TCNJ Lesson Plan

Lets Find Out: Veterans Day

Student Name: Katie King

Grade Level: Kindergarten

School Name: Boudinot School

Host Teachers Name: Mrs. Babula

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

What is a veteran?
What are the four branches of the military?
What are some of the jobs our service men and women do?
How can we give back to and thank veterans?
Where do we start a sentence?
What should a sentence look like?
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,
possible misconceptions, prior lesson content)
Over the past couple of weeks the children have been doing Veterans Day projects that
were used to create a bulletin board. The students made a paper chain American flag and hand
print eagles. While making them, we explained that these projects were for Veterans Day, but we
did not explain much about the day itself and what it means. In the class in general, I have talked
to students previously about the military as I explained to them that I was visiting my cousin who
is in the military and stationed in Idaho. I showed them a map of where Idaho is and how I had to
travel to get there. Some children may have family members who are in the military and
therefore have previous background knowledge that I am not aware of.
During Targeted Reading Instruction, students have been focusing on tracking words and
building a one to one correspondence while reading. This is also highlighted in the Lets Find
Out magazine reading each week. Students know the routine and how they should behave
during the Lets Find Out magazine reading on the Smartboard, as this is done weekly. In
addition, during Journal writing, the students have been working on how to form a sentence and
spacing between words. They have also been practicing reading and writing their sight words.
Standards:
6.1.4.A.11
Explain how the fundamental rights of the individual and the common good of the country
depend upon all citizens exercising their civic responsibilities at the community, state, national,
and global levels.
6.1.P.B.2
Identify, discuss, and role-play the duties of a range of community workers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.A
Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page-by-page.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and
texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking
about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K.2
With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives

Assessment

Students will identify and describe what a

veteran is.

Teacher will observe student responses during

class discussion and on their letters to
Veterans.

Students will identify different jobs and branches

of the United States military.

Teacher will observe student responses during

whole group instruction.

Students will track words with their finger as

they read.

Teacher will visually observe that students are

tracking with their finger as they are reading.

Students will write a sentence or more using

correct sentence structure such as spacing
between the words and a period at the end of the
sentence.

Teacher will observe and review students

letters. Teacher will look specifically at the
spacing between the words and punctuation at
the end of the sentence.

Materials/Resources: (List materials, include any online or book references and resources)
Magazines (16- need to make 1 copy)
PowerPoint
Veteran Journal paper
Crayons and pencils in tool bins
Coloring sheet
Smartboard
Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

All materials will be laid out before the students return from special. The magazine will
be up on the Smartboard when children come in. A tab for GoNoodle will be open in case the
students would benefit from a brain break. The PowerPoint will also be open and ready on the
Smartboard. Students have been assigned to classroom jobs to pass out papers and the tool bins
and they will be directed of when to do those jobs. Children will hand in their letter and drawing
when they are finished and get a coloring sheet.
Step by Step plan (numbered):
1. Lesson Beginning: In the beginning of the lesson, students will be coming in from
special. They will sit on the green carpet. If a brain break is necessary, we will do a
GoNoodle. If not, we will go right into the magazine. I will tell the children that today we
are going to learn more about why we made the American flag and bald eagle handprints.
I will show them the bulletin board when they are coming in from special to help remind
them of the projects they made.
2. I will remind the children of how all of them worked together to make different parts of
the chain link flag. Then, I will explain to them that there is another group of people that
work really hard together to accomplish a goal for our country. I will give them hints and
lead them in the direction of our military and our veterans.
3. Following this explanation, we will read the Lets Find Out magazine about a mom who
is a Veteran and her different jobs in the military. During the reading, the children will
each have their own copy of the magazine.
4. After reading the magazine, we will go to my PowerPoint. On the PowerPoint, I will
show the students an example of the four branches of the military. I will use their songs in
the background to help the children see many different perspectives and examples of each
branch.
5. When this is finished, I will tell the children that we are going to write letters and draw
pictures for veterans. I will ask the children some ideas of what we could say to veterans
and I will write them down on the template on the board. We will brainstorm about why
we are thankful to veterans for all they do and have done for our country. We will
brainstorm sentences we could write as well as pictures we could draw.
6. After brainstorming, I will tell the children they are going to use these ideas to write their
own letter. I will show the children the template they are going to be writing on and
explain that they are going to sound out the words they do not know as best as they can. I
will also remind the students of the sentence structure and rules we have learned about,
such as spacing in between the words and a period at the end. I will explain that when
they are finished, students will bring me their letter and they will get a color by vowel
page to color. Once most students are finished with the writing stage, I will put an
example of the color by vowel on the board.
7. While children are writing, I will help children who frequently struggle with writing or
brainstorming ideas. I will encourage students to sound out words on their own by saying
the words very slowly.
8. When students are finished they will receive a Veterans Day color by vowel sheet.
9. Closure: Then, the children will move to the green rug, as it will be time to get ready for
lunch. While they are on the green rug getting ready for lunch, I will show them a map of
where their letters are going to be going.

Key Questions (that you will ask):

What is a veteran?
Do you know different parts of the military?
What makes each part of the military different?
Why should we thank veterans?
What have veterans done for our country and us?
What are some things we could say to veterans to thank them?
Where do you think we are going to send the letters?
What goes at the end of a sentence?
What should go in between the words in a sentence?
Logistics:
Timing: 10:45-11:30 (45 min)
Magazine: 15 min
PowerPoint: 7 min
Brainstorm: 5 min
Writing/Drawing Time: 13 min
Closure (Color by Vowel): 5 min
.
Transitions: When students are first coming to sit on the carpet, they will be coming in from
special. If they seem like they need a brain break, we will do a quick GoNoodle. Following the
magazine as a whole group, students will be called by table to go back to their seats and begin
writing and drawing. When they are finished, they will raise their hand and I will call on them to
collect and review their writing and students will get a coloring page. Students will be called by
table when it is time to go to the green carpet for the end of the closure.
Classroom Management: Children will be sitting on the carpet for the beginning and ending of
the lesson. Students will be given reminders of how to sit on the carpet and to make sure they
have personal space or room for their chicken wings. Visual cues and finger signs to remind
students to sit correctly and stay on task will also be used. While the students are writing and
drawing, they will be encouraged to sound out words on their own. They will be encouraged to
ask friends at their table for help as well. If they need teacher assistance they will be reminded to
raise their hand and stay in their seat.
Differentiation
Based on previous assessments and observations of student writing some students will
receive extra help during the writing activity. For students who struggle with brainstorming their
own ideas and independent work (Students D, M, and S), I will go over to them and help them
get started as soon as writing time begins. These students will also be encouraged to put more
details into their picture instead of getting frustrated as they focus on the words. In addition, all
the ideas we brainstorm as a class will be written on and left on the Smartboard while the
children are working.
Additionally, some students have more specific differentiation needs. Student S, who has
difficulty paying attention and with behavior, will be encouraged to participate and will be given
many reminders and visual clues throughout the lesson. Student S often struggles with
transitions, therefore, I may assign her a job during transition time to help make her transition

easier and more meaningful. This student often loses attention while we are sitting on the carpet.
If the student is misbehaving or lying down on the carpet, she will be asked to move so she will
be less distracting to the other students. Student M, who struggles with transitions and is often
resistant to doing independent work, will be encouraged often during the lesson to complete the
work on his own. I will check in to make sure he understands the work as well, as he has shown
in the past that he understands the material, however, he often refuses to do the work. Giving him
a time limit or a motivation, such as being able to go to labs or marking his chart, helps the
student as well. Student D will be handled similarly. This student struggles with fine motor skills
and may be asked to only write one or two words. Student JH struggles with independent work
as well. He seems to question his answers and becomes very frustrated and upset. I will check in
with this student more regularly to encourage him and make sure he understands.
Students who are fidgeting on the carpet during the lesson will be given visual cues from
the teachers, such as eye contact, crossing my fingers, or pointing to my nose, all off which have
been practiced as visual cues to correct student behavior, remind them to sit properly on the
carpet, and stay on task, respectively. Students who cannot sit correctly or are fooling around will
either be asked to sit in a chair next to the carpet or at their tables depending on how many times
their behavior needs to be corrected.