WSTDL: #2 Development

Artifact Title: Modified curriculum based on age range

Date: Spring 2015
Artifact description

The artifact is a lesson plan on drafting that I modified from a Project Lead the Way presentations. I
also included the original presentation and the modified presentation. I modified the power point so
it was not as in depth since I was going to be presenting it to the 8th grade exploratory class. I also
added a lot more hands on portions, like having the students draw the three orthographic views on
the board, than the original power point had intended.

Alignment Reflection

My experience aligns with Wisconsin Standards Teacher Development and Licensure

number two. Number two is Development and it states The teacher understands how
children with broad ranges of ability learn and provides instruction that supports their
intellectual, social, and personal development.

My experience aligns with this standard because I understood that if I were to keep the
original power point in its entirety, the 8th grade audience would soon tire and disengage
from the lesson. I found that shortening the power point presentation and getting the
students hands on involved seemed to keep the younger students engaged. I also tailored
my activities based on the students in my class. Some of my students were not very
good at drawing while others were fairly artistic and had experience drawing before.

UW-Platteville Knowledge, Skill, Disposition Alignment

My experience aligns with UW-Platteville Knowledge, Skill, and Disposition Alignment

KSD1.b. : The candidate displays knowledge of the typical developmental characteristics, learning
styles, skills, interests, developmental backgrounds, and cultural heritages of students and is always
aware of the broad ranges and variety present for each of these student characteristics and
lifestyles.

My previous experiences align with this KSD because I took developmental characteristics into
consideration when modifying the presentation. I knew that developmentally, their attention

span would be quite low if all I did was lecture on something like drafting. However, mixing in
things that got the students moving seemed to have reset their attention spans. Or even having
questions that really engaged the students minds seemed to have kept the students engaged.

KSD1.a. : The candidate displays extensive content knowledge of his/her subject areas and
demonstrates a continuing search for new content knowledge, resources, and best
instructional practices, while understanding student diversity and student
misconceptions and misunderstandings as key to the teaching process.

KSD1.c. : The candidate can establish clearly written goals that reflect the curriculum
framework and standards, and can articulate high expectations that permit viable methods of
assessment and account for varying learning needs and styles, and prior knowledge.

KSD1.d. : The candidate actively seeks materials and resources to enhance instruction by
utilizing school and district resources as well as other resources available outside the
school/district.

KSD1.e. : The candidate, with appropriate student input, has the ability to develop relevant,
goal-directed, engaging, clear, and varied learning activities that progress coherently and
produce a unified instructional setting that reflects recent professional research.

KSD2.b. : The candidate can create a classroom environment that establishes and maintains
high expectations for all students to value content of course work, take pride in work by
initiating improvements, and help peers.

KSD3.b. : The candidates questioning techniques and instructional strategies are of

uniformly high quality with special attention given to available time for student response,
varied levels of questions, and adequate student involvement in the discussion/instructional
process.

KSD3.c. : The candidate has the ability to engage students in the learning process by linking
appropriate content, based upon suitable instructional materials and resources, to students
knowledge and experience, being certain that all students are cognitively engaged in the

activities/assignments and that the students actively contribute to the content design.
Instruction is highly coherent and appropriately paced for all students and allows for
reflection and closure as appropriate.

Personal Reflection

What I learned about teaching/learning from this experience.

From my experience, I learned that teachers need to understand the students being taught,

their abilities and developmental stage to create curriculum that is tailored to the students
needs. I have also learned that assessment and attention span are different for the various age
ranges and students.

What I learned about myself as a prospective educator as a result of this experience/artifact:

Based upon my student teaching experiences, I will tailor future curriculum and assessment
methods based upon age of the student, developmental level of the students in the classroom and
the individual needs of each and every one of my student. I hope that this better suits the
students and their needs educationally.