28 Jan Real-world relevance

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 1 Discussion

DQ1 Provide an example of an activity that you perform often or enjoy doing. Think about what you would need to know to complete this activity. Think about what you would be able to do to complete this activity. How would this information help you teach someone to perform this activity?

DQ2 Compare the “COE Lesson Plan Template” to the seven elements of EEI in your required reading. Discuss the similarities and differences between the two.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 2 Discussion

DQ1 How could assessments facilitated before and during instruction inform your teaching? Which practices for pre-assessments and formative assessment do you intend to follow? Why?

DQ2 Why is it important to match the type of question you ask students in class with your learning objectives? Provide an example based on the lesson plans you are developing. How can the Ask-Pause-Call method of questioning, (also known as “wait time”) further your instructional practices?

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 3 Discussion

DQ1 What are the advantages and disadvantages of constructed-response assessment compared to a selected-response assessment? Where would you be more likely to use constructed-response assessment and why?

DQ2 Provide an example of the type of task or assignment in which a holistic rubric would be used and one in which an analytic rubric would be used. When is one more appropriate that the other?

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 4 Discussion

DQ1 Why is important to help students build academic language skills? What are some strategies for building academic language skills from this topic that you will use in your classroom?

DQ2 What are three tools from the “Academic Language Function Toolkit” you are most likely to use? Why?

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 5 Discussion

DQ1 When designing a lesson that uses technology as part of the learning process to enhance instruction, what are some considerations you need to make in terms of the students, the content, and the outcomes? What are the benefits of teaching with technology tools? What might some drawbacks be?

DQ2 View the video “Analyzing Texts: Overview of a Lesson Series.” What did you notice about integrating a variety of ELA standards and strategies? Which practices are you likely to adopt? Why?

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 6 Discussion

DQ1 Describe a scenario in which it would be appropriate to make instructional modifications. Discuss specific techniques for modifying instructional methods and materials.

DQ2 Life requires compromise, sharing, and interaction. How could you structure a successful group or collaborative learning activity? What are some guidelines or instructions you could give to your students before the activity?

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 7 Discussion

DQ1 What is the difference between effective praise and ineffective praise? How is praise the same or different than feedback? What were you more responsive to as a student – feedback or praise? Why?

DQ2 Identify at least two types of feedback and describe how you would use them in your own classroom. Using the “Class Profile” as a resource, discuss how you might have to differentiate these types of feedback depending on the students’ learning abilities and needs.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 1 Assignment

Standards and Learning Objectives

This assignment is part of the larger benchmark assignment that will be due in Topic 6. In this topic you will complete the “Unwrapping the Standards” Template which contains some of the planning elements within a lesson plan.

Complete the “Unwrapping the Standards” template by including:

A grade level (1-8) of students based on the strengths and diverse backgrounds of the students in the “Class Profile.”

A standard from the Reading Standards for Informational Text strand from the Arizona English Language Arts (ELA) Standards, Common Core, or the ELA equivalent from your state.

Your learning objective (refer to your textbook for guidance on writing objectives).

An informational text from Appendix B: Text Exemplars and Sample Performance Tasks. Check the table of contents for suggested informational texts for the grade level of your choice. Choose an informational text that you have access to or can obtain from your local library.

A few sentences that briefly summarize your lesson and its central focus.

A list of instructional materials, equipment, and technology to be utilized for this lesson.

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 2 Assignment

Assessing Informally with DOK Questions

In a 250-300 word essay, describe the characteristics of effective formal formative assessments. Provide examples from outside sources or your required readings. What makes formative assessments high-level or low-level?

Include at least three sources from the required readings or the GCU Library that support your ideas. You may use the textbook as one of your sources.

Prepare this part of the assignment according to the guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

Part 2: Informal

Based on the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Levelschart, create three open-ended questions for each of the four DOK levels (12 total) that could be utilized as informal formative assessments for the lesson plan that you began in Topic 1.

Use your 12 questions to complete the “Formative Assessment Template.”

Submit your template with your essay as one deliverable.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 3 Assignment

Formal Summative Assessment

Part 1: Summative Assessment

Create a formal summative assessment to be used within the lesson that you began in Topic 1. Think about ways to assess a learning activity that aligns with your reading standard and learning objective.

Provide clear instructions for your students to complete this summative assessment. Include an answer key or rubric with your assessment.

Part 2: Rationale

In a 250-500 word rationale, describe the alignment between your informational text, reading informational standard, and your learning objective. Address the following questions for your rationale:

What knowledge and skills are you trying to measure?

Does your assessment effectively measure what you are looking for?

Why did you choose this type of assessment?

How is this assessment appropriate for the students in the “Class Profile”?

Submit your assessment, answer key or rubric, and rationale to your instructor for feedback.

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 3 Assignment

Clinical Field Experience A: Observation – Assessment

Allocate at least 2.5 hours in the field to support this assignment.

At your field experience site, observe at least one lesson taught by a certified grade 1-8 teacher. Look for examples of formative assessment techniques and strategies used during the lesson. Make note of the questions that the teacher asks during the lesson. Note student behavior and body language before, during, and after the teacher asks questions.

Ask your mentor teacher to provide you with examples of summative assessments used within the classroom that you are observing. Discuss with your mentor teacher the considerations and criteria utilized to create summative assessments. Use this field experience to gather ideas for a summative assessment that you will create.

Based on what you have learned from your observations, address the following questions in a 250-500 word reflection.

Describe some of formative assessment techniques or strategies that your mentor used during the lesson.

What types of questions did the teacher ask during the lesson?

How did the students respond to the questions?

What types of things are taken into account when creating summative assessments?

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

Document the hours and locations that you spend in the field on your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form.

Submit the Clinical Field Experience Verification Form to LoudCloud in the last topic. Directions for submitting can be found on the College of Education site in the Student Success Center.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 4 Assignment

Academic Language Functions

From the informational text that you have chosen, select 3-4 vocabulary words to be focused on within the lesson plan that you began in Topic 1. You may use this lesson for your mini-unit that will be due in Topic 6.

Add your vocabulary words under “Key Vocabulary” on the “Academic Language” template.

From the 12 academic language functions in your required reading, select one function that would be appropriate for the teaching of your vocabulary words in this lesson. Include this information in the “Function” section of the lesson plan template along with brief descriptions regarding how students will demonstrate their understanding.

In the “Form” section on the lesson plan template, describe how you would teach the vocabulary words to your students. Include in this section a brief description of the kinds of structures you will implement so that your students can demonstrate their depth of understanding.

Submit this template to your instructor for feedback.

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 4 Assignment

Six Instructional Strategies

Create a graphic organizer or table that briefly describes each of the six main instructional strategies listed below. Provide an example of how it is utilized in a classroom.

Direct instruction

Indirect instruction

Collaborative learning

Experiential learning

Independent study

Interactive instruction

Include 2-3 sources from your reading to support this assignment.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 5 Assignment

Instructional Strategies

Based on the students in the “Class Profile” grade levels and the informational text you chose, select two of the six main instructional strategies to be utilized within the lesson plan that you began in Topic 1. Utilize strategies that facilitate the development of critical thinking and problem solving.

Provide opportunities for active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction among your students within each of your lessons. Include a grouping strategy on the “Instruction” template.

With the instructional strategies included in the “I Do” section, provide a bulleted script (100-250 words) for each instructional strategy that explains what you will say and do during the lesson. The script should include 4-5 DOK questions based on your selected informational text. These questions should align with your learning objective. You may use any of the DOK questions that you have already created.

Each “I Do” entry should have corresponding “Students Do” and “Differentiation” entries. Use specific examples from the “Class Profile” to describe how the activities in the lesson would be differentiated.

Submit this template to your instructor for feedback.

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 5 Assignment

Clinical Field Experience B: Observation – Strategies and Differentiation

Allocate at least 2.5 hours in the field to support this assignment.

At your field experience site, observe at least one lesson taught by a certified grade 1-8 teacher. Look at the learning strategies and activities utilized during the lesson. Make note of how students are grouped during various learning activities.

Speak with your mentor teacher about differentiation. What considerations are taken into account when learning activities are differentiated for the students in the classroom? Use this field experience to gather ideas for your lessons in Topic 6.

Based on what you have learned from your observations, address the following questions in a 250-500 word reflection.

What were some of the learning strategies and activities utilized during the lesson?

How were the students grouped during the learning activities?

What types of things are taken into account when differentiating learning activities?

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

Document the hours and locations that you spend in the field on your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form.

Submit the Clinical Field Experience Verification Form with the last assignment by the assignment due date. Directions for submitting can be found on the College of Education site in the Student Success Center.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 6 Assignment

Benchmark – Children’s Informational Text Mini-Unit and Assessment Plan

For this benchmark, you will complete a mini-unit of three informational text-based lesson plans and a corresponding assessment plan. You should utilize the lesson plan and other materials that you have created throughout this course.

Complete three informational text-based lesson plans that will be taught as a unit for a grade level that you specify based on the “Class Profile.” Complete Parts I, II, and III of the “COE Lesson Plan Template” for three lessons. You will elaborate on Part III of the “COE Lesson Plan Template,” which includes examples of summative assessment, within your assessment plan.

Each lesson plan should share a theme around your previously chosen informational text. Be sure to mention the materials and technology utilized within each lesson.

Utilize research-based strategies and technology that facilitate critical thinking and problem solving. Provide opportunities for questioning, collaboration, and supportive interaction among your students within your lessons. Include at least two of the following strategies within each of your three lessons:

Direct instruction

Indirect instruction

Collaborative learning

Experiential learning

Independent study

Interactive instruction

Describe how your activities would be differentiated for your students in the “Class Profile.” Create an assessment plan for your mini-unit that includes demonstrating alignment between formal and informal assessment strategies and techniques. Your assessment plan will consist of the following two parts:

Part I – Introduction

In a 100-250 word introduction, include the following:

A brief summary of your mini-unit for context.

A description that demonstrates alignment between the standards, learning targets/objectives, learning activities, and formative and summative assessments.

Identify other content areas in which your theme could be utilized. Provide examples.

Part II – Summative Assessment

Three summative assessments (one for each lesson) with answer keys or rubrics.

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

ELM210 Instructional Planning and Assessments for Elementary Teacher Candidates

Week 7 Assignment

Evaluating Lesson Plans

Locate and provide a lesson plan that is aligned to a national or state English language arts standard. Using the “COE Lesson Plan Template” for reference, evaluate this lesson plan in 500-750 words based on the following criteria:

Thoroughness of the lesson plan components.

Alignment between the standard, learning objectives, learning and teaching activities, and the assessment.

Real-world relevance of the learning and teaching activities.

Regarding evidence or artifacts of learning, how would the teacher know that the students have mastered the learning objectives?

Regarding the expected engagement level, would the students find the activities interesting and engaging?

Be sure to include the URL for the lesson plan within your submission.

GCU format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.