ED 354 Explicit Instruction Lesson Plan Dr.

Owiny

Maggie Kirst
April 10, 2017
ELA Lesson: Explicit Instruction

Words ending in lf are changed to lves when made plural.

Setting/grade level: 3rd Grade

Introduce the rule

Today we are going to learn a new rule about spelling plural words. This
rule will help us know how to spell words ending in lf in the plural form.
Listen to the rule:
Words ending in lf are changed to lves when made plural.
Repeat once more.

Before we jump into this rule, I want to review what we already know about
spelling plural words. First of all, what is a plural word? Call on a student to
respond. Make appropriate comments. Most of the time, when we want to
make a word plural, what letter do we add to the end of it? Do not say it
out loud, yet. Just think in your head. Now, I want you to whisper it to me
on the count of three. What letter do you add to the end of a word to make
it plural? 1, 2, 3! Listen as students respond. Now say it a little louder, and
a little louder! Yes! You usually add an s to the end of a word to make it
plural.

But today, as I mentioned above, we are going to look at how words that
end in lf are changed to lves when made plural.

In order to help you remember this rule, I have created a little jingle for us
to sing. Follow along on the back page of your booklet as I demonstrate
how it goes.

Sing once or twice alone, then with the students:

Lf becomes l-ves.
Lf becomes l-ves.
Lf becomes l-ves when there is more than one.

Lets see how this rule actually applies to real words. Watch as I
demonstrate on the board and follow along using your booklets! Show
them how to open their booklets to the first page.

Illustrate the rule with examples and non-examples

Example: Calf The first word we are going to look at is the word
calf. Calf ends in lf. Now, our rule tells us that
when we want to make a word that ends in lf
plural, we need to change it to lves. Watch as I
ED 354 Explicit Instruction Lesson Plan Dr. Owiny

do this. Demonstrate on the board. Think out loud:

I want to make this word plural. The first thing I am

going to do is look at the end of the word to see
what letters it ends with. It ends in lf. Underline
the lf. I know that when I see an lf at the end of
a word and I want to make it plural, I change the
lf to lves. So I am going to cross out the lf
and write lves. My word went from singular calf
to plural calves.

Write this in on the blank space provided on the

second page of your booklet and hold it up when
you are done.

Great! I am now going to show you a few more

examples to make sure you understand the rule.

Example: Half Repeat the above thinking out loud paragraph

for the word half.
Example: Wolf Repeat the above thinking out loud paragraph
for the word wolf.
Non-example: Girl Lets look at the word girl. The first thing I need
to do is look at the end of the word to see what it
ends with. This word ends in rl. Because girl
ends in rl and not lf, we do not need to follow
our new rule. We can just add an s.

Are there any questions so far? Answer any

questions if needed.

Now that you have seen how to apply this rule,

lets try a few together.
Guide students in analyzing examples and non-examples using the
critical attributes.
Example: Yourself How about the word yourself. What is the first
thing we need to do? Call on a student wait until
a student says or you need to provide, Look at the
end of the word. Does this word end in lf? Give
me a thumbs up if it does or a thumbs down if it
does not. Yes! This word does end in lf. And what
does that mean class? Do we need to follow the
rule? Give me a thumbs up if we do or a thumbs up
if we dont. Look around the room. Yes! Exactly! We
do need to apply the rule.
ED 354 Explicit Instruction Lesson Plan Dr. Owiny

Lean over to your partner and discuss with them

what you think we need to do next. How do we
apply the rule we have learned? Wait a few
seconds. Can I get a volunteer to tell me what they
decided with their partner? Students should say
something along the lines of crossing out the lf
and adding an lves. If not, call on another
student or direct them towards this answer.

Correct! We need to cross out the lf and add an

lves. Yourself becomes yourselves.

Hold up your booklet when you have the blank

filled in!
Example: Elf Repeat the above with the word elf. Have the
students get a little more involved.
Non-example: Boy Repeat the above with the word boy. Instead of
applying the rule, though, the students will just add
an s because the word does not end in lf.
Check students understanding using examples and non-examples.
Example: Shelf Wow! You all are doing a wonderful job with this
new rule! Are you ready to try a few words by
yourselves? If a student says no, make sure to
answer any questions before you move on.

All right. As you can see in your booklets, you have

three more words that you need to make plural
shelf, werewolf, and student. By yourself, try to
make those three words plural. Remember the rule!
Words ending in lf are changed to lves
when made plural.

If you have a question or need any help, just raise

your hand and I will come help you. If you finish
before the other students, I want you to try to think
of other words that need to add a ves on the end
when they are made plural. You can write your
examples on the blank pages provided in the
booklet. Show students where these pages are
located. And to give you a hint, not all the words
have to end in lf. Some words can end in just f
as well.

Okay! Lets see what you all can do!

Example: Werewolf Students are independently working. Answer
questions when applicable.
ED 354 Explicit Instruction Lesson Plan Dr. Owiny

Non-example: Students are independently working. Answer

Student questions when applicable.

Great work students! Now before we go to our last

activity, shall we see how you filled in the blanks?
All right, on the count of three, hold up your page
for the word shelf. 1, 2, 3! See how the students
did. Have them explain to their partner how they
got the answer they did. Make any needed
comments, corrections, or clarifications. Repeat
this for the words werewolf and student.

Was anyone able to come up with another example

of a word that has to change to ves when made
plural? Have the students explain their examples if
they have any.
Provide wrap-up and review
The last thing on our agenda today is to fill out a quick exit slip. This is not
for a grade, but is just meant to show me how well you are understanding
this new rule. Pass out the exit slips. Read through the explanation on the
top of the page and answer questions if needed. Wait until all the students
are finished.

Today we learned a new rule about spelling plural words. We learned that if
a word ends in lf, we need to change it to lves when it is made plural.

Shall we sing our jingle one last time before we end this lesson? I think so!
Look at the back page of your booklet if you need help remembering how it
goes!

Sing the jingle through a few times.

Great job, class! Tomorrow, we are going to continue learning how to spell
plural words by learning a new rule for words that end in f.

Opportunities for high student engagement: Briefly describe the

high-engagement practices you plan to include in this lesson.
1. Students who finish the independent practice portion of this lesson
before the other students can try to think of their own examples of
words that apply to this rule.
2. On the exit slip, high students can challenge themselves by not only
circling the words that need to use the rule, but by also writing out
the plural forms of the words listed.
3. High achieving students will be called on first to explain how they got
the answers they did (tiered questioning).
ED 354 Explicit Instruction Lesson Plan Dr. Owiny

Scoring: Assignment total = 100%

Setting/grade level (10%)
Setting and grade level Setting and grade level Setting and grade level
are appropriate to the are mildly inappropriate are not at all appropriate
content for the content to the content
Introduce the rule (15%)
Rule is introduced Rule is introduced Rule is introduced
accurately and in student- accurately OR in inaccurately AND not in
friendly terms appropriate student-friendly terms student-friendly terms
to the grade level appropriate to the grade appropriate to the grade
level (but not both) level
Illustrate the rule with examples and non-examples (15%)
All examples and non- Most examples and non- Examples and non-
examples of the rule are examples of the rule are examples of the rule are
accurate and grade accurate but may not be inaccurate.
appropriate. grade appropriate.
Guide students in analyzing examples and non-examples using the
critical attributes. (15%)
Teacher prompts students Teacher prompts students Teacher does not prompt
using appropriately using appropriately using scaffolded
scaffolded questions scaffolded questions questions about the
about the presence or about the presence or presence of absence of
absence of critical absence of critical critical attributes.
attributes. attributes. Prompts may
not all be in order of the
release of responsibility
or they may not all be
tied to the critical
attributes.
Check students understanding using examples and non-examples.
(15%)
ED 354 Explicit Instruction Lesson Plan Dr. Owiny

Teacher provides Teacher provides Teacher provides

appropriate appropriate inappropriate
examples/non-examples examples/non-examples examples/non-examples
for independent practice. for independent practice. for independent practice.
The first example is The first example is not The first example is also
guided by the teacher to guided by the teacher. not guided by the
ensure comprehension of teacher.
the task.
Provide wrap-up and review (15%)
Teacher provides a wrap- Teacher provides a wrap- Teacher does not provide
up opportunity for up opportunity for a wrap-up opportunity for
students that differs from students that does not students that differs from
previous activities, but differ from previous previous activities, or the
measures every students activities, but measures wrap-up does not
understanding of the rule. every students measure every students
understanding of the rule. understanding of the rule.
Opportunities for high student engagement (15%)
Teacher describes at least Teacher describes one Teacher does not describe
two strategies that strategy that provides a strategy that provides
provide opportunities for opportunities for high opportunities for high
high student student engagement. student engagement.
engagement.