Jessica Chalupa

Grade: 4th
Cooperating Teacher: Mrs. Van Zandt
Writing

Date: October 21, 2014

Time: 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

Transitions
Essential Question: What is a transitional word? Where transitional words should be used?
Standard: 4.3.c
Learning Objectives and Assessments:
Learning Objective
Students will be able to identify transitional
words appropriate for each of their beginning,
middle, and closing paragraphs.

Assessments
Students will be given a Traffic Light
Transition list to help them identify words.

Students will be able to illustrate their

knowledge of transitional words.

Students will create a paragraph using

transitional words.

Materials: Traffic Light Transition power point, traffic light transition worksheet, white boards,
writing journals.
Prior Knowledge: The students will have an idea of what transitional words are and may even
recognize their own over usage of certain words.
Hook: The teacher will read a transitional paragraph about their morning routine.
Instructional Plan:
After the hook, the teacher will put up the traffic light transition power point where students will
be given examples of how to use the words.

The students will be put into groups and asked to quickly give a few transitional
sentences using the Traffic Light Transitional list.
After each group has shared their sentences, they will be moved back into their seats and
asked to take out their writing journals.
The teacher will hand out a copy of the traffic light transitional worksheet and ask the
students to describe in their journals their morning routine using their transitional words.

Differentiation: The teacher will provide the transitional words ahead of time. The teacher will
ask the student to point out or list transitional words from a book they are currently reading
before the lesson, so the student is more familiar with the meaning of transitional words.

Questions: What are transitional words? Where are transitional words used? Why are
transitional words important in creating paragraphs?
Classroom Management: In the beginning of the lesson, the teacher will have asked them to
take out their white boards and listen for any transitional words that are used in the teachers
paragraph. The class will share and then be shown the traffic light transition slide in which the
students will be asked to find additional words to the slide. The teacher will hand out a copy of
the traffic light transitional worksheet for the students to attach in their journals. Once that has
been completed, they will get into groups for more practice and finally asked to do their own
paragraphs explaining their morning routines.
Transition: The teacher will ask them to have their white boards out and to write down words
they hear from the teachers paragraph. The teacher will then show them a slide in which they
will additional words. The teacher will give them a timed limit when working in groups and
either clap or use the chime to finish their group work. After they share a few their sentences,
they will be asked to go back to their seats where they will be writing their own paragraphs.
Closure: The teacher will ask the students to do a three sentence exit ticket on transitions. (give
them the prompt)