Instructional Design Resource Guide

For

TAP (Teachers As Practitioners) Project

 
   
 
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Salem College CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The philosophy of our Teacher Education program is grounded in the constructivist

paradigm. We believe that all learners construct their understanding of the world as
they look for meaning and order in their environments. Knowledge is developed
through the interactions of internal, or cognitive, and external, or social, factors.
Experiences, prior knowledge, cultural tools, interactions with others, and the learner’s
purpose shape learning. Learning occurs at different rates and in response to differing
stimuli according to a learner’s individual needs, interests, experiences, and motivation.
The teacher’s role is to facilitate learning among all her/his students by creating the
appropriate conditions in which learning is most likely to occur, by setting realistically
high expectations for all students, by understanding that errors are a legitimate part of
the learning process, by celebrating approximations, by matching instruction to learners,
by managing the classroom effectively, and by using assessment to inform practice.
Professional educators value diversity among their students and colleagues, continue
their professional growth and development, and reflect upon their work as they seek to
improve their practice. Professionals seeking advanced licensure use, design, and
conduct research within their classrooms and assume leadership roles in their schools.

All students are learners.

Teachers are responsible
for creating the conditions
of learning for all
students.

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Table of Contents

PART 1 ⎯ UNIT PLANS

introduction to unit plans……………………………………………………………… 3
standards-based unit design…………………………………………………………. 4
topical or thematic units………………………………………………………………. 4
characteristics of exemplary units…………………………………………………… 6
the Salem College Unit Plan…………………………………………………………. 6
logistics………………………………………………………………………….. 7
statement of purpose and rationale………………………………………….. 7
unit overview……………………………………………………………………. 7
considerations about the learners……………………………………………. 8
considerations about the learning environment…………………………….. 9
unit overview and timeline…………………………………………………….. 9
suggested timeline table format……………………………………………….10
lesson plans……………………………………………………………………..11
overall reflection about the unit (evaluation)…………………………………11
unit plan template introduction………......…………………………………………...12
Salem College unit template…………………………………………….……13

PART II ⎯ LESSON PLANS

definition of a lesson plan……………………………………………………………. 17
Why do lesson plans?......................................................................................... 17
lesson plan basics……………………………………………………………………. 18
6 components of a lesson plan……………………………………………………... 18
developing the basic components of a lesson play………………………………. 20
1. learning outcomes and objectives………………………………………... 20
2. background knowledge and experiences………………………………... 23
3. materials and resources…………………………………………………… 26
4. teaching strategies and activities…………………………………………. 27
5. assessment………………………………………………………………..... 30
6. reflection…………………………………………………………………...... 32
Salem College lesson plan format………………………………………………….. 35

PART III ⎯ Teachers As Practitioner (TAP) DESIGN Project

Introduction to TAP DESIGN Project………………………………………………. 36
NC Teaching Standards……………………………………………………………... 36
“Blueprints” for EE3, TAP DESIGN Project………………………………………... 39
PART IV ⎯ Teachers As Practitioner (TAP) IMPACT Project
Introduction to TAP DESIGN Project………………………………………………. 41
“Blueprints” for EE3, TAP DESIGN Project……………………………………….. 42

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PART I ⎯ UNIT PLANS
Teachers As Practitioners (TAP) DESIGN and IMPACT Project

introduction to unit plans

Understanding how to design an instructional unit is a key component to being an
effective classroom teacher. Because the unit plan organizes K-12 standards and
curricula in very practical ways, this organizational structure is absolutely critical to
instructional design, assessment of learning, and classroom management. Think of the
unit plan as the foundation upon which the “house of learning” will be built! In order to
obtain initial licensure in North Carolina, you will need to provide the state with
electronic evidences showcasing your ability to plan, produce, and execute a unit of
instruction, including an assessment plan. At Salem College, the unit is classified as
Electronic Evidence 3 (EE3), TAP DESIGN, and Electronic Evidence 5 (EE5), TAP
IMPACT.

standards-based unit design

Twenty-first century learning is based either on individual state standards (as set forth
by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in the North Carolina Standard
Course of Studies, or NCSCOS) or on broader national standards (enunciated in the
Common Core State Standards). Standards-based unit design considers:
 curricula⎯ courses of studies aligned with a proposed scope and sequence of
standards
 learning standards⎯ explicit statements of what students will know and be able
to do as mandated by the NCSCOS and tested in EOG or EOC assessments
 assessments⎯ the means by which students demonstrate what they know and
are able to do; may be formative or summative
 benchmarks⎯ locally-developed grade-level expectations related to
expectations of progress through and mastery of learning standards

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A unit is developed by the teacher and serves as a long-range plan for delivery of long-
range goals. It contains multiple lessons that are related and that address the same
essential questions and help the students learn the same enduring understandings. A
unit is organized to emphasize a logical sequence of learning activities.
Teaching units adhere to five basic characteristics of standards-based education.
1. The focus is always on student learning.
2. The instructional unit plan explicitly identifies the learning standards and
benchmarks.
3. Assessment results are used to inform the teacher about the effectiveness of the
unit planning and instructional decisions.
4. Effectiveness of instructional practices is measured by student progress towards
meeting the learning standards and benchmarks.
5. Expectations for learning are maintained for all students, but there is a
recognition that different students may learn differently.

topical or thematic units?

The unit is an organization of learning experiences resting upon core content standards
and dealing with student experiences and subject matter. These learning experiences
are presented as problematic topics or thematic integrated studies. A well-designed
unit blends content (traditional subject matter knowledge) and process (activity, method,
or set of operations) to make learning relevant to learners’ experiences and authentic to
real-world expectations.

Some units are based upon a pre-selected theme. Other times, the standards identified
in a pacing guide, by a text, or by the teacher will inform the theme.

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A thematic approach to unit creation is a way of choosing an overarching or unifying

idea that reveals many aspects of related concepts, events, or situations. A theme is
much broader than a topic. Use of themes in unit design allows students to make rich
connections among a variety of disciplines. A topical approach is a way of organizing
information regarding particular subject matter and is narrower in focus.

Regardless, the standards should be examined across content areas. Sometimes the
length of the unit will determine how many standards can be incorporated; other times,
the difficulty or integration of the selected standards will dictate how long the unit takes
to teach. There is no set number of lessons in or time span of a unit. In general, a unit
can be as short as two lessons or as long as six weeks.

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Remember that integrated units (those that blend standards from a variety of subject
areas) tend to be the most authentic. Look closely at the standards seeking
commonalities, shared frames of reference, or thematic overlap. Then classify the
standards you identify into three categories:
 standards essential to know at the end of the unit
 standards important to know at the end of unit
 standards nice to know at the end of the unit

characteristics of exemplary units

While unit plans are not all identical, the major components will remain the same.
Characteristics of an exemplary integrated unit of study for K-12 generally include the
following qualities.
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the Salem College Unit Plan

Faculty of the Department of Teacher Education and Graduate Studies have
collaborated to create the following K-12 unit planning format. This format will serve as
the common template to be used by candidates in both initial and advanced
competency licensure courses at Salem College. All components of the unit plan are
essential. Although they are presented in a linear fashion, the components may be
completed in any order and, in fact, are generally more recursive than sequential.

logistics
This is the introductory portion of the unit plan and answers basic questions.
 Who is designing the instruction and what are your qualifications?
 What is the subject area(s) and grade level(s) for which the unit is designed?
 What is the name/ title of this unit of instruction?
 What is the approximate length of the unit (listed in number of hours, number
of lessons, or number of weeks)?

Generally, the logistics section is at the start of your unit plan in bullet-point or table
format.

statement of purpose and rationale

This section of the unit plan clarifies what students should know and be able to do as a
result of having instruction and learning through the unit’s content and activities and why
it matters. The statement of purpose includes broad goals and standards of the unit
taken from the NCSCOS. It also indicates the essential question(s) at the heart of the
unit. The essential question(s) indicates overarching understanding, stresses higher-
level thinking skills, and drives the learners’ participation in the unit. Consider the key
questions present in the core-content standards that will point learners to the “big ideas”
necessary to creating meaning and constructing understanding.

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The rationale for the unit seeks to attach meaning as to why you are doing this
particular instructional design. It is imperative that you know and can explain why you
have included what you have included in your unit (beyond the fact that it might be the
next topic in the pacing guide or teacher’s manual or that your cooperating teacher told
you to do so). First consider the goals specific to this unit of instruction. How does this
unit fit with year-long instructional goals? How does this unit fit within the school’s or
school district’s educational goals? How is this unit helpful to the authentic experiences
of students? It is important to identify and review this scope and sequence both before
and after you consider the NCSCOS. Next consider the developmental, functional, and
academic reasons for the unit. Because meaningful instruction establishes relevant and
authentic connections for learners, you should also consider real-world connections and
applications of your unit topic. Describe how the unit goals relate to the team/
department curricula, system/ state frameworks, and relevant world applications for
learning.

unit overview
The most important part of the unit overview is the plan for inter-disciplinary subject-
area integration. This is best achieved with a “mind map” or another form of graphic
organizer. The graphic organizer provides a broad plan for embedding higher-order
thinking skills and cross-curricular integration in your instructional plan. There are lots
of great mind-map resources online including Kidspiration, Inspiration, and a new
favorite, Bubbl. Do a good web search to see what is available to you for free or
almost-free. But do not discount a word processing program such as Microsoft Word,
Pages, or OpenOffice. These programs often have flow charts, relationship matrices, or
bubble maps built in that work pretty well. It is also entirely possible to use sticky notes,
index cards, chart paper, or a large white board to create your graphic organizer. As
long as you can take a digital photograph of it to submit electronically, any format is
really workable. Your mind map must indicate subject-area integrations and tie-ins
between content areas (organized around the central theme or topic). So as to reach all
kinds of learners, the graphic organizer should include considerations of fine and
practical arts, music, and kinesthetic movement.

For elementary and special education candidates, integration is not problematic as

teachers for these areas are expected to be academic generalists. But most middle
school and high school candidates will likely struggle with this as these teachers tend to
consider themselves single content-area experts. Yet it is essential that all educators
realize that no subject ever exists in isolation. Even though a content-area specialist
(such as a math or an English teacher) may not actually be able to work collaboratively
with other grade-level team teachers to deliver an actually integrated unit design, s/he
should plan the unit as if s/he could. Thus, the graphic organizer must reflect integrated
content, regardless of the licensure being sought.

This portion of the unit design must also contain a detailed bullet-point list of all pre-
requisite content knowledge required of the teacher in order to effectively present the
unit. This portion has as its impetus the NC Teacher Education Standard, 3b. Teachers
know the content they teach. This standard will be most specifically evidenced in the
TAS (Teachers As Scholars) Project that serves as state-mandated Electronic Evidence
2, but be aware that every unit has core content knowledge that is foundational to it. In
order to be able to display appropriate depth and rigor of content knowledge in the

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subject area, the teacher must possess background knowledge and or conduct
research regarding:
 key vocabulary for the unit
 central ideas and concepts for the unit
 personalities/ dates/ events for the unit
 algorithms/ formulas/ foundational theories for the unit

Finally, list (by subject area) the NCSCOS goals and objectives connected to the unit.

considerations about the learners

By examining learner needs in the cognitive, social, cultural, emotional, and physical
areas, this section of the unit plan seeks to determine the characteristics of the students
for whom the unit is intended. There are two sub-sections.
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
 Is formal pre-assessment necessary or appropriate?
 What background knowledge, prior experiences, readiness, or pre-
requisite skills must students possess to be able to make meaning
from the new concepts of this unit?
 Are there any introductory or connecting experiences necessary
prior to introducing the unit?
 What clarifications of previous concepts may be necessary so as to
avoid confusions?
 What cultural expectations are foundational to an understanding of
the new concepts in this unit?

UNIQUE LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS

 Special needs of particular learners as identified by an IEP or other
stated accommodations?
 Diversity issues addressed by specific need for differentiation?
 Significant learning style preferences

considerations about the learning environment

This section of the unit plan considers the resources available to teach the unit⎯
 the physical space (room size, room layout, accessibility, etc.)
 temporal resources (duration of the unit as well as days/week, minutes/day)
 learning materials (books and supplemental materials and media)
 personnel (resource persons)
 technological (computer, software, web access, adaptative technology, etc.)
Identify the resource, its availability, how/when the resource is to be used, and the
rationale for including it.

unit overview and timeline

Before writing individual lesson plans, it is always wise to lay out a “big picture” of the
plan for how the unit will flow. This requires decisions about how you will organize
materials and resources, how you will sequence learning, how you will share
information with the students (Lecture or fact giving? Inquiry-based? Small or large-
group presentation? Discussion or written?), how you will supervise learning activities
(remember that⎯ as a constructivist teacher-⎯you are to be the “guide on the side not

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the sage on the stage”), and how you will assess student progress (individual or group
tasks? Performance or traditional assessment?) throughout the unit.
Instructional planning is based on the LEARNING CYCLE.

When completing this section of the unit, it is essential to distinguish between

assessment and evaluation. Assessment is included in the unit plan; evaluation is not.
Assessment is a process for obtaining information that is used to make decisions about
students, curricula and programs, and educational policy. There are two types of
assessment, formative and summative. Formative assessment is ongoing and
involves teacher observations and periodic checks for student understanding.
Formative assessment informs subsequent instruction; it does not impose judgments
about students’ progress (or lack thereof). Summative assessment is more of a
snapshot and showcases students’ abilities to convey their knowledge of content and
understanding of processes. Conversely, evaluation is a process of making a value
judgment about the worth of a student’s product, progress, or performance. It involves
a backwards look at individual students rather than a forward look at upcoming
instructional strategies. Traditional pass/ fail, percentages, class rankings, or grades are
evaluation-based. For state evidence purposes, you are required to submit a separate
assessment plan (Electronic Evidence 5, TAP Impact), so you will pull the assessment
piece out of the unit plan at the end of the project. But good assessment is planned
before the instruction takes place, so you need to consider assessment here first.

Remember that you will need to collect evidence of students’ progress, including
examples of activities, assignments, and assessment. This documentation does not
always have to be formal tests (in fact, in many cases it should not be). Consider
anectodal notes, digital photos or sound files, logs or journals, interviews, projects,
videos, student self-evaluations, rubrics, etc.).

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Although your time line can take any format, it is often easiest to use a basic table as a
planning tool. Be mindful of the fact that the unit timeline is NOT a collection of lesson
plans; rather, it is the brainstorming behind the creation and compilation of lesson plans
in the next stage of unit development.
suggested timeline table format:
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5
specific expectations
(goals/objectives)
teaching and learning
strategies (in brief)
formative or
summative
assessment
type-strategy-tool
learner considerations

environmental
considerations

material resources

other resources

OR
(goals/objective

other resources
considerations

considerations
environmental
type-strategy-
teaching and

strategies (in
expectations

assessment
formative or
summative

resources
learning

material
specific

learner
brief)

tool
s)
DAY
1
DAY
2
DAY
3
DAY
4

lesson plans

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The unit as a whole contains many topics that are united by a common thread and are
designed to involve instruction for days or weeks. Lesson plans subdivide the unit into
smaller more detailed chunks. Lesson plans are written by teachers for themselves so
as to structure the learning for themselves and for the students. Lesson plans are NOT
the same thing as “scripted curricula.” They are not meant to be an absolute guideline
for what to say or what to do. For specific guidelines regarding lesson plans and the
Salem College lesson plan template, see part II of the Instructional Design Resource
Guide.

overall reflection about the unit (evaluation)

Effective teachers are reflective practitioners. This means that we participate in the
creation, the delivery, and the critique of the teaching and learning with which we are
involved. This part of unit design is the easiest part to overlook…but perversely the
most essential.

Unit evaluation involves intentional consideration of and deep thinking about the
instruction you planned, the way in which it was delivered, the students’ engagement
with learning activities, and the learning outcomes the students attained. It is a
celebration of the successes and a plan for intervention for areas of challenge. It
involves re-thinking, re-visioning, re-tooling, and re-visiting. Ideally, the overall reflection
is composed at the conclusion of the unit, but reflective practitioners also keep
anecdotal notes and other ongoing records as the unit progresses. You will compose
daily reflections connected to each lesson, so this final piece is designed to synthesize
your ideas and experiences across the unit as a whole. For this reason, this portion of
the unit design is added after the unit has been created and taught.

In composing your final unit reflection, consider:

 a broad perceptual overview
 effective selection of standards and objectives
 effective integration strategies and areas for improvement
 timing of the unit
 materials needed or to be deleted
 effectiveness of people, places, and resources used
 activities to be modified or deleted
 differentiation challenges and successes
 accommodations/ special needs that worked (or didn’t)
 teaching/ learning strategy changes
 correlation of assessment to learning goals
 types of assessment used/ to be modified
 student learning outcomes

unit plan template

As long as it has all the required components, your unit plan may be structured in many
ways. However it must be remembered that all draft versions as well as the final
product will be delivered digitally. Use good file management, back-up your files
consistently and repeatedly, and remember that a good unit plan is recursive in design.
That means you will need to move back and forth between various sections as you edit,
refine, deliver, and reflect about your instruction.

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After you have completed your TAP Design (including the unit plan, individual lesson
plans/ daily reflections, and the final reflection) as well as the TAP IMPACT (the plan for
and examples of daily formative assessments and a final summative assessment),
presented it to the students in your classroom, gathered evidences and artifacts, had
each component and the final compilation edited and okayed by your Salem Supervisor,
and readied both TAP Projects for final submission, you are likely to have two quite
sizeable files! In order for the state to be able to access the TAP DESIGN Project as
Electronic Evidence 3 and the TAP IMPACT as Electronic Evidence 4, both components
will be submitted to your Salem electronic portfolio on Foliotek. Foliotek accepts many
file formats, but there is a limit to file size and the amount of electronic storage you have
available (unless you want to purchase more space). For this reason, you are likely to
need to compress the file(s). If you are uncertain how to create a “zipped” or
“compressed” file, be sure to do a Google search for directions, seek out a YouTube
how-to video, or use the help feature of MS Word.

The following pages present a general template for instructional design. While you do
not have to use this exact format, it may prove to be helpful for you to do so.

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UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE

LOGISTICS
Teacher
Grade(s) Level(s):
Title of Unit:
Length of Unit :

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND RATIONALE

ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S)

UNIT OVERVIEW
plan for unit integration
(graphic organizer may be attached as separate document or inserted as digital image)

prerequisite teacher content knowledge

(may be bullet points; include essential vocabulary)

CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE LEARNERS

prior knowledge

unique learner characteristics

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CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
physical space

temporal resources

learning materials

personnel resources

technological resources

UNIT OVERVIEW AND TIMELINE

(goals/objectives)

type-strategy-tool

other resources
considerations

considerations
environmental
teaching and

strategies (in
expectations

assessment
formative or
summative

resources
learning

material
specific

learner
brief)
DAY
1
DAY
2
DAY
3
DAY
4
DAY
5

LESSON PLANS
 Individual lesson plans should be inserted as separate subsequent
pages- insert page breaks between each lesson plan
 Remember to include artifacts/ individual reflections for each lesson

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OVERALL REFLECTION ABOUT THE UNIT (completed when you finish teaching the unit)

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PART II ⎯ LESSON PLANS

Standards for student achievement have been at the center of K-12 educational reform
for more than 20 years. Standards follow the goal of providing a structured approach for
aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment with curriculum framework standards
and benchmarks. In creating the North Carolina Standard Course of Studies,
experienced practitioners across the state developed frameworks that describe what
learners should know and be able to do to be successful in achieving their goals.
Aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment with the NCSCOS and benchmarks
can have many benefits. A program that has determined which North Carolina
standards and benchmarks are covered by each class and how transitions are handled
between classes has a basic curriculum in place—one that will provide new teachers
with direction, make decisions about class placement and advancement much easier,
and provide solid bases for each teacher's lesson planning.

Definition of Lesson Plan

A Lesson Plan describes how learning is to be organized and facilitated in the
classroom and documents specific plans for teaching. It is a written document
composed of learning objectives that show alignment with the NCSCOS as well as
descriptions of all assessments, instructional activities, needed materials and resources,
and wrap-up/reflection activities for a particular class or series of classes. Lesson plans
may take a variety of forms."

Why do lesson plans?

Why not just follow the teacher’s edition of the text or "wing it" based on experience?
Teachers who do take the time to draw up lesson plans variously report the following
advantages:
 LPs stimulate teachers to consider more deeply what can and should be
accomplished in a class. All the elements of a great class--modeling, sequencing,
reviewing, and checking--are more effective if planned for than left to chance.

 LPs encourage the teacher to think more deeply on the specific needs of each
student in the class. Thus, the specific needs (which can change often) and
learning styles of each student can be considered in planning, as well as the
learning and teaching styles of the teacher.

 LPs provide an excellent basis for discussion between peers, program director and
teacher, and teachers and students. For new teachers and veteran teachers
alike, lesson plans provide good bases for improving program design, planning
professional development, and sharing lesson goals with students and even
involving them in planning classes.

 LPs invite teachers to be innovative, to consider a variety of approaches, or try

new things that might get better results. Human beings, teachers included, get
stuck in comfortable habits (i.e., "ruts"), and busy schedules tempt teachers to
"wing it" rather than plan out a class. Time spent on lesson planning often leads
teachers out of their ruts.

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 LPs help teachers be prepared, feel more confident, and deal better with surprises.
A good lesson plan can help a teacher feel grounded, more confident, and able
to foresee challenges and students' questions. By the same token, with this
grounding the teacher is better able to handle digressions and unforeseen
challenges and, ironically, be more flexible.

 LPs deepen the teacher's own knowledge and skills. Thorough lesson planning
can push a teacher to make certain she knows the content, understands how to
apply the skills to be covered in the planned class or classes, and, after the
class(es) assesses how things actually went.

 LPs can be shared. Written curriculum and lesson plans are forms of "captured
wisdom" that can be shared with other teachers or adapted to fit another class
level, so they don't have to start from scratch every class. They can also be given
to help teachers new to the program (or new to teaching) a sense of what
instruction is like in a specific program.

 LPs provide a good record of what actually occurs in the classroom. Such records
can be kept on file to form the bases for future classes, or to help substitute
teachers cover classes effectively.

Lesson plan basics

A written lesson plan:
 describes how learning is to be organized and facilitated in the classroom ␣
 documents specific plans for teaching

To develop a lesson plan:

 Determine what will be taught (both content and skills).
 Formulate the learning objectives for the lesson (e.g., "at the end of the lesson,
learners will...").
 Match what will be taught to one or two of the most applicable standards from the
NCSCOS and identify these goals and objectives in the lesson plan. If continuing
from a previously taught lesson, the benchmark could be the same as the prior
lesson.

6 components of a lesson plan

1. Learning outcomes/ objectives:
 Decide upon clear, measurable learning outcomes and goals to guide what
will be taught, and how learners will be evaluated. Desired learning outcomes
must be in alignment with the NCSCOS.
 The essential question(s) is derived from the desired learning
outcomes/goals.
 Communicate the essential question(s) to students at the beginning of class
so purpose of the lesson is clear.
 Identify 1-3 objectives outlining specifically what learners will be able to
know/do as a result of the lesson.

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2. Background Knowledge/ Experiences:
 Consider any prerequisite knowledge required in order for learners to make
sense of the new content.
 Do learners need to have had any previous experiences in order to complete
lesson activities, participate in processes, or construct understandings?
 Include background in terms of content, skills, procedures, and context

3. Materials and Resources:

 Provide a range and variety of materials, including authentic materials to the
extent possible (e.g., employment application, prescription for medicine,
library card application).

4. Teaching Strategies:
 Determine the steps of the lesson and how long the lesson components will
take.
 Create activities that are clear in focus, engaging and relate to learner
interests.
 Include authentic and relevant 21st Century strategies and tasks. Refer to the
Framework for 21st Century Skills as needed.
 Teaching strategies take three parts.
o Anticipatory or introductory strategies get students engaged in
the topic and connect to/ assess their prior experience, then use that
information to adjust the lesson if necessary.
o Developmental strategies present information, offer explanatory
or practice activities, and provide exploration of the content.
o Concluding strategies summarize content, offer wrap-up ideas
and activities, and provide closure to the lesson.
 Manage "teacher talk" time so learners are active participants throughout the
learning process.
 Differentiate as needed for students' varied learning styles, learning
issues/disabilities, or learners that may have greater knowledge/skill than
classmates.
 Ensure that the teaching strategies and activities correlate to the stated
objective(s) from the NCSCOS.
 Though brief, add enough detail so other teachers might be able to use the
lesson.

5. Assessment:
 Can be created prior to consideration of teaching strategies or learning
activities to ensure teaching and assessment are correlated
 Use to plan and adjust for what will be taught in following lessons (formative)
and to provide feedback to learners (formative)
 Summative assessment used to evaluate/ capture learner progress Must
directly measure whether each learning objective was met, and/or how well
it was met.
 Use a variety of assessment methods to capture learning, to allow students
with different learning styles to shine, and also to enable learners to monitor
their own progress.

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

6. Wrap up and Reflection for Students:

 Devise a way for learners to capture the high points (e.g., what is the goal for
learners to take away from the lesson?) Provide opportunities for learners to
actively monitor their own progress.
 Build in discussion time and ask learners to summarize what they learned or
apply what they learned to other contexts in their life. Ask learners to
evaluate the class or activities; ask for ideas for the next lesson. Make sure
to allow time for students to process questions and their responses.

Wrap up and Reflection for the Teacher:

 Reflect on the lesson: what worked well? Did any positive unintended
consequences occur, to remember for the next time the lesson is
used/adapted? What should be changed in the lesson to be more effective?
What differentiation strategies were particularly effective for specific kinds of
learners? What to remember about specific learners'
needs/goals/accommodations for future classes? Record your reflections in
written form as soon after teaching the lesson as possible so your
recollections are fresh.

DEVELOPING THE BASIC COMPONENTS OF A LESSON PLAN

Lesson plans can take a variety of formats. Any lesson plan, regardless of format,
should contain at least the following six components:
1. Learning Outcomes/ Objectives
2. Background Knowledge and Experiences
3. Materials and Resources
4. Teaching Strategies
5. Assessment
6. Reflections

Let's consider each of these components in turn.

1. LEARNING OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES

Learning outcomes are clear statements of what you want your students to know and be
able to do as a result of the class or classes. They are written in a way that lend
themselves to being assessed or measured (e.g., "Students will be able to name and
describe the three branches of the federal government with 100% accuracy.") The
knowledge and skills they reflect should connect to student interests, goals, and
assessed needs, and be guided by the NCSCOS.

Keep the following in mind when developing learning objectives for a class or series of
classes.
 The content and skills expressed in the learning objectives should reflect your
students' interests, goals, and assessed needs (e.g., content such as "events
leading to the Civil War” or skills such as "learn to pronounce the French /r/".)
 The content and skills should connect with one, possibly two, of the applicable
goals and objectives from the NCSCOS. Note which goals and objectives you
plan to address in your lesson plan, either here, in your activities section, or both.

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 Each class meeting should comprise 1-3 Learning objectives, 3 at maximum. Any
more than 3 will probably prove to be unrealistic in scope.
 Start with the stem "Students will be able to..." as a handy stepping off point (e.g.,
"Students will be able to name and describe the three branches of the federal
government.") .
 Wherever possible, a learning objective should be stated in terms of measurable
student outcomes (e.g., "Students will be able to name and describe the three
branches of the federal government with 100% accuracy", or "Students will be
able to identify at least two non-prescription products that reduce fever.") Think of
the objective in terms of a verb that will reflect what you wish students to be able
to do by the end of the lesson (e.g., demonstrate, identify, list, name, describe,
evaluate, etc.)

A good way to start conceptualizing Learning objectives for a particular class is to

consider these "Framing Questions.”

1. What do I want my students to be familiar with?

Content and skills that answer this question would require only the sharing of
information—for example, the names of the planets in our solar system. Content
and skills at this level might involve very simple activities, such as providing
information on a handout, and might be assessed with a simple quiz.

2. What knowledge or skills do I think are important for my students to know or be

able to do?
Content and skills that answer this question would require more complex
objectives--for example, making certain that a student knows how to effectively
use a calculator in a GED test might. Activities would go beyond sharing
information to include perhaps in-class practice, small group work, and/or
observed demonstrations by way of assessment.

3. What knowledge or skills do I think my students must understand deeply and

retain?
At this level of learning, objectives for the class would be quite sophisticated--e.g.,
be able to navigate social service agencies to get a needed service. Activities
might require a project-based approach, which could include research, planning,
role plays, reporting, and--for assessment--demonstrations and/or peer critiquing.

4. How do the content and skills connect with the NCSCOS?

Use the NCSCOS as either a starting point for lesson planning (e.g., where
standards and benchmarks provide you with ideas) or as something to check
against (e.g., where checking a draft plan against standards and benchmarks
provides you with additional ideas.)

On the next page is a chart of "action verbs" that you can use in designing learning
outcomes so they will express the level of knowledge or skill, and even the specific kind
of skill, that you want your students to demonstrate. Note that the verbs are grouped
under headings that describe different kinds of learning outcomes.

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TABLE OF "ACTION WORDS" FOR LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Acquiring Enhancing Developing Strengthening Changing

Knowledge Cognitive Psychomotor Problem- Attitudes,
Skills Skills Finding and Values,
Solving Beliefs, and/or
Capabilities Feelings
To identify To reflect To demonstrate To propose To challenge
To list To compare To assemble To practice To defend
To define To contrast To adjust To enhance To judge
To describe To catalogue To install To recognize To question
To state To classify To apply To clarify To accept
To name To examine To operate To determine To share
To prepare To evaluate To detect To decompose To adopt
To recall To forecast To locate To consider To advocate
To express To formulate To isolate To deconstruct To bargain
To categorize To investigate To arrange To fetter out To cooperate
To chart To modify To build To discover To endorse
To rank To organize To conduct To uncover To justify
To distinguish To plan To manipulate To select To persuade
To explain To research To fix To analyze To resolve
To outline To study To lay out To evaluate To select
To inform To translate To perform To search To dispute
To label To differentiate To sort To practice To approve
To specify To analyze To construct To construct To choose
To tell To compute To draw To simulate To feel
To memorize To devise To employ To employ To care
To reproduce To review To design To examine To express
To recognize To synthesize To set up To change To reflect
To recite To relate To practice To diagnose To protest
To group To exhibit To prioritize To sort
To estimate To diagram To control
To edit To value

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To emphasize what has been conveyed about learning objectives, consider these
examples of weak and strong learning objectives. Note that the strong learning
objectives contain both clearer and more meaningful action words and measurable
criteria for acceptable performance.

WEAK LEARNING OBJECTIVES STRONG LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will...
1. learn how to describe symptoms for
illnesses.
2. know the names of the planets in our
solar system.
3. be able to recognize the fifty states in
the United States and their capitals.
Students will be able to...
1. identify at least two basic symptoms for
three common illnesses with 100%
accuracy.
2. write the names of the planets in our
solar system with 80% accuracy.
3. state the names of the New England
states and rank them by size with 100%
accuracy.

Regarding the weak learning objectives, note that the action verbs--"learn," "know," and
"become familiar with"--are vague in terms of what achievements are hoped for. And,
there is no indication of how achievement will be measured. In contrast, the strong
learning objectives state more clearly what is to be achieved and how achievement will
be measured. Well-conceived learning outcomes make envisioning the assessments of
a lesson a lot easier.

2. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

Subject matter knowledge, strategy knowledge, personal knowledge, cultural
knowledge, and self-knowledge are all specialized forms of prior knowledge/background
knowledge. Students learn more effectively when they already know something about a
content area and when concepts in that area mean something to them and to their
particular background or culture. When teachers link new information to the student's
prior knowledge, they activate the student's interest and curiosity, and infuse instruction
with a sense of purpose. Prior knowledge influences how the teacher and students
interact with the learning materials as both individuals and a group. It is the proper entry
point for instruction, which should build on what is already known, and a major factor in
comprehension--that is, making sense of our learning experiences.

Teachers can use a variety of instructional strategies to activate and illustrate students’
prior knowledge and background experiences. Dialoging such as class discussions,
and visualizations like graphic organizers prompt students to make connections to their
prior understandings and encourage metacognition (students’ thinking about their own
thinking) This helps learners to transfer their thought processes to a conscious level and
connect new information with known.

By tapping their students' prior knowledge in all subject areas, teachers can plan
lessons that will: clarify incomplete or erroneous prior knowledge, determine the extent
of instruction necessary in a particular topic area, and discern necessary adjustments to
planned independent activities and assessment materials. Teachers also can use prior
knowledge to make instruction more meaningful. Many educational researchers also
emphasize the importance of incorporating parallels between a student's cultural
background and lesson design. As the world changes, students must learn to
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understand and appreciate the experiences and contributions of people from different
backgrounds. Culturally responsive education links curriculum, instruction, and
assessment to experiences, language and culture-- in other words, instructional design
for diverse learners is absolutely dependent upon a teachers’ awareness of the prior
knowledge and background experiences of the students.

There are many strategies that may be used to activate background knowledge and/or
to give the teacher a sense of where his/her students are in relationship to lesson
content and objectives. Strategies include (but are not limited to):
 Discussions: Teacher-to-student and whole-class discussions are great
ways to activate students’ prior knowledge by allowing them opportunities
to orally share their ideas and discuss their opinions. The art of discussion
is an important piece in the learning process. A common mistake many
teachers make is to present a question or idea and expect most of their
students to respond and discuss. It can be frustrating for both the teacher
and students to listen to a select few students have a discussion. To
conduct successful discussions, teachers need:
 To be armed with the right types of questions and ready to respond to various
answers
 To be able to use “teachable moments” to spark student interest and keep the
discussion lively
 To use the discussion as a jumping off point for new content
 To pose questions that directly relate to students and their prior knowledge
 To allow the students to lead the discussion with teacher facilitation and probing
 To accept all appropriate answers as correct and encourage additional
responses by others
 To permit “think time” and use strategies such as think-pair-share before having
students respond.
 Teachers should recognize that a quiet student can “hide” during a group
discussion, thus keeping the teacher from truly knowing what the individual
student does or does not know.

 KWL Chart: The traditional KWL Chart can be used with any content area to
start students thinking about what they KNOW about a topic, what they
WANT TO KNOW about that topic, and what they have LEARNED at the
end of the unit. It can be adapted for research by adding a column between
the W and the L that requires students to think about HOW they will use
resources to find the answers to their questions. Students can create
individual KWL Charts, or the activity can be completed as a whole class. A
KWL Chart can be used as an pre-assessment for learning because a
teacher can quickly tell what students already know and understand about a
topic. Students can create individual KWL Charts, or the activity can be
completed as a whole class.

 Brainstorming: Brainstorming is a strategy to activate prior knowledge by

encouraging students to focus on a topic. The teacher begins by posing a
question or introducing a topic. Students give all possible answers, words,
or ideas. Contributions are made without criticism or judgment. This
strategy encourages students to take risks in sharing their ideas and
opinions. Students build their knowledge on each other’s contributions.
Brainstorming can be recorded in a variety of ways including a simple list; a
table or T chart; a mind map or web; alpha-boxes; etc. There are many
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mind-mapping and graphic organizers available free online.

 Picture Books: Picture books have been used in the primary grades for
decades, but they are an oft-neglected quick and convenient way to help
older students activate their prior knowledge as well! There is a new focus
on picture books that deliver difficult content in simple language. Picture
books are a great model for student writing, as they contain vivid language
and a variety of text structures. The beauty of using picture books in the
upper grades, including middle and high school, is that they can be read in
a few minutes and provide students with information connected to the
concept or skill being introduced.

 Anticipation Guide: An Anticipation Guide is used to start students thinking

about what they know (or think they know) about a topic. The teacher
develops the Anticipation Guide by creating 5-10 statements about the
content students will be exploring. Students read each statement and
Agree or Disagree with it. They do not have to share their answers, but
they have to put an answer for each statement. After they have agreed or
disagreed with each statement, students are to read the related text, and
they can change or revise their answers if they learn something new. The
Anticipation Guide may be used as an assessment for learning, but should
not be used for a grade.

 THIEVES; The THIEVES strategy (Manz, 2002) will help students survey a
content textbook to activate their prior knowledge. The strategy prescribes
a certain previewing technique that follows the acronym. If students learn
this technique, they will be able to use it before they read a chapter and
also as they review for a test. Using the THIEVES strategy, students will
survey a content text in the following manner:
Title – Students sometimes skip the title, but it provides valuable
information by establishing the topic and the context of the chapter. If the
text is written in chronological order, the title may indicate where the
chapter would fit on a timeline. Some questions that the student may ask
while looking at the title include:
 What do I already know about this topic?
 How does it connect to the previous chapter?
 How can I turn this title into a question to focus my reading?
Headings – Headings indicate the important sections of the
chapter. They help students identify the specific topics covered. Students
can turn the headings into questions to create a more focused look at
information covered in the chapter. Some questions that the student may
ask while looking at the headings include:
 How does this heading let me know what I will be reading about?
 What topic will be discussed in the paragraphs below this heading?
 How can I turn this heading into a question that can be answered when I
read this section?
Introduction – The introduction provides an overview of the chapter.
It may come after the title and before the first heading. Sometimes the
goals and objectives of the chapter are stated in the introduction. Some
questions that students may ask when previewing the introduction include:

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 Is the introduction marked or do I have to locate it?
 Does the first paragraph introduce the chapter?
 What important information will I find in the introduction?
 Do I already know anything about this?
Every first sentence in a paragraph – First sentences are often the
topic sentences of the paragraph, and by reading these a student can get
an idea of the information that will be contained in the chapter.
Visuals and Vocabulary – Students should look at all visuals
(pictures, charts, tables, maps and graphs) contained in the chapter. They
need to read the captions and labels on each. This enables students to
learn a little about the topic before they begin to read. Some questions
that students may ask about the visuals include:
 How do these visuals relate to the content of this chapter?
 What can I learn from them?
 How do the captions help me understand the visual?
Vocabulary unlocks the meaning of the content. Students need to
understand vocabulary in order to comprehend the text. Vocabulary may
or may not be identified as key words. It might be highlighted or italicized
in the text. Some questions that students may ask about the vocabulary
include:
 Is there a list of key words and are they defined In the glossary?  
 Are there important words in boldface or italics?  
 Do I know the important words?  
 Are there other words I don’t know?  
End-of-Chapter Questions – These questions indicate important
points and concepts from the chapter. Just reading these questions will
help students target information that is important in the text and establish
a purpose for reading. Some questions that students may ask about the
end-of-chapter questions include:
 What do these questions ask?
 What information will be important in this chapter?
 How do I locate this information in the text?
Summary – Many texts contain a summary at the end of the
chapter. Students can read the summary to activate prior knowledge and
give them an idea of the important concepts contained in the chapter.

 Bloom Balls:    Bloom Balls are created by piecing together 12 circles.

Each circle represents another
piece of information students
develop and that helps them
organize their background
information and broaden their
knowledge. A Bloom Ball is also a
great higher-order thinking activity
that allows students to practice
their cooperative skills and exhibit
their creativity. There are many
free online templates and activities
with the Bloom Ball.

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3. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
Listing the materials and resources that will be needed for a class, whether it be a
simple photocopy or a piece of equipment, will make lesson planning more efficient and
the class run more smoothly.

Use authentic materials suggested by your students' interests or pulled from a real-life
situation wherever possible. For example, using an actual check or deposit slip for math
work will be more meaningful for students that a mock checkbook in a workbook. By the
same token, authentic children’s literature, newspaper articles, public information
documents, newsletters, magazines, etc. will usually be more relevant, and motivating,
to students than materials assigned from, say, a commercially-produced reader.

CATEGORY RESOURCES  
Printed Materials  handouts
 articles
 pamphlets
 books
Visual Aids  overheads  
 document cameras  
 Smartboards  
 graphs  
 manipulatives  
 storyboards  
 charts & tables  
 posters  
 slides  
 chalk/whiteboards, newsprint  
 photographs  
 maps  
 diagrams  
 pictures  
Audio-Visual  videotapes & disks  
 audiotapes & CDs  
 Television  
 LCD projections  
Computer-Based  websites
 email, listservs threaded
discussions, chat rooms,
bulletin boards
 PowerPoint slideshows
 computer conferencing
 interactive learning sites
People  guest (onsite)  
 social service reps (offsite)  
 other students  

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4. TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The teaching strategies in a lesson plan are descriptions of planned instructional work.
Create learning outcomes aligned with the NCSCOS then "fill in" the activities that
would help students to gain the desired new knowledge and acquire the desired new
skills. Assessments should be devised to match the learning objectives; assessments
may be planned before or after learning strategies and activities are created.

For example, an ESL teacher might initially set out a learning objective for students to
be able to orally report important information on each of their family members (name,
age, gender, and so forth). However, after considering assessments, it might occur that
being able to write that information accurately would be highly important for, say, job
applications or health clinic questionnaires. The learning objective and assessment
would be updated and very probably new activities to support the added requirement for
writing skills would be added.

It might be helpful to consider the following general categories of teaching strategies

and activities:
 Warm-Up Work: Activities that establish a safe environment for subsequent
learning--e.g., asking for an oral recap of the last class or two things learned
during the past week. A simple task listed on the board could also allow students
who arrive early (or on time!) to use that time profitably.
 Opening Activity: Stage-setting sorts of activities that ask what students already
know about a new topic are respectful of their prior knowledge and experience.
They also connect the new information to students’ interests and own
experience, and give the teacher important information about how to present
information and at what level, depending on prior knowledge. These activities
could be recaps, brainstorms, or free writes.
 Main Activities: These descriptions may be in list, outline, or even narrative form.
They should have an obvious connection to the learning objectives and lead
logically to assessments. Including an estimation of time needed for each activity
will lead to more realistic planning. They should give enough information so that
they might be followed by another person not teaching the class (e.g., an
observer, substitute, or new teacher.)

Learning strategies should also be designed to accommodate different learning styles

and strengths among learners as well as differing levels of prior knowledge and ability.

EXAMPLES OF INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

 Ice breakers: building trust; orienting newcomers; sharing knowledge and
experiences.
 Boardwork or newsprint: introducing content, collecting responses; student and
teacher demonstrations of writing or math.
 Modeling: demonstrating a process; sharing examples of good written work or,
conversely, common challenges.
 Intervention: stepping into an ongoing process to facilitate, resolve impasses.
 Drills: direct teaching sight words, critical symbols (e.g. for poisonous
substances), multiplication tables, formulas
 Small group work: performing tasks or solving problems together, perhaps
grouping by skill level; practicing roles, such as reporter or facilitator.
 Brainstorming: drawing from students' own knowledge and experience; group
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planning for projects, prioritizing, categorizing lists: getting at main ideas and
supporting ideas; planning a writing draft.
 Active listening: to others, to tapes; note-taking; asking questions; taking
dictation; warming up for reading passages aloud.
 Active reading: note-taking; predicting; using context clues; asking questions.
 Active viewing: to movies, TV programs, role plays or demos; note-taking; asking
questions.
 Process writing: developing/prioritizing ideas, generating support, outlining,
critiquing (one on one or in groups), drafting, editing, proofreading, publishing.
 Oral presentations: reporting on personal or group responses to class;
summarizing personal experience or results of research.
 Games: jigsaw exercises to find critical content; drawing or following maps to
specific destinations; find/resolve the grammar/mechanics/calculation error.
 Manipulatives: math blocks and rods; build words, sentences, or paragraphs from
pieces.
 Debate: express/support personal or group opinion; compare positions;
refute/defend positions.
 Projects: multi-stage learning events, such as researching new content and
eventually reporting or writing findings/conclusions.
 Role-plays: simulating a real-life situation, such as a job interview.
 Peer work: working together; mentoring; listening and responding; critiquing.
 Learning stations: setting up skills and content areas (reading, math) to allow
diversity, spontaneous grouping, and kinetic movement.
 Field trips/guest speakers: going to or drawing from community resources.
 Overhead transparencies, LCD projection: sharing materials; sharing real-time
responses (with marking pens and keyboard, respectively)
 Computer technology: Web-based research; interactive learning sites;
developing PowerPoint slideshows or Excel spreadsheets.
 Reflective activities: free writing, journal writing, with non-judgmental feedback
from teacher.

Please be mindful that your instructional planning reflects both constructivist practices
AND 21st Century teaching and learning ideals. The webpage for the Framework for
21st Century Skills may be a helpful tool.

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5. ASSESSMENT
Assessments are tools such as presentations, quizzes, projects, check-ins,
observations or other instruments used to measure whether students have gained the
new knowledge or acquired the skills described in the learning objectives.
A strong learning objective will suggest its own activities and assessments. In fact,
some experts in the field believe that planning assessments before activities is a very
effective practice. Basically, the teacher considers how students will demonstrate that
they have gained the knowledge or achieved the skill described in a given learning
objective. For example, the learning objective "Students will be able to write the names
of the planets in our solar system with 80% accuracy" would suggest a simple quiz by
way of assessment. On the other hand, the learning objective "Students will be able to
orally differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate reasons for calling in sick and
give at least one example of each" would suggest a more complex assessment,
perhaps an oral report or presentation, or a culminating debate between students or
small groups.

If assessments are planned directly after learning objectives are laid out, planning
activities becomes a kind of "filling in" between the learning objective and the
assessment. In the second example above, if the teacher decides to require an oral
report, she might logically include brainstorming, note taking, speaking practice, and/or
creating a rubric among her activities for that class or series of classes.

Teachers should note that the NCSCOS are a great source of assessment (and
teaching strategy) ideas because they are written as indicators of acquired knowledge
and skills and provide specific examples in the form of activities. The table, Matching
Assessments To Objectives, Purpose, and Students, is designed to help you design
appropriate and effective assessments to determine if your students are meeting
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learning objectives. The table will also provide you with a sense of the variety of forms
that assessments can take, for example:
 selected response: Test takers select a response from a list, as in True/False or
multiple choice questions. There is "one right answer." Often quizzes and tests
are made up of selected response questions.
 constructed response: Students create their own responses, such as providing
an answer to a math problem, writing an essay, or performing a task. There is
generally “one right answer” although the steps to obtain may vary.
 authentic: Use of real-life materials and tasks.
 project- or performance-based: Extended, multi-stage activities generally
involving real-world tasks or blending in- and out-of-school resources

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MATCHING ASSESSMENTS TO OBJECTIVE, PURPOSE, AND STUDENTS

STUDENTS LEARNING TYPES OF NOTES

OBJECTIVES ASSESSMENT
beginning writers (K) Write own name, names Fill in worksheet Very basic type of
of family members, constructed response
address, and phone Blank form More “authentic”
number especially if it is from a
local police station or
library
Classroom directory More “constructed
page response; also authentic
to personal experience
and relevance
Middle-grades health Identify required Quiz or worksheet: Selected response
immunizations and matching words to
diseases prevented definitions, multiple
choice response, T/F
Visit local clinic or Highly authentic;
pediatrician; obtain project-based
department of health
records; examine and
list/schedule upcoming
required shots
Elementary math Use specified geometric Workbook practice, Selected or constructed
formula for problem- worksheet, or quiz/test response
solving Math journal entries Constructed response;
containing problems, additional of critical
solutions, and entries thinking and personal
explaining how relevance
problems were solved,
alternative methods,
difficulties, etc.
Measure surface in Authentic assessment
home and calculate
areas or volumes (i.e.
cubic of refrigerator)
Measure square footage Authentic assessment
of room and calculate and critical thinking
amount of paint needed skills
to cover the walls or
tiles needed to put on
the floor
HS English Write a concise 200 Teacher generates
word essay without prompt and creates/
mechanical errors applies rubric to drafts
Teacher generates Deeper understanding
prompt; students of task; peer/ self-
develop own rubric/ assessment and critical
apply rubric to drafts thinking
Students determine Authentic and relevant
personal essay topic task; peer/self-
from controversial new assessment; critical
story, current event, thinking; promotes self-
own life occurrence; direction and reliance
students develop own
rubric/ apply rubric to
drafts

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EXAMPLES OF "AUTHENTIC" TASKS & ASSESSMENTS
 Making audio tapes to practice/check fluency
 Anecdotal records of outside work
 Book reports*
 Drawings and diagrams
 Favorite authors report
 Field trip reports
 Interviews
 Inventories of workplace items
 Investigations or research
 Journals
 Learning logs, reading logs
 Lists of books read
 Models with descriptions
 Open-ended problems
 Photographs and documentation
 Problem-solving activities
 Progress Reports
 Project reports
 Research papers
 Developing rubrics
 Self-evaluations
 Simulations
 Skits and role plays
 Student-selected best work: Portfolios**
 Teacher observations with rubric
 Writing samples
 Video tapes
 Work samples

*This activity and most others can take many forms: personal responses; summaries of main ideas;
written or oral form; study circle or small group activity.

**This activity and similar ones can be in written form, collected in e-form, put on disk, or
expressed/reported using PowerPoint.

6. REFLFECTIONS
Wrap-up and Reflection activities have many important purposes in the overall lesson:
 They are important ways to help students summarize what they have learned and
for teachers to determine what's been accomplished or not been accomplished.
Asking students to summarize what they have learned helps them to synthesize
and retain new knowledge.
 The time devoted to wrap-up can encourage learners to consider ways they can
apply newly-learned skills to other areas of their lives.
 These activities give students a sense that they are genuinely making progress,
which is continually mentioned among thinkers and researchers as a critical
element for promoting learner persistence and lifelong learning.
 Building in regular time for summarizing and reflecting gives students practice in
important metacognitive critical thinking skills.

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 The teacher may discover if students are still unsure of something or especially
excited to know more about something, which will point the way for the next
class.

In addition to reviewing students’ responses to the lesson, the teacher must self-reflect.
What activities worked best? Was the time anticipated for each activity adequate? Did
the students actively engage in the lesson? Where there any unintended consequences
that occurred? Was the differentiation adequate? What changes to the lesson should
be made for the next time? What is the next logical lesson to build upon new
knowledge, remediate for any confusions, or extend students understandings?

There are many ideas and prompts to help with the design of useful Wrap-up/Reflection
activities. These are simply collections of ideas and techniques; no one should feel that
they have to “do them all.”

Reflection Ideas and Prompts for Students

Reflection is an active, not a passive exercise. At the end of a lesson, it is important to
ask learners to summarize, synthesize, apply, or extend their learning. One way to
stimulate student participation in reflection exercises is to read what they write or draw
and to respond. This response can be one on one, or addressed to an entire class. E.g.
“After reading everyone’s reflections about today’s math class, it was clear that we
need to review how to plot coordinate pairs on the xy axis.”

Simple whole-class reflection questions:

 What worked well in today's class? What did not work well in today's class? ␣
List three things you want to remember about today's class
 How could today's class have been more effective?
 Explain what was new to you today. [Use pictures, numbers and/or words.] ␣
Today I learned... I really liked working on... I had trouble with...

Deeper whole-class reflection questions:

 How might you use [new knowledge, new skill] outside of this classroom?
 Give an example of when it might be useful to [use newly learned skill, apply
newly acquired knowledge]
 The most interesting part of today’s class was....
 Three things I learned that I never knew before were.....
 The least interesting part of today’s class....

Application reflection and practice:

 Present a similar problem to those discussed in class, and ask students to
explain in words, numbers, or pictures how they would solve the problem.
 Present a ‘dilemma’ related to the day’s lesson and ask students to respond
to it-- e.g. “If we doubled the length and the width of the rectangle, would the
area double? Why/why not?” OR “When is 10% larger than 50%?”
 Present an outside-of-school situation and ask learners what new knowledge
or skills they might use in that situation.

Post Class Reflection Questions for Teachers

Learning Objectives:
 Did your students achieve the lesson objectives? How do you know?
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 Were the objectives specific enough for you to be able to measure learning?
 If the students did not meet the objectives, do you want to carry them over to
the next lesson and/or change them?
 Did you look at the NCSCOS when forming your learning objectives? Were
they aligned?

Curriculum/Content:
 What topics unexpectedly emerged and how did you handle that?
 What knowledge and skills did you assume students had in going into this
lesson?
 Were your assumptions correct?

Materials and Resources:

 How did the use of materials help students acquire the knowledge and skills
being developed in this lesson?
 Going forward, could use of authentic materials be incorporated into
instruction?

Lesson Design/Activities:
 How did you incorporate the NCSCOS into the lesson?
 Did the lesson allow enough practice/application to achieve the
standards/benchmarks?
 Was the lesson sufficiently balanced in terms of giving students opportunities
to practice multiple skills? (speaking & listening, critical thinking, etc).
 Did the activities engage learners in a focused topic of interest? Why/why
not?
 Were activities chunked sufficiently to facilitate skills/knowledge acquisition?
 Were activities sufficiently designed to support learning outcomes, especially
more sophisticated kinds of outcomes, such as supporting a personal
opinion?
 How did you build in review into your lesson?
 Who talked during the lesson and how much? Why or why not?
 Did students actively participate in the lesson, why/why not?
 How did you address students’ varied learning styles, learning
issues/disabilities, or learners that may have greater knowledge/skill than
classmates?
Assessment/Evidence of Learning/Next Steps
 What tools did you use to capture learning, give feedback to learners and/or
inform your instruction?
 In what areas did students improve per these tools?
 How well did the activities work and why?
 What does the assessment data tell you about the design of the next lesson?
 How did you enable the students to capture the high points or summarize or
apply what they learned?
 How were students engaged in evaluating the lesson and giving input for the
next lesson?

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Salem Lesson Plan Format

GRADE/CLASS: SUBJECT AREA(S):

UNIT TOPIC: DAY:

desired learning outcome(s):

essential question(s) from learning objective:

NCSCOS goal and objective(s):

learner prior knowledge/ learner background experiences:

materials and resources needed (include authentic literature selection):

teaching strategies
Differentiation strategies should be infused throughout. Differentiate for
content, product, and process.

 anticipatory strategies (background knowledge)

 developmental strategies

 concluding strategies

assessment (utilize a blend of traditional and performance assessments)

EC accommodations/modifications to strategies or assessments

(refer to IEP’s or 504 plans)

wrap-up and reflection by the students

reflection by the teacher

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III. TEACHERS AS PRACTITIONERS (TAP) DESIGN PROJECT

Introduction to TAP DESIGN

In June of 2009, all institutions of higher education (IHE’s) having initial licensure
programs in education were required to submit Blueprints for “re-visioning” to the North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction. These Blueprints were to lay out how each
IHE intended to provide electronic evidence that its teacher candidates displayed
proficiency with the North Carolina Teacher Standards.

 
NORTH  CAROLINA  TEACHER  STANDARD  

1.      TEACHERS  DEMONSTRATE  LEADERSHIP  

a. Teachers lead in their classrooms.

1. Evaluates the progress of students toward high school graduation using a variety of assessment data
measuring goals of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

2. Draws on appropriate data to develop classroom and instructional plans.

3. Maintains a safe and orderly classroom that facilitates student learning.

4. Uses positive management of student behavior, effective communication for defusing and deescalating
disruptive or dangerous behavior, and safe and appropriate seclusion and restraint.

b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school.

1. Engages in collaborative and collegial professional learning activities.

2. Identifies the characteristics or critical elements of a school improvement plan.

3. Displays the ability to use appropriate data to identify areas of need that should be addressed in a school
improvement plan.

c. Teachers lead the teaching profession.

1. Participates in professional development and growth activities.

2. Begins to develop professional relationships and networks.

d. Teachers advocate for schools and students.

1. Implements and adheres to policies and practices positively affecting students’ learning.

e. Teachers demonstrate high ethical standards

1. Upholds the Code of Ethics for North Carolina Educators and the Standards for Professional Conduct.

2.      TEACHERS  ESTABLISH  A  RESPECTFUL  ENVIRONMENT  FOR  A  DIVERSE  POPULATION  OF  

STUDENTS  
a. Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring
adults.
1. Maintains a positive and nurturing learning environment.

b. Teachers embrace diversity in the school community and in the world.

1. Appropriately uses materials or lessons that counteract stereotypes and acknowledges the contributions
of all cultures.

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NORTH  CAROLINA  TEACHER  STANDARD  

2. Incorporates different points of view in instruction.

3. Understands the influence of diversity and plans instruction accordingly.

c. Teachers treat students as individuals.

1. Maintains a learning environment that conveys high expectations of every student.

d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs.
1. Cooperates with specialists and uses resources to support the special learning needs of all students.

2. Uses research-verified strategies to provide effective learning activities for students with special needs.

e. Teachers work collaboratively with the families and significant adults in the lives of their students.
1. Communicates and collaborates with the home and community for the benefit of students.

3.    TEACHERS  KNOW  THE  CONTENT  THEY  TEACH  

a. Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
1. Develops and applies lessons based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

2. Integrates effective literacy instruction throughout the curriculum and across content areas to enhance
students’ learning.

b. Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.

1. Demonstrates and appropriate level of content knowledge in the teaching specialty.

2. Encourages students to investigate the content area to expand their knowledge and satisfy their natural
curiosity.

c. Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/discipline.

1. Demonstrates knowledge of links between grade/subject and the North Carolina Standard Course of
Study by relating content to other disciplines.

2. Relates global awareness to the subject.

d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students.

1. Integrates 21st century skills and content in instruction.

4.    TEACHERS  FACILITATE  LEARNING  FOR  THEIR  STUDENTS  

a. Teachers know the ways in which learning takes place, and they know the appropriate levels of
intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students.
1. Identifies developmental levels of individual students and plans instruction accordingly.

2. Assess and uses resources needed to address strengths and weaknesses of students.

b. Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students.

1. Collaborates with colleagues to monitor student performance and make instruction responsive to cultural
differences and individual learning needs.

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NORTH  CAROLINA  TEACHER  STANDARD  

c. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods.

1. Uses a variety of appropriate methods and materials to meet the needs of all students.

d. Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction.

1. Integrates technology with instruction to maximize students’ learning.

e. Teachers help students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

1. Integrates specific instruction that helps students develop the ability to apply processes and strategies for
critical thinking and problem solving.

f. Teachers help students to work in teams and develop leadership qualities.

1. Organizes student learning teams for the purpose of developing cooperation, collaboration, and student
leadership.

g. Teachers communicate effectively.

1. Uses a variety of methods to communicate effectively with all students.

2. Consistently encourages and supports students to articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively.

h. Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.
1. Uses multiple indicators, both formative and summative, to monitor and evaluate students’ progress and
to inform instruction.

2. Provides evidence that students attain 21st century knowledge, skills and dispositions.

The Teachers As Practitioners (TAP) DESIGN Project was accepted by DPI to serve as
Electronic Evidence 3 (EE3) in the professional portfolio of Salem College Teacher
Candidates. The TAP DESIGN involves the creation of a full-integrated teaching unit
including all unit design components and daily lesson plans. (Although the assessment
will be created simultaneously, it will be pulled out of the unit and lesson design to be
submitted separately. Refer to the TAP IMPACT Project that follows.)

All candidates for initial licensure at the undergraduate level (i.e. undergraduate or MAT
phase 1) are required to create two draft versions of the TAP DESIGN Project. The first
version of a unit plan is created during EDUC330/530, Instructional Design. The
intermediate draft is compiled during a course particular to each candidate’s specialty
area, specifically:
art education candidates EDUC383/583, Teaching Art in the K-12 School
elementary education candidates EDUC356/556, Integrated Content
music education candidates EDUC 384/584, Teaching Music in the K-12 School
MS/ HS content area candidates EDUC385/585, Teaching Content in the MS/HS
second language candidates EDUC385/585, Teaching Content in the MS/HS
special education candidates EDUC356/556, Integrated content
The final version of the TAP DESIGN Project will be composed during EDUC399/599,
Teachers As Practitioners (student teaching), and submitted in final draft format
during EDUC394/594, Teachers As Practitioners Seminar.

As submitted to DPI in the Salem College Blueprints for Initial Licensure Program Re-
Visioning, Electronic Evidence 3 is as follows.

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#3 Required

Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge Skills and Dispositions: Evidence that demonstrates effective design of
classroom instruction based on research-verified practice.

It is recommended this evidence address descriptors 1a.2, 2b.3, 2d.1, 3a.1, 3c.1, 3c.2, 3d.1, 4a.1, 4a.2, 4b.1, 4c.1, 4d.1, 4e.1,
4f.1, 5c.1.

Descriptors addressed IF different from those recommended: N/A

Name of Evidence: TAP (Teachers As Practitioners) DESIGN

This electronic evidence includes the instructional unit to be created, refined, and implemented during Block 4,
Teachers As Practitioners (student teaching). The final TAP DESIGN project will be submitted to and evaluated on Foliotek as
part of each candidate’s final portfolio. The rubric for this evaluation is correlated to descriptors from the McCREL rubric for
teacher candidate competence; candidates must attain a rating of “proficient” in each area of the matrix.
The TAP Design Project indicates candidates’ competence in the design, delivery, and assessment of meaningful
learning experiences for all students. Candidates will choose a two to three week unit of study from the Teachers As
Practitioners (TAP) experience in which and by means of which they demonstrate:
 content knowledge and content pedagogy
 abilities to plan for and assess student learning, including meaningful technology integration
 knowledge of student development
 ability to communicate effectively
 use of technology to support instruction
 ability to support unique learners’ needs, particularly exceptional learners and English Language
Learners
 ability to foster a community that respects diversity and enhances cross-cultural interactions
Required Components
 unit plan—the unit plan contains foundational elements for planning the instructional unit <1a2> <3a1> <4a1>
<4a2> <4b1>
 purpose and rationale for teaching the unit
 specific content knowledge of unit
 content integration and curricular tie-ins across disciplines in the unit
 NCSCOS goals and objectives to be included in the unit
 special considerations - identification of special-needs students, language considerations, IEP
accommodations, resource personnel available, etc.
 unit timeline-- this portion of the unit overviews the basic content and pacing for the unit including <1a2> <2b3>
<2d1> <3a1> <3c1>
 day-by-day NCOS goals and objectives
 overview of scope and sequence including a brief description of each lesson
 brief description of the assessment(s) (formal or informal) associated with each lesson
 lesson plans supporting the unit that must include <2b3> <2d1> <3a1> <3c1> <3c2> <3d1> <4c1> <4d1>
<4e1> <4f1>
 necessary background knowledge/ prior experience
 meaningful technology integration
 a variety of developmentally appropriate methods and materials
 integrated content areas
 differentiation (not accommodation) strategies appropriate across content, process, and/or product for
the diversity of learners identified as being present in the classroom context, especially ELL and EC
 “new literacies” including reading and writing across the curriculum and hypermedia
 multi-cultural texts and strategies
 21st century content and skills (see Framework for 21st Century Learning)

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 authenticity of activities relevance to students’ lives
 evidence of collaborative student learning
 samples of formative assessments for each lesson such as, checklists, rubrics, scoring guides,
performance assessments, collaborative learning opportunities, etc.
 student artifacts (photos, formative assessments, audio recordings, video recordings, etc.) for each
lesson
NOTE THAT THE ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR THE UNIT WILL BE PRODUCED AS EVIDENCE 5, TAP
IMPACT
 reflections about instructional practice in which candidates reflect on the design and implementation of each
lesson in the overall instructional design and delivery. <5c1>
 use notes and reflective writings from mentor conferences held with Salem Supervisor and Cooperating
Teacher
 incorporate notes and anecdotes from weekly conferences based upon the matrix of the Teacher
Candidate Evaluation Rubric
All required components for this evidence will be made available in the TAP IMPACT section of each candidate’s Foliotek
site. This will facilitate review by cooperating teachers, administrators, Salem Supervisors, Salem faculty, and DPI officials.

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IV. TEACHERS AS PRACTITIONERS (TAP) IMPACT PROJECT

Introduction to TAP IMPACT Project

The Teachers As Practitioners (TAP) IMPACT Project was accepted by DPI to serve as
Electronic Evidence 5 (EE5) in the professional portfolio of Salem College Teacher
Candidates. The TAP IMPACT involves the creation of an assessment plan to
accompany and inform the teaching unit (TAP DESIGN) created as EE 3. (Refer to the
preceding section for information about the TAP DESIGN Project.)

All candidates for initial licensure at the undergraduate level (i.e. undergraduate or MAT
phase 1) are required to create two draft versions of the TAP IMPACT Project. The first
version of an assessment plan is created during EDUC330/530, Instructional Design.
The intermediate draft is compiled during a course particular to each candidate’s
specialty area, specifically:
art education candidates EDUC383/583, Teaching Art in the K-12 School
elementary education candidates EDUC356/556, Integrated Content
music education candidates EDUC 384/584, Teaching Music in the K-12 School
MS/ HS content area candidates EDUC385/585, Teaching Content in the MS/HS
second language candidates EDUC385/585, Teaching Content in the MS/HS
special education candidates EDUC356/556, Integrated content
The final version of the TAP IMPACT Project will be composed during EDUC399/599,
Teachers As Practitioners (student teaching), and submitted in final draft format
during EDUC394/594, Teachers As Practitioners Seminar.

As submitted to DPI in the Salem College Blueprints for Initial Licensure Program Re-
Visioning, Electronic Evidence 5 is as follows.

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   44  

#5 Required

Positive Impact on Student Learning: Evidence that demonstrates impact on student learning.

It is recommended this evidence address descriptors 1a.1, 4b.1, 4h.1, 4h.2, 5a.1.

Descriptors addressed IF different from those recommended: N/A

Name of Evidence: TAP (Teachers As Practitioners) IMPACT

The TAP IMPACT is a plan for assessment; candidates will develop and describe assessment tools and strategies to
be included as measures of student learning throughout the TAP DESIGN (electronic evidence 3). Elements of this evidence will
be developed to the emerging level of competency during Block 1 and Block 2 Professional Studies courses, will be refined
during program-specific courses, and will be presented at the proficient level during Block 4, Teachers As Practitioners (student
teaching). The TAP IMPACT demonstrates the candidate’s competence with:
 planning for assessment
 exhibiting attention to the variety of contexts, abilities, and cultures that influence student learning
 differentiating for content, process, and product
 showcasing performance-based products of learning that are relevant to student purpose and experiences
 positively impacting students’ learning
This electronic evidence 5 of the Foliotek site will include:
 learning outcomes - a context-specific definition of “desired student learning” and “desired learning outcomes” in
terms of the kinds of learners/ learning needs in the classroom, the unit content, appropriate NCSOS, desired
technology standards, and the integration of 21st century goals <1a1>
 pre-assessment - a detailed description of pre-assessment strategies indicating an intentional evaluation or
measure of students’ prior knowledge and/or required background understanding (i.e. an anecdotal overview, a KWL
chart, student surveys, a pre-teaching activity, etc.). This evidence may NOT be a quantitative pre-test instrument.
<4b1>
 the assessment plan - a detailed description of the assessment plan for the instructional unit including a
summative assessment designed to evaluate both learners’ understandings and candidate’s positive impact on student
learning. <4h1>
 evidence must be performance-based
 evidence must be authentic and relevant to students’ lives and experiences
 evidence should utilize qualitative process-oriented goals rather than quantitative product-oriented goals
 the evaluation plan - a description and supporting documentation for how the assessment(s) will be evaluated
(i.e. checklist, rubric), how results will be recorded and communicated to students, and how results will be used in
future lessons to improve students’ learning <5a1>
 student samples - samples of assessments from three students (it is suggested that candidates select a high-
achieving, a mid-level, and a low-level student sample) that clearly demonstrate ways in which the candidate has had a
positive impact on student learning; samples may be videos, web links, journal entries, graphic organizers, audio
recordings, photos of students or projects, etc. <4h2>

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