So a decision was made to abandon the town of Chewandswallow. It was a matter of survival.
Using this passage, what might the word abandon mean?
Abandon means to leave a place. When you abandon something, you leave; maybe because you dont feel safe
there.
Say the word with me: Abandon
Lets think of reasons you might abandon a place. I will give you a reason and you will give me a thumbs up if you
think its a reason to abandon a place.

Scared

Unsafe

Comfortable

Nervousness
Have you ever wanted to abandon a place? For example, last Halloween I went to a haunted house and I was so
scared, I wanted to abandon it.
(Call on 3 or 4 students)
What is the word that means leave a place? Abandon
Target word: Uneventfully
In the story we will read,
Breakfast continued quite uneventfully. All the other pancakes landed in the pan.
Using this passage, what might the word uneventfully mean?

Uneventfully means that things happened normally. When something is uneventful, it is not unusual or out of th
ordinary.
Say the word with me: Uneventfully
Lets think about what things might be uneventful. I will read you a word. If it describes something that is
uneventful, give me a thumbs up. If it does not, give me a thumbs down.

Eating breakfast

Taking a nap

Going on a trip

Brushing your teeth

When might you describe something as uneventful? For example, I could say, Going to work was uneventful
today because nothing exciting happened. Think of a time something happened that was uneventful.
(Call on 3 or 4 students)

What is the word that means that things happened normally? Uneventfully
COMBINE the target words by asking the children make a choice between two of the words:
Does this scenario describe uneventful or abandon?
I am on a ship and I want to get off quickly because we are going to crash.
Does this scenario describe abandon or varied?
We play different games at recess every day, so our games _______ (vary or abandon?)
Does this scenario describe uneventful or vary?
This morning after I woke up, I brushed my hair.
MAINTAIN all three words by asking the children to give examples or explanations:
Can you think of an example of something that might have happened to you today that was uneventful?
When was a time when you wanted to abandon a place?
If you go to a restaurant and there are a lot of different things on the menu, does it have variety?
MAINTAIN all three words by helping children add to their networks of related words:

Uneventful: If you want to describe something as being boring, you could also use the word uneventful to get the
same meaning across.
Varied: If you want to tell someone that there are a lot of options, you can say that there is a lot of variety to get the
same meaning across.
Abandoned: If you want to tell someone that they should leave a situation quickly, you can tell them to abandon the
situation to get the same meaning across.
3. READING ENGAGEMENT: What engagement principle(s) are you choosing for this lesson?
________choice, _________collaboration, ____X____building concepts, ___X_____relevance/real world interaction
________challenge
Briefly describe HOW you will engage your students in this lesson.

I think this lesson will be engaging because the text is interesting. It has some comical aspects that make it
enjoyable and interesting to read. Students will make connections with their own experiences as they read
this story, which is relevance/real world engagement. This lesson will help build vocabulary as they learn and
use new words.
4. DIFFERENTIATION. How will you simplify or provide challenge for students who need it?
The only differentiation in this lesson is contained in the assessment portion. Since the rest of the lesson involves
talk from me, the teacher, there isnt much to differentiate. Students who arent able to read the vocabulary words
with their definitions on the matching sheet can draw a picture of what the word means. Students can also be
assessed orally if needed.
For students who need a challenge, ask them to write their own definition of the word along with matching the
correct definition on the assessment.
5. WRITING/ASSESSMENT TOOL:
The students will show what they have learned by doing a short matching activity to match vocabulary words to its
definition on a short worksheet. The students can draw a picture next to the word if they are unable to find the
correct definition.

The students do this assessment at the same time, while the teacher reads each option aloud.
Students, now we will be taking a short test to show me what you learned today. This is a matching assessment
where you will match a vocabulary word we discussed to its definition. The vocabulary words are the ones you see
on the left, while the definitions are the ones on the right. First, look for the word abandon. A-a-a-a-a-bandon. Find
the word that begins with the a sound. Now lets read through the definitions. The first one says a really strong
cheese, the second says, to leave a place, the third one.etc. Choose the definition that fits abandon and draw a
line to it to show that they are a match.

6. REFLECTION: Based on this lesson, what is your very next step of instruction?

This lesson went well, although I have to admit I gave it before I knew the outline of this text talk lesson. The
teacher for whom I taught gave me an example of how she does text talk lessons and it didnt include the initial
read aloud as well as the combine and maintain portions of the lesson. However, I did do the other parts of the
lesson and it seemed to go quite well. The students did well on the assessment at the end of the lesson. They were
engaged in the story, had a lot of things to say about each vocabulary word that was highlighted and they were able
to make connections to real life. I had fun talking about these difficult words with them and it was exciting to hear
them use the words in a sentence that made real sense. It is amazing how well they learned these words and it was
much more effective than if I had just given them a definition. For next time, I would want to do a read aloud for
comprehension and point out a few more vocabulary words before I do text talk. I would also want to read the story
through again without stopping to point out words.
The next step of instruction is to take the vocabulary words from this lesson and learn how to spell, write and use
them in every day speech. This will encourage students to learn spelling patterns and to add the word to their
vocabulary. This way, if the word ever shows up again in a future reading, the students will have the necessary tools
to read and understand the word in its new context.

ED PS 5350/6321 TEXT TALK Lesson Plan Grading Rubric

NOTE: UndergradsYOU ONLY TURN IN THREE LESSONS. You choose WHICH three.

NOTE: Grad students: YOU will turn in ALL FOUR Lessons.

Please staple this rubric to the front of your typed lesson plan.

Remember to turn in lesson plans in a file folder that has your name on the tab.
Name: _________________________

Lesson#_______Lesson Focus: _________________

I will be using the following Grading Rubric for your Lessons. Each Lesson will be worth a possible 15
points. If you do not earn 15 points, you may revise your lesson ONCE to meet the point requirement.
Revisions must be turned in on/before December 10th.

I. The student provides clear objectives that follow the SWBAT formula.
2.
1.
0.

The lessons objective is clearly stated in the appropriate SWBAT formula. State
Standards included.
The lessons objective is purposeful and relevant, but not in the SWBAT formula
or standards not included.
The lessons objective is not clear, not relevant, not complete, or missing
entirely. Standards not included.

II. The student appropriately reflects on the strengths and/or areas of refinement of
the lesson (or part of the lesson) and provides recommendations for where to go
next (if applicable).
2.
1.
0.

Student reflects on the lesson taught, students reactions, etc. Strengths and/or
area(s) that may need refining are correctly identified and realistic alternatives
are suggested.
Students reflection is minimal. Strengths and/or areas of refinement are not
clearly identified, and/or realistic alternatives are not identified well for trouble
spots.
Strengths and/or areas of refinement are not addressed.

III. The student appropriately demonstrates understanding of the relationship

between vocabulary development, EXPLICIT instruction, and assessment as
evidenced by appropriately planned strategies, engagement principles, and
meaningful activities to accomplish the lessons objective.
9.

5.

1.

Student clearly demonstrates knowledge of explicit, strategic vocabulary

instruction. Student demonstrates how to select appropriate strategies,
appropriate text, engagement principles, differentiation and meaningful
activities that accomplish the lessons objective. Students assessment and
reflection are documented as evidence.
Student lacks demonstration of understanding of ONE of the following:
vocabulary development, explicit instruction, or assessment of the lesson by
not appropriately selecting one of the following: strategies, text, engagement
principles, differentiation or formative assessment.
Student fails to demonstrate understanding of vocabulary development, explicit
strategic instruction, or assessment of the lesson by not appropriately selecting
more than one of the following: strategies, text, engagement principles,
differentiation and/or formative assessment.

IV. The student clearly has a sense of where to go next in the lesson, regardless of
execution.
2.
1.
0.

The student has a very clear sense of where to go next (tomorrow) in the lesson
based on what happened in the lesson that was taught. (Note: the lesson does
not have to go perfectly!!)
The student has a general idea of where to go next, but this may or may not
work.
The student does not have a sense of where to go next in the lesson or does not
address this point.

Total: ____________/15 points