Learning Experience 1

Theme: Who were the presidents?

Subject: Language Arts
Time: Whole Group Reading, 45 minutes
Central Focus: Identify similarities and differences.

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.9 Identify basic similarities and differences between two
texts on the same topic (e.g. in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2 Identify the main topic and retell details of the text.

Objectives:
• Students will be able to identify similarities.
• Students will be able to identify differences.
• Students will be able to ask questions.
• Students will be able to answer questions.
• Students will be able to retell the details.

Materials:
• Young George Washington: American’s First President by Andrew Woods (1992)
• Event Cards
• Our President: George Washington Worksheet

Academic Language:
• Similarities
• Differences
• Main Topic
• Retell
• Beginning
• Middle
• End
• Compare
• Contrast

Preparation:
1. Preview/read the story before the lesson.
2. Prepare discussion questions for the story.
3. Set up activity off to the side.

Procedures:
1. The students will follow their regular daily schedule.
2. The students will gather on the carpet for whole group reading.
3. I will review the academic vocabulary with the students.
4. The students will turn to a partner and share one way they are similar and one way they
are different.
 5. We will discuss with the class what they found out.
6. I will preview the story with the students and ask students what the story may be about,
“What do you think this story is about (pointing at the front cover)? What do you think
George Washington is doing?” Students will respond accordingly.
7. I will read Young George Washington: America’s First President by Andrew Wood
(1992).
8. I will discuss the text with the students. I will ask the students, “Can you tell me a detail
that happened in the story about George Washington?” The students will respond
accordingly.
9. As students respond, I will put the corresponding event card on the board.
10. Next, students will take turns coming up to the board to put the event cards in
chronological order.
11. The students will go back to their desks and work independently to retell George
Washington’s story using three facts.

Adaptations for Students with Special Needs:

Adaptations for students with Behavioral Needs:
• The students will be able to use self-monitoring visuals.
• The students will be able to use Wobble Cushions as a flexible seating option.
• The students will be given more time to ask and respond to questions related to the
activity.
• The students will be given more explanations/directions when needed.
• The students will be given the opportunity to work individually with the teacher, when
necessary.
• The students will be given the option to move to a safe seat or work in a buddy room.

Adaptations for students with Academic Delays:

• The students will be able to use self-monitoring visuals.
• The students will be given more time to ask and respond to questions related to the
activity.
• The students will be given more explanations/directions when needed.
• The students will be given the opportunity to work individually with the teacher, when
necessary.
• The students will be given the option to move to a safe seat or work in a buddy room.

Adaptations for students that are Gifted/Talented:

• The students may be asked to identify more than one fact or provide more detail to their
answer.

Assessment:
• Informal notes to be completed for each student.
• Formal rubric to be completed for each student.

References:
Woods, A. (1992). Young George Washington: America’s First President. New York, NY:
Scholastic Inc.
 Learning Experience 2
Theme: Who were the presidents?
Subject: Language Arts
Time: Whole Group Reading, 45 minutes
Central Focus: Identify similarities and differences.

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.9 Identify basic similarities and differences between two
texts on the same topic (e.g. in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2 Identify the main topic and retell details of the text.

Objectives:
• Students will be able to identify similarities.
• Students will be able to identify differences.
• Students will be able to ask questions.
• Students will be able to answer questions.
• Students will be able to retell the details.

Materials:
• Young Abraham Lincoln: Log-Cabin President by Andrew Woods (1992)
• Event Cards
• Our President: Abraham Lincoln Worksheet

Academic Language:
• Similarities
• Differences
• Main Topic
• Retell
• Beginning
• Middle
• End
• Compare
• Contrast

Preparation:
1. Preview/read the story before the lesson.
2. Prepare discussion questions for the story.
3. Set up activity off to the side.

Procedures:
1. The students will follow their regular daily schedule.
2. The students will gather on the carpet for whole group reading.
3. The students will turn to a partner to share one thing they learned about George
Washington.
4. As a class, review what we learned about George Washington yesterday.
 5. I will preview the story with the students and ask students what the story may be about,
“What do you think this story is about (pointing at the front cover)? What is Abraham
Lincoln doing?” Students will respond accordingly.
6. I will read Young Abraham Lincoln: Log-Cabin President by Andrew Wood (1992).
7. I will discuss the text with the students. I will ask the students, “Can you tell me a detail
that happened in the story about Abraham Lincoln?” The students will respond
accordingly.
8. As students respond, I will put the corresponding event card on the board.
9. Next, students will take turns coming up to the board to put the event cards in
chronological order.
10. The students will go back to their desks and work independently to retell Abraham
Lincoln’s story using three facts.

Adaptations for Students with Special Needs:

Adaptations for students with Behavioral Needs:
• The students will be able to use self-monitoring visuals.
• The students will be able to use Wobble Cushions as a flexible seating option.
• The students will be given more time to ask and respond to questions related to the
activity.
• The students will be given more explanations/directions when needed.
• The students will be given the opportunity to work individually with the teacher, when
necessary.
• The students will be given the option to move to a safe seat or work in a buddy room.

Adaptations for students with Academic Delays:

• The students will be able to use self-monitoring visuals.
• The students will be given more time to ask and respond to questions related to the
activity.
• The students will be given more explanations/directions when needed.
• The students will be given the opportunity to work individually with the teacher, when
necessary.
• The students will be given the option to move to a safe seat or work in a buddy room.

Adaptations for students that are Gifted/Talented:

• The students may be asked to identify more than one fact or provide more detail to their
answer.

Assessment:
• Informal notes to be completed for each student.
• Formal rubric to be completed for each student.

References:
Woods, A. (1992). Young Abraham Lincoln: Log-Cabin President. New York, NY:
Scholastic Inc.
 Learning Experience 3
Theme: Who were the presidents?
Subject: Language Arts
Time: Whole Group Reading, 45 minutes
Central Focus: Identify similarities and differences.

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.9 Identify basic similarities and differences between two
texts on the same topic (e.g. in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2 Identify the main topic and retell details of the text.

Objectives:
• Students will be able to identify similarities.
• Students will be able to identify differences.
• Students will be able to ask questions.
• Students will be able to answer questions.
• Students will be able to retell the details.

Materials:
• Young George Washington: American’s First President by Andrew Woods (1992)
• Young Abraham Lincoln: Log-Cabin President by Andrew Woods (1992)
• Event Cards
• Venn Diagram Worksheet

Academic Language:
• Similarities
• Differences
• Main Topic
• Retell
• Beginning
• Middle
• End
• Compare
• Contrast

Preparation:
1. Preview/read the story before the lesson.
2. Prepare discussion questions for the story.
3. Set up activity off to the side.

Procedures:
1. The students will follow their regular daily schedule.
2. The students will gather on the carpet for whole group reading.
3. The students will turn to a partner and share a fact they remember about George
Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
 4. I will review the two stories with the students and ask students what they remember from
the last two days. Students will respond accordingly.
5. As students respond, if they don’t tell me which president, I will ask, “Which president
did that?”
6. The student will come up to the white board and put the corresponding event card in the
correct category on the class Venn Diagram.
7. As we go, we will discuss comparing and contrasting of the presidents.
8. The students will go back to their desks and work independently to sort their event cards
into the proper category on the Venn Diagram.

Adaptations for Students with Special Needs:

Adaptations for students with Behavioral Needs:
• The students will be able to use self-monitoring visuals.
• The students will be able to use Wobble Cushions as a flexible seating option.
• The students will be given more time to ask and respond to questions related to the
activity.
• The students will be given more explanations/directions when needed.
• The students will be given the opportunity to work individually with the teacher, when
necessary.
• The students will be given the option to move to a safe seat or work in a buddy room.

Adaptations for students with Academic Delays:

• The students will be able to use self-monitoring visuals.
• The students will be given more time to ask and respond to questions related to the
activity.
• The students will be given more explanations/directions when needed.
• The students will be given the opportunity to work individually with the teacher, when
necessary.
• The students will be given the option to move to a safe seat or work in a buddy room.

Adaptations for students that are Gifted/Talented:

• The students may be asked to identify more than one fact or provide more detail to their
answer.

Assessment:
• Informal notes to be completed for each student.
• Formal rubric to be completed for each student.

References:
Woods, A. (1992). Young Abraham Lincoln: Log-Cabin President. New York, NY:
Scholastic Inc.
Woods, A. (1992). Young George Washington: America’s First President. New York, NY:
Scholastic Inc.