Blog Post #5

This semester, I have been surprised by the literacy levels of my students.  They are able to understanding very complex material and have discussion that encompass a wide range of interpretations.  I have been very impressed by the insights they have based on the readings as well as their ability to support their positions using evidence from the readings.  For the most part, their analyses are thoughtful and well-developed.

However, they are not able to take responsibility for large chunks of reading without some sort of system to check for reading, such as reading quizzes.  Unless they feel as though they will be tested in some way for their reading, many students simply do not read. This is not particularly surprising but it poses problems for class participation.  Even still, while we randomly quiz students on reading, many still do not read the required sections.  One strategy to help avoid this (which, unfortunately, I haven't been able to implement this semester) is to give students a choice over what novels they will read.  Although the choices must be limited those on the approved reading list, students have shared with me that even having a choice between two books makes it feel less as though they are being forced to read one book.  Next semester, I am eager to take this approach and offer students more control over what they want to read.  Hopefully, giving them this responsibility will motivate them to take some more ownership over the readings.

Diary: September 30, 2013
My literacy rich classroom looks like one in which students may initially be skeptical of the reading process and may also have had negative experiences with reading in the past.  It will be a learning process and one in which I am adjusting to their ability levels and figuring how to push them further.

My students are engaged in learning process of reading and use various strategies to help them with their comprehension.

They are reading excerpts that are culturally diverse and provide scaffolded readings to prepare them for much heavier readings later in the course.

December 15, 2013
My literacy rich classroom looks like one in which students are motivated to read, find the benefits and rewards in it and employ strategies to help them engage in it.

My students are engaged in the process of active reading.

They are reading dense novels yet they are using their strategies to help break down the concepts into more digestible pieces.

They are writing their thoughts, feelings, emotions and interpretations that go beyond the surface of the readings.

They are discussing what they are writing.  They are discussing opinions, interpretations and feelings.

May 30, 2014
My literacy rich classroom looks like one in which students have confidence in their reading abilities.  They have a wealth of strategies to use to help them with comprehension.

My students are engaged in the reading material they never thought they would appreciate or understand.

They are capable of independent learning in the following areas: reading, interpretation, argument, support, discussion, debate and critical thinking.

Blog Post #4: Learning to Change, Changing to Learn

Right off the bat, I am quite shocked by education being ranked the lowest in a study of IT intensiveness by the U.S. Department of Commerce, below even coal mining.  I knew that the state of education was bleak but this information was still a surprise.  Speak Up seems to think an improved use of technology in the classroom will help change education for the better. 

            

According to the video, kids are far more engaged outside of school than they are in it.  Educators must find a way to integrate the technology with which students are far more familiar and comfortable with into the classroom to better engage kids in the learning process.  Many of the speakers on the video envision a classroom that is not necessarily composed of “brick and mortar.”  The online classroom may be the future of learning, where students only meet to supplement what they are learning outside through group activities and social networking. 

            

It’s no surprise that the proper use of technology in the classroom can have a positive impact on students’ learning.  Technology has advanced to such a point that it is an integral part of a child’s day.  They use it to communicate with their peers and research information, among other things, I educators should be able to find a way to bring what they already know into the classroom to help them learn.

            

Although there are many possibilities for using technology with students, technology can also help teachers connect with other teachers in an unprecedented way.  The ability to communicate with other educators and share ideas creates a global community for teachers to hone their craft and better serve the students.  This is where technology excites me the most.  Teachers are no longer isolated in the classroom and expected to create amazing lessons from scratch.  There are so many technology resources from which teachers can learn new ideas and collaborate with others to become more effective educators.

            

Technology may have many benefits in store but it is up to this new generation of teachers and students to find way to integrate it successfully.  The ability to do so will, ultimately, drive the classrooms of the future and benefit students for generations to come.

Unit Plan

Collin Elliott

UNIT TOPIC:  Allusions

1. UNIT CONTEXT           

Subject/Content Area:

Course: English

Grade Level: 12th           

Length of Unit: 1 week

Number of class periods and length of periods: 5 class periods/1:30 long           

2. FACTS ABOUT THE LEARNERS           

Whole Class Information

Number of students in class: 36

Demographic Information: 21 students are male and 15 students are female.  The ethnic background of my students consists of: 3 Hispanic, 1 Native-American, 32 Caucasian. 2 of my students are early intermediate ELD with Spanish as their primary first language. 3 of my students have an IEP.

Developmental Needs

Readiness: 4 of my students are writing at a 9^th grade level. Most of my students are writing at an 11^th grade level.

Interest: This is a social group of students, some are athletes and almost all of them are interested in music.  There are 2 basketball players, 2 surfers and 3 musicians.  Almost all of my students have iPods or an iPhone and enjoy listening to music.

Learning Profiles: My students exemplify a pretty even balance of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles.  They enjoy working on group activities and most of them say they appreciate having information and/or instructions up on the board.

Individual Student Information and Differentiation Strategies

1. Carlos: Carlos is a 17 year-old male in the 12^th grade.  He is from Mexico and has lived in the United States since he was in 1^st grade.  He lives with his single mother and has moved school districts 2 times since 1^st grade.  He has consistently received D’s and F’s since elementary school but has recently received more C’s in his high school career.  He is very polite and courteous but is quiet, has difficulty participating in class and does not complete his work with regularity.  The CELDT scores indicate that he is at the Early Intermediate level and is considered an English learner.

Developmental Needs

Readiness: Carlos can read and write at the Early Intermediate level.  He has satisfactory speaking skills but needs to improve his reading and writing skills.

Interest: Carlos enjoys listening to music and playing soccer.

Learning Profile: Carlos is quiet and does not actively participate in class discussions or in small groups.  He benefits most from partner activities and tends to enjoy “learning by doing.”

Differentiation Strategies

Process/Readiness: Teacher pairs up students to read material to support ELL.

Process/Readiness: Students discuss and share with partners.

Process/Readiness: Hands-on activities, such as posters, to explain concepts.

Content/Readiness: Students use graphic organizers, sentence frames and sentence starters to understand content.

Process/Learning Profile: Partner activities and gallery walks to present and view student work.

These strategies will be assessed for effectiveness through partner discussions, observations, quick writes and essays.  If necessary, teacher will be available outside of class time to provide student with additional support.

2. Lily: Lily is a 17 year-old female in the 12^th grade.  She is from Mexico and speaks Spanish as her first language.  She is very polite and respectful but is very quiet and does not approach the teacher or engage in any discussion either during or outside of class time.  She has a couple of friends in the class and enjoys socializing with them.  She enjoys small group activities.  The CELDT scores indicate that she is at the Early Intermediate level and is considered an English learner.

Developmental Needs

Readiness: Lily can read and write at the Early Intermediate level.  She has satisfactory speaking skills but needs to improve her reading and writing skills.

Interest: Lily enjoys socializing with friends.

Learning Profile: Lily is quiet and does not actively participate in class discussions or in small groups.  She benefits most from small group activities and tends to enjoy “learning by doing.”

Differentiation Strategies

Process/Readiness: Teacher pairs up students to read material to support ELL.

Process/Readiness: Students discuss and share with small groups.

Process/Readiness: Hands-on activities, such as posters, to explain concepts.

Content/Readiness: Students use graphic organizers, sentence frames and sentence starters to understand content.

Process/Learning Profile: Small group activities and gallery walks to present and view student work.

These strategies will be assessed for effectiveness through partner discussions, observations, quick writes and essays.  If necessary, teacher will be available outside of class time to provide student with additional support.

3. Shon: Shon is a 17 year-old male in the 12^th grade.  He is a good student and receives good grades.  However, is has trouble maintaining focus and experiences difficulty with staying on task.  He has an IEP that requires him to sit near the front of instruction.  He is very social and likes to participate in class discussion as well as group activities.

Developmental Needs

Readiness: Shon can read and write at a 12^th grade level.  He needs variety in class structure to stay focused and relies on conversation and class discussion to stay on task.

Interest: Shon is very social and likes to participate in class discussions.

Learning Profile: Shon is very extroverted and likes to be in groups.  He is comfortable speaking in front of the class but loses focus quickly and needs to reign in his side conversations when others are speaking.

Differentiation Strategies

Process/Readiness: Students discuss and share with small groups.

Process/Learning Profile: Group presentations, class discussions and partner activities.

Content/Readiness: Students use graphic organizers, sentence frames and sentence starters to understand content.

Product/Learning Profile: Students create posters to explain concepts and write essays to improve writing skills.

The strategies will be assessed for effectiveness through discussions, observations, quick writes and essays.  If necessary, teacher will be available outside of class time to provide student with additional support.

4. Breanne: Breanne is a 17 year-old female in the 12^th grade.  She is a good reader but needs to improve her writing skills.  According to her IEP, Breanne suffers from anxiety for which she is on medication and is required to sit near the front of instruction.  She enjoys working individually or in partners.

Developmental Needs

Readiness: Breanne can read and write at a 12^th grade level.  She likes to have time to work and/or read independently.  She is relatively quiet and gets nervous when presenting to the class.

Interest: Breanne likes working alone and does not interact with the teacher unless called upon.

Learning Profile: Breanne is introverted and can get easily overwhelmed.  She does not like to talk in front of the class but will contribute to small groups and/or partner activities.  She prefers to stay quiet in class but is social with a couple of other students in the class.

Differentiation Strategies

Process/Readiness: Students paired up to read material.

Process/Readiness: Students discuss and share with small groups and/or partners.

Process/Learning Profile: Gallery walk to view posters instead of sharing with whole class.

Content/Readiness: Students use graphic organizers, sentence frames and sentence starters to understand content.

Product/Learning Profile: Students create posters to explain concepts and write essays.

The strategies will be assessed for effectiveness through discussions, observations, quick writes and essays.  If necessary, teacher will be available outside of class time to provide student with additional support.

5. Luke: Luke is a 17 year-old male in the 12^th grade.  He is a very active participant in class discussions and is very polite, respectful and social.  His IEP says that he has anxiety, gets overwhelmed easily and has trouble maintaining focus.  He is a member of the debate team and enjoys class discussions.

Readiness: Luke can read and write and a 12^th grade level.  He likes to participate in class discussions and enjoys debates.

Interest: Lukes likes working independently as well is in groups and is very comfortable interacting with the teacher and his peers.

Learning Profile: Luke is very extroverted and has trouble staying on task.  He gets frustrated with assignments he does not easily understand and is quick to give up.

Differentiation Strategies

Process/Readiness: Students discuss and share with small groups.

Process/Learning Profile: Group presentations, class discussions and partner activities.

Content/Readiness: Students use graphic organizers, sentence frames and sentence starters to understand content.

Product/Learning Profile: Students create posters to explain concepts and write essays to improve writing skills.

The strategies will be assessed for effectiveness through discussions, observations, quick writes and essays.  If necessary, teacher will be available outside of class time to provide student with additional support.

2. Unit Rationale:

This unit is very important for students to learn so that they can learn to recognize allusions in pop culture.  It is also an introduction to their personal statements as they will write a paper describing themselves through the use of allusion.  Students will learn about allusions to mythological figures, famous literary characters and biblical stories.

Enduring Understandings

Students will understand that allusions to famous literary, poetic and artistic works can be found everywhere in the world around them, including advertising, television, music and movies.  The better they understand the sources of these allusions, the deeper their enjoyment of media will be.

Essential Questions

1. Why are allusions made to previous works? What purpose do they serve?

2. How can knowledge of allusions enhance our enjoyment of new works?

3. How can we use allusions to better understand the world around us?

4. How can we use allusions to better understand ourselves?

3. STANDARDS

CA Content Standards

Literary Response and Analysis

3.4 – Analyze ways in which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech and sounds to evoke readers’ emotions.

3.6 – Analyze the way in which authors through the centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth and tradition in literature, film, political speeches, and religious writings.

Writing Applications

2.1 – Write fictional, autobiographical, or biographical narratives

Speaking Applications

2.3 – Deliver oral responses to literature.

CA ELD Standards

Identify Media Messages

Cluster 2, A – Identify strategies used by the media to present information for various purposes

Describe Literary Elements

Cluster 3, A – Explain the significance of several literary elements and techniques

4. UNIT OBJECTIVES (by day)

1.     After working in groups, students will be able to (SWBAT) deliver an oral presentation on one famous allusion, what its meaning is, provide an example of how it is used in a famous work and what its deeper meaning is (Cognitive, psychomotor, language: Speaking Applications 2.3). Students will get into groups and make posters discussing the characteristics of their chosen allusion and give an oral presentation (Verb). Teacher will monitor group discussions and presentations (Criteria).

2.     After guided practice, SWBAT identify how poets use literary devices to convey deeper meaning (Cognitive: Literary Response and Analysis 3.6). As a class, students will annotate one poem with allusions and offer suggestions/interpretations of meaning while class annotates a poem together on document camera (Verb). Students are called upon randomly with index cards to offer suggestions during class annotation (Criteria).

3.     After guided practice, SWBAT annotate a poem with allusions on their own to infer author’s deeper meaning and write 1-2 short paragraphs explaining their position (Cognitive: Literary Response and Analysis 3.4). Students will read 3 poems, choose one to annotate and write 1-2 paragraphs discussing meanings/interpretations of the poem (Verb).  Students will submit annotated poems and personal written interpretations (Criteria).

4.     Using a graphic organizer provided by the teacher, SWBAT look up major literary, mythological and biblical allusions and provide examples of how and why they might be used today (Cognitive: Literary Response and Analysis 3.6). Students will fill in charts already containing names of famous literary, mythological and biblical characters.  In the blank boxes, students will fill in who the character is/story behind character and in another box, how and why an allusion to that character would be made today (Verb).  Students will turn in completed charts (Criteria).

5.     After reviewing previous week’s work, SWBAT write a personal narrative using allusions to describe aspects of their personality and different character traits (Cognitive: Writing Applications 2.1). Students will write a personal narrative comparing themselves to a famous literary, mythological and/or biblical figure OR write a creative piece that alludes to a famous work (Verb).  Students will submit essay/story to teacher for grading (Criteria).

5. ASSESSMENT PLAN

1.     Formative: Teacher will observe students working in groups to provide assistance and ensure students are on task.  Teacher will prompt students while working in groups.

            Summative: Students will complete posters and include information about their             assigned allusion.

2.     Formative: Students will be assessed for learning and understanding through class discussion and suggestions for class annotations.

3.     Summative: Students will be assessed on their understanding through peer evaluations of poetry annotations and written personal interpretations.

4.     Summative: Students will be assessed for learning and understanding through turning in completed Allusions Charts.

5.     Summative: Students will be assessed for learning and understanding through turning in essay/story properly using allusions.

6. STEPS OF INSTRUCTION

Into: Students create a poster identifying a famous literary, mythological or biblical allusion and give a presentation on how and why it would be used as an allusion today.

Objective/Purpose: After working in groups, students will be able to (SWBAT) deliver an oral presentation on one famous allusion, what its meaning is, provide an example of how it is used in a famous work and what its deeper meaning is (Cognitive, psychomotor, language: Speaking Applications 2.3). Students will get into groups and make posters discussing the characteristics of their chosen allusion and give an oral presentation (Verb). Teacher will monitor group discussions and presentations (Criteria).

Student Activity:

            -Students divided into groups and assigned either a famous mythological, literary             or biblical character along without some background description and information             on the character (15 min.)

            -After reading about their assigned character, each group will create a poster with             information on their character that they will teach to the class as part of their             presentation (55 min.)

            -Each group will present their poster to the class (20 min.)

Hook: The poster will hook the students and provide them with an introduction to allusions.  The posters will be hung around the room and left up throughout the week.

Assessment:

Formative: Teacher will observe students working in groups to provide assistance and ensure students are on task.  Teacher will prompt students while working in groups.

Summative: Students will complete posters and include information about their assigned allusion.

Through:

Unit Calendar: Allusions

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Content Standards	Speaking Applications 2.3: Deliver oral responses to literature	Literary Response and Analysis 3.4: Analyze ways in which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech and sounds to evoke readers’ emotions	Literary Response and Analysis 3.4: Analyze ways in which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech and sounds to evoke readers’ emotions	3.6: Analyze the way in which authors through the centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth and tradition in lit, film, etc.	Writing Applications 2.1: Write fictional, autobiographical, or biographical narratives
Learning Objectives	Cognitive, Psychomotor, Language: After working in groups, SWBAT to deliver an oral presentation on one literary device, what its meaning is, and an example of how it is used in a famous work and what its deeper meaning is	Cognitive: After guided practice SWBAT identify how poet’s use literary devices to convey deeper meaning	Cognitive: After guided practice, SWBAT annotate a poem on their own to infer author’s deeper meaning and write 1-2 paragraphs explaining their position	Cognitive: After being provided with a graphic organizer, SWBAT look up major literary, mythological and biblical allusions and provide examples of how and why they might be used today	Cognitive: After a quick write about what makes them unique as individuals, SWBAT write a personal narrative using allusions to describe their personality traits and characteristics
Student Activity	Students will get into groups and make posters discussing characteristics of one literary device.  They will give an oral presentation on their device.	As a class, students will annotate one poem and offer suggestions/interpretations of meaning while class annotates poem together on overhead projector/doc cam	Read 3 poems, choose one to annotate and write 1-2 paragraphs discussing meaning/interpretation of poem	Students will fill in charts with names of popular literary, mythological and biblical figures	Students will write a personal narrative comparing themselves to a famous figure or write a creative piece that alludes to a famous work
Assessment	Formative/Summative: Monitor group discussions (informal) and presentations for credit/no credit (formal)	Formative: Students are called upon to offer suggestions during class annotation (Informal)	Formative: (Formal) students will swap annotated poems and personal written interpretations with a partner and grade each other according to provided rubric	Formative: (Formal) Students will turn in completed charts for points	Summative: (Formal) Students will submit essay/story for grade from teacher based on rubric

Closure/Beyond:

Closure: Students will write an essay or story incorporating the proper use of an allusion to summarize their learning for the unit.

Beyond: Students will begin to look at Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and will be introduced to various biblical references made in the book as a transition into the next unit.

7. MATERIALS/RESOURCES

-Handout packets with literary, mythological or biblical character and background information

-Poster paper

-Markers

-36 copies of “Fall Of Icarus” poem

-36 copies of 3 poems for students to choose from for annotation activity

-36 copies of rubric for grading poetry annotations

-Rubric for grading allusions essay/story

-36 copies of Allusions Chart

8. REFLECTION           

After putting together my unit plan, I realize how difficult yet necessary it is to take all of my students’ needs into account when planning out instruction.  I feel that I have made a strong effort to differentiate instruction for my EL students by offering group activities and modeling of annotations before asking them to do it.  Since the presentations are in groups, they will hopefully feel less anxiety about presenting than if they were asked to present alone.  The group activities also suit the learning styles of my IEP students, as well.  The Allusions Chart graphic organizer helps both my EL students and IEP students.  The high achievers are accommodated by the individual work on the poetry annotations and allusions essay/story in which they can work at their own level and pace.

The strength of this plan lies in the multiple opportunities for group interaction.  One possible drawback would be during the class poetry annotations.  I will most likely only get the input of the students who understand the activity while the ones who don’t remain silent.  Hopefully, the modeling of the activity will give them enough preparation to work on their own annotations.  There are multiple sources of evidence, including group posters, poetry annotations, written interpretations of poetry and a final essay. 

1. TITLE OF THE LESSON Allusions Group Poster Project Allusions Unit: Day 1 of 5	2. CURRICULUM AREA & GRADE LEVEL English, 12th Grade
3A. STUDENT INFORMATION: English Language Learners         1.) Readiness Level Carlos can read and write at the Early Intermediate level.  He has satisfactory speaking skills but needs to improve his reading and writing skills.         2.) Learning Profile Carlos is quiet and does not actively participate in class discussions or in small groups.  He benefits most from partner activities and tends to enjoy “learning by doing.”               3.) Interest Carlos enjoys listening to music and playing soccer.	3B. STUDENT INFORMATION: Students w/ Special Needs         1.) Readiness Level Breanne can read and write at a 12th grade level.  She likes to have time to work and/or read independently.  She is relatively quiet and gets nervous when presenting to the class.              2.) Learning Profile Breanne is introverted and can get easily overwhelmed.  She does not like to talk in front of the class but will contribute to small groups and/or partner activities.  She prefers to stay quiet in class but is social with a couple of other students in the class.               3.) Interest Breanne likes working alone and does not interact with the teacher unless called upon.
4. RATIONALE      A. Enduring Understanding Students will understand that allusions to famous literary, poetic and artistic works can be found everywhere in the world around them, including advertising, television, music and movies.  The better they understand the sources of these allusions, the deeper their enjoyment of media will be.      B. Essential Questions 1. Why are allusions made to previous works? What purpose do they serve? 2. How can knowledge of allusions enhance our enjoyment of new works? 3. How can we use allusions to better understand the world around us? 4. How can we use allusions to better understand ourselves?      C. Reason for Instructional Strategies and Student Activities
5. CONTENT STANDARD(S) Speaking Applications 2.3 – Deliver oral responses to literature.	6. ELD STANDARD(S) Listening and Speaking Cluster 3, A – Speak clearly and comprehensibly by using standard English grammatical forms, sounds, intonation, pitch and modulation.
7. LEARNING GOAL(S) - OBJECTIVE(S)      Cognitive, Psychomotor & Language         Development -After researching assigned allusion to determine characteristics of famous literary, mythological or biblical figures, students will be able to create poster summarizing main points of assigned allusion and present to class.	8. ASSESSMENT(S)      Formative-Progress Monitoring -Teacher will monitor students as they work in groups to check for understanding and offer assistance if needed.      Summative -Students will present posters to class.
9A. EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENTIATION FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS Process/Based on Readiness, Learning Profile or Interest -Students discuss and work in small groups. Product/Based on Readiness, Learning Profile or Interest -Students create posters to explain concepts.	9B. EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENTIATION FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Process/Based on Readiness, Learning Profile or Interest -Students discuss and work in small groups Product/Based on Readiness, Learning Profile or Interest -Students create posters to explain concepts.
10. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES (Describe what the teacher does. Include differentiation strategies.)        A. Anticipatory Set/Into  Teacher explains that allusions can be seen in the world all around us. Teacher shows video clips containing allusions to famous characters.                                           B. Instruction/Through  Teacher students into groups, provides each group with a packet handout and has them create posters on an assigned literary, mythological or biblical figure and must explain how and why they would be alluded to today.                                            C. Guided Practice/Through   Teacher monitors as groups work on posters.                                           D. Independent Practice/Through    Teacher has students present posters orally to class.                                          E. Closure  Students finish presentations and teacher recaps the power of allusions in pop culture.                                            F. Beyond Teacher tells students they will be looking for allusions in a poem in class tomorrow.	11. STUDENT ACTIVITIES (Describe what the student does. Include differentiation activities.)        A. Anticipatory Set/Into Students listen as teacher explains that allusions can be seen in the world all around us. Students watch video clips containing allusions to famous characters.                                                                                 B. Instruction/Through  Students break into groups and create posters on an assigned literary, mythological or biblical figure and must explain how and why they would be alluded to today.                                                                                  C. Guided Practice/Through  Students work on posters while teacher monitors.                                            D. Independent Practice/Through  Students present posters orally to class.                                              E. Closure Students finish presentations and listen as teacher recaps the power of allusions in pop culture.                                       F. Beyond Students are told they will be looking for allusions in a poem in class tomorrow.
12. RESOURCES (Attach any materials needed to implement the lesson, such as a power point presentation, graphic organizer, reading…) -Video clips -Poster paper -Markers -Handout packets

 UNIT RUBRIC                                                20 points            

Design Component & Criteria	Approaching	Meets (Including the criteria for Approaching & Meets)	Exceeds (Including the criteria for Approaching, Meets & Exceeds)
Unit Context 1 point	Describes the subject/content area, curse, grade level & …	& describes the length of unit, number of class periods and lengths of periods.	& describe where it fits within the year plan.
Student Facts 2 points	Provide information the whole class (demographics, readiness, interests, learning profile) …	& describe 5 individual students (2 ELL, 2 Special Ed and another student of your choice). Include the student’s name, label, grade level, culture, language, SES, family, affect, individual ed goals, readiness (reading, writing and subject area level), interests, & learning profile …	& include information about students’ affects and needs for their learning environment.
Different-iation 3 points	Describe the differentiation strategy(ies) for the 5 individual students…	& label the strategy (lesson content, process or product) and the way it addresses the students identity and developmental needs (readiness, interest or learning profile)…	& provide how the strategy will be assessed for effectiveness and altered if needed.
Unit Rationale 1 point	Explain the importance of unit in the student’s big picture of learning & describes the enduring understandings - what student’s will know and be able to do at the end of the unit …	& articulate what essential questions you will use to frame the unit …	& label the questions based on the Six Facets of Understanding.
Standards and Objectives 1 point	Both CA Content and ELD Standards are identified and each is addressed in an objective that contains a condition, verb, and criteria …	& each objective is labeled by the type (cognitive, affective, psychomotor or language) and number of the standard it addresses…	& identify which of the six facets of understanding it is designed to address.
Assessment 2 points	Provide an assessment for each objective and articulates …	& identify the formality, purpose, implementation method and evaluation criteria.	& provide description of how you will communicate of expectations, self-assessment  process and provide a sample of student work.
Into 1 point	Provide an into, activity for unit …	& describe in detail the steps the teacher will take to implement the into lesson and any need materials (i.e. graphic organizer, ppt, model, rubric)…	& provide script for teacher and times for each activity.
Through 2 points	Provide a unit calendar outlining what is addressed each day (objectives, standards, student activity and assessment) …	& each activity is student centered with multiple opportunities for the instructor to check for understanding…	& provide instructional materials for each lesson plan.
Beyond 1 point	Provide a beyond activity for unit …	& describe in detail the steps the teacher will take to implement the beyond activities and any need materials (i.e. graphic organizer, ppt, model, rubric)…	& provide script for teacher and times for each activity.
Lesson Plan 4 points	Lesson plan is provided …	& lesson meets all the requirements specified in their perspective rubrics including all the instructional materials …	& A full scripted Lesson is provided
Materials & Resources 1 point	Describe all the materials needed to implement the lesson/unit…	& the materials address a range of student needs and variety of interests and learning profiles…	& the materials display the candidates imagination and creativity.
Reflection 1 point	Address all the reflection prompts about differentiation, strengths and limits of the lesson, & effectiveness of lesson …	& describe what you learned about yourself and your students…	& identify what you would keep in mind for the next lesson.
Self-Evaluation 1 point will be deducted if not included	Provide a copy of the rubric with the unit plan…	& highlight the criteria for each component…	& provide hand written evidence for each criteria marked and identify what page for each item.

EDSS 521 Blog Post #3

In my English class, unfortunately, there is not much in the standards that addresses creativity.  It is up to my co-teacher and me to allow students to demonstrate understanding of the material in creative ways.  Most often, we have the students break into groups and create posters so that we can check for understanding.  The writing they are expected to perform is based almost solely the essay format and constructing sound, well supported arguments.  Creative writing is not addressed by the standards.  In response, we devised an assignment the week before Halloween asking the students to write and submit a scary short story.  The assignment was simply for credit or no credit so that the students did not feel added pressure.  It was a way for us to keep them engaged in the writing process by giving them an assignment based on creativity to break up some of the monotony of the essays they had been asked to write up until that point.

Critical thinking, however, is ever-present in our curriculum.  Students are constantly asked to analyze readings (fictional novels, short stories, academic articles, etc.) and formulate opinions that they must be able to put into writing and support with evidence from the readings.  The nature of our class is such that problem solving is not a large focus, if at all.  The strengthening of critical thinking skills is the driving force behind almost all of our lessons. 

Communication, collaboration and discussion are daily occurrences in our class.  We try to break up instruction every ten minutes in order to allow for a whole class discussion, small group discussion or one-on-one discussion.  Almost every activity we do includes some form of communication, collaboration or discussion.  Often, the only tasks students are expected to do individually are when they write essays.  Even still, there are writing assignments in which students can work in pairs or small groups.