Unit 4: Lesson Planning

Overview 

When developing lesson plans, teachers must consider their overarching objective for students and use that to guide their assessments, instructional plans, and student assignments. To begin this process, teachers identify their objectives and develop formative assessments to measure each student's current level of knowledge. This is known as their baseline. Then, teachers employ UDL strategies to meet students' needs and identify what strategies they can use specific to the grade level and subject area they teach. Finally, teachers use ongoing formative and summative assessments to measure students’ progress and adjust their instructional plans accordingly. 

Learning objective

• Candidates write an innovative, differentiated content lesson plan that requires students to use 21st-century skills

What will you do?

1. Choose the appropriate lesson plan template from the Activity Resources. If you are seeking certification in one of the following content areas, you will choose your methods-specific lesson plan template: 

• Social Studies

• Modern Foreign Languages

• English Language Arts

• Science

• Middle School Math

• Secondary Math

• Middle School General Education

• English as a Second Language

• Early Childhood Education

• Elementary Education

• Special Education

• Health and Physical Education

Note: If you are seeking certification in an area that is not listed above, please use the TEACH NOW Lesson Plan Template.

2. Fill out all the sections of the lesson plan template with appropriate and relevant descriptions, beginning with the lesson's objective. It is essential to think about the lesson objective because you will use the objective statement to guide the lesson's selection of activities and materials. 

• Refer to the case study in the Activity Resources (the same used when you created your Unit Plan in Unit 3 of this module) and include differentiation that you will implement for each case study student within the differentiated instruction section of the lesson plan.

• Think through your assessment strategy for the unit and accordingly pick the formative and summative assessments for your lesson. Try to create assessments that lead to students using higher-order thinking skills instead of rote learning or memorizing facts.

• After you list the lesson's formative and summative assessments, note how you plan to use the assessment data to inform your teaching moving forward. 

• Explain the big ideas of the objective you want students to understand, and then design discussion questions to help students think more profoundly about the topic. 

• Develop high-impact teaching strategies and activities you will use to help them achieve the objective, as well as utilize 21st-century skills. Consider how you will use technology in the lesson to help you increase productivity and create enhanced or deeper student learning. (Include tech ideas even if you may have limited resources at the school during implementation.)

• List out the materials and resources needed for the lesson. 

3. Submit the completed lesson plan as a Google Document.

Candidate assignments

• Complete Google Document lesson plan 

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.

Content specific methods requirements

Method Subject: English as a Second Language

As per your certification area, while completing your lesson plan for this activity, address the following:  

• In the "Learning Theories" section of your lesson plan template, select at least one language acquisition theory.  

• Build your lesson using that theory as a framework for the instructional activities you include. Ensure you understand the tenets of the theory and what they mean in practical application. 

• After you write your lesson plan in its entirety, return to the "Learning Theories" section and describe the connection between the theory or theories you chose and the teaching strategies and materials you included in your lesson. Reference specific tenets or researchers tied to your chosen theory (e.g., Krashen, Cummins, etc.).

• Describe how the theory or theories guide you in setting high expectations for your ELL students.

Project Description

Overview     

Teachers must differentiate instruction based on literacy needs to ensure that all students have equitable access to learning. Literacy is foundational to academic success across all subjects, and students enter classrooms with varying levels of proficiency and background knowledge. By tailoring instruction to meet individual needs, teachers can provide targeted support to struggling readers, challenge advanced readers, and address their classrooms' diverse learning styles and abilities. Differentiating based on literacy needs allows teachers to scaffold learning appropriately, gradually releasing responsibility to students as they develop their literacy skills. This approach fosters a supportive and inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive and reach their full potential.

Learning objective

• Candidates develop specific differentiated activities to support students’ literacy development and meet their needs.

What will you do?

1. Independently, 

• Use the lesson plan you created during the last unit, Module 6, Unit 4, Assignment 1. 

• Make a copy of this lesson plan and rename it to reflect this different assignment. 

• Using this lesson plan that you created, you will use Google’s commenting tool to add comments, indicating specific strategies you would employ to meet students’ literacy needs through differentiation.

• This differentiation will include how you will meet the needs of English Language Learners and learners with reading difficulties, including students with Dyslexia. 

• Using Google commenting, explain how you will utilize evidence-based best practices to accomplish the following:

  • Improve phonemic awareness in English Language Learners

  • Improve phonics development in English Language Learners

  • Improve comprehension in students with reading difficulties, including those with Dyslexia

  • Promote higher-order thinking skills

  • Plan a small group vocabulary lesson focusing on morphology

  • Use developmentally appropriate multisensory materials for reading instruction

• Submit the link to your new lesson plan 

Candidate assignment

• Candidates demonstrate literacy-specific differentiation to meet students’ needs by using Google commenting on their individually-developed lesson plans.

Reminder: to maintain academic integrity, you must cite any information, ideas, text, or images used in this activity by identifying the source.

Content specific methods requirements

Method Subject: English as a Second Language

differentiating your lesson plan, follow the directions provided by your M6 instructor, and also use the comments to also address the following:  

• Include methods for differentiating language instruction for three different WIDA levels of language proficiency. 

• Explore and understand how scaffolding is one form of differentiating assessment and instruction. 

• Find resources that describe language scaffolding approaches and the benefits of scaffolding language and content area assessments for ELLs.  

• Include methods for scaffolding vocabulary instruction to promote comprehension and communication growth.

• Use the comments to explain how you will ensure that the assessments you include in your lesson plan are accessible to all students (via differentiation and scaffolding techniques), and that the data generated by the assessments will be reliable and valid.  

• In addition to adding comments to note methods to scaffold all assessments you have included in your plan, describe differentiation and scaffolding measures that you might apply to the summative assessment for the unit. 

• Share your document with your Methods instructor.

Project Description

Overview  

Understanding that it is important to create a detailed lesson plan and equally important to deviate from the lesson plan when needed, are two hallmarks of a successful teacher.  As you watch this clinical practice teaching lesson, focus on how the teacher deviated from the lesson plan based on the needs of their students. You will notice that sometimes deviating from the lesson plan allows teachers to solidify understanding that is essential to mastery of the content being taught. If students are struggling, and we just keep following the plan, there may be gaps in their understanding that will impede their learning in the future. Once you watch the lesson, take time to reflect upon how the teacher deviated from the lesson plan.  What caused the teacher to deviate from the plan?  Would you make similar deviations in your classroom?  When we learn to be okay with making adjustments, when necessary, we are more likely to help each learner succeed in the classroom.

Learning objectives

• Candidates will observe and reflect upon one teaching lesson and analyze how the teacher deviated from the lesson plan to meet the needs of their students.

• Candidates will reflect upon how they can deviate from their lesson plans when needed.  

What will you do?

1. Watch the teaching video from the Activity Resources.

2. Read the lesson plan that aligns with the video.

3. As you watch the video, consider the following:

   • How did the teacher deviate from the lesson plan?

   • What caused the teacher to deviate from the lesson plan?

   • Would you make similar deviations in your classroom?

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

4. 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 assignments

• Written or Recorded Reflection on Teaching Video

• Submit your Module 6 Literacy Guide