Standards: 3, 7, and 10

Abilities: Coordination and Integrative Interaction

Problem and Service Learning Unit Plan

In ED 471, I created a problem/service-based learning unit. The focus of this unit plan
was for students to utilize ELA knowledge they gained in the classroom and to apply that
knowledge by identifying a problem in the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, which
paralleled an issue in the community. Next, students were asked to create and implement
a project to help solve the problem. To do this, I planned to first work as a class to
identify societal issues in the novel and in the local community. Next, the students would
be expected to volunteer with a local organization to help and learn more about the
problem they chose to explore. The last step in the unit plan would be a celebration where
students would share their learning experiences with the volunteer coordinators, staff and
faculty from the school, and any other guests they chose to invite. I also looked for crosscurricular opportunities throughout the unit by researching standards in other subject
areas and linking them to the project.

Standard 3: Students perceive information in different ways. The UDL principle of

engagement asks the teacher to provide students with options in their education. For this
project I tried to cater to the individual learning needs of each student by providing them
with choice whenever possible. After reading the novel and participating in a service
project of their choice, students were expected to share their experiences with parents,

staff, and other members of the community at a celebration hosted at the school. Students
could give a speech, present a blog, create a pamphlet, or choose any other medium to
share their experiences at the event. While students were given choice as to how they
chose to present the information, everyone was given the same guidelines regarding what
needed to be included.

Standard 7: Teachers should provide a variety of different learning experiences for their
students. To begin this unit, students will have read the novel, A Thousand Splendid
Suns, with focus on problems within the culture that existed in the book as well as the
local community. Next, students would participate in a discussion, the goal being to
choose a problem scenario and a plan to help. After the discussion (guiding questions
within the plan), students were given a list of places to volunteer throughout the
community. Students would then volunteer at their chosen destination. These
collaborative learning experiences would be paired with individual formative assessments
and one summative assessment at the end of the unit; providing students with a vast range
of learning experiences and environments. I also researched cross-curricular learning
opportunities (Part D) that could be incorporated into the unit by other teachers to provide
students with additional learning opportunities relating to the topic of the unit.

Standard 10 and Coordination: It is important for teachers to link with one another as
well as other individuals to best serve the needs of their students. This plan is centered on
collaboration between students and leaders at each volunteer site. As the teacher of this
unit it would be my responsibility to form connections with the volunteer coordinators to

inform them of the project and their role. In the cross-curricular section of my plan, I
would have to connect with other teachers within the school to lesson plan. The event at
the end of the unit (worksheet 5) also requires the teacher to reach out to members of the
community, families, and faculty members.

Integrative Interaction: Understanding the needs of each student and adapting to best fit
those needs is a vital role for teachers. In the beginning of this unit plan, the class would
be asked to discuss societal problems they read about in the book and to make
connections to similar issues in their own community. This demonstrated my ability to
make real-world connections to the classroom content. Next, students were able to chose
where and how they'd like to volunteer and learn about the problem they chose. This
encouraged individual student achievement by providing choice, while also supporting
the group as a whole by having group discussions about problems they'd like to fix within
their own neighborhoods. This unit plan would also require the teacher to code switch
and play the role needed at different points throughout the plan. For example, at the end
of unit celebration the teacher would have to be the coordinator. During the volunteer
portion of the project, the teacher would be expected to interact on a more personal level
to form connections with the students and their interests. Each role is equally as
important to best support the whole student, not just their academic achievement.