Lesson Plan 1: Connectives of Time - The Story Scrambler
Subject: Language Arts
Grade Level: 5
Time Allotment: 30 Minutes
Materials Needed
- Whiteboard or large paper
- Markers or pens
- Timer or stopwatch
- Sentence strips with a simple story, cut up and out of order (Example: "He ate a big breakfast." / "The alarm clock rang loudly." / "Finally, he grabbed his backpack and left for school." / "Next, he brushed his teeth.")
- Optional: Picture cards showing a sequence of events (e.g., planting a seed, watering it, it sprouting, it becoming a flower)
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify connectives of time in sentences.
- Use a variety of connectives of time to correctly sequence events.
- Explain why connectives of time are important for clear communication.
Lesson Structure
1. Introduction: The Mixed-Up Morning (5 minutes)
- Hook: Show the jumbled sentence strips. Say, "I tried to write a story about my morning, but the sentences are all mixed up! Can you help me figure out what's wrong with it?" Read them aloud in their random order.
- Discussion: Ask, "Does this story make sense? Why not? What's missing that would help us put it in the right order?" Guide the student to the idea that we need words that show *when* things happen.
- State Objectives: "Today, we're going to become expert storytellers and instruction-givers! We'll learn how to use special words called 'connectives of time' to put events in the right order so our stories and instructions are easy to follow."
2. Body: Mastering the Timeline (20 minutes)
I Do: Unscrambling the Story (5 minutes)
- Introduce the concept: "Connectives of time are like signposts in a story. They tell the reader what happened first, what came next, and what happened at the end."
- On the whiteboard, write a list of common time connectives: First, Next, Then, After that, Later, Meanwhile, Finally, Before, After.
- Model fixing the mixed-up story from the hook. "Let's fix my story. I know the alarm clock ringing should happen early. I'll say, 'First, the alarm clock rang loudly.' What would happen next? Eating breakfast seems right. 'Then, he ate a big breakfast.' I'll use my words to put the rest in order." Think aloud as you place the sentences and add connectives.
We Do: Picture Sequencing (7 minutes)
- Use the picture cards or a new set of simple event sentences (e.g., "Pour cereal in bowl," "Add milk," "Get a spoon," "Eat the cereal").
- Say, "Let's work together. Let's arrange these steps for making cereal in the correct order. Now, let's add connectives of time to make them into clear instructions."
- Work with the student to add words like First, Next, After that, and Finally to the sequence. Write the complete, sequenced instructions down.
You Do: One-Minute Story Challenge (8 minutes)
- Instructions: "Now it's your turn to be the expert! I'm going to give you a topic, and your challenge is to tell me a short story or give instructions about it. You must use at least FOUR different connectives of time. You can say it out loud or write it down."
- Topic Choices: How to build a LEGO car, a summary of your favorite video game level, or the steps for getting ready for bed.
- Success Criteria: The story/instructions must be in a logical order and use at least four different time connectives correctly.
- Start the timer and listen or observe as the student completes the task.
3. Conclusion: Storyteller Recap (5 minutes)
- Review: "Great job! You successfully used time connectives to make your story clear." Ask the student: "What are connectives of time? Can you name three that you used in your challenge?"
- Reinforce Relevance: "Why is it so important to use these words when you're telling a story, giving directions for a game, or explaining how to do something?" (Answer: To avoid confusion, to make sure things happen in the right order.)
- Formative Assessment: Listen to their answers to gauge understanding. Review their "One-Minute Story" for correct usage, providing specific, positive feedback.
Differentiation
- For Scaffolding: Provide a printed word bank of time connectives for the student to refer to during the "You Do" activity. Use picture cards instead of sentence strips for a more visual approach.
- For Extension: Challenge the student to use more complex connectives like simultaneously, previously, or subsequently. Ask them to write a longer paragraph that includes a "flashback" using the word before.
Lesson Plan 2: Connectives of Place - Secret Agent Mapping
Subject: Language Arts
Grade Level: 5
Time Allotment: 30 Minutes
Materials Needed
- Whiteboard or large paper
- Markers or pens
- A few common objects (e.g., a book, a cup, a toy)
- A detailed picture or illustration from a book or magazine (e.g., from a search-and-find book)
- Paper and drawing supplies for the student
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify connectives of place (prepositions) in sentences.
- Use a variety of connectives of place to describe the location of objects.
- Create clear descriptions and directions using connectives of place.
Lesson Structure
1. Introduction: The Invisible Object (5 minutes)
- Hook: "Let's play a quick game. I'm thinking of an object in this room. I'm going to describe where it is, but I can't name it. Your job is to guess what it is. Okay... it is on the large table, next to the blue lamp, and in front of the window."
- Discussion: After the student guesses, ask, "What special words did I use to help you pinpoint the object's exact location?" Circle or highlight the words on, next to, in front of.
- State Objectives: "Those clue words are called 'connectives of place.' Today, we're going to become secret agents who can use these words to describe locations so precisely that anyone can find what we're talking about, whether it's a hidden treasure or just the salt shaker!"
2. Body: Pinpointing the Location (20 minutes)
I Do: Object Demonstration (5 minutes)
- Introduce the concept: "Connectives of place tell us *where* something is in relation to something else. They show position and location."
- On the whiteboard, write a list of common place connectives: In, on, under, behind, in front of, next to, beside, between, above, below.
- Use a cup and a small toy to demonstrate. Physically move the toy while saying the sentence: "The toy is in the cup. Now the toy is under the cup. Now it is beside the cup." This provides a clear, kinesthetic link to the words.
We Do: I Spy, Super-Spy Edition (7 minutes)
- Present the detailed picture. Say, "Let's play a super-spy version of 'I Spy' using our new words. We have to describe where an object is using at least two connectives of place."
- Go first to model: "I spy, with my little eye, something that is between the two tall buildings and above the red car."
- Let the student guess, then have them take a turn describing an object for you to find. Guide them if they need help forming a sentence with two connectives.
You Do: Create a Treasure Map (8 minutes)
- Instructions: "Secret Agent, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a treasure map! Draw a simple map of this room, your backyard, or a fantasy island. Then, mark an 'X' for the treasure. Your final step is to write 2-3 sentences below the map giving directions to the treasure. You must use at least THREE different connectives of place."
- Success Criteria: The map must have a clear 'X', and the directions must use at least three different place connectives correctly to describe the location of the treasure.
- Provide paper and drawing supplies and allow the student to create their map and instructions.
3. Conclusion: Mission Debrief (5 minutes)
- Review: "Mission accomplished, Agent!" Ask the student to share their map and read their directions aloud. Ask: "What are connectives of place? Can you point out the three you used in your directions?"
- Reinforce Relevance: "Besides treasure maps, where else in real life would it be super important to use these words correctly?" (Examples: Giving directions to a friend's house, explaining where you left something, assembling furniture from instructions.)
- Summative Assessment: The student's map and written directions serve as the assessment. Check for correct usage of at least three connectives and the clarity of the directions.
Differentiation
- For Scaffolding: During the "You Do" activity, provide a checklist with the list of place connectives. The student can check them off as they use them. Work with them to draw the map if drawing is a challenge.
- For Extension: Challenge the student to write a more complex set of directions with 5-6 sentences using more advanced connectives like adjacent to, opposite, or throughout. Have them give the directions verbally to another person who has to follow them to find a hidden object.