UbD Lesson Plan

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I enjoyed having to deeply think through this unit which I’ve taught before. It was definitely a struggle for me, specifically deciding if something belonged under “understanding, “knowledge,” “skills,” etc. I felt that I was often repeating myself, not knowing if I was correct. It was also difficult using a pre-existing unit. I think it would have been easier and more fun using UbD to create a new unit—something I have yet to teach. I also felt guilty including text book reading and note taking in the planned activities (so I didn’t!), but now think that it would have been okay to do that as long as it would be geared toward the planned assessments, essential questions, and understandings.

I preferred the Word format because it felt more guided and structured. I was a little confused, however, when having to identify role, situation, etc. The students’ roles change slightly from class period to class period since this was a plan for a whole unit, and not just one 45 minute class period. I tried to be broad and on-topic as best I could during this part.

Additional Questions:
Is the Performance supposed to be a culminating activity? Were the planned activities supposed to be more specific—as if another teacher is supposed to be able to interpret and use this lesson plan? Should I have been more specific—including every single worksheet, reading, activity, etc in the format? Is it better to use this format when planning a unit or daily lessons?

UbD is a really interesting way to plan curriculum. In talking to some colleagues, many of them seemed familiar with the idea but have not used it in the classroom. One of them asked, “is that the method for teaching to the test?”

Mash-up

More about Did You Know

I forgot to mention that my superintendent showed Fisch's video to district-wide staff at our welcome back meeting of 2007. Looking back, I'm glad that he showed this to open our minds, but I wish he used it more productively, like we are now in this course, to decide what this means for education and what we are to do about it. My district uses a lot of technology. We have many PD hours every year about technology, and we are expected to use it daily. But I remember sitting among my colleagues thinking, what else? Is there more that we need to do?

Did You Know?

Who’s scared? I am! Thinking about how much computers will be able to do in the near future is unsettling. I don’t like the thought of being replaced my machines, and I certainly don’t like not knowing how to prepare for it. We are experiencing severe unemployment rates in the United States. The possibility of more and more jobs being wiped out because computers can do the same thing for a lesser cost and in less time means that we are about to face an even higher unemployment count. And the idea that computers will take over the human race is an obvious scary thought as well.

On the other hand, the unknowingness is pretty exciting. (I know I have pretty extreme feelings about this!) Looking back in my lifetime, and the lifetime of my parents and grandparents shows how much can be accomplished with technology. We didn’t turn out so badly, did we? I don’t think we’ll ever be able to completely prepare for the future. As Americans, we’re always creating new, better, faster, more efficient ways of doing things. Our teachers prepared us as much as they could for the future they didn’t know about, and we are doing the same. I think our job as educators is to teach about the past, teach skills, and content that we think is worth knowing NOW. We can’t see into the future, so we will have to trust that when our students enter the workforce they, among their peers, will have the skills, motivation, and personality traits to explore the future.

The most important skills we can teach our students are to think critically, to research, to experiment, to see cause and effect, to explore, to communicate, to question, to strategize, and to be creative. These skills are timeless and help prepare us for any situation in any era.

As educators, we need to commit to learning the most about technology, and passing that information onto our students as we possibly can. We must commit to stay current, but not to say goodbye to all of the information, skills, and pieces of technology that we have used thus far. We can’t write off our pasts in hopes that the future will be better. Future creations will certainly be different, and will definitely bring about change. But we won’t know what’s BETTER until we experience it. Let’s commit to refrain from saying that our past has been a waste of time. The best we can do it learn from the past as we continue to move forward. How can we possibly expect more from ourselves?

Symphony

So I have to be honest, this chapter really makes me want to take up drawing. Pink’s first self portrait definitely resembles the type of art that I create. His second attempt was absolutely incredible. Pink’s experience also proved that the teacher matters! He was very affective at teaching about the right side of the brain, and obviously helped Pink to tune his left side out! Although I am severely more right brained than left, I think it would be really interesting to undergo a class like the one Bomeisler taught and see if I too can forget everything I knew from before and focus more on the big picture.

As a side note, I saw the FedEx logo about a hundred times in the past week! It was fun asking people around me what they thought about the logo. One of my friends and I got into a conversation about the creation and meaning behind logos. She told me of a time in a college marketing class where she had to describe stores and companies as people. For example, what kind of car would Walmart Drive? The common opinion was an old station wagon with the wood paneling. What would Target drive? A new Volkswagon bug. I know it’s a little off topic but I thought it was funny.

When reading about Metaphor Makers, I thought of my students. Teaching my fifth graders to use descriptive language has been so difficult. Now I wonder if those students just haven’t been R-directed enough, or if they just weren’t developmentally ready to understand, recognize, and create metaphors in their writing and speaking.

Lastly, I loved reading about The Boundary Crosser. My favorite part was about giving blended solutions instead of either/or outcomes. I was definitely that kid to always ask, “why not?” My parents didn’t enjoy that so much, but after reading the chapter on Symphony I don’t feel so bad!