Learning Plans

Lesson Plan One - Study Cards

Lesson Plan Two - Cloze

Lesson Plan Three - Review Game

Lesson Plan Four - Mnemonic Strategy

Thematic Unit

 

 

 

Lesson Plan One - Study Cards

     I chose this lesson because I had printed out reference cards last semester for one of my classes.  When I first worked on this, my two teenage sons were amazed that the computer and printer could print cards and envelopes.  Although both boys had taken computer classes at school and had printed with graphics, they never had the opportunity to use anything but copy paper for word processing activities.  With three new printers and ten lap top computers available in my mentor’s room, I thought this would be a good class activity for making study cards.  Also, I observed that the students choose computer activities often during free time.

CEC Common Core Competencies: Common Core 4. Instructional Content and Practice. Skill 4. Choose and use appropriate technologies to accomplish instructional objectives and to integrate them appropriately into the instructional process. (CEC, What Every Special Educator Must Know  p.112-113).

     I have shown the above competency through my lesson by requiring that the students use computers and printers to enhance their knowledge of technology and workplace skills.  

Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Teacher Certification Competencies: D. Standard 3: The teacher implements and manages instruction that develops students’ abilities to meet Arizona’s academic standards. The performance assessment shall measure the extent to which the teacher: 11. uses technology and a variety of instructional resources appropriately (Professional Teaching Standards).

     My lesson plan reflects the above competency because it incorporates a technological resource with literacy, moving the students toward  long-term workplace goals.    

 

A Failsafe Lesson Plan (Clark)

Topic: Workplace Skills

Arizona Academic Standard: Workplace Skills; 7WP-P1 Select and use appropriate technology to organize, send and receive information.  PO 2. – Employ appropriate tools to organize, send, and receive information (Arizona Academic Standards & Accountability).

Grade Level/ Age: 9-12th Grade/ 13-22 years old.

Disability Category: I have adapted this lesson for students with learning disabilities.

Rationale:  Some characteristics of students with learning disabilities are difficulties in reading or language skills.  The accommodations I included for cross-categorical teaching are:  provide examples, check for comprehension, provide highlighted manual, guided practice, and provide multisensory learning experiences.  

Self-determination: experience outcomes and learn, compare outcome to expected outcome (Model for Self-Determination, Field and Hoffman).

Objective: After reading Chapter 2 of the food handler’s manual, and exploring spell-check and grammar check, page set up and printing, students will word process and print three questions and answers from the chapter on index cards for class review.  At least one card with a question and answer will reflect content of text, proper grammar, spelling and punctuation, as measured by the intern at the end of the day.

Materials: food worker’s manual, enough index cards for each student, computers, and printers.

SDAIE: B-8: Negotiation of Meaning. Provides opportunities for students to use English with varied audiences and for a variety of purposes (Luporine-Hakmi and Molina).

 

Procedures:

Minutes

10        Focus question: If we were to make flash cards to study chapter 2, how would we go about it?  

Explanation: Teacher reviews purpose for learning the manual and reviews briefly what students have learned in the last chapter.  Teacher explains what chapter of the manual students will be working on during the class.  Teacher directs students to get manuals out and turn to page 11.  Students get manuals out and turn to correct page.  Teacher explains that teacher or students will be reading the chapter out loud.  Who ever wants to read, may take a turn.  Teacher explains that as students go through the chapter, they can underline/highlight anything that they feel is important for the review card questions that they will be constructing later and that there will be additional time between paragraphs to do the underlining.  Teacher checks for understanding.

20        Demonstration: Teacher reads first paragraph to class, pauses and models thinking-out-loud for students to underline/highlight text.  Check for understanding.

30        Application: Class continues reading, pausing, and highlighting.  Check to see if students are finished before going on.

30        Using computers, students key their questions and answers, and edit. Direct students to help each other, if necessary.  As students complete questions, they will hook their computer up to printer, configure page setup and printing, and print cards.  If editing is necessary, have them return to table to complete and reprint.  As time permits, students will “test” each other on their understanding of the questions and answers.

5          Evaluation: Ask students what they learned from the activity.  Explain that the review cards will be used in a game for next class session and that homefun would be to review their chapter.        

 

DBI Monitoring:  The teacher uses Thomas Lovitt’s Monitor 13 construct approach for evaluation.  A check list of the card’s text content, spelling, grammar and punctuation will be followed for each student (Monitor Approaches).  

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Lesson Plan Two – Cloze

             I chose this lesson plan because I implemented it for one of the career development classes during my internship.  Initially, I thought a “fill in the blank” activity was not challenging enough for older students.  After completing one as a study guide for a portion of the text in Dr. Renne’s class, I found that it could be adapted to any grade level and so, I decided to practice the activity with the seniors.  

CEC Common Core Competencies: Common Core 4. Instructional Content and Practice. Skill 5. Prepare appropriate lesson plans (CEC, What Every Special Educator Must Know  p.112-113).

            My lesson plan shows the above competency because the students are studying to take the test for their food handler’s card. This lesson is appropriate for helping in their preparation.

Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Teacher Certification Competencies:  B. Standard 1:  The teacher designs and plans instruction that develops students’ abilities to meet Arizona’s academic standards and the district’s assessment plan.  The performance assessment shall measure the extent to which the teacher’s planning:  7. Includes appropriate use of a variety of methods, materials, and resources (Professional Teaching Standards).

            My lesson plan follows the Arizona Academic Standards.  I feel this plan shows appropriate use of a variety of methods, materials, and resources because I was willing to try a method that was new to me and adapt it for my class.

 

A Failsafe Lesson Plan (Clark)

Topic: Workplace Skills

Arizona Academic Standard: Workplace Skills; 4WP-Students work individually and collaboratively within team settings to accomplish objectives; P2-Understand group dynamics; PO2, 3, 4 (Arizona Academic Standards & Accountability).

Grade Level/ Age: 9-12th Grade/ 13-22 years old.

Disability Category: I have adapted this lesson for students with learning disabilities.

Rationale:  Some characteristics of students with learning disabilities are difficulties in reading or language skills and difficulty with social perceptions.  The adaptations I have included for cross-categorical teaching are: provide study guides, provide examples, check for comprehension, provide highlighted manual, and give opportunities for social interaction.

Self-determination: Act: take risks and communicate (Model for Self-Determination, Field and Hoffman).

Objective:  Given a study guide for Chapter 5 of the food handler’s manual students will practice working with others (read chapter and verbally discuss questions and answers within small group) to complete the guide with 100% accuracy, as measured my the intern at the end of the day (Sanitation Techniques for the Food Service Worker).

SDAIE: C5-6: Organizes instruction around themes and content appropriate to student’s grade level.  Engages students in active participation activities and responses (Luporine-Hakmi and Molina).

Procedures:

Minutes

10        Focus question:  Teacher asks, “How do we clean and sanitize food contact surfaces, areas, equipment, and utensils?  Why do we clean and sanitize food contact surfaces and areas?”

Explanation: Teacher reviews with the students the purpose for learning the manual.  Teacher reviews with the students briefly previous chapter headings.  Teacher explains what chapter of the manual students will be working during the class.  Teacher asks students to get manuals out and turn to page 23.  Students get out manual and turn to page 23.

            Teacher explains that students will be using a “Cloze” method for reviewing the chapter.  Teacher or student passes out review sheets.  Teacher explains that students will read through the chapter and fill in the appropriate words to complete the statements.  Teacher asks how many students have done a similar activity before (Bos and Vaughn, p. 93-94).

Teacher tells students that they need to move into groups of two or three, and that they need to work together, coming to agreement on the answers.  Students move into groups.

5          Demonstration: Using guided practiced, the teacher writes on board, goes over, and fills in the first question as a large group so that everyone understands.  Teacher asks for understanding.  Teacher will individually help students who need more direction.

20-30   Application: Students will complete the review in small groups.  Students will locate and share answers with group members.  Each student will write answers on their own guide. Teacher and other adults will assist help as necessary and check for comprehension.

10        Evaluation: Teacher explains that the class will review the questions together.  Each group of students decides who will read and give answers.  Students will share turns.  Students will list the number correct at the top of their paper.

Teacher’s Evaluation of Lesson and Changes:  I taught this plan October 3rd for my students in a career development class.  The objective I set for the students was achieved.  One student used the highlighted manual.  Groups of two students each were observed reading manual and discussing questions and answers.  Teachers helped students throughout the lesson.  The activity took more time than I had planned, so I extended the timeframe.  Students expressed their like/dislike of the activity by a rating included at the end of the study guide.  The ratings showed that the students liked the activity.  I felt the activity was successful.

DBI Monitoring:  The teacher keeps track of oral answers correct during group review for the “Cloze” procedures monitoring.  They can be tallied on the teacher’s copy of the study guide and answers correct can be recorded on the guide.  Later, the individual sheets can be checked for correct completion and number correct can be written in a grade book (Lovitt, Monitor Approaches). 

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Lesson Plan Three – Review Game

            I chose this lesson plan because during first block, I participated in a similar activity for a lesson that my peers developed in Dr. Ragle’s class.  As adults, we had a fun and relaxed time as we reviewed what we had learned.  I felt this would be appropriate to use with the students in the career development class at Westview. 

CEC Common Core Competencies: Common Core 4. Instructional content and Practice. Skill 8. Select, adapt, and use strategies and materials according to the characteristics of the learner (CEC, What Every Special Educator Must Know p.112-113). 

            My lesson plan shows the above competency because it requires the students to practice social skills reflected in the following individual objective and rationale.

Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Teacher Certification Competencies: B. Standard 1:  The teacher designs and plans instruction that develops students’ abilities to meet Arizona’s academic standards and the district’s assessment plan.  The performance assessment shall measure the extent to which the teacher’s planning: 5. Includes learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate for learners (Professional Teaching Standards).  

            My lesson plan reflects the Arizona Academic Standards because it addresses a variety of skill levels and responses from the students, for example, individual and group answers, challenging and easy questions.

 

 

 

A Failsafe Lesson Plan (Clark)

Topic: Workplace Skills

Arizona Academic Standard: Workplace Skills; 5WP-Students will demonstrate a set of marketable skills which enhance career options; P3 Exhibit work ethics and behaviors essential for success in all areas of life; PO 2 use appropriate behaviors (time management, communications, interpersonal skills, life balance) that display success in life (Arizona Academic Standards & Accountability).

Grade Level/ Age: 9-12th Grade/ 13-22 years old. 

Disability Category: I have adapted this lesson for students with learning disabilities. 

Rationale: Some characteristics of students with learning disabilities are difficulties in reading or language skills and difficulty with social perceptions.  The adaptations I have included for cross-categorical teaching are: check for comprehension, guided practice, questioning with varying difficulty levels.

Self-determination: Act: Access resources and support, Negotiate (Model for Self-Determination, Field and Hoffman).

Objective: Given the opportunity, two out of three rounds, students will participate verbally in a group game.  Participation will be giving individual answers, offering verbal help to others, or asking verbally for help from others, as measured by teacher observations.  

Materials: Cards with food handler’s review questions, “small candy prizes,” with prior approval.

SDAIE: C. “Sheltered” Content Instruction. 2. Reviews main topic and key vocabulary and ideas. 3. Checks frequently for understanding (Luporine-Hakmi and Molina).  

Procedures:

Minutes:

5          Focus Question:  How can we review and be prepared for the actual food handler’s test?  How can we choose teams to for our review game?”

Explanation: Teacher states that the students will participate in a review game and gives a verbal reminder of why we are working on learning the information in the food handler’s manual. There will be two teams.  Teacher asks focus question.  Teacher explains how game is played:  Team members take alternating   turns answering questions from review cards. The teacher asks questions.  If a member cannot answer the question, the member goes back to team and asks for counsel (huddle).  Student returns to answer, if correct, team scores one point that is written on the board.  Team with most points chooses a candy.  Other team returns to desks to write one thing that they learned from game.  When finished, other team chooses candy.     

5          Demonstration:  Teams will participate in a guided practice role-play of game until everyone understands. 

30            Application: Students will participate in game. 

5          Evaluation: Students will share verbally if they feel ready to take the food handler’s test.

Classroom Management:  See Appendix A.

 

Monitoring: The monitoring procedure that I chose is monitor 1, frequency count from Lovitt’s Monitor Approaches.  I will have a list of student’s initials and mark when the student participates verbally in the game: answers (correctly or incorrectly), asks for group help, or gives help to another team member.         

Teacher’s Evaluation of Lesson and Changes:

After reading Structuring Competitive Learning1, by Johnson and Johnson, I saw how careful educators need to be about using competition in the classroom.  The outcome perpetuated by school competition is often in the form of negative social messages and negative effect on student’s self-concept.  I was also impressed at the “American view” of competition versus other countries.  I feel this needs to be considered working with a diverse group of students.

            I was unaware of the research about competition prior to my lesson.  If I had read the article first, I would not have use the approach.  Although, my mentor teacher had suggested it for a previous day and the students seemed to enjoy the game.

            From the article I found that I incorporated many of the suggestions given for competitive activities.  I did not place a great importance on the goal.  The focus was on having fun and it was a nice change of pace.  I feel a random choice of choosing sides was accepted by the students as giving them a fair chance at winning.  I adapted the game for students who needed the visual print to help them understand the question.  I also let the students know that I would referee disputes.  The review was about previously learned information.  The students had even written the questions themselves.  The scores of both teams were clearly displayed.  Also, the “final” point was not in my plans and it made the final scores totally irrelevant.  The game was not graded.  I let the students know it was just for fun, to help them learn, and not graded up front.  We also evaluated


the game afterward for closure.  Another important aspect was that the class had built good cooperation skills, necessary when using competition.  

            A suggestion that was not covered was having triads.  We had two large groups.  Another suggestion listed that I did use was to have the students interact only about their progress, not about their ideas and solutions.  I let the students help each other in a consultation huddle, if necessary.

            At the end of the game, the team with the most points chose a candy first.  In the previous game, the team with the least points wrote a sentence about what they learned to receive a candy.  I changed this for the second game to:  locating an answer that came up as a dispute.

            Although I feel my lesson was fun and low-keyed.  I think I will avoid using competition in the future and focus more on social and collaborative skills, because I can see how a competition could have a negative impact on my student’s self concept.   

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Lesson Plan Four – Mnemonic Strategy

     I chose this lesson because I feel many students need to learn effective study strategies and that mnemonics have been a successful strategy that I rely on often when studying.   

CEC Common Core Competencies:  Common Core 4: Instructional Content and Practice.  Skill 13: Teach individuals with exceptional learning needs to use thinking, problem solving, and other cognitive strategies to meet their individual needs.  (CEC, What Every Special Educator Must Know  p.112-114).

     I have shown the above competency through my lesson by a successful mock performance of teaching this strategy to my peers in Dr. Nevin’s SPE 323/ Methods in Cross Categorical Special Education on October 30, 2000 at ASU West. 

Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Teacher Certification Competencies: B. Standard 1: The teacher designs and plans instruction that develops students’ abilities to meet Arizona’s academic standards and the district’s assessment plan.  The performance assessment shall measure the extent to which the teacher’s planning: 11. Includes learning experiences that are based upon principles of effective instruction.  (Professional Teaching Standards).

     My lesson plan reflects the above competency because instruction should teach not only content information but also teach learning and studying strategies.  Students with disabilities, especially, will benefit from learning how to learn.  Teaching learning strategies that can be generalized across all content areas will help students throughout their academic career.  

A Failsafe Lesson Plan (Clark)

Topic: Using A Mnemonic Strategy For Solving Word Problems in mathematics  (Lovitt, 1995 p.268). 

Arizona Academic Standard: Mathematics; Standard 6: Mathematical Structure/Logic

Students use both inductive and deductive reasoning as they make conjectures and test the validity of arguments.

 Students know and are able to do the following: Essentials (Grades 4-8)

PO 1. Design a method with a series of defined steps for solving a problem; justify the method

    1. fractions, decimals and integers (Grades 6-8) (Arizona Academic Standards & Accountability).

Grade Level/ Age: 4th-6th Grade/9-12 years

Disability Category: I have adapted this lesson for students with mental retardation.

Rationale: Some characteristics of students with mental retardation are that they follow the same cognitive developmental pattern as the general population and so this strategy would be appropriate.  They also are motivated when they see the value in learning strategies that help them learn. 

The adaptations that I have included for students with cross-categorical disabilities are using manipulatives and repetition.     

Self-determination: Problem solving skills, self-reinforcement skills and self-instruction skills, self-awareness, self-knowledge (Wehmeyer and others, 1997 p.305-328).

Objective:

SDAIE: C. “Sheltered” Content Instruction 2. Reviews main topic and key vocabulary and ideas (Luporine-Hakmi and Molina).

Procedures:…    (Teacher actions and student actions)

Minutes

10        Explanation:

20        Demonstration:           

Application:

5          Evaluation:

  DBI Monitoring: Pre-test, Post-test (Lovitt, 1991). 

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Thematic Unit

Age: 10 years.  Grade: Fourth

 

Strengths and Needs:

Fred has strengths in oral language and physical skills.

Fred has learning disabilities in language arts and mathematics.  He is at a 2nd grade level in reading, writing and spelling.  He is working on learning double-digit multiplication.  He also needs help in social skills.  He has been referred for possible ADHD. 

Reinforcers: computer activities and outdoor activities.

 

   Placement particulars:

The school is in a small, low socioeconomic status district.  The classroom has 30 students.  The makeup is heterogeneous with students from a variety of cultures and 8 with varying disabilities.  The teacher is a veteran of 25 years.  There is no paraprofessional assignment. 

In the general education classroom “Fred” receives:

 Content instruction in mathematics, spelling, journal writing and handwriting, reading, science and social studies.

He goes to lunch and recess with his general education class and participates in school wide activities.

He also participates in library once a week, and physical education three times a week with the general education class.

He does not participate in silent reading, writer’s workshops, or read-alouds performed by the teacher, in the general education classroom.

After lunch, he goes to the resource room and receives instruction in language arts and mathematics from the special educator.

 

Mathematics:  Navajo Rugs: Read story, design a rug on graph paper, estimate number of squares used for each color and explain process, graph amounts for comparisons, design multiplication problems related to graph. 

STANDARD 2: DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY  2M-E1. Construct, read, analyze and interpret tables, charts, and graphs. PO 1. Construct: A. bar graphs. PO 2. Interpret and analyze data from graphical representations and draw simple conclusions using: A. bar graphs.

Accommodations: place student near role model, use group work, and use models. These accommodations will help the student with ADHD and learning disabilities because group work encourages interaction with peers to help develop concepts and social skills. Using a model is hands-on and reinforces math concepts. 

Co-teaching Structure:  Team-teach:  Each teacher is responsible for and presents some of the content.  This structure accommodates the target student because both can circulate the room frequently and use eye contact often while ignoring minor distractions, give frequent prompts, and check for understanding. Teacher behaviors will encourage student participation by close proximity. 

Reading/Language Arts:  Creative Writing  “Hohokam Boy:” Read first part of story, small groups brainstorm descriptive words for characteristics, thoughts and emotions of main character.  Collectively, students write ending for story. 

Standards:  R-F8.Recognize the historical and cultural perspectives of literary selections.  PO 2. Compare real-life experiences to events and characters W-F3. Write a personal experience narrative or a creative story that has a beginning, middle, and end and uses descriptive words or phrases to develop ideas and advance the characters, plot and setting.  PO 1 use sensory details to describe.

Accommodations: student sits near role model, use group work.  Teacher   assists student to develop story by beginning with a partial story and providing questions that help character development.  These accommodations will benefit the student because understanding main characters will help the student to expand on the character development.  Writing with peers will meet his needs for writing skills. 

Co-teaching Structure:  Alternative Teaching: teacher uses eye contact, ignores minor distractions, gives frequent prompts, and checks for understanding.  These accommodations will help the student with ADHD and learning disabilities in writing creatively because it helps the students to understand the importance of characters in a story and their viewpoints.  Through alternative teaching the special educator can address specific needs of the student, such as spelling strategies. 

Social Studies: Arizona Prehistoric Timeline:  Students discuss timelines, place selected vignettes in proper order on timeline, and make a personal timeline with future predictions. 

STANDARD 1: HISTORY.  FOCUS: Arizona.  1SS-E2. Describe the legacy and cultures of prehistoric American Indians in Arizona: Students analyze the human experience through time, recognize the relationships of events and people, and interpret significant patterns, themes, ideas, beliefs, and turning points in Arizona, American, and world history.  PO 4. the distinctive cultures of the Anasazi, Hohokam, and Mogollon, including where they lived, their agriculture, housing, decorative arts, and trade networks. 

Accommodations: Student sits near role model and use group work. These accommodations will help the student with ADHD and learning disabilities because group work makes the assignment more interesting, and using active responses will help maintain attention. 

Co-teaching Structure: Supportive Learning Activities:  Each teacher is involved actively throughout the lesson.  However, the general educator presents the initial timeline lesson and Arizona timeline.  The special educator presents the supplementary activity of the personal timeline.  Each teacher circulates frequently and uses eye contact, ignores minor distractions, give frequent prompts, and check for understanding.  This structure benefits the student because the different teaching styles and activities with a variety of presentation modes reinforce the concept. 

Science: Etching With Acid: Using a clam shell and nail polish students paint a design on shell and then predict which of three solutions will “etch” shell.  Inquiries, research, and discussions about acidic and alkaline solutions follow.

Standard 1: Science As Inquiry. Students understand and use the processes of scientific investigation and scientific ways of knowing. They are able to design, conduct, describe and evaluate these investigations. They are able to understand and apply concepts that unify scientific disciplines. 1SC-E1. PO 3. Predict an outcome based on experimental data.

Accommodations: student sits near role model, use group work.  Use advance organizers, KWL or semantic maps.  Offer a range of reading materials from different levels about the topic and related topics.  Pre-teaching activities benefit student because it accesses prior knowledge, motivates by personal experience, and provides a framework for the lesson. 

Co-teaching Structure: Supportive Learning Activities:  Each teacher is involved actively throughout the lesson.  However, special educator presents the supplementary activity of the advance organizer.  Then, the general educator presents the experiment and content.  Each teacher circulates frequently and uses eye contact, ignores minor distractions, give frequent prompts, and check for understanding.  This structure benefits the student because the different teaching styles and activities with a variety of presentation modes reinforce the concept.  

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