ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !

Assignment 4.2a:

Differentiated Interdisciplinary Content Lesson Plan

Michael Wigglesworth

National University

August 29, 2014

MAT 674 Differentiated Instruction

Instructor: Professor Brandy Prather-Payne

 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !2

Abstract

This paper outlines the learning objectives and procedures for a differentiated interdisciplinary

content lesson plan in a 12th grade American Government and Politics class. The lesson plan

addresses two 12th grade social science standards, several interrelated Language Arts standards,

and one Science standard. The lesson follows the three curricular elements of Teach Practice and

Apply, implements a variety of grouping patterns, and uses several differentiation strategies

outlined in Linda D. Ventriglia’s book, “Best Practices –Differentiated Instruction The Rule of

Foot” (2009).
 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !3

Introduction

The following lesson builds upon a previously outlined activity designed for my

American Government class. I have modified and adapted my “mock congress” lesson in order

to incorporate grade level science, and language arts standards. More research is showing that

when subject matter is compartmentalized, students are not given the opportunity to challenge

the depth of their understanding or explore the greater significance of the material that that they

learn. Ultimately, the interdisciplinary can be one of the most effective ways to design the apply

component of a lesson. This lesson is designed to take approximately 2-3 instructional block

periods.

Interdisciplinary Content Lesson Plan

12th Grade Principles of American Democracy, Language Arts, Science

Lesson Objectives
12th Grade Principles of American Democracy Standards (California Department of Education,
1998):
• 12.4 -Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of
government as established by the U.S. Constitution.
o 1. Discuss Article I of the Constitution as it relates to the legislative branch,
including… eligibility for office and lengths of terms of representatives and
senators; election to office; the roles of the House and Senate in impeachment
proceedings; the enumerated legislative powers; and the process by which a bill
 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !4

becomes a law.
• 12.1.5 -Describe the systems of separated and shared powers, the role of organized
interests (Federalist Paper Number 10), checks and balances (Federalist Paper Number
51), enumerated powers, rule of law, federalism…

12th Grade Language Arts Common Core State Standards (California Department of Education,
2013):
• Reading Standard for Informational Text Standard #1 -Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain
• Reading Standard for Informational Text Standard #8 -Delineate and evaluate the
reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and
use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and
the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy
▪ Writing Standard #1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
▪ Writing Standard #5 -Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
▪ Speaking and Listening Standard #1 -Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on- one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners
on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their
own clearly and persuasively.

12th Grade Science Standards (California Department of Education, 2013):

 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !5

• Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the

impacts of human activities on the environment and
• HS-
biodiversity.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of human
LS2-7.
activities can include urbanization, building dams, and
dissemination of invasive species.]

Materials
• Computer Lab and internet access for research.
• Constitution
• Scientific articles on biodiversity and various impacting factors.
• Congressional name tags identifying state and party.
• Computer / LCD Projector.
• Student handouts describing expectations and duties for various roles.

Pre-assessment

Students will be given a “quick write” in which they will asked to summarize the role of

Congress and brainstorm ways that Congress can effect their lives personally. A second

quick write will ask the students to define biodiversity and identify any current

controversies related to the issue of biodiversity.

This assessment will give me an idea of where to start when I implement the first phase

of whole-group direct instruction.

Instruction

Lesson One: Teach

Lesson one will use a period of whole-group direct instruction designed to provide
 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !6

students with the foundational knowledge needed to complete the practice and apply elements of

the lesson. The teach phase will be broken into three parts. The first will address the topic of

Congress and the legislative process; the second will explore the scientific topic of biodiversity

and how it relates to government and politics; and the third will explain the guidelines for the

mock congress project as well as the various ELA standards.

After the quick write I will begin with a discussion of how Congress can affect the lives

of ordinary citizens. I will instruct students on the powers of Congress and the legislative

process. The lecture / discussion will be differentiated through the use of a multimedia

presentation incorporating images of important congressional figures, charts depicting how a bill

moves through the legislative process, and video showing examples of parliamentary procedure

(including humorous examples of past Senate filibusters). During the period of whole group

instruction I will engage students using the Quick Think Focusing Strategy (Ventriglia, 2009).

Students will be stopped at critical points and will be presented with questions to discuss in pairs.

The key to this is in tailoring questions that encourage a sharper focus on key topics and enable

the eventual move toward deeper dialogue and higher level thinking. This approach can stimulate

a whole group discussion in which the I can engage in a discourse with the students that takes

into account the various readiness levels and interests of students. I will paraphrase the

comments made by students in order to ensure that all students can comprehend the discussion as

it progresses. I can then expand on or contrast the ideas presented, thus maintaining focus on the

learning objectives. The chart depicting how a bill becomes a law can also be used as a Concept

Mapping Strategy. Each step in the flow chart represents a separate concept (i.e. the committee

system, lobbyists, logrolling, pork barrel spending, and executive and legislative “checks” on the
 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !7

judicial branch.

In order to ensure that the English language learners are given access to the curriculum I

will be sure to utilize some common SDAIE strategies. These strategies include the use of clear

enunciation and a controlled vocabulary. It is also useful to use cognates and to point out similar

origins of words. It is important that the teacher limit idiomatic speech and explain any words

that have double meanings so as not to create any confusion. I will also use “contextualization,”

or the creation of an information-rich environment that appeals to multiple senses (i.e. pictures,

video, music, graphic organizers, hands-on activities, etc). This approach enables ELLs to

decipher more of the language through the context clues (Sullivan, 1992).

After thoroughly covering Congress and the legislative process I would then move to a

discussion of the scientific importance of biodiversity and the governments role in environmental

regulation. We would brainstorm and create a bubble chart outlining examples of human

activities that can affect biodiversity (e.g. urbanization, building dams, dissemination of invasive

species, genetically modified crops, pollution, etc.). I would present examples of previous

environmental legislation that has come out of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public

Works and explain that students will soon be writing their own legislation pertaining to the issue

of biodiversity (Science standard HS-LS2-7). Students would be informed that their legislation

can be written from a conservative perspective (minimal government intervention / free market

approach) or a liberal perspective (robust governmental response/regulation).

Lastly students would be instructed on the procedures for the mock congress assignment

including how to conduct their research and cite evidence for their legislation; how to construct

arguments and systematically support claims; and the expectations for the collaborative group
 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !8

activities. Students would be shown previous student samples that demonstrate proper format for

the assignment.

Lesson Two: Practice

The practice phase of the lesson is actually interwoven throughout. After covering

Congress and the legislative process, students would be arranged into homogeneous groups of

three students. They would be given a real life narrative of events surrounding the passage of an

airport security bill after 9/11. The narrative is cut into strips and they events are out of order.

The students are tasked with using their knowledge of the legislative process to put the strips in

the proper order. English Language learners would be given a narrative with simplified language

and would be tasked with matching the slips of paper to a flow chart that outlines the legislative

process.

After the whole group instruction on human impacts on biodiversity, students will read a

scientific article on the topic and will engage in a think-pair-share. This will allow students to

engage each other and demonstrate their understanding of the Science standard.

Lesson Three: Apply

For the application phase of the lesson, students will engage in a mock congress

legislative reenactment. The class will be divided into five subcommittees (heterogeneous

groups). Each committee will examine a different aspect of human effects on the environment

and biodiversity (i.e. urbanization, building dams, dissemination of invasive species, genetically

modified crops, and pollution). Each group will be given a packet of information to assist in their
 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !9

research as well as a list of internet resources that they can use. Students will design, evaluate,

and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of these human activities on the environment. Each

student will create a bill and will present it to the subcommittee. A subcommittee chairperson

will mediate the discussion and ensure that parliamentary procedures are adhered to. Students

will discuss each of the bills and will work to combine the best ideas from each into one common

piece of legislation. During this phase of the lesson students will be monitored for their progress

on the reading, writing, and speaking language arts standards. Each subcommittee will then

present their bill “on the floor” to the rest of the class at which time students can discuss, debate,

and ask questions of the subcommittee authors in a peer panel format.

Assessment

Students will be assessed based on the quality of information presented in the bills and their

ability to accurately reproduce the legislative process and engage in substantive debate. Students

will also be assessed using a benchmark summative exam.

References

California Department of Education (1998). History-Social Science Content Standards for

California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve. Retrieved on August 12,

2014 from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp

California State Board of Education. (2013). Common Core State Standards for English

Language Arts Content Standards. Retrieved on August 25, 2014, from the California

State Board of Education Web site: http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/

elacontentstnds.pdf
 ASSIGNMENT 4.2A !10

California State Board of Education. (2009). Next Generation Science Standards for California

Public Schools. Retrieved on August 25, 2014, from the California State Board of

Education Web site: http://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/ngssstandards.asp

Sullivan, P. (1992). ESL in context. Newbary Park, CA: Corwin Press.

Ventriglia, L. (2010). Differentiated instruction: The rule of foot. (8th). Col. Granjas Esmeralda,

Mexico: Younglight Education.