Millicent Atkins School of Education: Common Lesson Plan Template

Teacher Candidate Name: Sarah Schafer

Grade Level: 11th (Juniors)
Subject: English/Language Arts
Date: September 30, 2020
PLANNING
List the Common Core/State Standard(s) to be addressed in this lesson. Include an ISTE Standard and list
any 21st Century skills addressed in the lesson.
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the
text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the
text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.3: Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the
order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn
between them.
ISTE Standards: Innovative Designer, Creative Communicator. Students select and use digital tools to plan and
manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks, Students create original works
or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
21st c. Skills: creativity, collaboration, technology literacy, productivity, social skills, initiative

List the Rationale (cite theories or theorists):

Constructivist theory will be used in this lesson because it will be student-centered. The students will be in control of
the story they create and how they perform it. They will gain a deeper understanding of the elements of a story and
components of the plot if they are allowed to create their own story containing the elements.

List the measurable learning objective(s) to be addressed in this lesson (specific, measurable, attainable,
timebound). Use the following format: “Students will be able to…”
Students will be able to identify the components of a good short story.
Students will be able to create their own short story containing all the elements of a good short story.
Students will be able to present and role-play their story to their peers through a video.
Describe how the learning objective(s) and the learning outcomes is/are appropriate for the
age/developmental level of the students.
This project and these learning objectives are appropriate because of the lessons and activities the students have
done leading up to this. They have recently learned about the elements of a good short story and have been working
on finding and analyzing them in stories. They read An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce. This was
analyzed and the plot points/main elements were evaluated as a class. They are now ready to create their own story
containing all of the elements of a short story and plot.
The students are able to think about their own life and how they would like to construct their own story. They can
understand that putting them in groups will enhance their story because of a combination of minds and ideas. But
they can also understand that they need to work together in order for the story to stay focused and clear.
Describe the Classroom Demographics: (e.g., ethnicities; gender ratios; special needs, including those of
gifted students, those of students’ physical needs, and those due to cultural characteristics).
(Do not complete this section)
Describe your Knowledge of Students: (in terms of the whole class and individual students)
(e.g., language needs; approaches to learning; prior learning and experiences; academic
proficiencies/behavioral differences; areas of interest).
(Do not complete this section)
List the materials/resources you will need to teach the lesson.

iPads with keyboards, projector, iMovie (app on iPads)

Technology
Describe the instructional and/or assistive technology that you plan to incorporate into the lesson and explain how it
will enhance instruction and student learning.
The iPads will allow for the students to collaborate and type out their project. It will also be able to hold the app,
iMovie, which is what they will be using to create their production. This will enhance instruction by allowing the
students to efficiently transport their ideas onto a document that they can all see. It will show what each of them is
contributing to the project. The iPads also allow for easy access to a video editing app, iMovie. This app will enhance
instruction and student learning because the students will not only be writing for a grade, they will also have to
consider what their story will look like performed. It also gives them the available tools to edit and work with their
video as much as necessary. Having one virtual space for the students to work on their project together makes
things run smoothly and efficiently to enhance the instruction and the learning.
Accommodations: Base this on the information you provided for Classroom Demographics and
Knowledge of Students above.
Describe the accommodations/differentiation/modifications you will use to meet the needs of all learners
and accommodate differences in students’ learning, culture, language, etc. *
(Do not complete this section)

Pre-Assessment: Describe the instrument or process you will use to measure students’ level of
understanding toward the learning objective(s) prior to teaching the lesson.

I will have the students take the first two minutes of class to write down and describe the terms we went over about
short stories, including the elements of plot.

Pre-Assessment: Describe how the results of the pre-assessment (what the students have demonstrated
they know) will be used to design the lesson objectives, instruction, and post-assessment. (Include charts,
graphs if applicable)

(Do not complete this section)

Classroom Management
Identify the management and motivational strategies you will use to meet student behavioral/developmental needs
in order to keep students on task and actively engaged throughout the lesson.

This project will take the whole week. We have five 50-minute periods. The first day will be writing the story; they
may have to finish the writing outside of class. The second and third day will be used to direct and record their
movie. The final day will be used to present the movies. We may have to go into the next week if we do not finish
presenting.
The desks will remain as they are until the groups are put together. Once the groups are created, they will put their
desks together into little pods to where they can easily see and talk to each other. I will make sure each group is on
task by walking around the classroom and checking on them. If students are not staying on task each day, I will help
them get back to where they need to be on the project by asking relevant questions and assisting them where they
may need it.
Implementation
“I Do”
(Teacher introduces lesson and models expected outcome(s) of learning objectives)
Describe what instructional strategies you will use to model/explain/demonstrate the knowledge and skills
required of the objective.
After performing the preassessment, I will hook the students by introducing a short story that I wrote
myself as well as it produced as a video (ANCHOR). I will show them where each of the things we talked
about are and help them see how anyone can write a short story with the help of some guidelines. This will
also show that any good short story can/should be able to be produced into a film fairly easily. I will then
address their assignment: they are to write their own stories and make a movie out of it (TASK). I will
explain that they are to get into groups and create their own story. This story will be written, and it will
contain all of the elements of a short story and of plot that we previously talked about. It will also then be
performed to the class in the form of a movie they had prepared ahead of time. They will use the app
iMovie to record and edit their story. They will have in class time to write and record together – if time
outside of class it needed, that will be permitted. Each video/movie should be 3-5 minutes in length. Each
group will give a brief overview of their story to the class when it is their turn to perform and then play
their film. The audience will then have to write down the elements they noticed from each groups’ movie
(DIRECTIONS). I will also emphasize the grading for this project will be individualized. If they do not do
their part in their group, they will not receive full credit.
“We Do”
(Teacher engages students in guided practice)
Describe the learning activities you will use to provide students multiple opportunities to practice the skills and
content needed to meet the learning objective(s).
We will put the class into groups of about four students depending on how many are in the class. Once
they are in their groups, we will talk as a class about their role in writing their group story. Each student
needs to contribute. They will all share ideas about the overall plot and theme of the story. They will have
to approve their general idea for the story with me, but it can be about anything they want it to be as long
it is appropriate and not offensive. (STUDENT CHOICES). They can research online for ideas for a good
short story if they are having troubles. They can also branch off of each other’s ideas to come up with
something focused (STUDENT INQUIRY). However, each student will have some specific elements they
need to make sure are focused and well-written. From each group, one student will be assigned to keep
track of the setting, point of view, and theme. The second student will be in charge of the conflict and the
plot. The third student will make sure each character is developed as needed. The fourth student will be in
charge of the movie and will be making sure everything they are writing can be performed; they will all
work together to create the recording because they are all required to appear in the video at some point.
These assignments do not mean that students are limited to these tasks, but that they are responsible for
making sure each of their elements are in the story efficiently. This then means that each student will have
to work together for each element to fit together in the story well and smoothly (COLLABORATION &
TEAMWORK).
I will be overseeing each of the stories as the groups are collaborating and writing. I will make sure to give
them quick feedback as they are writing to ensure they are on the right track with their story. I will ask
each group questions about what they have done, what they are doing, and the direction in which they are
headed to make sure they stay focused and don’t miss anything (TEACHER COACHING & FEEDBACK).

“You Do”
(Students engage in independent practice)
Describe what the students will do to independently practice the knowledge and skills required by the lesson
objectives?
The students will write their story via iPads/keyboards together, then they will record themselves
performing it. Their story can contain students from outside of class if necessary. All accommodations will
be run by me before execution. They will likely have a narrator and several actors/actresses. Several takes
will likely be necessary and there will be time to clip and edit the videos. Once they have each of their
stories/movies ready to be shown to the class, we will begin presenting. Each group will give a brief
overview of their story before their video is shown (PUBLIC PRESENTATION). The rest of the class will be
writing down each element of a short story as they watch the video. This will be done by the students in
the audience independently for each group in order to test their knowledge of the elements and picking
them out. Once all the performances are complete, I will have the students fill out a sheet that asks them
to evaluate and reflect on their role in the project. They will reflect on if they feel they completed their
necessary tasks to make the project successful. They will then assess their group members and decide if
they contributed enough to have a good short story production (STUDENT REFLECTION). This is done to
show the students what they did well in the project and how they could improve for the next one.
Lesson Closing
Describe how you will reemphasize the lesson objective(s) and any skills/content that were taught in an
interactive manner (whole/small group, etc.).
I will go over how good short stories can usually be made into film productions fairly easily. I will explain to
them that they were able to apply what they know about the elements of a short story to their own
creation – in writing and in film. In each case, the clarity of the elements is important because it makes the
delivery flow smoothly and makes the story focused and easy to understand. We now know that films can
be analyzed in the same way as short stories, looking for all of those clues that make it a good story.
Post-Assessment: APPENDIX: Include a blank copy of the lesson post-assessment you will use to measure
students’ level of understanding toward the learning objectives after teaching the lesson.

I will have each of the students do a two-minute free write about how to make a good short story and what it takes
to make it into a production. I will be looking for how the elements of a short story connect to keep that narrow
focus and to only include what is necessary. This will help me make sure they grasped the concept of short stories
and why they can be so successful.
Grading will be done for each student with the rubrics below.
Analyze
Post Assessment: Based on the results of the Pre and Post-Assessment, to what extent did students achieve the
learning goals/objective of the lesson? Cite examples from the lesson plan, assessments, and/or video.
If applicable, insert a table/chart/graph before your explanation.

(Do not complete this section)

Reflect
Reflect on your instructional strategies, interactions with students, and classroom management strategies. Describe
what went well and what areas you need to revise in the future. Cite examples (from video) that support your
conclusions.
Describe revisions that you could make if you were to teach this lesson again. Why would you make each revision?
Cite examples from the lesson plan, video and/or student work that would prompt revisions.

(Do not complete this section)

Student Reflection Sheet Name: _________________________

Put the name of the group member in charge of each section on the line (even if it is your own; you will be reflection on
yourself too). Circle the number that corresponds with how much that student did their assigned task for the first
section. For the second section, circle the number that corresponds to how much that contributed to the project as a
whole.
1=little to no contribution
5=did their part with a lot of contributions
Please include any additional comments you have about the project or the group below.

Student 1 (setting, point of view, theme) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Student 2 (conflict, plot) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Student 3 (characters) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Student 4 (movie performance) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Student 1 (setting, point of view, theme) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Student 2 (conflict, plot) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Student 3 (characters) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Student 4 (movie performance) _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Additional Student Comments:

Rubric for Video

Student Name: _______________________ Story Name: __________________________ Video Length: ____________

Group Members: __________________________________________________________________________________

Poor (1-3) Fair (4-7) Good (8-10) Points

Organization Audience has difficulty Information is Information is /10
following because the presented in a semi- presented in logical
information is laid out logical sequence in and organized
poorly. which the audience sequence in which the
has some difficulty audience can follow.
following.
Content Knowledge Student has no grasp Student is at ease Student demonstrates /10
on the information and with content but full knowledge of
is uncomfortable with cannot elaborate. content with added
questions. explanations.
Delivery Audience members Audience can hear Student uses clear /10
have difficulty hearing most of the voice, correct and
the presentation and presentation and precise pronunciation.
many words are student pronounces
mispronounced. most words correctly.
Application of Story The story presented by The story is The story is presented /10
the student is not clear noticeable but is well and easy to follow
and does not have a difficult to follow with with a clear ending
clear point or ending. not all loose ends tied and a sense of
up. completion.
Student Reflection The student received Student received two Student received little /10
(subjective) bad reviews from consistently bad to no bad reviews
group all members. reviews from group from group members.
members.
Total: /50
Rubric for Written Story
Student Name: _______________________ Story Name: __________________________
Group Members: __________________________________________________________________________________
Poor (1-3)
Setting The setting of the story
is unclear.
Characters The protagonist and
antagonist are unclear.
Chain of The story lacks a clear
Events order and is very hard
to follow.
Theme The story lacks an
overall theme.
Ending The story is unfinished.
Mechanics There are many
grammatical and
spelling errors.
Fair (4-7)
Some description words are
used to portray the
background information.
The main characters are
named and clear, but lack
characterization.
The elements of the plot can
be picked out but are not
developed and a little
sporadic.
The theme is there but hard
to pin-point and not
completely related to the
story.
There are several loose ends
in the story, and it lacks a
sense of completion.
There are several
grammatical and spelling
errors.
Good (8-10) Points
Many vivid description words /5
are used to portray the
background information and
the audience doesn’t question
where the story takes place
The main characters are /5
named and described
thoroughly, and readers can
easily follow along with their
development.
The elements of the plot are /5
easily found, developed
thoroughly, and well
organized.
The theme is clear, and the /5
story explains why the theme
is there and why it is
important.
The story has no loose ends /5
and it gives the reader a sense
of completion.
There are little to no /5
grammatical and spelling
errors.
Total: /30