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UniversalDesignLessonRationale
ThisartifactisalessonplandesignedwiththeUniversalDesignforLearningprinciples

andtechnologydrivinginstruction.Thislessonplanhasveryspecificintegratedpiecesof
technologythatcanbeusedtoenhancethestandardsofUDL.Thisisafirstgradelessonthat
focusesonthepublishingofapieceofwritingthathasbeencompletedalreadyoutsideofthis
class.IplannedthislessonwiththeideasthatdrivetheUDLprinciplesofplanningand
inclusionofallstudents,regardlessofexceptionalities.Thepublishingpiecewillprovide
studentswithchoicesaboutsoftware,text,soundandillustrations.TheCECStandardsreflected
areStandard1:LearnerDevelopmentandIndividualLearningDifferences,Standard3:
CurricularContentKnowledgeandStandard5:InstructionalPlanningStrategies.
InCECStandard3,professionalsusetheirknowledgeofgeneralandspecialized
curriculumtoindividualizelearningforchildrenwithexceptionalities.Thislessongivesmany
differenttypesofstudents,witharangeofexceptionalities,thechancetopublishapieceoftheir
writingbyutilizingdifferenttoolssuchasmicrophones,iPads,Abilipadandcommunication
software.Tomakethebestchoicesforstudents,theremustbeagreatunderstandingofwhat
willbeexpectedofthestudent.ThiscomesfromtheCommonCorestandardandthe
requirementsofthelessonexplainedanddemonstratedbytheteacher.Havinganextensive
knowledgeofthecurriculumstandardsandexpectationsbeyondjustwhatwasinthislesson,
alsohelpedmetomakeconnectionsforstudentsthatwouldhelptheminotherareas,beyondjust
technologyclass.Thisrangeofknowledgealsoallowedmetoworkwithexceptionalstudentsin
meetingthestandardsthatwereassignedtothelesson.

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CECStandard5focusesontheinstructorsabilitytouseevidencebasedinstructional

strategiestoadvancelearningandtherewasevidenceofthatduringthislessonplanintheuseof
technologiestosupportlearning,consideringanindividualsdifferences,usingalternative
communicationskillstomakeconnectionswithstudents,consideringeducationplanswhen
creatingalessonandimplementingavarietyofcriticalthinkingandproblemsolvingskillstoall
students,includingthosewithexceptionalities.Thereareaplethoraofdifferenttypesof
technologiesusedinthislessontofurtherlearning,suchas:publishingsoftware,highandlow
techcommunicationoptions,iPads,computers,LCD,videodemonstrationsandheadphonesto
createamorepalatablelearningenvironmentforeasilydistractedstudents.Inthislesson,
studentsareapplyingmanydifferentproblemsolvingstrategiesthattheyhavelearned
throughouttheyear.Theyhavethechancetousetheirpeersasacollaborationtool,takebreaks
tolistento/readstoriesoftheirchoiceandchoosepiecesofsoftwarethattheyaremost
comfortablewithtopublishtheirstory.Allofthesedifferentcharacteristicshelptomakethis
lessonplanpersonalizedbythestudentstomeetalloftheirspecializedneeds.
LearningtointegrateUDLprinciplesintolessonplansallowforallstudentstocreatethemost
learnerfriendlyenvironment.Givingmanyopportunitiesforchoicesandwaystoexpresstheir
ideasallowsforeveryonetofeelliketheirfinalproductisapieceofworkthattheyhavecreated
basedontheirexceptionalities.Therearesomestudentswhorequiremoreindividualized
attentionthanothersandinalessonthatisdesignedtoworkcloselywithallstudentstocreatea
finalpieceofpublishedwork,thosestudentsthatneedextraassistancewillreceivethathelp.
Workinginanaverageclassroomsetting,studentsrarelygetthechancetomakemanychoices
aboutthewaythatassignmentsarebuiltbutinthislesson,thestudentassumesresponsibilityand

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alsogainspridefromhavingthosechoices.Asaneducator,beingabletogiveupthecontrolto
thestudentsisveryimportant.Theywillmakedecisionsthatbestrepresentthem.Yougain
skillsincommunicatingbasedoneachstudentsspecificneedsinbothlearningstylesand
communicationskills.Teachersalsodevelopskillsintimemanagement,scaffoldingand
collaborationthatarepassedontotheclasstohelpthembegintoworkingonthoseskills
independently.Whenfirstintroducingthislevelofchoices,teachersmustalsoexpecttochange
theiroverallmindsetabouthowthelevelofnoiseinaclassroomwillchangeandhowmuchtime
theywillspendcirculatingaroundtheroomwillbecomemoreintensive.Completingthis
artifactwilldefinitelyhaveapositiveimpactonstudentlearningandteachersunderstandingof
learning.