3. Planning for Differentiated Instruction 

 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. 

UNIT PLAN FOR ALGEBRA 1

I have created a unit plan for Algebra 1-Polynomials and Factoring, teaching math unit. This unit plan is aimed to my target grade level area, and it is an informational resource, for teachers and students to have. It contains a definitions, terms, and examples to learn and understand. Students would be able to have the opportunity to ask questions about any issue they have regarding the lesson unit on the same day or the next day of school. This unit covers activities, lessons, and assessments for all students and it was produce for a purpose, in which, students would be able to discuss and practice more examples during class time. 

Creating this whole unit plan, it helps students understand a concept and practice with peers in class and outside the classroom. This unit describes all types of activities and assessments that the students will do to get evaluated, as Knowledge indicator in 3-A states," understands the Illinois Learning Standards (23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.Appendix D), curriculum development process, content, learning theory, assessment, and student development and knows how to incorporate this knowledge in planning differentiated instruction;" students are able to discuss the material within each other during class time and with teachers.  This constructed unit consists of careful planning and it is assured that all academic material connects and makes sense for any type of students in the classrooms, it is differentiated and supported as Knowledge indicator 3-B states " understands how to develop short- and long-range plans, including transition plans, consistent with curriculum goals, student diversity, and learning theory;" all objectives are followed with a short formative assessments.

As I created this academic unit plan, I am able to see which students are struggling and which students are ready for the next unit. It helps me oversee the struggled students and be able to help them 1:1 during class time, meanwhile the students that are ahead can continue practicing the concept or move to the next part of the unit, in winch it states on the Knowledge indicator 3-D,"understands when and how to adjust plans based on outcome data, as well as student needs, goals, and responses; " and in the Knowledge indicator 3-E, " understands the appropriate role of technology, including assistive technology, to address student needs, as well as how to incorporate contemporary tools and resources to maximize student learning;" students are given a few key terms and example sheets before going home and other technology resources available for them. Also, students have a learning blog where they are able to contact me for further concerns and support. As a Competent Teacher I am aware of the Performance indicator 3-H,"establishes high expectations for each student’s learning and behavior;" because of my differential resources and teaching methods, all students will be responsible for their own homework and projects assigned. With students online reflection responses, I will have a more of an open view on how my students are reacting and responding to the lesson taught as the performance indicator 3-J states, "uses data to plan for differentiated instruction to allow for variations in individual learning needs;"  by using the students reflections and self-evaluation I will be able to gather as much data needed to modify and differentiate material for all students needs.

Creating this whole unit plan, helped me grow as a professional educator. This artifact will eventually help me succeed in my own classroom and in my future teaching methods. I learned that by creating this artifact was not as easy as I thought, it consisted of researching, planning , and knowing your own material before writing and creating this teaching unit concept. Not only did I create this unit plan, but I was able to experience what it is to create a full unit plan for all types of students that consisted of learning targets, objectives, and evaluations. Also, I am able to be knowledgeable on how to create a unit lesson plan, so in the future I will be able to help support other co-teachers and future educators on their educational path. 

 Traveling Around the World Exponentials and Logarithms Activity

I have constructed this Exponential and Logarithm activity (Traveling around the world) for students to use as a fun way to review for a unit assessment, during student teaching 2023. This artifact is an activity that is made up of six centers around the classroom, where as each center has a different topic from the unit learned. This artifact contains the skills they need to excel in their upcoming unit assessment. This artifact was created for the purpose of incorporating levels of learning in a way that there are five questions in each center that range from easy to the most challenging; and to work out the skills students need to perform well on the unit assessment. 

Creating this unit review activity helped students understand the meaning of the expectations that I require to achieve their academic goals in my classroom. As it states in the Knowledge Indicator 3-A, "understands the Illinois Learning Standards (23 III. Adm. Code 1. Appendix D), curriculum development process, content, learning theory, assessment, and student development and knows how to incorporate this knowledge in planning differential instruction;” I had the opportunity to create an activity that contained different levels of questions in each center that cater to each individual student throughout the review activity. As I created this artifact, I was able to know and understand how my students learn through their lenses. As Performance Indicator 3-J, “uses data to plan for differentiated instruction to allow for variations in individual learning needs;” while students worked in groups or independently to go around the world finding solutions to the assigned topics, each student was not left behind during the activity because each student need was met by planning different levels of problems inside each center labeled from 1-5; 5 being the most challenging question. 

In the creation of this Traveling Around the World activity, it helped me grow as a professional educator in creating something that was fun and at the same time worth student learning. I created this artifact in a way that I knew that my students will all be involve during each center, because there were different levels of problem solving and even on the easiest question there is an individual that was able to solve at least 3 out 5 questions from each center. Knowing that their traditional review experience was not as fun as my new version of review, helped me grow and learn as a professional by thinking outside of the box. I can say sometimes changing the instruction and learning to cater for each student can be a success in each classroom I am in. 

IL Professional Teaching Standards (2013) - Citation