STEPP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher: Mr. Sanderlin Date: 1/31/17

School: Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School Grade Level: 7th Content
Area: Daily Language Arts

Title: Using Context Clues

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards

directly from the standard) 1.2.A: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade
7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own
clearly.

2.1.B.iii: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of
different characters or narrators in a text.

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of

instruction, select applicable questions from standard)

How would changing the setting, character, plot, or point of view affect the outcome
of a story?

What makes characters come alive?

How can you use context clues to further your understanding?

Concepts and skills students master: (Understandings, Big Ideas, Unit

objectives)

I can use context clues and new vocabulary to understand the setting, characters,
plot, and point of view in Downriver by Will Hobbs.

I can take part in a small group discussion so I can understand the first two chapters
on Down River.

Evidence Outcomes: (Knowledge/ Skills, Lesson Objectives)

Every student will be able to:

Answer one context clue question from the text in a small group discussion.

Read out loud for the group to practice and show reading fluency.

Turn in context clues worksheet.

Assessment of Evidence Outcomes: (How will you assess the selected lesson
objectives (general explanation, you will go into more detail at the end of the lesson
plan)

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I will assess the objectives by listening to students responses to the text through
conversation, looking at their context clues notes in their ISN, and the context clues
worksheet.

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Planned Lesson Activities

Activity Name Downriver

Approx. Time 78 min

Anticipatory Anticipatory set to the whole class:

Set - Zoomed in Chuck Close painting warm up. Show students a zoomed in picture of a
painting that does not look like anything recognizable. Ask students to guess what this
picture is. Then show another slide of the same painting slightly zoomed out. Ask what
they think the painting is, and then show the final slide that reveals the painting as a self-
portrait.
- Transition: Ask students what they know about context clues and the word context itself.
Explain that this activity is similar to defining new words we might not understand.
Sometimes we are looking too close at the word without any context and do not
understand the whole picture.
- Then lead them into a group activity centered on their ISNs and a worksheet on context
clues.
- Tell them we are focusing on accuracy and strategy (is the definition correct, and did I use
the skills to find the definition).
Leads into Teaching Presentation on Context Clues
Anticipatory Set to the small group:
- Have a short discussion with the students about the sketch to stretch they took notes on
last period (10 minutes).
- Ask students what they think their favorite character will be.
- Ask them if they would want to be a part of Discovery Unlimited.
- Talk about the time where a tree almost fell on your head one of your first times back
packing.
- Review the sketch to stretch and explain any parts that do not make sense to them.
- Ask them to predict what they think will happen. (Emphasize non-fiction reading skills
from last class)
- Ask students to think about setting, plot, and characters and the way they change a story.
Transition: Tell students to begin reading.
Teaching/ Input: The students will read from Downriver out loud with me. Other groups will be reading
Presentation: different books depending on their reading level and classroom dynamics. I will instruct students

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to use their ISNs to write down notes and annotations regarding plot, characters, and context
(Select the most clues. Before students read I will demonstrate a model that depicts the foundations of
appropriate understanding context clues.
teaching model.) Modeling: first have students fill out the Context Clues Worksheet (made by Read Write
-direct Think NCTE) as an entire class. This worksheet focuses on helping students understand the
instruction basics of how context can change what words might be chosen in their own or someone elses
-presentation writing.
model After taking part in this worksheet with students I will provide an example of how to read for
-concept context clues from one of the pages in the book. Have students write in their ISNs. On one side
teaching they will write down the skills for using context clues. On the other side they will write down
-cooperative words they understand and dont understand on a T chart.
learning - Explain that context clues are details, or hints, hidden in the sentences near the word
-inquiry they may not understand. Tell students they need to use synonyms, examples in the
sentence, definitions in the sentence, and inference (educated guess) before I
give them the definition.
- Have students write down in their interactive notebooks difficult words they understand
vs. difficult words they do not understand. If they come by the word again they will put a
star in their notebook next to the word if they understand the word.
- Ask them to think about how these clues help define the selected word that they do not
understand. Have them write down the definition if they couldnt define the word with
context clues.
- Instruct students to write down their own definition for the word.
Check for Understanding: Then ask students to write down this word with a guess as to what
the definition is. After they complete this, provide the correct definition for the students. Refer to
the main points of accuracy and strategy. See if the definition is correct, and ask what skill they
used to find the definition. Explain that this is a vital skill for being able to understand sentences
and words that might confuse them.
- I will ask the students if they just guessed what the word was or if they actually used the
context clues.
- During this time, other groups will be reading their assigned books. We will all work on
context clues, plot, and characters during this time and each leader of the group will find
the best time to work on this skill during his or her group reading.
Lisa: Freak the Mighty
Megan: Island of the Blue Dolphins
Jordan and Jeff: Touching Spirit Bear
Me: Downriver

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Teaching An opportunity for each student to demonstrate grasp of new learning by working through an
Strategy: activity or exercise under the teachers supervision. The teacher moves around the room to
Guided Practice determine level of mastery and to provide individual remediation as need. (Praise, Prompt, and
& Leave)
Differentiation Context Clues Activity, Presentation, Notes, and Worksheet
Teaching (This may not come immediately following each lesson)
Strategy: Once students have mastered the content or skill, it is time to provide for reinforcement
(Independent practice. It is provided on a repeating schedule so that the learning is not forgotten. It may be
Practice) homework or individual work in class. It can be utilized as an element in a subsequent project. It
should provide for relevant situationnot only the context in which it was originally learned.
After working on context clues, tell students that they will practice the context clues process for
each reading that we do, and I will check their understanding through the sticky notes they use
to define words they do not understanding.
Today is just formative assessment. I will use context clues for summative assessment once we
have read more of the book, and after I have received feedback on the formative work.
Closure We will try to read as much as we can up until the last 3 minutes of class. After that I will ask
students what they liked and disliked about the chapters we read, and inform them that there
will be a short two question check for understanding next class. They will be instructed to look
back at their sticky ISNs and sketch to stretches and think about the setting, plot, characters,
and context clues in order to answer these questions correct next time.
Materials What do you need to do the activity?
Downriver book
Sticky notes
Note paper
Their sketch to stretch copies
Pencil/ Pen
Accommodation To modify: If the activity is too advanced for a child, how will you modify it so that they can be
s successful?
& I will modify this lesson by asking students to write down words they do not understand on a
Modifications page. I will then look to see if context clues can be used to define the words they wrote down
and then repeat the first activity with these words in order to help students practice and grasp
the skill of defining words with context clues.
To extend: If the activity is too easy for a child, how will you extend it to develop their emerging
skills?
What accommodations will need to be implemented and for what students?
I will modify this lesson by asking students to think about how context clues help us determine

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the plot and setting of a text. Ill ask them to look for the who, what, where, why, and how of the
text. We will label our sticky notes with these sections.
Assessment How will you record the childs challenges and successes with this activity? (Even if this is
written within your lesson plan, specifically state it here. How will you know the students have
met the objective? Attach a copy if applicable.)

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