Third Day of School: Lesson Plan for Gifted 3rd-5th Grade Scholars

Objective:

  • Administer a pre-assessment to gauge reading and writing skills.
  • Discuss the role of the pre-assessment in guiding classroom activities and tracking progress.
  • Introduce the F.R.O.G. Binder (“For Recognition of Growth”) to help scholars take ownership of their learning goals and monitor their growth.

Duration: 30 minutes

Materials Needed:

  • Computers or tablets with internet access for the IXL pre-assessment
  • Projector or whiteboard
  • F.R.O.G. Binder materials: binders, dividers, and labels
  • Tracking charts or progress sheets
  • Markers, pencils, and erasers

Lesson Plan

1. Introduction and Objective Setting (5 minutes)

Introduction:

  • Greet the scholars and set a positive tone for the day.
  • Briefly explain the purpose of today’s activities, focusing on discovering their current reading and writing skills and how this will help guide their learning.

Objective Explanation:

  • Script: “Today, we will be taking a pre-assessment to see what you already know about reading and writing. This will help us understand which skills you’re strong in and which ones you might need to work on. We’ll use this information to plan our activities and set goals for the year. We’ll also start using a special binder called the F.R.O.G. Binder—‘For Recognition of Growth’—to track your progress and celebrate your achievements!”

2. Pre-Assessment: IXL Step into the Arena (10 minutes)

Pre-Assessment Instructions:

  • Activity: Guide the scholars to the computers or tablets and have them log into the IXL platform for the reading and writing pre-assessment.
  • Instructions:
  • Explain how to navigate the assessment.
  • Encourage scholars to try their best so they can get an accurate picture of their skills.
  • Remind them that this is just to see what they know now and that it’s okay not to know all the answers.

Monitoring and Support:

  • Walk around to assist scholars with any technical issues.
  • Provide encouragement and remind them to focus on doing their best.

3. Discussion on Pre-Assessment Results and Purpose (5 minutes)

Post-Assessment Discussion:

  • Activity: After the pre-assessment, gather the scholars back together.
  • Discussion Points:
  • Explain how the results will be used to create personalized learning activities and goals.
  • Script: “The results of your pre-assessment give us a starting point. They help us understand what you’re already good at and what we need to practice more. We’ll use this to plan our lessons so everyone can improve in the areas they need.”

Tracking Progress:

  • Show the scholars a sample progress chart or tracking sheet.
  • Script: “We’ll use charts like these to track your progress throughout the year. You’ll be able to see how much you’ve grown and which goals you’ve met. This is your journey, and you’ll have a lot of opportunities to shine!”

4. Introduction to the F.R.O.G. Binder (5 minutes)

Introducing the F.R.O.G. Binder:

  • Activity: Show the scholars an example F.R.O.G. Binder.
  • Discussion Points:
  • Explain that the F.R.O.G. Binder stands for “For Recognition of Growth.”
  • Script: “Your F.R.O.G. Binder will be a special place where you keep track of all the wonderful things you’re learning and accomplishing. It’s like a scrapbook of your academic journey!”

Setting Up the Binder:

  • Activity: Distribute binders and dividers to the scholars.
  • Instructions:
  • Help them label the sections of their binder (e.g., “Reading,” “Writing,” “Goals,” “Progress,” “Achievements”).
  • Explain what kinds of things will go in each section, such as completed assignments, progress charts, and goal-setting sheets.

5. Ownership of Learning and Goal Setting (5 minutes)

Encouraging Ownership:

  • Discussion: Talk about how taking ownership of their learning helps scholars meet their goals and succeed.
  • Script: “Taking charge of your own learning means you get to decide what’s important to you and how you’ll achieve it. Your F.R.O.G. Binder is your tool to help you do that. You’ll set goals, track your progress, and celebrate your achievements. It’s your personal journey, and you’re in control!”

Activity – Setting Initial Goals:

  • Activity: Have scholars write down one or two academic goals for the year on a goal-setting sheet and place it in their binder.
  • Instructions:
  • Encourage them to think about what they want to achieve in reading and writing.
  • Example Goals:
    • “I want to improve my reading comprehension by reading a book every month.”
    • “I want to write a story that has a beginning, middle, and end by the end of the semester.”

6. Conclusion and Preview of Next Steps (5 minutes)

Wrap-Up:

  • Summarize what was covered in the lesson.
  • Script: “Today we started our journey with the pre-assessment and set up our F.R.O.G. Binders. We’ll be using these tools all year to track your amazing progress. Remember, you’re in charge of your learning, and we’re here to help you reach your goals.”

Preview:

  • Give a brief overview of what they’ll be doing next in class, such as starting their first reading or writing activities based on their pre-assessment results.

Dismissal:

  • Ensure scholars know where to store their F.R.O.G. Binders.
  • Encourage them to start thinking about their learning goals and what they want to include in their binders.

This lesson plan aims to engage scholars in taking ownership of their learning from the start, providing them with tools and a framework to monitor their progress and set personal goals.