T&L Instructional Plan Template

(Updated 2/24/17)
(edTPA Aligned)

Overview
The information included in this document is to support faculty in teaching about and supporting
students with the T&L (and edTPA) Instructional Plan. While there are many variations of lesson
plans, this format meets departmental requirements and is aligned with the 2014 edTPA as well.

Background Information (When doing the actual edTPA, leave out identifiers)

Teacher Candidate: Brieanna Olsen and Cody Olsen Date: February 24, 2017
Cooperating Teacher: Mrs. Davis Grade: 4th grade
School District: Pullman School District_________________ School: Franklin Elementary School
University Supervisor: Lori White
Unit/Subject: Literacy/writing
Instructional Plan Title/Focus: Letter to me/ Verb tenses

Section 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment

a. Instructional Plan Purpose: Students will apply their prior knowledge of creating a
personal letter and identifying proper usage of verb tenses. This will take place at the end of
the year as they are completing the 4th grade. This lesson will help students connect past,
present, and future events that occur in their lives. They will include descriptive detail,
identify sequence of events, and use verb tenses all while creating a letter to their future
selves. It is important for students to recognize the different verb tenses because we use them
to signal what happens when and are used in almost all academic pieces of writing. It is also
important for them to be able to look at these letters 4 years later and see their progression in
writing, as well as life. The lesson that came prior to this was writing a short essay in past
tense about their favorite memory of the 4th grade.

b. State/National Learning Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.C
Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.B
Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb
tenses.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.

c. Content Objectives (to be copied in Assessment Chart below) and alignment to State
Learning Standards:
 1. SWBAT write a letter to themselves using present, past, and future tenses.

Aligned standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.B
Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb
tenses.

SWBAT visualize past and present events in their lives to share with themselves in the future.

Aligned standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.B
Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb
tenses.

SWBAT construct a personal letter that displays voice for the future reader to understand their
current tone/mood.

Aligned standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.C
Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.

Language Objectives:
1. SWBAT create a letter to tell themselves in the future about their current feelings and life
events (e.g. explain how they feel about getting ready to enter middle school) including
voice.

Aligned standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

SWBAT write a letter using appropriate format and writing conventions.

Aligned standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.

d. Previous Learning Experiences: Students have learned basic writing skills such as
capitalizing the first letter in a sentence and for a proper noun, putting a period to end a
sentence, have learned how to write a complete sentence and are in the process of
establishing their own voice in their writing (writing conventions with little to no errors).
Students have learned the proper way to write a formal letter. (Dear, Sincerely, Love, From,
etc.) They previously learned what verb tenses are and how to properly use them in writing.
 e. Planning for Student Learning Needs: Small group popcorn talk about ideas for their
paper. A prompt. An example of my letter. Write down past experiences that they have had.
Write down what is going on in their lives right now or maybe a favorite memory of the 4th
grade. Write down ideas of what they think might happen in middle school or in the near
future. Look at the basic layout of a letter using examples from books, magazines, or letters
the teacher brought in.

f. Assessment Strategies (Informal or formal) (Formative or Summative)

Teacher candidates should attach questions, worksheets, tests or any additional documentation
related to their assessment strategies, including accommodations or modifications for students
with disabilities as stated in their IEPs. They may also attach appropriate marking rubrics,
criteria lists, expectations, answer keys, etc. Consideration for multiple means of expression
should occur here. That is, how will teacher candidates allow for K-12 students to express
their learning in different ways? Will K-12 students be given some choice?

Content/Language Objectives Assessment Strategies

Content example: SWBAT write a letter to
themselves using present, past, and future
tenses.
Summative: Students will apply their prior knowledge
of verb tenses and use them in a personal letter. What
will they remember about each type of tense and will
they correctly apply them in their own, creative
writing.

Language example: SWBAT create a letter
to tell themselves in the future about their
current feelings and life events (e.g.
explain how they feel about getting ready
to enter middle school) including voice.
Summative: Assess on how they use voice (tone and
mood) in their writing as they incorporate sequenced
events about their lives. Can we tell how they are
feeling, will feel, or have felt? Does this letter feel
and sound personal?

Content example: SWBAT visualize past Formative: Identify past, present, and future tenses
and present events in their lives to share within a piece of writing provided to you.
with themselves in the future.

Learning example: SWBAT write a letter Formative: Identify the proper or improper
using appropriate format and writing conventions used in a letter/paragraph.
conventions.

*In the right column, describe whether the assessment youll collect is formative or summative.
Note: most assessment is considered formative when thinking about day-to-day lessons.
Summative is related to mastery. An exception might be having a formal quiz mid-way in a
unit to assure that students are on track with a certain degree of proficiency. Should the quiz
indicate students are not progressing, and adjustment of timing in the instructional unit will be
required.
 g. Student Voice: Student voice is a term used to describe students expressing their
understanding of their own learning process. For your lesson, respond to the three required
components of student voice and identify how students will reflect and/or communicate on
their learning or progress toward meeting the goals. (Use the following table.)

Student-based evidence to be Description of how students

K-12 students will be able to:
1. Explain student learning targets
and what is required to meet
them (including why they are
important to learn).
2. Monitor their own learning
progress toward the learning
targets using the tools provided
(checklists, rubrics, etc.).
3. Explain how to access
resources and additional
support when needed (and
how/why those resources will
help them).
collected (things produced by
students: journals, exit slips, self-
assessments, work samples,
projects, papers, etc.)
Refer to the learning targets on the
board, refer to directions, and refer
to rubric.
Refer back to previous journal
entries. Crate a self-checklist and
refer back to the rubric and
instructions provided by the teacher.
Refer back to their daily writing
journal for additional support or
resources. Also refer back to their
short essay they did the day before
this lesson to understand parts of
verb tenses.
will reflect on their learning.
Create a self assessment.
Before turning in the letter,
ask yourself: did I use correct
conventions, verb tenses,
provide sequenced events?
Four years from after they
have written this letter, they
may access it to find out
information, see progress of
writing, etc.
Refer back to previous work,
talk with peers, and continue
to use these skills for further
writing tasks throughout their
academic career and beyond.

h. Grouping of Students for Instruction: Students will be grouped together after getting
introduced to the assignment to popcorn ideas off of one another using the prompt and
example given to them by the teacher. This will help students be creative by getting ideas
from one another and then running with them using their own experiences. This will set the
ELL students up to succeed getting tips and ideas from their fellow classmates. Anytime
students can help each other out is a good teaching strategy. This group meeting would last
about 12-15 minutes; they can also decorate their envelopes while they are talking about
writing ideas. The assignment itself will be done individually.

Section 2: Instruction and Engaging Students in Learning

a. Introduction:
As we introduce this lesson, we will tell them that this assignment is going to be a letter to
themselves for the future. A letter that they will seal in an envelope that they will decorate and then
give them back to me to put in storage for the next four years to be opened as an 8 th grader. The letter
will contain information about how they feel about entering middle school, what is going on in their
present life right now, events that have happened to them in the past, and what they think the future
holds for them. (Goals, sports, school, family, pets, etc.) They will have freedom to write what they
want, but follow a prompt for proper guidance and so they use past, present, and future verb tenses.
Teacher will then show them an example of what he/she did when he/she was their age writing a
letter to future self. This will motivate them to be creative and maybe even make a few predictions
about the future for when they get their letter back four years from now.

b. Questions:
1. Can you think of an event that has happened to you in the past? (Remembering)
2. What do you think middle school will be like? (Analyzing)
3. What is your favorite memory of the 4th grade? (Analyzing)
4. What are you most excited for in the future? (Applying)
5. What are your goals, long term or short term? (Evaluating)
6. What is going on in your life right now that you want to remember for the future?
(Evaluating)

c. Learning Activities: Describe what the teacher will do and say and students will do during
the lesson. Write it as a procedural set of steps in the left column of table below. On the
right, refer to a supporting learning theory or principle driving that activity and/or your
rationale for doing what you are doing.

Prompts for right hand columnsupporting theories/principles. In the right column, use
references from texts, research/peer reviewed journals, or other learning theories to support
your choice of activities. You might draw from your 301 and/or your methods courses here.
o Connections between students own lives, experiences, cultures, interests and the content.
o Active learning over passive learning (e.g. SCI Learning Experiences laddersimulation
over verbal)
o Theoretical support for learning activities (e.g. Culturally responsive strategy, or
processing)
o Multiple means of representation for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of engagement for the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Multiple means of expression of learning by the K-12 students (UDL principle)
o Accommodations and modifications for students with diverse needs, including those with
disabilities (as stated in their IEPs)
o How the teacher candidate will assess the learning of the students (from table above)
Learning Steps and Activities Supporting Theories/Principles
(Why are you doing what you are doing?)
Example: Transition from introduction by asking Supports multiple means of engagement, and
students to look at inputs and in pairs, create a allowing students to generate their own inputs
list of additional community assets/contributions from experience; is more culturally responsive
(inputs) for social change diagram. Circulate than teacher generated ideas only.
around groups to observe students progress.
1. I DO/YOU WATCH This allowing students to generate their own
Begin explaining the lesson of the day to the inputs from experiences they have, are having,
students. So yesterday we wrote short and will have in their life.
essays about what our favorite memory of
the 4th grade was and included past tense in Practices use of verb tenses which we use in
our writing. Well I loved hearing about all of almost all of communication, writing and
the special, fun memories we have shared in verbal.
the 4th grade, so today, we are going to use
all of the verb tenses we have learned about Supports the creation of a personal letter.
and write a letter. This is a special letter!
This letter will be created by you, to you. Acknowledges practice of sequence writing.
Once you are finished, you may decorate the
envelop the letter is going in and give the
letter to me. I am going to hold onto these
letters, then return them to you in the eighth
grade. Pull out supplies and show them
what they will be able to work with. In this
letter, I want you to use verb tenses to
explain to your future self what you are
feeling about soon becoming a middle school
student. You may also include events that
have happened in life, or what is happening
now, such as who your friends are, what
sports you like, your favorite school subject,
a story about what your little brother did the
other day, and so on. Then I want you to
predict a few things that may happen
between now and the eighth grade, so you
are able to make those verb tense
connections! I wrote a letter similar to this
when I was your age. Show them the letter.
Share the letter with them. Lets see what
type of writing I used in my letter!
2. I DO/YOU HELP Re-teaching and sharing ideas.
 Teacher asks, Did you notice the tenses Giving and receiving suggestions from peers.
and voice that I used in my letter to show
my future self the old me? Who can
remind us all of what the three verb
tenses we have been working on are?
Call on one or more students until all
three are identified. Student answers
present, past, and future tenses.
Teacher replies, Awesome! Now talk
with the students next to you to share
ideas of what we can and may write
about. Students will then communicate
and brainstorm ideas.
3. YOU DO/I WATCH Compare life events, academic progress, and
Teacher brings back the students changes/similarities.
attention and instructs them to begin
creating their letter. Now that we have Opens up the mind to draw possible
thought of some ideas, lets begin conclusions in the future for themselves.
working! This should be a fun task for
everyone. Lets show our future selves
how great of writers we are, how great
our lives are, and how well we know
how to use our verb tenses! Students
begin to quietly write their letters. They
will complete a letter, decorate an
envelope, and seal them for later in life
as 8th grade students. Discuss how they
felt about the writing and explain the
importance of opening it 4 years from
now.

b. Closure: To close out this assignment we would like them to reflect on what they have just
written. Putting all learning aside for a moment and taking in the here and now. Have them
look around the room at their peers and understand how lucky they are to be together in this
classroom. Teach something more than just content because that is a big part of what this
letter to themselves is about. We will also go back over the learning objectives and make sure
that we covered all of them before moving forward. Then we will ask the students what they
took from it instead of just telling them what they were supposed to take away from the
assignment. The question of if they use proper writing conventions and verb tenses in their
writing will be asked as well.

c. Independent Practice: Writing this letter will definitely benefit the students in a positive
way because exposing them to writing letters at a young age will get them in the habit of
writing formally and personally. They get to have fun with a flexible prompt and it will set
their letter writing experience up with a fun and positive learning experience. They will have
been exposed to verb tenses and that will also be another great tool to have for their future
 writings and setting up showing their own voice in their work. It is a great experience for
when the students go home that night to tell their parent or guardian what they wrote about in
their letters. I remember writing my letter and being so excited for what the future held for
me and how my past had shaped the person I was at that time. Reading it four years later and
hearing what friends had said was an experience I will never forget.

d. Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology:

Paper
Pencils
Colored Pencils
Envelopes
Examples of verb tenses
Prompt

e. Acknowledgements:

United States, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief
State School Officers. (2010)Common Core State Standards (ELA-Literacy-fourth
grade). Washington D.C.: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices,
Council of Chief State School Officers.