Week 10, Assignment 4

Candidate’s Name: Aviva Zussman  

Grade Level: 3^rd Grade

Title of the lesson: What is your opinion?

Length of the lesson: 1 period

 

Central focus   How to effectively state their opinions in writing

Students discuss how they feel about certain topics. Many students mention how their cultural background effects their opinion on many areas since  they have different experiences and were exposed to different things throughout their lives.

Common Core State Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.a Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.b Provide reasons that support the opinion.

Support literacy development through language (academic language)   Students will need to retell and explain their opinions on the issue of having school in the summer. Students will need to summarize their thoughts and support their arguments. This will be done through a discussion followed by a written report.

Learning objectives   1.    Students will be able to state their opinion effectively in writing. 2.    Students will support their arguments through writing.

Formal and informal assessment (including type[s] of assessment and what is being assessed) Students’ written work will be assessed for spelling and punctuation. In addition, students will be assessed on how clearly their opinion was stated and how strongly it was supported. Students who are ELL will be assessed with the teacher keeping in mind that their vocabulary may not be as strong.

Instructional procedure: Students will be told to imagine that they were told that there is going to be no summer break and that school will continue to resume through July and August. Instead of the large break in the summer students will have off for two weeks at a time four times a year. Students will be asked to write their opinion on the matter and to give two supports or reasons for their argument. For students who are ELL or have trouble writing, they can use a writing technology that translates and writes as you speak into the device. After their writing is completed students will need to creatively demonstrate their opinion to be used as a public communications piece to convey their feelings. This can be done through technology, art, drama, etc. This open activity allows all students to complete the tasks according to their ability and preference.

Art materials, computer, paper

Reflection Did your instruction support learning for the whole class and the students who need great support or challenge? My lesson does support all students and their learning abilities due to the helpful technology. The question is simple and personal enough for students to be able to formulate an answer effectively. The openness of the second activity is great since it allows for everyone to perform according to their strengths. What changes would you make to support better student learning of the central focus? I would try my best to link my lesson to the Common Core Standards. Therefore, I would list of linking words such as therefore, because, etc on the board for students to use in their writing. In addition perhaps I would do a sample opinion together with the class so everyone can see the process of developing one’s thoughts and transferring these thoughts onto paper. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation from evidence of research and/or theory. I think that these changes would improve student learning since one of the best way of teaching is through modeling. All students benefit from seeing how thought processes are developed and how sentences can be formed to convey those thoughts.

 

Dr. Hui-Yin Hsu Spring 2014