Revised February 2018

Lesson Plan Template

For Special Education Teacher Candidates
(& Anyone Else Who Wants to Be Awesome)
Overview

Teacher(s): Michael Bacon Subject: English/Language Arts Grade: 6th Grade

Lesson length: Lesson Topic/Unit: Writing Persuasive Essays

~40 minutes

Learning Objectives:
I. By the end of this lesson, students will II. By the end of this lesson, students III. I will know that students have met
know: will be able to: this objective when:

 The steps of the POW-TREE  Identify the steps of the  Students can provide the
writing strategy are: POW-TREE writing strategy steps of the POW-TREE
o Pick an idea writing strategy
o Organize and
 Use the POW-TREE writing
generate notes for  Students can use the strategy
strategy to pick ideas and
each part of the
organize and generate a plan to pick ideas and organize
TREE
for writing. and generate a plan for
 Topic
writing
Sentence
 Reason
 Explanation
 Ending
o Write and say more.

 The POW-TREE strategy can

be used to pick ideas, organize
and generate a plan for writing,
resulting in improved writing
practice.

IV. Essential question(s) for students to answer

What strategies can I use to plan, organize, and improve my writing?

What elements does a successful persuasive essay have?

State Standards:
In this section, identify and list the VA SOLs standards (or other) that are addressed in this lesson.

6.7) The student will write narration, description, exposition, and persuasion.

b) Use a variety of prewriting strategies including graphic organizers to generate and organize ideas.

c) Organize writing structure to fit mode or topic.

d) Establish a central idea and organization.

e) Compose a topic sentence or thesis statement if appropriate.

f) Write multiparagraph compositions with elaboration and unity

Context for Learning/Background Information

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Situating the Lesson: In this section, list/describe topics of previous lessons related to the topic of this lesson that
students should be familiar with.

 Writer’s purpose
o Persuasion
 Topic sentence
 Students should be capable of performing skills necessary to the POW-TREE strategy:
o Pick an idea or opinion – given a prompting question, students should be able to clearly decide what they
believe
o Organize and generate notes – student should be able to appropriately fill in graphic organizer
 Topic sentence: See pre-skill for P
 Reason: Given the above, student should be able to write a supporting reason
 Explanation: Given the above, student should be able to elaborate
 Ending: Given the above, student should be able to write a summary sentence
o Write and say more: Given the above. Student should be able to construct a complete paragraph

Lesson Content: In this section, briefly list/describe the content of the current lesson. (2-3 sentences)
This lesson will introduce students to the steps of the POW-TREE writing strategy for use in their persuasive writing. These
steps are as follows:

o Pick an idea
o Organize and generate notes for each part of the TREE
 Topic Sentence
 Reason
 Explanation
 Ending
o Write and say more.

Students will be given an instructor model, and be given an opportunity to participate in guided and independent practice.

Lesson Rationale: Writing is a process that involves a number of steps that can be abstract and hard to conceptualize and
integrate without being given very clear guidance. This lesson attempts to address these concerns by segmenting a very
complicated process into manageable steps in an easy to remember format and sequence, improving the focus and breadth of
student writing.

Individualized Instruction

IEP Goals: By the end of the IEP period, given a grade-level lesson and the use of a graphic organizer, WL will
independently write and revise a 5-paragraph essay with no more than 3 errors per paragraph.

IEP Accommodations: WL, JA – access to graphic organizer

Accommodations for Students from Diverse Cultural &/or Linguistic Backgrounds: N/A

Instrinsic Load: : Given that the students have some background knowledge on the steps that make up the POW-TREE
strategy, the content being taught in this lesson is likely to have a mild intrinsic load on students. However, because of the
number of steps and the interactivity of these concepts, the load could become more significant, particularly for students with
working memory defecits. In order to prevent confusion based on the interactivity of steps, significant rehearsal is given to
each step separately before moving between steps and removing scaffolds. Students are also provided with a significant
review of pre-skills to ensure sufficient foundation for this content. Visual aids will be used throughout the lesson. Students
will be given significant opportunities to respond in order to increase motivation surrounding this lesson.

Co-Teaching & Collaboration

Co-Teaching: In this section, select the co-teaching format Grouping: In this section, describe the way(s) in which
that you will be using in this lesson. students will be assigned to instructional groups. Which
Check one or more. It is possible to use several strategies teacher will lead/instruct each group?
during a lesson.
 Revised February 2018

☐ One Teach, One Support N/A

☐ Station Teaching
☐ Team Teaching
☐ Alternative Teaching
☐ Parallel Teaching

What is each teacher’s role within the model(s) you selected?

Assessment of Student Learning

Assessment Procedures: In this section, describe the assessment procedures that will be used to measure learning of
the objective(s). Assessment procedure must be concrete and tangible, and teacher observation (without a record of it) is
unacceptable. Attach assessment probe or checklist to lesson plan. Multiple forms of assessment are strongly encouraged.

Assessment Type(s): Assessment Criteria: Students Feedback: : Students will be given

will identify each step of the POW- immediate feedback during the lesson
 Formative OTR Checklist TREE revision strategy in whole group as they answer questions related to
 POW-TREE Graphic instruction and will use these strategies each step of the POW-TREE
to pick ideas and organize and writingstrategy and applying them ito
Organizer generate a plan for writing. examples in whole group instruction,
and given positive feedback for doing
so. If students become confused, they
can be redirected to the POW-TREE
neumonic device.

While doing independent work,

instructor will monitor and provide
students with feedback on their
process. If students are struggling,
challenge them to explain their thought
process and direct them back to the
steps from the lesson

Materials & Resources

 Teacher Materials (I need): POW-TREE Student Materials (They need): Student

Strategy Powerpoint, OTR Formative Assessment journal, POW-TREE Graphic Organizer
checklist

Behavior Management

General Concerns: Students are Specific Concerns: My students Feedback: Students will be
aware of classroom values, rules, and struggle with long periods of teacher specifically praised for actively
procedures and these have been pre- talk, have working memory issues, and participating in the lesson and
taught in the classroom. Anchor lose focus easily. These struggles can exhibiting expected behaviors. If
often lead to problematic behaviors. In students are not exhibiting expected
charts are also posted with reminders
order to address this, I include frequent behaviors, a general reminder the
to these specific behaviors in the opportunities to respond and visual specific expected behavior will be
instruction area. representations of concepts to keep given to the whole class. If this
students engaged. The use of graphic behavior continues, two individual
organizers also helps to address the reminders will be given before
 Revised February 2018

working memory issues that may lead progressing to additional

to behaviors. consequences.

Preparing Students for Instructional Content

Estimated time: ~15 minutes

Review of prerequisite skills: “All right, class! I need Student-Friendly Objective: Today we’re going to
you to put all other materials away and get ready for our be learning about a strategy that can help you pick ideas and
writing time!” generate and organize a plan for writing.. It is called the
POW-TREE strategy! Writing a long paper can be difficult
(Review definition of writer’s purpose, persuasion, and topic because you are thinking about a bunch of different things
sentence.) all at once. This makes it hard to know what we should be
thinking about at specific times in the writing process. This
(Provide students with POW-TREE pre-skills worksheet) strategy gives you an exact set of steps that past students
“We’re going to spend the beginning of our class practicing have used to make their writing a lot more focused and
our writing skills with this worksheet. This will not be for a detailed.
grade, I just want to have the opportunity to see how you guys
are using your skills to plan your writing.” (Monitor and
provide feedback as necessary, if students lack any necessary
pre-skills, explicit teaching of these skills will be necessary
before this lesson)

Go over this sheet with students and point out the successful
use of the various pre-skills, compare this to their other writing
work that does not always have such a clear focus or as much
detail. Let students know that while they will not always have
worksheets with guided questions like this to help them, you
have a strategy they can use to achieve similar results in all of
their writing.

Essential Vocabulary
Estimated time: (Folded into above)
Reviewing vocabulary: Pre-teaching vocabulary: N/A
 Author’s purpose
o Persuasion
 Topic Sentence

Instruction
Estimated time: ~30 minutes

Direct Instruction (I DO): Guided Practice (WE DO): Independent Practice (YOU
Students will be provided with an Students will be presented with DO): Students will be asked to use
overview of the POW-TREE strategy and example prompts to practice the POW- the strategy to produce a plan for a
it will be explained to students that it is a TREE strategy together. On the first persuasive essay using the POW-
roadmap to pick ideas and generate and example, students will be told what TREE graphic organizer. The
organize a plan for writing in order to steps to use while going through the instructor will monitor students as they
make their final product more focused process. If students successfully do work through the steps and ask
and more detailed. Students will be given this, for the next one, students will be students to raise their hand when each
examples of times in class they can use it, asked to provide the steps, and before step is completed so the instructor can
and times they cannot. the final example students will be check their progress.
reminded to use the strategy and
Instructor will then go through each step provided a visual aid before moving on
of the process, reminding student which to independent practice.
letter of the mneumonic device
corresponds, how it relates to their
writing process, and how to use it.
 Revised February 2018

Instructor will then provide a model

based on an example prompt, explaining
what is used for and its importance.
“Think aloud” through the process of
using each step of the strategy, including
problem solving and self-monitoring.

Closure
Estimated time: ~5 minutes

Lesson Review: Students will be Forward Look: Students will Homework: N/A
given a reminder of the strategy they be informed that they will move
learned and an opportunity to practice on to the W step of POW in the
their fluency with each step. Instructor
will also engage students in a brief next period and they will have
discussion of how they could use the the opportunity to begin
strategy in their lives. building a final product. Then
we will see how much using
this strategy is helping us so
far!

Extraneous Load: Slides are low on text and use visual representations to explain vocabulary concepts. Slides also
provide cues for the teacher during instruction which will help manage the teacher’s extraneous load. Wait time will be
provided for students after teacher questions in order to allow processing without putting stress on the students. Choral
opportunities to respond provide the students with low-stakes rehearsal of the content that will allow them to become more
confident before scaffolds are faded. Clear and concise language will be used to avoid creating additional confusion for
students over the course of the lesson.

Preparation for CLASS Scoring (For Dimensions Not Already Explicitly Included Above)

What steps will you take to ensure the lesson will occur within a positive climate, show sensitivity to students and
demonstrate regard for student perspectives?

How will you maximize instructional time and keep distractions and non-instructional time to a minimum to
ensure productivity?

Are your instructional learning formats organized to facilitate active engagement and clear learning?

Are you planning to help students utilize higher order thinking skills? And apply their knowledge in some unique
way?

What are you planning to do to support content understanding and clear up misconceptions?

How will you promote active dialog between you and your students, and among the students? (As appropriate)

What explicit steps can you take to keep students engaged throughout the lesson?

References, Notes & Other Information

In this section, list any references for lesson plans, resources, or other ideas you used that are not primarily yours. This is
also where you will list the APA citations for the articles that were referenced.

In this section, include any other helpful information that is relevant for the lesson plan.

Aspects of this lesson were adapted from:

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The IRIS Center. (2006). Improving writing performance: A strategy for writing persuasive essays. Retrieved
from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/pow/