Micro Lesson #2 - Instructional Decisions/Teaching

While deciding on what I would like to plan my lesson, I searched the Internet for 4th grade lesson plans in the area of geography to get some ideas.  Geography is a subject that I love and hope to be able to instill in my students a sense of wonder of the world that I gained from study of geography.  As we worked on the lesson plans in class, a fellow cohort of mine mentioned that this would be my second lesson plan based on geography.  As I could choose any subject to base my lesson on, I decided to switch directions and choose another passion that does not get much time in the classroom, art. 

I quickly decided that I could incorporate technology by using photography as an art medium and then decided that having students make a storyboard using photography would not only touch on the visual arts standard, but would also have a writing component that would allow cross-curriculum  with an added writing standard.  From there it was fairly easy to build my lesson plan.

The process of designing a lesson plan for me really comes down to two things: what do I want to teach about? and how can I make it fun for my students?  I find as I plan that if I am not enjoying writing a lesson plan, there is no way a student is going to enjoy the lesson itself.  As I wrote this plan, I made a conscious effort to hide the lesson within the fun of it.  Building a storyboard would involve writing a short story, planning on the shots to be used for the storyboard, taking the pictures, and building the storyboard.  That's what the students would see the lesson as.  But to educators the students are having a writing unit, an art unit, and a technology unit all in one.  And with time constraints in the classroom, I have learned this may be the only way to introduce topics not in the Common Core.        

Once I decided what subject I wanted to build my lesson on, I searched the Arizona State Standards for those which could be used in such a lesson.  I found standards for visual arts, writing, and technology and set about integrating steps and processes that would satisfy those standards.  The technology standard would be easy.  Students would use any technology that could take a picture, computers, and printers.  They also had the option of using photo editing software if they so chose.

The writing objective required a minimum of 2 written paragraphs.  I decided to use the 6+1 writing traits rubric for an assessment, so the writing objectives for the students would follow those requirements.  The visual arts standard required students to create images that express an idea.  This can be a very abstract concept for children so I wanted to use a storyboard so they would understand what that meant and would come to understand that art is not defined as simply a picture hanging on a wall.  Further, they would see how art can be used to communicate ideas.

Modifications for individual needs really comes down to assessment of work.  Students will have to be assessed based on their ability.  All other modifications come in the art process which, in my mind, should not be judged on any scale.  The students will be allowed to work together, therefore, students with special needs can get help from their group mates with ideas for pictures to take.  They will be required to write a story, not matter how simple and make their own storyboard.  One modification for special needs students is they will not have to use the storyboard template but may print one picture per page and use the rest of the page to write their text.  This method will allow the omission of resizing pictures and more room for larger writing. 

The other modification, which can be used for advanced students is the use of photo editing software to alter the pictures they take in whatever manner they choose.  Advanced students who are super motivated may also decide to shoot a video of the storyboard they have created to be presented to the class at the end of the unit.  Again, it is essentially an art project and students should be allowed to determine what their art will look like.