Alex Van Dusen

Ch. 4 & 8 Review

Say

Mean

Matter

To effectively plan units,

teachers should be aware of
resources and factors in unit
planning, know the steps in
unit planning, be able to
prepare the components of a
unit plan, and use strategies
to lead to successful unit
planning. (p. 114)

To plan an effective unit:

1. Know the
resources you have
available
2. Know the
steps of unit planning
3. Know how to
prepare
4. Use
appropriate strategies

This quote is a good

introductory statement for unit
planning, because it explicitly
states what I will need to
know in order to plan effective
unit plans. Developing
effective unit plans is a goal
of mine, because I want my
students to learn the content.
My reason for wanting
students to learn the content
of science is because I want
my students to be able to
make good decisions when it
comes to things such as
health (biology) and how to
prepare for natural disasters
(geology).

All of the components of a

unit plan are as follows:
overview, rationale, course
goals, educational objectives,
essential questions, outline of
content, calendar of daily
lessons, daily lesson plans,
assessments and
evaluations, and materials
and resources. (p. 114)

Components of a Unit Plan:

- Overview
- Rationale
- Goals
- Objectives
- EQs
- Outline
- Calendar
- Lesson Plans
- Assessments
- Materials/Reso
urces

For just about any task, I like

to have a step-by-step plan in
order to complete it. This will
help me prepare my unit plan
that I have to complete by
this upcoming week!

Teachers should provide an

environment in which
students are expected to
articulate what they know
about topics in the unit.

Students should be able to

explain what theyre learning,
why theyre learning it, and
how the process of their
learning helps them to
develop an understanding of
the topic.

This brings me back to a

video that we watched
regarding understanding by
design. This is so important,
because it provides a goal for
me as a teacher. I want my
students to see the purpose
of their learning. Students will
need to develop their own
reasons for what theyre
learning.

students are more likely to

Hold students accountable by

Many students are motivated

stay on task and be

engaged in instruction
when they know that they
will be held academically
accountable.

having a grade system in

place that the students
understand.

by seeing results from their

work. If they see that the
effort that theyre putting in is
not benefiting them in any
way other than by learning
the content, then they may
not put in much effort on
following assignments. Its
important to apply B. F.
Skinners theory of
reinforcement to teaching in
order to encourage students.

Effective teachers use

Use a variety of teaching

strategies, such as direct and
indirect instruction. After
determining the lesson
objective, figure out what
strategies to use in order to
support your students when
having them reach that
objective.

Its important to know that

there is a place for using both
types of teaching strategies:
direct and indirect instruction.
I think that by utilizing a mix
of the strategies, students will
be more likely to reach the
goals that the teacher makes.

Demonstrating enthusiasm is
such an important thing to do
as a teacher. When the
teacher is enthusiastic about
the subject, then students will
be more likely to be
enthusiastic as well.

I am passionate about
teaching certain topics within
science--life science in
particular! If I teach middle
school, I will need to teach
topics within the subject of
physics as well. I am not
passionate about teaching
physics. Before teaching that
topic, I need to determine for
myself why it is important to
learn. By doing that, perhaps
I will become enthusiastic to
teach the topic.

several strategies, ranging

from teacher-directed to
student-directed. The
lesson objectives may
determine what type of
approach is most
appropriate. (p. 199)
A teacher who is

enthusiastic in the
classroom often manages
to develop enthusiastic
students. (p. 210)

Providing a summary of the

main points of a lesson can
help students gain a better
idea of the content or clarify
any misunderstandings. (p.
211)

Provide a summary of the key This is an important thing to

points of the lesson at the
do in order to make sure that
end of every class!
students are understanding
the important points.