Well-Structured Units and Lessons

A teacher candidate proficient in Well-Structured Units and Lessons "Adapts as needed and implements standards-based units comprised of well-structured lessons with challenging tasks and measurable outcomes; appropriate student engagement strategies, pacing, sequence, resources, and grouping; purposeful questioning; and strategic use of technology and digital media; such that students are able to learn the knowledge and skills defined in state standards/local curricula."

In a project-based class, it is important to understand what the final product is and what students will be taking away from going through the process of completing the project. This is why I used Backward Design to create most of my lessons and units and why many of them were successful in teaching not only the concepts but also processes that are important in a variety of contexts. This is why taking the time to completely think out your instruction is so important. Otherwise, you and your students will feel lost in class, as if none of you know where to go or what to do — this is also how you lose control. By assembling a unit or lesson that is designed for your students, you can create a classroom environment that is accommodating, engaging, and deliberately crafted to cover the intended material or teach a new skill.

One of my favorite assignment sequences I did during my practicum was the stop-motion animation project for my 7th grade Computer Technology 7 course. I began with a very strong hook, using questioning and a stuffed animal of Snoopy to facilitate a class discussion about animation. I really leaned into the idea that we were going to be making movies and everyone was going to be able to create something and share it with the class. This introduction led to a week-long sequence where students planned their stories out using a graphic organizer and turned them into real animations by the end. I believe that the reason the lessons were so successful was the use of various strategies to hold engagement an interest. Below are some files associated with that assignment sequence and samples of student work.