EDUC 526

Lesson Plan
Author: Meredith Clark-Lewis
Teacher:
Mrs. Clark-Lewis

Lesson Title:
All About Sharks: Expository Writing

Grade Level: 3
Identifying our Background Knowledge of Sharks
Subject: Language
Arts, Science
Time frame:
45 minutes
(1 day)

Student Learning Outcomes (Goals): This lesson is designed to be an introduction to the unit
on expository writing. The unit is based around the subject of sharks. Day 1 will provide
students with the opportunity to explore their background knowledge on sharks. Students will
discuss as a whole class, what they already know and what they would like to know about
sharks. This lesson will be conducted with the use of a K-W-L chart.

Objectives

Students will identify what they already know

about sharks.

Students will explore what they would like to

know about sharks.

Students will learn about a K-W-L chart.

Elements to be identified are:

Prior knowledge of sharks

Content and Technology STANDARDS

CA California Common Core State Standards (2012)
Subject: English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social
Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
Grade: 3
Content Area: Informational Text K5
Strand: Writing
Domain: Text Types and Purposes
Standard:
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to
examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly

EDUC 526
Lesson Plan
Author: Meredith Clark-Lewis

Interest in sharks
Questions about sharks
K-W-L chart

Technology Standards:
1. Creativity and innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge,
and develop innovative products and processes using
technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products,
or processes

Materials: Non-Digital

Materials: Digital

Paper/Pencil

SmartBoard

Procedure:
1. Introduce the topic of sharks to the students. Explain to the students that they
will be learning all about sharks in preparation to write an expository essay.
2. Discuss with the students what society has portrayed sharks to be. Reference
can be made to movies such as, Jaws, or a television series such as, Shark
Week.

EDUC 526
Lesson Plan
Author: Meredith Clark-Lewis
3. Open up a blank document on the SmartBoard.
4. Form a K-W-L chart on the SmartBoard. A K-W-L chart consists of 3 columns,
with a K in one column, a W in the second column, and an L in the last
column. If you are not familiar with a K-W-L chart, please visit this link, it has
an explanation and example: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroomresources/printouts/chart-a-30226.html
5. Invite students to come up individually and write down what they already know
or want to know about sharks on the SmartBoard document.
6. Summarize the results of the K-W-L chart as a class and explain to the students
that after they conduct their research for this unit, they will be filling in the L
column with what they have learned.
7. Save the SmartBoard document for later use.

EDUC 526
Lesson Plan
Author: Meredith Clark-Lewis