Lesson Title: Whats Your Story About?

Grade/Subject: 4th Grade

Lesson number: 3

Central focus: Comprehension

Essential literacy strategy: Identify story elements, character traits, or themes
Related skill: Vocabulary meaning in context
Reading and Writing connections: Writing interpretations or analysis of informational text
Common Core Learning Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.4.3 - Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding
words.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.4.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events
using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task, purpose and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing
types are defined in standards 1-3 above).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising and editing. (Editing for conventions should
demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 4 here.)
Learning Objectives associated with the content standards:
Students will be able to:
Develop their own theme for a writing piece.
Write a story about their theme.
Participate in group discussions.
Student Friendly Daily Learning Target ( I can statements or pose as question)
I can:
Collaborate positively with my peer to accomplish a task.
Think of a theme and write a story based on that theme.
Academic Language Demands
Vocabulary: Theme, story, supporting details,
main idea, lesson
Language function: Identify
Syntax or Discourse (circle one):
Discourse: Students will develop their own
theme and write a story based on their theme.
They will then read their story to their partner,
and their partner will have to determine what
theme the student chose to write his/her story
on.

Academic Language Supports

Vocabulary: In the beginning of the lesson,
the teacher will review the vocabulary terms that
the students have learned in the previous
lessons. Students have been learning about
elements of a story, so the teacher will distribute
card rings to each student and several index
cards so that students will be able to write the
definition of the terms. Students will be able to
keep the ringed index cards with them so that
they will be able to refer to them when needed.
Language function: Each student will think of
a theme and write a story based on that theme.
Each student will be given about 10 minutes to
write a story. Students will then read their story
to their partner (pairs have been predetermined) and their partner will need to
determine what the theme of the story is, and

give key details to support their claim.

Syntax or Discourse (circle one):
Discourse
I believe that ________________ is the
_______________ because _________________.
Using ______________, _________________, and
________________, I think that this is the
______________.
This ________________ is about ________________.
I think _________________ is about ________________
because _______________.
Monitoring Student Learning: Formal and Informal Assessments prior to, during & after learning
segment
Description of formal/ informal assessments:
Informal Assessment: Students will be informally assessed in the beginning of the lesson
when the teacher reviews the vocabulary terms with the students. The teacher will also
informally assess the students while they are working in their pairs because he/she will be
circulating around the classroom.
Formal Assessment: Having the pairs come up one at a time and discuss with the teacher
about what their stories were about is how the teacher can formally assess every individual
student. The teacher will be able to see whether they were able to develop a clear
understanding of the students story, and whether or not their partner struggled to provide
three supporting details. The Theme worksheet will also be collected and evaluated.
What

is being assessed:
Students ability to
Students ability to
Students ability to
Students ability to

develop their own theme.

write a story based on their theme.
provide three key details to support their theme.
determine the theme of their partners story, and provide key details.

Assessment accommodations:
Working in collaborative pairs with peers to determine the theme of each others story.
Instructional Resources and Materials:
SMARTboard
Index Cards and Key Ring
Writing Notebook
Pencil/Eraser
Theme Worksheet
Short passages for students
Connection to prior academic learning and skills:
In this unit, students have been learning about the elements of a story.
Students are able to define the terms theme, main idea, supporting details and central
message of a story.
Students will review the vocabulary in the beginning of the lesson.
Connections to everyday experiences/cultural and language backgrounds and practices /interests/
personal/community assets:
Students will be able to develop their own theme and creatively write a piece based upon
that theme. Students will work in pairs and be able to distinguish the theme of their

partners story as well. They will expected to provide at least three key details to support the
theme.
Motivation/Hook/Anticipatory Set:
The teacher will begin the lesson by gathering the students attention and having them sit on
the carpet. The teacher will then review the vocabulary words that have been used in this
unit. By having students review the vocabulary, it will ensure that they will remember the
definition.
Instructional strategies and learning tasks that
support diverse learners :
Teacher Action
After the teacher reviews the vocabulary
words, the teacher will discuss with the
students about what they have learned so
far, and what activities have been
completed in the class.
The teacher will tell the students that they
will become authors today and will write
their own story. Students will be paired up
by the teacher based on their academic
levels. Struggling students will be paired
with higher leveled students.
The teacher will tell the students that they
will all take out their writing notebooks, a
pencil and eraser. The teacher will explain
the directions to students and will then
call up 4 groups at a time to get their
writing notebooks from their bins. They
will go to any table in the room with their
partner and begin the assignment.
Students will think of a theme to write
their story, but not write a title. Students
will be given 15 minutes to write a story.
After the 15 minutes are up, each student
will take turns reading their story to their
partner. Each student will also be given
an Evaluation worksheet where they will
write down the theme of the story and
three supporting details. On the
worksheet, students will also assess their
partners story. They will provide positive
feedback on their story, and what parts
they can work on. In this way, students
will be evaluating each others work.
The teacher will circulate around to each

Student Action /Engagement

Students will raise their hands and review
the vocabulary words that have been used
during this unit.

Once the teacher calls up the pairs,

students will get up and walk over to their
bins. They will get their writing
notebooks, pencil and eraser, and go to a
table with their partner.

Students will begin by thinking of the

theme that they want their reader to know
when they are reading their story. They
will then write a story based on their
theme, and will be given 10-15 minutes
for this activity.
Students will be given a Theme
worksheet that they will fill out. They will
write the theme of their partners story
and fill in three supporting details. On the
back of the worksheet, they will provide
positive feedback for the author, and ways
for the author to improve their writing.

group and read what the students have

written in their stories so far. The teacher
will also listen to student discussion after
the reading, and when also giving
feedback to the author.
Closure:
After students read their stories to one another and complete the worksheet, pairs will go up
to the teacher with their writing notebooks and worksheet. The teacher will sit down with
both students and assess them about their stories. By speaking to each group, the teacher
will be able to see if the students were able to grasp the main idea of their partners writing,
but also whether or not they were able to understand the concept of theme. This will be an
informal assessment. Once the pair and teacher have met, the students will hand in their
worksheets, and the teacher will hand them 4 short passages. The students will read the
short passages, and will orally discuss with their peer what the theme of the story is and why.
This will further extend the lesson because they will be provided with extra examples.
Accommodations/Modifications to requirements in IEPs and 504 plans:
Students will be placed in pairs based on their strengths and weaknesses.
Students will be able to ask a partner or teacher to assist them if they are struggling.
Students will be able to orally discuss with their partner about the theme of their story.
Differentiation (non IEP students: e.g., English Language learner , gifted, struggling readers,
underperforming students , those with gaps in knowledge, etc):
This lesson is beneficial for audio and kinesthetic learners for several reasons. The reader is
able to listen to the story that their partner had written, and determine the appropriate
theme for that piece. They will provide three key details to support that theme. When the
pairs complete the assignment, they will get up and discuss with the teacher about what
their stories were written about. By pairing students based on their strengths and
weaknesses, the students who are above average will be able to assist the struggling
student. The extension activity is beneficial for the students who complete their assignments
before other pairs.
Technology Integration to Support Learning:
SMARTboard
How students will reflect on their own learning:
In this lesson, students will reflect on the feedback that has been given to them by their
peers after they complete the assignment.
The teacher will also be allowed to provide feedback to both students when she is able to
discuss with them what they have written.
Students will be questioned on their comprehension and understanding of the lesson content.