EDTPA LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
DAILY LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
Candidate Name: Teagan Trettel Grade Level: 4thh Grade
Candidate’s Endorsement: BED:
Elementary Education
Central Focus: Students will analyze character
development in a text to deepen their understanding of
the stories theme and message.
Subject: English Learning Segment Theme: Analyzing Character
Development in Literature
Where in the learning segment
does this lesson occur?
☒Beginning ☐Middle
☐End
Lesson Structure or Grouping:
☒Whole Class ☐Small Group ☐1:1
Other (specify): Click or tap here to enter text.
STUDENT ASSETS (KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS)
Complete this section if you are in a practicum setting. If you are not in a practicum setting,
please list N/A.
Personal (Interests, family
backgrounds, experiences, etc.)
My second class comprises 18 students—10 boys and 8 girls
—who represent diverse family backgrounds and structures.
The student population is subject to change due to frequent
family relocations. While several students exhibit
characteristics of exceptionalities, none currently have an
Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 Plan
in place. Overall, the class demonstrates a high level of
motivation and active participation. However, there is one
student who consistently struggles with maintaining focus and
attention during instructional time.
Cultural (Traditions, dialects,
worldview, literature, arts, etc.)
The school community is characterized by a high degree of
cultural diversity, although the student population is notably
transient. English is the primary language of instruction in the
classroom; however, there are two English Language Learners
(ELLs) whose home language is Spanish. These students
exhibit stronger oral language skills in English compared to
their reading and writing abilities. According to the ELL
specialist, both students are currently performing at
approximately a second-grade level in reading and writing.
Community (Landmarks,
community events, etc.)
The school is a public institution situated in a suburban area of
Minnesota. It is located within an accredited city on the
periphery of a multicultural urban center that includes several
colleges, engineering firms, and a military installation. The
student body reflects a high level of cultural diversity;
however, the population is notably transient due to frequent
family relocations.
Developmental (Cognitive,
physical, social, and emotional)
This general education content-area class includes several
students who demonstrate exceptionalities; however, none
currently receive support services through an Individualized
Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 Plan. Overall, the
classroom environment appears to be positive, with students
demonstrating respectful interactions and a sense of
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camaraderie. Most students show enthusiasm for learning and
actively engage in class activities. Nonetheless, there is one
student who consistently has trouble maintaining focus and
attention during instructional time.
CONTENT STANDARDS
State Standards 4.1.1.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when
explaining
what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
4.1.2.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from
details in the text; summarize the text.
4.1.3.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a
story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text
(e.g., acharacter’s thoughts, words, or actions).
National Standards 4.1.1.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when
explaining
what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
4.1.2.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from
details in the text; summarize the text.
4.1.3.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a
story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text
(e.g., acharacter’s thoughts, words, or actions).
InTASC Standards Standard #1: Learner Development
The teacher understands how learners grow and develop,
recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary
individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social,
emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements
developmentally appropriate and challenging learning
experiences.
Standard #2: Learning Differences
The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and
diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning
environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
Standard #3: Learning Environments
The teacher works with others to create environments that
support individual and collaborative learning, and that
encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in
learning, and self-motivation.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE(S)
These must be behavioral and measurable.
Statements of what students will know, understand, and be able to do at the end of the lesson
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(consider all three domains). Include condition, performance, and criterion.
By the conclusion of the lesson, students will be able to analyze and articulate changes in a character’s
traits over the course of a text.
BEGINNING: LAUNCH/HOOK/ANTICIPATORY SET
How will you get the lesson started? What questions, texts, inquiry, modeling, and/or other
techniques will you use to engage students?
The teacher will initiate the lesson with an engaging, thought-provoking question such as, 'Have you
ever read a book where a character changes so significantly that they seem like a different person by
the end? What do you think caused that change?' This question is intended to activate prior knowledge
and promote student reflection. Following this prompt, the teacher will encourage students to share
their personal experiences and insights regarding character development in texts they have previously
read. As students engage in discussion, the teacher will circulate throughout the classroom, actively
listening to responses and drawing connections between students’ observations and broader themes in
literature.
MIDDLE: INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE STUDENT LEARNING
For example: How will you engage students with ideas/texts to develop understanding? What
questions will you ask? How will you promote question generation/discussion? What activities
will you use to engage students in learning—for individuals, small groups, or the whole class?
How will you incorporate technology? How will you address the academic language demands?
Detail your plan. Note: For math lesson plans, please write or attach every task/problem
students will solve during the lesson—with the correct answers.
Instruction/Modeling The teacher will begin by introducing and defining the
term character development, explaining that it refers to
the ways in which a character’s traits, behaviors, and
personality evolve over the course of a narrative.
Following this introduction, students will be instructed to
read along in the novel Holes by Louis Sachar, which
serves as the anchor text for illustrating the concept of
character development.
Next, the teacher will model the process of analyzing
character development by posing guiding questions such
as: 'What traits or characteristics did the character exhibit
at the beginning of the story?', 'What events or
experiences influenced the character’s growth or
change?', and 'How did the character’s traits differ by the
end of the story?' Emphasis will be placed on the use of
textual evidence to support students’ analysis, with the
teacher highlighting specific passages or quotes that
reveal key moments of transformation.
Throughout the modeling, the teacher will actively
encourage student participation by inviting questions and
promoting clarification to ensure comprehension of the
analytical process. To conclude the lesson segment, the
teacher will summarize the main instructional points,
reinforcing the importance of character development in
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deepening students’ understanding of literary themes and
the overall message of the text.
Guided Practice The teacher will model the process of analyzing character
development by reading a selected excerpt from the text and
identifying shifts in the character’s traits over time. During
this modeling, the teacher will prompt students to engage by
asking clarifying and analytical questions, thereby guiding
their understanding of how to recognize and interpret
character changes within a narrative.
Independent Practice The teacher will distribute differentiated excerpts from
the text to each student, with each passage selected to
illustrate a clear example of character development.
These excerpts will highlight how the protagonist’s traits
evolve over the course of the narrative.
Students will be instructed to carefully read their
assigned section and analyze how the main character’s
traits change, with attention directed toward specific
language, actions, and events that signify these shifts.
Following their analysis, students will compose a short
written response or paragraph that identifies and explains
the character’s transformation. In their responses,
students will be expected to cite direct textual evidence
from the passage to support their interpretations.
END: CLOSURE
How will you end the lesson in a way that promotes student learning and retention?
The teacher will conclude the lesson by summarizing the essential concepts, with an emphasis on the
definition and significance of character development in literature. The teacher will reiterate how
understanding changes in a character’s traits enhances comprehension of a story’s overarching themes
and messages. Students will then be prompted to engage in reflective thinking, considering the insights
they have gained throughout the lesson.
EVIDENCE AND ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING
How will you know whether your students are meeting your learning objective? What tools
will you use to measure their progress? How will you provide feedback to promote student
learning?
Diagnostic/Pre-assessment(s)
(could be prior to the lesson)
Prior to the lesson, students will select a brief passage or
excerpt from previously read material that features a character
exhibiting development. After reading and analyzing their
chosen passage, students will write a concise summary
detailing the character’s initial traits and describing the
subsequent changes, supported by textual evidence. The
teacher will collect and review these pre-assessment responses
to evaluate students’ initial understanding of character
development.
Formative Assessments/ The teacher will assign each student a distinct character from
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Feedback to Learners (part of the
activities in the lesson)
Holes who demonstrates character development. Care will be
taken to ensure that each character is clearly defined and
undergoes significant changes throughout the narrative.
Students will be provided with a character trait tracker chart
consisting of two columns: one for recording the character’s
traits at the beginning of the story and another for noting traits
as they evolve over time. Students will read a designated
section of the text focused on their assigned character and use
the chart to document initial traits and any observed changes.
Upon completion, students will participate in partner
discussions to compare and contrast their analyses with peers
who examined different characters, thereby deepening their
understanding of character development across the text.
Summative Assessment (matches
the objective)
Drawing upon the information recorded in the character trait
tracker chart, students will be instructed to write an essay
responding to a given prompt. Their essays should identify
and describe the character’s initial traits, analyze how these
traits evolve throughout the narrative with support from
specific textual evidence, and discuss the significance of these
changes in relation to the story’s central themes and messages.
The teacher will provide detailed guidelines regarding essay
format, length, and expectations for proper grammar and
citation. Upon completion, the essays will be collected for
assessment.
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE DEMANDS
Language Demand(s) Students are expected to develop a strong command of
academic vocabulary pertinent to literary analysis, including
terms such as character development, traits, evidence,
inference, and theme. They should demonstrate the ability to
engage in structured oral discussions and collaborative group
activities, employing effective communication strategies such
as formulating questions, articulating ideas, and offering
constructive peer feedback. Additionally, students must be
able to identify and accurately cite specific textual quotations
or passages to substantiate their literary analysis.
Language Support(s) To support student understanding, the teacher will provide a
word wall or a list of key academic vocabulary terms with
accompanying definitions for ongoing reference throughout
the lesson. Visual aids, such as character charts, will be
utilized to help students visually organize their ideas and
systematically track character development. Additionally, the
teacher will supply sentence starters and writing frames to
scaffold student responses and support the organization of
their analytical writing. Through think-aloud strategies and
explicit modeling, the teacher will demonstrate the cognitive
process involved in character analysis, including how to
effectively cite textual evidence.
Essential Vocabulary Character Development
Traits
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Evidence
Inference
Theme
Analysis
Citation
Literary Analysis
LU SOE-SPECIFIC LESSON REQUIREMENTS
Character Education Throughout the lesson, the teacher will encourage students to
develop empathy toward the characters they are analyzing,
emphasizing that understanding a character’s personal growth
can foster greater compassion for individuals experiencing
change in real life. The teacher will underscore the role of
critical thinking in the process of literary analysis and promote
a classroom culture that values and respects diverse
perspectives. Respectful and constructive peer dialogue will
be encouraged during collaborative activities, reinforcing the
importance of active listening and meaningful discussion.
Additionally, the teacher will highlight the value of
perseverance when engaging with complex texts, noting that
working through literary challenges can lead to a more
profound comprehension of both the narrative and its
characters.
Materials “Holes” by Louis Sachar
Character trait chart
Visual aids
Pencil
Technology Connection Audiobook to those who would rather follow along
reading the book digitally.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR THE NEXT SECTION OF THIS FORM:
How will you support students to meet your goals? EXPLICITLY describe what you will do!
List planned supports (instructional strategies, learning tasks and materials, and other
resources deliberately designed to facilitate student learning of the central focus).
Planned Supports 1.
Students will be provided a range of texts with
varying complexity levels to cater to different
reading abilities in the class. This allows students
to access materials at their instructional level. The
teacher will us flexible grouping strategies to
tailor instruction to students’ needs. The teacher
will create mixed-ability groups for collaborative
activities and provide additional support to
struggling students in smaller groups or through
one-to-one assistance.
2.
The teacher will model the process of character
analysis and provide step-by-step guidance on
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how to identify character traits and changes. The
teacher will offer graphic organizers or templates
that visually guide students in organizing their
thoughts and tracking character development.
These can help scaffold the analytical process.
3.
The teacher will encourage students to work in
pairs or small groups to discuss their character
analysis. The teacher will pair students with
accountability partners who can check in with
each other during independent work to ensure
understanding and progress.
SUPPORTS: DIFFERENTIATION/EXTENSION
How will you provide successful access to the key concepts to all the students at their ability
levels?
Exceptionalities (special needs
[IEPs/504 plans], gifted and
talented, accommodations, etc.)
To support students with exceptionalities, the teacher will
provide texts that are appropriately aligned with each student’s
individual reading level. Flexible grouping strategies will be
implemented to accommodate a range of learning needs.
Students will participate in heterogeneous, mixed-ability
groups for collaborative tasks, fostering peer-to-peer learning
opportunities. Furthermore, targeted instructional support will
be offered through small group or one-on-one sessions for
students requiring additional assistance.
ELL To support English Language Learners (ELLs) and visual
learners, the teacher will incorporate visual aids—such as
character charts, graphic organizers, and relevant imagery—to
reinforce comprehension of character development.
Additionally, the teacher will provide vocabulary support,
including bilingual resources when available, to facilitate
language acquisition and deepen content understanding.
Learning Styles/Student
Engagement
The teacher will promote student engagement by offering
choice in reading materials, allowing students to select texts
aligned with their interests or providing a range of options. To
address diverse learning styles, the teacher will implement
active learning strategies such as think-pair-share, structured
debates, and dramatic readings, fostering meaningful
participation and deeper comprehension.
Extension Advanced learners will be provided with opportunities to
extend and deepen their understanding by analyzing the
development of multiple characters or by engaging with more
complex literary texts that present nuanced examples of
character change. Upon completion of the in-class essay, all
students will be assigned an independent, research-based
extension project centered on the concept of character
development. This project will be completed outside of class
and submitted within one week, allowing students to apply
their analytical skills in a broader literary or thematic context.
REFERENCES: RESOURCES
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Cite all sources used in the development of the lesson materials and resources, including URLs
or other references.
Sachar, L. (2022). Holes. Findaway World.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Trait-post-it-Tracker-2935284
REFERENCES: RESEARCH TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
Cite all research used to support instructional design, including URLs or other references.
Minnesota Department of Education. (2011). English Language Arts. Mn.gov.
https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/stds/ela/
Minnesota Department of Education. (2020). Mn.gov. https://education.mn.gov
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