College of Education

Lesson Plan Template

Teacher Candidate: Breanna Cook Date and Time of Lesson: 10/8/14 8AM

School: Springfield Elementary Subject/Grade Level: Reading/Fifth

Description of Lesson: Students will determine the themes of two Aesops Fables, The Donkey
in the Lions Skin and The Lion and the Mouse using details from the story.

Lesson Title or Essential Question that guides the lesson: How do I determine the theme of a
story, drama, or poem using details and inferences?

Curriculum Standards Addressed:
SC Curriculum Standard(s):
CCSS RL.5.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including
how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects
upon a topic; summarize the text.

Lesson Objective(s): Assessment(s) of the Objectives:
All fifth grade students will use details from the text as
well as inferences to determine the theme of two
Aesops Fables, The Lion and the Mouse and The
Donkey in the Lions Skin.
Pre: Students will complete a quick
write answering the question, What is
theme? I will use this data to
determine what I need to recap from
the previous day.
During: Students will participate in
whole group discussion of The Lion
and the Mouse. I will listen for
accurate answers for the theme and
for supporting details and inferences
from the story.
Post: Students will work on their own
to determine the theme of The
Donkey in the Lions Skin. They will
complete a print out worksheet of a
gumball machine (matches their
reading notebook design) that I will
take after we discuss the theme of this
fable as a whole class.
Materials/Resources: Students will need their reading journals, a pencil, copy of The Lion and
the Mouse and The Donkey in the Lions Skin, and a print out of a gumball machine.
Prerequisites (Prior Knowledge): Socially, students need self-control to stay on task during the
lesson instead of talking to peers at their desks. Cognitively, students need to remember what
they learned two weeks ago about how to make inferences. Students also need to use their
knowledge of theme from the introduction lesson and their notes of theme on Tuesday.
Physically, students need to stay at their desk during the lesson so that they do not distract others.
Due to early dismissal, students will only have 40 minutes of instruction, so they will need to
work diligently and stay on task. Emotionally, students need the self-confidence to answer and
ask questions and make appropriate and relevant comments throughout the lesson.


Procedures:
1. Please take out your reading journals but do not open them yet.
2. First, I would like to review theme. Without looking at yesterdays notes
a. Could someone tell me what we said yesterday was the definition of theme?
b. How do we determine the theme of a story? What should we consider as we
read? What do we ask ourselves when reading?
3. I am going to read a fable to you and then we will work together to determine its theme.
Shared Reading:
Aesops Fable: The Lion and the Mouse
4. What is a possible theme for this fable?
5. What in the text help us determine this theme?
a. Underline these details
6. Do we have to make any inferences with this fable?
Independent Reading/Activity:
7. On your own now, read The Donkey in the Lions Skin and determine the theme and
provide details from the text that support your ideas of the theme.
8. You will use the handout (picture of a gumball machine) Ive provided to write your
details and inferences. Be sure you include: Teacher will provide a model and will write
instructions on the board
a. Your name (top right corner)
b. Your theme which will be a phrase such as Be careful what you wish for (semi
circle at the top of the machine)
c. Details/inferences from the story (inside the machine)
9. You have 15 minutes to work on this. I will come around and answer any questions you
may have. You will turn these in to me and we might decide to put them up in the
hallway. So be sure you write neatly and take pride in your work that others will see.
10. After time is up ask for a few students to share what they wrote.
11. Take students sheets as their exit slip for todays class.
12. Remind students that they need to study for their reading quiz on Friday.
13. Students will then write their homework in their agenda and I will walk around to sign
agendas.

Activity Analysis:
The first activity in this lesson is a shared reading. I chose a shared reading instead of a
read aloud because I wanted students to have a copy of the text in front of them so that
they can find details and make inferences from the fable with more ease. This activity
supports the objective because as the teacher I am providing the model for determining a
theme of a story by using details and making inferences from the text. My lower
achieving students will benefit from the structure of this activity because I am providing a
scaffold to help them better understand how to determine the theme of a story.
Another activity in this lesson is an independent activity where students can showcase
their ideas for the theme of the fable, The Hare and the Tortoise. This may be a familiar
fable for the students, but it will help ensure confidence in their work, which will allow
students to be more apt in completing the task with accuracy. This activity meets my
students needs to be creative and expressive in their learning. The objective is met
through students practice with determining the theme of the fable and providing details
and inferences from the text that support their idea of the theme.
I will use the SmartBoard to write directions and guidelines on the board for students to
have written and verbal directions. I will also use the SmartBoard periodically to write
ideas as discussed by students during whole class discussions.

Differentiation/Accommodations/Modifications/Increases in Rigor
This lesson has been condensed because students have early dismissal and will only be in my
reading class for forty minutes. I will work hard to keep to this lesson, but whatever is not
finished will move to another day. If students seem to need more practice after the shared
reading model, I will use The Hare and the Tortoise as another example. Students are grouped
according to academic achievement level so that students may help each other succeed. During
independent work, I will monitor student work and remind those who are not focused that they
need to stay on task. For the students who continue to stay off task and disrupt, I may need to
remove them from the group and work with them individually. For my five gifted and talented
students and any other students who may finish independent work quickly, I will allow them to
read silently.

References:
Gumball Machine Printable from Pinterest
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/229402174742261269/