SPEDE 777: Writing Lesson Plan

Teacher: Matthew Lonergan

Date of Lesson: October 24, 2014
Time: 9:30am
Name of School: P.S. 400
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Name of Lesson: Describing Patterns
Unit: English Language Arts
Topic: Reading and Writing
Content Area/Developmental Domain:
Language Arts- listening to a read aloud, responding to questions and making predictions.
Communication- expressing ideas both verbally and in writing, discussing in partnerships
and large group settings
Social/emotional- reflecting on past experiences in which children have seen patterns
before
Cognitive- recognizing, recalling and making connections between objects that have a
relationship
Description of Lesson: Students will gather a whole group for a read aloud of Beep Beep
Vroom Vroom by Stuart J. Murphy. Many prediction questions will be asked throughout the
read aloud. The whole class will be asked to verbally respond to teacher cues when describing
the pattern on the page, ie. Red, green, yellow, red green yellow. Following the read aloud,
students in a whole group will create a pattern together using pattern blocks and the teacher will
write their pattern on the SMART board. The teacher will provide instructions for an
independent activity in which students working at their seats will create their own patterns, using
pattern blocks, and will be instructed to describe 2 attributes for each shape in their pattern. The
lesson will conclude with a group sharing of each students work.
This lesson is: New and previously introduced content
Rationale: In compliance with the New York Common Core Standards for kindergarten grade
English Language Arts, students are exploring how to use a combination of strategies to create
an informative text. This lesson combines ELA and mathematics awareness along with scientific
explanations.
Timeframe: 40 minutes
Objectives of Activity:
Students will be able to answer prediction and comprehension questions during the read
aloud
Students will be able to write descriptive adjectives
Students will be able to describe their created patterns orally to the class during the
student share

Connections to Standards:
New York State Common Core Standards for Kindergarten
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to
compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about
and supply some information about the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.5. With guidance and support from adults, respond to
questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.6. With guidance and support from adults, explore a
variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with
peers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.7. Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g.,
explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.8. With guidance and support from adults, recall
information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a
question.

Read Aloud Vocabulary- Vroom, Zoom, Beep, Honked, Crash, Banged

Materials:
Beep Beep Vroom Vroom by Stuart j. Murphy
SMART Board (used to display whole group created pattern and describing adjectives)
Pattern Blocks
Lined paper
Pencils
Crayons
Rulers
Timer

Use of Technology: The pattern created during the whole group will be displayed on the wall
using the SMART board.
Seating Configuration/Use of Physical Space:
Students will begin and end the lesson by sitting on the rug as a whole group in their
assigned rug spots. Rug spots are pre-assigned based on classroom behavior
management and preferential seating for students who require teacher support.
Students will complete their independent activity at their assigned seats at tables.
Students seats are determined based on behavioral and academic considerations.
Teaching Roles and Collaboration:
The cooperating general education teacher will help with behavior management
throughout the lesson.
Teachers will circulate the room throughout the activity to ensure student understanding
and on-task behavior.

Teachers will assess student understanding and finished product.

Classroom Management:
Classroom management procedures have been established in the students daily routine
Students will sit in their assigned rug spots during whole group instruction
The teacher will announce when a transition is about to occur
Children may visit the quiet corner in the classroom if they indicate they need a break
from the activity
Procedures:
Connection1. Students will sit in their assigned rug spots as a whole group on the rug.
2. Teacher will read aloud Beep Beep Vroom Vroom by Stuart J. Murphy
3. Teacher will ask prediction and comprehension questions before, during, and after the
read aloud to check for student understanding of the story. What is the pattern that
Kevin has organized his cars into?(This question will be repeatedly asked each time the
pattern changes) What action noise (onomatopoeia) does each color car make? What
words can we use to describe this car? What was the original pattern?
Guided Participation1. Investigators, we have been using our powers of inquiry to study the objects we see.
Today we are going to be creating our own patterns! We will use our pattern blocks and
then write down what our pattern is and describe it!
2. Teacher will display and example to the class while projecting it on the SMART board
3. (Cooperating teacher will place paper at each students desk)
4. Teacher will direct students attention to the way we, as a whole group, described the
pattern on the SMART board
5. Who can repeat what we are writing about when we go back to our seats?
6. Take 30 seconds to think in your mind about which pattern block you will use first
7. Begin creating your patterns. You may use as many blocks as you wish but remember
that the pattern must be repeated at least 3 times to be a true pattern.
8. Students will work independently using lined letter paper to line up their pattern and to
write at least one adjective to describe each object in their pattern.
9. When they are finished creating their pattern and writing one descriptive adjective for
each object, students will be encouraged to think of another descriptive adjective for each
object.
10. Both cooperating teachers will circulate the room to reinforce on-task behavior and
provide prompting for students who have questions about the assignment.
11. After about 15 minutes of writing time (set the class timer), the teacher will announce to
the students that they have one minute to finish their writing.
12. After one minute of finishing their ideas, the teacher will announce that students should
take their writings and bring them to the circle time rug.
Closure1. Once students are sitting in a circle on the rug with their writings

2. A few (2-3) students will volunteer to stand up in front of the class and share their
patterns.
3. The teacher will have a pile of pattern blocks and each student that is sharing will ask
another student to retrieve the correct block for the pattern, ie. John states This is a
triangle, it is yellow, it is large and another student will find the desired shape.
4. When the share is finished, teachers will collect the patterns
5. Writing is finished.
Assessment:
Teachers will assess students comprehension of the book through questions during the
read aloud. Teacher will assess students comprehension of patterns by asking students to
describe what car patterns are on the page.
Teachers will assess students understanding of the instructions and activity through
informal observations while circulating the classroom during the independent writing
activity.
Teachers will assess the permanent product of each pattern to see if they are in fact a true
pattern and that the descriptive adjectives are correct.
Teachers will ask students to recreate the pattern they wrote about later in the week
Modifications:
To make easier- Students will be given modified paper with larger and fewer lines to write between.
Wide ruled paper will support students with fine motor delays and students who write
larger with fewer sentences.
- Students with wide ruled paper will write shorter descriptive adjectives
- Teachers will check in with students who are having difficulty with the assignment in
order to provide prompts and scaffolding
To make harder- Students will be called on during the read aloud to answer more difficult
comprehension and prediction questions
- Students will write using paper with smaller lines
- Students with smaller lined paper will be required to write more than 2 descriptive
adjectives for each object, ie. The big, soft, red, triangle.
- Students will share their patterns and their justification of their descriptive adjectives
- Students who excel at this activity will be asked to work in pairs using verbal
descriptions to recreate each others patterns.
Extension Activity:
Students will be asked to keep a part of their journal dedicated to copying down patterns
that they see in their daily life. This activity will continue to allow students to be more aware of
their environment and patterns in nature.