Alicia LeRoux

Collaborative Lesson Plan

EDSL 660
Summer 2013
A. Lesson topic/focus: This lesson will focus on what life was like in colonial
America with emphasis on how life was different in each of the three areas (New
England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern) and how people made a living and relied
on each other (including specialization as well as interdependence among
regions). Students will create their own questions about each of these areas.
They will be guided towards resources that will help them find the answers to
their questions. This 6th grade class consists of a gifted cluster. The class has
27 students total and 11 of them are identified as gifted. The other 16 are
considered regular education students and range from low achieving to high
achieving. Students will be placed in small groups with a range of abilities.
Differentiation will be addressed within the groups so that reading abilities will
be met and/or challenged; students may also choose what role they play in the
group and can pick the one that will best meet their learning style. The final
product will be to create a skit to present the findings to the class. Each
student will complete his/her own research to contribute towards the production
of the skit. Within the group, one or two students can be the primary writers of
the skit (with input from all members), one or two will be in charge of props and
details, one or two will be in charge of costumes, and one will assume the role
of gathering sources and presenting a final bibliography for the group. All will
participate in the final presentation. There will be six groups and each region
will be assigned twice. Therefore, there will be two skits about New England,
two on Mid-Atlantic, and two on Southern.
B. Content curriculum standards addressed: The standard of learning for
this lesson is
SOL USI.5bThe student will describe life in the New England, MidAtlantic, and Southern colonies, with emphasis on how people interacted
with their environment to produce goods and services, including examples
of specialization and interdependence.
C. AASL Standards for the 21st Century addressed:
Skills Indicator(s):
1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new
understanding.
1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings
effectively.
Dispositions Indicator(s):
1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.
Responsibilities Indicator(s):
1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.
1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.
Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):

1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own
inquiry process.
2.4.1 Determine how to act on information (accept, reject, modify).
D. Resources to be used in lesson:
Print sources found in the OKMS library:
The Thirteen Colonies by Marc Tyler Nobleman
The Thirteen Colonies by Gail Sakurai
The Mills by Raymond Bial
The Farm by Raymond Bial
Series: Primary sources of the thirteen colonies and the Lost Colony by
various authors
Series: Voices from Colonial America by various authors
Websites such as these:
Labor and Trade in Colonial America http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/beyond-thetextbook/25455

Teaching with Dear America, Colonial

Periodhttp://www.scholastic.com/teachdearamerica/
Daily Life in the Colonies
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspectives_daily.html
The New England Colonies http://www.ushistory.org/us/3.asp
The Middle Colonies http://www.ushistory.org/us/4.asp
The Southern Colonies http://www.ushistory.org/us/5.asp
Articles from databases such as these:
"New England's sparkling history." Jewelers Circular Keystone Mar. 1999:
121+. General OneFile. Web. 28 July 2013.
Sheppard, Donna. "Flashback to ... the people of
Williamsburg." Cobblestone Sept. 2006: 47. General OneFile. Web. 28 July
2013
Rohrs, Kirsten. "A time of change: Colonial coins." Colonial Homes Feb.
1997: 66+. General OneFile. Web. 28 July 2013.
DVD such as:
Colonial Days by Sunburst Visual Media
E. Divisions of Responsibilities
Classroom Teacher = CT, School Librarian = SL
The CT will be responsible for setting the stage of the unit and explaining
the expected outcomes. The CT will decide/create forms that will be
used with input from the SL.
The SL will be responsible for gathering materials, and make suggestions
for any helpful technology resources for either finding information or
documenting it. SL will remind students about correct citation techniques
and to use easy bib found on the library webpage. The SL will have the
laptop/projector ready each day to model correct citation methods and
how to take/organize notes, to remind students how to use or teach them
how to find information on databases, and to answer/clarify any questions
that arise.
Together, they will complete a collaborative planning form and implement
all aspects of the unit as a team, as well as assessing the students
together by using a rubric.

F. Evidence of Joint Planning: Since the classroom teacher has planning

every other day during second block from 10:00-11:30, it was initially agreed
upon via email that there would be three sessions of planning prior to the start
of the unit. During the planning sessions, it was realized that fourth block of
instruction would be needed (see session 2). Each planning session met from
10:00-10:45 two weeks before the start of the unit. This unit began at the
beginning of November during the school year. The planning took place the
second week of October. Below is a summary of what was discussed during
each planning session.
Planning session 1: The SOL, objectives, and goals for the unit were
discussed. They agreed to fill out a collaborative planning form together,
to divide up responsibilities, and to focus on the Stripling Model of Inquiry
(Connect>Wonder>Investigate>Construct>Express>Reflect). CT will start with
direct instruction in the classroom prior to visiting the library. CT will have
the students start brainstorming questions. CT will find and note any
essential words and definitions to help with student learning (such as
specialization and interdependence). SL will gather relevant materials
and information that can be used to support the research for this
assignment. SL will remind and guide students towards correct citation of
resources used. SL will plan to model note taking and have the students
to use either Inspiration or http://bubble-note-bubble-notes.soft112.com/ or
something similar that the students can access.
Planning session 2: CT mapped out a plan for the three sessions within
the library. The SL shared the materials including print and non-print
sources for the students. The materials also addressed differentiation
concerning reading abilities. SL also shared a DVD that could be shown at
the beginning of the unit to create interest: Colonial Days by Sunburst
Visual Media. It was decided that the classroom teacher would show the
DVD in the classroom and have the students complete a venn diagram to
compare and contrast their life to life in the colonies. This will help
students to connect their knowledge with what they will learn about
colonial life and how they are different and similar. Students will then
spend the next three blocks in the library formulating questions and
completing research. It was decided that students will present skits on
the fourth block. The SL was also excited to announce that a guest
speaker from Colonial Williamsburg can join them with a session on life in
Colonial America and take questions from the students. The CT and SL
decided that they would add a fourth block to allow enough time for the
guest speaker.
Planning session 3: CT and SL finalized the schedule together and
created a rubric for assessment. Each will share in the assessment of
research and presentation of skits. The SL suggested that the skits should
be taped so they could be shared with other classes and groups of
students.
G. Assessment of Student Learning:
Students will be assessed based on the following:
Completion of venn diagram
Notes organized by cluster diagram (either Inspiration or Bubble Notes)

Completion of bibliography (one bibliography for each group)

Observation based on participation within the group and fulfilling chosen
roles
Participation during the skit and that the assigned region was represented
in such a way that an observer could tell what life what like during the
colonial time and how one made a living in that region
Plans for remediation: Exit tickets should be used at the end of each of
the three blocks. Students can fill out a brief What I learned about my
region today is or A question I have about my region is or I would
like to talk to the CT or SL individually about . The CT and SL will touch
base to debrief after each lesson and make any changes necessary for the
next session. Therefore, the beginning of each subsequent block would be
the appropriate time to address any need for remediation and discuss or
clarify any concerns. The last exit ticket completed should be used to help
make any changes to this unit for future students.
H. Assessment of Lesson Success:
CT observed that the lesson was a success because each of the skits
demonstrated what life was like in that colonial region. She noted that
the students did an excellent job of showing how life was unique to that
region. She further stated that students showed great enthusiasm for
participating in the skits (many said the best part was being recorded!).
The students also enjoyed learning about the other regions.
SL noted that students successfully completed a bibliography as a group.
Students made excellent use of the resources that were gathered, and
presented excellent questions that led to the finding of other sources.
The research completed showed evidence of finding the information they
were looking for. Furthermore, students shared with the librarian how
much they enjoyed having the speaker from Colonial Williamsburg.
Students shared that they were very excited about presenting their
findings through a skit. Knowing that they could share in a creative way
made the research fun for them. Also, being able to create and answer
their questions also made this a meaningful experience. Students noted
that they felt they had more ownership in their learning. For future
reference, students said they wished they had more time and to take that
into consideration when teaching this unit with other students.

I. Impact of Librarian on Student Learning:

The classroom teacher noted that the support of the librarian made this
unit come alive. The students felt empowered as they were guided towards
print and non-print sources shared with them by the librarian because they had
created the questions for researching. The classroom teacher felt fully engaged
with the librarian and stated that teaching this SOL together had long-lasting
and positive implications for the students. The classroom teacher especially
appreciated the suggestion of the DVD to jump-start the unit as well as the idea
to tape each skit to be shared with other students. The classroom teacher said
the addition of the guest speaker from Colonial Williamsburg would be
remembered for a long time to come.

The librarian played a significant role within this unit. The librarian found
applicable resources from many print and non-print sources. These sources
addressed the different reading levels within the groups so that all students
could successfully gather information and participate in the assignment. The
sources were found online, within the library card catalog collection, and within
the databases the school utilizes. The librarian guided the students toward
correctly preparing a bibliography of sources used. The librarian found and
recommended a DVD that the classroom teacher could use to jump start the
unit and initiate excitement. The librarian was a team teacher along with the
classroom teacher during the three blocks in the library. The librarian assessed
the students along with the classroom teacher during the unit as well as with
the final presentation of the skits by using the agreed upon rubric.
The students were observed saying how much fun this unit was and how
they enjoyed researching about colonial life. Several noted that they were
worried about how boring this was going to be, but in the end they realized that
being able to write and answer their own questions about a certain topic really
helped them to become involved and to enjoy learning about it. They
appreciated the fact that as they were researching and new questions came up
that they could be directed by the librarian to other sources to help them find
their answers. Several students commented that they wished every class they
took had two teachers!