### English Comprehension Lesson Plan
**Topic:** Expository Essay
**Grade Level:** Junior Secondary 1 (Grade 7)
**Duration:** 60 minutes
#### Objectives:
1. Students will understand the structure and purpose of an expository essay.
2. Students will identify key features and language elements of an expository essay.
3. Students will read and comprehend a sample expository essay.
4. Students will plan and outline their own expository essay.
#### Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Copies of a sample expository essay
- Chart paper and markers
- Notebooks and pens
- Graphic organizers for essay planning
#### Introduction (10 minutes):
1. **Begin with a Discussion:**
- Ask students if they know what an expository essay is.
- Elicit responses and write key points on the board.
2. **Define Expository Essay:**
- Explain that an expository essay is a type of writing that explains a topic or provides information about it.
- Highlight that it is factual, clear, and has a logical structure.
3. **Purpose and Structure:**
- Explain the purpose of an expository essay: to inform or explain a topic to the reader.
- Introduce the structure: introduction, body paragraphs each with a main idea, and conclusion.
#### Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
1. **Introduce the Sample Essay:**
- Hand out copies of a sample expository essay.
- Read the essay aloud as a class.
2. **Break Down the Essay:**
- Analyze the introduction: how it grabs attention and presents the thesis statement.
- Identify the main ideas presented in each body paragraph and how they support the thesis.
- Discuss the conclusion: how it summarizes the main points and closes the essay.
3. **Key Features:**
- Focus on transitional phrases (e.g., "firstly," "in addition," "consequently") and their role in providing coherence.
- Highlight factual evidence and examples used to support the main points.
#### Guided Practice (20 minutes):
1. **Group Activity:**
- Divide students into small groups.
- Distribute chart paper and markers to each group.
- Assign each group a different part of the expository essay to analyze: introduction, body paragraphs, or conclusion.
2. **Group Analysis:**
- Have each group list the key features and elements they find in their assigned section.
- Groups will present their findings to the class, discussing the importance of each element.
3. **Whole Class Discussion:**
- Facilitate a discussion on how all these parts come together to form a cohesive expository essay.
#### Independent Practice (10 minutes):
1. **Planning Your Expository Essay:**
- Distribute graphic organizers for essay planning.
- Ask students to think of a topic they are interested in writing about.
- Guide them to fill out the organizer with their main idea, supporting points, and examples.
- Emphasize clarity and organization.
#### Closing (5 minutes):
1. **Review Key Points:**
- Reiterate the structure and purpose of an expository essay.
- Quickly review the role of the introduction, body, and conclusion.
2. **Homework Assignment:**
- Instruct students to complete the graphic organizer at home if not finished during class.
- Ask them to write a draft of their expository essay based on their plan and bring it to the next class for peer review.
3. **Questions and Feedback:**
- Allow a few minutes for students to ask questions or provide feedback.
### Extra Tips:
- **Differentiate Instruction:**
- Provide additional support or simplified example essays for students who need more help.
- Challenge advanced students by asking them to incorporate more sophisticated evidence and sources.
- **Assessment:**
- Informal assessment through participation in discussions and group activities.
- Formal assessment through the completed graphic organizer and the draft of the expository essay.
This lesson plan aims to provide a foundational understanding of expository essays, enabling students to identify, analyze, and start creating their own expository essays.