Assignment 1 Throughout this course you will be creating a lesson that will be incorporated into a week-long unit for the benchmark assignment.

Select a grade level 1-8 and a corresponding grade-level exemplar text from the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, found in Appendix B.

Select three Common Core, Arizona, or your state’s ELA standards, one relating to each of the following:

• Reading text (literature or informational)
• Writing
• Speaking and listening

Using the Backward Design model, and one of the standards you selected, begin to plan your mini-unit by identifying the big ideas and essential questions for your unit. After establishing the content and skills-based learning objectives toward which students should be working, create one formative and one summative assessment to determine student understanding of the material and ability to demonstrate the skills outlined in the learning objectives.

Complete the following sections of the “COE Lesson Plan Template”:

• Lesson summary and focus
• National/State learning standards
• Specific learning targets/objectives
• Teacher notes
• Formative assessment
• Summative assessment

In a 250-500-word rationale, discuss the big ideas and essential questions for your unit. Explain how your summative assessment demonstrates student understanding of the content and their ability to perform the learning objectives.

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

Assignment 2 Using the grade, standards, and informational text you selected in Topic 1, create differentiated instructional activities and grouping structures for the students in the “Class Profile.” The lesson plan should include verbal, nonverbal, and electronic media communication tools, as well as opportunities for active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction.

Based on your selection, continue working on the “COE Lesson Plan Template” you began in Topic 1. Complete the following sections:

• Classroom and student factors
• Grouping
• Learning and Teaching Activities

Taking the students from the “Class Profile” into consideration, differentiate in the following ways:

• Identify flexible grouping based on the students’ learning needs.
• Provide instruction in multiple ways (e.g., via lecture, modeling, hands-on, visual representations).
• Design a variety of instructional tasks to address students’ needs and differences, including struggling readers.
• Utilize a variety of materials.
• Offer several assignment choices to the students based on their individual needs.

Include a 250-500 word rationale for making your choices.

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

Assignment 3 Using the grade level exemplar text from Appendix B and standards you selected in Topic 1, draft 25 questions. Five of the questions should activate prior knowledge. The remaining 20 questions should be based on the text, with five each that probe the four Depth of Knowledge levels. Include appropriate support and guidance for fostering academic language.

Using four of the questions you drafted, complete the DOK Questions Table.

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.