Writing Your Rationale and Standard 1 Reflection

CI 377

General Overview: This rationale should detail why you are doing what you are
doing. It should highlight the topics covered in class (ex: developmental processes of
learning to read/write, age appropriate activities, literacy research, etc.) and how they
apply to the unit that you designed. It should show that you know why the lessons you
designed are good for the age group chosen. The length should be approximately 2-4
pages long and double spaced. Written from a third-person perspective.

1. Begin with the introduction

A. Opening Sentence
First example: Through this unit, students will learn about Japan,
Haiku poems, how to write them, and will compose their own.
Second example: This unit covers the topic of _____________ for
______ grade and highlights practices that are
developmentally appropriate and engaging for the students.
B. Next Sentences-
*What is your unit about? Why is this important?
*What grade level, reading and writing developmental level, and word
study developmental levels are highlighted?
*What are some characteristics of learners in these stages?

C. Share brief organization items such as “this rationale will first discuss ____, and then
will discuss _____ and then _____“
D. Conclude by saying something related to the fact that the following examples will
highlight your firm grasp of the developmental level chosen and your understanding of
the need for balanced literacy programs.

2. In the next paragraphs break down your unit into reading, writing
and word study
components. Be sure to reference the class texts or other sources.

Paragraph 2: Reading. State what is important at the developmental level chosen by you
for the unit; also any specific characteristics of learners in this stage of development that
are supported by your lesson activities, providing an example or two. Mention some of
the specific CCSS that are supported by these lessons and activities. Mention any
considerations for differentiation. Mention the types of reading lessons being addressed
(ex. Shared, interactive, guided) and some examples of skills being addressed by these
lessons.
Paragraph 3: Writing. State what is important at the developmental level chosen by you
for the unit; also any specific characteristics of learners in this stage of development that
are supported by your lesson activities, providing an example or two. Mention some of
the specific CCSS that are supported by these lessons and activities. Mention any
considerations for differentiation. Mention the types of writing lessons being addressed
(ex. Shared, interactive, guided) and some examples of skills being addressed by these
lessons.

Paragraph 4: Word Study. State what is important at the developmental level chosen by
you for the unit; also any specific characteristics of learners in this stage of development
that are supported by your lesson activities, providing an example or two. Mention CCSS
that are supported by these lessons and activities. Mention any considerations for
differentiation.

3. Concluding paragraph
Summarize what you have discussed in your paper. In essence, share that you met the
developmental needs of your students and reference your previous paragraphs. You may
also wish to add a statement about differentiation here.

Writing your Standard 1 Reflection

General Overview: This will be a short summary, written from a FIRST-PERSON

perspective which addresses the three questions found at the bottom of the Standard 1
Cover Sheet. They are:

1. Discuss how you used your understanding of student

learning to create this unit. Specifically comment on unit
objectives, lesson planning, and assessment.
2. Discuss why it is important to take student learner
characteristics into consideration.
3. Discuss how you will use this information in future
planning.

For question 1, think about how you begin to plan your unit.
Where did you start? What resources did you use to know what the
students at the grade level you selected would need in the lessons you
were creating? What did you take from class that helped you
understand their developmental level(s)? How did you write your
objectives? And what did you take into consideration when it came to
the assessments you designed for each lesson?
For question 2, think about what would happen if you did NOT
take the characteristics of learners at this grade level into
consideration. What would happen if you did not consider their
developmental levels, critical skills deemed necessary to gain that this
age? This should help in answering the question of “why” you did take
these things into consideration. Keep the focus on how STUDENTS
learn differently and why it is so important to consider each and every
student’s learning needs.
For question 3, as a result of doing this project, following the
steps we took to create lesson topics, resources we used (such as
CCSS, textbooks, lectures, online resources, etc) what would I hope
and expect to see you do in your future classroom instruction as a
primary teacher? What resources would I hope you always consult as
you plan instruction? Will you always write such detailed plans? If not,
why are we doing this NOW? Will you always take into consideration
how students learn and the different ways they learn?