Running head: MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 1

Alley Hart
Towson University
ISTC 731
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 2

Introduction
The population of students receiving this revised reading (CSI) unit about courage and how
courageous people make a difference is first grade students from a Route 40 elementary school
in Havre de Grace, MD. The class consists of homogenously grouped students that are of
average grade level standards. It is a co-taught classroom with the literacy coach (no special
education students) which primarily participates in parallel teaching with two groups in two
separate locations, but sometimes they participate in full group lessons and activities.
The revised unit is separated it into four parts: opener (pre-assessment/introduction),
informational texts about courageous leaders, informational texts about other acts of courage,
and a final culminating project (post assessment). ActivInspire will be utilized as the main
platform to deliver instruction, while infusing other means of technology. (See Artifacts for
lesson plans).
Planning and Reflection

In first grade, there are six reading units. The fourth one is called Courage in Action in which
students think about the big idea of courage. They will explore and investigate the essential
questions: what is courage and how do courageous people make a difference? Throughout the
unit, first grade students will engage in listening, speaking, reading and writing about how
people and characters show courage and the different outcomes that are possible when they do.
At the completion of this unit, students will be able to explain courage and identify actions that
can result from courageous people.

The current strengths of this instruction include reading fiction and non-fiction texts, determining
what courage is, how courageous people make a difference, and how the students, themselves,
can be courageous. The weaknesses, on the other hand, are that the unit does not incorporate
technology and there is not a huge variation in text options for the students.

The goals and objectives for the current unit include, but are not limited to:

Common Core Standards Objectives

Literature Students will develop a definition of courage.

RL.1.6 Identify who is telling the story at Students will use details in a song to provide
various points in a text. examples of courage.

RL.1.9 Compare and contrast the adventures Students will read a text to analyze a
and experiences of characters in stories. character who shows courage.

Informational Text Students will identify key details from a

biography about a courageous person using a
RI.1.8 Identify the reasons and author gives to note-taking strategy.
support points in a text.
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 3

RI.1.9 Identify basic similarities and Students will discuss the characteristics of a
differences between two texts on the same courageous person and support their ideas
topic. with details from the text.

Speaking and Listening
SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative
conversations with diverse partners about
grade 1.
topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and larger groups.
SL.1.4 Describe people, places, things, and
events with relevant details, expressing ideas
and feelings clearly.
Supporting Standards
Students will list key words about the unit
concept to create a visual anchor for future
learning.
The students will use details in a text to
describe a character’s feelings and actions.
The students will identify how a characters’
feelings/actions can impact others.
Students will engage in collaborative
discussions to identify key details from the
text that show courage.

Literature

RL 1.2 Retell stories including key details.

RL 1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story

to describe its characters, setting, or events.

Speaking and Listening

SL 1.2 Ask and answer questions about key

details in a text read aloud or presented orally
or through other media.

SL.1.5 Add drawings and other visual

displays to descriptions when appropriate to
clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Goals and Instruction Intentions

After viewing the Common Core Standards, there are various standards that are not included that
could and should be. I have revised the unit in several ways and utilize multiple standards to
broaden my students’ learning along with the infusion of technology.
There are three MSDE curriculum assessment suggestions: pre-assessment, formative, and
summative. The pre-assessment asks that the teacher elicits responses to see if students
understand how to find the main idea along with supporting details. The formative assessment
includes observation records about skills that are taught daily, while monitoring student
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 4

development of finding the main idea and supporting details. The summative assessment asks
the question: what is courage and how does it affect others? The goal is for students to recall
information from texts read and answer the question in writing.
It does not seem as though the MSDE assessment suggestions have anything to do with the
standards that were chosen for this unit. For example, the pre-assessment asks students to tell
their thoughts about the main idea while the summative assessment asks for students to tell about
courage. There is a first-grade standard for identifying the main idea and retelling key details,
however, it is not included in the unit. The progression of the given unit and how it all connects
is not clear, based on MSDE and HCPS standards. Therefore, this unit is being revised to make
it more coherent and effective, while infusing technology opportunities. Furthermore, the
assessment does not provide for multiple means of action and expression (UDL). At the end of
the unit, there will be a choice of a research project about a courageous person or a compilation
of everything students learned to create a final project (poster, song, paper, etc.) about courage.
The overall goal of revising the unit is to make it more engaging and infuse technology, when
appropriate.
Technology Integration Model
SAMR is a model designed to help educators infuse technology into teaching and learning. It is
a framework in which teachers can assess and evaluate the technology used in the classroom.
SAMR stands for substitution which means the technology acts as a direct tool, with no
functional change, augmentation which means technology acts as a direct tool, with functional
improvement, modification which means technology allows for significant task redesign, and
redefinition which means technology allows for the creation of new task. The visual below
depicts the progression.
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Being an educator of first graders, it can be very daunting, tedious, and challenging to use
technology due to the lack of background knowledge and capabilities of the students. Once
taught, students can soar using their own variations of technology, but it is a process, over time.
Therefore, this unit will use a variety of different levels of SAMR technology, which will be
noted throughout.
Most of the unit provides technology as a direct tool substitute, with functional improvement
(videos, online books), while the final project of the unit allows students to do all of the
exploring, explaining, extending, and evaluating through the use of online articles and a digital
poster program.
Summary of UDL
Universal Design for Learning compiles three networks of learning: the why, what, and how of
learning. It is important, as educators, to provide multiple means of engagement, representation,
and action and expression. Providing multiple means of engagement allows the students
engaged, remain motivated, and be challenged. Providing multiple means of representation
allows students to gather information and identify and process information. Providing multiple
means of action and expression allows students to plan and perform tasks and organize and
express ideas. Lessons that incorporate all these networks allow students to have the most
effective instruction and, in turn, retain the most learning. Throughout this reading unit, students
will be provided opportunities to be engaged, motivated, and create their own meaningful
learning experiences while using technology when appropriate. The 5E lesson plan format is
utilized to ensure engagement, exploration, explanation, extension/elaboration, and evaluation.
Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means of
Representation Action & Expression Engagement
Multiple use of videos, Each lesson incorporates Throughout the unit, students
books, books online, engagement, exploration, are able to choose ways of
scaffolding through explanation, extension and reading, note-taking
modeling, group discussion, elaboration, and evaluation. strategies, small group
and manipulation of details They allow students to discussions to make
specific to each lesson. collaborate and make their connections, and activities
own meaning through that provide opportunities to
multiple discussions manipulate based on text
throughout and connect each details.
lesson to each other.
Lessons utilize Vocabulary All lessons utilize Each lesson incorporates a
Reveal: covering of a word in ActivInspire, which is a Total Participation Technique
the objective and challenging program similar to (TPT) strategy to engage
students to discover the word PowerPoint, but more students. Some examples
and the meaning through their interactive for students. include Puzzle Stories,
own perspective of Some lessons incorporate Vocabulary Reveal,
discussions. videos, songs, and digital Chalkboard Splash, The
books. Ripple Effect (time to reflect,
collaborate, and discuss).
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Using Vocabulary Reveal,
puzzles, labels, group
discussions and activities, and
clarifying take-aways as a
whole group allows students
to make their own meaning of
learning.
Flow of activities that allow
time to pre-assess, reflect,
discuss meaning, and show
understanding.
Lessons provide opportunities
to reflect and make meaning
through scaffolding, small
group discussions and tasks,
and choices of activities
throughout the unit.

Instructional Strategies
Unit Opener Standard: CCSS.ELA- Objective: We will
LITERACY.RL.1.3 identify characteristics of a
Describe characters, settings, and major courageous person.
events in a story, using key details.
Instructions Materials/Technology
Engage Technology option: PowerPoint of -Student computers with
different pictures of courageous people or PowerPoint presentation of
acts. images
-variety of paper images
Non-technology option: Print a variety of showing courage
different pictures of courageous people or -ActivSlate
acts.

Have students work in groups to discuss

what they notice, have in common, and/or
their thoughts. Walk around and listen to
discussions; use ActivSlate to write
students’ thoughts.
Explore Display the objective on the Interactive -IWB
Whiteboard (IWB) but keep the word -Kid President video
‘courageous’ covered with a shape. Have (https://www.youtube.com/
students read and tell them their challenge watch?v=tgF1Enrgo2g&in
is to figure out that word and what it dex=1&list=PLp-
means. M78NmHl1aFBxNRJGtvQ
3SnkJVYU-de)
Watch the Kid President video about -Pictures of movie
heroes. Have students listen for take- characters
aways that they hear. Turn and talk to a
partner to discuss. Go back to the
objective and see if they have any
ideas/thoughts based on picture activity
and video.

Display photos of characters from familiar

movies of the students. Have them discuss
what they know about the characters and/or
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 7

what they have in common. Continue

bringing back the pictures from the first
activity, video, and objective.
Explain Once they have figured out the word: -IWB
courageous, have them discuss the -Essential questions posted
meaning. Go over the essential questions.

What is courage?
How do courageous people make a
difference?
Extend/Elaborate Technology option: PowerPoint or -Student computers with
ActivInspire presentation with the pages of PowerPoint presentation
the book, Being Courageous. Have with pages from the book,
students view the pages, at their own pace. Being Courageous
-printed pages from the
Non-technology option: Print pages from book, Being Courageous
the book, Being Courageous, and hang -note-taking sheet (chart:
them around the room. Have students walk one side – what did the
around the room navigating to each page. character do? One side –
how did the character show
Discuss with their classmates what they courage)
notice. Take notes about each: how is the
character showing courage?
Evaluate Come back as whole group. Ask students -IWB with web template to
their take-aways and what stood out to record thoughts
them, highlighting a few pages that they -Bulletin board paper
read and how characters showed courage.

Make a web that defines courage on the

IWB encouraging students to use words
such as: brave, strong, doing something
even though you’re afraid, examples of
courageous people/acts, etc.

Chalkboard Splash: Put students in groups

and use large bulletin board paper to have
groups write the meaning of courage.
Then do a gallery walk to see what others
wrote/draw/labeled. Continue to add to it
throughout the unit.

Courageous Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1 Objective: We will ask

Leaders Ask and answer questions about key details and answer questions about
Lesson #1 in a text. key details in the text,
Martin’s Big Words.
Instructions Materials/Technology
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 8

Engage Display pictures of segregation (ie. Water -IWB

fountains with labels ‘black’ and ‘white’). -Pictures posted
Ask students what they notice, recording -ActivSlate for note-taking
thoughts.
Explore Non-technology Option: Read Martin’s Big -Martin’s Big Words book
Words to students, stopping after each page -Martin’s Big Words media
to discuss. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Rc39Ka8ut6k
Technology Option: Listen to Martin’s Big
Words on YouTube stopping after each
page to discuss.
Explain Discussion: what others said or did, what
Martin said, and how they connect, also
describing the type of person Martin was.
Extend/Elaborate Put students in groups. Prepare questions -Brown paper bags
in a brown paper bag for ‘Mystery -Questions cut up into
Questions’. Have students take turns strips
pulling out a question and discussing it.

Questions (differentiation opportunity):

More Difficult: What does Martin do to
keep the protestors from using their fists?
Why did the lawmakers vote to end
segregation? Why did the signs come
down? What words describe Martin?
What lesson is the author trying to teach
us?

Less Difficult: How did Martin stop people

from using their fists? Why did the people
vote to end segregation? Why did the signs
come down? Describe Martin. What can
this book teach us?
Evaluate Non-technology Option: Work together to -Paper
come up with a word bank of words that -Crayons
pertain to Martin Luther King, Jr. Display -Markers
on IWB. Pass out paper and have students -Tissue Paper
fold it in half. Create a table tent with take- -IWB for word bank
aways about MLK. Provide students with
crayons, markers, tissue paper, etc. Take a -Student computers
gallery walk and have students view others’
table tents. Share opinions and inspiration
and give students more time to add to their
table tent after viewing.
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 9

Technology Option: Work together to come

up with a word bank of words that pertain
to Martin Luther King, Jr. Display on
IWB. Using student computers, have
students create a digital poster on
ActivInspire (students are familiar with this
program). They can draw, add text, use
images from Google, etc. to demonstrate
their understanding of MLK. Take a
gallery walk and have students view others’
digital posters. Share opinions and
inspiration and give students more time to
add to their poster after viewing.

Courageous Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7 Objective: We will use the

Leaders Use the illustrations and details in a text to
Lesson #2 describe its key ideas.
Instructions
Engage Puzzle Story: Use an illustration from
Martin’s Big Words book from previous
lesson. Cut into puzzle pieces for groups
of students. Use details from the text to
tell about the picture, in cut up strips.
Have students decide what details go with
the picture.
Discuss: How do you know what details
tell about the picture? Show and explain
how you know.
Explore Have students take a picture walk of the
text, discussing what they notice and
wonder with a partner. Listen and record
ideas on the IWB.
illustrations and details in
Ruby Bridges to describe
its key ideas.
Materials/Technology
-Illustration from Martin’s
Big Words (cut into puzzle
pieces)
-Details from the text in
small strips to tell about
the picture (Martin
convinced people to fight
with their words, not their
fists. “Love is the key to
the problems of the world.”
People were hurt for their
opinions. People kept on
marching.)
-Ruby Bridges text (Level I
from Reading A to Z)
-IWB
-Text code bookmarks

Give students time to read the text. Have

them re-read the text to annotate their
thoughts using text codes (love this part,
didn’t like this part, question, connection,
interesting or important).

Pull a small group, if needed, to support

students in reading.
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 10

Explain Discuss take-aways, what stood out to

students, and key ideas as they read Ruby
Bridges, highlighting what they coded in
their text.
Extend/Elaborate Use illustrations from the text, Ruby -4 Illustrations from Ruby
Bridges. Use details from the text that tell Bridges
about each picture and cut up into strips. -2-3 details that tell about
Have students work in groups to lay out the each illustration cut up in a
pictures and decide what details tell about baggie
each illustration, ensuring they are
discussing how they know and what tells
them that. They can use their texts to
support and provide text evidence.

Gallery Walk: Have students walk around

the view other groups’ illustrations and
details, deciding if they agree or think
differently. Give groups more time to
discuss and make changes to details, if
necessary.
Evaluate Whole group: based on the details from the -IWB
text, how would you describe Ruby -Sticky notes
Bridges? Record students’ ideas on the
IWB (encourage character traits such as
brave, courageous, kind, etc.). Make sure
to ask what tells them that; use details from
the text.

Provide students with a sticky note and

have them find a detail from the text that
supports their thinking of a character trait
for Ruby Bridges. (ie. Ruby was brave
because people were yelling at her and she
still went to school).

Courageous Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.9 Objective: We will

Leaders Identify basic similarities in and differences compare and contrast the
Lesson #3 between two texts on the same topic (e.g., illustrations and
in illustrations, descriptions, or descriptions of two texts.
procedures).
Instructions Materials/Technology
Engage Non-technology option: Print out images of -Printed pictures of
different courageous leaders (see below for courageous leaders
examples). -PowerPoint of images on
student computers
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Technology Option: View images of

different courageous leaders – some
familiar, some not – on a PowerPoint
(MLK, Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, Jackie
Robinson, etc.) Have students discuss
similarities and differences of each.
Explore Clarify the meaning of compare and -Video:
contrast by watching a video about it. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=2x8rpb9vFEg
Discuss the images and how students can -Scholastic News: The
compare and contrast the courageous Story of Rosa Parks
leaders. -IWB to record thoughts
Read Scholastic News: The Story of Rosa
Parks and have students think about how
Rosa Parks is similar and different to the
other courageous leaders they’ve learned
about. Give opportunities for open
discussion of their thoughts.
Explain Provide students with key details from The -Hula hoops
Story of Rosa Parks along with key details -labels of courageous
from what they’ve learned about MLK leaders
and/or Ruby Bridges. Allow students to -strips of paper with details
choose one or the other and provide from each text
materials for multiple groups to work. -student computers

Non-technology Option: Put students in

small groups. Use hula hoops to create a
Venn diagram. Label one side Rosa Parks
and one side with the other courageous
leader of their choice. Provide strips of
paper with multiple details from each text
along with similarities about both.
Students should work together to place the
strips of paper where they go, explaining
how they know/why.

Technology option: Provide a Venn

diagram on ActivInspire with labels/details
from the texts below it for students to drag
in the correct spaces.
Extend/Elaborate Do a gallery walk of student work and have -Sticky notes
students comment on each other’s to see if
they agree or think differently, especially
the opposite leader that they chose,
explaining their reasoning. Provide
students with sticky notes to add
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 12

similarities and differences to describe each

of the courageous leaders.
Evaluate Discuss what all of the courageous leaders
have in common and explain the main
differences of each of them.

Other Acts of Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2 Objective: We will

Courage Identify the main topic and retell key identify the main idea and
Lesson #1 details of a text. retell key details of a text.
Instructions Materials/Technology
Engage Display the objective on the board; cover -IWB
the words ‘main idea’. While reading, -Puzzle of picture
challenge students to focus on what that -Labels (helmet, harness,
work could be and the meaning. good shoes, ropes, careful,
slow, courage)
Puzzle Story: Have students work in
groups to put together a puzzle of a picture
of a rock climber. Ensure that the picture
depicts safety (ie. Helmet, harness, good
shoes, etc.) – not telling students the point.
Explore Play Main Idea song. -Main Idea song
http://viewpure.com/bEAP
Ask students what the main idea is (what BT7ZFyo?start=0&end=0
the text is mostly about). Go back to the -Rock Climbing text (Level
objective and clarify the point of the E) from Reading A to Z
lesson, encouraging students to make
meaning of the word.

Read the text, Rock Climbing.

Re-read to focus on the main idea (what

the text is mostly about). Provide pink
highlighters for students to highlight what
it’s about. Use yellow highlighters to
highlight details that support the main idea.
Explain Have students discuss the main idea and
what details they found to support it.
Discuss whole-group.
Extend/Elaborate Have students go back to their puzzles -IWB
from the beginning of the lesson. Ask -Rock Climbing video:
students what those words have to do with https://www.youtube.com/
the illustration and the text. What do they watch?v=DOrZHF0DFlM
all have in common? What is it telling
about the picture? Being safe while rock
climbing.
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Whole group discussion: clarify any

misunderstandings and have students tell
what the text is mostly about, using details
that support it to explain.

Make a list of important words from the

discussion to be a word bank for the next
activity.

Watch the video to visualize rock climbing.

Evaluate Differentiation opportunity: Higher option -Graphic organizer
– give a graphic organizer with space for
the main idea and four spaces for the
details to support it.

Other option: Graphic organizer with space

for the main idea and four spaces for the
details to support it but provide statements
from the text with blanks for students to
write important words (shoes, helmet,
careful, ropes).

Final Project Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.6 Objective: We will use

(Assessment) Distinguish between information provided information from pictures
by pictures or other illustrations and and words to demonstrate
information provided by the words in a learning about a
text. courageous person.
Instructions Materials/Technology
Engage Show students of pictures of all of the -IWB
courageous leaders they’ve learned about
thus far (using a PowerPoint on their own
computers or use the IWB). Have students
discuss anything they’ve learned and what
has stood out to them thus far. Record on
the IWB.
Explore Provide students with computers to explore -Student computers
PebbleGo.com biographies. They can
choose anyone who portrays courage.
Discuss with a partner who they want to
learn more about and why. Do they
compare to other courageous leaders? Do
you have a connection to them?
Explain Provide students with a note-taking sheet -Note-taking sheet
while reading. The organizer should have
MAKING CHANGE THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION 14

spaces to write about their life, how they

show(ed) courage, how they compare to
other courageous leaders they’ve learned
about, and other facts or information
they’ve learned.
Extend/Elaborate Create a poster about their courageous -Rubric
leader using details from the PebbleGo -Paper, crayons, markers
text. -Student computers

Non-technology Option: Paper, markers,

crayons, printed out images of their person,
etc.

Technology Option: Use Pixie to create a

poster about their person.

Provide a rubric for students to use as a

checklist to ensure they have included
everything in their poster (ie. 3 facts about
their life, how they showed courage, other
leaders that can be compared to them,
images, labels, details from the text,
connections they have to the leader).
Evaluate Put students into two groups. One group
shares their posters while the other group
walks around and listens and asks
questions about the leaders, then switch.
Encourage students to listen, ask questions,
make connections to their leaders, and
discuss how they showed courage.