Lesson Plan: Interactive Read-Aloud

Grade: 5

Time: 15 minutes

Standards: SL.5.2. Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Objective: The student will listen as the teacher reads aloud, stopping to make connections to their own life and predictions about what will happen next.

Materials:

Just as Good: How Larry Doby Changed America’s Game by Chris Crowe

Lesson Sequence:

Before Reading:

-“Boys and girls, today I am going to begin reading a brand new book that I really enjoyed reading. I want you to look at the cover of the book and tell me what you see. Based on these observations, what do you think this book will be about? Can you make any predictions? Can you make any connections between the cover of the book and something the month of February is known for?

-Allow students to make predictions and connections.

-“Very good observations. Now I am going to start reading the book and as I read I want you to determine if the predictions you made are correct. If as I am reading you feel as though the prediction you made is incorrect, you can make a new prediction. Predictions are never wrong, because they are what you think may occur in the story. Raise your hand when I am reading if you think one of your predictions is being confirmed.”

During Reading:

-“The main character, the little boy, in the book is very excited about the game and on this page he just talked about how jittery he felt while listening to the game. Can I have three people tell me how they feel when they are watching sports on TV?” (page with Larry Doby batting)

-“On this page the boys dad says “Change is a comin”. Based on what you know already from our history what sort of change do you think the dad was referring to?” (page with dad spinning child around)

After Reading:

-“I want you to turn to your reading partner and talk about what you think the title has to do with the storyline and if you can make any connections to the boy in the book” (i.e. watch sports with a family member or play sports)

-After two or three minutes, take three pairs responses as to how they thought the title relates to the story.

Assessment: I will know if students are successful if they can make connections to the characters in the book and are able to see how the title relates to the storyline.

Lesson Plan: Reading Mini-Lesson

Grade: 5

Time: 20 minutes

Standard: RL.5.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.

Objective: Students will be able to examine a text and locate similes and metaphors. Then students will be able to determine the author’s purpose of using the figurative language in the text.

Materials:

Just as Good: How Larry Doby Changed America’s Game By Chris Crowe Chart Paper labeled, “Why use Similes and Metaphors?” Powerpoint slide or overhead with examples Sheets of paper containing the same pages as above for every student Markers

Lesson Sequence:

1. Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set (Engagement) “Boys and girls, do you remember what book I read during the Interactive Read-

Aloud yesterday? Yes, Just as Good. Can anyone give us a brief summary of the book to remind us of what it is about? Yes, it was a book about the first African American player in the American League.”

2. State Objectives and Purpose “Today, we are going to learn how to identify similes and metaphors in a piece of

writing. We are going to talk about why authors use similes and metaphors in their writing.”

3. Teach and Model “Similes and Metaphors are a form of figurative language. Can anyone tell me

what figurative language is? Yes, it is when you describe something by comparing it with something else.”

Have a chart paper ready with the heading “Why use Similes and Metaphors?” “There are many reasons why authors use figurative language, especially similes

and metaphors. One purpose is to be more descriptive when describing people, places, and things. They want to be able to paint a picture in your mind”

Write “to paint a picture” on chart paper. “Sometimes authors want to help you make connections, they may connect

something you do not understand to something you do.”

Write “make connections” on chart paper. “Can anyone think of any other reasons why an author may use similes or

metaphors in their writing? Yes, they want you to see the similarities between things that you did not before or feel a certain way when you read what they wrote. Great examples, I think this would all fall under making connections”

Make an indent under make connections, make a bullet point then write “see similarities”. Move down a line, indent make another bullet point, and then write “associate a feeling with the writing.”

“Before we look at examples of similes and metaphors, can anyone tell me what a simile is? Similes have like or as written in them and compare one object to another to suggest they are alike. Very good, can anyone tell me about metaphors? There is no trick to picking out metaphors, but instead of saying you are like something it tells you that you are something rather. Very good. However, just because a sentence has the word like or as it does not mean it is a simile. You need to look at the sentence and see if it is comparing two things.”

“Now that we know why authors use similes and metaphors and how to detect them, let’s look for examples in Chris Crowe’s writing in Just as Good.”

Write the following sentence on the board “Daddy starts turning that dial like a safecracker.”

“Boys and girls this is an example of a simile because the sentence is comparing two things and it has the word like in it. Can anyone tell me what two things it is comparing? The dad spinning the dial on the radio to someone trying to get their safe open. Very good.”

Write the following sentence on the board “Dad threw us a curveball when he came home with a radio.”

“This is an example of a metaphor because the sentence is comparing dad bringing a radio home to being thrown a curve ball in a baseball game. Curveballs in sports are considered unexpected or out of the ordinary. The dad buying a radio was unexpected or out of the ordinary because the family did not have a lot of money. Metaphors are much more difficult to detect in writing.”

4. Guided Practice Have an overhead or powerpoint page ready with two other examples from the

story. Pass out sheets of paper with the same two pages photo copied. Have students read the pages and identify the similes or metaphors on the page

and have them star the sentence. Then have them write if it is a simile or metaphor and what is being compared.

Have two students explain the responses or if there is a smartboard come up and circle the text themselves.

5. Independent Practice/Assessment

“Boys and girls, when you begin your independent reading today, I want you to look for one example of a simile and one of a metaphor in your book. Put a post-it on the page and write whether it is a simile or a metaphor, what is being compared, and why you think the author used it. If you cannot find any, find one sentence in your book that you think could be changed into a simile or metaphor and write how you could change it on the post-it.”

6. Closure “What is figurative language?” “Why do authors use similes and metaphors?” “What are two key words that are used in similes?”

7. How will you know the lesson has been successful? You will be able to determine if the lesson is successful if students are able to

locate similes and metaphors in their independent reading novels and by writing on a post-it what is being compared and why the author used it.

Lesson Plan: Writing Mini-Lesson

Grade: 5

Time: 15 minutes

Standard: W.5.5. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

Objective: Students will be able to revise a previously written story by using similes and metaphors to enhance their writing.

Materials:

Just as Good: How Larry Doby Saved America’s Game by Chris Crowe Chart Paper from Reading Mini Lesson Powerpoint Slide with examples Sheet with sentences for students to correct on their own (same material as above)

Lesson Sequence:

1. Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set “Boys and girls, remember the other day we read the book Just as Good. Can

anyone tell me what reading skill we talked about with the book? Yes, similes and metaphors. Good job!”

2. State Objective and Purpose “Today, we are going to work on writing similes and metaphors in our own

writing by editing one of your old pieces of writing.”3. Teach and Model

“Who can tell me why authors use similes and metaphors in their writing? Authors want to paint a picture in your mind and have you make connections between two things. Yes, good memory.”

Show chart paper with what we talked about yesterday. Show a powerpoint slide that has the following example: “They are very different

people” “I could change this sentence into a simile. Two things that I think our different

and I could compare them to is night and day because they are opposites. My new sentence could be: They are as different as night and day.”

Write “They are as different as night and day.” on the board. “In my new sentence I am comparing two people’s differences to night and day

because night and day are opposites and the two people’s personalities are opposites.”

“Here is another sentence that I could change. The cat’s eyes sparkled.”

“I could change this sentence into a metaphor. Some things that sparkle are the sun and jewelry. I could write: The cat’s eyes were jewels. This is a metaphor because I am saying the cat’s eyes are similar to jewels.

4. Guided Practice Have a powerpoint slide ready with sentences that can be changed into similes

and metaphors. Have a sheet of paper for the students with the same sentences. Have students re-write the sentences using similes and metaphors with their

writing partner. Have three students write one of their new sentences on the board and explain

why they made that comparison.5. Independent Practie/Assessment

“Boys and girls today, when you begin your independent writing, I want you to start by taking out an old story and editing some of the sentences in it. Change any sentences you can to similes or metaphors. Try to change at least three sentences.”

6. Closure “What two words did you use when writing your similes?” “Why is it a good idea to use similes and metaphors in your writing?”

7. How will you know the lesson has been successful? You will be able to determine that the lesson has been successful if students are

able to write similes and metaphors in their own writing.