1. Module 5: Instructional Unit
Key Concepts/Terms/Players
If you have not done so already, please turn in your lesson plan assignment to the front table. If you have modified your lesson plan, I expect to see (1) OLD lesson plan, (2) NEW and IMPROVED lesson plan, and (3) 1-2 page reflection. If you have not modified your lesson plan, I expect to see (1) FINAL lesson plan, and (2) 1-2 page reflection.
Today we will go over a more detailed overview of the Instructional Unit, and how that relates to some of the requirements for your unit project. More explanations in terms of PACT commentaries, assessment, and scaffolding teaching strategies will come in later weeks.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

2. Types of Instructional Units (page 158)
Conventional Unit: also known as standard unit, mostly within same department
Integrated Unit:
Thematic Unit: When conventional unit is centered on theme
Integrated (Interdisciplinary) Thematic unit: When thematic unit covers different disciplines
Self-instructional Unit: also known as modular unit
Contract Unit: student agrees to carry out certain activities
Conventional Unit: also known as standard unit, mostly within same department. It’s a traditional unit you would find within a department. Basically a group of sequenced lessons together on the focus of mastery on knowledge and/or skills to which unit is centered. So for example, a conventional unit in math on solving 2-step algebraic equation.
Integrated Unit. It stems from and goes beyond what a conventional unit is. In loose terms (note there could be overlap), there are two basic subcategories that fall into here:
Thematic Unit: When conventional unit is centered on theme. An example of this is “Shakespeare” for an ELA class. This may incorporate several plays, sonnets/poems, biography, and/or writing essays centered around William Shakespeare
Integrated (Interdisciplinary) Thematic unit: When thematic unit covers different disciplines. An example of this is “Rocket launch” that combines physics (science) and trigonometry (math) in the creation of rockets, and prediction and actual execution of rocket launches.
Self-instructional Unit: also known as modular unit. Examples of found in online instruction, or online GED kit, Scholastic Reading self-pace kit (elementary), or SRI kit (elementary/middle school). Self-pace for remediation, enrichment, make-up, work well with learning centers.
Contract Unit: student agrees to carry out certain activities within an individualized unit, usually to earn certain letter grade. Has variable-letter grade agreement. See example on page 158.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

3. 7 Basic Steps for Planning and Developing Most Instructional Units (pages 158-159)
Select a suitable theme, topic, issue, or problem
Select the goals of the unit and prepare the overview
Select suitable instructional objectives
Detail the instructional procedures
Make lesson plan modifications to meet the needs of all students (consider English Learners)
Plan for pre-assessment and assessment of student learning
Provide for the materials and tools of instruction
Select a suitable theme, topic, issue, or problem
Select the goals of the unit and prepare the overview. Pay close attention to suggestions listed on page 159: (a) become familiar, (b) consult curriculum documents, such as state frameworks; (c) decide on content and procedures; (d) write rationale/overview; and (e) be sure your unit goals are congruent with those of course or grade-level program.
Select suitable instructional objectives. I think this is notable for the individual lessons you put in this unit. I like what it says here (a) include understandings, skills, attitudes, appreciations, and ideals; (b) be specific; (c) write objectives in performance terms; (d) be sure objectives will contribute to what’s said in the unit overview/rationale
Detail the instructional procedures. I won’t go over all the bullets in this section, but I heavily encourage you to look at page 159 where it lists 7 points. Personally, things to particularly pay attention to in procedures are (e) introductory activities, as these could be your first lesson that introduces the unit (f) developmental activities, these could be the ongoing lessons that continues the unit and (g) culminating activity to which a summative assessment is based on for the unit.
Make lesson plan modifications to meet the needs of all students (consider English Learners)
Plan for pre-assessment and assessment of student learning
Provide for the materials and tools of instruction
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

4. Unit Format, Inclusive Elements, and Time Duration
Minimal Inclusions:
Identification of grade level, subject, topic, and time duration of the unit
Statement of rationale and general goals for the unit
Major objectives of the unit
Materials and resources needed
Lesson plans
Assessment strategies
Accommodations for students with special needs
Note there are no single best FORMAT for a unit. That said, there should be these minimal inclusions, regardless of where you write them in your unit plan. These elements are counted in your unit project, as noted in your rubric.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

5. Five Levels of Curriculum Integration (see Figure 5.3 on page 161)
Least Integrated
Subject-specific topic outline
No student collaboration in planning
Teacher solo
Okay, now we’re really going to zoom in, focus into various levels of integration among different curriculum. Please note that this does not mean that the higher the level, the better the unit. Rather, this is a range that goes from least integrated to most integrated.
Level 1: (read bullet and main ideas). Note at this level it’s really in terms of topic outlines. (for example in textbook it says of a student who is studying earthquakes in a science class, and around the same time learns social consequences of natural disasters in a social studies class). But note that any “connection” was based on a similar lesson topic rather than overlapping of common themes.
Level 1: The traditional organization of curriculum and classroom instruction, where teachers plan and arrange the subject-specific scope and sequence in the format of topic outlines.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

6. Five Levels of Curriculum Integration (see Figure 5.3 on page 161)
Least Integrated
Subject-specific topic outline
No student collaboration in planning
Teacher solo
Subject Specific
Minimal student input
Solo or teams
Level 2: Read bullets and main idea. The basic difference from Level 1 is that there any connection, overlap, or seeing similar themes on the part of the student is based on coincidently overlapping thematic units rather than sequence of topic outlines.
Level 2: Themes for one discipline are not necessarily planned and coordinated to correspond to or integrate with themes of another or to be taught simultaneously.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

7. Five Levels of Curriculum Integration (see Figure 5.3 on page 161)
Least Integrated
Subject-specific topic outline
No student collaboration in planning
Teacher solo
Subject Specific
Minimal student input
Solo or teams
Multidisciplinary
Some student input
Level 3: Read bullets and main idea. Now we’re “upping the anty” so to speak. How this level differs from previous level is that at this level, teachers AGREE on a theme, then they SEPARATELY deal with that theme in their own subject areas. Usually this loosely constructed theme is around the same time of year. Levels 2 and 3 are also known as Coordinated Curriculum
Level 3: This type of integration occurs when the same students are learning two or more of their core subjects around a common theme from one or more teachers.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

8. Five Levels of Curriculum Integration (see Figure 5.3 on page 161)
Least Integrated
Subject-specific topic outline
No student collaboration in planning
Teacher solo
Subject Specific
Minimal student input
Solo or teams
Multidisciplinary
Some student input
Interdisciplinary thematic
Considerable student input in selecting themes and in planning
Level 4: Read bullets and main idea. Some distinctions for Level 4: (a) idea that discipline boundaries begin to disappear. So in other words, a science teacher could teach some math while teaching physics in a “Rocket Launch” Thematic unit and (b) considerable input from students
Level 4: Teachers and students collaborate on a common theme and its content, and discipline boundaries begin to disappear as teachers teach about this common theme.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

9. Five Levels of Curriculum Integration (see Figure 5.3 on page 161)
Least Integrated
Subject-specific topic outline
No student collaboration in planning
Teacher solo
Subject Specific
Minimal student input
Solo or teams
Multidisciplinary
Some student input
Interdisciplinary thematic
Considerable student input in selecting themes and in planning
Most integrated
Maximum student and teacher collaboration
Level 5: Read bullets and main idea. This is most integrated from both students and teachers. In addition, the teaching of specific subjects is very blurred. So science, math, and English teachers can teach each other subject, whether separately or in teams. They “divide” the teaching based on various components of the theme, rather than on how much the theme correlates to their subject matter expertise.
Level 5: Teachers and their students have collaborated on a common theme and its content; discipline boundaries are blurred as teachers of several grade levels and/or of various subjects teach on various aspects of the common theme.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

10. Steps 1-5 to developing an interdisciplinary unit
10 Basic Steps for Planning and Developing an Interdisciplinary Thematic Unit (pages )
Steps 1-5 to developing an interdisciplinary unit
Agree on the nature or source of the unit
Discuss subject-specific frameworks, goals, and objectives; curriculum guidelines; textbooks and supplemental materials; and units already in place for the school year
Choose a topic and develop a timeline
Establish two timelines
Develop the scope and sequence for content and instruction
This is an extension from the “7 basic steps of planning most instructional units,” or the slide that was presented several slides ago. Read steps 1-5. Note for the following:
4. Establish two timelines: First timeline is for the team only, ensuring deadlines in putting together the unit are met by each team member. The second timeline is part of the final product of that planning; it shows for both students and teachers how long the unit, when it starts, which classes taught.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

11. Steps 6-10 to developing an interdisciplinary unit
10 Basic Steps for Planning and Developing an Interdisciplinary Thematic Unit (pages )
Steps 6-10 to developing an interdisciplinary unit
Share goals and objectives
Give the unit a name
Share subject-specific units, lesson plans, and materials
Field test the unit
Evaluate, adjust, and revise the unit
Read steps I like to note the following steps: (9) Field test the unit, and (10) Evaluate and perhaps adjust/revise the unit. These are good practices in terms of reflection and feedback for further teaching/modification; important elements when you do your PACT.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

12. In class Assignment
Work with one to three students who share the same subject matter as you. When we debrief, please be ready to report to me with the following:
Explain what Level of Curriculum Integration (pages ) that your unit will cover.
Describe one subject-matter standard that this unit will fulfill.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.