Think Aloud Planning Sheet 

Directions for Full Credit:  Use the think aloud  strategy planning sheet  below to plan your strategy
instruction.   Please submit this completed template to Canvas with the reflection.
Name: Max Martin
Strategy: One Pager Purposes: summarize information; write a main idea/theme; select
important vocabulary Procedure: 
Step 1: Draw an image that represents something in the text. 
Step 2: Choose five key words from the text and place them anywhere around the picture. 
Step 3: Choose two statements directly from the text. These statements should have power
and meaning. Write these statements at the bottom of your work. 
Step 4: Look at the image, key words, and statements. Write a summarizing/theme
statement that expresses the meaning on your page.
Content Area and ELA Standards: History
HS.SP1.3 Evaluate the significance of past events as they relate to their own lives and the
world.
HS.SP2.2 Analyze the ways in which perspective shapes recorded history.
Objective: Understanding the Gettysburg Address, and why it is one of the most famous
and important speeches of United States history. 

:*You may use bullet points if desired in the blue sections below*

Strategy Awareness & Explanation (Purpose for selecting the strategy) 

How will provide students with a clear picture of the why and how?

This will provide students with a clear why and how by having them first pick out the words
and phrases that seem to be the most important, and then analyze why they thought that
was - thus answering the why. In terms of how, this strategy will lay out simple and
straightforward activities that will guide their thinking into understanding, through a
breakdown of the text they are required to read. 

Strategy Demonstration & Modeling (Think Aloud) 

How will you model, explain, practice, and reinforce the rules or procedures of the strategy?

I will model this by simply going through the steps the same way that my students would. I
will demonstrate my expectations of the assignment by going through it step-by-step,
providing an example that the students can base their own work off. Furthermore, I will
explain to them what I expect them to get out of the exercise, so they understand why they
are doing it. 
What the Text Says What I Say  What Comprehension
Strategy I Model 

“a new nation, “I’m going to draw a picture of Step One: Draw a picture 
conceived in liberty, what this statement means to me.
and dedicated to the In my opinion, the Address is in
proposition that all part about the institution of
men are created slavery, and how it has existed at
equal.” odds with the Constitution.
Therefore, I’m going to draw a
picture of the Constitution with an
= sign to broken chains.” 

Now we are engaged “Next, I will identify key words Step 2: Five keys words
in a great civil war, from the text: liberty, equality, civil
testing whether that war,  endure, devotion” 
nation, or any nation
so conceived, and so
dedicated, can long
endure.

that from these “Now, I will choose two Step 3: Two important
honored dead we statements that seem to be the statements
take increased most important. I feel like the two
devotion to that phrases “ this nation, under God,
cause for which they shall have a new birth of freedom,
here gave the last full and that government of the
measure of devotion people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from the
earth” and “a new nation,
conceived in liberty, and dedicated
to the proposition that all men are
created equal.”

this nation, under “Now, taking what we have Step 4: Synthesis of

God, shall have a new gathered, I have a picture of the important information that
birth of freedom, and Constitution and broken chains, we have accumulated in the
that government of the words liberty, equality, civil last three steps. We write
the people, by the war, endure, and devotion. Then I what these words and
people, for the have the two phrases. Taking all of statements mean together to
people, shall not these things together, I’m going to come up with in our own
perish from the earth write my paragraph that details words what this means.
 what the Gettysburg Address talks
about.” 

Guided Practice
How will you have students practice the strategy with support?

I will have the students practice the strategy by doing it with me as I go through the step-by-
step process. I will act as the model that they should base their own work off and I can clear
any misconceptions that arise in the moment. Once the process is complete, we will then
have a class discussion so I can further gauge their understanding of the excerpt they read. 

Strategy Application
How will students apply the strategy independently?

Students will apply the strategy independently by having their own version of what I model.
Though I will be modeling the practice, I will still expect the students to have their own
unique thoughts and opinions different from mine that they will have written down
individually. 

Reflection Write a 2-3 paragraph detailed reflection about your teaching experience based
off your own self-assessment.  
 How did the structure (awareness & explanation, demonstration & modeling, guided
practice, application) help support your instruction and student learning?
 How does this strategy support learning in your discipline specifically?
 What were your strengths, and areas for growth (please consider both your planning
and your instruction of the strategy).
 The structure helped support instruction and student learning in a variety of ways. I think one

of the more important things in my lesson was explaining why I was having them do the exercise

in the first place. I think there are too many times where teachers will give instructions, but never

provide an actual reasoning for why they are assigning what they are. I think modeling is also

instrumental in supporting student learning. Sometimes, no matter how clear instructions seem to

be, there is always the possibility that students will misinterpret or not understand what they

should be doing. Modeling mitigates the potential for this to happen; having a model to work off

of streamlines student understanding.

The strategy of One Pagers supports learning in History by providing a streamlined and

nuanced approach to analyzing history. History texts are often written in old language that can be

alien to secondary students. By breaking down the text into key words and phrases, students can

gain a better understanding of the general idea and theme of the written piece, rather than getting

bogged down by specific language or details. Additionally, it requires students to get their ideas

down on a sheet of paper, rather than confining it all in a jumbled mess in their heads. History

requires a lot of intense, deep thought, and getting those ideas on paper is essential for deeper

learning.

I think my strengths in the presentation was the demonstration itself. I feel that I did a pretty

good job in modeling what was expected of the students. I think that if I had an actual audience,

there would be little confusion in what was expected of them after the modeling. I think that
planning to do it alongside students is key to their understanding, so that I can answer questions

and clear any misconceptions. I think my weaknesses were my speed and annunciation. I feel

that I was stumbling over words frequently and mumbling overall. I need to slow down and

really stress annunciation when instructing. I could have also done a better job with the first step,

drawing pictures. I feel like I did not explain my reasoning well enough for why I chose to draw

what I drew.