Unit 3: Unit Planning

Project Description

Overview  

Understanding literacy and how it applies to students in all grades and content areas will equip you to better meet each student's needs. 

Learning objectives

• Candidates will explore literacy related to students in different grades and content areas.

• Candidates will reflect upon their understanding of multiple literacy topics.

What will you do?

1. During the virtual class, work as a cohort to fill out the Padlet with the insights and resources that you find as you discuss the following questions:

   • What is the process and purpose of reading?

   • What role do morphology and contextual analysis have on vocabulary development?

   • What are some evidence-based practices for teaching phonemic awareness to English learners?

   • How can an English Learner’s home language be utilized to support and strengthen the development of foundational phonics in English?

   • What is your understanding of the necessary components for effective comprehension, including well-developed language, multiple higher-order thinking processes, and self-correction?

   • How can evidence-based best practices be utilized to improve comprehension in English learners, including those with reading difficulties and dyslexia?

2. Independently,

   • Develop a vlog within your e-portfolio, summarize your understanding of:

     • The process and purpose of reading

     • The role morphology and contextual analysis have on vocabulary development

     • Evidence-based practices for teaching phonemic awareness to English learners

     • How an English Learner’s home language be utilized to support and strengthen the development of foundational phonics in English

     • The necessary components to achieve effective comprehension, including well-developed language, multiple higher-order thinking processes, and self-correction

     • How evidence-based best practices can be utilized to improve comprehension in English learners, including those with reading difficulties and dyslexia.

Candidate assignments

• Link to cohort Padlet

• Link to updated Vlog within your e-portfolio

Overview      

A Unit Plan should serve as a teaching map that helps you know where your instruction is going. It forces you to be organized to reach the unit's overarching goal(s). It helps you be selective about what you will teach and how you will facilitate student learning. It helps you analyze the multidisciplinary lessons that you can teach to help each student master the standards. It provides the map for developing a coherent set of lessons that build on each other to ensure that students are learning. 

A Multidisciplinary Unit Plan should be developed before you begin developing lesson plans. Incorporating multiple content areas can allow you to create an engaging unit for your students.  Literacy is a content area that should be included in all unit plans.  Literacy skills and content must be mastered to ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.  In this assignment, you will create a multidisciplinary unit plan that includes, at a minimum, the content area you seek licensure in and literacy content.

Learning objectives

• Candidates plan a multidisciplinary, objective-oriented unit that includes content and literacy standards and objectives, outlines summative and formative assessments, and designs projects and activities with differentiation for all the lessons within the unit.

What will you do?

1. Download the Unit Plan template from the Activity Resources. Complete each section of the unit plan. Utilize the case study and IEP in the activity resources to plan for differentiated instruction. 

   • Introduction

   • Content standards

   • Literacy standards

   • Overarching goal(s)

   • Objectives

   • Literacy and 21st Century Goals

   • Prerequisite skills

   • Summative and formative assessments

   • An overview of at least 5 lessons, including:

     • Objective

     • Prerequisite skills

     • Description of lesson

     • Differentiation based on the case study and IEP from activity resources.

   • Remediation, review, and extension activities

   • Resources

     • Ensure that your lessons will help students meet the content and literacy objectives and that the objectives will help students master the standards.

2. Submit your completed unit plan.

Candidate assignment

• Completed Unit Plan Template 

Note: All assignment descriptions are written for Proficient. You should carefully examine the criteria for an Outstanding score if you want to aim for Outstanding.

Project Description

Overview  

Observing other teachers helps identify opportunities for growth. For example, observing assessments allows teachers to explore new methods for assessment or assessment differentiation. An assessment observation allows teachers to recognize connections between over-arching objectives, instructional practices, and student assessments.

Learning objectives

• Candidates will observe and reflect upon one teaching lesson and analyze how the teacher created and implemented assessments to ensure each student was ready to progress through the unit.

• Candidates will reflect upon how they can implement assessments throughout a multidisciplinary unit within their classroom.  

What will you do?

1. Independently, watch the teaching video from the Activity Resources. *Each video you observe and reflect upon throughout the program is part of your field experiences.

   • Read the lesson plan that aligns with the video.

   • As you watch the video, consider the following:

     • How did the teacher create and implement assessments to ensure students were ready to progress through the unit?

     • Which assessments that you observed would work in your classroom?

     • How would you improve or adapt this lesson to meet the needs of your students?

   • Submit a written (1-2 pages) or recorded (2-3 minutes) reflection on the teaching video, focusing on one or more of the questions listed above. 

Candidate assignment

• Written or Recorded Reflection on Teaching Video