Assignment Ten: Unit Plans
Create two distinct unit plans that are two to three weeks in length that you would teach in a high school setting. Each unit plan should focus on a different overall theme, subject or topic.
Each of the unit plans should incorporate a broad number of distinct lesson plans. Each lesson plan may span more than one day's activities depending on its aims and goals or each may be confined to a single fifty-minute period. Lesson plans from other assignments for this class may be incorporated into your units if they are well orchestrated.
After an introduction, units should follow the structure and pattern recommended in Chapter Three of the Tuchudi text:
- introduction
- selecting a focus and setting objectives
- choosing materials
- structuring the unit
- orchestrating activities
- evaluating and assessing
- citations for outside or secondary resources (MLA style)
The units and accompanying lesson plans should incorporate a broad spectrum of the language arts, possibly including:
- Reading and literature (multiple genres should be considered)
- Vocabulary development
- Proper grammar and usage practice
- Writing skills development, including short and extended writing assignments
- Plans that concentrate on critical thinking skills
- Drama exercises and/or oral skills and practice, especially focusing on speeches or public speaking
Each lesson plan within the unit should delineate which specific Illinois Language Arts Standards are being covered. Lesson plans should include lecture notes and outlines or supporting materials. Any plans or materials chosen or adapted from an outside or secondary source should be cited in proper MLA format. Plans should also include accommodations both for challenged students and for advanced students.
Carefully crafted content and learning goal assessments (worksheets, quizzes, exams, etc.) must also be included in the overall plan. Rubrics to assess writing assignments in particular are strongly recommended. Assessment should reflect a range of evaluation of both student processes and products.
The introduction to and justification for the entire unit plan should discuss the overall goal of the unit, how each of the lesson plans are structured within the unit and how each of the language arts that are taught are coherently organized toward your unified goal. You should also discuss the context of the unit. Why is this unit taught in this grade level? What sorts of units would have come before this one? What units will follow this one? The introduction should also demonstrate how a broad range of teaching methods are to be utilized to obtain the maximum response from students for achieving your educational goals.
Many of your chosen methods within your units should be inspired by the chapters in our textbook on teaching literature and reading, writing, language, discussion and drama, and mass media. Make sure to cite these methods, if used, at the end of your unit plans. |