Model: Universal Design For Learning Plan
Model: Universal Design For Learning Plan
(Adapted using: CAST (2018) Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Wakefield, MA: Author)
Review the guidelines below before planning your lesson. These strategies should be
implemented into your lesson planning and delivery to reflect your subject matter knowledge,
demonstrate your ability to develop well-structured lessons, adjust your practice, meet the diverse
needs of students, create a safe learning environment, communicate high expectations, and
demonstrate your professional standards for teaching. These are the Essential Elements for
licensure.
Use a variety of formal and informal methods of assessment to measure student learning, growth,
and understanding, including documenting measurable assessment criteria.
Activate background knowledge (How will you help students make connections to prior knowledge.
Ex. Questions, discussion, peer to peer collaboration, student work)
Uses instructional planning, materials, and student engagement approaches that support students of
diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, diverse academic needs, academically advanced
students, and English learners.
Highlight connections from the activator to the body of the lesson and the closure.
Clarify vocabulary and symbols to remove language barriers. (provide specific review of
vocabulary and provide visuals to align)
Vary the methods for response and navigation through the lesson (active learning, grouping,
recording, collaborating)
Use multiple media/strategies for communication (explicit instruction, role play, performance,
discussions, charts, questions, SMART board, white board, collaboration)
Develop questions to check for understanding (What questions will you use to check for
understanding? Ex. What did you learn about.., Who can tell me ….?)
Optimize individual choice and autonomy (What choices do students have in the lesson related to
how they respond, materials they use, how they collaborate?)
Vary demand and resources to optimize challenge (What are you building into the lesson to
challenge student thinking beyond the norm expectations?)
Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation (What about the lesson is motivational?
Ex. Group work, active learning, materials, student choices, relevance)
Optimize relevance, value and authenticity (How will you connect the learning to the real world
outside the classroom? What professions or life experiences need this knowledge?)
Universal Design for Learning Plan
The teacher will confer with students Students will answer questions throughout the
throughout the lesson. lesson to show their knowledge of artifacts and
Teacher will question students fossils.
throughout the lesson to uncover student The students will discuss with their peers why
understanding. they think specific object are artifacts or fossils.
The teacher will analyze students’ The students will create a written record of one
responses to questions. artifact noting specific details of the object.
The teacher will evaluate student work
as they sort artifacts and fossils and
create a written record.
Assessment Criteria
Student assessment should connect back to the learning outcome.
A complete evaluation tool should be included on a separate page.
(Example)
4 – Exceeds the standard
3 – Meets the standard independently
2 – Meets the standard with assistance/accommodations
1 – Does not meet the standard
Student Name Student is able Student is Student is able to use Student is able Anecdotal
to able to archaeological terms to record and Notes
differentiate compare to describe ways of draw an
between a and contrast interpreting artifact using
fossil and an artifacts and archaeological details and
artifact. fossils. evidence (artifacts) archaeological
from societies. terms.
Students’ Prior Knowledge
3.1 Background knowledge of the learners (What knowledge do the students bring into the lesson? How do you know
they have this knowledge?)
This is the first lesson discussing artifacts and archeology.
Students bring the knowledge of “identity” as they have been working on personal identity cubes.
Through art and text, these cubes reflect their personal identity.
The concept of personal identity is used to bridge knowledge about identity of other cultures. Ex.
What is a family tree? If you are a leaf on your family tree, think about how small you are on the
human family tree.
Students have studied their family history and are familiar with timelines, and how they fit into their
family history.
Students write a question they will answer: How do we know about our family history? Students
then orally respond to this question with specific evidence. Ex. Photos, documents, stories,
computers, etc. These responses are recorded on a chart.
2.1 Clarify needed vocabulary and symbols for student success (What prior knowledge do they have about the
vocabulary being taught? Please list key vocabulary terms.)
Vocabulary is displayed on a word wall; words in yellow and definitions in orange. As vocabulary is
introduced in context, it is “matched” by students on the word wall. Ex. History, heirloom,
archeologist, fossil, artifact
Highlight 3-4 norms used that relate to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional skills needed for the intended age in this
learning activity (refer to Yardsticks by Chip Wood or adolescent norm source)
Learns in cooperative groups
Likes to be involved in scientific studies and deductive reasoning.
Can develop hypotheses
Likes work that feels grown up
Use a variety of formal and informal methods of assessment to measure student learning, growth, and
understanding, including documenting measurable assessment criteria.
Activate background knowledge (How will you help students make connections to prior knowledge. Ex.
Questions, discussion, peer to peer collaboration, student work)
Uses instructional planning, materials, and student engagement approaches that support students of
diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, diverse academic needs, academically advanced students, and
English learners.
Highlight connections from the activator to the body of the lesson and the closure.
Clarify vocabulary and symbols to remove language barriers. (provide specific review of vocabulary
and provide visuals to align)
Vary the methods for response and navigation through the lesson (active learning, grouping, recording,
collaborating)
Use multiple media/strategies for communication (explicit instruction, role play, performance,
discussions, charts, questions, SMART board, white board, collaboration)
Develop questions to check for understanding (What questions will you use to check for understanding?
Ex. What did you learn about.., Who can tell me ….? Explain why you thought that?)
Optimize individual choice and autonomy (What choices do students have in the lesson related to how
they respond, materials they use, how they collaborate?)
Vary demand and resources to optimize challenge (What are you building into the lesson to challenge
student thinking beyond the norm expectations?)
Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation (What about the lesson is motivational? Ex.
Group work, active learning, materials, student choices, relevance)
Optimize relevance, value and authenticity (How will you connect the learning to the real world outside
the classroom? What professions or life experiences need this knowledge?)