Building Language Skills

Lesson Overview

Grade Level: 1st Grade (3rd Week)
Subject: STEM - English Language Development
Duration: 50 minutes
Curriculum Area: US Common Core State Standards (CCSS) - English Language Arts (ELA)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.4: Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.

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Lesson Objectives

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

1. Identify and use simple action verbs in sentences.
2. Practice reading comprehension by answering “who, what, where” questions.
3. Build vocabulary associated with everyday activities.
4. Create a basic cause-and-effect connection during an interactive STEM activity.

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Materials Needed

1. Index cards with illustrations of action verbs (e.g., jump, run, build, eat).
2. Lego bricks or small building blocks (10 pieces per student).
3. A short, age-appropriate STEM-related story: "Amy Builds a Tower" (found in printed handout).
4. Dry-erase board, markers, and erasers.
5. Paper and crayons for drawing.

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Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up Activity – Action Verb Charades (10 minutes)

• Objective: Activate prior knowledge of action verbs and encourage teamwork.
• Show students an index card with an image of an action verb. For example, "Jump." One student acts it out while the other guesses the verb.
• Take turns between the two students, ensuring they both use the word in a sentence after guessing.
  • E.g.: "She jumps over the puddle."

Expected Outcome:
Students become familiar with basic action verbs through interactive play.

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2. Reading Activity – Exploring Problem-Solving in a STEM Story (10 minutes)

• Introduce the story: Read "Amy Builds a Tower" aloud to students.
  • Amy needs to figure out how to make her tower tall without it falling over, facing challenges like blocks tipping.
• Pause and ask guiding questions during the story:
  • "Who is the main character in the story?"
  • "What problem does Amy face?"
  • "Where does the story take place?"

Expected Outcome:
Students improve comprehension skills by answering simple questions about the story.

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3. Hands-On STEM Activity – Building Challenge (15 minutes)

• Objective: Connect vocabulary with problem-solving and cause-and-effect reasoning.
• Provide students with Lego bricks or small building blocks and challenge them to build a stable tower that can hold up a toy.
• While building, encourage students to describe what they're doing using action verbs:
  • "I stack two blocks."
  • "The tower falls when I push it."
  • "I rebuild the tower taller."
• Once they’re done, ask questions that link the hands-on task to cause-and-effect:
  • "Why did the tower fall before?"
  • "What could you do differently?"

Expected Outcome:
Students reinforce action-verb vocabulary while applying STEM concepts like balance and structure.

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4. Creative Language Art – Draw and Label (10 minutes)

• Provide students with paper and crayons. Ask them to draw their tower from the activity and label it using three action verbs they used during the challenge.
  • E.g., Label the base "build," the middle "stack," and the top "finish."
• Encourage students to describe their drawing verbally using their newly learned words.

Expected Outcome:
Students practice linking visuals to written language and use learned vocabulary creatively.

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5. Wrap-Up and Review (5 minutes)

• Write three prompts on the board:
  1. Name one new action verb you learned today.
  2. Share one thing you did while building your tower.
  3. What happened when your tower fell?
• Go around and let each student answer one prompt.

Expected Outcome:
Students consolidate their learning by verbalizing and reflecting on the day’s activities.

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Homework

Ask students to draw a picture of an everyday activity they do at home (e.g., playing, eating, reading). Have them label their picture with at least three action verbs and bring it back to share with the class the next day.

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Teacher Tips

• Differentiated Instruction: Adjust the difficulty of action verbs based on students’ vocabulary levels. For advanced learners, introduce verbs like "balance" or "collapse."
• Behavioral Management: Allow students a “construction zone” where they can explore without distractions or noise.
• Incorporating Technology: If time allows, let students record themselves explaining their tower-building process, practicing speaking skills.

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Assessment

Evaluate students based on:

• Participation in activities (charades, STEM building, sharing answers).
• Accuracy in using action verbs during tasks.
• Creativity and effort in the drawing and labeling task.

End Goal: Students should demonstrate increased confidence in identifying and using action verbs while engaging with STEM-related problem-solving tasks.