Day 1 Camden Planning Matrix Teacher Guide
Uncommon Schools | Camden Prep
K-12 Daily ESL Lesson Planner
26-27 School Year • Day 1 Multilingual Resources
WIDA ALIGNED OVERVIEW
ESL/MLL Teacher Grades K-4 ESL Team
Lesson Date/Period September 10th, 2026
Grade(s) & Group K-4 ESL (Tiered)
Curriculum / Unit Beginners 4: Unit 1.2 (Pronouns)
Instructional Objectives
Content Objective:
Students will identify basic pronouns (I, We, You, He, She, It, They) visually and match them to corresponding bird character graphics with 80% accuracy.
Language Objective:
Students will orally produce complete sentences using pronouns & be-verbs (am/is/are) (e.g., "She is six", "They are six") during choral chants & movement-based activities.
CCSS / State Connections
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1.C: Use singular and plural nouns and pronouns.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1.D: Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns.
WIDA Framework
Key Language Uses (KLU):
Narrate
Inform
Explain
Argue
Language Domains:
LST (✔)
SPK (✔)
RED (-)
WRT (-)
ELD Standards (1-5): 1: Social & Instructional Language
Supports Quick-Check
SENSORY: Pictures/Visuals
GRAPHIC: Word Banks
INTERACTIVE: Co-Op / Modeling
Key Vocabulary Support:
Tier 1: bird, tree, six, age
Tier 2 (Target): I, We, You, He, She, It, They, am, is, are
Lesson Phase
Pacing
Core Activities & Teacher Steps (I Do, We Do, You Do)
Scaffolds & CFU
Tiered Adaptations
Phase 1 Do Now & Hook
5 min
Do Now: Display the colorful bird flashcards on the board. Ask students to point to their favorite bird and mimic its call ("chirp!").
Hook: "Today, we are learning Bird Talk! Birds live in families. We use special shortcut words called Pronouns to talk about them so we don't have to keep saying 'the green bird'!"
CFU: Point & Speak: Mimic gesture. Confirm all eyes are on the flashcards.
K-1 Focus: Visual identification & heavy physical mimicking of bird gestures.
Phase 2 Model ("I Do")
10 min
Introduce Pronouns: Present bird drawings representing "I" (one bird pointing to itself), "We" (two birds hugging), "He" (boy bird), "She" (girl bird with bow), "It" (bird looking at tree), and "They" (a group of birds).
Model Be-Verbs: Connect pronouns with age. Tell students: "The birds are celebrating their 6th birthday!" Say, point, and match: "I am six." "She is six." "They are six."
Chant It Setup: Demonstrate rhythmic chanting: "I - am - six! (clap, clap) / They - are - six! (clap, clap)". Show how to do it extremely slow (turtle speed) and fast (cheetah speed).
Scaffolds: Use oversized, physical hand gestures for singular vs. plural pronouns (e.g., broad sweep of arms for "We" vs. pointing index finger for "He").
2nd-3rd Focus: Associate spoken syllables with letters on board (is vs are).
Phase 3 Practice ("We/You")
20 min
Class Chant Practice (We Do): Conduct whole-class "Chant It" session. Guide students from slow chanting to lightning-fast speed. Use physical claps as a metronome.
Around the Room Game (You Do): Hang large printed pronoun cards on different walls of the classroom. Clear desks so students can stand in the middle.
1. Teacher calls: "They are six!"
2. Students run to the "They" card on the wall.
3. Once there, students must perform a bird wing-flap and chant: "They are six!"
Challenge Sign-off: While playing, call students in small groups of 3 to the challenge desk. Have them individually say 3 sentences with the target pronoun + be-verb without help. Stamp their sheet upon completion.
CFU / Quick Check: Observe if students run to the correct wall. Check if quiet/timid students are reproducing the vocal chants. Use peer-partners to support.
4th Grade Focus: Perform challenge individually with complex sentence frames ("She is six and she is green").
Phase 4 Closure / CFU
5 min
Exit Routine: Hold up 3 different visual flashcards (e.g., singular boy bird, plural group, tree). Point to the group. Give students a 3-second think time, then have them call out the correct pronoun ("They!") on your signal.
Preview: "Tomorrow we will write our Bird Talk and practice our spelling challenges!"
CFU Check: 100% oral choral response rate. Call on individual students for final check before dismissal.
Adaptation: K-1 point to card; 2-4 call out both pronoun and correct be-verb.
Teacher Reflection
Focus on checking student vocal engagement. Did the auditory speed-changing chant successfully lower speaking anxiety for newcomers? Were K-1s actively supported by older peers?
Reteach & Support
For students struggling with plural pronoun concepts (We vs They), pull a small group at the carpet using colored linking cubes to visually represent groups and self.
Day 1 Reminders
Prepare "Sign or Stamp" sheets. Clear center classroom floor space for Day 1 "Around the Room" movement game to ensure physical safety during transit.
Feathered Friends Lesson Slides
☁️
☁️
🐦
🐤
Beginners 4 • Unit 1.2
Bird Talk Pronouns
Let's fly into the world of English Pronouns & Be-Verbs! 🐦✨
Uncommon Schools • Camden Prep ESL
Days 1 & 2 Instruction
👋
Meet the Pronouns!
These are shortcut words for our feathered friends!
🟢
I
Just ME! (1 bird pointing to itself)
🟢🟡
We
Me + My Friends!
🔵 🟣
He / She
One Boy bird / One Girl bird
🟡🟢🟣
They
A group of other birds!
Unit 1.2 Basic Pronouns I • We • You • He • She • It • They
🔗
The Power of Be-Verbs
These are the connector words that match our pronouns!
AM
I am
"I am a bird."
IS
He is
She is
It is
ARE
We are
You are
They are
Remember: Pronouns must match their exact partner Be-Verb! 🤝
📣
🎵
Rhythmic Chant Time!
Chant It Challenge
Clap with the rhythm and say it together!
🟢 I am six! (clap, clap)
🔵 He is six! (clap, clap)
🟣 She is six! (clap, clap)
🟡🟢 They are six! (clap, clap)
🐢 Slow Turtle
🐆 Fast Cheetah
🤫 Super Whisper
🦁 Loud Roar
🏃♂️
Around the Room Game!
Day 1 Movement Activity: Fly to the correct bird wall!
👂
1. Listen!
Listen closely to the teacher say a pronoun sentence!
🦅
2. Fly!
Flap your wings and walk safely to that bird's wall poster!
🗣️
3. Chant!
Chant the whole sentence together with your wall mates!
⚠️ Remember: Walking feet only! No running, keep safe bird spaces!
⚡
Day 2: Phonics Speed Reading
How fast can you read our core vowels and target sight words?
A
ham
bag
cat
E
Day 2 Camden Planning Matrix Teacher Guide
Uncommon Schools | Camden Prep
K-12 Daily ESL Lesson Planner
26-27 School Year • Day 2 Multilingual Resources
WIDA ALIGNED OVERVIEW
ESL/MLL Teacher Grades K-4 ESL Team
Lesson Date/Period September 11th, 2026
Grade(s) & Group K-4 ESL (Tiered)
Curriculum / Unit Beginners 4: Unit 1.2 (Sorting)
Instructional Objectives
Content Objective:
Students will spell and categorize pronouns, sorting nouns into corresponding boxes (she/he/it/we/they) and completing cloze exercises with 85% accuracy.
Language Objective:
Students will write complete sentences with subject-verb agreement (e.g., "They are six") and write descriptive labels on a Picture Word Inductive Model (PWIM) graphic organizer.
CCSS / State Connections
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.C: Read common high-frequency words by sight.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1: Demonstrate command of standard English grammar.
WIDA Framework
Key Language Uses (KLU):
Narrate
Inform
Explain
Argue
Language Domains:
LST (-)
SPK (-)
RED (✔)
WRT (✔)
ELD Standards: 2: Language for Arts
Supports Quick-Check
GRAPHIC: Sorting Boxes
LINGUISTIC: Vowel List
INTERACTIVE: Check Stamps
Key Vocab:
Vowels: a, e, i, o, u
Words: ham, bag, bed, cat, lid, big, and, go
Lesson Phase
Pacing
Core Activities & Teacher Steps (I Do, We Do, You Do)
Scaffolds & CFU
Tiered Adaptations
Phase 1 Do Now & Hook
5 min
Do Now (Sight Word Flash): Flash cards for and, big, go, not. Write vowels on board. Have students point and call them out.
Hook: "We sang our bird talk. Today, we unlock spelling wizardry! We will color and read vowel lists at light-speed and sort real names into our magic boxes!"
CFU: Phonics Sound Check: Pronounce short vowels. Confirm group repetition.
K-1 Focus: Visual recognition of vowel letters.
Phase 2 Model ("I Do")
10 min
Vowel Coding Model: Project vowel sheet. Model coloring short 'a' words yellow (e.g. ham, bag, cat). Say:
Pronoun Power Challenge Packet
Beginners 4 • Unit 1.2 #4
Bird Be-Verbs
Practice matching pronouns with am, is, and are!
Name:
Date:
✏️ Instructions:
Read the pronoun on the left. Look at the cute bird characters. Fill in the blank with the correct be-verb: am, is, or are!
🐦
they
1. They six.
🐤
you
2. You six.
🐦🐤
we
3. We six.
🌸
she
4. She six.
💎
he
5. He six.
🌳
it
6. It six.
Page 1 • Be-Verbs Intro
Sign or Stamp
⭐️ Stamp Here
Beginners 4 • Unit 1.2 #3
Phonics Speed Reading
Read vowel sounds and sight words as fast as a cheetah! 🐆
Name:
Date:
✏️ Instructions:
Color each vowel and sight word box below with a different colored crayon. Then find and color the words in the grid below the same color! Finally, time yourself reading the whole list!
a
e
i
o / u
Sight Words: and, big, go, not
ham
bed
bud
set
cat
hit
bag
mud
fun
rod
but
ban
lid
pot
fin
Don
hug
go
not
and
ten
mob
him
big
⏱️ Speed Scoreboard: Time yourself or read to your partner! Can you beat your 1st score?
1st Score sec
2nd Score sec
Page 2 • Phonics Speed List
Sign or Stamp
⭐️ Stamp Here
Beginners 4 • Unit 1.2 #7
Pronoun Power Box Sort
Categorize regular and complex nouns into their correct boxes!
Name:
Date:
✏️ Instructions:
Look at the nouns in the word bank below. Write each noun into the box of the pronoun that should represent it. Check off each word once you write it down!
