Amazing Misty Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will identify ways that Misty Copeland followed her dreams as a ballet dancer.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Black History Month

 

CCSS:

SL.1.2 Discuss a video; L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases; RI.1.1 Key details; RI.1.4 Vocabulary; L.1.1 Writing conventions; RI.1.10 Read and discuss first-grade texts, W.1.1 Opinion writing

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  • Watch our video Follow Your Dreams.
  • After watching, ask, “What are some things you can do to help yourself follow your dreams?” (SKILL: SL.1.2 Discuss a video)
  • Play the vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are ballet, en pointe, talent, and inspired. (SKILL: L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases)
  • Read the issue together.
  • Then project and discuss the reading checkpoint skill sheet. Later, children can fill in their own copies. (SKILL: RI.1.1 Key details)

Kids build comprehension in this game-show style game. For each correct answer, they win a point! (SKILL: RI.1.1 Key details)

  • Kids practice key vocabulary from the issue with this skill sheet.
  • Kids summarize Misty’s dream and then write about their own dream with this skill sheet. (SKILL: L.1.1 Writing conventions)
Example of a completed skill sheet

Objective: Children analyze some building blocks of achieving a dream career.

Materials: My Dream Job skill sheet, pencils, crayons

  • As children learned in the issue, Misty’s dream job was to become a professional ballerina— and she did! But it didn’t happen overnight. She needed to learn some special skills.
  • Pass out the skill sheets and go over the different sections with children. Have a pre-writing discussion and give some examples. For instance, if you want to be a rock star, you need to learn how to play an instrument and sing in front of people! If you want to write books, you need to practice writing and telling good stories.
  • Circulate as children write, providing scaffolding as needed. Finally, let kids draw themselves on the job and tell their favorite part of doing it.
  • When children are finished, post their work and have a Career Day at school! (SKILLS: Setting goals, W.1.1 Opinion writing)