Curriculum Integrations to

Support Student Outcome:

Unit Planning
Lindsey Cooper
EAD-520
Grand Canyon University
May 1, 2023
 Unit Planning
What is unit planning?
● Grouping lessons of the same topic, theme, skills,
essential question
● Identifies what will be taught, for how long, and the
purpose
● Purposeful and paced
● Aligned to the standards
Why is it important?
● Creates a high-quality plan to guide instruction
● Helps students understand what they will be learning
● Identifies how long things will be taught
(Unit Planning, 2023)
 Unit Plans vs. Lesson Plans
Unit Plan Lesson Plan

• Unit objectives • Step-by-step road map for teaching

• Content overview one lesson
• Essential questions • Different lesson plans for each day
of teaching
• Assessments
• “Micro”
• “Macro”
• Includes: introduction, learning
• Each standard covered should be
task, application task, formative
listed
assessment, reflection
(Teach and Thrive, 2020)
Designing a Unit Plan
1. Set Goals and Objectives
2. Choose Content
3. Choose Instruction Methods
4. Connect Learning Activities to
Experiences
5. Choose and List Resources
6. Choose Assessment Methods

(IRIS | Page 15: Unit Plan Design, 2023)

 Quality Unit Planning
To gauge the quality of a unit plan there are certain things you must ask yourself:
1. Have you aligned the unit to the standards and objectives that you are required to teach?
2. Have you used different teaching strategies to meet all learners where they learn best?
3. Are the activities that you have chosen appropriate to the unit and objectives and have
you chosen the activities in an order that makes sense to the standards?
4. Are the assessments summative and formative?
5. Do those assessments measure the skills identified in the objective?
(Finley, 2014)
What is Differentiation?

“Differentiated instruction is the process of

tailoring lessons to meet each student’s
individual interests, needs, and strengths.
Teaching this way gives students choice and
flexibility in how they learn, and helps teachers
personalize learning.”

(Differentiated Instruction and How to Implement It | Learning A-Z, 2023)

 Differentiated Instructional Strategies
• Provide students with learning options,
depending on how they learn
• Process differentiation: HOW students
learn
• Product differentiation: student-created
assignments to show understanding
• Environmental differentiation: physical
changes in the classroom (flexible seating,
desk arrangement, etc.)

(Differentiated Instruction and How to Implement It | Learning A-Z, 2023)

 Culturally Inclusive Teaching
What to do What can it do?
● Understand who your students are and ● Increase student performance
where they come from ● Address the issue of systemic racism
● Connect with students in schools
● Support students ● Allow all learners to feel comfortable
● Build on background knowledge and in their classroom and with the
cultural experiences curriculum
● Encourage reflection ● Help form relationships between
teachers and students
(UnboundEd, 2020)
(Culturally Inclusive Practices, 2021)
Innovative Instructional Programs
• Considers the school’s mission and vision
• Have desired outcomes for teachers in the
classroom
• A systematic approach to what will be
taught, how it will be taught and who will
be taught

(Curriculum Development - Process and Models, 2021)

 References
Culturally Inclusive Practices. (2021). Tn.gov. https://www.tn.gov/education/families/student-support/special-education/culturally-inclusive-
practices.html
‌
Differentiated Instruction and How to Implement It | Learning A-Z. (2023). Learninga-Z.com. https://www.learninga-z.com/site/company/what-we-
do/differentiated-instruction#:~:text=Differentiated%20instruction%20is%20the%20process,and%20helps%20teachers%20personalize
%20learning.

Finley, T. (2014, July 31). Planning the Best Curriculum Unit Ever. Edutopia; George Lucas Educational Foundation.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/planning-best-curriculum-unit-ever-todd-finley
‌
IRIS | Page 15: Unit Plan Design. (2023). Vanderbilt.edu. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/cnm/cresource/q4/p15/

Teach and Thrive. (2020, May 7). Unit Plans vs. Lesson Plans. Teach 'N Thrive; Teach 'n Thrive. https://teachnthrive.com/teaching-ideas/unit-plans-
vs-lesson-plans/#:~:text=A%20unit%20plan%20is%20an,map%20for%20teaching%20one%20lesson.

UnboundEd. (2020, December 18). Defining Equitable ELA and Math Instruction. Unbounded.org; UnboundEd Learning, Inc.
https://www.unbounded.org/blog/defining-equitable-ela-and-math-instruction
‌
Unit Planning. (2023, April 3). Buffalo.edu. https://www.buffalo.edu/catt/develop/build/unit-planning.html