Concept Unit

Lesson Plan
Unit Working Title: Difference Makes Us Stronger
Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Discovering the value in differences/identity
Unit Primary Skill focus: Community Building/ Writing Workshops
Week _1_ of 4; Plan #_1_ of 12; [90 mins.]
Plan type: Full-Detail
Content Requirement Satisfied: Introductory Week Full-Detail Lesson Plan
(Note: Refer to the list in the document called Concept Unit Lesson Plans)
Critical Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Unit Preface], followed by Specific
lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:
SWBAT:
Cognitive (to know and understand)
1. Students will know that understanding, tolerance, and respect of differences and
individuality are crucial for community building.
a. Students will know unique fun facts about their partners.
b. Students will be able to name at least one thing that can help the formation
of communities.
3. Students will how to build a classroom community this semester/year.
a. Students will construct classroom norms and consequences for violating
those norms.
Affective (to feel/value) and Non-cognitive
6. Students will be able to value differences and individuality in society.
a. Students will be able to discover unique facts about one another.
7. Students will be able to feel that we can only truly know a person if we take the
time to listen.
a. Students will understand that I, the teacher, want to take time to get to
know them individually using the Student Inventories.
Performative (to do)
8. Students will be able to participate effectively in class activities with one another.
a. Students will be able to listen to one another as they reveal their fun
facts.
b. Students will be able to share facts.
c. Students will be able to value others contributions to the class norms and
consequences

9. Students will be able to investigate the unique attributes of others.

a. Students will be able to ask one another about themselves.
SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]
6.1 The student will participate in and contribute to small-group activities.
a) Communicate as leader and contributor.
b) Evaluate own contributions to discussions.
c) Summarize and evaluate group activities.
d) Analyze the effectiveness of participant interactions.
CCSs: [List with numbers portrayed in the CCS document]
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts,
and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement:
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]
Desks are arranged in pods of 4, mainly so there is plenty of walking room.
1. [_10_mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson: Fun Facts and Roll Call
[As students walk in, they are handed a slip of paper. On the board will be written or
projected, Please write a fun fact about yourself on the slip of paper and deposit it in the
bin. These will be shared with the whole class. Write something that is not obvious just
by looking at you. (For example, dont write, I have blonde hair.) You do not have to
write your name on the slips of paper. (I will have a plastic bin at the front of the room.)
I will also be greeting the students as they come in the door.]
[When everyone is seated and the bell has rung]: Hi everybody! My name is Ms. Bailey,
and welcome to 6th Grade Language Arts. Im so glad to have you all here, and I cant
wait to learn all of your names. If you havent already, write a fun fact about yourself on
that slip of paper that you got at the door and put it in the plastic bin up here. Please
finish this up while I call roll. Please correct me if I mispronounce your name or if you
go by something other than whats listed on the roll. [I will call roll.]
Alright, does everyone have their fun fact in the bin? Great. We will be using these later.

2. [_15_mins.] Step 1: Student Inventory

[Pass out Student Inventory (Appendix A)]
Right now I am passing out a student inventory, or a list of questions that I would like
you guys to answer. There are questions about what you like and dislike about school,
what you like to do outside of school, and some other get-to-know-you type of questions.
Id just like to get a sense of who you are and how I can best help you with your
Language Arts skills this semester. As we will learn in the next few weeks, effective
communities are formed when people can have an understanding of who one another are,
and I hope to build a classroom in which I know you guys, and you guys know me. So
take a few minutes to fill this out. And dont worry. You will get the opportunity to learn
more about me in the next few weeks as well!
[While the students are filling out the inventory, I will compile the fun facts into a
master list on a Word Document and print out copies for each of the students. If a printer
is not available or I cannot leave the room for some reason, I will simply project this
master list, without the names of the students, up on the board.]
3. [_30_mins.] Step 2: Fun Fact Activity
[Collect student inventories. Either print out copies of the master list of fun facts for
everyone or project the nameless list up on the board.]
Alright, everybody. Now its time for the Fun Fact Activity. You all have written one
fun fact about yourselves on these slips of paper. I have made a master list of these fun
facts, but right now we dont know to whom they belong. For this activity, I want you to
stand up, go around the room, and find out whose fun fact is whose. The person with the
most names at the end of 15 minutes will get a prize. Alright, go!
[I will also have added a fun fact about myself and I will be going around the room and
trying to fill out my master list. This will go on for 15 minutes.]
Okay stop! Please find your seats and lets find out who got the most names. Did
anybody finish the entire list? [If a student said yes, wait until the entire worksheet is
gone over before distributing the prize.] Lets go over it and see if you guys were right.
[Go over entire worksheet. Say, Okay who was #1? Read the fun fact out loud and
allow the student to give some back-story if necessary. When finished, distribute prizes to
the people who finished (candy bars).]
That was great, everyone. I feel like Ive learned a lot about you already!
4. [_30_mins.] Step 3: Home Court Advantage Group Activity
Okay, guys. So another big part of establishing a community is setting some rules for
how we should treat each other. Instead of making up all of the rules myself, I thought

you guys might want to help me decide how you want your classroom community to
function. So to give you an idea of some of the things you might want to set as rules or
norms for this class, Id like you to think of being in this room as having a home court
advantage. Think about some of the advantages a sports team has when it plays on
their home field or court. Whats so great about playing at home? In your groups, I want
you to brainstorm what some of these things might be. Ill give you 5 minutes.
[After 5 minutes]: Okay everybody. Lets hear what you came up with. How about this
group?
[I will go through all of the groups and write their answers on the board. This will take
10 minutes. Im hoping to get answers like:

You know the field well

Your fans are all there
You feel comfortable
People are yelling encouraging things
You can get excited from the cheering
People dont boo you when you make a mistake
You can depend on your teammates
You try harder so that you dont let your team down

These answers come from Chapter 2 of Best Practices (pg. 61).]

Those are all great things that I think we should follow in this class. I will put these on a
poster and hang it up in our room. Whenever you hear or see something that goes
against these norms, Id like us to gently remind one another by saying home court.
Now, since we have norms, we need to come up with some consequences for going
against these norms. In your groups, I want you to think about some consequences. You
have 5 minutes.
[After 5 minutes]: Okay. What did you all come up with? [List these things on the
board.]
Do you think that these consequences are fair? Why or why not? [Let students discuss.]
Okay, so it looks like we have some norms and some consequences set up. These are
flexible. We may want to add some more as we go through the semester or we may
decide the consequences are too harsh or too soft. But I think what we have here is a
great start.
5. [_5_mins] Closure: Exit Slips
Before you leave, I want you to take out a scrap piece of paper and write down one thing
that is necessary for the formation of a community. What does it take for a good
community to form? [Write or project this prompt]. Gather your papers together and put

them in the center of your desk cluster. When you are finished, you may pack up to go.
Thank you for your participation today! [Collect all of the exit slips]
Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment
used in this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After
each assessment, indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective
and the related lesson objectives that the assessment is evaluating.

Student Inventories (7a)

Fun Fact worksheets (1a, 5a, 6a, 8a, 8b, 9a)
Norms and consequences (8c)
Exit Slips (1b)

Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:

(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated
in order to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by
name)
To help my ELL student, Allie, all of the instructions and assignments that I give are
written up on the board for easy reference. In case I am talking too fast and Allie doesnt
catch what I want the class to do, she can easily look on the board and I will have the
directions either written or projected. Also, because Allie may not be familiar with the
term home court advantage, I decided to have the students do this brainstorming work
in groups. This way, Allie has a chance to hear her classmates explain what a home court
advantage is, and she may have an opportunity to participate in discussion.
Materials Needed:

Slips of paper for fun facts

Plastic bin for fun facts
Printer to print out fun fact master lists for students
Student Inventory
Computer and projector
Candy bars for fun facts winners

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)

Appendix A: Student Inventory

Name:______________________________________

1. What are you good at in Language Arts class?

2. What is difficult for you in Language Arts class?

3. What types of writing do you enjoy? (Check all that apply)

___ Poetry

___ Short Stories

___Facebook/Twitter Posting

___ Journaling

___Texting

___Blogging

___ Other: ______________________________

4. What types of reading do you enjoy? (Check all that apply)

___ Plays

___ Science Fiction

___ Poetry

___ Romance

___ Graphic Novels

___ Fantasy Fiction

___ Non-fiction

___ Blogs

___ Historical Fiction

___ Magazines

___ Newspaper

__Other:______________________________

5. What was the name of the last book that you really enjoyed reading?

6. Likes:
School Subject:

TV Shows/ Movies:

Music:

Books:

6. On a scale of 1-5, how much do you enjoy reading? Circle below.

(Not a fan!)

(Love it!)

7. How do you feel about group work? Write a number in the blanks.
I dont work well
1
___Working by yourself

Doesnt matter
2

___Working with a partner

I work well
3
___Working in groups

So
8. What are your pet peeves (things that really annoy you)?

9. If I were a fictional character (from a movie, a book, tv, etc.), I would be

_______________________because________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________.

10. What do you like to do outside of school?

Concept Unit
Lesson Plan
Unit Working Title: Difference Makes Us Stronger
Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Discovering the value in differences/identity
Unit Primary Skill focus: Community Building/ Writing Workshops
Week _1_ of 4; Plan #_2_ of 12; [90 mins.]
Plan type: Summary
Content Requirement Satisfied: Introductory Week Summary Lesson Plan
(Note: Refer to the list in the document called Concept Unit Lesson Plans)
Critical Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Unit Preface], followed by Specific
lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:
SWBAT:
Cognitive (to know and understand)
2. Students will know that understanding, tolerance, and respect of differences and
individuality are crucial for community building.
c. Students will understand that interviewing one another will help build
classroom community.
Affective (to feel/value) and Non-cognitive
6. Students will be able to value differences and individuality in society.
b. Students will be able to discover unique attributes about one another as
they conduct interviews.
7. Students will be able to feel that we can only truly know a person if we take the
time to listen.
b. Students will understand that they will only conduct a successful interview
if they are willing to listen to their partners.
Performative (to do)
8. Students will be able to participate effectively in class activities with one another.
d. Students will be able to listen actively during class activities.
9. Students will be able to investigate the unique attributes of others
b. Students will be able to perform an interview.
c. Students will understand how their interviews will be assessed.
SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]
6.1 The student will participate in and contribute to small-group activities.

a) Communicate as leader and contributor.

b) Evaluate own contributions to discussions.
c) Summarize and evaluate group activities.
d) Analyze the effectiveness of participant interactions.
CCSs: [List with numbers portrayed in the CCS document]
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts,
and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement:
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]
Desks will be arranged in pairs.
6. [_10_mins.] Hook: What is an interview?
Give introduction about why it is important to get to know one another in communities.
Explain that many people try to hide their true selves so that they can fit into the crowd.
Encourage the students to let one another know who they really are and to be proud of
their identities.
Explain that one of the ways that we can get to know one another is through interviews.
Remind them of times they might have seen an interview. Show funny video of bad
interviews (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyYqYhJmQbA). Explain that they will
be interviewing one another for the next couple of days.
Project a copy of Mark Twain interview and read it aloud with the students.
(http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/wilson/enconter.html ). I may only read an excerpt because
it is a little long. This interaction is quite humorous, but it will also give students an idea
of what an interview is like and what they should not do in an interview.

7. [_10_mins.] Step 1: Model Interview Questions

Give students some sample interview questions [project these on the board]:
1. Where were you born?
2. Have you every moved? How many times? Where have you lived?

3. Do you have any siblings? How old are they? What are their names?
4. Do you have any pets?
5. What are your hobbies?
6. What has been your favorite trip or vacation?
7. What are your favorite movies? TV shows? Music?
8. If you could be one Disney character, who would you be and why?
9. What do you think you want to be when you grow up?
10. Whats your biggest fear?
11. Whats your biggest pet peeve?
Emphasize that these are only a few of the questions that they could ask. Explain that the
key to a good interview is the follow-up questions. Give an example of a follow-up
question. Tell them that the goal is to get as much information out of their partners as
possible. Also tell the students that if they are asked a question that they dont want to
answer, they do not have to answer it.
Explain that they will use these interviews to introduce each individual student to the
class. Encourage students to ask questions that capture who their partners are.

8. [_10_mins.] Step 2: Going over the rubric

Hand out Interview Rubric (Appendix A). Go over each component. Explain the
requirements in detail. Ask if there are any questions.
9. [_50_mins.] Step 3: Conduct the interviews
Tell students that the person they are sitting next to is their interview partner (there will
be a group of 3 if there are an odd number of students). Explain that they will have 25
minutes for the first interview and 25 minutes for the second interview. They are to take
good notes while their partners are talking. I will be walking around to make sure
students are staying on track. I will yell switch when it is time to switch partners. I
will assess how much the students accomplished with 25 minutes per student, and if they
need more time, I will give them the rest of the class period to finish up.
10. [_10_mins] Closure: Brainstorm Presentation Ideas/ Exit Slips
The rubric lists several ways that students can present their partners to the class. For the
last part of the block, the students will think about which project they would like to do.
Their exit slips will be a sentence explaining to me what they plan to do.

Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment
used in this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After

each assessment, indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective
and the related lesson objectives that the assessment is evaluating.
1. Student interviews- I will walk around to assess how the students are working
together. (1c, 6b, 7b, 8d, 9b, 9c)
2. Exit Slips
Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:
(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated
in order to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by
name)
Because Jennifer is experiencing a difficult home life, she may feel uncomfortable
answering some of the interview questions. In the instructions, I will tell students that
they dont have to answer any questions that would make them feel uncomfortable. I may
also take whoever is going to be Jennifers partner aside before class and ask them to
avoid questions that have to do with Jennifers home life.
Materials Needed:

YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyYqYhJmQbA)

Mark Twain interview (http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/wilson/enconter.html)
Computer and projector
Interview Rubric
Timer

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)
Appendix A: Interview Rubric
Some suggested presenting ideas:

Short essay or narrative

Poem
Song or Rap
Portrait
PowerPoint Presentation
Magazine cutout collage
Your choice (must be approved by Ms. Bailey)

Mini Inquiry Interview Project

Student Name:
5 points
Interviewer asks
questions and gets
information that
expresses who their
partner is.
Information is
unique.

3 Points
Interviewer asks
questions and gets
information that
tells a little about
who their partner is.
Information is
general and not very
unique.

Quantity
(how much)

Interviewer asks at
least 5 follow-up
questions and writes
thorough answers.

Creativity

Project includes one

of the choices
provided or one
approved by Ms.
Bailey, and graphic
elements and
pictures and/or
clever writing style
(word choice,
sentence variety,
etc.).
Interviewer presents
information for at
least 3 minutes,
presents only
accurate
information, speaks
loudly and clearly,
and doesnt fidget.

Interviewer asks up
to 3 follow-up
questions, but
information is not
thorough.
Project does not use
an approved
presentation style,
and there are
minimal graphics
and/or clever
writing.

Quality
(how good)

Presentation

Total Points: _____/20

Interviewer presents
for less than 3
minutes, presents
some accurate
information, could
use some
improvement with
voice volume, and
fidgets a little.

1 point
Interviewers
questions do not get
good information
from the
interviewee. The
class doesnt really
know who the
interviewee is by the
end of the
presentation.
Interviewer does not
ask follow-up
questions.

Interviewer simply
reads information to
the class. There is
no creativity.

Interviewer presents
for less than one
minute, presents
inaccurate
information, speaks
too quietly or
mumbles, and
fidgets the entire
time.

Concept Unit
Lesson Plan
Unit Working Title: Difference Makes Us Stronger
Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Discovering the value in differences/identity
Unit Primary Skill focus: Community Building/ Writing Workshops
Week _1_ of 4; Plan #_3_ of 12; [90 mins.]
Plan type: Summary
Content Requirement Satisfied: Introductory Week Summary Lesson Plan
(Note: Refer to the list in the document called Concept Unit Lesson Plans)
Critical Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Unit Preface], followed by Specific
lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:
SWBAT:
Cognitive (to know and understand)
1. Students will know that understanding, tolerance, and respect of differences and
individuality are crucial for community building.
c. Students will understand that interviewing one another will help build
classroom community.
Affective (to feel/value) and Non-cognitive
11. Students will be able to value differences and individuality in society.
a. Students will be able to discover unique facts about one another.
12. Students will be able to feel that we can only truly know a person if we take the
time to listen.
c. Students will understand that the purpose of the interview activity is to get
to know each of their classmates.
Performative (to do)
13. Students will be able to participate effectively in class activities with one another.
d. Students will be able to listen actively during class activities.
e. Students will be able provide feedback after presentations
10. Students will be able to express their own unique identities in writing and oral
presentations.
a. Students will be able to present their interviews to the class.

SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]

6.2 The student will present, listen critically, and express opinions in oral presentations.
a) Compare and contrast viewpoints.
b) Paraphrase and summarize what is heard.
c) Use language and vocabulary appropriate to audience, topic, and purpose
CCSs: [List with numbers portrayed in the CCS document]
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts,
and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement:
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]
Desks will be arranged in pods of 4 so that it will be easy for students to walk around and
get supplies for their projects.
1. [_1_mins.] Opening to lesson: Greeting and Brief Instructions
I will ask the class to take out their interview notes and begin working on their
presentations. I will remind them of the rubric requirements. I will tell them they have 60
minutes to complete their presentations and that I will be available to answer any
questions that they have.
2. [_60_mins.] Step 1: Work on Presentations
I will be walking around the room, answering any questions the students might have or
providing them with any materials they might need (poster paper, markers or colored
pencils, computer access, etc.).
3. [_28_mins.] Step 2: Time to Present!
I will tell the class that they must act as active audience members. During each of the
presentations they will be:
Taking notes on the person that the presentation is about
Taking notes on the presenters performance
Giving positive feedback after the presenter is finished
I will remind the students of the Home Court Advantage norms that they set on the first
day.

I will choose students at random to present their projects. (I realize that this will not be
enough time for all the students to present, so I plan to finish the presentations at the
beginning of class on the next day.)

4. [_1_mins.] Closure:
I will thank the students for their participation.

Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment
used in this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After
each assessment, indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective
and the related lesson objectives that the assessment is evaluating.

Interview Presentations (1c, 6a, 7c, 10a)

Peer feedback (8d, 8e)

Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:

(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated
in order to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by
name)
I will be constantly monitoring the progress of all of my students, but I will especially be
keeping an eye on Jamal to make sure that he is staying on task.
Materials Needed:

Art materials for those doing portraits

Computer and projector

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)
N/A