Lesson Plans

Lesson 1 – Kickoff Meeting

I had mentioned “hearing loss,” and that caused some confussion, esp. with a student who wore hearing aids, and so … it’s obvious to be more intentional about how I incorporate elements of this nature so as to only be intending specific meanings in regards to different abilities – for the purposes of specifically avoiding any unintended connotations.

In lesson design, there was reason to think being more clear and concise about expectations and on the written element of the task is beneficial. Adding a summation before sending students to task, with clearly repeated instructions feels necessary.

Adding an element of an “exit ticket,” so they have something to hand in, encourages them to get on tasks, making best use of their class time. And encouraging students to put their name on their work feels apparently very necessary.

NOTE  upon delivernig the lesson to a second class, the exit ticket made a world of different. As well, organizing a “smooth transition” to the next class is a time-consuming and important element of lesson design, too.

Clear expectations, clear consequences and positive rapports feel essential.

Lesson 2 – Task Analysis

Reinforcing the concept of Mind-mapping or using the worksheet as a rough draft feels like it could be put to better use. Transposing and translating data from the real world and into a textual design worked well from the “tower-building” exercise.

Focus on questions like: How could…, What if…, and What about… is responding to inquiries. Thinking questions are better than “Stop thinking” questions, re: Thinking Classroom text.

I offered some examples of “wild cards” and alternative rules, re: softball, soccer, ways to decide a winner. Being prepared with more examples in the lesson feels important for clarity.

I added a few notes on how to write the steps with the task analysis qualities to reinforce that a style is being assessed.

Minds on re: feedback; buitl a tall tower and take feedback. Discuss constructive phrases like “how about,” “What if” and “Have you tried,” in support of modelling feedback strategies that are constructive.

Lesson 3 – Audience Analysis

I pre-emptively adjusted the lessons to move to a far more relatable subject for the user guide, for fear that it would be too complicated; simplicity in developing new skills feels essential, and complexity can be added later to test the mastery of skills; but this isn’t the time or place.

Group work went ok. There wasa  lot of writing, and I considered assigning groups to complete only one of the three types and comparing their work in the consolidation. These adaptations were developed on the fly, as the task-focus and time-management elements dictated things move quickly.

In this way; desinging a stronger “consolidation” element and adjusting the directions at the hop would have made this a stronger lesson plan. To whit:

Each writes it one way, shares with the group, takes feedback frmo group and labels the features and qualities for writing to a specific audience.

Handig it in with their names on it drove them to make progress more effectively (I regretably only had one of the classes hand them in, and demonstrably, the one who hands work in, gets more work done!)

Lesson 4 – Phys.Ed / Literacy

Students were initially disappointed that the choice of games we used in the field weren’t as exciting as they hoped but: they listened to the rules and saw that it sounded like fun (the provoking competitiors into disqualification was silly, exuberant and welcomed as  a challenge). The games that were selected were based on theri appropriateness for including an entire classroom (30 participants) at a time.

Some of the rules were unclear or incomplete and so some revisions and adaptation was required to progress. Some students were “caught” by the rule changes, but the “lesson,” in listening and adapting was noly better-understood by their disqualification. This activity was a success.

Lesson 5 – More Than Just Rules

The map I used in the minds-on was a flop, it didn’t reveal the hidden treasure very well. The lesson on grammar was well-received. They followed along fairly well. Not everyone was engaged but it’s their loss. The opportunity to provide feedback on their exit tickets, helping with grammar, punctuation and spelling as a group did yield engaging results, though. Many felt the little lessons, tips and instructions beyond the lesson were helpful or reaffirming.

Lesson 6 – Writing and Revising

I designed an age-appropriate worksheet based on the Minions films, and most students were somewhat familiar with the franchise, and engaged with the worksheet’s content, which was great. I was concerned it might be too … childish, but they were engaged, which was personally rewarding.

The lesson on typos, grammar, spelling and capitalization went well. It offered more than what they required to be operating at grade level, and some real-world skills; but imparted as well, what to be looking for when performing peer edits. It segued from the activity sheet directly into using these skills on rough drafts for their peers.

Lesson 7 – Indigenous Authors

I was eager to make use of Lumio and to incorporate a lesson with a focus on Indigenous authors and the Dreaming in Indian text we use at Trent; and this was a good opportunity. There were some hiccups in the overall class division for teams and I found that the students at the rear of the classroom weren’t nearly as engaged as those at the front – but the multiple choice questions had the room engaging and conversing about the content of the poem, which was by design; and it came to fruition. I was happy with that.

Because there was an assignment due at the end of the day, the lesson felt a little rushed, which was a little unfortunate. I might have omitted one or two of the multiple chioce questions, to spend more time on the consolidation element – where a discussion on the more important learning objectives lay in the lesson, if I were to do it again.

Unit Plan

Grading Rubric

I went through a couple drafts of what the final assessment would include. I wanted to apply as many learning objectives from the curriculum as was appropriate – and I think we settled on seven good ones. It’s required that the rough copies be submitted so that A) their work on applying revisions could be assessed, but also B) it may reveal if someone is using AI or plaigiarism in their good drafts – because their good copies vary so greatly from their roughs (though I’m not sure that’s going to be a great concern).

I’ve been cautioned that adding too much content into the assessment criteria may be overhwelming. My T.A. is almost certainly correct, but this is my one chance to get in there and work on assessments; and after spending three weeks on a unit, it feels like it should yield many viable results – so seven learning objectives feels fair.

Navigation / Table of Contents

Focus areas:

• Teacher Plan Book homepage (link)
• lesson planning (link)
• student observations (link)
• classroom and school context summaries (link)
• reflections for each lesson (link)
• weekly and overall reflections (link)
• reflections on the associate teacher’s classroom management, lesson implementation and assessment & evaluation (link)