Comprehension Lesson Plan

For students of 2nd to 2nd grade.

Grade Level-1st Grade
11:00-11:30-Reading and Listening/Comprehension Lesson

Students will listen and interact with a story that is being read to them. I want students to be able to participate with the reading, while developing their listening/comprehension skills.

Students will be coming back to class, from music, to find animals on some of their desks. The student&#8217;s chairs are in a circle on the carpet.  

Teacher says- Okay everyone, if you have an animal on your desk, please get your animal and than come find a chair, that is on the carpet, to sit on. If you do not have an animal, please have a seat. Don't worry! Everyone will have a chance to get an animal and participate in the story. We will be reading the story a couple of times.

Teacher and Students do- Everyone should find a chair and have a seat.
Teacher says- Now what we are going to do is use our listening skills and you are all going to help me read this story.  The first thing we need to do is identify the animals that some of our friends have. Who can tell me, by raising their hand, what identify means?  

Teacher do- Pick a student who has their hand raised.

Teacher says- (Child's name) please share with us what you think identify means.  
Teacher do- If student is correct, give positive feedback. If student is incorrect asks if a friend can help out.  Continue this process 3-4 times. If no correct answers are given then explain what identify means.  

Teacher says- I am going to call upon each of you that has an animal. Please stand up, show it to all of your friends and tell us what animal you have.  

Teacher do- Call each child, by name, and have them identify their animal. If a students is unable to identify their animal than call upon a student, who does NOT have an animal and ask if they can help name the animal. Continue this process until all the animals that are being used in the story have been correctly identified 

Example:  Teacher says - Marisa, can you please tell us what animal you are holding? Marisa stands with the elephant and says- It is a walrus. Teacher would than say- Good guess Marisa, but that is not right. Is their someone who can help Marisa, and tell us what animal she has? 

-Teacher looks around for a child without an animal and calls upon them. Call upon 2-3 children to help their friend correctly identify the animal. If after the 3rd child has been called upon and no one has identified the animal, than teacher should identify the animal.

Teacher says- I want you to listen as I read this story.  When you hear me read your animal I want you to stand up and show everyone your animal. After you have shared your animal sit back down, nicely in your chair. I also want everyone to help me with the sounds when it comes time to make the animal sounds. Okay?  

Students say - Yes. Okay. All right. Etc.

Teacher do- Begin to read the book to the students. After about the 2nd "What do you hear?", begin to let the students read (repeat) that part of the story as a whole group. As teacher is reading, pause after naming each animal and allow enough time for each child to show their animal to the class and allow the class to imitate the sound of the animal. Continue to follow this process throughout the entire book.  

Teacher says- Now, everyone with an animal please give your animal to someone who did not have an animal the first time and we will read the story again. 

Teacher do-Read the story again and have students participate as before.

Guided Practice:  
The guided practice part of this lesson plan takes place after the story. The students will be asked to return to their desks and draw/write about their favorite part of the story. This activity could also be done on the blackboard.

To bring this listening/comprehension lesson to closure, the teacher should collect all the animals and return them to the bag, along with the book.

Teacher says- Who can tell me what animals were in our story?

Students respond-  Varied answers. Continue until all animals have been named.

Teacher says- Now I want you all to think very carefully and tell me what you think all these animals have in common.

Students respond- varied answers. When one student mentions that all animals are found in the zoo, teacher brings attention back to teacher.

Teacher says- That is right.  Good job (Child's name). Who can tell me were we are gong tomorrow?

Students say- ZOO
Teacher says- That is right. And tomorrow when we go to the zoo I want everyone to try to identify the animals that we read about in our story today. Now, very politely, I want everybody to go back to their desks and draw your favorite animal that we read about today.  


Student Participated during "carpet reading."
Student exhibited comprehension of directions while story was being read.
Student portrayed knowledge of story during blackboard time

Student had to be "cued" during "carpet reading" and caught on easily.
Student, at times, didn't understand directions of what to do while story was being read, but after reminded once was okay.
Student portrayed "some" knowledge of story during blackboard time.

Student had to be "told" what to do during "carpet reading."
Student did not understand directions, even when retold 2-3 times, while story was being told.
Student was unable to exhibit comprehension of story during blackboard time.