Design for Learning

Instructor: Annie Walker

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: 4th grade
Lesson Title: Synonyms and Antonyms Date: November 3, 2015
Curriculum Area: English Language Arts Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Standards Connection:

42.) Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances

in word meanings. [L.4.5]
c. Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms)
and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms). [L.4.5c]
Learning Objective(s):

Students will correctly identify both the synonym and the antonym of a given word on a
work sheet with 80% accuracy.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:

Today, we are learning about words that are alike (synonyms) and words that are
opposites (antonyms). By the end of the lesson, you will be able to name lots of different
synonyms and antonyms, and understand why they are important.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):

The students will be given two worksheets to complete, one about antonyms and one
about synonyms. The students will only do the odd problems on both worksheets, for a
total of 12 problems. For the antonym worksheet, they will choose the correct antonym
from a word bank and write it in the blank. For the synonym worksheet, they will circle
the correct synonym. In order to receive an 80%, the students should answer at least 9
questions right. For the students who answer 9 or more correct, they will play an
investigations game with a partner with synonyms and antonyms. For the students who
answer between 5 and 8 correctly, they will play a matching game where they match
similar words, and then match opposites. For students who get 4 or less correct, they will
spend one-on-one time with the teacher, working on learning similar and opposite words,
and then identifying them.
Engagement:

The students will complete a word sort using the categories of Big, Small, Hot,
Cold, Blue, and Green. All right, today I want you guys to focus and to try really
hard to behave. Last week, we had some trouble with getting off task and being silly, but I
know you guys are going to behave really well for me today. We are about to get started
so I need you to sit silently in your sit and not talk to your neighbor. Wait for students to
behave accordingly. Now, I want you each to take the pouch with your name on it. Empty
the pieces of paper on the table. Take a minute to examine all the words and think about
them. Once you have done that, I want you to think about the categories that you can put

the different words into. Think about how the words are similar, or how they are different.
Think about how each word could fit into one of the categories. Let the students look at
the words and the different categories for a minute. Listen to what the students are saying,
and see if they have any questions. If they are struggling, help them out and demonstrate
for the students how they should begin. Lets look at these words together. Pick out the
bold words for me, please. Those words are big, small, green, blue, hot, and cold. Once
you have found those words, set them in a row in front of you like I am doing. Now, these
are your different categories. You have six different categories that all the rest of the
words can go in. Lets see if we can make them all fit. While the children sort their words
into categories, you do the same. Once they have finished, talk about it. Who can share
their small category with me? Lets see how that compares to someone elses. Now,
heres what I put in my category. Continue to review the categories so the children are
extremely familiar with the words and have over-exposure to the different categories. Did
we all put the same words in each category? No. And thats okay. There are no set rights
and wrongs in a word sort. Who can tell me what they notice about the different words?
Thats right, some of the words are similar! Cold, ice, and winter are all very similar, and
so are hot, fire, and oven. What else do we notice? Right again, some of the words are
completely different, like hot and cold, or big and small. Thats because today we are
going to talk about words that are similar and words that are different! Who knows what
these words are called? Transition to teaching while the students put up their word sort
and hand them back in.
Learning Design:

I.
Teaching:
Begin by asking the students if they know what synonyms and antonyms are. Im going
to wait until everyones eyes are on me and we are ready to continue. Good. Now has
anyone ever heard the words synonym or antonym before? Wait for childrens reply. Well,
today we are going to learn all about synonyms and antonyms. And here to help me are
two of my very good friends. Bring out Synonym Sally and Antonym Andy. These two
friends of mine are going to help us a lot today. Lets start with the Synonym Sally. Does
anyone know what the word synonym means? It means that two words are different, but
they have the same meaning. Lets write that on Sally. Write the definition for synonym
underneath Sally. Synonyms are words that mean the same thing or have the same
meaning, but they are not spelled the same. Some examples of synonyms are words like
joyful and happy, sad and upset, crazy and absurd. Can you guys think of any synonyms?
Ask each student to give you a synonym pair and write that on Sallys dress. Alright, now
Sally is going to help us for the rest of the lesson. But for now, we need to move on to
Antonym Andy. Who can tell me what an antonym is? Pause for student reply. These are
words that mean the opposite of each other. Write the definition of antonym beneath
Andy. Some examples of antonyms are words like happy and sad, rainy and sunny, or
nice and mean. I want each of you to give me an antonym pair now, and Ill write it on
Andy. Listen as each student gives an antonym pair, and write it down. So why do you
think synonyms and antonyms are important? They are important because they can show
us whether we really know what a word is or not. When you get to know a person, what
are some of the things you ask them? You ask them what they like and what they dont

like, dont you? Well, when we use synonyms and antonyms, we are getting to know a
word and really starting to understand it, because we are finding words that are like it,
and words that are not like it. We can ask important questions about the words when we
know the synonyms and anonyms. When we really know what a word means, then we can
find a synonym and antonym to go with it. For example, lets think about the word
hero. Do we really know what that word means? First you think of the definition of the
word. Give the students time to think about what the word hero means. Listen to their
definitions. So, whats the definition of a hero? Someone who saves the day, who fights
for good, who is brave, like Captain America. Now that we know the definition, we can
think of some words that are similar to it. Give the students a minute to brainstorm words
that could be similar to hero. What did you guys come up with? I like those ideas! I
thought of the words legend, good guy or knight. Now that we have thought of a
definition, and made connections to other words that are similar, we can also think of
words that do not mean the same thing. Allow the students time to brainstorm words that
mean the opposite of hero. What words are not like hero? I thought of evil or bad guy.
Sometimes its easier to think of words that mean the same thing, isnt it? However,
antonyms are just as important as synonyms! Do you feel like you know the word hero
better? I sure do! See how we really get to know a word well when we know their
synonyms and antonyms? I feel like I know so much more about the word hero now that I
know what words are similar to it and different from it! Transition to reading When I
Grow Up by passing out the chart and explain the directions to the students. I am giving
you a chart right now that you will use while we read the book When I Grow Up. Ask
each of the students to read what one column says, and then explain what they will be
doing. Remember how when we were talking about the word hero, and we said the
definition first, and then thought about synonyms and antonyms? Well we are about to do
that same thing with words from the book! When we come across the words in the book,
we will stop and discuss them. That is when you can fill out your chart. Heres how to do
that. The first column says word. When we come across a word that we will use, I want
you to write the word in the box. The next column says definition. We will work as a
group to come up with a definition that we like for the word. We might even already know
what the word means! Then, the next column says Words Like Me. What do you think
we will write there? Thats right. Words that are similar to the word we read in the book.
And what are those words called? Synonyms! Finally, the last column says Words Not
Like Me. What do you think will go there? Thats right, the opposite, or antonyms! You
can always look at Antonym Andy or Synonym Sally to help you. Lets begin reading the
book. Im going to read it today, so I need your listening ears on, and your talking
mouths off. Thank you. Begin reading the book. Stop when you come across the first
word, special. Special is our first word! Lets write that down in the first column
underneath the title Word. Who knows what special means? Those are all really good
ideas. What should we write down? Have general guidelines for what you want the
students to write, but dont expect for them to say exactly what you have written. Once
they have written the definition, move on to similar words. Okay, now lets think about
some words that are like special. What do we call those again? Thats right, synonyms.
Who can think of some synonyms for special? Allow students to think and brainstorm,
collaborating and playing off of each others ideas. Very good! I like what Im hearing.
Now, its time to talk about words that are NOT like special, and we call those antonyms.

Lets brainstorm some ideas. If the students need help, you can guide them with their
thinking, offering a few suggestions and explaining why the word works.

Word

Definition

Special

Something that
is distinct and
particular

Words Like Me

Unique
Important
Particular

Words Not Like

Me
The same
Common
Normal

Do you guys feel like you know the word special better now? I sure do!! Once students
have completed this portion, keep reading the book. Stop once you reach the next word,
departed. Oh, we have another word! This word is departed. Please write that down in
the next blank. What do we think is a good definition for departed? Thats right, departed
means to go or leave! Very good. Lets think of some synonyms that work with go or
leave. Let the students brainstorm again. Those are great synonyms. Now, its Andy
Antonyms turn!! Who can think of some words that are opposite of leave? Once again, let
the students brainstorm. If they need help or clarification, provide that. Oh, great
thinking. I love how you guys are thinking. I just feel so close to the word departed
because we know so much about it now!

Word

Definition

Departed

To leave or go
away

Words Like Me Words Not Like

Me
Leave
Arrive
Go
Come
Exit
Enter

Give students time to fill out this part of the chart. Ask them if they have any questions or
are unclear about anything, and then keep reading. Okay, we are going to keep reading
now. Put those listening ears back on, and close your talking mouths. Keep reading until
you get to the word crawl. We have our next word. Its crawl! This one is kind of tricky,
but I think you guys can do it. Lets write down crawl, and then think of a definition for it.
What do you think is a good definition for crawl? What type of people crawl? Thats right
a baby! Now, what type of animals crawl? Yes, worms, snakes, etc. Good thinking. Okay,
lets take that information and make it into a definition. I think that is a good definition.
Now, for the words like me. What words can we think of that are similar to crawl?
Listen for answers and expect some strange answers because this is a hard word. That
was a hard one, but you guys did a great job. Now lets think of some words that are not
crawl. Good job, those are all words that are not crawling!

Word

Definition

Crawl

To move like a
baby

Words Like Me Words Not Like

Me
Creep
Rush
Move
Walk
slowly
Run
Inch

Alright, lets finish this book and find out what the boy wants to be when he grows up!
Continue reading the book until you get to the last word, which is friendly. LAST WORD.
This one says friendly. I think this one will be easy. Lets all do this one silently by
ourselves, and then we can talk about what we said. Allow the students to work silently
on this last row and then talk about the answers. What did you guys say for the definition
of friendly? I would have said very nice and welcoming, which is similar to what you
guys said. Good job. I want each of you to tell me what three words you wrote for the
synonyms now. Look at that, some of you chose the same words! I love all the words that
you guys chose. Now, tell me what antonyms your chose. Good work! Those are strong
words.

Word
Friendly

Definition
Like a friend

Words Like Me

Nice
Welcoming
Kind

Words Not Like

Me
Mean
Rude
Unfriendly

Lets talk about the antonym unfriendly for a minute. When were comparing words, we
dont really like to use not (insert word). However, if we put the pre-fix un in front of
the word that means not, and that is an acceptable word to use. We dont like to say not
friendly or not organized but we can say unfriendly or unorganized. Its a better
way to compare words and it is more precise. Now, do we feel like we know the words
better? Do we have a better understanding of the words? I hope so! I think I know the
words more in depth and can use them better now!

II.

Opportunity for Practice:

Now the students will practice identifying synonyms and antonyms online
with the website. Im going to wait until all eyes are on me. Thank you. Now
its time to practice. Open up your Chrome Books and log in. Then, I want you
to go to the website I have written down here. When you get to the website,
click play. You can choose to practice with synonyms or antonyms. Once

you have gotten at least 20 right on one section, go back to the website and
practice with the other one that you did not choose the first time. We will
practice this for about 10 minutes. Once we are done practicing, we will move
on to the worksheets. Let me know if you have any questions or have trouble
with the website. Watch the students as they practice. Answer any questions
and clear up any misconceptions. When they are finished practicing, ask some
follow up questions. Did you learn any new words by playing this practice
game? Do you feel more confident about some words now, like you know them
much better? What antonym and synonym pairs did you see? Once the
students have finished practicing, have them shut down their Chrome Books,
put them away, and then wait for further instruction.
http://www.abcya.com/synonyms_antonyms.htm
III.

Assessment
All eyes on me. We wont begin our next activity until everyone is quiet and in
their seat. Thank you. I am passing out two different worksheets. Listen very
carefully to my directions. On the first page, you are working with
ANTONYMS. Im going to put Andy in the middle of the table so we remember
that we are only working with antonyms on the first page. You are to read the
sentence, and decide which antonym goes in the blank. Another important
direction: YOU ARE ONLY TO DO THE ODD NUMBERS. We are not doing
every single question. Are there any questions? If not, then you may begin.
Work silently on the first page, and turn your packet over when you have
completed the first page. Wait for students to complete the first page. All eyes
on me. Okay, now, lets turn to the back page. Listen carefully to these
directions as well, please. On this page, we are working with SYNONYMS.
Im going to take Andy away now, and put Sally in the middle so that we
remember that we are working with SYNONYMS. You are to read the
sentence, and then circle the synonym of the word that is bolded and
underlined. ONCE AGAIN WE ARE ONLY DOING THE ODD NUMBERS
ON THIS WORKSHEET TOO. Do not complete the whole worksheet. If there
are no questions, then you may begin. Work silently, and turn your paper over
when you are finished. Once students have finished with this assessment,
transition to the closure.

IV.

Closure:
Before the students leave, they will choose a word to describe themselves.
Then, they will come up with a synonym and antonym for that word. Before
we go, we are going to do one more fun activity! Notice the notecard that I
just passed out. On one side, I want you to write one word that you think
describes your personality. For example, if I were doing this, I would choose
outgoing. Then, on the backside of the notecard, I want you to write one
synonym for the word you chose, and one antonym. When you are done, we

will share it with each other. Once the students have completed the activity,
then they will each share their card and words with the group. Now, do you
feel like you know each other a little better? I feel like after hearing those
words that I know each one of you a little bit better than before. And you know
what? Thats what synonyms and antonyms do for words, too. They help us to
better understand that word, and show us how deeply we know and
understand the word. Thanks for behaving so well today, class!
Materials and Resources:
Synonym Sally (Drawn on a red piece of construction paper)
Antonym Andy (Drawn on a blue piece of construction paper)
Word Sort Lesson (type up words beforehand into six categories: small, big, hot,
cold, blue, and green)
For each category put these words in them:
Small: Mouse, Me, Penny, Short
Big: Elephant, World, Quarter, Tall
Hot: Fire, Oven, Sun, Hawaii
Cold: Ice, Snow, Winter, Alaska
Blue: Water, Sky, Berries, Bird
Green: Grass, Leaves, Lizard, Lettuce
Synonym and antonym chart to use when teaching
2 worksheets to use as assessment
http://www.k12reader.com/worksheet/antonyms-are-opposites/view/
http://www.k12reader.com/worksheet/identify-the-synonym/view/
Game for practice identifying synonyms and antonyms
http://www.abcya.com/synonyms_antonyms.htm
Students should use their Chrome Books for the practice website
When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic
Sticky notes to mark the pages where the words I want to talk about are.
4 notecards for the students to use as their exit ticket.
Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):

For students who get 9 or more correct, they will get into groups of two and play an
investigations game with synonyms and antonyms. There will be a list of words to choose
from, and they can tell their partner This word is like _______, but it is not like
__________. For students who get between a 5 and 8 correct, they will play a matching
game, where they match the synonyms together and match the antonyms together. This
will be an additional worksheet. For the students who got 4 or less correct, they will
spend one on one time with the teacher, working with first similar words, and then
different words, until they can complete this.

Data Analysis:
Unfortunately, we did not have time to complete the assessment. However, I could
use the worksheet that we completed together to assess how the students were doing, and
if they fully understood the topic. They all completed the sheets with 100% accuracy, and
they each participated in the conversation, offering good suggestions for antonyms and
synonyms. I believe that they understood the topic, but in order to fully know this, and to
gather more information, I would need to assess them. I had planned on giving them the
assessment at a later time, but that did not happen. Unfortunately, the data was
inconclusive.

Reflection:
This lesson went really, really well. It was the first small group lesson that I had
taught, and I was pleased with the way it went. I wish that I had had time to complete the
whole lesson. The engagement went really well, and the students loved it. However, I had
to make adjustments to my plan because they were struggling with putting the words in
categories at first. So, I then told them the different categories. Then, they loved the idea
of Antonym Andy and Synonym Sally! This was a good visual for them to have, and we
referred back to the pictures throughout the whole lesson. When teaching the lesson, the
students did very well with that too. They participated and were eager to answer
questions. They were answering the questions correctly, and my teaching seemed to help
them, which was encouraging. I believe that the thoroughness of my lesson plan really
helped with that. At the same time, I could have included more resources and
incorporated technology more. For their practice, the students were going to use their
Chrome Books to go to a website and play a synonym and antonym game, but we did not
get to the practice or assessment part. That was the biggest negative about the lesson. I
wish that I had had time to complete the whole thing, because it was going so well and I
would have loved to finish it and see the progress that the students made. Unfortunately
they did not get to use technology to practice, which I think they would have loved. Also,
I wish that I could have assessed them with the two worksheets, so that I could really see
how they were doing, and what we needed to work on next. I also needed to include some
MCREL strategies, because I think this could help with any small issues that I had.
Overall, I was very pleased with the way this lesson went.

Samford University
Design for Learning

Word

Definition

Words Like Me

Words Not
Like Me

Design for Learning

Instructor: Annie Walker
Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: 4th grade
Lesson Title: Traffic Light Writing
Date: November 5, 2015
Curriculum Area: English Language Arts Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Standards Connection:
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types
are defined in standards 22-24 above.) [W.4.4]

Learning Objective(s):
Students will write a paragraph in which there is a clear introductory sentence, 3
supporting sentences, and a closing sentence as an exit ticket.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today, we are learning about writing a paragraph. A paragraph has 3 different parts. You
will learn how to write each of those three parts. First, we will write a topic sentence,
which tells the reader what you are going to tell them. Then, we will write 3 sentences to
tell us more about our topic, and then we will write a closing sentence to wrap it all up.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
Students will be assessed based on whether they included all three parts of the paragraph
or not. If they included all three parts, topic sentence, 3 supporting sentences, and a
closing sentence, then they have mastered the subject. If they only included two parts, or
parts of all three but not complete parts, then they need additional practice. If they only
included one part, or did not include any of the parts, then they should work one on one
with the teacher for additional help.
Engagement:
We will start by discussing a traffic light. Im going to wait until all eyes are on me and
everyone is quiet and paying attention. Okay, thank you. Today we are going to talk
about how to write a simple paragraph. But first, I want you all to picture a traffic light
in your mind. What does that look like? Project the blank traffic light on the screen using
the document camera. What different colors do we see in a traffic light? What does each
color mean? When the students respond, place the colors on the light, but in a mixed up
order. Is that the right order that the colors go in? No, of course not! Red goes up top,
yellow in the middle, and green on the bottom. Okay, now think back to the paragraph I
mentioned we were going to write. Just like a traffic light, a paragraph has three very key
parts, and these three parts work together just like a traffic light does. Transition to
teaching.

Learning Design:
I.

Teaching:
Now, lets look at a typical paragraph. Using the document camera I will
display a paragraph that I have written beforehand. This paragraph says,
Fall is my favorite time of year. The fall air is crisp and cool. Pumpkins
decorate doorsteps up and down my street. The sound of crunching leaves
follows me everywhere I go. That is why I like fall so much. Lets look at
each of the parts of this paragraph. First, we have the sentence in green. Does
anyone know what that sentence is called? It is called a topic sentence. The
topic sentence always comes at the beginning of a paragraph, and it tells the
main idea of the paragraph. Raise your hand if you can tell me what the main
idea is? Ask a student to tell you what the main idea is. Good answer! A main
idea is the focus of the paragraph. So, a topic sentence relates what your
focus is going to be to the readers. In other words, it tells the readers what
you are going to talk about. Who can tell me what the main idea of this
paragraph is? Thats right fall. And it says that in the very first sentence!
Okay, now lets look at the three sentences in the middle. Read those sentences
out loud. Why do you think the person who wrote this paragraph included
those three sentences? Wait for student responses. Those are all very good
thoughts. These three sentences explain the topic sentence, and they add
details to the paragraph. What does the first sentence explain? Right, how the
air feels, because that feeling is different than any other time of year. What
does the second sentence explain? Exactly! It explains what fall looks like,
and what you might see during that time. Now, what does the last sentence
describe? Yes, what you hear! These sentences are all very descriptive, and
they help the reader to really understand what the author is describing. Its a
lot like when you are having a conversation with someone. If you ask them
how their weekend was, would you like it if they just said good? Or would
you like it if they said, My weekend was so good! On Friday night I ate pizza
for dinner. I watched some football with my family on Saturday. On Sunday I
slept and did my homework. I had a great weekend! See how many more
details were in that answer? And it made it so much more interesting! Alright,
now lets look at the last sentence. Its in red. What do you think we call this
sentence? Its called the closing sentence. What do you think this sentence
does? Thats right, it ends the paragraph. This part of the paragraph is very
important because it wraps it up, and lets the reader know that you are about
to move on to a new idea. This is the part where you tell them again what you
already told them. This sentence should always restate what you said in the
topic sentence. However, it should not be the exact same sentence as your
topic sentence. For example, if your topic sentence was I would really love
to have a dog as a pet, then your closing sentence could be These are the
reasons that I want a dog as a pet. Lets review. I like to think of these three
parts of the paragraph like this: First, you tell them what you are going to tell
them. Next, you tell them. Finally, you tell them what you told them. You can

also think of it like making a pizza! The topic sentence is the dough of the
pizza. You have the basics, but you need some more in order for it to be
REALLY good. Then, you have to add the details, so you splatter some pizza
sauce on the dough, you sprinkle some cheese on it, and then you put the
pepperonis on it. Then, its almost ready to be eaten, BUT WAIT. We have to
put it in the oven and bake it. That part acts as our closing sentence, because
its the last step and we are wrapping everything up. Now, we are going to
practice as a group. Transition to the whiteboard and teach this section using
the whiteboard. Use the sentence Hoover is a great place to live to begin the
practice. That will be our topic sentence. As a group, we will come up with 3
supporting sentences and a closing sentence. Lets use the sentence Hoover
is a great place to live as our topic sentence. Ill write the sentence on the
board, using a green marker. Why do you think we use green for the topic
sentence? Thats right, because it starts the paragraph, and it tells us where
we are GOING. So, since we already have the topic, lets brainstorm some
ideas of supporting sentences. Raise your hand and tell me why you love
living in Hoover. We will record our ideas on a web. At the top will be the
green topic sentence. Then I will draw spokes off of the web and record all of
our brainstorm ideas. Those are all excellent ideas! I love how the creative
juices are flowing. However, we cant use all of these ideas. Lets narrow
down our choices and pick three sentences that we think best describe why
Hoover is the best place to live. When we pick sentences to support our topic
sentence, lets imagine that we are describing our topic to a person who has
never experienced it before. Which of these sentences would be best for that?
Allow the students to choose the best sentences, and circle those ideas. Alright
very good! We have three very strong supporting sentences now. We are
almost finished but we are missing one part. Who knows what it is? Thats
right, the conclusion! We started talking about why we love to live in Hoover,
so what would be a good way to end this paragraph? Listen to suggestions
and brainstorm ideas. Finalize a sentence, and write it beneath the web in red.
Okay, heres our final decision. This sentence is in red. Why do you think we
chose red for this sentence? Thats right, because it tells us to stop! Now, we
are going to put this all together. Move to the document camera and write the
color coded paragraph so the students can read it. Have the students read it to
themselves, and then read it out loud as a class. Read this quietly to yourself
as I am writing it down. When I have finished writing it down, we are going to
read it as a class. After reading it as a class, reflect on the outcome. What do
we think? Do we think thats a good paragraph? What did we do well? What
could we have done better? Once the students have answered those questions,
transition to practice.
II.

Opportunity for Practice:

Now, its your turn to write a color-coded paragraph. Using the sentence
__________ is my favorite holiday or _____________ is my favorite
sport, Write these sentences on the board so the students can see them. I

want you to use the web I just passed out to organize your thoughts like we
just did, with your green topic sentence at the top, your supporting sentence
coming off of your topic, and then your red closing sentence at the bottom. I
will leave the example on the board in case you have any questions. Once you
have completed your web, raise your hand and I will come check your paper.
Once the students have completed the web, transition to the assessment.
III.

Assessment:
Students will use their webs to create a paragraph, with each of the three
components. All eyes on me. Ill wait until I have the attention of the whole
class. Very good. Now, using the webs you just created, I want you to put that
information into paragraph form. Remember, you must have a topic sentence,
3 supporting sentences, and a closing sentence. You can color code the
paragraph if you would like, but you do not have to. Once you are finished,
raise your hand, and I will come collect your paper. Make sure your name is
on it.

IV. Closure:
Relate back to the traffic light, using the document camera. Three, two, one, all eyes on
me. Ill wait. Thank you. So, we talked about the traffic light throughout the lesson. But
what would happen if we took one of the colors out of a traffic light? Let the students
think about that, and demonstrate by removing one of the colors on the traffic light. That
would cause a lot of issues wouldnt it? I bet people would be very confused and they
wouldnt know when to go, when to slow down, or when to stop. Thats the same thing
that happens when you leave out a part of a paragraph; people get very confused when
they are reading it. What might happen if you left off the topic sentence? Thats right,
people would not know what you were talking about. What about if you left of the
supporting sentences? What might happen? Right again, people would not know
anything about what you were saying! And if you left of the closing sentence, then they
might think you just stopped without finishing. So remember, when you are writing
paragraphs, you must have ALL three parts in order to have a complete paragraph that
makes sense! Transition into next activity.
Materials and Resources:
Traffic light print out (see below)
Red, yellow, and green circle
Document camera
Written out paragraph in colors
Paper and Pencils
White board
Red, green, and yellow markers
Web print out for students
Teaching outline that Mr. Addison gave me

Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):

Students who include all three parts in their paragraph will have the opportunity to create
their own paragraph from scratch. They will invent a topic, topic sentence, 3 supporting
sentences, and a closing sentence. Students who include either pieces (but not all) of the 3
parts or 2 parts but not the third will be given an additional scenario to draw the web and
complete the paragraph. Students who do not include 2 out of the 3 parts or all 3 parts are
incomplete will spend one on one time with the teacher practicing each part separately,
and then putting them all together.
Data Analysis:
The students results were very positive with this lesson. Each one of them successfully
filled out the Simple Color Web, including a topic sentence, three or four supporting
sentences, and then a concluding sentence. Some of them ran out of time to complete the
writing portion, where they copied their ideas down into actual paragraph form, or they
forgot to turn it in, but the majority of the class completed it, turned it in, and was
successful. There were a few students who did not include every element in their
paragraph. These students would need more help and guidance. There were also lots of
punctuation and spelling mistakes that I noticed, so we could work on that as well. As for
what they learned in the lesson, the evidence shows that they understood the concept.
Reviewing it the next day to be sure would not be a bad idea, but over all they did very
well.

Reflection:
This was a great lesson for me, because I felt successful teaching something for the first
time. The first lesson I taught was a disaster, so this was more reassuring. The students
loved the analogy of the stoplight, and it was really useful for teaching them how to write
a paragraph. I probably could have used more technology in the lesson, but I wasnt sure
how to incorporate technology into a writing lesson. We used the document camera, but
that was it. However, I did a really good job of involving the students, and trying to
involve all of them. We had a group planning about how to write a paragraph, and the
students participated very well with that. It was clear that they were engaged and
listening because they completed the assessment very well. I tried to use lots of examples,
and I think that really helped them to see clearly what I wanted. This lesson was really
good for me, because it was encouraging and I learned some good ideas of what to do in
the future. I think that my disciplining the students still needs help because I do not really
know how to do that, besides to use the techniques my teacher uses, which does not really
work. The engagement could have been stronger and more interesting, but it was
effective. I needed to be more intentional about collecting the students assessments, as

well. I also did not get to do my closing activity, so in the future I would a lot more time
for that. Overall, I was very, very pleased with this lesson.

Samford University
Design for Learning

RESOURCE THAT MR. ADDISON SENT ME

Simple Introduction to Writing a Paragraph
A traffic light serves as a tool for students to use when writing a simple, colorcoded paragraph that has a beginning, a middle, and an end
Objectives
Students will

write a paragraph that includes a topic sentence, three supporting

sentences, and a closing.

Keywords
writing, sentence, paragraph, main idea, topic sentence
Materials Needed
a model for writing a color-coded paragraph (see samples below)
Procedures/Activities:
A) Begin the lesson by showing a picture or a drawing of a traffic light.
Discuss what the different colors on the light signal drivers to do. (Discuss
how a green traffic light means "go" and a red light means "stop.") Equate
these colors to the three basic parts of a paragraph.
B) On the dry erase board or chart paper, present a paragraph that you have
written that includes a good topic sentence, some explanatory text, and a
solid closing. Write the first sentence of the paragraph in green, the middle
sentences in black (for ease of readability), and the closing sentence in
red.
Some simple paragraphs that might serve as examples follow:
EXAMPLE 1
Fall is my favorite time of year. The fall air is crisp and cool. Pumpkins
decorate doorsteps up and down my street. The smell of fallen leaves fills
the air. That is why I like fall so much.
EXAMPLE 2
When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut. Astronauts explore places
where people have never been before. They make new discoveries about
our solar system. Some astronauts even walk in space. Being an
astronaut would be fun and challenging work.

C)

Discuss the structure of the example paragraphs. Talk about how the
"beginning" sentence presents a main idea; the "middle" sentences
support, or explain, that main idea; and the "end" sentence wraps it all up
in a good closing.
D) Next, you might provide a good beginning (green), or topic, sentence and
practice as a group writing good support (yellow) and closing (red)
sentences to go with it. You might choose one of the following topic
sentences:

Baseball is my favorite sport.

Hoover is a great place to live.

_______________ is my favorite holiday

Use a green marker to write the topic sentence on a board or chart. Talk about
how the sentence is a Go sentence. What kinds of information might support that
go sentence?
[You might create a "web" to record students' best responses. Draw a circle; write the topic sentence inside
the circle. Then draw spokes off that circle. Use a black marker to write on each spoke an idea -- a word or
phrase -- that supports the topic sentence on each spoke. Have students choose the sentences they feel
will best support the topic sentence. Circle those ideas, then write the middle sentences of the paragraph as
a class.]

E) Finally, facilitate a brief discussion about a good way to close, or end, this
paragraph. Have students choose what they think will be the best ending
from among the ideas that are presented. Use a red marker to write that
ending sentence.
Then it is time to read the entire paragraph. Have students read it to themselves.
Then read it aloud in unison. Ask students if they are happy with the result, or if
they might improve on it in some way.
F) Next, have students choose one of the remaining topic (green) sentences
-- or create one of their own -- so they can practice writing their own
middle/support (yellow) sentences and good closing (red) sentences.

Simple Paragraph Color Web

Design for Learning

Instructor: Annie Walker
Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: 4th grade
Lesson Title: Cause and Effect
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2015
Curriculum Area: English Language Arts Estimated Time: 2 days

Standards Connection:
Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause and effect, problem
and solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text. [RI.4.5]
Learning Objective(s):
The students will list 5 steps involved in a Rube Goldberg machine that they invented,
and then draw a detailed sketch of the machine with a partner using the Ask, Imagine, and
Plan strategies, as an exit ticket.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today, you will be inventing your own Rube Goldberg machine! I want you to work with
a partner and brainstorm the steps involved in your Rube Goldberg machine. Then, I want
you to draw a sketch of that machine in the blank space provided.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
Students will be given a worksheet where they must record at least 5 steps of their Rube
Goldberg machine, and then sketch a drawing of that machine. Once turned in, I will
review the steps and make sure they follow the guidelines for the Ask, Image, and Plan
steps of our lesson. Each step will be worth one point. In order for a student to have
mastered the concept, they must score a 3 or above. For those students who score a 2 or
below, they will receive additional practice and be assessed again at a later time.
Additional strategies can be used based on their area of weakness.
Engagement:
First, pass out Rube Goldberg cartoons and call the students to order. Three two one.
All eyes on me. Today, were going to continue talking about cause and effect. Who
remembers what cause is? Wait for students to respond appropriately. Very good. Now,
who can tell me what an effect is? Call on students, and wait for quality responses. Thats
right! A cause is what happens, and an effect is why that happens. Who remembers which
one comes first? Thats right, the cause. Then, introduce the Rube Goldberg simple
machine concept. Who has ever heard of Rube Goldberg before? Has anyone ever seen a
cartoon like this before? Or a simple machine like this? Let the students answer, and then
review both the flytrap and the garage door opener cartoons on the Elmo. Lets look at the
garage door first. When Im reviewing the process, see if you notice some cause and
effects throughout the cartoon. Review the cartoon, going through each letter and what
caused it. At the end, ask the students to name some of the causes and effects that they
saw. Then, review the flytrap cartoon in the same way, asking students to notice the
different causes and effects. Okay, lets do the same thing with the flytrap cartoon. Who
can tell me the first cause? What did it cause? Let the students answer, and then move
onto the Mousetrap Rube Goldberg video, displayed through the HDMI cord. Now, we
are going to watch this video. I want you to write down some different causes and effects
that you see throughout the video. We will watch the video twice, and then talk about
what you saw. Play the video once, and pause to let the students write down their

thoughts. Then, play the video again, and let students write down some more thoughts.
Now, who wants to tell me one thing that they wrote down? As the students call out what
they saw, write down the different ideas on the board. Then, students will work with the
partner across from them to create their own Goldberg machine on the Chrome Book.
Pass out the Cause and Effect worksheet used here. Three Two One. I need everyone
to be very quiet before we can move on. Okay, now I want everyone to point straight out.
The person youre pointing to is your partner. You each need one Chrome book, and you
will go to the Goldbergers to Go website. Once you are there, complete the simulated
Rube Goldberg simple machine. Once you have completed that, write down the causes
and effects like we did with the Mouse Trap video. Write this website on the board for the
students. Once the students have gotten to the website, allow them to play with the
simulator until they correctly assemble the machine, and then answer any questions that
they have. (End of first day) Then, transition to teaching.

Learning Design:
I.

Teaching:
First, review what the students did yesterday. Who remembers the activity that
we did yesterday? Thats right. We simulated Rube Goldberg machines using
the Chrome Books. Who can tell me what a Rube Goldberg machine does? Is
it really a simple machine? No, not at all. But it does include lots of
different causes and effects that generate the overall outcome, and we saw
examples of that yesterday in the video and when we used our Chrome books.
Then, transition into what they are learning today. Today, we are going to be
learning about how to create and plan your very own Rube Goldberg
machine. In order to do this, we have to be very detailed and plan our project
out well. In order to do this, we are going to use a process called the
ENGINGEERING DESIGN PROCESS. This process has 5 different steps, but
today were just going to focus on the first three steps. Write the steps on the
board as we go over them, along with an example. The first step is ASK. When
youre beginning any project, asking important questions is key. You need to
know what your doing, and you need to have a specific goal in mind. For
example, some questions you might ask before starting your project are
What do I want my machine to accomplish? or What could I create with
different cause and effect situations? What other questions might you ask?
Let students answer, thinking only about the beginning of the project, writing
some on the board. Once you have decided that, then you can ask yourself
other questions, like What will I use for this project? or What would be
the easiest and best way to make that happen? Asking these questions makes
the planning and imagining part of your design process much easier. It also
gives you a clear direction to go in, so that you dont get started and then
realize along the way Whoops, this was not a good idea! Next, move to the
next step, imagining. Okay, once we have asked these important questions, we
can move on to our next step. This step is really fun, and its where your

creativity comes in! This step is called imagining. This is the part where
you start to brainstorm your activity, and start to imagine what it could look
like. You can think about big ideas, or more specific ideas. For example, you
could decide in this step that you wanted to use a bucket, water, and some
sand, but you werent quite sure what for yet, or you could invent an elaborate
design that include scissors, string, a tack, and a balloon. This step is really
up to you to use however you want, but it is very fun and important. This step
is where your ideas come from and begin. Without this step, you could not
plan the project! Let the students brainstorm some ideas, and write them on
the board. Now, we will talk about the third step, and the last one we need for
today. This step is the PLANNING part of your process. This step is the
most important, because without a good plan, the goal will never be
accomplished. A plan is very detailed, and it usually is listed in step-by-step
directions. When someone reads your plan, they should be able to follow your
directions precisely. For example, when my family and I go on vacation, my
mom likes to have a very detailed plan. She will even sit down and write out
what time we should be where! This plan helps us, though, because it allows
to stay on track and we get to see and do everything that we wanted to. Lets
brainstorm a list of different things that we could use a plan for. Write down
the different plans the students talk about. When youre writing your plan,
make sure that you are very detailed and precise. Make sure you include as
many details as possible so that someone could easily follow it and
understand it. Review the steps one last time before moving on to the practice.
Lets review the steps one last time. The first one is Ask. We need to ask
important questions to get us moving in the right direction. Then we
imagine ideas that we would love to do. We think about how we want to
create and design our projects. Finally, our last step is to Plan, which is the
most important step because it provides written directions for our process.
Before we start designing our own Rube Goldbergs, we are going to
practice Transition to practice.
II.

Opportunity for Practice:

Now, the students will have the opportunity to practice these three steps, with
a partner. I will present them with a simple problem. We are going to practice
the process we just learned. Go ahead and work with the same partners you
had yesterday. Im going to give you a scenario, and I want you to think about
the principles we just learned. Here is our situation: Johnny went to the
grocery store to buy supplies for his dinner party. However, when he came
back out, he had a flat tire! Using this scenario, I want you and your partner
to think of two initial questions, with a goal in mind of how to solve the
problem. Then, once you have your questions, brainstorm ways to get Johnny
home. Finally, write a short plan on how Johnny could get home. You have
about 5 minutes to complete this task. Once the students are working, walk
around the classroom to make sure there are no questions or misconceptions.
Then transition into assessment.

III.

Assessment
Students should stop practice material. I will hand out assessment worksheet.
Three two one. I really liked the ideas I was hearing. Now, go ahead and
set your practice sheet aside. Its time to design your very own Rube Goldberg
machine. Im going to pass out another handout that you and your partner
will complete. Lets look at this sheet. At the top, you will see a heading that
says Simple blank. Before you even begin anything else, I want you and
your partner to decide what kind of simple machine you will be using. Will it
deliver a hamburger? Will it kill a fly? Will it catch a mouse? This part is
where the ASK portion comes in. You must have a clear goal in your mind
before you begin. After that, you get to design the machine in any way that
you like. You can use scratch paper to brainstorm what you think will work.
This is your IMAGINE part of the process. Finally, you will write down the
steps in order, which is your planning process Once you are satisfied with
your machine, sketch it in the large blank on the right. DO NOT DRAW ON
THE PAPER UNTIL YOU ARE SURE IT IS YOUR FINAL DRAFT. Are there
any questions or is anyone not sure what to do? Then you may begin.

IV.

Closure:
Once students have finished the assessment, ask them to re-focus their
attention on the teacher. Then, review the three steps, and tell them the last
two parts of the Engineering Design Process. Three Two One. All eyes on
me. Im excited to read all of these wonderful ideas! We are almost out of
time, but I wanted to tell you guys the 2 other steps in our process. We talked
about ask, imagine, and plan. The last two steps are create and
improve. If we were using these two steps in our lesson today, how would
we create what we did? Let the students answer, hopefully saying to build it or
make it. Very good! Thats right, we would actually create our machines. So
the last step says, improve. What do you think that means? How do you
think you would use that if we were using all the steps? Listen for good
answers. Thats absolutely right! We would try and improve our machine and
make it the best it could, with all of the cause and effect relationships working
right.

Materials and Resources:

Flytrap and Garage door Rube Goldberg cartoon worksheets
Mouse Trap YouTube Goldberg video https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=F9REcW6iC-w
Goldbergers to Go game
http://pbskids.org/zoom/games/goldburgertogo/rubegame.html
Chrome books
Partners (Assign, do NOT let them choose)
Cause and Effect worksheet for Goldbergers to Go
https://socratechseminars.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/edp/
Whiteboard and markers

 Butcher paper and sharpie

Simple Machine by Goldberg handout

Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):

For those students who achieved the learning goal and have mastered the task, they
would be allowed to go to the STEAM room at special times and try to create their
machine. For students who did not understand this assignment or need extra help, the
teacher will work side by side with the students, guiding them through each process of
ask, imagine and plan, by providing them with simple scenarios similar to the ones
we did in the practice opportunity.
Data Analysis:
This lesson was a disaster, and so was the data. For the assessment, the students were
supposed to create their own Rube Goldberg machine on paper. They eventually drew
them on butcher paper, but none of them were realistic and there was so much contention
among the groups that very little work and communication actually happened. Since I did
not really understand the assignments, I do not think the students did either, and the
results clearly indicated that. They understand cause and effect, which is great, but this
lesson was terrible and I do not think they gleaned anything from it. Thankfully, they did
understand that the focus of the lesson was to see how different cause and effects work
together. Overall, the data was scary to look at.
Reflection:
My lesson focus was a little fuzzy. We were discussing cause and effect through Rube
Golberg machines, but I taught about how to effectively design Rube Goldberg machines.
The students understood that the focus was on cause and effect, but I would not say that I
maintained that focus throughout the lesson. That is definitely something I could improve
on. My actual lesson, about planning an effective design, they had never heard about
before though. We looked at different Rube Goldberg cartoons and then we watched a
video of one. The students were engaged and it helped to preface the lesson. However, we
did the lesson over three days, so the engagement was the first day, and I dont think that
was effective at all. Ifit had been on the same day, it would have been a great
engagement and it would have been enough. To teach my lesson, I used a poster that we
wrote on so that the students would have it for future reference. The next day we
referenced the cartoons again, and Mr. Addison provided me with those resources. I could
have used more resources, and they could have been more professional. A PowerPoint
could have been a good tool to use during this lesson. However, because it was a
discussion, I wanted the students to see their ideas on the board and interact with them. I

could have found a way to use both, however. My management skills could also have
been stronger because I lost the kids attention a lot and could not gain it back. I used
cooperative grouping so that the students could work together to learn and collaborate. It
did not work very well because the students do not get along and do not work well
together at all. I have learned so much from this. I will do things very differently next
time. I will be more clear about what I am supposed to teach next time, and my lesson
plan will be more thorough and detailed. I will be more prepared for sure. I also
understand the importance of resources now. They are very important because they
engage the students and make it easier for them to learn. This lesson was just very strange
and I dont think that Mr. Addison or me really knew what we were doing. I think I need
to try again because this circumstance was very strange. I will be better prepared and
understand what I am doing next time. I will give better instruction and have better
classroom management. I really didnt understand what Mr. Addison wanted me to teach;
so just planning the lesson in general was difficult. Then, my standard and lesson did not
match up because I did not talk about cause and effect until the last day. I will approach
this completely differently next time.

Samford University
Design for Learning

Goldbergers to Go Worksheet

Cause

Effect