Standards:
English Language Arts (CCSS)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1, CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RI.1.2, CCSS.ELA-LITER-
ACY.RI.1.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.10, CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.W1.2, CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.W1.7
Social Studies
PA SAS: 7.1.1B, 7.2.1.A
Science
NGSS: 1-LS1-1, 1-LS1-2
What?
What?
Who? Knowledge of particular students & con-
text:
- Students are currently learning about arctic ani-
mals (January), which will lead to a unit about
penguins
- Right before the two week student teacher-led
curriculum, students will be learning about non-
fiction writing and creating their own books about
a specific animal
- Students get excited learning about animals
- Students seem to be more engaged when art (e.g.
drawing) and videos are incorporated into a lesson
- Students seem to work well in partners and small
groups
- The school day is well structured and should be
kept that way for consistency
- There are 24 students, of which 1 has an IEP and
1 English Learner
- Majority of class schedule is typically devoted to
literacy
- Students have literacy once a week with a differ-
ent teacher
Curriculum Materials:
Class curriculum available
- Investigations, Math
- CLI, Literacy
Materials needed
- Fiction and non-fiction books
about animal habitats
- Read aloud texts, art, videos, etc.
- World map
- Classroom supplies
- Graphic organizers
- Chart paper
Animal Habitats How?
How?
Why?
Educational Philosophy and Beliefs:
- Curriculum should be student-cen-
tered, student choice and inquiry
should be valued
- New information can be more effec-
tively learned and remembered if stu-
dents are able to connect it with prior
knowledge
- Differentiated instruction is important
in ensuring all students understand the
can follow content of lessons
- All students learn differently, that
should be taken into account when
lesson planning and assessing perfor-
mance
Teaching Methods:
- Elicit existing background
knowledge
- Ongoing informal assessment
- Turn and talks to ensure students
all have a chance to participate
- Small group work (in assigned
groups) to encourage collaboration
and to use each other as resources
- Provide variety of access points
for students
- Present content in different for-
mats
- Differentiated instruction
- Utilize productive talk moves
Theories of Learning & Teach-
ing:
- Atkinson & Shiffrin: making
connections with prior
knowledge to new information
- Tomlinson: differentiation is
crucial in education equality
- Hiebert: teacher’s intervention
should be intentional in pushing
students’ thinking forward
- Bandura: children learn from
each other, from modeling
- Skinner: positive reinforcement
- Calkins: incorporate students’
personal connections