Lesson 48 covers:

• Elementary Level: Reading Comprehension (Main Idea)
• Mid Level: Writing Opinion Essays
• High Level: Subject-Verb Agreement

Elementary Level (Kinder to Grade 2)

Subject: Reading Comprehension (Main Idea)

Alignment with Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 – Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2 – Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Listen to a short text and identify the main idea.
2. Sort sentences/pictures into groups based on the main idea.
3. Verbally explain the main idea of a simple passage.

Materials Needed:

• Short, simple stories (e.g., “The Dog and His Bone” (Aesop’s Fable), “At the Park”, or “My Pet Cat”)
• Main Idea Sorting Cards (Downloadable/printable or homemade with pictures and sentences)
• Graphic Organizer (e.g., a simple “Main Idea & Details” web)
• Whiteboard/Marker or Paper/Pencil

Lesson Activities:

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Ask: “What is a story mostly about?”
• Explain: “Every story has a big idea called the main idea—what the whole story is mostly telling us.”
• Give an example: “If I say, ‘Dogs bark, play fetch, and wag their tails,’ the main idea is ‘Things dogs do.'”

2. Read-Aloud & Main Idea Discussion (10-15 minutes)

• Read a short, engaging story aloud (e.g., “The Dog and His Bone”).
• Pause to ask:
  • “What is happening in this story?”
  • “What is the big idea?”
• Guide the student to identify the main idea (e.g., “A dog loses his bone because he is greedy.”).

3. Main Idea Sorting Game (10 minutes)

• Prepare cards with sentences or pictures (e.g., “A cat purrs,” “A cat drinks milk,” “A cat climbs trees” → Main Idea: “Things cats do”).
• Have the student sort the cards into groups that share the same main idea.

4. Independent Practice (5-10 minutes)

• Provide a simple paragraph (e.g., “Frogs live near water. They hop and eat bugs. Frogs start as tadpoles.”)
• Ask: “What is this mostly about?” (Answer: “Facts about frogs.”)
• Use a graphic organizer to write the main idea in the center and supporting details in bubbles.

5. Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Ask: “What did you learn today?”
• Have the student tell the main idea of a new short text or picture.

Assessment:

• Oral Response: Can the student explain the main idea of a story?
• Sorting Activity: Can they correctly group related ideas?
• Graphic Organizer: Did they identify the main idea vs. details?

Extension Ideas:

• Have the student draw a picture showing a main idea.
• Read another short book and act out the main idea.

Mid Level (Grade 3 to 5)

Subject: Writing Opinion Essays

Alignment with Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1 – Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
  • W.4.1.A – Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure.
  • W.4.1.B – Provide reasons supported by facts and details.
  • W.4.1.C – Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, because).
  • W.4.1.D – Provide a concluding statement or section.

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. State a clear opinion about their favorite book.
2. Support their opinion with at least three reasons and examples.
3. Organize their essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
4. Use linking words (e.g., because, also, for example) to connect ideas.

Materials Needed:

• Favorite book (student-selected)
• Graphic Organizer (Opinion Writing Template)
• Anchor Chart (List of opinion transition words: I believe, in my opinion, for instance, therefore)
• Writing Paper/Pencil or Computer
• Example Opinion Essay (Teacher-written or from a mentor text)

Lesson Activities:

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes) – Discussion & Brainstorming

• Ask: “What is your favorite book, and why?”
• Explain: “An opinion essay shares your thoughts and backs them up with reasons.”
• Show an example paragraph (e.g., “I believe ‘Charlotte’s Web’ is the best book because it teaches friendship, has funny characters, and a touching ending.”)
• Have the student brainstorm their favorite book and list 3 reasons why they like it.

2. Direct Instruction (10 minutes) – Structure of an Opinion Essay

• Use a graphic organizer to outline:
  • Introduction (Hook + Opinion Statement)
  • Body Paragraphs (Reason 1 + Example, Reason 2 + Example, etc.)
  • Conclusion (Restate Opinion + Final Thought)
• Model writing a sample introduction together.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes) – Drafting the Essay

• Student writes their opinion statement (e.g., “In my opinion, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ is the best book because…”).
• Student fills out the graphic organizer with reasons and examples.
• Encourage using transition words (Refer to anchor chart).

4. Independent Writing (15 minutes) – Complete the First Draft

• Student writes their full essay (1-2 pages).
• Circulate to provide feedback on:
  • Clear opinion
  • Strong supporting reasons
  • Logical organization

5. Peer/Teacher Review & Revision (10 minutes)

• If possible, have the student read their essay aloud to a parent/sibling for feedback.
• Focus on:
  • Did they support their opinion well?
  • Are linking words used correctly?
• Student revises for clarity.

Assessment:

• Completed Graphic Organizer – Did the student provide 3 strong reasons?
• First Draft – Does it include:
  • A clear introduction with opinion?
  • Body paragraphs with examples?
  • A strong conclusion?
• Use of Transition Words – Are opinions and reasons connected smoothly?

Extension Ideas:

• Turn the essay into a book review video or poster.
• Compare opinions with a family member (debate-style discussion).
• Write a letter to the author explaining why they loved the book.

High Level (Grade 6 to 8)

Subject: Subject-Verb Agreement

Alignment with Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1 – Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.3 – Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Identify subjects and verbs in complex sentences.
2. Apply 6 key subject-verb agreement rules (including tricky cases).
3. Revise errors in authentic writing samples (e.g., emails, social media posts).

Materials:

• Anchor Chart (Subject-Verb Agreement Rules)
• Editable Google Slides (Visual examples + interactive quiz)
• Sentence Cards (For kinesthetic “Human Sentence” activity)
• Grammarly/ProWritingAid (For real-world error detection)
• Jenga Game (Customized with agreement questions)

Lesson Procedure:

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes) – Error Hunt

• Display 3 incorrect sentences (e.g., “The dogs barks loudly”).
• Ask: “What’s wrong? How would you fix it?”
• Discuss why subject-verb agreement matters in clear communication.

2. Direct Instruction (15 min): Interactive Rules Breakdown

Teach rules using color-coded examples (green=subject, blue=verb):

Engagement Tip: Have student highlight subjects/verbs in a news article excerpt.

3. Guided Practice (20 min): Stations Rotation

Set up 3 interactive stations:

1. “Human Sentences”: Arrange sentence cards on floor; student physically matches subjects/verbs.
2. Tech Station: Use Grammarly to analyze errors in their own past writing.
3. Jenga Grammar: Pull blocks; answer agreement questions to keep tower standing.

4. Independent Application (15 min): Real-World Editing

• Activity: Edit a poorly written “blog post” (intentionally filled with errors).
• Challenge: Rewrite 3 social media captions with proper agreement.

5. Assessment & Reflection (10 min):

• Exit Ticket: Correct 5 sentences (e.g., “Neither of the candidates (has/have) spoken.”)
• Metacognition: “Which rule was trickiest? Where might you still make mistakes?”

Differentiation Strategies:

• For Struggling Learners: Provide a “cheat sheet” with verb conjugation charts.
• For Advanced Students: Analyze subject-verb agreement in Shakespearean English (e.g., “Thou art” vs. “You are“).

Homework/Extension:

• Podcast Pitch: Record a 1-minute “Grammar Tip” explaining one rule.
• Scavenger Hunt: Find/correct 5 agreement errors in household items (cereal boxes, ads).

Why This Works:

• Relevance: Uses social media/blog examples to show real-world stakes.
• Multisensory: Combines movement (Human Sentences), tech (Grammarly), and games (Jenga).
• Critical Thinking: Encourages error analysis rather than rote memorization.