Begin by selecting a target age group of learners. Provide a description about the developmental needs and characteristics of the target group (e.g., languages and special needs). Observe the students and informally talk with some of them to find out about topics of their interest. Write down your findings. Based on your observations and interactions, prepare a list about the learners’ interests. Meet with colleagues and talk about concepts and themes related to each of the subject areas that would appropriate for the target group of learners. Review the content area scope and sequence provided by the school district and/or state department of education. Considering the information from your observations and discussion with the colleagues (or cooperating teacher), choose a theme or topic to serve as the focus for your unit. Provide a brief statement that describes the outcomes, and how it contributed to selecting the theme or topic for the unit. Provide a rationale for the theme or topic that you selected. Identify the reasons for your selection (e.g., what guided the selection of the topic?). Include in your rationale a description about how the theme or topic responds to the learner’s interests and characteristics. Explain how the theme or topic provides for the integration of the target subject areas (e.g., in what way does the theme foster integration of the subject areas?) Unit Overview and Design In a narrative, provide an Overview about the unit. Include the following in your overview:
Description of the theme or topic Why the theme or topic is meaningful for the selected group of learners How the theme or topic links with other subject areas. Provide a description of the Unit Goals, including a summary of the unit
Identify the Instructional Standards that are met through the unit. Based on the identified unit goals, create a Sequence of the five lesson plans and related concepts to ensure coherence and required prior knowledge. Provide a rationale that describes why the five lessons follow a particular sequence. Include a diagram or graphic to demonstrate how concepts are aligned throughout the lessons. Develop learning experiences that require students to demonstrate a variety of applicable skills and competencies. Be sure to include three or more types of skills or competencies as targeted in the lesson or unit Provide a statement that describes why you consider that students will be able to achieve the target goals. Comment on how activities and resources would allow students to meet the target expectations. Incorporate cross-disciplinary activities in the instruction as a means to help students apply content knowledge. Include a matrix that aligns skills and competencies to the lesson or unit objectives and assessment activities.
Alignment Matrix Format
Lesson/Unit Objective
Skill and Competency
Assessment Activity
Specify the accommodations and modifications that you are providing to support language development in instruction. Describe the materials selected that support the standards-based learning objectives and variety of learning needs. Describe the questions and standards-aligned materials that you will use to promote critical thinking. Describe the opportunities that learners have to practice the use of academic language/vocabulary in the content area that will lead to mastery of content and skills. Identify appropriate formative assessments to monitor learning during the implementation of the unit activities.
Sample Solution
