Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

Lesson Topic/Lesson Length: Participation in small-group

Name: Ashley Townsend
discussions (in preparation for The Giver)/ ~ 55 minutes
Content Area: English language arts Grade Level(s): 7th grade (advanced)
Class Context: 23 students, class is split almost evenly (male & female), majority of the students are Caucasian, students
are extremely outgoing with one another, students tend to talk out during instruction, students prefer teacher to pull
sticks for participation

Lesson Content
Background Information/ Relevance/ Context/ Rationale (Purpose) – Please be clear about how this particular lesson is situated within
the current instructional sequence (i.e., unit), why this content important for students to learn, and how you will convey the relevance and significance of
this lesson to students.

This lesson is designed to be taught at the beginning of a unit. During this unit, students will be getting together often to
discuss The Giver. This lesson will be taught before students have their first small group discussion on the novel, so this
lesson will give students the opportunity to think about how to have conversations with their peers. There will be an
emphasis on participation and ways to keep the conversation afloat. This lesson is not only useful for the students to talk
about the book, but is also a great life skill. Students will be comfortable communicating with others and holding
respectful conversation, even if there are differences in opinions. This relevance will be conveyed throughout the lesson.

Relevant VSOLs/CCSSs – Include only the standards addressed by this particular lesson

VSOL 7.1 The student will participate in and contribute to conversations, group discussions, and oral presentations.
a) Use a variety of strategies to listen actively and speak using agreed-upon discussion rules with awareness of
verbal and nonverbal cues.
d) Participate in collaborative discussions with partners, building on others’ ideas.
e) Make statements to communicate agreement or tactful disagreement with others’ ideas.
h) Work effectively and respectfully within diverse groups.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners
on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Learning Targets -- Please reference these learning targets throughout your lesson plan.
As a result of this lesson, students will…

Understand:

1. Students will understand that small-group discussions require participation from all group members in order to
function to their full potential.

Know:
2. Students will know three different strategies for participating in small-group discussions.

Do:
3. Students will be able to actively participate in a small-group discussions by using sentence stems, scrap paper, or
using their text for examples.
4. Students will be able to reflect on what they’ve learned about participation in small-group discussions.

1
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program
Assessments: – How will you know if students have met/made progress towards the learning targets? Be sure these assessments are integrated
throughout the procedures and steps in the lesson outlined below.
Diagnostic
Method of assessment:
(from previous class)-Vocabulary Group
Discussion
Description of assessment:
The diagnostic assessment for this lesson
was taken during the students’ first
vocabulary group discussions on 9/10.
Students had not been given many
directions on how to participate in small-
group discussion, so I took mental notes
and made observations about how
students interacted with one another and
on individual student’s participation level.
Aligned with which Learning Target(s):
3 strategy on my notes on my clipboard.
Criteria for assessment:
Are students able to
• Work with peers to review
vocabulary words and homework
(i.e. stay on task, contribute to
the conversation)
• Include all group members in the
conversation
• Contribute meaningfully to the
group
How data will be used:
During these conversations, I noticed that
some groups had trouble including others
in the conversation. There were some
students who participated a lot, and there
were some students who struggled to get
into the conversation. Therefore, I decided
to focus this lesson on the ways students
can actively participate in group
discussions.
Formative Summative
Method of assessment: Method of assessment:
Small group discussion N/A
Description of assessment: Description of assessment:
I will circulate between groups to assess N/A
students’ level of participation in the
conversation. I will stay at each group long Aligned with which Learning Target(s):
enough to ensure that the group is N/A
functioning appropriately. I will also be Criteria for assessment:
looking for misconceptions to correct at N/A
the end of the lesson. I am looking to see if How data will be used:
students are using the strategies discussed N/A
during the mini-lesson (sentence stems,
scrap paper, & text) to participate. I will be
identifying which students use which
Aligned with which Learning Target(s):
1, 2, 3
Criteria for assessment:
• Is there verification that all
students are actively
participating in the group
conversation?
• Are students using their notes to
keep the conversation going, if
needed?
How data will be used:
I will use the observations/notes that I
make to address misconceptions and areas
of improvement at the end of the lesson.
By misconceptions, I am looking for
students that are using any of the 3
strategies incorrectly. I will also use this
information to inform my future lessons
and to remind students of before any
future small-group discussions.
Method of assessment:
Written personal reflection (Exit Slip)
Description of assessment:
Students will complete an Exit Slip at the
end of the lesson. Students will have an
opportunity to individually reflect on what
they’ve learned about participating in
small group discussion, things they want
to learn more about, and a question they
still have about participating in small-
group discussion.
Aligned with which Learning Target(s):
1, 2, 4
Criteria for assessment:
• Are students able to reflect on
what they’ve learned and what
they want to know more
about/have questions about?
2
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

• Are students able to name

specific strategies for
participating in small-group
discussions?
How data will be used:
I will use the information obtained from
the Exit Slips to plan future mini-lessons on
small-group discussions. They will be
based on what the students would like to
know more about and what they have
questions on.
Materials/ Supplies/ Sources/ Digital and Interactive Instructional Technology (if appropriate): – Please list all necessary
instructional supplies, materials, and sources. Make sure that these are clearly labeled and referenced throughout the lesson plan to enhance clarity.

• Appendix A: The Giver

• Appendix B: Welcome Back!/Do Now slide
• Appendix C: Do Now handout (Front)
• Appendix D: Mini-lesson slides
• Appendix E: Strategies handout (Back)
• Appendix F: Exit Slip
• Appendix G: Scrap paper

Beginning Room Set Up: -How is the room set up when the students enter? Is there anything written on the board or projected on the screen? Are
their handouts, books, etc. that are laid out for students to pick up as they enter?

Students will sit in their assigned seats [students sit in pairs] as they enter the room. The usual “Welcome
Back!” screen will be displayed on the board. There will be a Do Now handout on students’ desks. The
welcome screen will instruct students to begin working on the handout. It will also instruct students to start
reading if they finish their handout before class begins.

Welcome Back! screen:

“Welcome Back!

Managers:
1. Pass out the notebooks.

Class:
2. Please start working on the handout on your desk.
3. READ if you finish early.”

[The 3 class managers are randomly selected by the teacher, and are rotated each week. You can find the class
managers by looking at the colored notecards on the wall, to the right of the whiteboard. The managers are
responsible for passing out the class notebooks at the start of each class period.

In this class, students are always to have a book to read if they finish work early. If students forgot a book or
just finished a book, they are to go quietly to the class library and select a new book. Students do not have to
check the books out.]

3
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

Proactive Planning for Learning Differences: – What planned supports have you included to make the content accessible for all learners (i.e.,
groups of students and/or specific students) and to build upon learners’ diversity? Be sure any modifications are explicitly explained in the procedures/steps
outlined below.

I’ve included a graphic organizer for this lesson. This will help all of the students stay focused and take notes during the
mini-lesson, but it was specifically designed to help Katherine, as she needs structure to help her stay focused. I’ve also
included a “turn and talk” to your shoulder partner before holding a whole class discussion, as Andy is more likely to
participate if he’s shared his ideas with a partner first.

Procedures/Steps in the Lesson: -- May follow a specific model (i.e., Direct Instruction, Jigsaw) or be more open-ended. Be sure to think about
what students will be doing during each step, in addition to what you are doing. Scripting and/or estimated time frames may or may not be included, but the
plan should be clear and explicit enough that another person would be able to teach from it.

I. Welcome Back/Getting Started (10 minutes)

As students enter the classroom, I will greet them at the door. I will remind them to read the screen as they
settle into their seats. After everyone is in their assigned seats and have had around 5 – 10 minutes to
complete the Do Now, I will address the entire class:

Hi everyone! It is so good to see you all today. Thank you so much for coming into the room, getting settled, and
getting started on your Do Now. I really appreciate that. So, how are we feeling today? [students may shout out
responses, allow for a few responses, address responses & then continue] Awesome, I am so glad to hear that
you all are hanging in there! I am really excited for our lesson today. As you all know, we have just started reading
The Giver. So, I want us to talk today about how to have great group conversations. Before we do, I want to
review the Do Now that you guys completed as you came into the room.

II. Review of Do Now/Introduction to Small-Group Discussions (6 minutes)

So, your Do Now activity was to think about a time you were a part of some kind of team. It could be a sports
team, a club or academic team here at Burley, or any other time that you worked together in a group. I also asked
you to think about what it means to you to be a part of a team. I want you to turn to your shoulder partner and
share a few of your ideas with each other. You have 2 minutes – GO! [Circulate around the room to listen to
students’ responses] [After 2 minutes, hit the bell.]

I heard some really great responses as I walked around the room. Today, we are going to talk about how working
in a small-group is like being a part of a team. Does anyone have any ideas about how participating in a small
group in class is similar to being on a team? [Allow for student responses, call on 3-4 students, possible
responses include: working together for a common purpose, helping each other, not giving up, etc. If students
mention “winning,” try to talk to students about working towards a common goal instead.]

Everything we just said is true. I want to emphasize that on a team – everybody participates. I know it’s cheesy –
but there is no “I” in team. We need everyone in order to be the best team we can be! Each person on the team or
in the class has their own strengths that he/she can bring to the conversation. The reason I had you thinking about
your team experiences for the Do Now is because we are going to learn strategies today for participating in your
small group discussions. You know how to participate on your soccer team or in the Bearettes. So, I’m going to
teach you how to participate in small group discussions too.

I also want you to think about the coach of the team for just a second. In this classroom, I want you to think of me
as your coach. I am here to support you and to give you guidance, but it’s up to your team to work together to get
the job done. Or in this case, to hold your small group conversations.

III. Mini-Lesson on Participation (PowerPoint slides) (15 minutes)

4
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

Now we are going to move into the lesson or as I like to call it - the game plan. I am going to give you some
strategies to help you with your small-group discussions. Please flip your Do Now paper over to the back. [pause
for a few seconds to allow students to flip paper over] As I walk through the strategies and the examples, I
want you to follow along and take notes on your handout. Listen carefully, because I will point out which things
you should write down. Remember that our goal is to think about how you can contribute to your own group.
And how as a group member, you can ensure everybody is getting a chance to speak. I am here to support you,
but you guys should be talking to each other. In this case, we are focusing on The Giver, but we will talk about
other books and texts later in the year. I also want you to remember that learning how to work in groups is very
important because you need to know how to communicate with other people in your life too: parents, friends,
teachers, coaches, principals, grandparents, etc.

Okay, let’s look at slide 1 [turn to Slide 1]: Our first strategy for participation is Sentence Stems. Sometimes, the
conversation just stops or you aren’t sure how to phrase what it is that you want to say. Sentence stems can help
us do this.

Please be sure to write these examples down on your handout.

Sentence Stem 1: I was wondering…

Sentence Stem 2: I can’t stop thinking about…
Sentence Stem 3: My favorite part was…
Sentence Stem 4: The part that really didn’t make sense to me was…

Is there a volunteer to practice a sentence stem using Three Skelton Key that we read a few weeks ago? [If there
are no volunteers, I will provide an example. Example: I can’t stop thinking about how those men were locked
up for so long, being watched by the rats. If I provide this example, I will ask a student to reinforce how to use
sentence stems by using my example. OR If there are volunteers, call on 1-2. Ensure students that there will be
plenty of time for everyone to practice in a few minutes.] Great job everyone. Let’s move on to our next
strategy.

Our next strategy [turn to Slide 2] is about silence. I want you guys to know that silence is okay in group
discussions. Sometimes, that just means that everyone is thinking really hard about what to say next. If there is
silence, there are a few things we can do. The first thing is to draw or write silently on our own. Sometimes, we
just need a time-out to think about everything that we’ve said. You can try to sketch on a piece of paper or start
writing what you are thinking about. Sometimes, this will help get the conversation going again. However, it
needs to be drawing or writing related to the discussion. On your handout under Strategy #2 please write “draw,
write, or sketch.” [wait for students to write this down before continuing]

There could also be members of your group who haven’t said much during the conversation. You can politely
invite quieter members into the conversation. Here is one sentence starter: Group Member, I’d love to hear what
you think. Please write this sentence stem down under Strategy #2 on your handout. [wait for students to write
this down before continuing] However, you can’t invite quieter members into your conversation after you’ve had
a long conversation and have said a lot about the topic. It might be time to move on and the quieter team
member may not have anything to add. Be mindful of when you encourage other team members to participate.

Another way for quieter group members to get involved is the use of the scrap paper. If there is something you
think of during the discussion, you can write it down. It may help you to have it as a resource when you start to
speak in the conversation. Please write “scrap paper” on your handout under Strategy #2. [wait for students to
write this down before continuing] Are there any questions about Strategy 2? [If there are no questions, move
to Strategy 3/Slide 3]

5
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

Our third strategy [turn to Slide 3] is to remember that your book is the common ground in your group. In
keeping with our sports analogy, think of your text as the football or the baseball. We should always be using our
text as base for our discussion, but sometimes, we get so wrapped up in our conversation that we forget about it.
By using our text, we make sure that everyone is on the same page, which allows everyone to participate in the
group. Under Strategy #3 on your handout, please write “use book to point to examples.” However, if your group
does get off track, you need to bring the conversation back. One way to do this is to read a section from the book.
It might even be the section that got you off track in the first place. Your goal is to help your group refocus the
conversation.

Are there any questions about any of the strategies I’ve just mentioned? [allow time for questions]

IV. Small Group Practice (Reading) (15 minutes)

Okay, now I want to give you guys a chance to practice what we’ve just talked about. I am going to give you 2
minutes to group yourselves into your vocabulary groups. [students are very aware of their vocabulary groups,
it should be groups of 3-4 students each, groups will be spread out across the room, using the numbers
hanging from the ceiling as designation spots] Please be sure that you are listening because you need to have a
few things with you to talk with your group. You need to take a pen or pencil, your copy of The Giver, your
Strategies handout, and your question you wrote for homework to discuss with your group. [The homework was
to write down 1 open-ended question they wanted to discuss with their group.] Are there any questions about
what to bring with you? [Allow for responses or questions. Possible issues may involve students who have
forgotten their book at home (solution: share with a peer for today), students who have forgotten their
homework question at home or didn’t do the homework (solution: students may grab an additional piece of
scrap paper to quickly write down a question)] GO! [Give students 2 minutes to move into their groups, assist
students as needed, pass out scrap paper as students settle in, ring bell when the 2 minutes are up]

Awesome, you guys are fast! And I love how well you follow directions.

We are going to practice having great small-group discussions with the chapters you read last night [students
should have read Chapters 1-4 for homework]. I want you to talk with your group about the book, using the
questions you wrote down. Remember the strategies that we just talked about and use your sheet to help you.
I’ve also given you a piece of scrap paper to use in case your group decides to draw, sketch, or write while you are
discussing. Remember that you can also use the paper to write down your thoughts if you are hesitant about
jumping into the conversation. You will have 10 minutes to discuss the story. GO! [circulate the room, listening to
groups, start collecting information to address in the wrap-up, remind students to look at their notes if they
are stuck]

V. Wrap-up/Exit Ticket (Reflection) (10 minutes)

[ring bell after 10 minutes are up] Alright everybody. I saw some really awesome group discussions going on as I
walked around the room. How did you guys feel during these discussions? [Allow time for a whole group share
out, answer questions, validate responses] I really appreciate you guys sharing with me. I did notice a few things
as I listened in to the groups. Remember [talk about certain things that came up during the group discussion,
common misconceptions].

Okay, I have one final individual activity before we end for the day. I am now going to pass out an Exit Ticket [pass
out Exit Ticket, but keep talking]. For this Exit Ticket, you will list 3 things you learned today about group
discussions, 2 things you want to learn more about in the future, and 1 question you still have after participating
in the activities today. This is a time for reflection, so everyone should remain quiet while completing this activity.

6
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

Are there any questions? [Students may ask about what to do if they can’t think of 3 things/2 things/1 thing for
the Exit Ticket, remind students to review their notes and to do their best, remind students that this is not for
a grade] Please quietly put your Exit Ticket in the appropriate basket by the wall when you are finished, then read
your book. [monitor the room as students complete the Exit Ticket, answer questions as needed, students
should place their Exit Ticket in the basket for Block 3 against the wall on the left side of the classroom]

Okay! Thank you again for your hard work today. You guys really worked together like a team. I am very
impressed. Because you worked so hard today and you followed all of my directions, I am going to give you guys a
bonus point [walk to the wall and give class a bonus point by placing a green checkmark next to Followed
Directions]. Please go ahead and pack up your belongings [give students time to pack up]. Please remember that
your homework is to [state students’ homework and point to the place on the board]. I will see everyone
tomorrow! Okay, remember that we dismiss by rows in this class – Row 1, you are dismissed! [continue to dismiss
Row 2 & Row 3]

Materials Appendix (if appropriate):-Please include the slides, images, links to texts, handouts, etc. that are used in this lesson. They should be
“Student Ready”

• Appendix A: The Giver by Lois Lowry (school will provide copies)

• Appendix B: Welcome Back!/Do Now slide

• Appendix C: Do Now handout (Front)

7
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

• Appendix D: Mini-lesson slides

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fypkVW6a2mzhRoZS7Uzu_FAdVDcYZ4_yYjiXFjMfo_U/edit?usp=sharing

• Appendix E: Strategies handout (Back)

• Appendix F: Exit Slip

8
 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

• Appendix G: Scrap paper (available in mentor teacher’s classroom)