teaching work sample morgan van zee language arts
TRANSCRIPT
Teaching Work Sample
Morgan Van Zee
Language Arts / Figurative Language
Longfellow Elementary
5th Grade
12/4/2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
Community
District/School
Classroom
Implications for Instruction
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
TIME LINE AND LESSON PLANS
Time Line
Lesson Plans
Reflection Log
ASSESSMENT
Pre-Assessment
Ongoing Assessment
Post Assessment
Student Work Document (All student work examples should be in a
separate folder with each document properly labeled)
DATA ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Individual students
Whole Class
SUMMARY OF STUDENT PROGRESS
Example: Letter to parents
Example: Website posting regarding unit
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
Return to ToC
Community – Mitchell, SD
The community of Mitchell is located in Davison County, in the southeastern part South
Dakota. With a population 15,254, Mitchell is the 6th largest city in South Dakota, but is still
considered a rural community. According to the 2010 census, the ethnicity makeup is 93.6%
White, 0.5% African American, and 3.0% Native American. The rest of the population is made
up of Asian, Pacific Islander or Hispanic/Latino. Median household income for persons living in
Mitchell is $45,833, and percent of persons below the poverty level is 13.3%. The
unemployment rate of Mitchell is currently 3.1%.
District/School – Mitchell School District, Longfellow Electuary
The Mitchel school district currently has 2710 students enrolled K-12. There are three
pubic elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. There are also two small
colony schools. The ethnic makeup of the school district includes 87.7% White, 5.9% American
Indian, 3.5% Hispanic, 1.2% African American, 1% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 0.7% of two
of more races. 14.6% of the students in the district receive some kind of special education
services. Of the elementary students in the district, 47% are eligible for free and reduced lunches.
Longfellow Elementary School is located on the eastern side of Mitchell and has 397
students enrolled. Of those students, over 60% qualify for free and reduced lunches. The
attendance rate of Longfellow is at 94.8%. Within the school, there are many different programs
to help student achievement. LEAP is a before and after school tutoring program for students
who need extra attention or help with their work. They also have a Reading First program that
focuses on putting proven methods of early reading instructions in classrooms. Longfellow is
eligible for Reading Recovery and Title I services. They have three teachers that fill these
positions. The elementary school also takes part in the Backpack Program that provides students
with a bag of food to take home for over the weekend.
Classroom – 5th Grade
I am teaching in a 5th grade classroom that I will refer to as “5G” (5th grade, teacher –
Gilman) throughout this sample. 5G has 22 students, 15 boys and 22 girls. There are 5 students
in the classroom that are receiving special education or speech therapy services. Two of these
students receive full time special education services and are in the regular classroom for 45-75
minutes throughout the day. One of those students has Down Syndrome and one has Angelmans
Syndrome. One of the 5 students on an IEP is receiving speech services 2 times a week for 20
minutes. Another one receives one-on-one time during reading interventions and has a
paraprofessional in the room during reading. The last one has learning disabilities in math,
reading, and writing. He is pulled out during these subjects and also receives speech services 3
times a week for 15 minutes.
The students in 5G are from ages 10-11. There are two African American students in the
class, the rest are White, non-Hispanic. The skills and achievement levels of the students in this
class range from a third grade level in both math and reading to an 8th grade level. Six of the
students take part in the “Backpack Program” and 4 of them attend the LEAP program after
school.
This particular classroom is very structured during the duration of the school day. The
students have a set seating chart, as well as routines and procedures that have been very
consistent throughout the school year. The students always know what is expected of them.
Implications for Instruction
This class has a very large span in their learning abilities. The lowest student is at a third
grade level, and the highest students are at an 8th grade level. This could prove to be very
difficult to adjust to during my lessons. I will use strategic grouping for any group activities I
have planned to make sure there is differentiation taking place. I am planning to do reading
centers, so I will group the students by reading level and have them do activities and teach mini
lessons that meet the students where they are.
Mitchel School District has not updated their elementary reading curriculum since the
change to the Common Core State Standards. This makes teaching reading a little more difficult.
Because I don’t have a curriculum that incorporates the standard I will be focusing on, I will
have to use other resources to supplement my lessons. Resources will include those from internet
sites (Teachers Pay Teachers, Pinterest), as well as assessments and activities designed myself.
There will be a paraprofessional in the classroom during my reading instruction. She is in
there for one of the students on an IEP, but she is very helpful during all instruction with all of
the students. She is a go-getter when it comes to helping with students that need motivation to
get their work or to help the classroom instruction as a whole. This will allow me to do activities
that might require more than one set of hands or eyes within the classroom.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Return to ToC
Unit Goals –
1. Students will become familiar with three different types of figurative language (similes,
metaphors, idioms) and be able to identify them within a text.
2. Students will be able to determine the meaning of three different types of figurative language
(similes, metaphors, idioms).
Unit Objectives –
1. After the unit, students will be able to correctly identify types of figurative language on their
post assessment 4 out of 5 times.
2. After the unit, students will be able to correctly find the meaning of three different types of
figurative language on their post assessment 4 out of 5 times.
UNIT STANDARD: 5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
I CAN STATEMENTS:
I can understand the meanings of words and phrases in the text.
I can identify similes and metaphors.
I can understand similes and metaphors.
TIME LINE AND LESSON PLANS
Return to ToC
Timeline
Lesson # Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4
Date 10/13/15 10/14/15 10/15/15 10/16/15
Time 8:30 AM 8:30 AM 8:30 AM 8:30 AM
Procedure Direct
Instruction:
Reading story
aloud, discuss
and fill out
inference
organizers
Direct
Instruction:
Reading story
aloud, discuss
and fill out
inference
organizer,
discuss idioms
Centers:
DEAR,
ScootPad, Simile
Mini Lesson,
Simile task card
and sentence
activity
Centers:
DEAR,
ScootPad, Simile
Mini Lesson,
Simile task card
and sentence
activity
Assessment Discussion,
inference
organizer, Simile
Discussion,
inference
organizer, Simile
Discussion, Mini
lesson activity,
Task card Sheet
Discussion, Mini
Lesson Activity,
Task card sheet
Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Lesson 7 Lesson 8 Lesson 9
10/19/2015 10/20/15 10/21/15 10/22/15 10/23/15
8:30 AM 8:30 AM 8:30 AM 8:30 AM 8:30 AM
Centers:
DEAR,
Metaphor Mini
Lesson,
Scootpad,
Metaphor Task
card and game
Centers:
DEAR,
Metaphor Mini
Lesson,
Scootpad,
Metaphor task
cards and game
Centers:
Simile/Metaphor
Story,
Simile/Metaphor
Game, Idiom
Mini Lesson,
Idiom activity
Centers:
Simile/Metaphor
Story,
Simile/Metaphor
Game, Idiom
Mini Lesson,
Idiom activity
Kahoot/Review
Game
Discussion, Mini
lesson Activity,
Metaphor task
card sheet
Discussion, Mini
Lesson Activity,
Metaphor task
card sheet
Discussion, Mini
Lesson Idiom
Graphic
Organizer,
Amelia Bedelia
Sheet
Discussion, Mini
Lesson Idiom
graphic
Organizer,
Amelia Bedelia
Sheet
Discussion, Post
Assessment
Lesson Plans
Dakota State University
College of Education
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade
School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/13/2015
Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
This is the first lesson of my work sample. In previous reading lessons from this year, I have noticed that
students have a difficult time picking up on figurative language. Most of the time, the simile, metaphor,
and idiom hast to be explicating pointed out and discussed for students to notice and understand it. We
have briefly touched on similes and idioms in past class discussions, but this work sample will really
more into recognizing those and metaphors, and creating some of our own.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
5.RL.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
Lesson Objectives:
While reading the story aloud, students will work as a whole group to fill in the first two boxes on their
inference sheet, and then fill in the third box on their own, making one correct or believable inference
with 100% accuracy.
After discussing similes, students will identify and write the simile from the last paragraph of their
reading, and write down the two things the simile is comparing with 100% accuracy.
Materials Needed:
Reading teacher manual, student reading textbooks, inference sheets
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is substantially low level and will have a para professional in the room
during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (3 minutes)
getting attention – “How do people help animals? What is the difference between
helping animals and helping pets?”
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – “Have any of you helped an animal
before?” “If so, how?”
creating a need to know –
sharing objective, in general terms – “Today we are going to be reading the story of
“Shiloh,” working on making inferences, and discussing similes.
2. Content Delivery (25 mins Direct instruction)
o Read “Shiloh” aloud as a class.
o Stop reading after first page and make first inference
o (text clues + what you know =inference)
o Discuss and fill out inference sheet as a class
o Fill out all three boxes as a class
o Fill out second inference sheet after page 2 (first two boxes together, las on
their own)
o Discuss similes on page 152 on second paragraph
o “hums to Shiloh like he’s a baby in a cradle, not a dog in a box”
o Student write a simile of their own comparing two things
o Discuss second simile on page 154, last paragraph
o “a sound like makes my bones feel like icicles inside me.”
3. Closure (2 mins)
o Ask for predictions about how they feel the book will end the next day.
B. Assessments Used
Informal – Class discussion
Formal – inference organizer sheets
C. Differentiated Instruction
There is a paraprofessional in the room to give extra instruction to our low level student. If there are
students who are needing extra help understanding the idea of simile and inference, I will gather those
students together to give them individualized help after the lesson.
D. Resources
- Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Treasures reading series teacher manual
- 20 Macmillan/McGraw-Hill student textbooks and textbook inference chart
Dakota State University
College of Education
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade
School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/14/2015
Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
The students did very well with the inferencing table (text clues, what I know, and inference boxes).
Once I gave them clues on the first inference question, they did the second inference question on their
own, and then we talked about it as a class. Both of the objectives for the lessons need a little more
work. About half of the students completely met the objectives. We will do inferencing again tomorrow
and similes during the next two days. The students loved the story we read aloud in class today (Shiloh).
They paid attention during reading and were very ready and willing to answer any comprehension
questions or inferencing questions I asked. During one of the questions, the students were very hesitant
to answer, so I had them “turn and talk” to their neighbor, and then had them answer aloud to the class.
This worked nicely.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
5.RL.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
Lesson Objectives:
While reading the story aloud, students will fill in an inference organizer by themselves with 75%
accuracy (at least 2/3 sections will be filled in correctly).
During class discussion, students will show understanding of the example idiom in the story by
identifying it from the reading and stating the meaning in writing with 100% accuracy.
Materials Needed:
Reading teacher manual, student reading textbooks, inference sheets
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is substantially low level and will have a para professional in the room
during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (3 minutes)
getting attention – “Turn and Talk” with neighbor
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – Discuss what was read yesterday.
creating a need to know – Why is learning to make inferences important?
sharing objective, in general terms – Today we are going to finishing reading
Shiloh, make one more inferences about the text, and learn about a new type of
figurative language.
2. Content Delivery (25 mins Direct instruction)
o Finish reading last half of “Shiloh” aloud as a class.
o Stop reading after the 6th paragraph to discuss idioms
o “pull through”
o Idioms are phrases or expressions whose meanings cannot be understood from
the ordinary meanings of the words.
o Student write an idiom of their own
o Discuss and fill out inference sheet as a class at the bottom of page 156
o Students fill first box out alone
o Second box as a class, last box on their own
o Review what a character trait is
o What do Judd Travers’s actions reveal about his character trait?
o What evidence do you have to prove this?
3. Closure (2 mins)
o Go over inference sheet. Review similes. “Tomorrow we will be digging into similes
and working in centers!”
B. Assessments Used
Informal – Class discussion
Formal – inference organizer sheet
C. Differentiated Instruction
There is a paraprofessional in the room to give extra instruction to our low level student. If there are
students who are needing extra help understanding the idea of idiom and inference, I will gather those
students together to give them individualized help after the lesson.
D. Resources
- Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Treasures reading series teacher manual
- 20 Macmillan/McGraw-Hill student textbooks and textbook inference chart
Dakota State University
College of Education
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade
School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/15/2015 Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
After looking at the assessment pieces I gave to the class, the students understood the idiom discussion
fairly well. Some of the students did not correctly identify the meaning of the idiom. The inferencing
objective was met by all the students. They were able to make a correct inference by themselves. The
idiom objective was not quite met. We will spend more time on this concept during centers later next
week. While most of the students were engaged during the class, I noticed that some of them were
losing focus with the story. We were able to get through today, but tomorrow we will be doing center
work. This should be a little more exciting as we have not done centers yet this year.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
Lesson Objectives:
After mini lesson, students will be able to identify and underline a simile in a particular sentence 5 out of
5 times.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to tell what two things a simile is comparing 5 out of 5 times.
Materials Needed:
Notebook paper, note taking sheets, fill in blank worksheet, identify simile worksheet, picture
worksheet, Ninja tasks cards and sheets, 5 iPads
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is at a substantially lower level and will have a para professional in the
room during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (3 minutes)
getting attention – Show Simile Flocabulary video
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – Refer back to simile from “Shiloh”
creating a need to know – while reading, figurative language is important
sharing objective, in general terms – Today we will be working in centers and
focusing on identifying and finding the meaning of similes.
2. Content Delivery (40 mins, center small groups)
4 groups and 4 centers; 2 centers a day for 20 minutes each.
o Center 1
o Simile mini lesson with teacher
o Note taking sheet - cut out and glue to lined paper (write definition and
examples)
o Simile Worksheet – On each sentence, underline simile and circle two things
that are being compared
o Center 2
o Simile activity with leveled group
o Simile task cards matching activity (match simile to what simile means)
o Writing what simile means on task card sheet
o If finished, play simile game
o Center 3
o DEAR time
o Individualized reading around the room or in the library.
o Center 4
o Scootpad (ELA practice on iPads)
o Students will only work on standard focusing on during this work sample
3. Closure (2 mins)
o Bring students back to middle, review simile structure, turn and talk
B. Assessments Used
Informal – mini group discussion
Formal – Simile worksheet, scootpad results, task card sheets
C. Differentiated Instruction
Level groups – center groups will be made so students of similar skill levels are paired together. During
the mini lesson, the two higher groups will be doing a more difficult activity than the lower groups. If
they lower groups master their sheet, they will move on to what the higher level groups did.
D. Resources
Simile Ninja – Teachers Pay Teachers – Hashtag Fifth
Simile and Metaphor Activity Pack and Task Cards – Teachers Pay Teachers – Teaching with a Mountain
View
Dakota State University
College of Education
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade
School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/16/2015 Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
Centers worked very well for this group of students. I was able to work with one group at the table and
trust that my other student were following directions in their group. There were a couple of times I had
to redirect students, but they quickly got back to work. One thing I need to be better at during centers is
being aware of other groups around the room and what they are doing. I worked with two groups today.
In one of the groups, the objectives were met completely. The second group (the lower of the two
groups) was able to identify the simile and what it was comparing 4 out of 5 times. I really liked the use
of the notetaking sheet and the picture book with example similes. I saw a substantial amount of growth
in knowledge using these two things.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
Lesson Objectives:
After mini lesson, students will be able to identify and underline a simile in a particular sentence 5 out of
5 times.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to tell what two things a simile is comparing 5 out of 5 times.
Materials Needed:
Notebook paper, note taking sheets, fill in blank worksheet, identify simile worksheet, picture
worksheet, Ninja tasks cards and sheets, 5 iPads
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is at a substantially lower level and will have a para professional in the
room during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (3 minutes)
getting attention – Turn and tell your neighbor either one thing you learned about
similes yesterday, or one example of a simile.
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – Ask students to share what they
learned
creating a need to know – while reading, figurative language is important
sharing objective, in general terms – Today we will be continuing with centers.
Each group should have two left!
2. Content Delivery (40 mins, center small groups)
4 groups and 4 centers; 2 centers a day for 20 minutes each. Each group will continue to last to
centers on this day for similes.
o Center 1
o Simile mini lesson with teacher
o Note taking sheet - cut out and glue to lined paper (write definition and
examples)
o Simile Worksheet – On each sentence, underline simile and circle two things
that are being compared
o Center 2
o Simile activity with leveled group
o Simile task cards matching activity
o Writing what simile means on sheet
o If finished, play simile game
o Center 3
o DEAR time
o Individualized reading around the room or in the library.
o Center 4
o Scootpad (ELA practice on iPads)
o Students will only work on standard focusing on during this work sample
3. Closure (2 mins)
o Bring students back to middle, review simile structure, turn and talk
B. Assessments Used
Informal – mini group discussion Formal – Simile worksheet, scootpad results, task card sheets
C. Differentiated Instruction
Level groups – center groups will be made so students of similar skill levels are paired together. During
the mini lesson, the two higher groups will be doing a more difficult activity than the lower groups.
D. Resources
Simile Ninja – Teachers Pay Teachers – Hashtag Fifth
Simile and Metaphor Activity Pack and Task Cards – Teachers Pay Teachers – Teaching with a Mountain
View
Dakota State University
College of Education
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/19/2015 Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
Based on the data I collected from the mini lesson, both of my small groups did very well with similes.
The lower of the two groups struggled at first, but by the end of the 20 minute lesson, they were on
track. The lesson objectives were met by both of my small groups of 5. The students in my small group
center were engaged throughout the lesson. I really the small group instruction I am going because it
gives me a change to work with students initially and see who is having the most difficulty. Based on the
past two days, I will continue to use center groups during this work sample.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
Lesson Objectives:
After mini lesson, students will be able to identify and underline a Metaphor in a particular sentence 4
out of 4 times.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to tell what two things a metaphor is comparing 4 out of 4
times.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to decipher the meaning of a given metaphor, in writing.
Materials Needed:
Interactive note taking sheets, fill in blank worksheet, identify metaphor worksheet, Metaphor task
cards and answer sheets, game boards and game cards, 5 iPads
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is at a substantially lower level and will have a para professional in the
room during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (3 minutes)
getting attention – Turn and tell your neighbor either one thing you learned about
similes yesterday, or one example of a simile.
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – Ask students to share what they
learned
creating a need to know – while reading, figurative language is important
sharing objective, in general terms – Today we will be continuing with centers.
Each group should have two left!
2. Content Delivery (40 mins, center small groups)
4 groups and 4 centers; 2 centers a day for 20 minutes each. Each group will be starting the
rotation today. Next lesson will be a continuation of these centers.
o Center 1
o Metaphor mini lesson with teacher at kidney table
o Note taking (same lined paper and organizer from simile center),
o Metaphor worksheet - Underling metaphors in each sentence and circling what
two things are being compared
o Center 2
o Metaphor activity with leveled group
o Metaphor task cards and answer sheet
o Writing what metaphor means and what is being compared on sheet
o If finish, hand in to homework bin and read AR book
o Center 3
o DEAR time
o Individualized reading in the library.
o Center 4
o Scootpad (ELA Assignment on iPads)
o Students will only work on standard focusing on during this work sample
3. Closure (2 mins)
o Bring students back to desks, ask about post assessment
B. Assessments Used
Informal – mini group discussion
Formal – Metaphor worksheet, scootpad results, task card sheets
C. Differentiated Instruction
Level groups – center groups will be made so students of similar skill levels are paired together. During
the mini lesson, the two higher groups will be doing a more difficult activity than the lower groups.
Differentiated Task cards – Metaphor will be underlined for lower level students
D. Resources
Simile and Metaphor Activity Pack and Task Cards – Teachers Pay Teachers – Teaching with a Mountain
View
Dakota State University
College of Education
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/20/2015 Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
After analyzing student work from the past lesson, I realized that my group who went to the activity
center right away (before getting to meet in my “teacher center” first), struggled a little, compared to
the group who met with me and then completed that activity. The students continue to be engaged
during this “center instruction.” We have bit of an issue with transitions. I think I am implementing a
timing system for transitions. The last group I had did not quite meet my objectives for the day. They
could I identify the metaphor, but struggled a little bit to determine what the meaning was. I will
analyzed my student work from the next lesson to see how they did in the activity center
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
Lesson Objectives:
After mini lesson, students will be able to identify and underline a metaphor in a particular sentence 5
out of 5 times.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to tell what two things a metaphor is comparing 5 out of 5
times.
After the mini lesson. Students will be able to decipher the meaning of a given metaphor, in writing.
Materials Needed:
Interactive note taking sheets, fill in blank worksheet, identify metaphor worksheet, Metaphor task
cards and answer sheets, game boards and game cards, 5 iPads
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is at a substantially lower level and will have a para professional in the
room during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (3 minutes)
getting attention – Turn and tell your neighbor either one thing you learned about
metaphors yesterday, or one example of a metaphor.
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – Ask students to share what they
talked about with partner
creating a need to know – while reading, figurative language is important
sharing objective, in general terms – Today we will be continuing with centers.
Each group should have two left!
2. Content Delivery (40 mins, center small groups)
4 groups and 4 centers; 2 centers a day for 20 minutes each. Each group will continue to last two
centers on this day for metaphors.
o Center 1
o Metaphor mini lesson with teacher at kidney table
o Note taking (same lined paper and organizer from simile center),
o Metaphor worksheet - Underling metaphors in each sentence and circling what
two things are being compared
o Center 2
o Metaphor activity with leveled group
o Metaphor task cards and answer sheet
o Writing what metaphor means and what is being compared on sheet
o If finish, hand in to homework bin and read AR book
o Center 3
o DEAR time
o Individualized reading in the library.
o Center 4
o Scootpad (ELA Assignment on iPads)
o Students will only work on standard focused on during this work sample
3. Closure (2 mins)
o Bring students back to desks, ask about post assessment
B. Assessments Used
Informal – mini group discussion Formal – Metaphor worksheet, scootpad results, task card sheets
C. Differentiated Instruction
Level groups – center groups will be made so students of similar skill levels are paired together. During
the mini lesson, the two higher groups will be doing a more difficult activity than the lower groups.
Differentiated Task cards – Metaphor will be underlined for lower level students
D. Resources
Simile and Metaphor Activity Pack and Task Cards – Teachers Pay Teachers – Teaching with a Mountain
View
Dakota State University
College of Education LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/21/2015 Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
After observing the student work from the past lesson, I could tell the students were picking up on
metaphors quickly. The activity they were to do as a group in the “activity center” was being turned in
with great results. One of my instruction decisions from the past lesson use a timer that that was
projected on the board and played the theme song to Mission Impossible for 3 minutes at the end. The
lesson objective of “finding the meaning of the metaphor” was met. Students struggled to find the
metaphor once in a while, but once they did, they knew the meaning.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
Lesson Objectives:
During the mini lesson, students will be able to decipher the meaning of a specific idiom and write it
down correctly, 3 out of 3 times.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to fill out a graphic organizer with the correct meaning of
their chosen idiom.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to use their idiom in a sentence that correctly implies it’s
meaning.
Materials Needed:
“Who Let the Cat out of the Bag” book, “Don’t Take it Literally” graphic Organizer, Simile/Metaphor
Story, Story Sheet, “Amelia Bedelia Plays Ball” book, Amelia Bedelia graphic organizer, Simile Metaphor
Game Board, game cards, game makers, dice
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is at a substantially lower level and will have a para professional in the
room during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (used in center #3, 2 mins)
getting attention – Have you ever heard a phrase that means something totally
different than what it sounds like?
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – Sing of the Beaver (feed the fire)
creating a need to know – figures of speech/hear them while reading
sharing objective, in general terms – Today we will be learning some new idioms
and figuring out their meanings.
2. Content Delivery (40 mins, center small groups)
4 groups and 4 centers; 2 centers a day for 20 minutes each. (First time through today)
o Center 1
o Simile/Metaphor Story (review)
o Students will read the story, underline and similes and metaphors they find and
write down whether it is a simile or metaphor, and write down the meeting
o Center 2
o Simile Metaphor Board Game (review)
o Center 3
o Idiom Book/Graphic organizer Center
o I will read and idiom book to the students and periodically ask them to write
down the meaning of the idioms we find
o After reading, students will pick their favorite idiom and fill in their graphic
organizer based on their idiom.
o Center 4
o Amelia Bedelia Reading Center
o Students will read Amelia Bedelia Plays Ball” out loud and identify the idioms in
the book and tell their meanings.
3. Closure (used in center #3, 2 mins)
o Students will show their small group their graphic organizer picture and their group
members will guess what idiom that student picked.
B. Assessments Used
Informal – mini group discussion
Formal – Idiom graphic organizer, Amelia Bedelia Graphic Organizer, Simile/Metaphor Story Sheet
C. Differentiated Instruction
Level groups – center groups will be made so students of similar skill levels are paired together. During
the mini lesson, the two higher groups will be doing a more difficult activity than the lower groups.
D. Resources
Simile and Metaphor Activity Pack and Task Cards – Teachers Pay Teachers – Teaching with a Mountain
View
Practicing Idioms with Amelia Bedelia – Teachers Pay Teachers – Where the Wild Things Learn
Dakota State University
College of Education LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/22/2015 Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
This past group of students was very good at idioms. They had fun with them and could tell me their
meanings. I had to remind students only once during the course of centers that their voices were getting
too loud. To do this I briefly interrupted my center to talk to the whole group. The objective to this
lesson was met. Students were able to decipher the meanings of common idioms and were able to
identify them within a text. One of my center groups struggled putting a common idiom in a sentence
that described the meaning.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
Lesson Objectives:
During the mini lesson, students will be able to decipher the meaning of a specific idiom and write it
down correctly, 3 out of 3 times.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to fill out a graphic organizer with the correct meaning of
their chosen idiom.
After the mini lesson, students will be able to use their idiom in a sentence that correctly implies it’s
meaning.
Materials Needed:
“Who Let the Cat out of the Bag” book, “Don’t Take it Literally” graphic Organizer, Simile/Metaphor
Story, Story Sheet, “Amelia Bedelia Plays Ball” book, Amelia Bedelia graphic organizer, Simile Metaphor
Game Board, game cards, game makers, dice
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is at a substantially lower level and will have a para professional in the
room during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (used in center #3, 2 mins)
getting attention – Have you ever heard a phrase that means something totally
different than what it sounds like?
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – Sing of the Beaver (feed the fire)
creating a need to know – figures of speech/hear them while reading
sharing objective, in general terms – Today we will be learning some new idioms
and figuring out their meanings.
2. Content Delivery (40 mins, center small groups)
4 groups and 4 centers. This will be the second day of these same centers. Students will complete
the last two
o Center 1
o Simile/Metaphor Story (review)
o Students will read the story, underline and similes and metaphors they find and
write down whether it is a simile or metaphor, and write down the meeting
o Center 2
o Simile Metaphor Board Game (review)
o Center 3
o Idiom Book/Graphic organizer Center
o I will read and idiom book to the students and periodically ask them to write
down the meaning of the idioms we find
o After reading, students will pick their favorite idiom and fill in their graphic
organizer based on their idiom.
o Center 4
o Amelia Bedelia Reading Center
o Students will read Amelia Bedelia Plays Ball” out loud and identify the idioms in
the book and tell their meanings.
3. Closure (used in center #3, 2 mins) Students will show their small group their graphic
organizer picture and their group members will guess what idiom that student picked.
B. Assessments Used
Informal – mini group discussion
Formal – Idiom graphic organizer, Amelia Bedelia Graphic Organizer, Simile/Metaphor Story Sheet
C. Differentiated Instruction
Level groups – center groups will be made so students of similar skill levels are paired together. During
the mini lesson, the two higher groups will be doing a more difficult activity than the lower groups.
D. Resources
Simile and Metaphor Activity Pack and Task Cards – Teachers Pay Teachers – Teaching with a Mountain
View
Practicing Idioms with Amelia Bedelia – Teachers Pay Teachers – Where the Wild Things Learn
Dakota State University
College of Education LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Morgan Van Zee
Grade Level: 5th Grade
School: Longfellow Elementary
Date: 10/23/2015
Time: 8:30 AM
Reflection from prior lesson:
Students really liked the idiom book I read with them. They were very engaged and loved looking at the
pictures that were designed by 4th graders from California. I decided to use less guidance at my center so
my students could really show me what they understood idioms. This worked much better. Only a
couple of students struggled with the difference between the “literal” meaning and what the idiom
meant. The unit objectives were met. As I read the idiom book I went around the circle to ask students
what the meaning of the idiom. Some of the idioms were not as common as others, but if I used them in
some kind of sentence or context, they were able to figure them out.
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:
5.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
Lesson Objectives:
Students will participate in a Kahoot review game and to show how much they learned about similes,
metaphors and idioms.
Materials Needed:
10 iPads, projector, computer, post assessments
Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics:
The class participating in the lessons of this work sample contains 22 students; 15 boys and 7 girls. Two
of the students, one boy and one girl, will not be present during instruction as they are full time special
education students. One student is at a substantially lower level and will have a para professional in the
room during this time. These students are generally hard workers and great listeners. They work well in
groups and cooperative learning situations. Many of the students in this group are more math minded
than reading minded, so reading can sometimes be a challenge.
A. The Lesson
1. Introduction (2 mins)
getting attention – “Remember that pre assessment we took at the beginning of
these centers? How many of you think you could do much better on that test now?”
relating to past experience and/or knowledge – “Think back to our first day of
reading Shiloh…
creating a need to know – While reading Shiloh we pointed out many different
similes and idioms within the story. There is so much more figurative language in
stories than you even realize!”
sharing objective, in general terms – “Today we are going to review those different
types of figurative language using “Kahoot.” Then you will all have a chance to take
that quiz we took last week again.”
2. Content Delivery (40 mins)
o Students will be put into groups of two and each pair will have an iPad
o Bring students to the front of the room
o Give student game pin and have them put in a team name
o Students participate in the “real-time” review game
o As a pair, each student must agree on one of the four multiple choice answers
o After each question we will discuss the right and wrong answers by asking
students to explain why they did or did not pick certain asnwers.
o I will give extra examples of the questions to help students understand the right
answers if they get them wrong
3. Closure (2 mins)
o Ask students for any questions or if they need clarification about anything from the
review game or about similes, metaphors or idioms.
o Give post assessment
B. Assessments Used
Formal – Kahoot review game answers, Post-assessment
C. Differentiated Instruction
Students were paired up with people of their same reading/ability level. This ensured that I wasn’t just
getting the scores of the higher leveled students.
D. Resources
https://getkahoot.com/
Figurative Language Stories – Teachers Pay Teachers – Lovin’ It
Reflection Log
Lesson 1 Summary of Student Progress:
The students did very well with the inferencing
table (text clues, what I know, and inference
boxes). Once I gave them clues on the first
inference question, they did the second
inference question on their own, and then we
talked about it as a class.
Were the lesson objectives met?
Both of the objectives for the lessons need a
little more work. About half of the students
completely met the objectives. We will do
inferencing again tomorrow and similes during
the next two days.
Instructional decisions:
The students loved the story we read aloud in
class today (Shiloh). They paid attention
during reading and were very ready and willing
to answer any comprehension questions or
inferencing questions I asked.
During one of the questions, the students were
very hesitant to answer, so I had them “turn
and talk” to their neighbor, and then had them
answer aloud to the class. This worked nicely.
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
- Another inference sheet (this will be done
completely on their own)
-More figurative language (idioms)
Lesson 2 Summary of Student Progress
After looking at the assessment pieces I gave to
the class, the students understood the idiom
discussion fairly well. Some of the students did
not correctly identify the meaning of the idiom.
All of the students made a correct inference
about Shiloh as well.
Were the lesson objectives met?
The inferencing objective was met by all the
students. They were able to make a correct
inference by themselves. The idiom objective
was not quite met. We will spend more time on
this concept during centers later next week.
Instructional decisions
While most of the students were engaged
during the class, I noticed that some of them
were losing focus with the story. We were able
to get through today, but tomorrow we will be
doing center work.
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
Tomorrow, I will be incorporating small group
settings to help the students go more in-depth
with similes.
Lesson 3 Summary of Student Progress:
I really liked the use of the notetaking sheet
and the picture book with example similes. I
saw a substantial amount of growth in
knowledge using these two things.
Were the lesson objectives met?
I worked with two groups today. In one of the
groups, the objectives were met completely.
The second group (the lower of the two
groups) was able to identify the simile and
what it was comparing 4 out of 5 times.
Instructional decisions:
Centers worked very well for this group of
students. I was able to work with one group at
the table and trust that my other student were
following directions in their group. There were
a couple of times I had to redirect students, but
they quickly got back to work.
One thing I need to be better at during centers
is being aware of other groups around the room
and what they are doing.
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
Tomorrow I will use a timer during centers to
make sure that I am not going over the 20
minute time limit.
Lesson 4 Summary of Student Progress
Based on the data I collected from the mini
lesson, both of my small groups did very well
with similes. The lower of the two groups
struggled at first, but by the end of the 20
minute lesson, they were on track.
Were the lesson objectives met?
The lesson objectives were met by both of my
small groups of 5.
Instructional decisions:
The students in my small group center were
engaged throughout the lesson. I really the
small group instruction I am going because it
gives me a change to work with students
initially and see who is having the most
difficulty. Based on the past two days, I will
continue to use center groups during this work
sample.
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
Tomorrow’s lesson will include metaphors,
which are a little more difficult. I am going to
try and start centers a little earlier to give each
group 25 minutes with me instead of 20.
Lesson 5 Summary of Student Progress
After analyzing student work from this lesson,
I realized that my group who went to the
activity center right away (before getting to
meet in my “teacher center” first), struggled a
little, compared to the group who met with me
and then completed that activity. This was to
be expected, even though this group in my
highest rated reading group.
Were the lesson objectives met?
The last group I had did not quite meet my
objectives for the day. They could I identify
the metaphor, but struggled a little bit to
determine what the meaning was. I will
analyzed my student work from the next lesson
to see how they did in the activity center.
Instructional decisions:
The students continue to be engaged during
this “center instruction.” I am loving it! We
have bit of an issue with transitions. The
students are taking much too long and are
talking too much. I think I am implementing a
timing system for transitions.
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
I have the lowest and the highest groups during
tomorrow’s lesson. My mini lesson will need
to be very differentiated to make sure both
groups get the most out of the lesson that they
can.
Lesson 6 Summary of Student Progress
After observing the student work from this
lesson, I could tell the students were picking up
on metaphors quickly. The activity they were
to do as a group in the “activity center” was
being turned in with great results. My high
group from the last lesson did much better with
me versus the activity.
Were the lesson objectives met?
The lesson objective of “finding the meaning
of the metaphor” was definitely met. Students
struggled to find the metaphor once in a while,
but once they did, they knew the meaning.
Instructional decisions:
One of my instruction decisions today was to
use a timer that that was projected on the board
and played the theme song to Mission
Impossible for 3 minutes at the end. During
this 3 minutes, students were to silently
transition from one center to another as fast
and as quietly as they could. It worked great in
my morning class. The students loved it! I will
definitely be using this again.
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
-Timer projected on board
-only 30 seconds to transition
-more group activities (getting rid of DEAR
and Scootpad centers)
Lesson 7 Summary of Student Progress:
This group of students is very good at idioms.
They had fun with them and could tell me their
meanings. To make sure they were still
working on similes and metaphors, there was a
game and a Simile/Metaphor story. My lower
group struggled with this.
Were the lesson objectives met?
The objective to this lesson was met. Students
were able to decipher the meanings of common
idioms and were able to identify them within a
text. One of my center groups struggled putting
a common idiom in a sentence that described
the meaning.
Instructional decisions:
Instead of doing a DEAR center and Scootpad
center I decided to add more activities to this
group of centers. I had to remind students only
once during the course of centers that their
voices were getting too loud. To do this I
briefly interrupted my center to talk to the
whole group.
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
-more guidance for Simile/Metaphor Story
center
-less guidance at my center (let students
complete graphic organizer on their own.)
Lesson 8 Summary of Student Progress
Students really liked the idiom book I read
with them. They were very engaged and loved
looking at the pictures that were designed by
4th graders from California.
The students did great at fill out their graphic
organizers. This was a fun way to end the unit!
Were the lesson objectives met?
The unit objectives were met. As I read the
idiom book I went around the circle to ask
students what the meaning of the idiom. Some
of the idioms were not as common as others,
but if I used them in some kind of sentence or
context, they were able to figure them out.
Instructional decisions
I decided to use less guidance at my center so
my students could really show me what they
understood idioms. This worked much better.
Only a couple of students struggled with the
difference between the “literal” meaning and
what the idiom meant.
Once again the timer worked great!
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
-Review rules about talking to teacher during
center time (we will be continuing with small
group instruction through our next reading
unit)
Lesson 9 Summary of Student Progress
Based on my data from the Kahoot review
game we played, most of the students scored
an 80% or above on the review. We took the
posttest and all students showed some kind of
growth.
Were the lesson objectives met?
Objectives were met. All students showed
some kind of increase in figurative language
knowledge.
Instructional decisions:
The students were extremely engaged during
this lesson. They loved using the iPads to play
the game. I will definitely be using Kahoot in
other areas of teaching.
We had an issue keep the server connected to
20 iPads as well as my main computer. The
website kept kicking us all out of the game. I
decided to have the pair and work in groups of
two. After we but out iPad usage in half, the
website worked great!
Include in tomorrow’s lesson:
(last lesson of the unit)
ASSESSMENT
Return to ToC
Pre-Assessment
Figurative Language
Directions: Read the story below. After reading, answer the questions listed below.
1 Tonight was the night she had been waiting for. Princess Penelope was head over 2 heels for Prince Patrick and she had finally persuaded her father to allow her to attend 3 the annual royal ball. She could hardly wait. Upon hearing the news, Penelope had 4 sprinted like a cheetah all the way down to the royal dress shop to pick out the perfect 5 dress. As she searched through the racks, each dress seemed to shudder with 6 excitement, waiting to be chosen. Glancing around, Penelope’s eyes landed on the most 7 beautiful dress ever made. The dress was a sparkling ruby as it reflected light from 8 every angle. Penelope thought the dress must be the color of Dorothy’s slippers. Trying 9 on the dress. Penelope knew it was meant to be worn by her. Now at the ball, her dress 10 swished as she passed the prince. When she turned around, she found his eyes fixed 11 on hers like laser beams.
1. Read the simile in line 4. How did the princess run to the royal dress shop?
a) sluggishly b) merrily c) swiftly d) sadly
2. In line 4, which of the following words could be substituted for the word “cheetah”
without changing the meaning of the simile or the sentence?
a) Olympic runner b) quickly c) puppy d) lightning
3. Identify the idiom in lines 1-2 and write it on the line:
______________________________________________________________________
4. What is the meaning of this idiom?
________________________________________________________________________
5. Write an original sentence that contains this idiom and implies its meaning.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. Identify the metaphor in line 7 and write it on the line:
_____________________________________________________________________
7. What two things are being compared in this metaphor?
______________________________________________________________________
8. What does this metaphor tell us about the princess’s dress?
_____________________________________________________________________
9. Read the simile in lines 10 and 11. How were the princes eyes fixed on the princess?
a) lazily b) intensely c) politely d) wearily
10. When is a time that you fixed your eyes on something the way the prince fixed his eyes
on the princess?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Ongoing Assessment
Day 1 – Inferencing organizer, Simile, Discussion
The assessment during this large group lesson was an inference organizer, identifying a smile,
and deciphering the meaning of the simile. There were three sections on the inference organizer.
The three sections were filled out together as a class during the first inference. During the second
inference, the students filled in the sections on their own. Only about half the students made a
correct inference during this second attempt. Because of this, I decided to do another inference
activity on day 2.
About 75% of students were able to identify the simile within the text, but 90% were able to tell
me what the meaning of the simile was.
Day 2 – Sticky note: Final inference and Idiom meaning, Discussion
Because not everyone met the inference objective during lesson one, I decided to have the
students do one more inference activity during this lesson. Instead of having them fill in the same
graph as the pervious lesson, I had the students to the “text clues” and “What I know” on the
board with me. After we did these two sections together, the students had to write their inference
on a sticky note. The students also had to identify an idiom within the text and write down it’s
meaning on the sticky note.
Day 3 and 4 – Mini Lesson Discussion, Simile Task Card Sheet, Finding Simile Sheet
The mini lesson discussion took place during the “teacher center” where students worked with
me to complete the “Finding Similes” sheet. During the discussion I could tell students had a
good grasp on similes. The first three problems were completed as group and the last two were
completed by each student individually. On the back of the worksheet I had students write down
the meaning of the similes. Ex. The meaning of “as funny as a clown” would mean “very funny.”
The Simile Task Card sheet was completed in a center group where students had task cards, were
required to find the simile on each card, write down the two things being compared, and then
wrote down the meaning.
Day 5 and 6 – Finding Metaphor Sheet, Mini Lesson Discussion, Metaphor Task Card Sheet
The mini lesson discussion took place during the “teacher center” where students worked with
me to complete the “Finding Metaphors” sheet. The students struggled a little more with
metaphors than they did with similes. Because there is not a definite “like” or “as” to look for
like in similes, metaphors are a little trickier to identify within a sentence. The first three
problems were completed as group and the last two were completed by each student individually.
On the back of the worksheet I had students write down the meaning of the metaphors. Ex. The
meaning of “mad dad is a clown” would mean “my dad is very funny.”
The Metaphor Task Card sheet was completed in a center group where students had task cards,
were required to find the metaphor on each card, write down the two things being compared, and
write the meaning of the metaphor.
Day 7 and 8 – Amelia Bedelia Book/Sheet, Idiom Organizer, Discussion in Mini Lesson
In my teacher center during days 7 and 8, the small groups and I read a book filled with idioms
and student created pictures. As we read, I called on different students to tell me the meaning of
the idioms. After reading, students were to fill out a graphic organizer with their favorite idiom.
On the graphic organizer the students wrote the idiom, its meaning, drew a picture of the literal
meaning of the idiom, and used the idiom in a sentence. All of the students did the first three
sections of the graphic organizer correctly, but some of them struggled to put the idiom in the
sentence to show its meaning.
In the student center, students read an Amelia Bedelia book and identified idioms within the text,
wrote the literal meaning (or what Amelia actually did within the story) and what the idiom
actually meant (what Amelia was supposed to do). Some of the groups struggled finding the
idioms, but if they did, they did well at writing the meanings.
Day 9 – Kahoot Review Game
Post Assessment
Post assessment was identical to Pre Assessment
Link to Student Work Folder
DATA ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Return to ToC
Individual students
Twenty 5th grade students took part in this work sample unit. The unit was on figurative
language, specifically, identifying and determining the meaning of similes, metaphors, and
idioms. The test was made up of 10 questions in the form of either multiple choice or short
answer. Four of the questions were focused on similes, three questions on metaphors, and three
questions on idioms. From the pre-assessment to the post-assessment, all of the student’s scores
increased by at least 4 points. Some of the student scores increased by up to 8 points. Every
student taking the pre and post assessment moved from a below basic or basic level or
understanding to a basic, proficient, or advanced level of understanding. Student 4 was only
student who did not move up at least one “level.”
Levels include:
Below Basic 1-4 answers correct
Basic 5-7 answers correct
Proficient 8-9 answers correct
Advanced 10 answers correct
Whole Class
Based on the data from these graphs and other data from the test, of the 12 students who were in
the “below basic” category after the pre-test, 100% of them moved to the “basic,” “proficient,”
or “advanced” category. Of the 8 students who started in the “basic” category, 7 of them moved
up to the “proficient” or “advanced” category. The 8th student in the “basic” category increase
his post assessment score by one point, but still fell in the “basic” category.
Recommendations
While I thought this figurative language unit went very well, there is always room for
improvement and changes so students get the best educational experience possible. The first
challenge I encountered while planning this unit was curriculum. Mitchell school district’s
reading curriculum is about 7 years old and not aligned with common core. Because of this, I had
to find or create my material and activities for the students.
Although having an aligned reading curriculum would have made planning this unit
much easier, luckily, figurative language resources aren’t too difficult to find. I found some
wonderful things using teacherspayteachers.com. Teachers Pay Teachers is a site where teachers
can sell the resources they have created to other teachers. I purchased a 3 different “figurative
language” bundles from this site and they worked very well. A few of the things I used were task
cards, worksheets, game board and pieces, and graphic organizers. Along with the Teachers Pay
Teachers resources, I did use one story from the school’s current reading curriculum that I used
for whole group lessons and two picture books from my cooperating teacher.
Most of this unit (6 of the 9 days) was done in centers, or small group instruction. There
were four centers, one being with me learning about the new type of figurative language. The
other three centers focused on supplementing what the students were doing with me, or other
reading instruction. One of the centers was a technology centers where the students used an iPad
and an application called “ScootPad.” The app is aligned to common core, and I could program it
so the students were working specifically on the standard we were focusing on in this unit.
Although this part of the app is nice, I’m not sure if the students received a meaningful
experience from using it. If I were to do this unit again, I would maybe find something else for
them to do on the iPads.
As far as timeline, I thought the 9 lessons I had to teach three different types of figurative
language worked well. I’m thinking that if I did this unit again, I would maybe try to introduce 4
or 5 different types instead of just 3. The students seemed to handle the amount I gave them, but
to challenge them a little more, I could probably throw at least one or two more different types in
there as well.
SUMMARY OF STUDENT PROGRESS
Return to ToC
Example: Letter to parents
Dear Parent or Guardian of Student 13,
During the past couple of weeks, your student has been participating in a unit study of
figurative language in reading class. One of the 5th grade reading standards is focused on making
sure students can determine the meaning of words and phrases while reading, including
figurative language. The figurative language types we focused on during the past two weeks
were similes, metaphors, and idioms.
The unit study started out with some whole group instruction that introduced some
figurative language as the students read “Shiloh” with me as a whole class. After this, students
were broken into center groups that reflected their reading levels. Within these center groups,
students completed different activities to help them identify and determine the meanings of these
different figurative language types. Some of the activates included filling in graphic organizers,
reading short stories, Scootpad word study on the class iPads, and working with me on some
read-alouds and group work.
Before I started teaching the unit, each student took a pre-assessment where I determined
each student’s level of understanding in figurative language. This is also how I grouped the
students into their level center groups. Your student scored a 2 out of 10 on this pre-assessment
and fell into the “below basic” category. Throughout the unit, your student did well at identifying
these different types of figurative language, but struggled a little to find what two things a simile
or metaphor was comparing. Even though he struggled, he did a great job at asking questions
when he needed help. After a few days of center work, he was doing much better and had the
material mastered.
After the two week unit, I gave this same assessment again. On this second assessment,
your student scored a 9 out of 10, putting him in the “proficient” category. He worked very hard
and made a significant amount of progress within these two weeks. I enjoyed working with him
very much and continue to enjoy working with him as the school year continues.
Sincerely,
Miss Van Zee
Example: Website posting regarding unit
Reading Class News!
5G just completed a two week study of figurative language! We had so much fun
working in center groups and learning about similes, metaphors and idioms.
Students started the week by talking a pretest. The average score on this pretest
was a 36%. We worked hard for two weeks in center groups completing activities
and games to help us identify and understand figurative language. Some of the
activities included Scootpad on the iPads, task cards, read-alouds, graphic
organizers, and simile/metaphor games. We even got to play a fun review games
using the SmartBoard and iPads!
After the two weeks of centers we took the same test that we took at the start of the
study. This time, the student scored an average of 86% on the test! This is a
wonderful improvement! They worked so hard and we had so much fun. I am so
very proud
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at