Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Week 8 - Math Lesson with Rubric

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gsms1QVjaodbegPNYp8U8mqFqHRqZw_3spqf-Bcz_NI/edit?usp=sharing

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Week 7: Assignment #2 Lesson Plan using Google Docs



Your name: Daniel Graham
Grade Level: 12
Title of the lesson: Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
Length of the lesson: One Class period.

Central focus and central technology of the lesson.
The focus of this lesson is to build discussion on a reading that the students were asked to read the night before. The text is entitled “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor”. The students will analyze the text, describe what they found interesting, discuss the theme, and any other reactions/reflections through discussion.
Central Technology:
Computers/laptops/ipads will be used for ELL students and an audio file or program to read text will be used as well.

Key questions:
  • What does it mean to be evil?
  • What do you think was the author’s intention of writing this work?
  • How can something be defined as good or evil?

This lesson will have students analyze the text by discussing their opinion and interpretation of the reading through evidence from the reading. Students will also be able to build off of each other through discussion and dive into the many interpretations of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1- Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2- Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1- Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3- Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4 - Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
Support literacy (traditional literacy, domain specific literacy, or new literacy) development through language (academic language)

  • The students will compare/contrast the idea of good vs. evil.
  • The students will use discussion to convey messages that they responded to from the reading.
  • Students will need to know how to perform an oral discussion while maintaining continued support from the reading.

Vocabulary
  • Compare/contrast, analyze, discuss, interpret, cite.
  • Content Specific: Evil, Grace,


Discourse
  • Students will use student centered discussions to reflect on the reading.
  • The teacher will guide the students through the discussion with structure and questioning. If the student centered discussion is going very well, then this will be established by the students themselves.
Learning objectives

     Students will discuss their responses to the reading.
     Students will build off of one another and challenge each other’s ideas. Support from the text will give evidence to one’s argument or point of view
     Students will question each other regarding the reading.
Formal Assessment:
The students will be assessed through a guided worksheet that provides questions based on the text.

Informal Assessment:
The teacher will informally assess the students understanding through a guided skills checklist as the class discusses the reading.
Instructional procedure: Instructional strategies and learning tasks (including what you and the students will be doing) that support diverse student needs. Your design should be based on the following:
  • The students will have understood the learning goal for the lesson before discussion has begun
  • An audio file or program to read the text will play to the class.
  • Students will be given time to write their reflections of the piece before discussion has begun.
  • Next the teacher will guide the class into the discussion and maintain guidance while giving the floor to the students.

Consider all students, including students with IEPs, ELLs, struggling readers, and/or gifted students.

Students with IEP’s will be given proper supports according to their individualized plan. (Shortened versions, marginal guidance, underlined/highlighted key parts, etc.)
ELL students will use google translate and voki to provide their reflection on the reading.
Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
Different versions of the reading pertaining to IEP and ELL students.
Computers, laptops, or ipads for Google Translate and Voki presentations.
Reflection worksheet.
List of guided questions.
Audio File/Program to read the text.
Reflection
  • Did your instruction support learning for the whole class and the students who need great support or challenge?
Instruction was designed for the class to reach goals appropriate to the individual. Alternate forms of the text were given to students who have difficulty with reading comprehension. The instruction of this lesson will allow students to discover the main idea and be able to reflect on what they had read.
  • What changes would you make to support better student learning of the central focus?
I feel that it may be beneficial for the students to listen to the text again before reflecting and discussing it. I would use an audio file or a program that reads text for you. This technology can give the students who are auditory learners a chance to sit back, follow along, and perhaps pick up something that they wouldn’t have when reading it on their own. Providing the students with a third party to read the text to them can prove to be beneficial for all types of learners.
  • Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation from evidence of research and/or theory.
These changes would improve student learning because research has shown that the more outlets you have for analyzing a text, the better a person will understand it. Students may be visual or auditory learners, therefore for all students to read and then listen to the text will give each student a chance to really grasp the reading. Technology can be essential in the classroom when used appropriately and I feel that having either an audio file or a program to read the text to the class will help deepen their understanding.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

ELA Lesson Plan (Backwards Design)

Response to ELA Instruction

       I really liked the way that Andrew Hossack formatted his lesson. He did many things in order to get success from all types of learners. One specific strategy that I liked was how he didn't want to overwhelm certain students with a large text, so he decided to give them sections of the text at a time. Andrew used backwards design because he knew the desired outcome and came up with many strategies in order to get his students to reach that outcome. 
      Andrew broke things down further by discussing what the "gist" is and what a "main idea" is. The reading discussed was on Seneca traditions. Successfully completing and understanding the reading led to a discussion where students "go deeper, thinking and talking about specific details of the text". 

      He also provided the students with close reading strategies which, once again, help breakdown the reading in order to have the students successfully reach the desire outcome. He discussed reading the entire text to get the flow of the reading and circling important/unfamiliar words. He then further discussed jotting down important details in the margins of the reading. Overall, Andrew broke down his lesson by creating many facets that will lead the students to a complete understanding of Seneca traditions and the desire outcome for the unit.