Millicent Atkins School of Education: Common Lesson Plan Template
Teacher Candidate Name: NA
Grade Level: Grade 4
Subject: Language Arts
Date: 03-22-2021
PLANNING
List the Common Core/State Standard(s) to be addressed in this lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.B
Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
List the Rationale (cite theories or theorists):
Jean Piaget was an educational theorist who believed that individuals develop cognitively
through independent exploration, where the students construct knowledge on their own through
a diverse array of experiences. Two ways he stated that individuals take in new knowledge are
through assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation is a method where a student is adding
new knowledge to what they may already know, the prior schema. They make sense of the new
information using the facts that they have already accumulated and add it all together.
Adversely, accommodation is where the new knowledge replaces or changes the old knowledge
creating either a new base or transforming the prior one.
List the learning objective(s) to be addressed in this lesson (specific, measurable, attainable,
timebound). Use the following format: “Students will be able to…”
Students will be able to write a persuasive letter using three supporting arguments that appeal
to the strategies ethos, pathos and logos. Students will be able to identify whether each
example is using ethos, pathos, or logos and define persuasion in the assessment.
Describe how the learning objective(s) and the learning outcomes is/are appropriate for the
age/developmental level of the students.
Persuading someone to feel or act a certain way is an important skill for children to develop
since they will use it throughout their life like when trying to get a job. Persuasion surrounds us
everyday, from the TV chef telling us to cook healthy meals, to a magazine article detailing why
a certain make-up product is the very best. Persuasive writing helps students formulate specific
reasons for their opinions. Writing a letter using three strategies is a great foundation for
persuasive writing that they will be able to build upon as they advance to the upper grade
levels.
Describe the Classroom Demographics: (e.g., ethnicities; gender ratios; special needs, including
those of gifted students, those of students’ physical needs, and those due to cultural
characteristics).
24 students
13 females
11 males
No special needs
Describe your Knowledge of Students: (in terms of the whole class and individual students)
(e.g., language needs; approaches to learning; prior learning and experiences; academic
proficiencies/behavioral differences; areas of interest).
Variety of auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. Creative projects excite them and in turn, they
produce their best work.
List the materials/resources you will need to teach the lesson.
Paper (lined and blank)
Pencils
Colored pencils/crayons/markers
Anchor chart
Technology
Describe the instructional and/or assistive technology that you plan to incorporate into the lesson and
explain how it will enhance instruction and student learning.
I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman mentor text read aloud youtube video
Powerpoint slides
SMART Board
Accommodations: Base this on the information you provided for Classroom Demographics
and Knowledge of Students above.
Describe the accommodations/differentiation/modifications you will use to meet the needs of
all learners and accommodate differences in students’ learning, culture, language, etc. *
This lesson will work to accommodate to all types of learners. Visual Learners will be able to see
the book and words up on the screen in order to follow along. Additionally, examples will be
written on anchor charts for students to refer back to. For auditory learners the book will be
read aloud and all instructions will be told aloud and will be repeated for those who need it. For
kinesthetic learners the students will be creating their own letters, in which they will be
allowed to draw and color a picture of the class pet they are writing about.
Pre-Assessment: Describe the instrument or process you will use to measure students’ level of
understanding toward the learning objective(s) prior to teaching the lesson.
___If you decide not to come visit for thanksgiving it would break your grandmother’s heart!
___People who eat chocolate are 72% happier than those who don’t, so we should all eat chocolate every
day.
___Jerry knows a cavity when he sees one; he’s been a successful dentist for over 20 years.
___Convincing someone to do something, make someone believe in something or change someone’s mind
A. Ethos (based on credibly or character)
B. Pathos (appealing to emotions)
C. Logos (based on logic or facts)
D. Persuasion
Pre-Assessment: Describe how the results of the pre-assessment (what the students have
demonstrated they know) will be used to design the lesson objectives, instruction, and post-
assessment. (Include charts, graphs if applicable)
NA
Classroom Management
Identify the management and motivational strategies you will use to meet student behavioral/
developmental needs in order to keep students on task and actively engaged throughout the lesson.
The students will already know the proper behavior expected during story time from previous lessons,
however, positive feedback will be given to students who are modeling proper behavior. I will use
proximity during the read aloud to ensure all students are on task. Additionally, I will monitor students
throughout the activity in order to provide extra scaffolding and feedback to those who need it.
Implementation
“I Do”
(Teacher introduces lesson and models expected outcome(s) of learning objectives)
Describe what instructional strategies you will use to model/explain/demonstrate the knowledge
and skills required of the objective.
1. Introduce lesson by starting with a think, pair, share activity. As questions like: Have you ever
really, really wanted something? Did your parents say yes or no? How did you get them to say
yes? (I do, you do)
2. Hand out pre-assessment matching quiz for students to complete (you do)
3. Open powerpoint slides and talk about the definition of persuasion: Convincing someone to do
something, make someone believe in something or change someone’s mind (I do)
4. Say there are 3 common strategies used to try and persuade someone. “First, ethos is an
argument that is based on credibility or character of the person. This picture of an ad is an
example of ethos because you can see that the doctor has certificates on the wall and he is
wearing a lab coat which shows he is professional and a real doctor. This gives credibility and
may make someone more likely to buy the product because they can see that a doctor
endorses it or speaks for the product.” (I do)
5. “The next strategy is pathos. Pathos is an argument that appeals to your emotions. This ad is
an example because we feel sympathy for the sad looking puppy making us want to adopt
from the animal shelter giving them new homes.” (I do)
6. “The last strategy we are going to talk about is logos. Logos is an argument based on logic or
facts. This ad shows some facts of an android phone and then compares the price of another
phone brand to show it is cheaper. These facts make you want to buy their brand because the
logic shows it is better.” (I do)
7. Then introduce the book I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman mentor text. Play the read aloud
version on youtube one full time through. (I do)
8. Go through the book a second time pointing out how Alex uses ethos, pathos and logos to try
and convince his mom to let him keep the iguana. Say “The author uses pathos. Alex tries to
tug at his mom’s heartstrings a bit, doesn’t he? He says the iguana will get eaten by Stinky’s
dog if Alex doesn’t get to keep him.” (I do)
9. “The author also uses logos. He uses facts to convince his mother too, doesn’t he? He tells his
mother that it will take 15 years before the iguana will grow to be 6 feet so Alex won’t even
be living at home anymore.” (I do)
10. “The author also uses ethos. He promises to take care of the iguana so his mom doesn’t have
to, right? He says he will clean the cage just like he cleans his room which is addressing Alex’s
character and credibility.” (I do)
11. Explain to students that they will be practicing writing persuasively by writing a letter to the
teacher. The letter should convince the teacher to get a certain kind of class pet using an
argument point of each of the three strategies ethos, pathos and logos. Show students the
example letter in the powerpoint. (I do)
12. Next, do an example of one together. Ask the students to brain storm pet ideas. Ask one of
the students to share and write the animal on an anchor chart. Then have them brainstorm
reasons appealing to logos that they would use to convince the teacher to have it in the class.
Ask a couple to share and write them on the anchor chart as well asking which strategy that
argument appeals to. For example: Fish: Fish don’t make any noise so it wouldn’t disrupt the
class while students are trying to work. This uses the strategy logos because it is a fact that
fish don’t make any noise and it uses logic that you wouldn’t want a noisy pet in a classroom
while students try to learn. (we do)
13.In the same order and style do another example with a new animal and argument for pathos
and ethos together as a group on the anchor chart. (we do)
14.Hand out blank piece of paper and lined piece of paper. (I do)
15.Ask students how to begin a letter. Ex: Dear (teacher’s name), Ask how to end a letter. Ex:
Sincerely, (student name) (I do)
16.Remind the students that they are to write a letter to their teacher convincing him/her that
they should get a class pet.
“We Do”
(Teacher engages students in guided practice)
Describe the learning activities you will use to provide students multiple opportunities to practice the
skills and content needed to meet the learning objective(s).
16. (Continued) The students are writing persuasively and not simply writing about the subject.
The goal is to convince the reader! They must use all of the persuasion strategies (pathos, logos,
ethos) in their letter. They also need to draw and color a picture of the chosen class pet filling
the entire blank piece of paper. (you do)
17. For fun and excitement tell the class that later in the day they will pick the MOST persuasive
argument and give the letter to the principal to read. If it persuades the principal then they may
get to purchase that pet for their class!! (I do)
18. Lesson closing (see below)
19. Once letters are completed (possibly the next day), hand out post assessment. (you do)
“You Do”
(Students engage in independent practice)
Describe what the students will do to independently practice the knowledge and skills required by the
lesson objectives?
Lesson Closing
Describe how you will reemphasize the lesson objective(s) and any skills/content that were
taught in an interactive manner (whole/small group, etc.).
Have each student write their three persuasive points on a sticky note and place them on the
back white board. Then throughout day the students can read the notes and vote on which is the
most persuasive argument. The student that wins the most votes, his/her letter will then be
given to the principal to possibly see about getting that animal as a class pet.
Post-Assessment: APPENDIX: Include a blank copy of the lesson post-assessment you will use to
measure students’ level of understanding toward the learning objectives after teaching the lesson.
___If you decide not to come visit for thanksgiving it would break your grandmother’s heart!
___People who eat chocolate are 72% happier than those who don’t, so we should all eat chocolate every
day.
___Jerry knows a cavity when he sees one; he’s been a successful dentist for over 20 years.
___Convincing someone to do something, make someone believe in something or change someone’s mind
A. Ethos (based on credibly or character)
B. Pathos (appealing to emotions)
C. Logos (based on logic or facts)
D. Persuasion
Analyze
Post Assessment: Based on the results of the Pre and Post-Assessment, to what extent did students
achieve the learning goals/objective of the lesson? Cite examples from the lesson plan, assessments,
and/or video.
If applicable, insert a table/chart/graph before your explanation.
NA
Reflect
Reflect on your instructional strategies, interactions with students, and classroom management
strategies. Describe what went well and what areas you need to revise in the future. Cite examples (from
video) that support your conclusions.
Describe revisions that you could make if you were to teach this lesson again. Why would you make each
revision? Cite examples from the lesson plan, video and/or student work that would prompt revisions.
NA
