CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches
and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of
the content.

I believe it is important for me to know the content that I am teaching. It is also

important for teachers to understand that we could use the knowledge of the lessons we
teach to broaden students greater understanding of overall material. Throughout my
time at Aquinas College, I have learned the basic skills that one needs to master to be
able to teach confidently in the classroom. This does not mean I will have an answer to
all the questions my curious students might ask. I understand that content changes over
time so; I need to constantly keep myself updated and informed on content.

Evidence
My first piece of evidence is the lesson plan I created and taught at Aquinas College.
The lesson focuses on the content area and the Common Core State Standards. I was
able to create an engaging lesson for students that also met State Standards. I used my
understanding of the Standards to make a lesson that helped students learn the
material.

AQUINAS COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Name: Sr. Kate Okolocha
Grade Level of Lesson: 3rd
Subject/Content Area: Language Arts/Creative Writing
Lesson Plan For Class Session Day 2 This is the actual day Im teaching this lesson from the
unit.(Students were assigned to read a story book in preparation for this lesson)

Michigan Curriculum Framework Content Standards and Benchmarks:

Key Ideas and Details:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.a
Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure that lists reasons. Provide reasons that support the opinion.

Unit Outcome:

TLW use writing to respond to increasingly-complex prompts which address literary elements as
well as personal connections.

Lesson Outcomes:

TLW free write in response to a story they were asked to read.

TLW practice making connections while summarizing specific information from a story.
TLW learn how to write using reasoning and specific sensory details.
TLW compare characters, plots, and other elements in the story.

Rationale/Purpose for Lesson:

In this lesson, oral responses to an assigned story book reading precede students written responses to
literature. Through conversations and discussions about texts, students are given time to clarify their
thoughts, get new ideas from others, and establish a core understanding of fiction texts that enable
them to respond in writing to prompts in individual open-ended ways. They will use a topic sentence to
begin a paragraph, and also use complete sentences in describing specific sensory details from the text
during writing activity.

Resources/Materials Required:

10 Xeroxed copies of Lee S. Justices Talented Alex.

Chalkboard and chalk
Activity questions to practice making connections while summarizing specific information from a
story.

Free write Topic: What are some of the things Alex does with his talent? How did everyone in the family
know that Alex has a talent? Use some examples from the text to support your reasoning.

Introduction:

The teacher uses a good grabber to get students attention. Have you ever helped someone in need?
Have you ever received help from someone when you were in need? Do you have a talent you could use
to help someone in need?
When I asked you to read the essay by Lee S. Justice, I asked you to read for two things. The first was
what are some of the things Alex does with his talent? The other issue I asked you to think about was:
How did everyone in the family know that Alex has a talent?
Procedure:

Turn and Talk: Ask students to talk and discuss the questions with partners. Use questions such
as: What does Alex learn about his talent in the story? What did you learn about your talent? (45 minutes).
Whole Group Discussion: Ask students to share their thoughts, while the teacher lists their
points on the board. Encourage students to take notes from this information because it might
help them to respond to free write questions.

Individual Pre-Writing Activity:

Ask students to list all the things Alex does with his talent, and then select at least three to
describe in your paragraph using a topic sentence. Use some examples from the text to support
your reasoning. (4-5 minutes).
Ask students to share their thoughts/opinions, while the teacher lists them on the board.
Turn and Talk: We are going to do one more exercise that will help you get in touch with this
story, think about it, and gain a deeper understanding of it. Work with a partner, and talk about
this: How did everyone in the family know that Alex has a talent?
Individual Pre-Writing Activity: Ask students to use a topic sentence to begin a paragraph and
then describe how everyone in Alexs family know that he can solve the familys mysteries. Use
some examples from the text to support your reasoning. (4-5 minutes).
Ask students to share their thoughts, while the teacher lists them on the board.

Closure/Wrap-up:
Ask students if they have questions about the class discussions and pre-writing activities. Ask students to
share what they learned from the lesson.
The teacher will wrap up the lesson by reviewing the lists of class discussions written on the board.
Home Work:
Spend some time in a special place and think about what you would do if you see someone or a friend in
need of help. Close your eyes and use your senses to explain what you see, feel, and hear when you see
someone desperately in need of help. List all the things you would do when you see someone in need of
help. In at least one paragraph describe how you would use your talent to help a friend or someone in
need. Use a topic sentence to begin your paragraph and then be descriptive and specific in your writing.
You must submit this assignment tomorrow.

Assessment:

Teacher will use checklists/rubrics for literature writing responses to evaluate students learning on the
following criteria:

Rubrics
Part A
1 Not finished 2 Keep working

3 Good

4 Very good

5 Excellent!

A paragraph with a topic sentence

Uses specific details from the text

Uses complete sentences

Score____
Comments:
Part B
1 Weak

2 Keep working

3 Good

4 Very good

5 Excellent!

A paragraph with a topic sentence

Uses specific reasoning and connecting details 1

Uses complete sentences

Score____________________
Comment:

Evidence #2
My second piece of evidence is a lesson that I created and thought during my student teaching
at St. Thomas School. This lesson required the students to identify what makes a character
unique. They need to be able to use the details from the literature to support the claims. In
addition, oral responses to read-aloud stories precede students written responses to literature.
Through conversations and discussions about texts, students are given time to clarify their
thoughts, get new ideas from others, and establish a core understanding of character traits in
fiction texts that enable them to respond to prompts in individual, open-ended ways. With my
content knowledge, I was able to come up with interactive and engaging lesson for my
students, as well as teach standards.

AQUINAS COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
4th Grade Lesson
Sr. Kate Okolocha
Subject/Content Area: English Language Arts
Time Duration: 50 Minutes
3/16/16
Michigan Curriculum Framework Content Standards and Benchmarks:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details
in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Unit Outcome:
The learners will (TLW) read a variety of classic and contemporary literature, use information
gained from the illustrations and words in a print or text to demonstrate understanding of the
characters and event in a story.
Lesson Outcome:

TLW listen to read-aloud story and participate in discussions about text

TLW analyze a character by investigating character traits and character motivations.
TLW identify the major features or qualities of the major character in a story
TLW look for information from the text to support their opinion.
TLW use writing to share, deepen and expand their understanding of literary texts.

Rationale/Purpose for Lesson:

In any non-informational text that students read they will come across a variety of characters.
Students need to be able to identify what makes that character unique. They need to be able to
use the details from the literature to support the claims. In addition, oral responses to readaloud stories precede students written responses to literature. Through conversations and
discussions about texts, students are given time to clarify their thoughts, get new ideas from

others, and establish a core understanding of character traits in fiction texts that enable them
to respond to prompts in individual, open-ended ways.
Resources/Materials Required:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret story book
Pencil/markers/crayon
Paper
Worksheets
Power point presentation
Introduction:
The teacher will use a good grabber to get students attention. Make sure students open the
correct story book page. Read aloud the remaining part one of the story book The Invention of
Hugo Cabret. Engage students with discussion questions about their character traits, and then
extend the discussion to the character traits of Hugo Cabret.
Procedure:

Ask students to take out The Invention of Hugo Cabret story book. Make sure they open
the correct page (Pg. 241).
Ask students to pay attention as I read aloud the remaining part one of the story book.
Ask students to turn and talk to each other about the meaning of a character trait.
Have students share their understanding of what character trait mean.
Discuss the meaning of a character trait with students and give them some examples.
Ask students if they have character traits. Encourage them to share some of their
character traits.
Have students turn and talk to each other about the character traits of Hugo Cabret (the
major character in the story book).
Have students share the words that comes to their minds about the character traits of
Hugo Cabret and why. Write students answers on the smart board.
Model an example of Hugo Cabret character trait and supporting evidence from the
story book.
Put students in groups of three, and ask each person to talk about one character trait of
Hugo Cabret and two supporting evidence from the story book.
Give students worksheets with a question asking them to write two character traits of
Hugo Cabret and two supporting evidence from the book for each character trait.
The teacher walks around the class, attending to students questions, encouraging and
affirming their effort.
Guided Study:
Follow-up Individual Activity: Ask students to quietly read a story book of their choice when
they complete their writing. They will be looking for the character traits of the characters in
that book. They will draw two pictures that illustrate the character traits they found.

Homework:
Students who did not complete the follow-up individual activity exercise, will take it home,
complete it and bring it to the class the following day.
Closure:
The teacher will choose volunteers to present their work/writing to the class. They will read the
two character traits of Hugo Cabret and provide the supporting evidence they chose from the
book. The teacher will wrap up the lesson once again by reviewing the concept of character
traits, and asking students to be on the lookout for character traits as we read the second part
of The Invention of Hugo Cabret story book.
Assessment:
The character traits worksheets will be collected at the end of the class period, and the teacher
will assess the students progress.
Grading Rubric:
Character trait class work rubric
_____/6 (1 point for each character trait, and 1 point for each supporting evident): Each character trait is
supported by evidence found in the book.
____/ 6 (1 point for each sentence x 6 sentences): Correct use of capital letters and punctuation for each
sentence.
Follow up activity rubric
____/ 10 (5points for each drawing/ diagram x 2) (Character trait drawings/ diagrams are completely

finished to the best of students ability.

Note:
Whatever activity we do not complete in class today will be taken care of tomorrow during
Language Art lesson.
Class Work

Write two character traits of Hugo Cabret.

Give two supporting evidence from the story book we read for each character trait.

Make sure you start a sentence with capital letter and period at the end of each
sentence.

Follow-up Individual Activity

When you are done with your writing, quietly read a story book of their choice.

Look for the character traits of the characters in that book.

Draw two pictures or a picture map that illustrate the character traits you found.