Akers-Pecht 1

Dorothy Akers-Pecht
Professor Heny
EDIS 5401
4 February 2015
Introductory Week
Lesson Plan 1
Week 1; Plan #1 of 3; [90 mins.]
Plan type: Full detail
Learning Objectives (lettered)
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
a) Students will know the routines of our classroom (i.e., bellringers and exit slips).
b) Students will know the expectations and requirements for them to succeed.
c) Students will understand that creating a classroom environment in which everyone feels
comfortable is crucial to our success.
Affective (feel/value):
d) Students will feel that they are creating a classroom community.
e) Students will value others contributions to our classroom community.
Performance (do):
f) Students will be able to follow directions for the routines of our classroom.
g) Students will be able to create and deliberate a list of class expectations.
SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]
8.2 h Use a variety of strategies to listen actively.
CCSs:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.b: Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track
progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement:
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]

Akers-Pecht 2
Desks will be arranged in even rows for the duration of this lesson plan. During step 3, students
will be asked to pair up with someone they do not know well already. The desks will not be
moved at this point; rather, students will be asked to move to a different desk and return to their
original seats at the completion of this discussion.
1) [15 mins.] Bridge: Introduction
Good morning, students! My name is Miss Akers and Im very excited to be teaching you all this
year. Lets start off by quickly going around the room and introducing ourselves you all might
know each other already, but Id love to learn a little about you before we start class. How about
we list our name, favorite movie or TV show, and something fun we did over the break. Ill start
my name is Miss Akers, my favorite TV show is The Office, and over break, I visited my sister
in Chicago. Who would like to go next?
The students will continue around the class until Ive heard everyones names and learned a little
bit about them.
2) [20 mins.] Step 1: Student Interest Inventory
Right now, Im going to pass out the student interest inventories. Now I designed these to help
me get to know you, and also to help me figure out how you all might enjoy learning this
semester. You dont have to write in complete sentences for all of the questions. Just try to
answer them honestly.
Students will remain in their even rows as they complete the interest inventories. I will ask
students to pass their papers forward to me when everyone is finished.
3) [25 mins.] Step 2: Writing Classroom Norms and Expectations
Now were going to talk about creating class expectations together. I know you all already have
school rules, but every classroom is different, and I want to know what it is thats going to help
you all learn in this English class. I think its important that we create a class community where
everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas. So what are some of the things we should do to
make this happen? How should we all treat one another during class?
I ask more guiding questions like these as we compile a list of classroom expectations. I will type
these up into a computer that is connected to the overhead projector so that all students can
follow along with what is being added to our list. Expected topics of discussion to be added to
the norms will be respecting one another and everyones opinions, trying to consider different
perspectives on an issue, listening actively, asking for help when needed, etc.

Akers-Pecht 3
So now weve got a long list; how might we combine these as shorter rules that we can all easily
remember? We will try to consolidate our list into concise points. I may encourage students to
think up a rhyme or acronym that will help them to remember class expectations.
Underneath each rule weve composed together, lets think up some strategies for how we might
successfully carry out each one. For example, weve got, be respectful to each other. What
does it mean to be respectful? How can we show one another respect through our actions and
words? As a subtopic under each rule, I will type up strategies for carrying out the different
norms: for example, show respect remember to let others finish what they are saying before
you jump in.
Alright, later today Im going to post these up on a big poster board at the front of the class so
that we can all remember whats expected of us. Eventually, well remember them without the
poster, but for now Ill leave it up where we all can see it.
4) [25 mins.] Step 3: Getting to Know You Activity
Since weve learned all of our classroom rules and expectations now, lets see if we can
remember to follow them as we carry on a discussion together. I want you all to find someone in
the class who you dont know very well already. Try to make eye contact with somebody before
you get up and move Ill let you know when you can go and sit with them. When you get
together, try and learn as much as you can about them hobbies, favorite books, movies, and TV
shows, pets, family members, favorite subjects, etc. Then well get back together as a whole class
and you will have to introduce your partner to the class with as much information as you
remember about them. Are there any questions? Ill provide some wait time for students to think
up any possible questions and then they will disperse into pairs. I will help students point out
people who dont already have a partner if they are having trouble finding someone.
After five minutes of talking, students will introduce one another with as much information that
they can remember. I will monitor students active listening skills, use of respect, and other
classroom expectations that we created together as a class. I will make a list of norms we need to
work on together or that I might remind students of during the next class period.
5) [5 mins.] Closure: Exit Slip
Before you leave today, I want you to get out a sheet of paper. You can tear it in half if you want.
Based on our discussion of class expectations and rules today, and our getting to know you
activity, what rules do you think youll have trouble following? What do you think will be easy
for you to follow? And if you didnt get the chance to add something you thought would be
important to our class rules, write it down. So three things: A rule you think will be hard to
follow, a rule you think will be easy to follow, and a rule you think should be added to our list. I
will write these three points up on the board so that students can refer back to them as they write.

Akers-Pecht 4
Dont forget to leave your exit slips in the basket on my desk at the front of the room. Enjoy the
rest of you day!
Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?]
Diagnostic
o Student interest inventory [objectives c and d]
Formative
o Participation in following routines and discussing class norms and expectations
[objectives a, b, e and g]
Summative
o Ability to follow class norms and expectations during the getting to know you
activity [objective f, SOL 8.2h, and CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.b]
Materials Needed:
Students will need to bring paper and a pencil
Overhead projector connected to a computer
Dry erase or chalk board
Copies of student interest inventories for all students
Poster board and markers to later write up all of the class rules after this lesson
Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,
handouts, etc.)
The student interest inventory can be found within the following pages of this document.

Akers-Pecht 5

Name _____________________
Block _____________________
What kind of writing do you enjoy? (Check marks by different genres)
__ Poetry
__ Short stories
__ Comics
__ Non-fiction
__ Stories
__ Novels

___ Letters
___ Facebook posts
___ Emails
___ Blogs
___ Text messages
___ Other
Explain __________________________

What kind of reading do you enjoy?

__ Magazines
__ Newspapers
__ Poetry
__ Short Stories
__ Blogs
__ Sports
__ History

___ Facebook posts

___ Emails
___ Comics
___ Novels
___ Text Messages
___ Biographies/memoirs
___ Other
Explain _______________

How do you prefer to learn? For example, do you like hands-on work, using technology, reading,
writing assignments, or creative projects?

Do you prefer to work in groups or by yourself? Why?

Akers-Pecht 6

What are three things you want to do in your lifetime?

1) ________________________________________________
2) ________________________________________________
3) ________________________________________________

List some of your hobbies or interests outside of school.

What character from a book, movie, or TV show do you relate to the most? Why?

Akers-Pecht 7