CalTPADesigning Instruction Task

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Before beginning this task, read the complete directions provided in the CalTPA Candidate Handbook.

Step 1: Academic Content Selection and Learning about Students

Directions: An important step in planning instruction is to learn about your students. Select one class, one content area, and the state-adopted academic content standards or state-adopted framework (if your single subject content area does not have content standards) for this task. Respond to the questions below about this class, unit of study, and how you learn about the students.

A. Academic Content Selection

Grade Level: Fourth Grade ____________ Content Area: Language Arts/ Social Studies Subject Matter: The Gold Rush ___________ 1. List the state-adopted academic content standards or state-adopted framework that you will cover for this unit of study. Common Core State Standard CA.CC.4.RF. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills 4.RF.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. CA.CC.W.4. Writing Standards 4.W.7. Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. CA.CC.4.RF. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills 4.RF.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

2. Describe the unit of study that addresses those standards. The unit of study is the California Gold Rush. This includes the discovery of gold, the migration of people to California, life of a mining town and conditions of different cultural groups. 3. What is (are) the academic learning goal(s) for this unit of study? The learner will select a research topic based on their interest in an aspect of the Gold Rush. The learner will research information from books and the Internet. The learner will work in cooperative groups. The learner will deliver oral presentations to each other. The learner will develop a presentation. Class Information Age range of students: 9-10 years old

Number of male students: 11 males

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CalTPADesigning Instruction Task

Total number of students: 20 Students

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Number of female students: 9 females

B. Student Characteristics
Linguistic Background 1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? First, I am interested in what languages students speak at home. This will give me a better idea of which students are native English speakers and which students are English language learners. The class I am in now has one ELL and the rest are native English speakers. For the one ELL it is important to know what languages he does speak and when he was first was exposed to English. Also, I am interested if any students have speech disorders in order to plan and create lessons to help students who may have difficulty and need accommodation/ differentiation. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. I will learn about my students linguistic background both formally and informally. Formally, I would see if the student has an IEP or a speech problem/disorder that I need to be aware of. Also, I would send a survey home with students to ask parents or family the language information. I would ask questions like; what language does the student speak or hear at home?, and does the student speak more than one language? Informally, I would become aware of linguistic patterns of students in the classroom. I can become more aware of a childs speech patterns both in the classroom during class discussions or socially with other students during group work or during recess. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? Any and all information I can learn about students linguistic background will be valuable information to create and transform lessons that will benefit my students. If I had students who were ELs I would have to be aware of that and use more oral language for instructions and discussions. Also, I may need to use more strategies like pictures with words or phrases so students could still understand the lesson or concept with support. Also, linguistic information will allow me to better assist the student. During group work, a student who is an EL or a student who needs support with speaking can be paired with a student who is a fluent English speaker and can become a role model and help that student linguistically. Successful pairings will help alleviate stress and will help the student feel comfortable to share out and express themselves. Academic Language Abilities, Content Knowledge, and Skills 1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? 2

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First, I would like to know which students are learning at, below and above grade level. I would also like to know how much exposure they have had to the Gold Rush and the various aspects of this time in Californias history. Lastly, I would like to know how much exposure the students have had to informational texts and skimming through these for information. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. I will learn this information in different ways. First, I will discuss with my directing teacher what concepts about California they have been exposed to before in the class. I will also ask my directing teacher what exposure they have had with informal text research. Then, I can look at work they have done in the past with informal texts and assess if they are familiar and successful with using them. Also, I can look at CELDT scores and writing sample from their CUM files. These assessments will also give me insight into individual students levels in English language arts/ Social studies in order to differentiate the lesson for those students. Also, these assessments will give me insight into how the groups should be formed. I can make groups that include one or more students who excel in group and ELA/ Social Studies subjects and students who need extra help in these areas. This way the students who need help can have support in their group. . 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? I will use the information in academic language, content knowledge and skills in planning an appropriate lesson for the class. I can take what I learned about the students prior knowledge on the subject, their scores on the CELDT, their exposure to informational texts and their levels in ELA/Social Studies in order to plan a successful unit and address student needs during each lesson of the unit. I will use information about their prior knowledge of the Gold rush to gauge if this will be all new concepts the students are learning or if some of it is review. Also, looking at their writing samples and levels in English language arts/ Social studies will give me insight on which students to put in which groups so students who need help can have support in their group. I will also take the information I learned about my EL students and other student with special needs in the class in order to give them support throughout the unit and to differentiate each lesson. Physical, Social, and Emotional Development 1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? It is very important to understand where the students are developmentally at the grade level, in my case, fourth grade. Physically, it is important to see where the students are in their physical development, and to see if a student might be behind in their development or more developed. Also, it is important to learn of any physical disorders that might affect a child at school, like hearing or visual impairments. Socially, it is important to know where students are developmentally. I can watch to see which students are comfortable in social situations and which students are not, which students tend to be leaders of the group, and who each student friends are and who they hang out with. Emotionally, it is important to understand the emotions of a typical grade, in my case, fourth grade. Also, it is important to know of
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any emotional disorders or struggles in a students home life that may be emotionally tolling. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. The first way I will learn about the students physical, social and emotional development is through speaking and interacting with them through the school day. This includes both in the classroom and around campus. The mixture on formal and informal discussion and interaction with students will give me great insight as to where they are in all three states of development. Also, I will discuss information about the three types of development with my directing teacher because she has had time through the year to interact and gain insight into each students development. Also, she will have information about the families and greater community that will be valuable. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? I will use the physical, social, and emotional information about my students to differentiate appropriately. Also, the information I gather will help alter seating arrangements and groupings for group work to provide a supportive and comfortable for students in the class. If there are any physical limitations, this information can help me alter the classroom set up so these students can succeed in the classroom. For example, making the classroom wheelchair accessible, or putting hearing and seeing impaired students closer to the front of the class so they can see or hear easier. Socially, I will be aware of student grouping in order to get students who may need extra support to work in a group. Lastly, if I encounter students who have emotional disorders I will be more prepared to deal with the student by knowing what upsets them and how to calm them down. Cultural and Health Considerations 1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? I would like to know if any of my students have any health concerns that might affect them during the school day. This includes epilepsy, diabetes, any allergies, and any other diseases or concerns. This is important because health problems like this that go unnoticed will have severe consequences for the student. Knowing about these health concerns will allow the teacher to be better prepared or be aware of preventative measures, like a peanut free table at lunch, etc. I would also like to know about each students cultural background. This is important to show interest in their lives and to understand any cultural norms or traditions they might have. Also, I can plan lessons and relate them to the different cultures we have throughout the class. This will help peak their interest in the subject and helps them take pride in their culture and help them understand other cultures. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. There are three main ways I will learn about any health concerns and cultural considerations of my students. First, I will reference a school- wide survey that the school sends out asking questions about health concerns of students we need to be aware of, and living situations of
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the students. Second, I will contact the parents asking them is any of their children have serious health concerns that I need to be aware of at school. Also, while talking to parents, I can ask and understand more about the cultural norms of their family. Lastly, I will talk closely with my supervising teacher and the nurse to see what they know about the students health needs and cultural aspects of the students life. After learning about all of this different information, I think it is important to learn more about cultures and their norms, and various health conditions that would be common in an elementary school. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? In regard to health considerations, I would use the information I gathered to become better prepared in my academic instruction. I will be prepared if an emergency happened while a student with a health problem was at school, especially if there are warning signs to look for that the student might present. Also, if I used food in one of my lessons, I could take any food allergies into consideration and plan accordingly but simply not using that food or finding an alternative. In regard to cultural considerations, I can use cultural information to strengthen a lesson and for awareness. Students can help build prior knowledge and take pride in their learning when it relates to things like their culture. Learning about cultural diversity is an important part of a classroom experience and helps students come together and better prepare for the world and the diversity it brings. Also, I can be aware if some material in a subject may be sensitive for some students and prepare to talk about that. Lastly, some behavior and actions can be explained by cultural norms, so the more I know about a students culture, the more I will be able to understand why they are doing things that might be concerning.

Interests and Aspirations 1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? I would like to know as much information as I can about what my students are interested in outside of school. I want to know what their hobbies are, if they do sports, and anything else they are interested in. Who are the people (famous or not) that they look up to? Also, I would like to know what they want to be when they grow up and what is important to them as they grow up. What are their dreams? 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. The first way I will learn about my students will be to simple talk to them about things they like outside of school. There are many instances during the day that I have the chance to talk to students about things other than school. This is a great time to talk to them about their interests and what they value in their life. Informal talks like this with students is a very natural and stress-free way for students to express themselves and gain insight into their interests and aspirations. Also, since my directing teacher knows the students very well, I would ask her about different students interests that she has learned about.
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CalTPADesigning Instruction Task

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Another more formal way to gain insight into the students interests and aspirations is to make a game out of it to play one day. I would make Bingo cards with different interests in each box, then students would have to go around asking people if they are interested in things listed on the Bingo board. When they find someone who likes an interest listed they would write their name. The first student to get a Bingo would win. I would also play to learn and ask students about their interests. I could also collect the boards in order to look at them later to gain more insight into what each students interest is. This is a fun, yet insightful experience for the students and me to gain more knowledge about the kind of interest the students have. Lastly, another way I can gain more knowledge on students interests and aspirations is to send a survey home. This survey could ask things like; what do you like to do after school?, do you play any sports?, what so you want to be when you grow up?, what music or television shows do you like? This survey would give me a clear picture of what specific students like to do and where they see themselves later in life. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? Knowing students interests will help me create academic content that will be interesting to them and keep them engaged. For the survey explained above, if I received this information back I could turn it into a lesson on graphing. I could graph different interest and we could see what interested the class the most and the least. Alternately, if many of the students like baseball I could create a lesson or a math game that incorporated baseball into it. This will help students engagement and interest in the subject and creates a more positive learning experience for them. Also, with knowledge of the students aspirations I can more easily connect the subjects and concepts they are learning to what they will be doing in the future. This way, students will feel the information they are learning is important and they will need to know it in order to move towards their aspirations.

Step 2: Learning about Two Focus Students

Directions: Select two focus students from the class you identified in Step 1. Select one student who is an English learner and one student who presents a different instructional challenge. Use some of the methods you described in Step 1 to learn about these two students. Consider your selected content area and subject matter when describing what you learned about the two focus students. Complete the section below. In each box below include: a description of what you learned about each of the students an explanation of how the information will influence your academic instructional planning. Note: Single subject candidates for a credential in Languages Other Than English who are
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delivering instruction entirely in the target language may choose another student with a different instructional challenge rather than an English learner.

Student 1: An English learner

Gender: Male _____ Age: 9 ___________ 1. Why did you select this student? This student was selected because he is an early intermediate, according to the CELDT test, ELD student thats biggest challenge is reading and comprehension. The students is social and enjoys speaking to other peers however, reading is a difficult task for this student. When the student reads, he takes a good portion of time trying to read or sound out words and it hinders his comprehension of the material greatly. He is a hard worker, but it is difficult for him to keep up with all of the reading materials without assistance, like frontloading or providing a more comprehensible version. 2. What did you learn about this students linguistic background? I learned that this student is of Hispanic descent. His parents were not born in the United States, but this student was. When at home he speaks a mixture of Spanish and English, but since his family is not fluent in English it presents a challenge for this student to experience, speak and hear proper spoken English. In class, this student shows progress in his written English and socially with peers. Reading and reading comprehension is more difficult for him though. 3. What did you learn about this students academic language abilities in relation to this academic content area? I learned that this student has a high level of interpersonal communication skills, but lacks academic language proficiency. He has the ability to communicate to the teacher and his peers, but using academic language is difficult for him, especially if he is not comfortable yet with the topic. In this sense he tends to shut down and does not raise his hand to take part in the class discussion. Also, on his STAR test, he tested at the basic level in language arts. 4. What did you learn about this students content knowledge and skills in this subject matter? After speaking to the directing teacher and looking at past report cards, he has met the language arts requirements for the most part. That means he is receiving 2s on his report card. This is also true for social studies, especially because language arts and social studies have a strong link in the classroom when it comes to assignments and their grades. 5. What did you learn about this students physical, social and emotional development relevant to this academic content area? I learned that this student is physically an averaged sized fourth grade boy who is active, social and loves sports. Sports are an outlet for this student and he seems to make friends and
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communicate well. He seems most happy when he can be outside playing sports or another activity that has him moving. The friends that he plays sports with range from both Spanish and English speaking students, so when he is with them, he tends to speak both languages. Since he enjoys being outside, it is not easy for him to transition back to a classroom environment and usually needs time to calm down before he can really focus. 6. What did you learn about this students cultural background, including family and home relevant to this academic content area? This student lives with his mom, dad, two sisters and a baby brother. His parents came to California when they were younger and live in the same neighborhood as the school. This students does take the bus everyday to and from school because his parents work a lot to make ends meet. They go to work early in the morning and get home late at night. Usually his older sister takes care of children until the mother comes home. When taking about his family, this student has a great bond with them. He is thankful to his sister for helping take care of him and his siblings and loves his parents too. This student is aware of his heritage, but he does not talk about many traditions or history from his culture. Maybe learning more about his cultural ties to California will help him open up and think about his culture and heritage. 7. What did you learn about this students special considerations, including health issues relevant to this academic content area? After talking to the nurse, this student does not have any health concerns and has had all his immunizations he needs at his age. He is a high-energy student who loves to be active and moving. He is also very seldom sick from school. Lastly, his file states that he is not allergic to anything. 8. What did you learn about this students interests and aspirations relevant to this academic content area? This student is very interested in the outdoors and being active. He has not expressed any interest in this content area yet, but maybe once he learns about the actions of the gold rush he will become engaged by what the people had to go through to migrate and get gold. 9. Describe other information relevant to this academic content area that you learned about the student (e.g., attendance, extracurricular activities). This student very rarely misses school. This is true for every year of school, and this year is not different. He has only had one absence the whole year. After school he enjoys playing sports with his friends at the park, but many days he has to stay home with his sister. He usually gets to go to the park on the weekends.

Student 2: A Student Who Presents a Different Instructional Challenge

Gender: Female ___ Age: 9 ___________

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CalTPADesigning Instruction Task

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1. Why did you select this student? I selected this student because she is a fourth grader who has a hearing impairment. She is not 100% deaf, but she has difficulty hearing, especially when more than one person is speaking. Academically, this student has some difficulty with reading and writing. Her Star testing shows she tests at the basic level for English language arts. Also, she has trouble socially and is a very shy child. She tends to keep to herself in class and has a hard time asking for help. 2. How is the instructional challenge that he or she presents different from that of the other student? This student has some different instructional challenges. First, this student has difficulty socially, while the other student thrives in a social environment. Also, this students first and only language is English, while the other students first language is Spanish and second language is English. Lastly, this student comes from a middle class family that live in an affluent neighborhood, while the other students parents work long hours to make ends meet. 3. What did you learn about this students linguistic background? This students first and only language is English. Her immediate family all speaks English and do not know any other languages. After spending time with this student, I have learned that she is very shy. She will communicate one on one, but usually only if you are asking her questions. Otherwise she tends to keep to herself. She does not work well in group work and presentations because of her shyness. Her report card shows that for presentations there is improvement needed. 4. What did you learn about this students academic language abilities in relation to this academic content area? This student has a difficult time with academic vocabulary both in reading and writing. When the vocabulary is frontloaded she is more successful so it is important in this lesson that she is introduced to vocabulary early on. She also has trouble using this academic vocabulary in her writing, but a graphic organizer might help her organize her thoughts and guide her as to what she needs to include in her writing. 5. What did you learn about this students content knowledge and skills in this subject matter? This student is not particularly fond of English and language arts because she has trouble with reading and writing. I do not know if this student has any prior content knowledge about the gold rush but if she picks a topic that she is interested in she will be more motivated to write about it. That is why having different topics to choose from is important for students. 6. What did you learn about this students physical, social and emotional development relevant to this academic content area? I learned that this student is physically an averaged sized fourth grade girl who is very shy and not very social. Sometimes she will talk to other students if the other student starts a discussion, but she tends to stick to herself. It is a little worrisome that she does not have any close friends. My directing teacher has said she has tried to introduce her to other students
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but it seems like she would rather stick to herself. At recess she tends to play with the hulahoops alone or sit and draw with a clipboard. She does not participate in sports or other activities with other students. She is also very well behaved student. 7. What did you learn about this students cultural background, including family and home relevant to this academic content area? This student comes from a middle class family that live in an affluent neighborhood. Both parents are of European decent. Both parents are very supportive of this student and are advocates for this student to get the extra help she needs with her hearing impairment. The mother volunteers in the classroom once a week. She is an only child, which might also explain some of her shyness. 8. What did you learn about this students special considerations, including health issues relevant to this academic content area? This student has a hearing impairment, meaning that she cannot hear 100% but can hear things of they are loud enough or if the room is quiet enough. Other than this, this student is healthy and there are no other health concerns. She is also up to date on all of her vaccines and immunizations for her age. She is seldom sick from school. She has only missed three days of school the whole year. 9. What did you learn about this students interest and aspirations relevant to this academic content area? This student is very interested in drawing. At recess she likes to draw and color on a clipboard instead of playing or doing sports. This seems to be an outlet for this student and a way for her to express herself. While researching the gold rush she might be interested in pictures or drawing depicting what happened. She also might like to do a drawing as part of her project to depict the topic she chooses. When asked about what she wants to do when she grows up, she says she wants to be an artist. 10. Describe other information, relevant to this academic content area that you learned about the student (e.g., attendance, extracurricular activities). This student is seldom sick and has only missed three day out of the whole school year. In her down time she enjoys drawing and painting more than anything. This is all she has expressed to me that she does with her free time. Her shyness might hinder her from wanting to be in extracurriculars.

Step 3: Planning for Academic Instruction for the Whole Class

Directions: Consider your academic content selection in Step 1 and what would you want the students to learn. As you begin to think about a lesson that falls within the selected unit of study, respond to the questions below about your plan for academic instruction for the whole class. 1. At what point in the sequence of the unit is this lesson? Put an X next to one:
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X ___ At the beginning of the unit of study _____ Between the beginning and the end of the unit of study _____ At the end of the unit of study

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2. List the state-adopted academic content standard(s) or state-adopted framework you will address in the lesson. Common Core State Standard CA.CC.4.RF. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills 4.RF.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. CA.CC.4.RF. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills 4.RF.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. 3. What is (are) your academic learning goal(s)? What specifically do you expect students to know or be able to do as a result of the lesson? The learner will research information from books and the Internet. The learner will work in cooperative groups. The learner will select a research topic based on their interest in an aspect of the Gold Rush. 4. How is (are) your academic learning goal(s) related to the state-adopted academic content standards or state-adopted framework? The academic learning goals for this lesson will show evidence of students understanding of the content standards. The learning goals are clear and measurable, which is important assess the students to check for understanding. As the students research various topics from the gold rush, they will develop a deeper understanding of the various aspects of the gold rush and the people who lived during that time. 5. How will the content of the lesson build on what the students already know and are able to do? Students have been learning how to scan books to find information quickly without having to read every single word or page. This will be helpful when they are looking through books to find a suitable topic for them to research. Also, they can connect to prior knowledge on gold and where was mined. Lastly, They can connect the gold rush to other event that have happened in California either before or after the gold rush period. 6. How will the content of the lesson connect to the content of preceding and subsequent lessons? The content of this first lesson connects to the subsequent lessons very neatly. Students will take the topic they feel is the most interesting to them and research it through many different outlets, including textbooks, non-fiction books, the internet, expository texts, historical pieces, artifacts, videos, etc. Then, they will have the choice as to what type of presentation they would like to organize their research. They could do an essay, make a poster, do an orl presentation, make a pamphlet, etc. The basis of this lesson is the building blocks to what will become a full presentation of their knowledge and understanding of one aspect of the gold rush.

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7. What difficulties do you anticipate students could have with the lesson content and why do you think these difficulties might arise? I anticipate the students having difficulty narrowing down specific topics for students to research. I anticipate this to be difficult because there are many aspects of the gold rush that can be exciting to research for students. Also, some topics they share may be similar to other ones that have already been mentioned and could be combined. Brainstorming topics as a whole group will allow the teacher to guide student to chose topics that are going to be appropriate and ones that they will be successful finding enough information on. 8. What evidence will you collect during the lesson or at the end of the lesson that will show the extent to which the students have learned what you intended? The final few topics that the students brainstorm at the end of the lesson will be a great assessment to see if they were successful in skimming book for information on the gold rush. Also it shows the teacher that they can take a large topic and break it into smaller topics to be able to research the larger topic more in depth. 9. Think about how you will sequence your instruction of the academic content to be covered in this lesson. Describe your plan for instruction in the order in which it will be implemented. Address each of the following prompts and provide a rationale for each of your decisions: Communicating the academic learning goal(s) to the students Instruction Plan I will present the lesson by asking students to share other instances where they have taken a topic and researched it and the steps it took in order to successfully do that. Rationale Having the students connect what they are about to do, to something they have done in the past will help them become more confident in this project because they know what the steps are to research information to share. It also connects to prior knowledge on how to successfully complete a research project.

Instructional strategies Instruction Plan I will then write the steps of the lesson on the whiteboard. Then I will have students read the steps to the rest of the class. 1. The class will be working on researching the gold rush. 2. Working together as a class, you will research people, places and things associated with the gold rush. 3. Students will get into groups and choose one of these topics to research. 4. Each group will choose an activity to teach what they have learned to the rest of
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Rationale This addresses the academic learning goals in a simple fashion for students to understand. I am doing this both visually and auditory. The visual learners will be able to see the board in order to understand what is being asked of them, while the auditory learners will be able to hear the steps as students read them.

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the class. Student activities Instruction Plan Students will do an initial exploration of the gold rush using selected text by the teacher that has tons of information on the gold rush. They will have time to explore the texts by skimming. After this, as a whole group students will volunteer to tell the class some things they learned from skimming the texts or what they already knew. This will be recorded on chart paper for students. After this, students will then suggest topics about the gold rush that could become research topics. The whole class will work to combine and expand the topics stated and about six main subtopics will be chosen to become the topics the students can use as their research topic. Student grouping Instruction Plan When students are skimming the gold rush texts, they are allowed to work independently, in partners or in a group. It is up to the students. After this though, when the class is brainstorming facts and topics, this time will be whole group instruction.

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Rationale The students really drive this lesson. They are skimming for interesting facts and sharing them. Then, they are altering their topics to come up with about six that they will learn about. It is a student driven lesson, which is very powerful for students learning. When students feel like they have taken power of their learning they become more interested and motivated to learn more.

Rationale Giving students the chance to choose if they want to skim with or without other students gives them control of their learning and the chance for them to make the best decision for their learning. Some student may need to skim in peace, while other like to bounce ideas off other students and have a very interactive reading experience. This gives them the chance to choose. The whole group instruction is important in order for all students to be on the same page about what the final topics they can choose are.

Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room Instruction Plan The following materials are needed for this lesson: -Various texts related to the gold rush -Chart paper Rationale This lesson does not require many materials because it is very exploratory and less structured. For this, it is important that they have rich texts to be available to them for skimming information.

Progress monitoring of student learning

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Instruction Plan As students are skimming the pages I will walk around monitoring student progress by asking students what interesting information they have found about the gold rush from the texts or prior.

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Rationale I know that I am going to be asking students for interesting facts they found or already knew. I am monitoring to see if they have been successfully skimming the texts provided, but I am also scaffolding the next part of the lesson. If I have heard at least one fact from every students then when it comes time to volunteer facts or possible topics everyone is going to feel confident in the fact that they have at least one thing to share.

10. Given the difficulties you anticipate students could have with the content, what additional steps would you take to foster access and comprehension for all students? Since I anticipate students having difficulty with brainstorming topics and narrowing them down to about six, I will use guiding questions to help them become successful. I might ask questions like, Do you think these two topics are similar? Why or why not? Of course as the discussion progresses I may think of better questions to steer students in a certain direction. Also, before we enter a whole group discussion I will meet with students to ask them about what they have found that is interesting to them in the texts they are skimming. This way, when we are brainstorming topics whole group, each student has an idea of what they found interesting and then will have something to share. 11. How would you share the results of student academic learning with students and families? I will share the results of this academic learning project with families by sending the final graded product home with students. I will also mention in an email or newsletter that the students have been working hard on their projects and will be excited to share them with their families when they are done. For students who are doing presentations I will send home the grading sheet with notes for families to see.

Step 4: Lesson Adaptations for the Two Focus Students

Directions: Consider what you have learned about the two focus students in Step 2, along with the implications for instruction that you identified for each of them. For the two students, determine what adaptations you will make to this lesson you have planned for the whole class. Describe those adaptations for each of the two focus students. If you determine that no adaptations are needed for a part of the plan for instruction, indicate and explain that decision. In each box below, include: Your decisions about lesson adaptations A rationale for those decisions

Student 1: An English Learner

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1. Academic learning goal(s) or your expectations of what the student should know or be able to do as a result of this lesson The academic learning goals for this student would be to skim through leveled texts on the gold rush, share an interesting fact from those texts to show comprehension, and participate in the discussion to narrow down specific topics. Because his CELDT score are early advanced I will take this into consideration and choose books and other forms of texts for him to look at that are specific to his level of reading. This way he will become more successful with comprehension of the material. 2. Evidence of student learning you will collect during the lesson and/or at the end of the lesson At the end of this project I will collect this students final project. During this lesson though, the only evidence that I will collect is the topic or fact he suggest during whole group instruction. This is important to show that he was skimming the appropriate leveled books and he comprehended them. 3. Communicating the academic learning goal(s) and/or expectations to the student While students are skimming their various gold rush texts and books, I will meet with this student to go over my expectations, which are to skim through leveled texts on the gold rush, share an interesting fact from those texts to show comprehension, and participate in the discussion to narrow down specific topics. This way he will expect to be chosen to share a fact with the class. 4. Instructional strategies To make sure the student is clear on what to do, I will model what skimming a book is before students start to skim various books. This way if this student has not skimmed a book before they will know what they are expected to do. Also, when brainstorming topics whole group, I will use audio and visual cues for the student to follow. I will say what I am writing on out brainstorming poster as I write it and if there is challenging vocabulary I will explain what the word is and maybe provide a quick picture to help this student remember what the word means. 5. Student activities This student will first skim through leveled books that are chosen for his level of reading. Then, the students will find interesting facts that he wants to share about the gold rush. He will then provide at least one interesting fact with the class. Lastly, he will participate in the class discussion on how to narrow down topics to choose from. The leveled books will help with is comprehension of the material on the gold rush. The whole group participation is important because it provides the teacher with an assessment on what he took from the books and lets him be the social student he enjoys being. 6. Student grouping While the class is skimming the books they can do so individually, in partners or a group of students. I would encourage this student to skim with a partner. This way, if he is looking at

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a book that is above his level the other student can help him understand the material. If he chooses to do this individually he has the leveled books that will help him be successful. 7. Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room The only materials needed for this lesson are various texts and book on the gold rush for students to skim. It will be important to provide books that are leveled for the early advanced reader that he is. This will help with comprehension and lower frustration for the student. 8. Progress monitoring of student learning I will monitor the students progress by meeting with the student during the exploration process to see what interesting facts he has found and whether he is having trouble with comprehending the books. Then I will see if he is able to participate in the whole group discussion and provide a topic for the project. It is important as a teacher to check for comprehension throughout the lesson, and to help answer any questions he has in order to understand something better. 9. Sharing results of the student learning with the student and/or the family Depending on which type of presentation this student decides to do, after the student has completed the project it will be graded and sent home. Before he is able to put it in his backpack I will go over the result of this assignment and talk to him about some commendations and suggestions.

Student 2: A Student Who Presents a Different Instructional Challenge

1. Academic learning goal(s) or your expectations of what the student should know or be able to do as a result of this lesson The academic learning goals for this student would be to skim through leveled texts on the gold rush, share an interesting fact from those texts to show comprehension, and participate in the discussion to narrow down specific topics. Since she has trouble with reading and comprehension I will find books that are on her level in order for her to be able to skim for comprehension instead of having to focus too hard on reading the words. Also, she is a very shy student so I will help her become prepared with what she will say during the group discussion so she is ready. I will meet with her to talk about what interesting facts she has found and I will provide her with a sticky not to write down the interesting fact she wants to share so it is ready and she wont forget it. 2. Evidence of student learning you will collect during the lesson and/or at the end of the lesson At the end of this project I will collect this students final project. During this lesson though, the only evidence that I will collect is the topic or fact she suggest during whole group instruction that she was able to write on her sticky note. This is important to show that she was skimming the appropriate leveled books and she comprehended them.

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Copyright 2007 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. All Rights Reserved

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3. Communicating the academic learning goal(s) and/or expectations to the student While students are skimming their various gold rush texts and books, I will meet with this student to go over my expectations, which are to skim through leveled texts on the gold rush, share an interesting fact from those texts to show comprehension, and participate in the discussion to narrow down specific topics. I will give this student a sticky not where she can write what she wants to share whole group and I will tell her when I am going to call on her. I might say that at 2:30pm I am going to call on you or I am going to call on you after I scratch my nose. This way she can expect when she will be called on and will not have to worry about surprises. 4. Instructional strategies Since this student has a hearing impairment, I will have the student sit at the front of the room in order to hear me when I am giving instructions and generally talking. When other students are talking they know they have to speak loudly for her to hear them, but if they are unable to this student can move closer to the student talking. As the teacher I try to repeat things that students say in a louder voice if I feel they were talking too softly for her to be able to hear the statement said. To make sure the student is clear on what to do, I will model what skimming a book is before students start to skim various books. This way if this student has not skimmed a book before they will know what they are expected to do. Also, I will make books assessable to her that are at her level of reading so that she will be able to focus more on comprehension of the material instead of having to worry about reading at a level that is too difficult for her. Lastly, I will give this student a sticky note that she can write her fact she wants to share on in order to prepare her to talk since she is so shy. I will meet with her to make sure she has a fact and let her know when exactly I will call on her. 5. Student activities This student will first skim through leveled books that are chosen for her level of reading. Then, the students will find interesting facts that she wants to share about the gold rush and write one on a sticky note. She will then provide at least one interesting fact with the class at the time that we agreed that she would share. Lastly, she will participate in the class discussion on how to narrow down topics to choose from. The leveled books will help with is comprehension of the material on the gold rush. The whole group participation is important because it provides the teacher with an assessment on what she took from the books and lets her become more confident in herself and the subject matter. 6. Student grouping While the class is skimming the books, they can do so individually, in partners or a group of students. I would encourage this student to skim with a partner. This way, if she is looking at a book that is above her level the other student can help him understand the material. It would be important to group this student with someone who she is comfortable with and will allow her to contribute to the pairing and will not overpower. Also, she should be paired with someone who can speak loudly enough so conversations are hear from both students. If she chooses to do this individually she has the leveled books that will help her be successful

July 2008

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7. Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room The only materials needed for this lesson are various texts and book on the gold rush for students to skim. It will be important to provide books that are leveled for this student. This will help with comprehension and lower frustration for the student. 8. Progress monitoring of student learning I will monitor the students progress by meeting with the student during the exploration process to see what interesting facts she has found and whether she is having trouble with comprehending the books. Then I will see if she is able to participate in the whole group discussion and provide a topic for the project after we have discussed exactly when she will share. It is important as a teacher to check for this students comprehension and ability to hear the discussion throughout the lesson, and to help answer any questions she has in order to understand something better. 9. Sharing results of the student learning with the student and/or the family Depending on which type of presentation this student decides to do, after the student has completed the project it will be graded and sent home. Before she is able to put it in his backpack I will go over the result of this assignment and talk to her about some commendations and suggestions for future projects. This way, the grade does not just become a grade, but rather a learning experience where the student can grow from my suggestions.

Step 5: Reflection on Connecting Instructional Planning to Student Characteristics

Directions: Read your responses to the questions in Steps 1-4. Think about what you have learned by completing this task, including the characteristics of the two focus students, your instructional planning for the whole class, and your adaptations for the focus students. Respond to the questions below: 1. What information that you collected for the whole class and/or for the two focus students most influenced your planning for this lesson? In your response, describe how and why the information was influential and why you found it to be so. The information that I collected was very helpful for planning my lesson. Throughout my time and research I was able to learn about many aspects of various students including academic ability, prior knowledge of the gold rush, and language/ social, emotional factors. The information about my ELL student showed that he thrived in social situations, but lacked in reading and comprehension. This was shown in his CELDT score, which showed he was an early intermediate ELL student. Since this student was very comfortable in social situations and this lesson relied on group work, the students around him would be able to help him comprehend and read the material provided. The information about my second focus students showed that she had difficulty with her hearing, she was very shy and had trouble with reading and writing. Since this student needed extra help with the reading
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material, participation in group discussion, and making sure she could hear the discussion it was important to understand these needs and address them accordingly in order for her to fully participate in the lesson. 2. How will you use what you have learned regarding connecting instructional planning to student characteristics in the future? I will use many of the same instructional strategies I have learned in my own class. When I am able to adjust the lesson in order to accommodate all of my students, it is a way to show students that that I care about their needs, that no matter what they can participate and feel wanted. It will also enrich the learning experience for students and make what they learn more memorable. Whether it is a student with special needs, an ELL, etc. it is important for me to be able to differentiate their learning to fit their needs and the more I know about the student, the better. That means that it is important for me to look at things like their language, home life, interest, background, health and culture.

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