Guided Discovery Lesson Plan

Sonya Peters and Kristy Ulrich

Lesson Plan Title:
What Makes A Legend,A Legend?
Concept:
LegendsGrade Level: FourthApproximate
Durationof the lesson:
30-40 minutes
Overview:
This lesson introduces students to the defining characteristics of a
legend.Through the use of examples and non-examples, students
will be able to distinguishbetween the story genres of legends,
myths, tall tales, and fantasy.
Learning Objective:
Students will be able to define the characteristics of a legend.
Students will be able to distinguish between the characteristics of
myths, tall tales, and fantasy stories. Students will be able to
explain why a legend is not a myth, tall tale, or fantasy story.
Content Standard(s):
EL(4) 3. Use a wide range of strategies including distinguishing
fiction from nonfiction and making inferences to comprehend
fourth-grade recreational reading materials in a variety of genres.
EL(4) 4. Identify literary elements and devices, including
characters, important details, and similes, in recreational reading
materials, and details in informational reading materials.
EL(4) 6. Compare the genre characteristics of tall tales, fantasy,
myths, and legends, including multicultural literature.
Materials and Equipment:

One toy plastic shining knight costume, matrices for each student,
book examples of legends, tall tales, fantasy stories, and myths,
and worksheets.
Technology Resources Needed:
Classroom Smart board and/or computer
Background Preparation:
Students will already have knowledge on how to define topics
basic characteristics. Students will have also been introduced to
legend, myth, tall tale, and fantasy stories.
Procedures/Activities:
1. Teacher 1 will engage students by asking for a volunteer.
Teacher will then have volunteer put on a toy knight shield and
helmet. Student will be given a toy sword to hold. The class will be
asked to pretend that the shield, helmet, and sword, are real.
Class will then be asked to define the characteristics of each piece.
Teacher 2 will write class responses on the board.
2. Teacher 1 will read a short excerpt from King Arthur And The
Knights Of The Round Table. Students will not know the book
title. They will guess what the title is and the kind of story.
3. Teacher 1 will then define the characteristics of a legend.
Students will record characteristics on their matrices.
4. Teacher 2 will define the characteristics of myths, tall tales, and
fantasy stories. Teacher 1 will write characteristics on the smart
board. Students will record characteristics on their matrices.
5. Teacher 1 will then engage class in whole group discussion.
Teacher 1 will briefly discuss Johnny Appleseed and Rip Van
Winkle. Class will be asked if these stories are legends.
6. Teacher 2 will provide other examples for the purpose of
understanding which stories are legends and which stories are
of another genre.
7. Teacher 2 will give students a worksheet. The worksheet will
assess students understanding of legend characteristics.

8. Teacher 1 will conclude by summarizing the defining features

of a legend. Assessment Strategies: Students will be given a
worksheet. Students will have to identify and write the
characteristics of a legend. Time permitting, students will write
a short legend. They must include all of a legends defining
characteristics.
Accommodations for Special Ed.:
Student A will be asked to be the volunteer for the
lesson introduction. Student B will be seated in the front of the
classroom.
Instructional Model: Guided Discovery Model
This lesson defining legend characteristics, will be taught using
the Guided Discovery Model. This model focuses on a specific
topic and through a series of examples helps to guide students
learning to an understanding of that topic. The specific topic of
the story genre, legend, is a topic well suited for this model. The
topic of the legend has specific defining features/characteristics.
Concepts associated with this topic are easily exemplified as well
as the ability to provide non-examples. Generalizations will be
communicated through the initial introduction of the topic and
throughout the lesson. All four phases of the model will be utilized
in implementing the lesson. The introduction is described in the
above lesson plan. The open-ended phase will include examples
and non-examples of the topic. During the convergent phase the
students will be questioned and guided to a better understanding
of the topic. The closure and application phase of the lesson will
incorporate a summary of the definition of the topic.
The assessment will consist of a worksheet. Students will
demonstrate their understanding of the topic by answering the
questions on the worksheet.