Text Set Lesson Plan #3 – Journey to Freedom & Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad
Name: __Jenny Peck Moose______Grade Level:____4th______
Estimated number of days lesson will cover: _____2______
Lesson Subject/Title:Social Studies/ELA
Text Set Lesson #3 using Journey to Freedom: A Story of the Underground Railroad (Historical Fiction picture book) and Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad (Non-fiction picture book)
Literacy centers
Performance Standards:
SS4H7 The student will examine the main ideas of the abolitionist and suffrage movements.
a. Discuss biographies of Harriet Tubman and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
ELA4R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a
warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational
texts. For literary texts, the student identifies the characteristics of various genres
and produces evidence of reading that:
g. Identifies similarities and differences between the characters or events and theme in a literary work and the actual experiences in an author’s life.
Lesson Objectives (What students will know and/or do) :
Students will compare and contrast characters in two books.
Enduring Understanding:
Students will understand that learning about ourselves and others helps us to make more informed and better decisions in society and our lives.
Essential Questions:
How were conductors and escaping slaves alike and how were they different?
Key Vocabulary:
Compare
Contrast
*See vocabulary list in text set vocabulary
Time / Procedures / Differentiation / Materials/Resources / Assessment
5 minutes / Introduction/hook/activation of prior knowledge
Discuss with students what it means to compare (similarities).
Discuss with students what it means to contrast (differences).
30-45 minutes / Instructional activities
In a literacy center, students will read Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad and Journey to Freedom. After they have read both books, students will fill out a double bubble thinking map.
Students will write how the characters in both books are alike/similar (inside bubbles) and how they are different (outside bubbles).
The teacher would have already demonstrated how to compare and contrast two items such as an apple and an orange. The teacher will model the process for students before this lesson so that students will be able to complete this on their own. / Students will draw their own thinking map.
Students will be given a template to fill out which will guide their thinking. / Double Bubble thinking map
Pencil/paper / Completion of Double Bubble Thinking Map with appropriate similarities/differences.
10 minutes / Review and Closure
After all students have completed this in a literacy center, the class will complete one together. This will ensure whether or not students could correctly identify similarities and differences between the characters in both books. / Participation in completion of class Double Bubble thinking map.
Lesson Reflection:
What worked well in your lesson?
What modifications did you make in your instruction for varying abilities of students based on your formative assessments?
What follow-up instruction related to your objectives is needed either for remediation or extension?
What would you still like to learn that might help you to better meet the diverse needs of your students?