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et-and-me

ET and Me

Grade: 2-4

Subject Integrated: Science, English Language Arts

Rationale:
In this lesson, the student will free write about being an E.T. on another planet.

Objectives:
Students will be able to conceptualize a day-in-the-life of an E.T. through creative writing.

Materials:

  • Pencils
  • Writing notebooks
  • Story writing paper
  • Crayons
  • Optional: Computers

Learning Activities:

    a) Instructional Materials and Resources

    b) Procedure

    • Class is situated in comfortable space for creative thinking and writing.
    • May take up to three work periods (90-150 mins).
    • Teacher explains what an event is and what a sequence is: beginning, middle, end as well as first, second, third.
    • Class brainstorms different events in which an E.T. child may participate in a regular day (imagination).
      Teacher Note: Gravity, pressure etc. do not need to be considered for this one particular lesson plan as it is based more on the writing content than the science content, unless these topics are relevant to prior experiences and discussions in the classroom.
    • Teacher will write out learners’ brainstormed ideas on whiteboard/blackboard/smartboard.
    • Once a list has been generated, students take out their writing journals and begin to write about their life as an E.T.
    • Students are required to write about at least three events they would do in their E.T. life.
    • Students need to use temporal words to indicate the order of events in the day.
    • Students will edit/read one another’s work.
    • Teacher will collect journals and provide suggestions and questions to further enrich each story.
    • Once peer/teacher reviewed, students will compose neat copies on story writing paper and draw pictures that relate to the story.

    c) Instructional Groups
    • If needed, teacher will ask students to quiet down with the use of the lights.
    • Bell will be a reminder there are three minutes to start cleaning up.
    • Lesson will be taught to the class as a whole.

    d) Discussion
    • What is an event?
    • What does sequence mean?
    • What events would an E.T. child do?
    • What do beginning, middle, and end mean?
    • What questions do we still have?

    e) Assessment
    • Formative assessment will be used as the teacher monitors brainstormed ideas and creative writing.
    • Teacher will guide students to the plausible answers if they are having trouble.
    • Teacher will take notes on students with trouble with the skills for further assistance.
    • The teacher will assess the students’ based on their completion of the assignment and participation in the discussion.
    • Optional: Rubrics can be made to score the writing portion of the activity – summative assessment

Closure:

    a) Ending the Lesson
    • After each work period students will put away journals, crayons, and pencils.
    • Students will hand in rough drafts to teacher when complete.
    • Students will hand in neat copies when complete.

    b) Evaluating and Reflection of the Lesson
    • Evaluation of lesson will be done by thorough formative assessment.
    • Teacher will observe to make sure each student understands the concept introduced in the lesson.
    • Teacher will make sure all requirements and guidelines are met by giving specific scaffolding help to students who struggle with the skills.
    • Teacher will self-critique on what worked well and what did not work well in the lesson.
    • Optional: Rubrics can be used for evaluation of writing portion.

Standards:

  • Common Core: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3. (strong fit) Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
  • Common Core: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3. (strong fit) Write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
  • Common Core: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3. (strong fit) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
  • Common Core: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3. (strong fit) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Teacher References:

Click here to download the pdf of this lesson.


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The content was developed at Albion College by Professor Nicolle Zellner (Albion College Department of Physics) and Victoria Della Pia (Albion Elementary School), with educational oversight by Melissa Mercer-Tachick (Muse Consulting). To develop these lesson plans and assessments, Victoria Della Pia was supported by a grant from the Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity at Albion College.