Analysis of Lesson - Before it was Taught
Although my class does not have any students with IEPs or ELLs, I still differentiated my lesson plan and included diverse types of activities to account for the fact that all students learn differently. Furthermore, the tools that can help students with special needs can also benefit other learners. Examples of differentiated/diverse assignments in this lesson include:
· Incorporating both literary and visual sources. By including the visual elements, ELL students or students with reading disabilities will also be able to participate in the discussion, since they can interpret a picture without reading anything. The written sources will be helpful for students who prefer to read than analyze a picture.
· When I do have students read a source, I make sure that someone reads it out loud so that students will also hear it orally.
· Using the graphic organizer to take notes instead of simply writing an outline may help students who prefer to view information visually.
· By having the students work in groups for certain activities, students with special needs will be able to learn from other students and navigate through any difficulties they may have. Group/partner work also gives students a chance to relax a little bit, which may be helpful for students who have a short attention span.
· I also gave two options for completing the homework. Students could choose to depict the information in the cause and effect chart or write a paragraph describing the impact that the Nile River had on Ancient Egypt.
· If I see that students are having difficulty grasping content and vocabulary, I will simplify the language so that they understand it. At the same time, using high-level vocabulary may be helpful for keeping “gifted” students challenged and involved in the conversation.
My lesson is based primarily around various images. Some of these images are primary sources, such as the Rosetta Stone and mummies. Others are simply visual ways of understanding material, such as the social class pyramid. I selected these images because I thought that they would give students a real understanding of Ancient Egypt and be more useful than a bulleted list of notes. Students will also label their own maps, which should also be more effective than writing down a list of words.
This lesson may present several challenges to teachers. Teachers must make sure that the instructions for the map activity are explained clearly. Otherwise, s/he will spend a lot of the group time walking from group to group to explain what they should be doing. The lesson is structured so that it could turn into a discussion. Teachers should try to involve multiple students and make sure that several voices are heard during the conversation. They should also be aware that discussions may also encourage chatter, which or may not be a distraction for the rest of the class. However, if done correctly, the class should run smoothly at a good pace.
· Incorporating both literary and visual sources. By including the visual elements, ELL students or students with reading disabilities will also be able to participate in the discussion, since they can interpret a picture without reading anything. The written sources will be helpful for students who prefer to read than analyze a picture.
· When I do have students read a source, I make sure that someone reads it out loud so that students will also hear it orally.
· Using the graphic organizer to take notes instead of simply writing an outline may help students who prefer to view information visually.
· By having the students work in groups for certain activities, students with special needs will be able to learn from other students and navigate through any difficulties they may have. Group/partner work also gives students a chance to relax a little bit, which may be helpful for students who have a short attention span.
· I also gave two options for completing the homework. Students could choose to depict the information in the cause and effect chart or write a paragraph describing the impact that the Nile River had on Ancient Egypt.
· If I see that students are having difficulty grasping content and vocabulary, I will simplify the language so that they understand it. At the same time, using high-level vocabulary may be helpful for keeping “gifted” students challenged and involved in the conversation.
My lesson is based primarily around various images. Some of these images are primary sources, such as the Rosetta Stone and mummies. Others are simply visual ways of understanding material, such as the social class pyramid. I selected these images because I thought that they would give students a real understanding of Ancient Egypt and be more useful than a bulleted list of notes. Students will also label their own maps, which should also be more effective than writing down a list of words.
This lesson may present several challenges to teachers. Teachers must make sure that the instructions for the map activity are explained clearly. Otherwise, s/he will spend a lot of the group time walking from group to group to explain what they should be doing. The lesson is structured so that it could turn into a discussion. Teachers should try to involve multiple students and make sure that several voices are heard during the conversation. They should also be aware that discussions may also encourage chatter, which or may not be a distraction for the rest of the class. However, if done correctly, the class should run smoothly at a good pace.