Lesson Planner

Writing lesson plans can be tedious.

Don't get me wrong. Creating lesson ideas is a fantastic process! And thoughtful planning is a key to successful implementation. But, finding the standards, typing the standards either full text or with some 'secret' code, delineating the process in either prose or steps, recording materials needed, resources available, homework, reteaching, and assessment can be tedious.

But, my life is suddenly easier . . .and yours may be, too, if you use www.standardstoolbox.com. This is a great FREE tool. Register and start planning or borrowing plans from others. There is a simple "double-click" process to select appropriate standards from your state. There are save, email, and print options. The template is easy to use and has standard word processing editing tools available.

Give it a try, I think you'll like it.

I've inserted a lesson I wrote up using www.standardstoolbox.com.
Date:

Time: 30-45 minu
Teacher : Deborah White School: Asa C. Adams School Grade: 2 Subject: Reading/Language Arts Unit/Theme/Skill: An Innovation on "Little Cloud" by Eric Carle Standards Taught: ME 2 Rd - A.1 Seek out and enjoy experiences with books and other print materials. ME 2 Rd - A.3 Make and confirm predictions about what will be found in a text. ME 2 Rd - A.7 Ask questions and give other responses after listening to presentations by the teacher or classmates. ME 2 Rd - B.2 Draw logical conclusions about what will happen next or how things might have turned out differently in a story. ME 2 Rd - C Students will demonstrate an understanding of how words and images communicate. Students will be able to: ME 2 Rd - D Students will apply reading, listening, and viewing strategies to informational texts across all areas of curriculum. Students will be able to: ME 2 Rd - E.1 Tell about experiences and discoveries, both orally and in writing. ME 2 Rd - E.2 Respond to stories orally and in writing. ME 2 Rd - F Students will write and speak correctly, using conventions of standard written and spoken English. Students will be able to: ME 2 Rd - F.1 Edit their own written work for standard English spelling and usage, as evidenced by pieces that show and contain: - complete sentences. - initial understanding of the use of pronouns and adjectives. - evidence of correct spelling of frequently used words. - few significant errors in the capitalization of proper nouns and of the words that begin sentences. - few significant errors in the use of end stop punctuation (e.g., periods, question marks). ME 2 Rd - G.1 Dictate or write stories or essays which convey basic ideas, have sequences that make sense, and show evidence of a beginning, middle, and ending.
Lesson: Read Little Cloud by Eric Carle. Engage the students in the reading of the book, soliciting observations and predictions. If a student doesn't make the connection between the book and the activity of cloud-watching, teacher should ask, Have you ever looked at clouds and noticed their shapes? Do the shapes ever remind you of anything? After this point has been made, teacher should ask the students if they are familiar with the word, drift. Help students clarify their definition. State: I like to imagine snow drifts are different things just like Eric Carle and I like to imagine clouds are different things. You are going to create a page for a class book called "Spring Snow". Your writing will follow Eric Carle's style in this book. Using the white board, the teacher will write, Spring Snow drifted. It changed into . . .(student completes sentence) Spring Snow liked . . . (student completes sentence). But first you will gently tear a shape from the white construction paper to make your Spring Snow drift. (demonstrate) You turn it this way and that way until you see something in it. (demonstrate) Use your glue stick to glue your snow drift onto the brown paper. We will be making a book with your pages so please make sure you hold your paper this way. (demonstrate which way you want the children to hold the paper) Then you will use a marker to carefully write your sentences. On my page I am going to write . . .(demonstrate). Any questions? ACCOMMODATIONS/MODIFICATIONS Student may use keyboard for writing component. Take dictation for the sentences. Provide a personal model for desktop use for copying. Assign a peer partner.		Notes & Materials: \"Little Cloud\" by Eric Carle white construction paper brown construction paper markers glue sticks white board
Homework: N/A		Class Performance:
Assessment: Teacher observation of final product including creativity of snow drift, adherence to format, use of rich descriptive words, correct spelling of known words, legible penmanship, correct sentence format.		Reteach: