Narrative

TPE 3 sets the standards for beginning teachers with regard to teaching subject matter to all students. Secondary teachers need to understand their discipline's subject matter, subject-specific state standards, appropriate use of technology and digital materials, and use of evidence-based teaching practices to support all students. The term "all students" means every student, including those with developmental delays, differing neurotypes, and the full range of English-language learners.

I designed the four-week unit plan attached here for a middle-school classroom. The plan integrates a number of California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for life sciences in a single unit covering heredity, genetics, and evolution. It includes elaborated vocabulary and reading instruction to support English-language learners, as well as numerous collaborative activities to allow English learners (and others) opportunities to communicate with their peers, co-teach, and learn from one another. Important concepts and skills are reimagined as hands-on activities that engage students physically, emotionally, and intellectually. The summative assessment is an individualized project that students create over several class periods and weeks. The final projects are presented to the class in a gallery-walk format that lets students see each other's efforts and applaud one another's achievements. My goal is to involve students progressively in the development of their own learning by incorporating hands-on activities, collaboration, reflection, and significant student choice.

Artifacts / Evidence

Four-Week Unit Plan

Genes, Change, and Us

Introducing Mendelian Genetics, Heredity, and Evolution
Middle School Curriculum