L5+Martin+Karin

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HEALTH AND REHABILITATION LESSON PLAN FORMAT
 * UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT FARMINGTON

Teacher’s Name:** Ms. Karin Martin **Date of Lesson:**
 * Grade Level:** 6-8 **Topic:** Nature Tributes

__**Objectives**__

 * Student will understand that** the choice of narrative elements can be used as tools to create meaning in a narrative.
 * Student will know** how to identify and analyze the use of critical detail in creative writing.
 * Student will be able to** demonstrate their knowledge of narrative writing.

__**Maine Learning Results Alignment**__
English Language Arts - B. Writing B2. Narrative Grades 6-8 Students will write narratives that convey complex ideas, observations, events, or reflections. b. Develop characters.


 * Rationale:** For this lesson, students will be creating a tribute to nature that must convey complex ideas, observations, events, and reflections.

__**Assessment**__
I will constantly be checking for understanding during this lesson by pacing through the classroom and observing the progress of the students. I will be asking clarifying questions to get the students to think about the tributes they are creating. I will ask them to ask themselves, "How can I use my knowledge of narrative writing to write about my favorite element of nature?" In this way, I will allow the students to revise the tribute they are working on as many times as they would like before the final due date. I will also give the students a chance to peer review each others' work by breaking them into the "Three Step Interview" groupings. They will interview each other about the tribute to nature that they are currently working on.
 * Formative (Assessment for Learning)**

The summative assessment for this lesson will be the final product of the tribute to nature that the students are creating. The students have a choice between using Comic Life, GarageBand, and iMovie. The summative assessment will consist of their knowledge of the software that they have been using; how well did the student understand? Or, if the student did not understand, how often did the student seek help? Ask questions? In addition to an assessment of the student's knowledge of the software, I will also be evaluating the student on the tribute to nature that he or she has created. I will not be looking for any specific criteria related to content, but more just general criteria: Is the work completed in a timely manner? Did the student remain focused throughout the work time? Is the final product quality work? Did the student mention nature? Did the student use one of the outlined technologies?
 * Summative (Assessment of Learning)**

__**Integration**__
__Technology__: The technology that I will be using in this lesson will be a chose for the students between iMovie, Comic Life, and GarageBand. These software programs allow the students to be creative with techonolgy and have fun with learning. These programs also allow for easy sharing between classmates for presentation and sharing. Students are able to express their creativity through a medium that is truly unique; there is no other method of reproducing the abilities that these software programs give the students without the use of technology.

__Social Studies__: This lesson incorporates current events -- students have the option of incorporating the current issues with global warming into their nature tributes if they wish.

__Art__: Students have the option to incorporate artwork into the tribute to nature.

__Music__: Students have the option to incorporate music into their tribute to nature.

__Science__: Students have the option to incorporate their scientific knowledge of nature into their tribute to nature.

__Groupings__
The students will be using the "Three Step Interview" grouping in this lesson to share information. In this way, students will be split into pairs based on the technology that they have chosen to use for the tribute to nature. Students will ask their partners clarifying questions about the tributes they are working on. When the students regroup as a class, I will have them report back the useful feedback that they got from working with their partners. I am doing this in the hope that, not only will the partners help one another, but also that sharing what they found useful will be useful to the rest of the class.

__**Differentiated Instruction**__

 * Strategies**
 * Verbal**: Students will be writing the scripts for the final product.
 * Logical**: Students will be using a graphic organizer to order their thoughts before writing.
 * Kinesthetic**: Students have the option to "act out" their tribute to nature.
 * Visual**: Students have the option to use images in their tribute to nature.
 * Naturalist**: Students are writing about nature.
 * Intrapersonal**: Students are working alone and reflecting on their work.
 * Interpersonal**: Students will be collaborating using the "Three Step Interview" to review the work they did on their tribute to nature.
 * Musical**: Students have the option to incorporate or make their own music as a tribute to nature.

//I will review students' IEP, 504, ELLIDEP, and make appropriate modifications and accommodations.//
 * Modifications/Accommodations**

Students who are absent from this lesson will miss quite a bit of work and will have to be prepared to do a lot of make-up time with me after school if he or she hopes to catch up in a timely manner. I will make sure to fill-in the student with all of the pertinent and necessary information that is required to complete the assignment and continue in the unit. If the student misses both days, he or she will be required to complete the assignment on his or her own, but I will give the student after-school time to use the school's internet access if that is not possible for the student at home. This must be completed in a timely manner, of course; within a week of the student's return to school.

The technology that I will be using in this lesson will be a chose for the students between iMovie, Comic Life, and GarageBand. These software programs allow the students to be creative with techonolgy and have fun with learning. These programs also allow for easy sharing between classmates for presentation and sharing. Students are able to express their creativity through a medium that is truly unique; there is no other method of reproducing the abilities that these software programs give the students without the use of technology. For students that are ahead of the curve, I will expect the final product to tell a digital story - not just a tribute to nature, but a story about nature.
 * Extensions**

__**Materials, Resources and Technology**__
-Laptops -Software: iMovie, Garageband, Comic Life -Hook: Tributes to nature -Cameras, both image and video

__Source for Lesson Plan and Research__
Graphic Organizers: http://www.region15.org/curriculum/graphicorg.html Creating Characters: http://www.writeandpublishyourbook.com/writing/write-a-book/character-development-in-fiction/ Characters: http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/characterdevelop.asp Reflective Writing Blog: http://primaryblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/blogs-as-reflective-writing-tools/ Reflective Writing: http://deangroom.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/417/ Nature Ideas: http://www.learningtogive.com/lessons/unit62/lesson5.html Comic Life Tutorial: http://teachershelper.wikispaces.com/Comic+Tools GarageBand Tutorials: http://etc.usf.edu/te_mac/movies/podcasting.html

__**Maine Standards for Initial Teacher Certification and Rationale**__ Rationale:** This lesson will provide a fun, creative learning environment. I will also make sure that I give the students artistic and academic freedom with this assignment for the students who made thrive on that type of environment. The learning environment of my classroom will always be a safe place for students to share their ideas and learn in a way that is necessary for effective teaching and learning. All students should feel comfortable in my classroom, and I will always be intolerant of those who might threaten that environment. Learners who like to analyze will absolutely benefit from this lesson because it is tailored to analyze narrative works and breaking them down to figure out how characterization works in real-life examples. Students who need structure will always be comfortable in my classroom, and especially this lesson, because I will provide an obvious framework for the lesson, and I will go over this at the beginning of the lesson for their benefit.
 * //Standard 3 - Demonstrates a knowledge of the diverse ways in which students learn and develop by providing learning opportunities that support their intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and cultural development.//

Rationale:** The facet of understanding that I chose to represent this lesson is "Students will understand that the choice of narrative elements can be used as tools to create meaning in a narrative." This is represented in the fact that I have given the students an option of the software program to use in their tributes to nature. Students also understand from the examples that I will give at the beginning of the class that there are many ways to accomplish the same feat and there are many different ways to look at the same thing. In this way, students get to chose which narrative elements they get to use in their tribute to nature -- there are no strict guidelines -- and they also get to experiment with the aspect of nature they wish to give tribute.
 * //Standard 4 - Plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, curriculum goals, and learning and development theory.//

Rationale:** I will be incorporating all eight of the multiple intelligences in this lesson: Verbal: Students will be writing the scripts for the final product; Logical: Students will be using a graphic organizer to order their thoughts before writing; Kinesthetic: Students have the option to "act out" their tribute to nature; Visual: Students have the option to use images in their tribute to nature; Naturalist: Students are writing about nature; Intrapersonal: Students are working alone and reflecting on their work**; I**nterpersonal: Students will be collaborating using the "Three Step Interview" to review the work they did on their tribute to nature; Musical: Students have the option to incorporate or make their own music as a tribute to nature. The technology that I will be using in this lesson will be a chose for the students between iMovie, Comic Life, and GarageBand. These software programs allow the students to be creative with techonolgy and have fun with learning. These programs also allow for easy sharing between classmates for presentation and sharing. Students are able to express their creativity through a medium that is truly unique; there is no other method of reproducing the abilities that these software programs give the students without the use of technology.
 * //Standard 5 - Understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies and appropriate technology to meet students’ needs.//

Rationale:** I will constantly be checking for understanding during this lesson by pacing through the classroom and observing the progress of the students. I will be asking clarifying questions to get the students to think about the tributes they are creating. I will ask them to ask themselves, "How can I use my knowledge of narrative writing to write about my favorite element of nature?" In this way, I will allow the students to revise the tribute they are working on as many times as they would like before the final due date. I will also give the students a chance to peer review each others' work by breaking them into the "Three Step Interview" groupings. They will interview each other about the tribute to nature that they are currently working on. The summative assessment for this lesson will be the final product of the tribute to nature that the students are creating. The students have a choice between using Comic Life, GarageBand, and iMovie. The summative assessment will consist of their knowledge of the software that they have been using; how well did the student understand? Or, if the student did not understand, how often did the student seek help? Ask questions? In addition to an assessment of the student's knowledge of the software, I will also be evaluating the student on the tribute to nature that he or she has created. I will not be looking for any specific criteria related to content, but more just general criteria: Is the work completed in a timely manner? Did the student remain focused throughout the work time? Is the final product quality work? Did the student mention nature? Did the student use one of the outlined technologies?
 * //Standard 8 - Understands and uses a variety of formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and support the development of the learner.//

__Teaching and Learning Sequence__
My classroom will be arranged in "U" arrangement -- two rows of desks in the shape of a "u", with my desk in the center of the back wall.

Day One: - Hook: I will begin the lesson with a few tributes to nature. (10 minutes) - Tutorials: I will then introduce the students to the software that they haven't used yet. (20 minutes) Garageband: http://etc.usf.edu/te_mac/movies/podcasting.html Comic Life: http://teachershelper.wikispaces.com/Comic+Tools - Students will work on their tributes to nature. (50 minutes) - HOMEWORK: Students will write a short narrative about a hero and post it to their blogs by day two.

Day Two: - Students will work on their tributes to nature. (75 minutes) - Student will pass in their final products. (5 minutes) - HOMEWORK: Students will read their classmates' blogs and respond in comment form, looking for character and plot development, as well as perspective.

Students will understand that the choice of narrative elements can be used as tools to create meaning in a narrative. Students will begin to understand which narrative elements are appropriate in certain situations. Students will write narratives that convey complex ideas, observations, events, or reflections. I will hook my students by exposing them to some short and interesting tributes to nature from all genres -- videos, poems, songs, etc. **Where, Why, What, Hook, Tailor: Verbal, Naturalist Musical, Interpersonal, Logical, Visual.**

Students will know how to identify and analyze the use of critical detail in creative writing. Students will identify those critical details in writing by listening to examples of nature tributes, and then they will use it in their own writing. I will constantly be walking around the classroom, providing feedback and asking questions to ensure that all students are learning in the classroom. This is also how I will check for understanding. **Equip, Tailor: Verbal, Naturalist, Interpersonal, Musical.**

Student will use any of the previously used graphic organizers that they feel may help them with writing their tribute to nature. I am giving the students a chose, because in the next lesson and for their performance assessment, they must decide which organizers are most useful. I am giving them a jump start on this. Students will use the "Three Step Interview" to review their tributes to nature. Students will break into pairs and interview one another with certain "clarifying questions." The interviewers will then report back to the class the information that they gathered during the interview. Student will understand that the choice of narrative elements can be used as tools to create meaning in a narrative. I will always be asking guiding questions to the students as they need it during the lesson, as this is mostly an individual-driven activity. The students will be using the "Three Step Interview" grouping in this lesson to share information. In this way, students will be split into pairs based on the technology that they have chosen to use for the tribute to nature. Students will ask their partners clarifying questions about the tributes they are working on. When the students regroup as a class, I will have them report back the useful feedback that they got from working with their partners. I am doing this in the hope that, not only will the partners help one another, but also that sharing what they found useful will be useful to the rest of the class. I will constantly be checking for understanding during this lesson by pacing through the classroom and observing the progress of the students. I will be asking clarifying questions to get the students to think about the tributes they are creating. I will ask them to ask themselves, "How can I use my knowledge of narrative writing to write about my favorite element of nature?" In this way, I will allow the students to revise the tribute they are working on as many times as they would like before the final due date. I will also give the students a chance to peer review each others' work by breaking them into the "Three Step Interview" groupings. They will interview each other about the tribute to nature that they are currently working on. The summative assessment for this lesson will be the final product of the tribute to nature that the students are creating. The students have a choice between using Comic Life, GarageBand, and iMovie. The summative assessment will consist of their knowledge of the software that they have been using; how well did the student understand? Or, if the student did not understand, how often did the student seek help? Ask questions? In addition to an assessment of the student's knowledge of the software, I will also be evaluating the student on the tribute to nature that he or she has created. I will not be looking for any specific criteria related to content, but more just general criteria: Is the work completed in a timely manner? Did the student remain focused throughout the work time? Is the final product quality work? Did the student mention nature? Did the student use one of the outlined technologies? Students are constantly given chances to revise their work and pass it in to me for feedback. I even provide opportunity for peer feedback during this lesson. **Explore, Experience, Rethink, Revise, Refine, Tailor: Verbal, Logical, Interpersonal, Musical, Naturalist, Visual, Kinesthetic.**

Students will write a reflection on their use of nature and narrative elements in their finished product. This reflection on the tribute to nature will be part of the evaluation process on the final product. The grading sheet that I have developed is a list of criteria that students must evaluate themselves against on a scale of one to ten. The students must also make additional (useful) comments. Their participation in this process is also part of the overall grade on the assignment, because this is an important process; it provides me with feedback, not only on what I am doing right or wrong, but also on what the students are continuing to struggle with. I will provide feedback during class as the work on the tributes is happening. Students have the option to see me about their work at any time during class. In addtion to making myself available during class, I will also be seeking them out during the development process to check on their progress and lead them in the right direction. The homework that they have during this lesson is about heroes, which ties to our comic book section, which begins in the next lesson and continues with the performance task at the end of the unit. This lesson also ties in because tributes to nature are one type of narrative writing that I want the students to be exposed to, especially with the environmental issues we are having in the world today. **Evaluate, Tailor: Verbal, Intrapersonal.**

Here is a list of some possible aspects to focus on in the tribute to nature:
 * Content Notes**

-Animals -- all, or a specific species (except humans) -Plants -- all, or a specific species -Environmental Awareness -- how to save the planet -Spirituality of Nature -- finding oneself -Duality of Nature -- beauty and destruction -The universe -- the skies -"Acts of God" -- weather -Biomes - deciduous forest, jungle, savannah, tundra, etc. -Eras -- Paleolithic, Jurassic, etc. -Bodies of water -- oceans, seas, lakes, rivers


 * Handouts**