Name: Dana Egan Cohort: C2

Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: What is a Biography? Grade: 6 Date: November 20th 2018 Subject/Strand: Language - Writing Unit: I
Am Canadian Location: Classroom 231 Times: 10:50 am -12:30 pm

Lesson Plan Description (What are you teaching? How does it fit into the context of the unit? What are the big ideas/essential/enduring
understandings?)

In the core learning activity I will be teaching students to write a biography. This lesson fits into a unit cross-curricular with
social studies where students are studying similarities and differences between Canada and other countries. In this unit,
students will be picking a famous Canadian to write a biography on. The big ideas in this lesson

STEP 1 : CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Ontario Curricular Overall Expectations (numbers from documents and details)

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

Ontario Curricular Specific Expectations and Achievement Chart Categories

(Numbers from documents and details) selected & listed from the Ont. Curriculum, (refined when necessary): realistic number of expectations (1 or 2), connect
to assessment. Indicate category in brackets beside specific expectation :Knowledge and Understanding( K ) Thinking (T); Communication (C);
Application(A)

1.3 gather information to support ideas for writing, using a variety of strategies and a range of print and electronic resources
(e.g., identify the steps required to gather information; interview people with knowledge of the topic; identify and use graphic
and multimedia resources; record sources used and information gathered in a form that makes it easy to understand and
retrieve)

Learning Goals Discuss with students: What will I be learning today? (Clearly identify what students are expected to know and be able to do, in
language that students can readily understand.)

Today I am learning…
● What a biography is
● How to write a biography
● About a famous Canadian

STEP 2: ASSESSMENT
Purpose of the lesson (indicate purpose for this lesson/assessment) [x] FOR [ ] AS [ ] OF

Success Criteria Discuss with students: How will I know I have learned what I need to learn? (Clearly identify the criteria to assess student’s
learning: evidence of learning students will provide to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and thinking, in language that students can readily understand).
Indicate the Achievement Chart criteria.

I CAN:
● Explain what a biography is meant for (C)(K)
● Name at least 1 famous Canadian (K)(A)
● Explain the important parts of a biography (C)(K)

I can work independently by:

● Independently monitors, assesses, and revise my plans to complete tasks and meet goals
● Uses class time appropriately to complete tasks
● Follow instructions with minimal supervision

Assessment Mode- Written, Oral,
Performance (Write, Say, Do)
Write - Students will be
demonstrating their learning today
by collecting research and writing
about a famous Canadian.
Do - Students will be researching
and collecting information on their
Canadian
Assessment Strategy and Task for
Students-
What are the students doing to show their
learning?
Students will be demonstrating their learning
by understanding the purpose and structure
of a biography. Students will begin the
research process by finding information on
their Canadians.
Assessment Tool - Instrument used
to assess; Record Keeping format
Class tracking sheet. Organized by
student name, overall expectation and
specific expectation. Check
Mark=strong understanding, O=possible
revisit, X=needs further support/does
not understand, educator will also track
the learning skill on this sheet
(independent)

STEP 3: CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING

Prior Learning: Prior to this lesson, students will have

Students will have already begun the quantity relationships unit and learned how to read and represent whole numbers to 1
000 000. As well, students will have compared numbers and represented them in expanded form.

I.E.P. program implications: Accommodations, Modifications

S: Chromebook, Grade 2 language
R: Chromebook
J: Chromebook if necessary
N: Chromebook
Differentiation: Content, Process, Product, Environment, Assessment
Process: Partner work, manipulatives present
Environment: Alternative work stations will be available to students who need quiet work space, DPA breaks, sensory breaks
for two specific students when necessary
Assessment: observations, oral responses, daily work, performance tasks

Learning Skills/Work Habits: [ ] responsibility, [ ] organization, [x] independent work, [ ] collaboration, [ ] initiative, [ ] self-regulation
Students will independently monitor and revise their plans to complete tasks and meet goals, use class time appropriately and
follow instructions with minimal supervision.

Vocabulary: (for word wall addition or reference and/or to develop schema for this lesson. To be addressed in lesson)
Biography
Famous
Canadian
Research

Resources and Materials /Technology Integration: List ALL items necessary for delivery of the lesson. Include any attachments of student
worksheets used and teacher support material that will support communication of instruction. Include the use of Information Technology (ICT) in your lesson
plan where appropriate.

GEI in Literacy 4-6

Growing Success
Differentiation in Instruction
Ontario Curriculum
Computers/Chromebooks

Three Part Lesson Identify what the students are expected to think about or do.

What Teachers Do: Write the lesson What Students do: Identify what the students are expected to think
description with enough detail that another about or do (in terms of learning processes).
teacher could replicate the lesson without a
personal discussion. Prompts and guiding
questions are required in each section.

Minds on: Motivational Hook/engagement /Introduction (5-15 min)

Establish a positive learning environment, connect to prior learning, set the context for learning, pre-determine key questions to guide lesson.
Time: 10:50__-__11:05___ (Indicate time breakdown of
instructional elements) 15 min

Students will enter the classroom from snack at 10:50 am.

Educator will review what students have been
doing in social studies with their rants,
stereotypes etc.

Educator will ask if students know any famous

Canadians.

After a small discussion of some Canadians

they may know, the educator will display a slide
of a few famous Canadians and will ask if the
students recognize any of them.

If you were looking for information on a famous

Possible Answers:
person, what sort of information would you like
● Where they were born
to know?
● Their favourite food
● What they are famous for

Can I have someone read our learning goal?

Today I am learning…
● What a biography is
● How to write a biography
● About a famous Canadian
How can we know we are successful today?
I CAN:
● Explain what a biography is meant for (C)(K)
● Name at least 1 famous Canadian (K)(A)
● Explain the important parts of a biography (C)(K)

How can we work independently today?

I can work independently by:
● Independently monitors, assesses, and revise my plans to complete
tasks and meet goals
● Uses class time appropriately to complete tasks
● Follow instructions with minimal supervision

Action: During /Working on it (time given for each component, suggested 15-40 min)

Focus is on student interactions with task/peers/teacher. Identify students/groups receiving teacher direction.
Time: _11:05___-___12:15___ (Indicate time breakdown of
instructional elements) 70 min

(15 min)
Possible Answers:
What are some important things we should
● Place and Date of Birth
include in our biographies?
● Profession - What are they famous for
● Interesting Facts
● Children
How do we search things on the internet? What
● Childhood etc.
are some appropriate sites to use?

Educator will also let students know there are

books available if needed.

Educator will ask students to find a partner to

work together.
Students will work in pairs and find ONE
Canadian. However, students will hand in
separate assignments.

Educator will allow students with chromebooks

to go pick theirs up first and find an appropriate
spot to work.

Other students will go by group to pick up a

computer from the cart.

Students will have approx. 30-40 min to

research their chosen Canadian. Students will
have to sign up for their Canadian on a class list
before the research starts.

Possible Prompt Questions: (based on

Blooms)
· Why did you choose these items?
· How did you figure that out?
· Tell me how you thought about that.
● What is the most important idea that
was generated in today’s discussion?
● Can you explain this concept in your
own words?
● Can you draw a diagram to illustrate
Students’ high order thinking will be prompted by the educators questions to
 this idea? help them think deeper about what they are doing, why they are doing it and
● Could you elaborate on that point? what it means. It allows them to take responsibility for their own learning by
● Can you explain what you mean? being accountable of the knowledge they acquired and putting it to use in
● How do you know that? this activity.
● What do you think about the idea just
presented by your classmate?
● Do you agree or do you see the issue
differently? Explain.
● Can you think of another way to solve
that problem?
● Would you get a different result?

Consolidation & Connection (Reflect and Connect) (5-15 min.)

Help students demonstrate what they have learned, provide opportunities for consolidation and reflection. Close the assessment loop.

Time: _12:15____-___12:20____ (Indicate time breakdown

of instructional elements) 20 min

At the 40 min mark - Educator will provide a

mini lesson on powerpoint presentations. The
educator will walk through how to create
themes, slides, structure information etc.

Educator will make sure all students have

signed up for a Canadian.

Did we meet our learning goal?

Today I am learning…
● What a biography is
● How to write a biography
● About a famous Canadian
I CAN:
How did we know we were successful in
● Explain what a biography is meant for (C)(K)
learning today?
● Name at least 1 famous Canadian (K)(A)
● Explain the important parts of a biography (C)(K)

How can we work independently today?

 I can work independently by:
● Independently monitors, assesses, and revise my plans to complete
tasks and meet goals
● Uses class time appropriately to complete tasks
● Follow instructions with minimal supervision

Extension Activities/Next Steps (where will this lesson lead to next)

The next lesson in this unit will be focused on researching the biographies, drafting, editing, revising etc.

Personal Reflection - Choose at least one question from each area that best allows you reflect on this lesson.
Questions should vary over the week and specific plans.

Learner Empowerment
1. How did students show
understanding of expectations?
2. How did my lesson transform
students from “passive listeners” to
“active participants”?
3. Was my behavior
management technique effective?
Why?
4. Were students able to
transition to the next activity
successfully?
5. How does the lesson provide
a meta-cognitive opportunity for
students to address their own learning?
Instructional Strategy
1. Was my motivational
technique (hook) effective? Why?
2. What will I do to improve
questions? Was a balance between
teacher and student talk evident?
3. How did the task provide a
Rich Performance opportunity or other
way of actively demonstrating
knowledge?
4. How did I provide modeling,
guided &/or independent practice?
5. Was my behavior
management technique effective?
Why?
6. Were students able to
transition to the next activity
successfully?

Professional Educator
1. What factors may have
influenced the success of this lesson?
Did I note and respond to these
elements appropriately?
2. How might I improve the
effectiveness of my teaching for my
next lesson?
3. What additional proactive
management step(s) should be
considered for subsequent lessons?
Why?
4. What did I learn from this
lesson about my own effectiveness as a
teacher (strengths and areas for future
improvement of communication,
planning, differentiation, implementation
and classroom organization,
management, assessment)?
5. How is my growth as a
professional being demonstrated?