Chaim Cohen Dr.

Shawn

Curriculum and Assessment Sample Unit

I.

Introduction

Welcome to my classroom! This is a lesson for a 6th grade, co-ed Modern Orthodox audience. We are studying Navi Yehoshua, and it is the third week of school. The opening weeks of the class dealt with the background of Neviim, in contrast to the Chamishah Chumshei Torah and perek Aleph. The class will be learning Yehoshua all yearonce we finish with this weeks lesson on perek bet, we will progress through the Navi, more or less chronologically (with a few necessary out-of-order lessons when the topics necessitate).

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Unit Design

Long-term goal(s) for your five-day unit of study: After this unit, students: a) will be able to summarize the essential plot of Yehoshua perek bet; b) will be able to compare the experience of the spies in Yehoshua perek bet with the spies in Bamidbar perek 13-14; c) will write their own account of the story demonstrating an empathy and understanding of the bravery of the spies. a. b. c. d. e. Lessons objectives (5, one per day): Students will be able to read and translate (2:1-14) Students will be able to read and translate (2:15-24) Students will be able to identify differences between how spies were sent and acted, in Yehoshua 2 and Bamidbar 13-14 with a special emphasis on the outcomes. Students will develop a sensitivity towards the bravery that the spies exhibited and how they risked themselves Students will integrate their newfound knowledge by writing a historically accurate, but stylistically modified summary of the story Primary domain: Affective or Cognitive? Cognitive

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Level(s) of Blooms taxonomy: The Cognitive goals deal with Knowledge and Comprehension. The secondary affective goals are receiving, responding and valuing. Primary intelligence: (See Gardners Multiple Intelligences) The unit is built around both verbal and intrapersonal intelligences. The assignments are meant to spark self-exploration but are primarily taught in a way that appeals to verbal intelligence. Multiple intelligence extensions: (One is primary; others are secondary and tertiary) Will appeal to verbal, kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal.

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Brief description of how you will address visual and auditory needs in the unit: 1

Chaim Cohen Dr. Shawn

Curriculum and Assessment Sample Unit

For the first two days, when we are dealing with reading and translatingall of the students will have a copy of the text, it will be projected on the smart board and read aloud. Furthermore, at different points, the students will be broken up into groups to read to one another. Also, some of the psukim will be performed in the front of the class. 8. Brief description of how you will address social and emotional needs in the unit: The lesson will have a few situations with interpersonal interaction. One of them is a preset chavrusa breakout, where all students will need to be paired upfor students who do not work well in pairs, I will pay special attention and intervene during group work time if necessary. For the other parts of the lesson, students will be free to work by themselves if they so prefer. 9. Rationale: why these lessons, at this time, to these students?: These students are progressing in their textual studies and are ready for neviim. The sefer is taught in order, so now that we have progressed through the introduction and perek aleph, it is time for perek bet. Life skills and / or middot included: Underlying the lesson are three major middot and life skills. First, and foremost, is the concept of risk and sacrifice on behalf of the klal. Next, is the importance of learning together in order to sharpen understanding. Finally, as a secondary middah, they will pick up the idea that sometimes being quiet and understated is more effective than being grandiose. Prerequisite knowledge and skills (social, physical, academic, emotional): They will need some level of maturity to do self-work or group work. They will need to be proficient in reading (and understanding) Hebrew. Finally, they will need to understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction written with literary flourish. Essential Questions and/or Big Ideas (one): What were Yehoshuas meraglim feeling, when they snuck into Israel and risked their lives for the Jewish people? Learning activities: (What will students be doing?) Over the course of the unit students will be: a. b. c. d. e. Learning and translating the psukim as a class Learning and translating the psukim bchavrusa with worksheets Reading about Cold War era spies Writing their own summaries of the perek; or Using other creative meansdepicting the goings-on of the perek 2

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Chaim Cohen Dr. Shawn

Curriculum and Assessment Sample Unit

f. Roleplaying/acting out the psukim g. Comparing the story of the meraglim in Yehoshua and Bamidbar in (optional) small groups through a worksheet 14. Materials: (texts, computers, markers, pens, etc.?) a. Navi Yehoshua b. Worksheets c. Notebook d. Pens e. Two firsthand accounts from Cold War spies and Eli Cohen clip f. Mission impossible intro g. Cameras h. Editing software i. Storybird software/website j. Computers Transition into lessons (anticipatory set, hook, lesson prompt): The unit will start with the Mission Impossible theme song as a hook. We will use this to set the tone that we are talking about real spies. Then, the second day will begin with a hook from the cliffhanger that the text left from the previous day. The third days hook will be a skit for three students to perform of Calev and Yehoshua from the psukim in Bamidbar showing the disastrous ending of Moshes spies. The fourth day will open with a 3 minute clip from the Eli Cohen Documentary after he was capturedto open the lesson about the danger of spying. The fifth days hook will be to introduce the integration of the perek bet content with a form that resonates emotionally. The real hook will be in the availability of different mediums to accomplish the assignment. Classroom management / transitions (How will students move from one activity to the next? Are procedures in place?): There are strong procedures in place, and students understand expectations that most classes when we are delving into text will transition from frontal/class learning to chavrusa or group learning. So, for the first two classes, the students have a list of chavrusa pairings (pre-assigned for each day) and I will just tell them which set of pairings to use for that day. Then, they will come up and take a worksheet. For the last two classes, there are not many transitions because it is only a 40 minute period so they will be working on their own or in self-chosen groups on the reading and projects. 17. Checks for understanding (formative assessment(s)): For this lesson, because we have already spent a couple of weeks together, I have a sense of the students reading, comprehension and maturity levels. Checks for understanding (summative assessment): 3

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Chaim Cohen Dr. Shawn

Curriculum and Assessment Sample Unit

At the end of every day, the students will submit an exit ticket, consisting of 3 questions on an index card. While I will be cold-calling and asking questions during the classesthat is only so effective in gauging overall class understanding. 19. Assessment criteria (rubrics?): For the first 2 daysstudents will be given immediate feedback because we will either do it together or go over it together. As regards the written projects, the students will be graded on an A+ through F scale. 20. Take-away for parents: (What will you ask that will prompt students to share aspects of the lesson at home?) What they think about what Yehoshuas spies went through. How successful were the meraglim and what impact did they have on Jewish history? What kind of impact did Moshes spies have on Jewish history? 21. Closure (Transitions out of lessons): Will post 2-3 writing/creative production assignments on our class blog and then give an exit card what the most interesting/impactful thing that they took out of the lesson and what questions they still have. 22. Instructional modifications for special needs students (addressing the needs of diverse learners; include gifted!): For students who are advanced, they have a list of meforshim on the perek to look at, with questions to answer. For students who need more scaffolding, there will be more customized sheets with more words translated. Furthermore, at the end of class all of the slides and smart board posts are put up on the class blog for anyone who needs more review to go over them. a. special preparations for students who are physically or emotionally challenged. For students who are physically challenged, the classroom has already been made to be fully handicapped accessible and seating has taken into account those with sight issues. Those who are emotionally challenged are accommodated by extra attention from teachers, particularly during group or chavrusa work. b. assistive technology to modify instruction.

Chaim Cohen Dr. Shawn

Curriculum and Assessment Sample Unit

Those who require laptops for notetaking are allowed to use them. All written materials are also provided in e-formats so that they can be read to students. Furthermore, students are allowed to use any software they want for the final project if they have difficulties with creative writing (in any facet of the process).

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23.

Online Research Component

Use of technology: Research both software and appropriate websites that will enhance either one specific lesson or the whole unit. While you do not have to use the technology during the actual segment of the lesson you will share with us--although you might choose to build your lesson around it--you must research and select at least one option that will enhance student learning: software, a CD-ROM, or a task at a specific website as an additional or early finishers activity. a. What software or website will help to reinforce the concepts taught? One website which will be offered to the students is www.storybird.com This enables them to make their own illustrated books. For the final part of the lesson, when the students will be re-writing and presenting the perek in a dramatic fashion, they can make it on storybird as opposed to writing it up. b. What software or website will extend lessons for children ready for more of a challenge? Students who are finish early (and have already completed the questions on the specific mefaresh that I specify) will be given access to Bar Ilan and hebrewbooks.org to explore any mefaresh of their choice on the perek to expand their understanding further. c. What software or website may help children with specific learning difficulties? For students with trouble reading, they will be given access to http://text-tospeech.imtranslator.net/ This program will read any text to the student. d. e. What other forms of technology may be used to reinforce, extend, or enhance the content and skills in your lesson and /or unit in a meaningful way? The use of smart boards will allow me to more easily give the students handouts of the boards during class. Also, in addition to written accounts of Cold War Spies, video clips could be shown.

IV.

Conclusion and Final Assignment

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Chaim Cohen Dr. Shawn

Curriculum and Assessment Sample Unit

When you complete this overview, design one complete lesson for one of the days in this unit, send it to me by e-mail, and plan to present a 5--8-minute segment of it to our class. You may choose to present on March 20 or on April 10. Just let me know!

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Lesson Plan Outline

[grade 6 co-edMarch 19th, 2013 40 minutes in lesson ] Objective The 6th Grade students will be able to read and translate (2:1-14)

Element of Effective Instruction Focus/Diagnosis/Transfer (Anticipatory Set)

Yes/ No

Description

Timing (# min)

Show Mission Impossible intro. Tell students that the next we are going to be reading is one about spiesfilled with drama, fear and romance The learner will demonstrate, through both spot calling and an exit card, that they have a basic understanding of the plot of Yehoshua (2:1-14)

Objective Y

Purpose

To help develop the students understanding of an important part of our history. To lay the foundation for deeper affective understanding (How we feel)

Input/ Modeling (small sequential steps, using clear examples)

1. Read pasuk 1 2. Break down psukim into clauses and translate 3. Repeat steps 1-2 for psukim 2-5 4. Check for understanding I

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Check for Understanding Y (Monitor and Adjust)

See attached questions

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Guided Practice

1. Then read the next 5 psukim but call on students to translate 2. Stop to check for understanding (Check II) 3. Worksheet for psukim 10-14

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Wrap-Up

Ask for students to write the most interesting thing they learnt What was the most important thing they heard

Independent Practice (homework)

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Questions: Check I Who sent these spies? How many spies were sent? What city did they go to? Whose house did they go to? Who found out that they were there? What time of day was it when the agents left? Where were they hidden (Do not know yet)

Check II Where were they hidden, for the short term? Where did the agents go to chase them? What was Rachav tone? Scared? Confident? Triumphant? What historical events did she mention? How did she describe the Knaanims feelings? What promise did she ask them to make? What did they ask her to promise back?