UMF Unit-Wide Lesson Plan

Template

Name: Program: Course:

Maggie Pomerleau SED ENG Student Teaching
Lesson Topic / Title: Conspiracy Theory: Introduction

Lesson Date: Lesson Length: 80 minutes Grade/Age: Eighth Grade

2/3/20
Learning Objectives & Content Standard Alignment - ​Selects, creates, and sequences learning
experiences and performance tasks that support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals based on
content standards.
Learning Objective(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

● Students will be able to use this as a

● Students will create evidence based arguments. life skill outside of the classroom, so it
● Students can differentiate between is important that they learn how to
evidence-based claims and false claims. argue in a controlled and academic
● Students will know the format of an setting.
argumentative essay. ● In a world filled with false
● Students know and can use topic specific news—specifically online—it is
vocabulary. important for students to become
responsible digital citizens.
● In middle school standardized testing
and in high school, students will need
to know how to use the format of an
argumentative essay.
Content Standard(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

● Writing: During this unit, students will complete an

● 8. Gather relevant information from argumentative writing assignment. In order to
multiple print and digital sources, using do this, they will need to complete research,
search terms effectively; assess the which includes evaluating the credibility of the
credibility and accuracy of each source; websites they are citing and taking notes on
and quote or paraphrase the data and their readings. They will need to put this
conclusions of others while avoiding evidence into a well-written, cohesive
plagiarism and following a standard argument that follows the argumentative
format for citation. writing guidelines. Since they are writing about
● Reading: topics that are slightly nontraditional, they will
● 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument need to use jargon specific to their topic.
and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and the
evidence is relevant and sufficient;
recognize when irrelevant evidence is
introduced.
● Language:
● 6. Acquire and use accurately
grade-appropriate general academic
and domain-specific words and
phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge
when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression.

Assessment - Uses assessment flexibly to expand and deepen understanding of learner performance and
determines best supports for continued learner growth.
Assessment Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

● Pre: ​Hook For the hook, I will be asking students to help

○ Creating a definition for conspiracy me define a conspiracy theory. After we come
theories up with a definition, I will then ask them to
○ Shout-out activity to see how much shout out different conspiracies. I will write the
students know about conspiracies. theories on the board as students shout them
out.
Instructional Materials and Resources -​ Stays current in content knowledge and expands expertise in
reviewing instructional materials from the perspectives of both the discipline and individual learner
needs.
Materials, Resources, and/or Technology Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

● White board ● Every day, the plan of the day is

● Expo markers written out on the board. In order to do
● Laptop this, we need a white board and
● Laptop charger markers, which are always in the
● SmartBoard room.
● DVD player/DVD ● I will be using the SmartBoard, DVD
player, and my laptop to project the
movie. I will also need this to take
attendance and project the slideshow.

Instructional Methods: Selects, creates, and sequences learning experiences and performance tasks by
using a variety of instructional approaches, strategies, and technologies that make learning accessible to
all learners and support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals.
Teaching and Learning Sequence Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

● Finish Diary of Anne Frank movie (45 minutes) ● We are watching this film to finish up
● Hook (15 minutes) the previous unit on the Holocaust. It
● Ask students to define conspiracy will take approximately half the class,
theory including a few minutes for transition
● Ask students to shout out conspiracy time.
theories they have seen or heard of ● Students will be able to get into the
before topic more easily with a fun
● Importance (5 minutes) introduction to a new topic.
● Slideshow (15 minutes) ● Explain to students which learning
targets they will hit with this topic and
why it is important to learn how to
spot false claims, both academically
and socially.
● This slideshow will go through the
steps of how to assess a source’s
(specifically a website’s) reliability.
Meeting students’ needs (differentiation, extensions, Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
modifications, accommodations)
In this class, there are two students on the
Student 1: autism spectrum. Their accommodations are
minimal and the only accommodation that
● The school will affects our class is the need to leave class
1. Allow access to nurse's bathroom whenever the students feel it is necessary.
2. Allow student to call home/go home if Since I allow this for all of my students, there
he feels he needs to are no modifications needed for the
3. Provide social skills group curriculum.
4. Be aware of the need to accommodate
for sensory needs (foods, sound, bugs)

Student 2:

● The School will

1. Prep student for any transition or
change
2. Provide pre-learning and a positive
behavior plan that he helps design
(including reward)
3. If he needs to leave the classroom for a
break, allow student to visit guidance
counselor or call his mom
4. Provide opportunity for “space” in the
classroom
5. Provide supplemental work or allowed
to read or doodle after all work is
completed

Field Courses Only – Post lesson

Reflection

I wanted to keep this lesson exciting for the students since it was the beginning of the unit. I think the
hook definitely worked well for this, but NOT the importance aspect. Instead of creating a
broken-down version of each learning target, I asked students to help me come up with one. This was a
big mistake, because none of them wanted to do it. If I had created one ahead of time, I could’ve gone
through the LT aspect a little faster instead of watching their eyes glaze over. The importance should
focus more on the real life aspects than the learning targets, and this lesson was the opposite, even
though that was not my intention. Instead of asking students to help me break the learning targets
down, I should’ve been asking them how these targets could apply to everyday life. However, I do
think that my hook worked well to get students excited about their topics.

Teaching Standard Alignment

Standard 2: Learning Differences

The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to
ensure inclusive learning environments that allow each learner to read his/her full potential.
2(c)​ Designs instruction to build on learners’ prior knowledge and experiences, allowing learners to
accelerate as they demonstrate their understandings.

This lesson aligns with standard 2c because of the hook activity. I took my students different
experiences into account with this activity and allowed them to take control of the activity. By allowing
them to “shout out” the answers, I was giving the students control during the activity. ​They​ told ​me
what to write on the board, instead of me writing my own thoughts. We also came up with a group
definition of conspiracy theory, which takes their different experiences and cultures into account. Word
connotation can be different due to various experiences, communities, and cultures, and this activity
took that into account. Students were in charge of the activity, and the differences in answers showed
the diversity that exists within the classroom.