Your Name:

Brittany Nyhus

Subject: (circle one) Language Arts

Grade Level: (circle one) 4

Social Studies

Mathematics

Science

Lesson Title: Iowa Ag Today

Materials Needed: Iowa Ag Today Magazine
Sticky Notes
Agriculture Everyday Stories (25 copies)
Prerequisite Skills:
Reading
Writing story extensions
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will be able to use four symbols to code a piece of text, and discuss their coded text
with peers.
1. Provide objectives: (What are students going to learn?) Time:5-7 minutes
Today were going to be working on coding a piece of text, and learning a little bit more about an
important industry in Iowa.
Open up with a discussion about what agriculture is. Have students discuss what they think
agriculture is in small groups. Allow students 2-3 minutes to discuss while you rotate through the
groups listening to conversations.
As a large group What did we come up with? What is agriculture?
Why do you think agriculture is an important industry?
Weregoingtoreadthefirstpageofthismagazinetogetsomemoreideasaboutwhat
agricultureis.Afteryouvereadthefirstpage,writedownaquestionorsomethinginteresting
youvelearned.
2. Demonstrate knowledge or skill: (Input/Modeling by the teacher)
Time: 5 minutes
When we wrote down a question or something interesting we learned we were responding to the
text, there is an easier way to organize our thoughts while were reading. Its called text coding.
OpenuptothepagetitledIowasPowerhouseCrops&Livestock.Aswereadweregoingto
markupthispagewithdifferentsymbolsthatwillhelpustorememberwhatwevereadandfind
theimportantdetails.
Whenyouhaveaquestionputa?
Somethingimportanta*
Aneworinterestingfact!
Apersonalconnection
Read the Corn Section and model the text coding for this section on the Elmo.
3. Provide guided practice: (Guided practice with the teacher)

Time: 5 minutes

Read the Pigs section out of the magazine. As I read this section code the text as you have
questions or find something interesting. After youve read the section ask the students where
you should put the different text codes.
4. Check for understanding and provide student feedback: (How will you know students
understand the skill or concept? How will they know they get it?)? Time: 5 minutes
Letsdothenextsectionsoybeansonourown.Readthesoybeansectionandcodethetext.
Afterthestudentsgetdonereadinghavethemsharesomeofthecodestheycameupwith.
5: Provide extended practice and transfer: (Independent practice of the skill) Time: 20 min.
StudentswillreadtherestofthesectionIowasPowerhouseCrops&Livestockontheirown
andcodethemagazineasitwasmodeledabove.
Asstudentsarereadingmonitortheirprogressbygoingaroundandmakingsuretheyareusing
thetextcodesandtalkingtothemaboutwhattheyveread.
Nowthatweredonecodingweregoingtotalkaboutwhatweveread.
Havethestudentsfindapartnerandtalkaboutthequestionmarkstheycodedontheirmagazine.
Afteroneminutehavethestudentsfindanotherpartnerandtalkaboutsomethingimportantthey
found.Afteroneminuteswitchagaintotalkaboutaneworinterestingfact.Haveeveryonesit
down.Sharewhatwastalkedaboutinthesmallgroups.
6. Assessment / Closure: (How do you evaluate student progress or provide closure to this
lesson?) Time: 10 min
As youre reading the rest of the Iowa Ag Today, code what youre reading! Ask questions, put a
mark if its interesting or new really get into what youre reading!
7. Plans for differentiation:
Students who need assistance will be allowed more time to complete the coding portion.
TOTAL LESSON TIME: _50 minutes_____
8. References Consulted (Curriculum books in Drake SOE curriculum lab, teacher resources,
websites, etc.):