Differentiating a Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Elisha McLaughlin

Lesson Title: Identifying Point of View: Inclusion/Avoidance of Facts

Grade Level and Course: 7^th Grade Social Studies

Time Segment of Lesson: _90_ minutes

Standard(s) Addressed in Lesson: 

RH.6-8.6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

Student Diversity and Differentiation of Instruction

Student Diversity	Differentiation of Instruction
English Language Learner	Give text with simplified language; Chunk text to aid in comprehension.
Dysgraphia	Allow students to dictate answers using Google Voice or another recording tool. If this technology is unavailable, have a TA record dictated answers on paper.
High Achieving	Students will be given an additional assignment to further their understanding of loaded language in which they are asked to write a passage about the Civil War from the perspective of one of the following: Union soldier, Confederate soldier, Abraham Lincoln, or an African American slave.
ADHD	Chunk assignments to help lower distractibility; give directions one at a time so that students do not become overwhelmed by too many things to remember.

 

Objectives with Formative and Summative Assessments

Measurable Objectives to be Addressed

Formative and Summative Assessment

Identify facts that are included or avoided in a text based on prior knowledge of the topic and determine how these facts (or lack there of) support the author’s point of view.

Formative 1: Students will do a Think Pair Share discussing when including/avoiding facts might be useful. Formative 2: Students will work in pairs to compare and contrast two short videos made by the teacher relevant to a shared interest. Formative 3: Given two passages, students will work in small groups to compare and contrast fact inclusion/avoidance using a Venn diagram. Summative: Students will choose one of two given passages on the Civil War on which to write a short essay discussing the author’s choice of facts to include/avoid. Students will be required to cite the text.

Big Ideas to be Addressed in the Lesson:

1.     An author’s use of language, particularly loaded language, can be used to determine the author’s point of view.

 

Teaching Strategies and Related Student Activities (Include Web 2.0 activities as appropriate):

Teaching Strategies and Activities, Teacher/Student Input, and Review

·      Because this is not the first lesson in the unit on the civil war, students will already have a background on the content area to which they will be applying the skill of identifying inclusion/avoidance of facts.

·      Students will work in small groups to come up with as many Civil War facts as they can in four minutes. Students may use their notes if they have trouble.

·      When four minutes have elapsed, discussion of the facts will begin. Each group will share five facts. All facts must be different from facts shared by other groups. Teacher will record facts on a premade PowerPoint slide. If this technology is unavailable, teacher will record on the board.

·      This will be the jumping off point for the introduction to inclusion/avoidance of facts. Teacher will introduce topic.

·      **Once introduction is complete, students will do a Think, Pair, Share in which they consider when including/avoiding facts may be useful.

·      Teacher will then play two videos about the students’ predetermined favourite musical artist (in this case, it is Kanye West) that the teacher created. One video will be from the perspective of someone who loves Kanye and one will be from the opposite point of view. Students will write down different facts that are included in each video and explain why each fact was or was not included. This will serve as practice for applying this skill to the topic of the Civil War.

·      Teacher will then introduce an example from the current topic (the Civil War) using two passages students have previously read.

·      *Teacher will start by identifying facts in the first paragraph of one of the passages. When she gets to the second paragraph, teacher will ask for student input. **For the final paragraph, students will identify facts on their own. To check for understanding, students will switch papers with a neighbour and correct the final paragraph when answers are given.

·      For the second passage, students will work in pairs to identify facts. Students will have ten minutes to do so.

·      At the end of the ten minutes, **teacher will then place students in groups of 4-5 students. Students will create a Venn diagram (each student will draw the diagram so they each have a copy) comparing and contrasting facts in each of the passages. Students will have ten minutes to complete this task.

·      ***After ten minutes, students will spend the remainder of class (20 minutes) completing a summative assessment. Students will individually choose one of the two passages and explain why the author chose to include/avoid certain facts. Students will be asked to write a short essay explaining the author’s choices. Students will be required to cite the text.

*This activity is an “I do it,” “We do it,” “You do it” type of activity.

**Formative Assessment

***Summative Assessment

Discussion Topics

Write out topics that you would like students to discuss in class, before class or after class because they are interesting, difficult to grasp or for any other reason that would make for a lively and engaging discussion. If discussions must happen outside class, what tool will you use to facilitate the discussion (e.g. Twitter)?

1) As a Class: When would including/avoiding facts be useful?

2) Small Group: How does one identify facts that are included/avoided?

Materials and Resources for Lesson

Materials, Technology, and Websites	Required Preparation
1.   Copy of Articles	Print 26 copies of each
2.   Copy of Summative Assessment	Print 26 copies
3.   Computer/Projector	Check to be sure it is working

Instructional Strategies for Differentiation

The following is a group wiki page created by Jasmine Carter, Molly Kraybill, Elisha Rearick (me), and Victoria Reyes.

Differentiation Strategies for Students with Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a neurological condition in which the brain of the individual is wired differently than that of others. It generally affects the individual's ability to read and process the written word. It is important to note that individuals with dyslexia have the same intelligence level as the rest of the population. Dyslexia is also not a motivation problem, but rather a condition that affects the brain on a neurological level.

Content

• Texts should be prerecorded or read aloud to the student to aid comprehension.
  
• Make use of outlines to help with learner who struggle with note taking to be sure they have all of the necessary information with them when they leave the classroom.
  
• Spelling/vocabulary should be at the student's level, even if that means they have a different list than the rest of the class.
  
• For partner work, pair the student with a classmate that reads at a higher level and have the classmate read things aloud to the student.
  

Process

• When giving direction, do so slowly or in a way in addition to written. Verbal instructions can be useful, but they often require the teacher to check in after each step. Check-ins can be helpful strategies, but teachers need to make sure to do them at appropriate intervals.  
  
• Present small amounts of work at a time to help keep students from feeling overwhelmed.
  
• Allow students to use manipulatives (e.g. real coins during math class) to give students a more tangible representation of what they are learning.
  
• Give students extra time/days to complete assignments if needed.
  

Product

• Give students options for how to complete required assignments. If students are supposed to complete a project about a historical figure, allow them to create a video, perform a play, or make a comic book.
  
• For activities that require students to write papers, allow students to use a voice-to-text feature like Google Voice. If the school/students does not have access to this technology, allow students to dictate their paper to a helper.
  
• Allow students to have tests/assessments read aloud to them to help them comprehend the material presented.
  

Affect

• Create a classroom culture that values diversity in all of its forms.
  
• Make sure that those helping students with dyslexia understand that their intelligence is not affected. This will help avoid individuals talking down to students with dyslexia.
  

Learning Environment

• Place students with dyslexia near the front of the room to minimize distractions.
  
• Surround students with dyslexia with understanding peers who can help them stay on track and understand written directions.
  
• Be sure students have a clear view of any visual (picture/symbol) aids provided.
  

Differentiation Strategies for Students with ADHD

Students with ADHD struggle with focus, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. 

Content

• Develop lesson plans that encourage kinesthetic learning, such as using manipulatives or implementing physical movement activities
  
• Give directions out loud as well as in written form
  
• Do frequent informal checks for understanding for content and directions
  

Process

• Develop a written checklist system for the students to manage their time and directions. Teach the students how to cross of tasks once they are finished
  
• Break assignments into shorter chunks. Encourage a movement break in between completed tasks.
  

Product

• Modify worksheets for fewer questions
  
• Grade for completion over neatness
  
• Allow students to complete writing assignments on a computer
  
• Permit students to answer questions out loud or fill in the blanks
  

Affect

• Develop a classroom community that understands that students learn in different ways
  
• Discuss with students the difference between equality and fairness, and how students may need various supports to reach their full potential
  
• Give frequent praise for good behavior
  

Learning environment 

• Students should be placed somewhere in the room with minimal distractions. This could be towards the front of the room, away from doors or windows. This is to ensure that the students can stay focused despite external stimuli.
  
• Provide seat cushions, resistance bands on seat legs, or foot rests to encourage movement while sitting
  
• Students could be placed next to a good learning partner who can provide reinforcement of directions when needed
  
• During independent work, it may be helpful for the students to work at an individual desk that is away from distractions.
  

Differentiation Strategies for Students with Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a learning disability where people struggle with basic number sense and other mathematical concepts such as doing remembering number facts in order to effectively do mental math.

Content

• Develop lessons appeal to multiple types of learners in order for multiple opportunities to connect to material
  
• Review previously connected content before presenting new content in order to build foundation for math processes.
  
• Check often to see if student understand concepts, "Why do you you think that? How do you know that is right?" 
  
• Provide opportunities for students to verbalize problem solving processes to make sure that they are able to follow steps on their own.
  

Process

• Assitive technology such as the use of calculators will help with assignments that computation isn't actually what is being graded.
  
• Use of manipulative when introducing new math concepts will help students visualize problems.
  
• Use charts of math facts and formulas for reference during assignments.
  

  
Product

• Students can present data through use of spreadsheets like Microsoft Exel, that visually allows them to organize data by creating graphs and tables
  
• Allow for extra time on assignments and tests 
  
• Modified worksheets, for example, having some information already given to add in problem solving
  
• Allow students to draw and model work if they aren't able to express in numbers or words.
  

Affect

• Maintain help expectations for all students to promote culture that all students are capable of learning.
  
• Praise all progress and successes to encourage hard work.
  

Learning environment 

• Keep visual posters/anchor charts in plain sight, such as number lines and math facts
  

Differentiation Strategies for ELL Students

Students acquiring a second language progress through five predictable stages - Preproduction, Early Production, Speech Emergence, Intermediate Fluency, and Advanced Fluency. It's like learning to talk all over again. We will focus on Intermediate & Advanced Fluency.
Intermediate Fluency - Comprehends the language and makes few grammatical errors.
Advanced Fluency - Near native level of speech.

Content

• Make sure they are treated equal - belittling the students, making it simpler won't help, it will only cause them to be stuck in one stage of fluency.
  
• Partner up students with a native speaking student for them to have a broader vocabulary.
  
• Create lesson plans that allow for visual cues.
  

Process

• When asking questions, it's okay to ask questions that require a lot of talking. It helps them create a bigger vocabulary. (Ex: What would happen if..? making the Intermediate student to make the connection between two subjects)
• For the advance student, if you're reading a story in class, make them retell the story.
• Teacher will be able to model the assignment before giving the students a chance to do it.

  Product

• Frequent opportunities for students to practice activities comfortably.
• Use materials when possible that relate to their culture or background. 

Affect

• Student understanding of the lesson's key content goals and activities.
  

Learning environment

• A comfortable learning environment with a low threshold for anxiety.
• Consistency and fairness towards the students shows that the teacher doesn't have a preference in students.

References 
http://www.dyslexiasw.com/advice/help-andamp-advice-for-teachers/teaching-strategies-for-dyslexic-children
http://www.readinghorizons.com/blog/post/2013/04/12/8-dyslexia-accommodations-for-students.aspx
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/accommodating-students-dyslexia-all-classroom-settings
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/at-a-glance-classroom-accommodations-for-adhd
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6776
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/at-a-glance-classroom-accommodations-for-dyscalculia
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108052/chapters/The-Stages-of-Second-Language-Acquisition.aspx
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/how-create-welcoming-classroom-environment

Differentiating Lesson Plans to Meet Students Needs

           For this activity, we were asked to create a MindMap of differentiation strategies and reflect on what we learned.

Click here to view my MindMap.

            Differentiation is something that is so important to the 21^st Century classroom. Students come to school at different levels and with different skill sets, so teaching as if all students are the same is unrealistic and unfair. When I was in school, I found that I often was left with nothing to do if I finished assignments early, which frustrated and bored me. I often just read for pleasure, but looking back, I wish that my teachers had tried to differentiate instruction. On the other end of the spectrum, I have watched as my little brother floundered below grade level, getting left in the dust in classroom, leaving it up to me and my mother to keep him up to speed. Even studying for spelling tests needed to be done in a different way than most of his classmates. As it turns out, my little brother had undiagnosed ADHD for most of elementary school. Once he was diagnosed, teachers starting being legally obligated to differentiate, at least on some level, which has made all the difference for my brother. These two personal experiences have allowed me to see the value of differentiation for two vastly different types of students. Of course, there are far more kinds of learners than just two, but these experiences have really made differentiation something that I want to be good at in my classroom. Students are such unique individuals that it seem silly to me that we ever thought that all students could learn all material in exactly the same way at exactly the same pace. While I do understand that differentiating can be difficult, time-consuming, and, at times, frustrating, I believe it is more than worth it and can make all the difference in students’ lives.

            Obviously, the first step in differentiating the classroom is to determine what makes each student unique. In order to do that, I plan to do an interest survey at the beginning of the year to gauge what topics my students are invested in. Because I will be teaching English and Social Studies, I should be able to fit in at least some topics of interest in addition to giving my students a chance to complete choice projects on things that are of interest to them individually. In addition to an interest survey, I am lucky enough to be inheriting students that have been at the school where I will be teaching for 3+ years, so the school already has an idea of what each student is like. Of course, I will give my students a clean slate, allowing them to prove to me what kind of people they are, but I will also do my research on them as learners. I will ask previous teachers about their learning style while continuing to keep an open mind if I hear that they were sometimes difficult to handle. In addition to my students having a history at the school, this school is very invested in students’ IEPs and 504 Plans. These plans will help me see what has worked for individual students in the past so that I can incorporate that into my teaching. Finally, I will have students write an initial one page about a topic of their choice. I will give them some sample topics in case they have trouble choosing one. This will serve as a diagnostic for me to see what kind of writers I have in my class, which will be especially helpful in determining which students are above grade level and may need some more difficult material.

            The strategies I discussed in my MindMap are based on students that I have already worked with that I will have in at least one of my classes next year. These students are current sixth graders, and I have been volunteering in their classroom. Some of the strategies are based on what I have seen work for individual students in the classroom. Their current teacher is very attuned to individual needs, so she has implemented many of the strategies I mentioned. Some of the strategies, however, are things I thin would work will with individual students. For example, Brandace really has a hard time doing grade level work because it truly bores him. He is so far above grade level that it feels like a waste of his time. I would really like to put him in a leadership role and see if that helps him feel more connected to the material. At the end of the day, the strategies that I discussed barely scratch the surface of the options for differentiation. I am excited to get to dive into differentiating and give students the kind of education that so many of us wish we could have had. Students are all different, so there is no reason to think that a cookie-cutter education would work.

Planning Assessments

Objective: Students will be able to identify an author's point of view.

Formative Assessment 1: New Clothes

Explanation: For this assessment, students will write a short response (1-3 sentences) explaining a context different than the one in which the material was taught. For this particular unit, students would be asked to explain when identifying point of view could be important outside of passages about the Civil War.

Why this assessment? Part of my reason for choosing this topic as one I wanted to plan for before I even start teaching is because it is so important to be able to identify point of view in everyday life. From the news we are given to the advertisements we see, being able to identify point of view makes us more critical consumers of information. This is something I want my students to recognize, and this assessment will help them think of areas outside of class that they can apply this skill. Additionally, if students are able to identify contexts outside of the initial context where they could conceivably use what they have learned, there is a good chance that they really understand the material. Being able to apply a skill to a different setting is a great marker of understanding.

Formative Assessment 2: Explain What Matters

Explanation: For this assessment, students will be asked to explain the most important part of the topic covered to any person they can think of in 1-2 sentences. This person could be anyone from their mom to a kindergartener to Maya Moore to Kanye West.

Why this assessment? Being able to explain material to someone else is a great check for understanding. I especially like this activity because it pushes students to consider their audience. If they are explaining a concept to their mother, they are going to use very different words than if they are explaining it to, say, Kanye. This assessment is especially good for the topic of point of view because they have to apply the idea of point of view to explain point of view. It functions as almost a double assessment. A successful completion of the assessment would show that the student is able to explain point of view while taking into account the point of view of his or her audience.

Formative Assessment 3: Think-Pair-Share

Explanation: For this assessment, a question is posed to students. Students then have 30 seconds to think on their own. When the 30 seconds are up, students talk to a neighbor for 60 seconds and come to a consensus. Then, students share their answers with the rest of the class. For this particular topic, students would be asked to, after reading a passage aloud as a class, identify the point of view from which the passage was written. Students would be asked to back up their answers using the text (loaded language, inclusion/exclusion of facts), which will be easy because students will have been marking up the text while reading it as a class.

Why this assessment? This puts the learning in context. Students need to be able to identify point of view in passages for this particular unit, and while the other two assessments do a great job making sure students understand the concept on a theoretical level, this assessment is the most straightforward when it comes to assessing the desired outcome. Additionally, this gets all students in the class talking. If the teacher were to cut out the “pair” portion of this activity, that would minimize the number of people who get the opportunity to explain the topic to another person. Think-Pair-Share is a great way of getting the entire class involved in a discussion that may otherwise only require 2-3 people to talk.

References:

Dyer, Kathy. (2013, July 12). 22 easy formative assessment techniques for measuring student learning. Retrieved from https://www.nwea.org/blog/2013/22-easy-formative-assessment-techniques-for-measuring-student-learning/

TeachThought Staff. (2013, March 14). 10 assessments you can perform in 90 seconds.  Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/assessment/10-assessments-you-can-perform-in-90-seconds/

Contents of a Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Elisha McLaughlin

Lesson Title: Identifying Point of View: Loaded Language

Grade Level and Course: 7th Grade Social Studies

Time Segment of Lesson: _90_ minutes

U.S. Common Core State Standard(s) Addressed in Lesson:

RH.6-8.6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

Student Diversity and Differentiation of Instruction

Student Diversity	Differentiation of Instruction
Low English Proficiency	Chunk text to aid in comprehension.
Dysgraphia	Allow students to dictate answers on summative assessment to TA or to record their answers as either audio or video (depending on technology available).
High Achieving	Students will be given an additional assignment to further their understanding of loaded language in which they are asked to write a passage about the Civil War from the perspective of one of the following: Union soldier, Confederate soldier, Abraham Lincoln, or an African American slave.
Below Grade Level	Give text with simplified language; chunk text to aid in comprehension.

Objectives with Formative and Summative Assessments

Measurable Objectives to be Addressed

Formative and Summative Assessment

Identify loaded language used in a text that supports the author's point of view.

Formative 1: Once loaded language is introduced, students will have two minutes to write as many loaded words/phrases as they can think of. Students will share answers with the class, and there will be a discussion of whether or not the language is loaded. Formative 2: I do, We do, You do activity in which teachers identifies loaded language in the first paragraph, class identifies in second, and students individually identify in third. Formative 3: Given a passage, students in groups will be asked to underline language that is loaded and write a response explaining whose point of view it is written from. Summative: Given a passage on the Civil War, students will identify instances of loaded language and say why/for which point of view each word/phrase is loaded.

Big Ideas to be Addressed in the Lesson:

1.     An author’s use of language, particularly loaded language, can be used to determine the author’s point of view.

Teaching Strategies and Related Student Activities (Include Web 2.0 activities as appropriate):

Teaching Strategies and Activities, Teacher/Student Input, and Review

• Because this is not the first lesson in the unit on the civil war, students will already have a background on the content area to which they will be applying the skill of identifying loaded language.
• Teacher will write 20 words/phrases on the board or projected on a PowerPoint slide, depending on technology available, half of which use loaded language and half of which do not prior to students arriving in class. Students will be asked, as a Do Now, to spend two minutes sorting the words/phrases into positive, negative, and neutral categories.
• When two minutes have elapsed, discussion of the words will begin. Students will be asked to volunteer to come up to the board and place words in each category.
• This will be the jumping off point for the introduction to loaded language. Teacher will introduce topic.
• **Once introduction is complete, students will have two minutes to write as many loaded words/phrases as they can think of. Students will share answers with the class, and there will be a discussion of whether or not the language is loaded.
• Teacher will then introduce an example from the current topic (the Civil War) using a passage students have previously read.
• *Teacher will start by identifying uses of loaded language in the first paragraph. When she gets to the second paragraph, teacher will ask for student input. **For the final paragraph, students will identify loaded language on their own. To check for understanding, students will switch papers with a neighbour and correct the final paragraph when answers are given.
• **Teacher will then place students in groups of 4-5 students. Students will be given a passage that they will read silently for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes,

groups will discuss and identify instances of loaded language in the text. Groups will then work together to craft a short response explaining whose point of view the passage was written from and how they know, citing textual evidence.

• ***For the final 20 minutes of class, students will work silently on a summative assessment in which they identify instances of loaded language in a text on the Civil War and explain their choices. Students will be asked to write a paragraph explaining whose point of few the passage is from and how they know. They will be required to cite the text.

*“I do it,” “We do it,” “You do it” Activity

**Formative Assessment

***Summative Assessment

Discussion Topics

Write out topics that you would like students to discuss in class, before class or after class because they are interesting, difficult to grasp or for any other reason that would make for a lively and engaging discussion. If discussions must happen outside class, what tool will you use to facilitate the discussion (e.g. Twitter)?

1) As a Class: Loaded language examples and how the use of loaded language helps readers identify perspective

2) Small Group: How one identifies loaded language

Materials and Resources for Lesson

Materials, Technology, and Websites	Required Preparation
1.   Copy of Articles	Print 26 copies of each
2.   Copy of Summative Assessment	Print 26 copies
3.   Whiteboard/Markers or Projector/Computer	None/Check availability