Week 8

1 I chose to read the unit What Plants Need. What impressed me the most about it was the organization of activities, discussions, and assessments. I liked Caroline's comments that explained the purpose and adjustments needed for each part of her lessons. I felt that it proved that she had a purpose for each activity and had identified what her students needed to succeed. I also liked how the lessons are very hands-on and allow the students to come up with their own theories and conclusions, rather than just being told facts to memorize.

2 From studying this unit I was reminded that differentiation isn't only about grouping students according to abilities, interests, and learning profile. You can meet those needs in ways other than, for example, creating 3 different tasks for 3 different groups. You can do other things such as using routines. Routines are great for struggling learners because they benefit from knowing what comes next and what is expected of them. After doing a similiar activity a few times, those students (lower level, ESL, etc.) will catch on and be able to participate more and have the feeling of success that the other students experience.

3 The unit was very well written out, and I found it very clear. I did not find anything that confused me.

4,5,6 I found this lesson to be very accommodating for fast finishers, ESL students, and students from all readiness levels. The only thing I think it is lacking in is literature. If I were to present this unit to my students I would find books that I could read aloud to my students about plants, their parts, and their needs. I feel that students benefit from gathering together and listening to their teacher read. There are questions and details I can bring up that they might not think of on their own. We can discuss the books as a class all together on the floor and I think that would create a friendlier, safer environment. Then as they work on their other activities they can go back to the books we read and discussed, and remember what they learned from that experience.