Reading/Writing Strategy Mini-Lesson 

  
The mini-lesson assignment is a chance for you to practice both the pre-planning and instruction of a reading or 
writing lesson you might teach in a secondary ELA class. You will work ​individually t​ o teach your peers a small 
reading OR writing strategy on a topic of your choosing. Your micro-teach will be ​5-7 minutes​in length. You will 
submit your lesson plan following the modified template provided. For your lesson plan, you are asked to incorporate 
the ​I-do, we-do, you-do​modeling strategy in your instructional plan (If you need a refresher of this modeling 
strategy, you can watch the following video: T
​ eaching Channel--I-Do, You-Do, We-Do​) In mini-lessons, this is often 
called c​ onnect, teach, active engagement, link.  
  
MODIFIED LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE for MINI-LESSONS 
  
Context/  This lesson is for a sixth grade ELA class that is about to begin a narrative writing unit. In 
Rationale  previous micro teachings, they have learned other techniques and essentials for writing 
narratives (plot structure, dialogue, etc.). This microteaching is one of the last techniques that 
they will learn, before beginning their own assignments, in order to teach students a way to 
expand their stories and create imagery like they have seen in their readings. 
One thing that beginning writers often struggle with is elaboration, especially in relation to 
description. In a creative writing unit, this often results in bland, simple language that leaves 
settings, events, and narratives flat. This lesson on show vs. tell will help students to begin to 
elaborate more, learn to ask questions of their descriptions, and will help them become 
stronger writers. Further, this unit will help students become stronger readers able to recognize 
and begin to question imagery and description in narratives and what it means for the story. 
Central Focus  The central focus of this lesson is to teach students how to question simple sentences in a way 
that will give them more ways of describing the events, setting, etc. 

Essential/ Compelling  How can we add detail and description to our writing?  
Question(s) 

Goals  Objectives 
SWBAT 

● Ask questions of “tell” sentences that will prompt more detail concerning emotions, 
subjects, and actions 
● Consider those questions in rewriting “tell” questions as “show” questions. 

Standards 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.D​ Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, 

and sensory language to convey experiences and events. 

Materials & Technology  The only materials that students will need for this lesson are pen/pencil and paper for the students, and 
a document camera for the teacher to use with a prepared document  
Show and Tell Sentences 

  
 INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN 
How are you inviting students to learn? How are you moving them through the lesson and engage them in the activities? 
How are you bringing the lesson to a close? Provide basic “step-by-step” directions and prompts for implementing these areas 
of the lesson. A substitute teacher should be able to pick up your lesson plan and say and do everything you would have if 
you were there. Please be explicit and specific.   
Time  Lesson Component    Teacher AND Learner Roles/Procedures (STEP BY STEP) (what are 
you doing? what are students doing?) b
​ oth​should be present. 
  CONNECT  ● Teacher will welcome students to class and begin setting up the 
  ● Students learn why today’s lesson is  document camera 
important and how it relates to past lessons.  
  ● Teacher will instruct students to bring out a pencil/pen and a sheet of 
● You activate background knowledge. 
1   paper 
● Teacher will state “today’s mini lesson will be on “showing vs telling” in 
our writing. One thing that makes writing good is a lot of description, so 
we are going to practice this before our narrative writing unit starts soon 
2  TEACH  ● Teacher will state “today, I am going to conduct a think aloud while 
  ● Identify, name, and teach o
​ ne explicit  showing you how I add imagery and description to my writing.” 
strategy or skill​within writing/reading 
  ● The teacher will turn on the document camera to reveal the prepared 
● State “Today I’m going to teach you that…” 
  ● Demonstrate the skill with direct instruction  document: S​ how and Tell Sentences  
  ● Teacher will explain the difference between a show and a tell sentence, 
  and explain that a show sentence gives the reader more information than 
  a tell sentence, referencing the first tell sentence 
  ● The teacher will cover each highlighted work on the “tell”sentence, 
  removing the corresponding sticky note to reveal questions they 
  prepared ahead of time. The last sticky note is simply a question. Stress 
  to students the importance of always asking “in what way?” When they 
3  have completed all of the sticky notes will uncover their “show” 
sentence. 
● The teacher will state “not every question needs to be addressed in the 
sentence. Those questions can be answered in your longer writing pieces 
to add detail and imagery.” 
● We do: Next the teacher will move students towards creating their own 
“show” sentence as a class.  
● Teacher will reveal a second “tell” sentence, prompting them to ask 
questions about what the author could show rather than tell. 
● Students will begin sharing their questions to the class. 
● Teacher will reference the types questions asked previously to reinforce 
student learning 
● Students will work as a class to create a new “show” sentence. The 
teacher will write it on the paper while responding to their additions. 

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT  ● The teacher will tell students to now work on their own, to complete the 
● Students briefly use the strategy taught while  final sentence.  
the teacher is there to provide support. 
● The teacher will put the final sentence up on the screen 
Students may have time to:  ● Students will work quietly at their desk, recording 3-4 questions for the 
● Turn and talk  sentence 
● Stop and jot 
● Students will use the questions they created to add detail for a “show” 
● Find and show 
● Etc..  sentence 
 ● Teacher will prompt students to turn to a neighbor and share their 
questions and their “show” sentences 
● Teacher will ask 1-2 students to share their “show” sentence. 

LINK  ● The teacher will state “remember class, showing instead of telling your 
● Restate the teaching point.  readers what is happening will help them understand your story more, 
● Get students excited to try what they learned. 
provide them a mental picture, and all around improve your writing. 
● Remind students that this teaching point can 
be used in the future.  This is a technique that your favorite authors use when they write, and a 
● Teacher ties the content of the mini lesson  technique you can use as we approach our narrative writing unit. 
back to your students' experience (relevancy)