Unit Plan Overview
Unit: Comprehension Strategies (Schema)
Connections to Context
The second grade students in Mrs.
Vander Boons classroom are
spending the majority of their
mornings learning to become more
competent readers and writers.
There is a huge focus on language
for these little ones. The students
are being immersed in language and
need to develop their skills in
language for future success in
school. One of the major goals for
these students is for them to be able
to comprehend what they read. One
way to increase students
comprehension is to teach them
strategies for comprehension. This
unit expands on what students
know about reading and encourages
them to think about how their own
purposes for reading and how much
they understand of what they read.
The lessons in this unit provide
students with strategies that enable
them to become readers who
understand what they read. The
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum
Teacher: Sarah DeGraaf
Stage 1- Desired Results
Transfer
Students will be able to
Gain an in-depth understanding of schema as a strategy for reading comprehension.
Be able to use their schema to increase comprehension while they read.
Transfer these skills to their third grade learning (reading to learn).
Use these concepts as they learn both inside and outside the classroom.
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will keep considering
Students will understand that
How they can use their to become more
Activating their schema is a way to increase
competent readers.
reading comprehension, in other words, All of the schema that they personally
thinking about what knowledge you already have, how they can share that schema
have is a way to better engage with the text with others, and how they can learn
from others.
and understand what you are reading
How they can continue to grow their
There is so much schema that each students
schema.
has, their schema is unique, and their schema What incorrect schema they may have
helps them as a reader and how they can delete and change
that schema.
Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions
Cognitive Objectives Physical Development Objectives Socio-emotional Objectives
lessons in this unit are designed to The students will be able to The students will be able to The students will be able to
fit the interests of this particular Define schema Use their schema to relate Recognize the
group of students. The books that I Understand that using to a text (make a text-to- knowledge and
have chosen to read either align schema helps students self connection). uniqueness of their
with their interests or challenge with reading peers
them to read from new genres. Generate a list of their Understand that it is okay
comprehension own interests and areas to have wrong thinking,
Established Goals Understand how schema of expertise. but that the important
This unit addresses the Grade 2 can be creating while Create a first and second
Standard for the Reading thing is that we know
reading a text. draft of their work
Foundational Skill of Fluency in the how to correct or change
Understand that it is okay Use their resources if they
Forest Hills District Standards. The our thinking
goal reads that students will be able to have wrong thinking, get stuck thinking of
to read on-level with purpose and but that the important ideas by looking at the
understanding. Fluency and thing is that we know visual (poster) on board
reading for understanding are two how to correct or change Express their interests
of the overarching reading goals for our thinking
second graders, so this unit will give and knowledge areas in
students strategies for reading writing.
comprehension, growing their Generate schema as a
abilities to comprehend what they class while listening to a
read and encouraging them to be story read by the
thinking while they are reading.
teacher.
Generate their own
schema while reading.
Compare and contrast two
stories to one another.
Create a Venn diagram to
identify similarities and
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum

Evaluative Criteria
I will assess student learning every
day through a combination of
formative assessment for learning
and as learning, as well as through
summative assessments. Their
worksheets will help me to assess
their progress beyond what I can
measure through conferring with
students during their work time.
Rubric created for Lesson 4.
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum
differences.
Recognize misconceptions
in their thinking.
Change thinking by
deleting incorrect
schema and adding
new ideas.
Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Lesson 1:
I will listen to connections students make while reading Up North at the Cabin, and look for
their hands signaling they are finding connections between their life and the text
I will look through the worksheets students fill out during their workshop time
I will confer with students as they work
Lesson 2:
Students create a list of their own schema
Students revise their work and complete a second draft
I will prompt students to revise their work, giving suggestions and evaluating whether they
made changes to their work
I will confer with students while they work to evaluate their progress/understanding
Lesson 3:
Students share ideas of how schema can grow with group
Student worksheets provide me with summative assessment of how well students understood
task/ideas for this lesson
I will confer with students while they work to evaluate their progress/understanding
Lesson 4:
Create a Venn Diagram as a class on the board
 Student independent or partner work of creating a Venn Diagram with two text of their own
I will confer with students while they work to evaluate their progress/understanding
Lesson 5:
Students independent or partner worksheet provides me with information on whether
students understood the task/ideas for this lesson
I will confer with students while they work to evaluate their progress/understanding

(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through
complex performance?)
OTHER EVIDENCE:
Students attitudes and energy during the lessons as well as engagement will also provide me
with evidence of learning. The worksheets and final assessment will give me measurable
evidence beyond what I can assess of students achievement through measuring engagement
and attitudes.

(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum
 Stage 3- Learning Plan
**Pre-assessment attached in assessment section of unit. In the pre-assessment students rate their own understanding of the
concepts related to schema that we will be learning about in this unit.
(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential
misconceptions?)
Learning Events Progress Monitoring
Student learning is monitored
Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their participation in these through worksheets,
learning events participating in group
activities, hand signals, and
Initiating or Introductory Phase physical indications such as eye
In this section, the motivation, I evaluate students prior knowledge about the topic we will be contact
discussing. In some lessons this is just one question for students to discuss with others, in other Students monitor their own
cases, students spend time sharing for up to 5-10 minutes. This is both for me to learn about progress by making goals for
students previous knowledge and for the students to connect their prior knowledge to the topic learning, making choices,
we will learn about in that particular lesson. participating in group decisions
Developmental Phase (like what hand signals to use),
When students participate in the developmental phase of the lesson, they see modeled what I using a rubric, filling out final
prepare for them to do, and hope that they can do on their own/with a partner. Student assessment where they rate
involvement in the model keeps students involved and interested. their understanding of the
Culminating Phase topics taught in the unit
In this phase of the lesson, students put into practice what has been modeled. Guided worksheets Potential rough spots will occur
and conferring with the teacher as well as options for working in the front of the room if they when there is
have continued questions keeps students working and on task, as well as allows students to take misunderstanding and not
responsibility for their work. enough guidance or unclear
instructions
Students will get feedback
through conferring with the
teacher and teacher comments
during sharing time and
feedback on worksheets
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum