UBD Lesson Plan #2

Name: Jamie Yu
Date:11.17.15
School: Alton Middle School
Part 1: Learning Plan
Subject: Social Studies
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Topic: Who is ISIS and who joins ISIS?
State/Common Core Standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH. 6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source;
provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or
opinions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH. 6-8.7
Integrate visual information with other information in print and digital texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH. 6-8.8
Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
Lesson Learning Targets:
Knowledge targets: Students will have a better understanding of ISIS.
Skill targets: Students will be able to identify facts and opinions on media.
Understanding targets: Students will be able to apply their knowledge
and skills to express their own view on current world event based on facts.
Assessment Plan:
This lesson is to create a safe space for students to discuss the current ISIS
issue. Students will write down at least 5 new things they have learned from reading
this article http://euphrates.org/who-joins-isis/. and share facts about ISIS with the
class. They will also use the knowledge about ISIS and the skill of identifying facts
and opinions to create a slogan in replying to the Paris attack. This Slogan will be a
way for them to express their own understanding of conflict. We all need to be
responsible for words we say.
Part 2: Instructional Planning

Introduction
o Clearly state learning goals
o Show students the agenda
o Quick review of the last lesson and emphasize the importance of telling a
story from both sides.
o Ask them what do they know about Paris attack.

Modeling (not telling)

o Explain how does this activity connect with what we did yesterday. If we
want to look at this attack from both sides, what kind of questions will you
ask? (Why is ISIS doing this? Who is ISIS? Who joins ISIS?)

Guided Practice

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o
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Students will read the article together and write down at least five new
facts they've learned about ISIS and share them with the class.
Discuss the difference between opinion and fact. Give examples.
Introduce the idea of a slogan. Ask questions: What slogans do you see
everyday? What do slogans do? Is slogan based on fact or opinion?

Independent Practice
o Students will work in a group, exchange ideas, research online and create
a slogan in replying to ISIS or the Paris attack.

Closure
o Students come up to the white board to draw/write down their slogans.
o Oral reflection on what we did yesterday and today. Ask questions: Why do
we need to look at things from both sides? How can you tell the
differences between facts and opinions? What does it mean to be an
independent thinker? How do we protect ourselves from being influenced
by others opinions? (Those questions can be flexible as the conversation
goes.)

Materials/Learning resources needed:

o Whiteboard, Chrome book

Differentiate instruction to meet different learning needs:

o Students will be able to read, share, draw during the class.

I will engage all students to be thinking and processing important ideas

o I will think aloud, explaining what I am thinking and keep pushing them to
make their own connections to their daily life. Students will be engaged
when they talk about things that matters to them

Effective questioning and direction giving that activates thinking and

engagement
o I will not only ask questions on the surface or from the reading, but
actually ask students to think critically by asking questions like, Why do
we need to look at things from both sides? How can you tell the
differences between facts and opinions? What does it mean to be an
independent thinker? How do we protect ourselves from being influenced
by others opinions?

Transitions and management strategies

o I am not telling them what to say, but am simply asking questions, being a
listener, and learning with them on this topic. This will allow them to share
and engage more.

Summary Reflection
It wasnt an easy topic to teach. Since it was really a discussion-based lesson,
I had four classes that day and each of them looked very different. Not until the
third class, did I finally have total confidence in teaching this lesson. I was under a
lot of stress on the first block. One reason was that I didnt have enough time to
prepare and think through everything I want to say. Another reason was that I
envisioned this lesson to be mainly student directed and I didnt want to force my
own person opinions on them. So when I cant predict anything my students are
going to share and produce in front of my professor, who was grading my

performance, I couldn't help being panicked, even though I tried my best not to let it
out. I had doubt if it was right to introduce this topic as my final formal lesson. But
when I saw those kids from block 4 were so excited to come up on the whiteboard to
draw their slogan and promote peace, not violence, I thought to myself, it was a
good try. We all learned so much by having this safe place to talk about things. Why
dont we do this more often? The next day, my cooperating teacher and students
actually continued the topic during the class. Many students had questions and
good insights. It turned out to be a really rewarding experience. And I had a better
understanding of what I would like to teach in the future.
What I found effective during that day was:
1. Always give specific tasks while assigning readings. For example, list five
new things you learned from the reading;
2. Its better to have individuals read first and then have group discussions;
3. Give clear and quick instructions--the simpler the better;
4. Dont worry about giving a lecture, students need to hear what the teacher is
thinking, especially helping them make connections by sharing the
connections the teacher made.
I dont think the first class was successfully delivered. I think these kinds of
lessons need to be delivered in a safe and trusting place. I focused too much on the
format of the lesson, such as showing videos, assigning jobs to groups,
presentation, etc. and those distracted me from the most important part, which is to
listen, just to listen to what they have to say. I did a much better job in the
afternoon. When I didnt use any technology or fancy grouping trick. I simply started
with a heart-felt lecture, read an article, and asked a bunch of questions, inviting
them to draw on the whiteboard. Thats it. It was a real conversation.
I dont know if a less formal or creative plan makes a lesson less valuable. I
finally realized being a cool teacher who can use all sorts of tools might not be the
most important thing in the classroom. Maybe being a true and real person first, like
Rafe, is what is needed.