Maja Pehrson

EDUC 555
Roots Unit (1st Grade Lea Elementary)
Forging Connections (lesson plan for 3/24/15)
Goals/Objectives:
Students will deepen their understanding of what family roots are
through read aloud.
Students will understand that there are commonalities and differences
between peoples familial roots.
Standards:
PA Core Standards English Language Arts
Reading Literature Standards:
CC.1.3.1.A Retell stories, including key details, and
demonstrate understanding of their central message or
lesson.
CC.1.3.1.B Ask and answer questions about key details in a
text.
CC.1.3.1.C Describe characters, settings, and major events in
a story, using key details.
CC.1.3.1.G Use illustrations and details in a story to describe
characters, settings, or events.
Materials and Preparation:
Read Aloud: This is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson
Classroom Arrangement and Management Issues:
The students will be seated on the carpet for this lesson in their
regular carpet spots. Hand signals will help students engage with the
read aloud without being disruptive. Students may get restless on the
carpet after read aloud, will have the option to move to another space
in the room for turn & talk.
Plan:
The Hook: [10 minutes]
1. Today we are reading This is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson.
This story talks about a familys roots. In this story, they move to

the North during the Great Migration (discuss that term, has
anyone heard of it before? Tap into prior knowledge about
discrimination against African Americans. Explain term in kid
language in authentic way).
[4 minutes]
2. Since you just interviewed a family member and learned about
your roots, Im sure you will have lots of connections as we read
this book. Go over with students what a text to self connection
is, text to text, and text to world (refer to anchor chart). Instruct
students to put up one finger to signal text to self, two to signal
text to text, and three to signal text to world as were reading.
[1 minute]
3. Picture walk through book. Use illustrations to make predictions,
see if students are making any connections already.
[5 minutes]
Body of the Lesson: [30 minutes]
1. During reading, acknowledge students who are making
connections.
2. Stop for comprehension questions (Why is this family moving?
Why is the rope important to them?)
[10 minutes]
3. At the end, turn and talk. Students will be instructed that when
we come back to share, they will share what connections their
partners made (focus on active listening).
[5 minutes]
4. Share out whole group. Try to get one partner from every group
to share.
[15 minutes]
Closure: [5 minutes]
1. Reflect on commonalities and differences between students
connections. Mention that students should keep their
connections about their own family roots in their brain, will be
writing about them after lunch.
Assessment:
Are students actively engaged in discussions with their partners? Are
they able to report back what their partner said? Are students making
connections between their own family roots and the text? Do their
connections demonstrate an understanding of the text?
Anticipating Students Responses and Your Responses:

Some students may struggle maintaining a conversation with their

partner for 5 minutes. Direct to turn and talk anchor chart (will be
relatively new). May have to ask guiding questions (did you have a
text to self/text/world connection? Based on knowledge of studentswhat about when _____ happened? Do you have anything special in
your family that has been passed down to you?)
Accommodations:
Hand signals will allow me to see who is successfully making
connections as we read and who is not. I will check up on students
who did not seem to be making connections during the turn and talk.
Students less comfortable sharing will benefit from the direction to
recount what their partner said. Students who get restless will be
allowed to move for the turn and talk.