Shared Reading Lesson - Four Day Format

By - Kate Saretsky
Rationale: I chose to do a multi-day lesson on using comprehension strategies for one poem to deepen understanding of making
meaning from text. I chose this poem because I feel like learners at grade 5 need a variety of content and themes. This poem is rich
in emotional content and I feel most people can relate to some aspects in this situation in some way. I feel like this poem could be
used in grade four or six but it would depend on your class. I would use this as part of an extended poetry unit, perhaps as an
opener, and get into the language of poetry like similes and metaphors later.

Overview of the four day lesson:

Title: Deepening Comprehension Strategies using the Poem Growing Pains by Jean Little
Grade: 5
Key Understandings:
Students will use strategies to deepen understanding of the same text over a period of four classes. The strategies that
students will use are using prior knowledge, predicting, using visualization, making connections to text, self and world.
Assessment:
This lesson uses formative assessments every day using sticky notes, drawings, T-charts and discussion. I will use
these formative assessments to see where they are at in their understanding and regroup for guided reading. I will use
the collected formative assessments to make anecdotal notes.
Prior Knowledge:
Students will have knowledge that there are different types of poems for different purposes. Students will have familiarity
with using these strategies on other types of texts like short stories or nonfiction, or with poetry depending on when this
lesson is taught in the unit.
Teaching Focus / Curriculum Expectations:
Overall expectations (Grade 5 curriculum):
1. Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of

strategies to construct meaning;

2.Recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they
help communicate meaning.
Specific Expectations:
Comprehension Strategies
1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before, during, and after reading
to understand texts (e.g., activate prior knowledge through brainstorming; ask questions to focus or clarify reading; use
visualization to clarify details about such things as the sights, sounds, and smells in a medieval castle; make and
confirm predictions based on evidence from the text; synthesize ideas during reading to
generate a new understanding of a text)
Teaching Strategies: teaching reading with pointer, echo reading, group choral reading, writing predictions on sticky notes, using
clipboards and crayons, group share, individual think time, covering the poem except for title and keywords.
Comprehension Strategies: Prior knowledge and predicting, wondering and making inferences, using visualization, making
connections to text, self and world.
Levels of Questioning: knowledge, analysing and synthesizing
Graphic Organizers: T-chart for visualisation, keyword or phrase on one side, picture on the other.
Collaborative Learning Strategies: partner reading with expression, think, pair, share, partner discussion.

Materials/Preparation for Teaching:

Enlarged poem on chart paper
One poem per student
Post-it note pads (1 large and 1 thin strip style post it per each student) and pencils
Clipboards, paper and crayons
Differentiated copies of the poem

Differentiated Instruction:
ELL students can have copies of the poem with enlarged print and possible vocabulary words translated using google translate
ahead of time.
ELL/Special education students can be paired with fluent readers for think, pair, share and partner reading.
On the carpet for whole group instruction, seating is arranged with special needs in mind; special seats or areas are marked and
used, fidgets are on hand for those who need them.

ELL or special education students can whisper scribe to a friend in a different area or draw a picture on their sticky note.
Using drawing as a response tool instead of writing for some activities.

Day 1: Introduction and

Predicting

Before Reading:

Day 2: Making Inferences

Before Reading:
Remind students of the
Students will activate prior
predictions that they made
knowledge about poetry and about the poem yesterday
the author. Students will
and explain that today we
make predictions as to what will use the strategy of
the poem will be about
asking questions and
based on the title and
inference to explore those
keywords (other parts of the predictions further. Teacher
poem will be covered).
models wondering out loud
Students will record their
(this makes me think
predictions on sticky notes.
that) when reading a
During Reading:
certain line. Students will be
asked to place a thin sticky
Teacher will read the entire
note next to phrases that
poem that is on chart paper stand out to them.
while students follow along
reading in their heads.
During Reading:
After Reading:
Students will reflect on their
predictions then do a think pair
share and a select number of
volunteers can group share.
Students will be reminded to
that they can use this strategy

Day 3: Visualisations

Day 4: Making Connections to

Text, Self and World

Before Reading:

Before Reading:

Refer to the anchor chart on

visualisation and remind
students of what happens
during visualisation and why
this is important for good
readers.
During Reading:

Reflect back on yesterdays

gallery walk to remember
that some drawings were
similar and others were
different. Remind students
about making connections
and refer to anchor chart if
necessary.

As the teacher reads the

poem students have a
clipboard and crayons to
record any images they see
in their minds. Students may
record phrases or words
underneath multiple pictures
or organise their drawing in
a different way. Students will
be given time to complete
their drawing.

Students and teacher will

read the poem chorally.
Students will place thin
After Reading:
sticky notes next to places
where they had questions or
Students will go a gallery walk
could make inferences.
to see what their classmates

During Reading:
Students will read the poem
in partners and using the
teacher modelling and
anchor chart discuss what
connections they could
make from the text.
After Reading:
Students get their clipboards
and crayons again and draw a
picture of a connection from
the text to either self, text or
world. The drawings will be
glued into the readers

when doing independent

poetry reading.

Students can refer to the

anchor chart on inferencing.

have drawn to look for

similarities and differences.

notebooks.

After Reading:
Students record their phrases
or words in a T chart in their
reader's notebooks and in the
right column explain what
conclusions they have thought
of.

Day 1: Introduction, engaging prior knowledge and making predictions

Comprehension Strategies: Engage prior knowledge, making predictions, questioning
Prior knowledge: that poetry can be in a variety of forms for different purposes, perhaps some exposure to Jean Little
Levels of questioning: knowledge and synthesizing
Materials: chart paper, enlarged poem, differentiated handouts, pencils, post-it notes.
Before Reading:
We will begin as a whole group in our readers and writers area in front of a new poem written on chart paper by Jean
Little called Growing Pains. We will begin by activating prior knowledge about poetry, what we know about poetry
forms, styles and purposes. Teacher will question students on what other prior knowledge can be drawn upon. A
discussion of Jean Little and what they know about her poems or writings will occur (if the teacher knows that they have
studied her work last year or previously in this unit).
Moving on to making predictions, students will use the title, their knowledge of the author, and key phrases that have
been left uncovered to write one or two predictions as to what they think the poem might be about on their sticky notes.
Teacher will model making a prediction orally first.
During Reading:
Teacher will then uncover the rest of the poem and ask students to keep in the mind the predictions that they made as
the poem is read to them. Teacher will model fluency and expression while reading and students will follow along.
Teacher may choose to use a pointer as a differentiation tool to aid some students in following.

 After Reading:
Students will do a think, pair, share using the predictions that they made on their sticky notes. Selected students can
share with the whole group. Teacher can survey by hand raising or other signals to see how many had similar
predictions.
Before students go off to independent reading, remind students of the strategy to use knowledge of previous poems,
authors and keywords to write predictions on sticky notes before reading.

Post lesson teaching reflection:

Were the students engaged with the poem for four lessons? Did the predictions make sense? Did the inferences make sense
based on text from the poem? Should it have been lengthened or extended? Were the visualisations relevant to the words chosen?
Which day of the lesson were students most excited about? Was there more opportunity for arts or drama to be involved?