How will I demonstrate impact on student learning as a result of my differentiated lesson?
The ability to reach all my students and to have my students asking to do the assignment again or during their free choice is indication that my differentiated lesson had an impact on student learning. It took some thought, reflection, and planning. But in the end, I was inspired to do more than one lesson plan. I was inspired to make a little unit. My unit spanned five days. For this post I selected the lesson plan that was the primary focus for their project. However, the pre/post assessment was conducted on the first day of the unit. I have included it in this post, but feel it now necessary to explain why it is there in case it does not make sense. As for the student work, I have included their finished work and have included one that needs work, one that is proficient, and one that is above expectations.
Day 3: Kindergarten Architects
Time Needed: 60 Minutes
Instructional Method
Whole group
Small Group
Accommodations:
ESL/ELL
For students who have language difficulties I will alter the language in the lesson to ensure they understand what they are being asked to do
IEP
Students with an IEP will have necessary accommodations to ensure they can participate and successfully complete lesson
Vision/Hearing
All students with vision/hearing impairments will sit near the front of the class so they can see/hear the lesson
Behavioral
Students with behavioral concerns or issues will be seated near the front of the class during instruction and with the teacher if needed for seatwork
Standards Addressed
K.G.1. Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes and describe their relative positions
K.G.2. Name shapes regardless of their orientation or overall size.
K.G.5. Build shapes (e.g., using sticks and clay) and draw shapes.
K.G.6. Put together two-dimensional shapes to form larger shapes (e.g., join two triangles with full sides touching to make a rectangle)
Objectives
Students will be able to:
Design buildings using shapes
Label their designs
Build their design using construction paper
Teacher Materials
White board
Marker
Construction paper
Scissors
Student Materials
Paper
Pencil
Various colors of construction paper
Scissors
Glue sticks
Instructional Sequence
Pre/Post Test (This was done on the first day of unit and last to gauge their understanding)
Oral Test
What is a shape?
– List out responses
What are shapes we see every day?
– List out shapes given
Have compare sets of shapes to determine shapes vs. non-shapes
– Yay or Nay responses with a show of hands
Give students attribute blocks and have students make a building and explain their building
– Take note of whether their buildings built are feasible
The results of a few of the questions could not be represented very well in a graph. However, the growth was great in the responses given. Students demonstrated a greater grasp on what a shape is and its many purposes. The question on shapes we see every day doubled by the end of this unit. The comparison of shapes vs. non-shapes was also dramatically different, as there was more unanimity in their responses on shapes deemed “non-shape” vs. shape. And finally, their use of the attribute blocks was more well-thought out by the end of the unit and their buildings were more structurally feasible.
Anticipatory Set
As students enter group meeting have pictures of various buildings from around our town – school, church, state building, and university building
Ask students to describe the shapes seen in each picture
Have students turn and talk with peers about these shapes
Ask students “How did these shapes become a part of these buildings? Were they already like that?”
Have students discuss these questions
Activate Prior Knowledge
Remind students of some of the shapes seen around our neighboring areas from yesterday’s walking field trip
Give specific examples of such shapes that they drew in their recording sheets
Teacher Modeling
Introduce the concept of how the shapes we see around us became part of our environment – they had to be built!
Ask students who built such buildings we have grown accustomed to seeing
Introduce the term “architect”
Ask students if they know what an architect is? Then ask what an architect does
Tell students that architects design buildings so that others can build them
Show students what is meant by design
Draw a house on the white board using shapes and tell students you just designed a house
Ask students what shapes are included in your design
Draw these shapes below design
Guided Practice
Students are now to get practice designing their own building
They are to use pencil and paper to design a building of their own using shapes
Give ideas – it can be their house, an apartment building, a school, a church, or a post office building to name a few
Circulate through the room to make sure students have an understanding of their task
Regroup
Bring students back to the group meeting area
Discuss and show student work
Point out the shapes that have been used in their designs
Introduce Problem
Architects have to design buildings much like the ones they have. Their designs are not colored in, but rather labeled. They label their designs with the colors they will use!
Students are now to label the shapes on their designs with the color they plan to use to make these shapes
Once they finish labeling their design it has to be approved before they can begin to build!
Once their design has been approved they may get the appropriate construction paper colors to begin constructing their designs
Independent Practice
Release students one by one to their tables to begin designing their buildings
Regroup
Once every student has finished designing, labeling, and constructing their building have students meet you in group meeting
Discuss how today’s assignment went for them and how it might have been made better
Lesson Assessment
Observation of student work
Student designs
Construction paper buildings
Student Work
Below are three examples of student work.Students were expected to have at least three shapes and three colors to go with those three shapes.
The first is the one I felt could use some work. It was labeled but not so clearly and I felt this student could have used more color for the shapes selected and made the construction match the design a little better. The second is one that meets expectations. The design matches what was built, meets expectations for amount of shapes and colors used, and is labeled neatly.
The third, though not labeled as nicely as the second, has gone above and beyond with the inclusion of more shapes, colors, and is still labeled so anyone could read the design plan.
