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Strategic Lesson Planning

Course Outline


Course Description

This course is designed to assist teachers in public and private schools in creating more effective lesson plans by aligning their plans with their students’ learning styles. Lesson plans are a teacher’s self-created guide to content presentations that maximize mastery by the student. This course combines meta-analysis with current action research. By combining these two fields of educational research, you will be able to create lesson plans that are both efficient and effective. Research based lesson plans address both today’s high standards and the differentiated learning styles of the student. The identification and approach to each of the learning styles presented in the book, The Strategic Teacher by Harvey F. Silver, Richard W. Strong & Matthew J. Perini, will form the foundation for the course. The course will explore the following:

  • Direct and indirect instruction
  • Reading for meaning
  • Concept attainment
  • Compare and contrast
  • Reciprocal learning
  • Decision making
  • Task rotation
  • Metaphorical Instruction

Objectives

  • Determine the characteristics of a Direct Instruction lesson
  • Design a direct instructional lesson utilizing The Command Strategy
  • Create and maximize instruction with the Four Phase Process  
  • Examine the use of Inductive Instruction
  • Determine methods of grouping and plan an Inductive Learning lesson
  • Examine the need and use of The Reading for Meaning model
  • Determine the characteristics and structure of a Reading for Meaning lesson plan
  • Examine key concepts and recognize critical attributes of the Concept Attainment model        
  • Determine similarities and differences and facilitate the use of Comparison Organizers
  • Examine how to initiate student pairing and enhance learning through peer coaching
  • Assess the characteristics and structure of a Reciprocal Learning lesson plan and determine it’s appropriate use
  • Evaluate and implement the decision making strategy and apply decisions to other content areas
  • Analyze strategies and thought processes used in strategy implementation
  • Determine how to summarize information as a tool for testing hypotheses
  • Synthesize decisions and solutions using the Inquiry Grid
  • Examine the characteristics and structure of a Task Rotation lesson plan and determine the appropriate use
  • Examine dominant learning styles, differentiate assessment and rotate teaching styles
  • Examine and demonstrate the strategy selection process
  • Expand reflective skills through note taking and increase meaningful discussions
  • Develop students’ skills as readers, writers, listeners and speakers
  • Analyze making connections and comparisons
  • Assess past experience and knowledge through reflection
  • Optimize the introspective use of vocabulary
  • Expand comprehension through the use of similes and metaphors


Curriculum Design & Time Requirements

The following methodologies will be used during the course: lectures, readings, reflections, group and individual discussions, applied practice assignments, presentations, papers and a final exam or exercise. This course is a forty-five hour three-credit graduate level course that is taught in the classroom and online.

Course Materials

The required text for this course is The Strategic Teacher, by Harvey F. Silver, Richard W. Strong, Matthew J. Perini. Published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. A variety of readings, graphs and charts will be referenced throughout the course. In addition, participants will be directed to several web-sites that will provide them with a greater breadth of understanding. Students will also receive a student guide.


Session Outline

Session 1: Direct Instruction: Modeling and Practice
Objectives:
  • Determine the characteristics of a Direct Instruction lesson
  • Design a direct instructional lesson utilizing the command strategy
  • Create and maximize instruction with the Four Phase Process  
Contents:
  1. Recall a lesson taught by a “strict” teacher
  2. Dashboard review
  3. The Four Phase Process
  4. Planning the Direct Lesson
  5. The Command Strategy
  6. Session Question

Session 2: Inductive Instruction: Key Concept Identification
Objectives:
  • Examine the use of Inductive Instruction
  • Determine methods of grouping and plan an Inductive Learning lesson
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. The Bicycle Showroom
  4. Comparison Organizers
  5. Brainstorm possible Inductive Lessons

Session 3: Reading for Meaning: Ten Key Statements
Objectives:
  • Examine the need and use of The Reading for Meaning model
  • Determine the characteristics and structure of a Reading for Meaning lesson plan
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Three Essential Components
  4. Using an Evidence Organizer
  5. Session Question
  6. Planning the lesson

Session 4: Concept Attainment: Conceptual Clarity
Objectives:
  • Examine key concepts and recognize critical attributes of the Concept Attainment model
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Eight considerations when using the Conceptual Clarity Strategy
  4. Using Concept Definition Maps
  5. Session Question
  6. Planning the lesson

Session 5: Compare and Contrast: Four Organizers
Objectives:
  • Determine similarities and differences and facilitate the use of Comparison Organizers
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Four questions styles
  4. Using the Four Organizers
  5. Session Question
  6. Planning the lesson

Session 6: Reciprocal Learning: Peer Problem Solving
Objectives:
  • Examine how to initiate student pairing and enhance learning through peer coaching
  • Assess the characteristics and structure of a Reciprocal Learning lesson plan and determine it’s appropriate use
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Strategy implementation
  4. Peer activity
  5. Session Question
  6. Planning the lesson

Session 7: Decision Making: Questions, Dilemmas, and Situations
Objectives:
  • Evaluate and implement the decision making strategy and apply decisions to other content areas
  • Analyze strategies and thought processes used in strategy implementation
  • Determine how to summarize information as a tool for testing hypotheses
  • Synthesize decisions and solutions using the Inquiry Grid
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Information source and collection
  4. Synthesizing decisions and solutions
  5. The Inquiry Grid review
  6. Individual activity
  7. Session Question
  8. Planning the lesson

Session 8: Task Rotation: Differentiated Presentations
Objectives:
  • Examine the characteristics and structure of a Task Rotation lesson plan and determine the appropriate use
  • Examine dominant learning styles, differentiate assessment and rotate teaching styles
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Strategy implementation
  4. Individual Activity
  5. Session Question
  6. Planning the lesson

Session 9: Creating the Lesson Plan: Selecting the Strategy
Objective:
  • Examine and demonstrate the strategy selection process
  • Expand reflective skills through note taking and increase meaningful discussions
  • Develop students’ skills as readers, writers, listeners and speakers
Contents:
  1. Review key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Using the Objective Resistance Analysis
  4. Style Strategies
  5. Session Question
  6. Planning the lesson

Session 10: Metaphorical Instruction: The Self-Expressive Model
Objectives:
  • Analyze making connections and comparisons
  • Assess past experience and knowledge through reflection
  • Optimize the introspective use of vocabulary
  • Expand comprehension through the use of similes and metaphors
Contents:
  1. Key concepts
  2. Dashboard review
  3. Creating a step-problem chart
  4. The Metaphorical Model
  5. Session Question
  6. Planning the lesson

Grading

  Assignment Points   Grading Scale  
  Class Participation/Attendance 20      100 – 93 A
  Completion of Lesson Plans 20       92 – 85 B
  Final Group Presentation 20       84 – 77 C
    Website Reviews 20            
  Final Exam 20    
  Total Points 100    


Student Requirements


1. Students are required to attend all classes for the posted hours and participate in all individual, small group, and class discussions.  
2. Discussions and presentation are an essential element of this course and participation is considered in grading.
3. Assigned papers and reflections must be submitted on the due dates.
4. All written work must be well reasoned and original.
5. Reflections - At the conclusion of some sessions there are assignments that you are asked to complete. Direct any questions regarding these reflections to your instructor prior to submission.
6. Review the bibliography in the Student Guide. Select two entries and be prepared to discuss them with your group or the class.
7. Select one website to review. Submit a typed summary/review on the second Sunday.
8. Write 2 complete lesson plans based on your choice of any two of the following: Metaphorical Instruction, Task Rotationor Reading for Meaning. Submit to instructor on the last day of class.
9. Final Requirement – A final examination or other exercise will be based on the research and strategies identified in the course content.

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic
disciplinary action.

Register

To register to take TEI's Strategic Lesson Planning course, go to the Course Registration page.