Johnny Morris - Appalachian State University



Johnny Morris

Lesson Plan: Conventions

Concept under investigation: The eighth grade students will investigate words that they do not know and ensure the spelling and definitions of those words that are difficult to spell. Spelling is very important and it is something that a student must have continuous practice at.

Context: The students have completed several assignments, and they must now go back and find and correct all of the misspelled words. By doing this, they will further their education by being able to spell words correctly and enhance their word bank.

Competencies and skills:

Competency Goal 6

• 6.01 determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.

• extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.

• 6.02 using correct spelling of words appropriate in difficulty for eighth graders and refining mastery of an individualized list of commonly misspelled word.

• producing final drafts/presentations that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and format.

Other goals/objectives: Once students have completed their personalized spelling lists, they will compose a paragraph using their words in that paragraph. Students will use Microsoft Word to complete their paragraphs.

Materials needed:

• Pen/pencil

• Paper

• Previous homework assignments

• Personalized spelling list handout

• Dictionary/thesaurus

Procedures with script:

• Initiating activity/ warm-up/ mini-lesson: The warm-up lesson will be a sentence on the overhead with misspelled words. Students will have two minutes to fix the misspelled words in the sentence. Once they have finished, one student will be called upon to read their solutions to the sentence and correct it on the overhead. The warm-up lesson will last for five minutes.

• Review: We will review the students’ past three assignments and note all of the misspelled words in them. The words will then be listed on the board for all to see. We will talk about error patterns and why some words are hard to spell, and we will review the most common misspelled words. The review will last for five minutes.

• Purpose setting: The purpose of this class is for students to complete their personalized spelling lists and write a paragraph using their misspelled words. The students will practice using the words that they have the most trouble with.

• Introduction for today’s lesson: The students will have their personalized spelling lists with them and their past three assignments. As a class, we will discuss why it is so important to be able to spell words correctly. The words on the personalized spelling list came from the students, their classmates who have revised their work, and me. When I check their work I add misspelled words to their personalized lists. This concept has come from Nancie Atwell’s In the Middle. The students will use their last three corrected assignments to add any words that they have misspelled or used incorrectly to their lists. The introduction to this class will last for ten minutes.

• Guided practice: I will show the students my own personalized list and a paragraph that I have created using the words from my list. Guided practice will last for two minutes.

• Independent practice: The students will complete their lists and begin brainstorming about their free write. Once all students are completed compiling their lists, we will move to the computer lab to use Microsoft Word. The students will then begin to write in using the words from their lists. I will instruct them that each time they use a word from their list they will make it bold and easier to see. Their lists may be very long but they should incorporate as many words as possible from it. There is no specified length expected as long as each student made a valiant effort to cover as many words as possible. While writing they will be able to use a dictionary or thesaurus to look up any unknown words or how to use a specific word that they desire to. Once they are finished they will print their paragraphs and turn them in too me. Next, we will move back to our classroom. The students will have independent practice for twenty three minutes.

• Closure/expectations: As class is wrapping up, we will discuss our class period and answer all questions from the students. I will instruct them to continue reading their books and to look up any words that they do not know. The closure of our class will last for five minutes.

SPED modifications: One student is dyslexic and will need further help with their words. This student will have extra time to turn in their paragraph with their words. This student will have a buddy who will be able to help them with their words and paragraph.

Assessment:

Formative: I will use the students personalized lists and their paragraphs to see how many words they corrected and if they used them in the right context. This lesson will show me what words my students are having problems with. I will use my data that I find from this lesson to help me make know what problem words my students need more practice with.

Summative: Being able to spell words correctly is something that the students will use everyday of their lives. Spelling is an ongoing process throughout our life and the students are learning how to locate words that they do not know. It is imperative that our students know how to find meanings to words that they do not know so that they can apply them in their writing and language. I will continue to assess their homework and daily assignments for commonly misspelled words throughout the school year. The students will continue with their personalized lists so that they may learn to challenge themselves.

Next lesson: I will begin to go over grammar (independent and dependent clauses) and its importance.

NETS-T: Indicators addressed in this lesson:

II. Planning And Designing Learning Environments And Experiences.

A. Apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences.

I have used Nancie Atwell’s excellent book In The Middle as a research guide. I used her theory about personalized spelling lists and I feel that the students will really benefit from it. The students have their lists and may use an online dictionary to discover the true meanings of their problem words.

Name: ________________

Personal Spelling List

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Note: Adapted from Nancie Atwell’s In the Middle, 1998. Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc.

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