The competent teacher plans and designs instruction based on content area knowledge, diverse student characteristics, student performance data, curriculum goals, and the community context. The teacher plans for ongoing student growth and achievement.
The following Unit Plan is a 3rd-grade introduction to government unit plan. It is comprised of three sections: desired results, evidence and learning plan. Each stage was creating using Understanding by Design, a framework which is goal oriented, promotes backward planning and engages students in meaningful work. Some of the resources in the unit plan are as follows: a unit calendar, state standard alignments, a pre-assessment, a summative assessment, a student self-evaluation, a culminating project, ten formative assessments with examples and fifteen learning activates with links to examples and materials. This unit plan also provides a list of ways to differentiate each activity and a vocabulary list complete with definitions and corresponding tier levels. It was created during my Novice class in February 2018 as a preparation and experience tool, however, I look forward to using this unit plan in my future classroom.
Through creating this unit plan I have demonstrated that I understand "how to develop short- and long-range plans, including transition plans, consistent with curriculum goals, student diversity, and learning theory" (IPTS 3B). Each activity and plan within the ten-day unit is goal oriented and can be assessed in a meaningful way. The unit plan although a 10-day plan is also broken down into day by day plans as noted in the unit calendar, providing both short and long-range plans. Each day contains it's own goal and activities, as shown in the unit calendar. I also show evidence of understanding "cultural, linguistic, cognitive, physical, and social and emotional differences, and considers the needs of each student when planning instruction" (IPTS 3C). Each goal in the unit plan is created for all students to be able to reach it in a meaningful way. This unit plan includes not only state standard goals but "I can" statements which are student-accessible goals, displayed for them and used to direct their learning. While each activity is able to be differentiated to fit specific students needs, all students will be able to meet the standard-aligned "I can" statements in diverse, yet calculatable, ways. Not only are the standards aligned with Illinois SS standards and Common Core Standards but also Social and Emotional standards which are embedded into each lesson and activity. Students will be assessed according to each standard and will be responsible for meeting it during their class time and throughout various activities. While each activity and goal is grade-level appropriate, students will be challenged to meet their highest potential, proving that I established "high expectations for each student’s learning and behavior" (IPTS 3H). Lastly, each goal and activity in this unit plan are transferable to other content areas and life skills. By planning hands-on learning activities which activate prior knowledge and considering diverse background and cultures, I engage students in essential questioning and transferable understanding, meaningful to their own lives. Through this, I demonstrated that I incorporate "experiences into instructional practices that relate to a student’s current life experiences and to future life experiences" (IPTS 3K).
By creating the following lesson plan, I have learned how to create goals for each learning target, assessment and learning activity. I utilized Understanding By Design which pushed my thinking as a teacher but allowed me to create a meaningful unit plan which will stimulate essential student learning. I have designed creative and fun activities which I believe my future students will enjoy, helping them interact with the material in a more passionate way. I am excited to use this unit in my future classroom because I believe it will connect with my students in a powerful and inspiring way. Each purpose filled learning activity is fun and exciting for all students yet challenges them in a grade-appropriate way.
I created the following documents during a course in special education which focused primarily on the communication needs of students with disabilities. The first document is a presentation on Spina Bifida, a physical disability, how it can affect student's speech and language and their participation in the classroom. I also included practical tips for teachers who have a student with Spina Bifida as well as additional resources for both teachers and parents. The second document is a handout which touches on most of the concepts discussed in the presentation. I created this handout as a quick resource for teachers to use if they are ever in need of more information about Spina Bifida, focusing mostly on strategies for teachers.
Through this presentation and handout, I show that I have an understanding of how to differentiate based on students needs and goal areas, thus showing I "understand when and how to adjust plans based on outcome data, as well as student needs, goals, and responses" (IPTS 3D). During the presentation I talk about physical considerations as well as emotional considerations for students with Spina Bifida and suggest practical tips and strategies for teachers to support these students. By doing so, I show that I "understand cultural, linguistic, cognitive, physical, and social and emotional differences, and considers the needs of each student when planning instruction" (IPTS 3C).
Because students with Spina Bifida often have language and speech difficulties, I developed and researched strategies for teachers to use in order to support students in their demonstration of learning, such as providing natural opportunities to use language, encouraging social interactions among peers, giving extended response time, allowing for multiple methods of response and many more. I also included several general strategies for classroom participation and inclusion as well as potential goal areas for students with Spina Bifida. Through the creation of these items, I show that I "develop plans based on student responses and provides for different pathways based on student needs" (IPTS 3M). Lastly, each strategy and goal I developed are based on students individual needs, providing a way for a student with Spina Bifida to participate in the general education classroom, showing that I "develops or selects relevant instructional content, materials, resources, and strategies (e.g., project-based learning) for differentiating instruction" (IPTS 3Q).
Through the creation of this presentation and handout, I learned to develop differentiated plans, materials and teaching strategies for each student, particularity for students with Spina Bifida who have both physical disabilities and often communication and language disorders. I also learned the importance of supporting students with their emotional and physical health during teaching instruction. Lastly, I gathered resources to potentially use in the future when teaching a student with Spina Bifida or encountering parents who have children with Spina Bifida. Though these documents focus mostly students who have the condition of Spina Bifida, many of the general classroom strategies can be used for students with physical disabilities as well as students with communication and language disorders.