Unit 3, Activity 2

Unit 3, Activity 2: Expectations for OER Lesson Plan Submission

As you completed Unit 1 and Unit 2 and read Chart a New Course you most likely discovered (or were reminded) that inquiry and personalized learning go hand in hand. Thinking of the "5 to Try" activities from the book, is there one you would like to write into a lesson plan of your own? Do you have a favorite lesson plan that could be infused with something new related to inquiry or personalized learning? Is there a digital tool you learned about in one of the "5 to Try" sections that you could add to one of your existing lesson plans?

Remember, you don't need to come up with a lesson that is totally new to you. (But you can.) For example, I have taught the Create a Superhero lesson at least three times and professionally submitted it two different times as an example lesson for school librarians before I revised it for OER Commons. Yes, I really love the concept, but I didn't teach it or write it the same way twice. For OER Commons I shortened the idea from an entire unit to a five part lesson, I changed the use of Microsoft Office and a tool on the Marvel website to Google Apps and added Wakelet as a way to organize the inquiry process. I also checked and double checked for possible copyright issues, of course.

Here are a few expectations I'd like you to consider before you move on to actually creating and submitting your lesson plan to OER Commons as your final project in Unit 4:

1. Who will create the lesson plan? You may do this by yourself or with one other person. The other person may be a member of this cohort or a colleague from your school or district.

2. What is the topic of your lesson plan? Which content subject area/s does it cover?

3. Did you search OER Commons to make sure your exact lesson is not already published there?

4. Does your lesson plan contain an element of inquiry and/or personalized learning? In other words, do you give students some level of research experience and voice and choice?

5. Does your lesson plan integrate at least one digital tool or activity?

Assignment: Please answer the five questions above in a short email to me at joan.upell@gmail.com before you move on to Unit 4 and the final project.