UMF Unit-Wide Lesson Plan Template

Name: Stephanie Jillings Program: Elementary Education Course: EDU 450

Lesson Topic / Title: Memory Moments with Someone Important

Lesson Date: 10/18/17 Lesson Length: 40 minutes Grade: 6

Learning Objectives & Content Standard Alignment - Selects, creates, and sequences learning
experiences and performance tasks that support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals
based on content standards.
Learning Objective(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

I can use narrative techniques (memory moments) to This lesson is appropriate because it
write about someone important to me. adds to our strategy list of how to come
up with narrative topics. It is also less
I can use a new brainstorming strategy to help my writing open-ended than some of the writing
process. has been in the past week. I think
students will enjoy some closer
guidance and direction as they finish
up their first full writing week. This
topic also helps them to be invested
and engaged with the writing. Students
who have been struggling with topics
will be able to focus more on
techniques and writing goals for this
lesson.

Content Standard(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3 These standards are appropriate

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences because students have been learning
or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive about these criteria separately for the
details, and well-structured event sequences. past week. This lesson and writing
prompt is a way to wrap up their first
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.B full writing week. Students will be able
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and to show what they have learned from
description, to develop experiences, events, and/or the past week about writing narratives
characters. and incorporating these pieces, such as
small memory moments, details, dialog,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.D characters, descriptions, sensory
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive language, etc. Rather than focusing on
details, and sensory language to convey experiences and just one technique or skill, students are
events. expected to use them all, and to show
what they have learned.

Assessment - Uses assessment flexibly to expand and deepen understanding of learner performance
and determines best supports for continued learner growth.
Assessment Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

Pre-assessment: This pre-assessment/discussion is to

I will be pre-assessing students based on their answers make sure all students understand the
during whole-group discussion about vocabulary and vocabulary and criteria to meet the
expectations. standards and complete the work.

Formative assessment: I will use discussions to observe

I will be observing and carefully listening to students answers from students who are willing
while participating in discussions to determine levels of to share out. Ss have multiple ways of
comprehension. expressing their ideas. For example,
I will circulate the room and observe Ss conversations orally, with visuals, and written. I will
while they are brainstorming and collaborating. be able to pinpoint misconceptions and
I will collect and review students writing to see if they struggles. I will be using students
have effectively used a memory moment and provided written work to provide feedback and
sensory details to show what the characters are feeling, set up conferences.
seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and thinking. I will also Conferences will help me get an idea
assess whether students did or did not try a new of where students are at after a whole
brainstorming strategy in their writers notebooks. week of writing. We will focus on
I will conference with each student during writing time. struggles and strengths.

Instructional Materials and Resources - Stays current in content knowledge and expands expertise in
reviewing instructional materials from the perspectives of both the discipline and individual learner
needs.
Materials, Resources, and / or Technology Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

Writing notebooks/utensil Visuals/technology needed to

Document reader support Ss learning and learning style
Traffic light/self-assessment cards differences and instructional support
Copy of my own writing example for ELL student.
iPad for accommodation Anchor chart used to collaborate and
Anchor chart/strategy chart provide students with opportunity to
reflect and have resources moving
forward.
iPad to support student having issues
with fine motor skills.
Self-assessment to help with
classroom management and autonomy.

Instructional Methods: Selects, creates, and sequences learning experiences and performance tasks
by using a variety of instructional approaches, strategies, and technologies that make learning
accessible to all learners and support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals.
Teaching and Learning Sequence Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
2 minutes check-in with students about how they
are feeling about writing so far. Each day we begin the lesson with a
check-in/brainstorm/discussion about
Thumbs up/down, discuss feelings, vocabulary and expectations for the
strengths, struggles with pods. day to prepare students for the
independent/partner/group work
5 minutes Discuss learning targets/Review what following the mini-lesson.
weve learned so far and reference/add
to strategy chart and Good writers For this lesson, I added a check-in
chart. about how students feel about writing
P.O.V. and provided time for them to share
M.M. feelings with each other. This is a great
Dialog, details, etc. way to wrap up the writing week.
Strategies
The mini-lesson provides students
with an opportunity to learn and then
 10 minutes Mini-lesson/model/share my example practice new skills and techniques to
Make list of important people improve their own narrative writing.
Words to describe them
Memory moments with this person Demonstrating and modeling helps
Pick one and write about them (add students understand the expectations
details and dialog, only one memory and puts it into context for them. It
moment that shows why this person is supports autonomy for student
important to you). learning.

10 minutes Students brainstorm, share with pod, Check-in and sharing are expected to
create list. support each other in understanding
the content and providing perspective
Remaining Students write this narrative while I about the topic.
time conference with each one.
I have chosen to write my own
Conference topic: Is there anything in example to give students a clear picture
your notebook that you are proud of that of what I am looking for.
you want to show me? What is
something you are really struggling Conferencing to see where students
with? are at with writing and giving them a
chance to reflect on strengths and
weaknesses.

Meeting students needs (differentiation, extensions, Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

modifications, accommodations)

Differentiation: These multiple roles will provide Ss

with encouragement, support, and
Brainstorming/Sharing independence throughout the lesson.
Guided discussion Some Ss will be able to explain
Process demonstration themselves better in written form than
Questioning/wait time orally and vice versa. Creating visuals
Teacher modeling helps students to clarify their
Creating poster/visual/anchor chart information and meet the learning
Varied roles: an instructor, facilitator, and audience. targets.
Ss will be able to demonstrate their ideas vocally, Most of the Ss in this block are visual
through writing, and through visuals. and auditory learners. Visuals supports
Examples, lists, modeling, and visuals will be used to Ss ability to absorb the information.
demonstrate and explain the activity and help students The variety of groupings benefit all Ss
stay organized. depending on what style they are more
Whole-group direct instruction, peer collaboration, and productive/comfortable with. Peer
individual work time. support allow Ss to see other
connections and ideas.
Accommodations: Sharing and brainstorming give
M.A. is an ELL student. Part of his RtI plan is to check-in students time to formulate ideas and
with him before individual work time to make sure he opinions and see other perspectives
understands what he is expected to do. He has difficulty about the topic of discussion.
with oral directions and often needs this extra support. Goal setting helps students focus on
only a couple of things they would like
B.V. has difficulty with fine motor skills, he will be able to to improve on in their next writing
type his narrative on his iPad. piece. This helps students stay
organized, focused, and prevents them
J.C. gets severe headaches and because of this she has from feeling overwhelmed. In this
difficulty staying on task and reading. She will be with a lesson, students are expected to
partner who can do the reading if her head is hurting too implement their goals in their writing.
much. However, I will also make sure to turn the lights off
to help with the headaches and provide her with a colored
overlay to help dim the brightness of the paper.

Reflection

I can use narrative techniques (memory moments) to write about someone important to me.
Meets: 7
Partially Meets: 4
Does Not Meet: 0

I can use a new brainstorming strategy to help my writing process.

Meets: 11
Partially Meets: 0
Does Not Meet: 0

All students met the second target. Although some students did not fill out the chart completely, they
started using it during the brainstorming process. Students who partially met the first target may not
have focused on one specific memory, again. This seems to be reoccurring, even after re-teaching.
Students are not telling their stories in narrative form, rather explaining what happens every time
they go to a hockey rink with their brother, for example. This is their first week of writing, these
misconceptions were to be expected. They have already started improving from the beginning of the
week with their writing. With this being the second lesson on memory moment, there has been some
major improvements. More students met the standard in this lesson than in the first memory
moment lesson (lesson 3). While my placement and work with these students is ending, I have made
it clear to my mentor what I noticed about their writing.

Students liked hearing about their peers feelings about writing. They like knowing others are
struggling with the same things. Implementing this short discussion and sharing time for the end of
their first writing workshop week was useful. Students used this time seriously, and even reflected
on their earlier grades and how they felt about writing then versus now.

I told students that this writing piece was their chance to wrap up the week and show me everything
they have learned about writing so far. I can honestly say that some students who were a constant
worry for me each day showed some improvement for this writing piece.

Teaching Standards and Rationale

Standard #2 Learning Differences

The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to
ensure inclusive learning environments that allow each learner to reach his/her full potential.

This standard means that the teacher develops relationships to understand their students and how
their differences affect their learning. The teacher allows students to express their differences and
embraces these differences in the classroom. The teacher helps other students appreciate diversity
and has the expectation that all students embrace each others differences positively so all students
feel safe and comfortable to learn with the community.

1(a) Regularly assesses individual and group performance in order to design and modify instruction
to meet learners needs in each area of development (cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and
physical) and scaffolds the next level of development.
For this lesson, I made sure to provide the new content and information in different ways to help
meet the needs of diverse learners. I model brainstorming, and thinking skills, provide visuals,
posters, and written directions, and I allow students the opportunity to share their ideas verbally and
in writing. For this lesson, I took the time to do the assignment myself. I thought this might help the
students see a clear example of what I am looking for. This will help those students I have
conferenced with in the past week who have not been very successful with narrative writing. All
students are expected to participate in either groups or whole-class discussions while respecting and
building off the ideas of others. Students are taught mini-lessons and then given most of the class
time to practice the new skills. Conferencing with me is required for this lesson. Students are given
the opportunity to share weaknesses/struggles and/or strengths in their writing pieces. These
conferences are to ensure meeting learner differences, honoring their time, and helping them to turn
weaknesses into strengths and celebrate their successes. I will provide feedback to students based on
where they take the conversation during conferencing.

Standard #3 Learning Environments

The teacher works with learners to create environments that support individual and collaborative
learning, encouraging positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

This standard means that the teacher implements classroom procedures to help students learn
efficiently and collaboratively with each other. Teachers and students work together to make the
learning environment positive and supportive. Whether it be coming up with classroom expectations
and rules together, meeting to discuss importance of procedures, collaboratively working with
students to make changes to procedures, and modeling positive and cooperative learning
relationships to the students. The teacher understands the importance of voice and choice.

3(a) Collaborates with learners, families, and colleagues to build a safe, positive learning climate of
openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry.

Procedures and instructional strategies are put in place to ensure students are using their work time
wisely and responsibly. For example, we provide students traffic light cards where they must first
reflect, then use the resources available to them, and finally proceed to get support from the teacher
with a detailed and specific question in mind. Students know that they have this responsibility to use
their time wisely and participate in class for the short amount of time we have them in the day. We
use many strategies to get attention such as count down or silent waiting. Students are always
expected and encouraged to follow the school-wide Habit of Work policy to be respectful,
responsible, and reflective.
Student Artifact #1 Important person/Target 1: (Meets)
Student Artifact #2 Important person/Target 1: (Partially meets)