Philippine Normal University

The National Center for Teacher Education

College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

Ambida, Jean C.
MaEd Early Childhood Education
ECE 505: Research, Trends and Issues in Early Childhood Education

Grit: Passion and Perseverance for Long Term Goals Lesson Exemplar

I.Lesson Objectives:
This lesson exemplar aims to teach kindergarten pupils the value of grit through the story
“The Little Engine that Could” by Watty Piper that reinforces the power of positive
thinking, hard work and perseverance through the character of the little blue steam
engine.

This lesson is meant to be shared in class at the beginning of the school year to
motivate pupils and lead them to an “I think I can” attitude in all their activities
throughout the school year.

II. Values and Themes addressed by the story:

Never Give Up
Determination
Confidence
Positive Thinking
Risk-Taking
Encouraging Others

*The task suggestions are not meant to be integrated all at the same time. They can be
chopped and integrated with the succeeding lessons on the first week of classes.

III. TASKS
A.ORAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT/ READING TASK:
1. Students will identify and sort the toys according to their corresponding naming
word classifications. (nouns) The teacher may provide real objects or pictures for
students to classify. Students will have the chance to practice reading sight
words such as person, place, animals, and things.
2. This story may also be used to teach describing words (adjectives) since the
book has colorful pages and pictures. Examples are already given on page
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The National Center for Teacher Education
College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

where it was mentioned that the little train carried good things to eat, too.
Examples are : big round oranges, fat red apples, long yellow bananas, fresh
cold milk.

Question like the following may be asked to lead the students to the concept of
describing words:
1. What words tell about the oranges? Apples? Bananas? Milk?

B.VOCABULARY TASKS:
Students will be shown pictures for the pupils to be familiar with some new words from
the text.

The key vocabularies are: rumbled, merrily, jerk, steadily, snorted, indignantly, weary

The train vocabularies are: hitched, roundhouse, engine, berths, dining cars, parlor cars,
plate-glass window, passenger engine, freight engine and switching engine.

Key vocabulary:
Rumbled- move forward with a sound like thunder in the distance
Merrily-happily, joyfully
Jerk- sudden motion and uneven tug
Steadily- in a regular, even way
Snorted- noisy breathing, often to express dislike
Indignantly- feeling or showing anger
Weary –tired

Train vocabulary
Hitched- train cars put together in a hitch
Roundhouse- round building where trains are repaired or can be turned around
Engine- the first car on the train that has the power to pull other cars
Berths- a sleeping bunk bed on the train
Dining Cars- train car just for eating
Parlor cars- train car for sitting and talking
Plate-glass windows- large sheet of glass
Passenger engine- pulls train cars with people rather than boxes and crates of things
Freight engine- pulls train cars with boxes or crates of things
Switching engine- used to move trains to a different track
 Philippine Normal University
The National Center for Teacher Education
College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

C. WRITING TASKS:
1.Students will be asked to draw a picture of the little engine going up the mountain .
Teacher has to include some details of the story and the lines. “I think I can. Never give
up!” to trace over.

2.Students will be given a picture of the little engine going up the mountain. The
students will be asked to draw in the engine the things they think will give them a hard
time climbing in the mountain. It has to be explained that the mountain can be like the
whole year of being a kindergarten pupil.

Each pupil may be asked to “show and tell” his/her output.

D.CREATING TASK:
Students will be asked to help each other create a “Mountain of Courage” from clay or
paper mache. They will have to work together to paint and decorate it. After, have
each cut out a picture of one or two things they would like to be able to do but are
afraid or not yet able to do. Have the students attach pictures with their names along
the base of the mountain. Have some sort of monitoring and have the students move
their picture to the top as they accomplish goals.

E.DRAMATIC PLAY TASK:

Students will be given the chance to portrait the Little Blue Engine. Students will pretend
to be the little blue engine but instead of being a choo-choo train, they will be asked to
pull a certain load to the finish line. As they do this, they have to say “I think I can, I think
I can” for individual or “I think we can” for group until they reach the finish line.

F. MOVEMENT TASK:
1. STUDENT TRAIN 1: Students will line up to make a train. A student volunteer will be
asked to be the engine. Before the activity, the class already has thought of the
things they think they will learn in kindergarten or one thing that they really want
to be able to do for the school year.

Lead by the student engine, they class train will start with small steps. The student
engine will say “I want to ____________________” I think I can, I think I can!” Then the rest
of the class will have to shout the cheer, “Never give up! Never give up!”

2. Student Train 2: The class will be grouped in two. They will have to make a train
by holding the shoulders of the student in front of each of them. The goal is for
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The National Center for Teacher Education
College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

them to stick together to chase and get the hanky from behind of the last
student of the other train.

G.DISCUSSION TASK:
The following questions shall be asked in class to encourage exchange of ideas, to
check comprehension and to note details among students:

1. What was the happy little train loaded with?

2. Where was the train going?
3. What was the problem?
4. How did they try to solve the problem?
5. What helped the little blue engine get over the mountain?

IV. INSTRUCTIONAL EXEMPLAR (One day plan)

BEFORE READING
A. Motivation
Game: The class will be grouped in two. Each group is asked to make a choo-
choo train by putting holding the shoulders of the pupil in front of each of them
until they make a train.

The last engine( pupil) of each train will have to insert a handkerchief behind
him/her.

The teacher shall shout “All aboard! The train is about to go. Choo—chooo!” to
signal that they can start chugging to chase and get the hanky of the last
engine from the other group.

They shall stick together as they chug and chase each other.

The teacher cheers, “Never Give up! Choo..choo” until there’s a winner.

A.1 Processing
The teacher asks the pupils the question:
1.Was is easy to keep yourselves together while chasing the other group? Why?

Follow up question:
Did you feel like giving up during the game? Why?
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The National Center for Teacher Education
College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

B. Presentation
BEFORE READING

The teacher shouts “ Come aboard! To ________________ (class name) train!” (Students
sit on the mat or carpet for story circle.)

Things to remember when a story is being read will be recalled by the students.
a. Sit like an Indian.
b. Keep hands to oneself.
c. Keep eyes and ears open and mouth zipped.etc.

The teacher shows the book and reads the title, author and illustrator. Then asks a
motive question: a. What do you think is the story about?

Students’ answers will be elicited. Answers may be written on the board in a diagram.

C. READING ACTIVITIES
DURING READING
The teacher reads the story appropriately.
*Vocabulary will be discussed spontaneously when met in the story.
*Questions will be asked whilst reading the story to check whether the students are
following the story.

D. ASSESSMENT/ Check for Understanding (CFU)

AFTER READING
Teacher goes back to elicited student answers on what the story is about. Then,
comprehension questions shall be asked.

Comprehension questions:
What was the happy little train loaded with?
Toy animals, dolls, toy clown, engines, airplanes, tops, picture puzzles, books, oranges,
milk, spinach, peppermint drops and lollipops.

Where was the train going?

Over to the other side of the mountains to deliver toys and food to little boys and girls
 Philippine Normal University
The National Center for Teacher Education
College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

What was the problem?

The train came to a jerk and the wheels wouldn’t turn anymore. The train couldn’t get
over the mountain. *Explain that the wheels were not broken ; they just became hard
and it took more effort to get up to the steep mountain.

How did they try to solve the problem?

First, they asked the shiny engine for help. Did it help? No.Why not? Thought it were too
important to carry toys. How did the toys and the little train feel? Sad.

Second, they asked big strong engine for help. Did it help? No. Why not? Thought it
were too important to carry toys. How did the toys and the little train feel? Very sad.

Third, they asked the dingy, rusty old engine for help. Did it help? Did it help? No. Why
not? Too tired. Must rest. How did the toys and the little train feel? Very, very sad. Ready
to cry. *Explain that the sadness gets worse after each no. Have you ever felt that way?

Fourth, they asked the little blue engine for help. Did it help? Not at first, but the blue
engine saw tears and thought of kids not getting toys or food so it decided to try and
help.

What helped the little blue engine get over the mountain?
The little engine thought of not giving up and told itself “I think I can”. The other toys
smiled and cheered it that encouraged the engine.

E. PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENT

LEARNING STATION ACTIVITIES (May not be finished in a day…to be carried out the
following day/s,)

WRITING CENTER:
1.Students will be asked to draw a picture of the little engine going up the mountain .
Teacher has to include some details of the story and the lines. “I think I can. Never give
up!” to trace over.

DRAMATIC PLAY CENTER:

Students will be given the chance to portrait the Little Blue Engine. Students will pretend
to be the little blue engine but instead of being a choo-choo train, they will be asked to
pull a certain load to the finish line. As they do this, they have to say “I think I can, I think
I can” for individual or “I think we can” for group until they reach the finish line.
 Philippine Normal University
The National Center for Teacher Education
College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

ART and CRAFT CENTER:

Students will be asked to help each other create a “Mountain of Courage” from clay or
paper mache. They will have to work together to paint and decorate it. After, have
each cut out a picture of one or two things they would like to be able to do but are
afraid or not yet able to do. Have the students attach pictures with their names along
the base of the mountain. Have some sort of monitoring and have the students move
their picture to the top as they accomplish goals.

READING CENTER
Sight words reading

*Teacher facilitator observes and notes on children’s behavior to note how they take
and respond to certain task with focus on grit. At the end of the school, students must
exhibit “grittiness”-----having stamina to continue and pursue goals for the school year
even if circumstances challenge them.

Gritty Partner: Marissa D. Francisco

Grade:
Remarks: