Tech-Rich Lesson Plan in Action: Middle School ELA – Verbs

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In this engaging middle school ELA lesson, students explored the concept of “mood” in grammar, focusing on how it influences verbs in sentences. Utilizing various technology tools like Nearpod, Padlet, and Telami, students participated in interactive activities, collaborated on sentence creation, and recorded monologues to deepen their understanding. The lesson emphasized purposeful technology integration to enhance learning outcomes and foster a collaborative classroom environment.

Tech-Rich Lesson Plan in Action: Middle School ELA – Verbs

Welcome to our exciting lesson on grammar! Today, we’re going to dive into the world of verbs and explore something called “mood” in grammar. My name is Jessica Laura, and I teach English and history at Bullis Charter School in Los Altos, California. Let’s get started!

Understanding Mood in Grammar

Our main goal today is to understand how mood affects verbs in sentences. We’ll do this through a series of fun activities and use some cool tech tools along the way. First, we’ll check in on what mood means in grammar. It’s not about how you’re feeling, but rather how verbs can express different states or conditions.

Using Technology in Our Lesson

In my classroom, I like to use something called a “lesson flow.” This is a plan that helps me guide our lessons and includes using technology in smart ways to help you learn better. Today, we’ll use a Nearpod presentation to learn about mood, and then you’ll get to write examples with a partner using a computer.

Activities and Tools

We’ll start with a short video that might remind you of your childhood. This video will help us get into the topic of dialogue, verbs, and sentences. Later, we’ll watch it again to understand mood better.

Next, please take out your iPads. We’ll use a Nearpod presentation to learn about the different types of mood. Can you write a sentence using the subjunctive mood? For example, “I highly recommend that you brush your teeth 47 times a day.” Great job!

Interactive Learning

For guided practice, we’ll use Padlet, an interactive wall where you can work with a partner to create sentences showing different moods. You’ll post your sentences on the wall so everyone can see and learn from each other.

Who can give an example of an imperative sentence? How about “Eat your vegetables”? We’ll also talk about the conditional mood next.

Creating and Sharing

Now, log on to Google Docs and start writing a script with your partner. In the independent practice section, you’ll create a monologue and bring it to life using the Telami app. Recording yourselves is a fun way to stay engaged and learn!

Wrapping Up

To wrap up, we’ll use a Kahoot quiz on your iPads. I’ll ask questions, and you’ll answer them. This helps me see who understands the material and who might need more help.

The goal of today’s lesson was to learn about mood and how it connects to sentences. Many of you enjoyed using Telami to create virtual characters and record your voices, which helped reinforce your understanding. Sharing answers on Padlet gave you a chance to learn from each other, making the lesson even more fun and memorable.

Conclusion

Designing this lesson with a lesson flow was helpful because it made me think about how to use technology purposefully. It’s not just about having fun with tech, but using it to reach our learning goals. I would definitely recommend this approach to other teachers because it helps students learn how to use different tools effectively. Thanks for participating!

  1. How did the use of technology, such as Nearpod and Padlet, enhance your understanding of the concept of mood in grammar?
  2. Reflect on the interactive activities in the lesson. Which activity did you find most engaging and why?
  3. In what ways did collaborating with a partner on Padlet and Google Docs impact your learning experience?
  4. How did the video and subsequent discussions help you understand the different types of mood in grammar?
  5. What challenges did you face while creating sentences in different moods, and how did you overcome them?
  6. How did recording a monologue using the Telami app contribute to your understanding of mood in sentences?
  7. What insights did you gain from participating in the Kahoot quiz, and how did it help reinforce your learning?
  8. How might you apply the concept of mood in grammar to your writing outside of this lesson?
  1. Watch and Reflect

    Start by watching a short video that introduces the concept of mood in grammar. After watching, write down your thoughts on how the video helped you understand the different moods of verbs. Share your reflections with a classmate and discuss any new insights you gained.

  2. Interactive Nearpod Session

    Use your iPad to participate in a Nearpod presentation. As you go through the slides, try to write a sentence using each type of mood discussed. For example, create a sentence using the subjunctive mood. Share your sentences with the class and see how creative you can get!

  3. Collaborative Padlet Wall

    Work with a partner to create sentences that demonstrate different moods. Post your sentences on the Padlet wall for everyone to see. Take a moment to read through your classmates’ sentences and leave positive feedback or ask questions about their examples.

  4. Script Writing and Recording

    Log on to Google Docs and collaborate with a partner to write a short script that includes various moods. Once your script is ready, use the Telami app to record your monologue. Have fun bringing your script to life and share your recording with the class!

  5. Kahoot Quiz Challenge

    Wrap up the lesson with a Kahoot quiz on your iPad. Answer questions about the different moods of verbs and see how well you understand the material. Compete with your classmates and aim for the top spot on the leaderboard!

Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:

My name is Jessica Laura. Please find your seats. Our learning objective this morning is to explore mood in grammar, specifically focusing on verbs. We will engage in various activities and learning experiences, including a check-in about what mood means.

I teach 8th grade English and history at Bullis Charter School in Los Altos, California. A lesson flow is essentially a framework for teachers to help guide their instruction, ideally infusing technology into different elements to create a robust and pedagogically sound lesson. In my classroom, I use lesson flows to guide my instruction and ensure that my students have opportunities to use technology in meaningful ways to meet their learning objectives.

Today’s lesson will begin with learning about mood using a Nearpod presentation. After that, you will write examples with your partner using a computer, and then create a skit. We will use Google Docs to write the script, and I will ask you to indicate the type of mood for each sentence. Finally, you will use the Telami app to record your central monologue.

We will start with a short video that you may recognize from your childhood. This video will serve as a hook to engage you in our upcoming discussions about dialogue, verbs, and sentences. We will revisit this video later to deepen our understanding of mood.

Please pull out your iPads as we will look at a Nearpod presentation during the direct instruction part of the lesson. I have created a mini-lesson about mood and its different types.

Can you write a sentence using the subjunctive mood? This is a great opportunity for me to check in on your understanding.

Who would like to share their sentence? For example, “I highly recommend that you brush your teeth 47 times a day.” Excellent, thanks for sharing!

In guided practice, students will use Padlet, an interactive wall, to work with partners and create sentences that exhibit different types of mood. They will post their sentences on the wall, allowing all students to see and use each other’s examples as models.

Who can share an example of an imperative sentence? For instance, “Eat your vegetables.” The next mood we will discuss is the conditional mood.

The lesson flow allows teachers to reimagine how a lesson can unfold in the classroom. Traditionally, lessons follow a five-step plan, but this approach encourages teachers to think creatively about technology tools that can help students meet learning objectives.

Now, please log on to your Google Docs and start your script. In the independent practice section, students will create a monologue in pairs and then bring it to life using the Telami app. They enjoy recording themselves, which keeps them engaged.

In the wrap-up, the focus is on students demonstrating mastery of the learning objective. Students will use their iPads to participate in a Kahoot quiz. I will post questions, and students will respond using their iPads. This allows me to track which students understand the material and which may need further support.

The point of today’s lesson was to teach about mood and its connection to sentences. Many students enjoyed using Telami because it allowed them to create their own virtual characters and customize their experience while learning. They found that recording their voices helped reinforce their understanding.

Students also appreciated using Padlet to share and compare answers, which provided a collaborative learning experience. Using different tools offered varied learning strategies, making it easier for them to remember what they learned.

Designing this lesson as a lesson flow was beneficial because it prompted me to consider the purpose of each technology tool. It’s easy to get caught up in using tools just for fun, but this approach encourages thoughtful integration of technology to achieve learning goals.

I would definitely recommend lesson flows to other teachers, as they are an effective way to ensure students understand how to use different tools for various purposes. Thank you all very much!

This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.

VerbsWords that describe actions or states of being in a sentence. – In English class, we learned that “run,” “jump,” and “is” are all examples of verbs.

MoodThe form of a verb that shows the manner in which the action or state is expressed. – The teacher explained that the subjunctive mood is used to express wishes or hypothetical situations.

GrammarThe set of rules that explain how words are used in a language. – We studied grammar to improve our writing skills and understand sentence structure better.

TechnologyThe use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in education. – Our school uses technology like tablets and smartboards to make learning more engaging.

SentencesGroups of words that express a complete thought. – In our English class, we practiced writing sentences that clearly convey our ideas.

ActivitiesTasks or exercises that help students learn and practice new skills. – The teacher prepared fun activities to help us understand the new vocabulary words.

LearningThe process of gaining knowledge or skills through study or experience. – Learning about different cultures in English class broadened our understanding of the world.

ExamplesSpecific instances that illustrate or explain a general concept. – The teacher provided examples of metaphors to help us understand how they work in poetry.

InteractiveInvolving active participation and engagement from students. – The interactive lesson on Shakespeare allowed us to act out scenes and discuss the characters.

PracticeRepeated exercise in or performance of an activity to acquire or maintain proficiency. – We did practice exercises to improve our grammar and writing skills.

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