Lessons & Units :: Setting 1st Grade Unit

Lesson 1: Identifying Setting Using Evidence from the Text

Lesson Plan

The Cow Who Wouldn't Come Down | 580L

The Cow Who Wouldn't Come Down
Learning Goal
Identify and describe the setting of a story using evidence from pictures, text, and clue words.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Example Chart, Independent Practice Worksheet
Not Provided: The Cow Who Wouldn’t Come Down by Paul Brett Johnson, chart paper, markers

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain to students that the setting of a story is where and when the story takes place. I will review setting by showing pictures and text from stories the class is familiar with and discussing where and when the stories take place. I will explain that you can use pictures and text, sometimes including clue words in the text that help you figure out the setting. As an example, I will describe a bedroom with clue words (there is a bed, pillows, a dresser, a closet with clothes). I will explain how these clue words don't explicitly name the bedroom, but they helped me figure out the setting. I will read The Cow Who Wouldn’t Come Down by Paul Brett Johnson aloud and use it to model identifying and charting (example provided) the evidence, type of evidence and what it tells me about the setting. I will stop at page 6.

  • Think Check

    Ask: "How am I identifying the setting in the story?" Students should respond that you are looking at the pictures, reading the text, and paying close attention to setting clue words in the story.

  • Guided Practice

    will identify and chart evidence of the setting from pages 7-16. We will discuss which type of evidence it is and what it tells us about the setting.

  • Independent Practice

    will identify at least 2 new pieces of evidence from the end of the book. You will describe which type of evidence it is and what it tells you about the setting. (Independent Practice Worksheet is provided.)

Build Student Vocabulary upward

Tier 2 Word: upward
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story "Miss Rosemary crawled upward, inch by inch, on the roof. Miss Rosemary stole an upward glance at Gertrude."
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) Upward means toward a higher place. When Miss Rosemary crawled upward on the roof, she climbed in a direction from the ground up. When Miss Rosemary “stole an upward glance at Gertrude,” she looked up at her.
Students repeat the word Say the word upward with me: upward.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts When the airplane took off, it went upward into the sky. My goldfish was swimming at the bottom of the fish tank. When I sprinkled his food on top of the water, he swam upward to get it.
Students provide examples When have you seen something move upward? What was it? Start by saying: “I once saw a ______________ move upward.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? upward
Additional Vocabulary Words grab, sternly

Build Student Background Knowledge

Pause while reading page 6, when Miss Rosemary offers her cow alfalfa. Explain to the students that cows are herbivores, or plant eating animals. They typically eat grass and sprouts. Cows have four stomachs, which is why they can digest vegetables that humans cannot.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

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User Comments

Liked this lesson...

Submitted by siobhanm8_1765266 on 12/5/15

great way to teach setting to students who are in instructional resource.

Submitted by neelygr_1430062 on 5/15/15