Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

Grade Level: 3rd

Topic: Poetry
Rationale: (Why are you teaching these objectives? Why did you select the instructional
strategies that you did?)
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I am teaching these objectives because the students are currently working on a poetry unit
and have been working on the structure of poems (Haikus, Limericks, etc.) These
objectives will help to tie the unit to SOL standards by focusing on authors intent and
writing based on a central idea.
I chose to model the use of main ideas and supporting details through the reading of Jack
Prelutskys poem When I grow up because Prelutskys poetry is engaging and lighthearted. Using his poems can keep the students engaged and interested in the topic.
I chose to use the fill-in-the-blank format because the students are still working on
developing their understanding of poetry structures. Removing the stress of formatting
the poetry structures will free the students up to work on their understanding of the ideas
and supporting details.

Enduring Understandings: (What big idea(s) will students understand as a result of this
lesson?)
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Poets use their poems to convey a central idea to their readers.

Poems are written in many different forms and for many different reasons

Essential Questions: (What question(s) will students grapple with as they learn through this
lesson?)
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What is the poet trying to make the reader feel?

Primary Content Objectives:

Students will know: (facts/information)

Students will know that there is no one rule for how poems should be constructed.
Students will know that poetry is used to convey a central theme/idea.

Students will be able to do: (skills and behaviors)

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Students will be able to use the structure of a poem to convey their own ideas.
Students will be able to identify the main idea in a poem.
Students will be able to include supporting details to support their ideas.

Related state or national standards: (Examples include State Standards of Learning, Common
Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards or National Curriculum Standards for
Social Studies)
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Virginia English SOL 3.9: The student will write for a variety of purposes.
e) Use strategies for organization of information and elaboration according to the
type of writing
f) Include details that elaborate the main idea.

Assessment: (How (and when) will students be assessed? What evidence will you collect to
determine whether students have met the lesson objectives? Will the assessment(s) be a preassessment (diagnostic), formative (ongoing feedback) or summative?)
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The students will be asked to write their own fill-in-the-blank poem based on the
structure of the poem If I Were in Charge of the World by Judith Viorst. This poem can
be used as a formative assessment of the students ability to organize their information
and provide elaborating details to support the main idea (if I were in charge).
There will also be plenty of opportunities throughout the lesson while the students are
working for the teacher to informally assess the students understanding by observing the
students working and asking questions directly to individual students about their
understanding.

Materials and Resources: (List here all materials that you will need in order to successfully
teach this lesson. Include technology and website links, texts, graphic organizers, student
handouts, physical manipulatives, etc.)
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Worksheet (attached at the end of this document): If __ was in Charge of the World
o One for each student
One copy of Judith Voirsts poem If I Were in Charge of the World
A Pizza the size of the sun by Jack Prelutsky

Key Vocabulary and Definitions:

Supporting Details: Pieces of information that has been included to help the reader
understand the main idea.

Lesson Procedures:
1. Introduction and goal orientation (minutes 0-1):
- You have spent the last few weeks working on the structure of poetry: how to create a
haiku, rhyming, couplets, and limericks. Today we are going to focus on the content and
ideas that poets put in their writing, why they write the poems.
2. Connecting to prior knowledge and experiences: (Questions or activities that help
students make links) (minutes 2-15)
- If you like listening to music raise your hand. What is it about music that you like? Make
sure students arent calling out, call on students who are raising their hand and explain
they are being called on because they did not call out. The lyrics in songs can be seen as
poetry put to music. Why do you think musicians write their lyrics? (Money, express their
emotions, entertain) Just like musicians, poets try and express themselves through their
poetry. I am going to read you a poem by a man named Jack Prelutsky. Listen to this
poem and think about what Mr. Prelutsky is trying to express and think about why he
might have written this poem. Read When I grow up What is the main idea in Mr.
Prelutskys poem? (He can do anything he wants when he grows up, He doesnt know
what he wants to do when he grows up) How do you know this was the main idea, what
did Mr. Prelutsky write that supports this idea? Why do you think Mr. Prelutsky wrote this
poem? (Entertain people, to encourage people, to tell people about himself)
3. Tasks and activities: (What challenging tasks and activities will students engage in as
they construct knowledge, learn new skills or behaviors and develop understandings?)
(Minutes 15-25)
- Now we are going to use the structure of a poem by Ms. Judith Viorst to write our own
poem, focusing on supporting the main idea. I am going to give each of you the sheet that
includes the structure you are going to be working with. I want you to take the sheet and
return to your seat. Do not start writing your poem yet. I will read Ms. Viorsts poem to
give you an example of how you can support the idea. After I finish you may start
brainstorming for your poems. Work on these on your own. If you have any questions you
may raise your hand and I, or any of the other adults can help you. Read the poem then
have the students get started
4. Closure: (How will you wrap up the lesson and reinforce key ideas? Closure may include
some form of assessment or exit slip) (25-30)
- As you finish you poems I would like you to turn one of your tablemates who is also
finished and share your poem with them. See if you can spot the main idea and
supporting details in your partners poem. After each partner has had a turn sharing
their poem you may turn in your poem to either myself, Mrs. Irwin, or Mr. Phil.
Accommodations for individual differences: (How will the lesson be differentiated to support
diverse learners? Describe additional supports that can be used for re-teaching if needed, and a

challenging extension for students for demonstrate mastery quickly or show evidence of a lot of
prior knowledge.)
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This lesson can be differentiated in a few different ways. Students who are already ahead
of their classmates may be given the freedom to use the main idea from Ms. Viorsts
poem (If I controlled the world) to try using that idea in their own poem without using the
format provided. They can practice writing a haiku, or other style of poetry, incorporating
that idea into the poem.
The fill-in-the-blank format for using Viorsts main idea allows students who may be
struggling to focus on generating the details and main idea without getting lost in
formatting their poem.
One way to reteach this lesson is to have the students write a biographical poem.
Biographical poems focus very clearly on the main idea (Describing the subject) and
provide many supporting details for who the subject is. The students would be able to
follow a relatively clear structure and use a personal subject to ensure the focus of the
lesson is on the main idea and supporting details.

Behavioral and organizational strategies: (What behaviors will you model or discuss with
students? What do you want to remember about organizing the lesson and materials? Use this
section for reminders to yourself about behavioral and organizational strategies. For example, do
you want to explicitly model how to work with partners in this lesson? Or demonstrate how to
use mathematical tools?)
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One of the big reminders for behavior management is that the students need to be
reminded of the expectations for responses. Encouraging a brief discussion about music
and musicians could get out of hand if the students arent reminded of how they are
expected to respond.
As mentioned in the lesson plan, when asking for responses, highlight the proper
response methods by emphasizing that students who are called on have raised their hands
and arent blurting out.
When reading the poem, make sure the students are focused and quiet before beginning.
Remind the students how to be active listeners before starting.
The transition from the rug to their desks can be a little chaotic. Clearly defining
expectations, before starting the transition will help keep things smooth.
While the students are working on their poems, circulating throughout the room and
using a combination of proximity and verbal reminders will help keep students on task.

If _______ was in Charge of the World

Inspired by Judith Viorsts If I was in Charge of the World

Fill in the blanks with your creative details and descriptions from the point of view of being the
one to make all the big decisions.
If I were in charge of the world I'd

_______________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

If I were in charge of the world

There'd be ________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
If I were in charge of the world

You wouldn't ______________________________________________________

You wouldn't ______________________________________________________

You wouldn't ______________________________________________________

Or _______________________________________________________________
If I were in charge of the world.
If I Were In Charge of the World

If I were in charge of the world

I'd cancel oatmeal,
Monday mornings,
Allergy shots, and also Sara Steinberg.
If I were in charge of the world
There'd be brighter nights lights,
Healthier hamsters, and
Basketball baskets forty eight inches lower.
If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn't have lonely.
You wouldn't have clean.
You wouldn't have bedtimes.
Or "Don't punch your sister."
You wouldn't even have sisters.
If I were in charge of the world
A chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts would be a vegetable
All 007 movies would be G,
And a person who sometimes forgot to brush,
And sometimes forgot to flush,
Would still be allowed to be In charge of the world.
by Judith Viorst