Language Arts Unit Plan

The most important element in ensuring that students are successful in their studies is through continuous assessment in class. Constant checking of students’ understanding is essential for the instructor at all levels of education. In lessons that involve reading and writing, assessment of the students is done in several effective ways. The two most commonly used types of students’ assessment are Formative assessment and the Summative assessment.

Formative assessment is the form of assessment done during the lessons with the aim of determining what the students already know about the topic being studied. The formative assessment is significant as it gives the instructor precise ways to carry out teaching and the areas to put more emphasis on and what the students expect (Carter, 2000). Some of the formative ways of teaching involve random questions before introducing the topic under discussion, displaying learning aids such as charts and asking the students to give their views on what they think about the topic.

On the other hand, summative assessment is a form of students’ assessment that is done after the learning session occurs to determine if the students understood what they had been taught and if they can apply the knowledge in their daily lives (Carter, 2000). Summative assessment as an effective strategy used by instructors helps in giving details on the assertiveness of the students during the learning session. Some of the summative forms of evaluation strategies include random assessment test, continuous assessment tests and end of term examinations where the students are graded according to what they scored as a reflection of their learning understanding (Carter, 2000). 

The formative and the summative learning strategies positively influence the second part practicum in that the instructor in able to determine how much the students understood in the theory part of the study. In practical sessions, the instructor expects that all the students are able to relate classroom work such as discussions in performing practical work. Through the assessments, the learners remain keen on the theory part of class work because they know they will be later assessed on the same during practical part (Grossman, Valencia, Evans, Thompson, Martin & Place, 2000). 

For instance, in summative assessment, the learners are expected to sit on examinations and demonstrate what they learned in class and how it is applicable in the industries and in real life events. In formative assessment, the learner’s knowledge is positively influenced by being trained on assessing things first before carrying out practical work and follow standard operating procedures in cases of science practical (Romance & Vitale, 1992). Teaching aids are essential throughout the teaching period. For instance, visual and hearing aids are useful in ensuring that all fast, middle and the slow learners understand the topic and also to create interest in learning to the students (Schuller, Batliner, Steidl & Seppi, 2011). 

Week day		Particular learning objective
Monday	Oral Language and Vocabulary	Beginning of the education session
Tuesday	Phonics, Word Patterns, and also Word Analysis.	The learners will formulate word sorts and distinguish between several different words in earning phonics. The learners will also identify different expression patterns with the aim of identifying prefixes, the suffixes, and the root words. Learners will further use the Venn diagrams to analyze words and compare and contrast different features of words.
Wednesday	Learning Fluency	The learners will engage in several activities, for instance; they will use choral reading, use echo reading, use repeated reading, use of paired reading as well as the use of buddy reading. The activities will ensure that the reader's many different words within the story even without conscious efforts.
Thursday	Reading Comprehension	Teaching the students directly using pictures that mergers the background of the assignment to facilitate clarity that assists the learners’ thoughts to flow freely and enhance understanding.
Friday	Writing	The instructor will facilitate guided writing practice on the students.

Lesson Plan Template 

STANDARDS: Monday, opening Lesson.  THEME: Discuss Period Pictures by Dorothea Lange  LESSON TOPIC: Oral language and vocabulary  OBJECTIVE: Discuss the Period Pictures  Language: English  Content: Oral Language  LEARNING STRATEGY : Oral pronunciation of words.  KEY VOCABULARY : None  MATERIAL: Period Pictures by Dorothea Lange

MOTIVATION: The instructor should encourage the learners to pronounce words correctly instead of laughing at them when they make mistakes.  PRESENTATION: Use hands on activities, the hearing as well as visual delivery  PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: The instructor should ensure that the learners pronounce words after him or her and be applying the words during the normal lessons.  REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT: Give out assignments to the learners based on the topic discussed.  EXTENSION: none

STANDARDS: Tuesday, lesson continuation.  THEME: To create word sorts, distinguishing different words to learn phonics and  LESSON TOPIC: Phonics, Word Patterns, and Word Analysis.  OBJECTIVE : Create word sorts, distinguishing different words to learn phonics.  Language: English  Content: word pattern and phonetics.  LEARNING STRATEGY: The learners use the Venn diagram to sort, distinguish and analyze words.  KEY VOCABULARY: The prefixes, suffixes, and root words identified by the learner.  MATERIAL: Venn diagram

MOTIVATION: The teacher should start by demonstrating how the learners should use the Venn diagram.  PRESENTATION: Use the Venn diagrams to compare and contrast features in different words.  PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: the learners should be encouraged to compare and contrast features of words as they communicate to others.  REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT: Give the learners simple assignments to complete.

STANDARDS: Wednesday continuation  THEME: To train learners be fluent reader  LESSON TOPIC: Fluency  OBJECTIVE: To improve the reading fluency of the learners  Language: English, reading  Content: reading  LEARNING STRATEGY: Use learning activities such as choral reading, echo reading, repeated reading, paired reading, and buddy reading.  KEY VOCABULARY: Any new words noted from the learners among themselves.  MATERIAL: K-W-L organizer

MOTIVATION : Encourage the learners to read out loud to their buddies as they listen and note any vocabulary.  PRESENTATION: Choral reading, echo reading, repeated reading, paired reading, and buddy.  PRACTICE AND APPLICATION : The learners should note key words from their friends and apply them in writing.  REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT : The instructor should give take home assignments where the learners should create simple sentences using the vocabularies learnt in class.

STANDARDS: Thursday continued learning  THEME: To bring together the background of the assignment so that clarity can be given and children thought processing can have a free flow during the learning process.  LESSON TOPIC: Reading Comprehension  OBJECTIVE: teaching how to read and understand a comprehension at ease.  Language: English  Content: comprehension  LEARNING STRATEGY: Direct Teaching  KEY VOCABULARY: Emerge, Great Depression and war  MATERIAL: PowerPoint presentations

MOTIVATION: The teacher needs to give stories at random in relation to what the comprehension is about in order to reduce monotony and boredom in the classroom.  PRESENTATION: PowerPoint presentation of pictures by Dorothea Lange  PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: Learners should reflect on how different their lives are at the moment as oppose to what it could have been like with this short story in mind.  REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT: The teacher should ask direct questions randomly while teaching and also give assignments to the learners to complete at their own free time.

STANDARDS: Friday continued learning  THEME: Offer guidance to the learners on how to write great contents.  LESSON TOPIC: Writing  OBJECTIVE: To guide the learners on writing.  Language: English, Writing  Content: Guided writing  LEARNING STRATEGY: Learner will be split into groups and where the vocabulary words will be split up so that each group can term and make available as many alternative words as probable.  KEY VOCABULARY: None  MATERIAL: Chart paper

MOTIVATION: The instructor should grade the learners based on what they scored and encourage those who failed to work hard next time.  PRESENTATION:  PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: Guide the students on handwriting and how they should apply it in their daily writing needs.  REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT: Learners needs to complete a short multiple choice quiz of the short story read and write brief notes in their own words about the story read.

Agenda:  Learners will participate in discussions, and fill worksheets individuals.	Formative assessment:  Reading quiz concerning combating the great depression area
Instructional Materials, Equipment and Technology	Period Pictures by Dorothea Lange K-W-L organizer Chart paper Venn diagram
Grouping : Learner will be set in groups and where the vocabulary words will be split up so that each group can term and make available as many alternative words as probable. The two groups will then join back together as an entire class and analysis the meaning for each of the phrase.

Instruction
A. Opening
Early knowledge connection:	Learners will have to reflect on how their lives are different now as oppose to what it could have been like with this short story in mind.
Anticipatory set:	Learners should recognize with the hard labors and existing circumstances, but also with the connection that is present in the workers and their relatives.
B. Learning and Teaching Activities (Teaching and Guided Practice):
I Do		Learners Do	Differentiation
Learners give concepts and partake in the discussion, and complete a K-W-L organizer as an entire class.		Allow learners time to write the vocabulary words in their journals. Learners will be completing the assignment of the short story (Period Pictures by Dorothea Lange) founded upon the emotional state resulting off one of Dorothea Lange’s short story of refugee labors .	The small group is coming up with different ideas for learners who are struggling with their beginning ideas .

ASSESSMENT
Summative Assessment:	Learners will have to complete a short multiple choice quiz about the short story, Period Pictures written by Dorothea Lange.	Differentiation:  Learners need to be given words and also short sentences to enable them to write short stories on their own.
Closure:	Let students freely reflect on what they composed by reading it on their own.
Homework:	Learners are required to read a passage to their parents or guardians when they go home.

The observation that I curiously made during my involvements in this course study offered me excellent opportunities to learn various methods that the educators use in installing language arts and reading skills to the students. I spent my time with two different instructors from two separate learning institutions. I observed from one of the instructors that in one of the fourth-grade settings, and with the other instructor in one of the sixth-grade setting. From both fourth and the sixth-grade settings, there were differences and similarities as well. How each of the instructors moved towards instructing reading in classrooms and this allowed me to gain several advantages on some perception and some concepts about my formulated tactics on giving instruction.

The 6 th -grade instructor alleged that one of the toughest parts of her teaching profession is her attempt to teach the students to learn to appreciate reading and view it like any other entertaining activity. The instructor said that she spends at least 20 min daily reading a story book or a novel audibly for her students. The exercise strengthens the understanding of the learners, especially in poetry. The instructor also mentioned that they usually spend around three weeks trying to finalize on the storybook or the novel and also the assigned task that goes along with the reading. The students are frequently given one poetry binder about the story book or novel to read. For instance, one of the poetry binders given for a novel read had many of the vocabularies broken down in each chapter. When each new novel chapter is read and understood, learners are expected to define all the vocabularies and structure correct sentences using the same vocabularies. The binder encloses a list of words for the learners to write, if they do not comprehend the meaning of the words in the reading process. Also, the binder has a section for the journal topics. Every novel read in class is essential in the construction of a climax binder that is significant for learners. The binder permits the students with a broad range of writing activities and also guarantees to understand the text and grow intellectually.

The sixth-grade instructor also involves all her students on individual reading as well. To accomplish personal reading, the instructor allows the learners to choose independently any books that are of interest to them. After making this observation, I gained some effective tactics for teaching. Throughout the entire teaching of this sixth-grade instructor, she has always produced smooth and efficient alterations from one specific assignment to another and also engaged the learners in doing their work always. Engaging learners made her class sessions have little or no disruptions at all. When exiting the class, the instructor advised me that as a teacher, one is not only accountable for the class education but also responsible for being a leader in the class in demonstrating and encouraging a good atmosphere of students’ involvement and respect.

During my keen observation on the second fourth-grade instructor, she taught me a lot about the mini- lessons on her class sessions. The reading unit that I selected was one of the short stories from the Period Pictures written by Dorothea Lange. Before I started on the mini-lesson, I permitted the instructor to analyze my teaching tactics. The instructor did not produce many variations from what I had planned to carry out; the differences came as a result of me having several different personal learning activities. The instructor, however, suggested to me that combine group assignments for proper time management. From the instructions given, I decided to create smaller groups and then distribute vocabularies amongst the learners in replacement of what I had previously planned. After the teams searched for vocabulary meaning jointly, I decided to merge the class, and we go through the words together. I agreed with the instructor that small groups helped save time as compared to individual work.

During the second day of learning, the plan was to combine the phonics and the word patterns. The aim of the lesson was to teach about symbolism and how different authors use visuals in expressing the meaning of a text. Teaching symbolism is crucial for the learners to understand how texts and the visuals are used to signify various effects from one belief to another. The learners also used interpretations of the visuals offered in referring to adversities of persons.

On my third day, the plan of the lesson was to concentrate and observe on the influence the story had impacted on the learners. I decided to revise some theories that were supposed to be used in evaluating the importance of some anonymous terms used in the text. The learners were redistributed in groups, and the stories were delivered orally as the learners wrote down vocabularies that they heard.

Consequently, the learners were provided with a cheat sheet of practice while they were reading. At the end of the class, we communicated to them about the terms that they had come across in the course of their reading, these were the words that aroused some problems and were unclear. The interaction was motivating since we got to know how these terms varied from one individual to another and the method they used to come up with the meaning of those words. Eventually, this turned to be one of the most interesting lessons I have ever had in my plan because I came to learn about their way of solving issues and this could turn out to be helpful especially when faced with the same situation.

In day four, the learners concentrated on comprehending through learning to derive context clues from the primary idea of the story. Having told them about the different ideas in the main text, I assigned the learners the task to complete an entire Venn diagram. This diagram consisted of many passages which the students had grasped the main idea through reading and explaining. Once they finished, I moved around answering each question and helping them have an in-depth insight into the main view of the topic. Then I gave them a multiple choice test; this would give them a bonus point and assist them to be able to answer any question since they had showcased their understanding of the short story as well as narrowing down to the idea of the story using context clues and various learning strategies.

The lesson on the Period Pictures by Dorothea Lange was concluded by asking the learners to provide a well-written section of their desire about the short story. This was to include the reason why they had wanted the part and how the part would play a significant role in their lifetime. This proved to be a thought provoking moment whereby learners engaged in their mind to relate what they learned in the short story to their personal life; the lessons were different for each student.

The whole scenario amused me since the learners enthusiastically contributed during the entire lesson. They seemed to have understood and appreciated the work and their involvement proved that they were very passionate. This was the major contributor to the keen observation they showcased. The motivation could have also come from the fact that I clarified the misconceptions and the strategies that they weren’t sure about. They were very thrilled for my observation in the classroom. And it was stimulating to see how their achievement was transformative from one class into the next. Personally, the instructor’s skills were commendable and especially the part where he incorporated her different tactics in engaging the learners and in using a different material to entice students to use their creative minds. This whole experience was not only enlightening, but it was also enjoyable. In the end, I had gained as much as I could ever imagine in the educator’s space and also in my coaching area.

References

Carter, S. C. (2000). No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools . Heritage Foundation, 2114 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002. 

Grossman, P. L., Valencia, S. W., Evans, K., Thompson, C., Martin, S., & Place, N. (2000). Transitions into teaching: Learning to teach writing in teacher education and beyond. Journal of literacy research , 32 (4), 631-662. 

Romance, N. R., & Vitale, M. R. (1992). A curriculum on strategy that expands time for in‐depth elementary science instruction by using science‐based reading strategies: Effects of a year‐long study in grade four. Journal of Research in Science Teaching , 29 (6), 545-554. 

Schuller, B., Batliner, A., Steidl, S., & Seppi, D. (2011). Recognising realistic emotions and affect in speech: State of the art and lessons learned from the first challenge. Speech Communication , 53 (9), 1062-1087.