Malala’s Magic Pencil

Grade Level: 4th

Curriculum Area: Language Arts And Fine Arts

Approximate Time: 45 min

Core Objectives and Standards:

Reading: Literature Standard 1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.

Writing Standard 1
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Fine Arts Core:

Standard 4. V.CR.1:

Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem.

Personal Objectives:
● Identifying how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning.
● Drawing inferences – interpreting characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their
actions, and justifying inferences with evidence
●

Materials:
● The story Malala’s Magic Pencil
● Pencil
● Smart Board
● Worksheet
● Doc cam

Key Vocabulary: bother, rubbish, swatting, scraps,

Phase I: Explorations and Explanation

Introduce the lesson by telling the students that we are going to learn about inferences. Give each
student the worksheet about inferences. Explain what is inference and write the definition on the
board. Read the paragraph from the worksheet and ask students to make inferences. Ask students
to choose the answer from the multiple choice and ask them to explain why they make that
inference.

Guided Practice/ Individually differentiated instructions:

Once students understand what inferences are. I will distribute the Malala’s worksheet to the
students. I will show the cover of the book to the students and ask them to make an inference
why the illustrator use golden color for the pencil? I will give 2 minutes to the student to make
an inference. When students are done, ask a few students to share their thoughts.
Now I will ask all the students to gather at the carpet and I will read the book to them.

Continue reading the book and after reading the end of page 18, ask students to jot down any
questions that have come to their mind at this point. Remind them that good readers always ask
questions. Sometimes we can read on to find answers, sometimes we have to go to other sources,
sometimes our questions remain unanswered. But good readers are always thinking. Give
students 2 minutes to write questions and ask a few students to share.

After reading to the end of page 28 ask students to connect with Malala: Ask students how would
they describe Malala based on her actions? Readers are always making connections with the
characters in the books. This is a way of putting ourselves in their shoes and understanding their
stories more fully. When we connect, we better remember what we have read too!

Independent working/ Assessment or exit ticket:

After finishing the book ask students to jot down a few thoughts about what they think the theme
of the book might be. Tell them that when we think about the theme, we can think about life
lessons the author may want us to take away from the book. What lessons might we learn from
Malala's story? Students can work with their shoulder partner and once they are done they can
submit this worksheet as the exit ticket.

Now show the students the short video about the Malala’s book and students can also review
what I have just read
https://youtu.be/jWKYalbPLRY

DAP:
 ○ Begins with an assessment of prior knowledge
○ Brings real-world problem solving into the classroom
○ Social and cognitive aspects of development are addressed
○ Students with a wide range of abilities should be able to participate throughout
○ Assessment is on-going, aligned with the curriculum, and completed in the
context of authentic problem-solving.

Accommodations:

Students with special needs and ELLs:

● Provide visuals of the worksheet
● Provide a copy of the story to each student with their highlighted parts
● Explain the learning expectations before we start the lesson.
● Ask students to eliminate all unnecessary materials from their desks.
● Model how to complete an assignment.
● Make sure I have students attention before describing an assignment
● Modify my speech by slowing down and use several visuals
● Be enthusiastic and animated while teaching this lesson