Unit Plan Template
Teacher Candidate Name: Hannah Julia Paredes Kilnoski
Unit Name: Ocean
Subject and Grade Level: Pre-school/K1 English 30 minute class
Language Domains: Speaking, listening, writing and pre-reading
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Learner Population: This unit is designed for preschool/K1 students aged 3-4 in Mexico. First language for most students is Spanish. Many students will not have much or any experience with English. This unit is designed with the prerequisite assumption that all students will have completed a month of school to learn some foundational basics.
Overarching Goals: What would you expect for mastery?
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Students will be able to identify and produce names and sounds of letters (Speaking, (Pre)Reading)
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Students will be able to identify and produce names of ocean animals (Speaking)
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Students will be able to ask and answer target questions (Speaking, Listening)
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Students will be able to trace and write letters (Writing)
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Student will be able to talk about their knowledge of the ocean in a short presentation
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Integrated Overarching Goal: Students will be able to use listening and speaking skills to engage others in a simple conversation about ocean animals and identify ocean animals based on the initial letter using pre-reading skills
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Applied/Cultural Overarching goal: Students will be able to apply classroom content to describe ocean animals they have seen at our local beach or describe ocean animals they encounter on a virtual field trip to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium
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Prerequisite Skills: What skills do students need to have before beginning this unit?
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Students need to be able to understand and respond appropriately to classroom rules and commands.
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Students need to have a basic understanding of the questions ‘What is it?’ Can use L1 for fast clarification. Students should be able to count to 5 and know basic colors red, yellow, green, blue. More colors will be introduced in the unit.
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Students who are unfamiliar with the expected letters and colors will be given additional one on one support with a teacher during interdisciplinary centers time.
Summative Assessment: What evidence or project will students submit to demonstrate that they have met the standard and objectives? How will you assess these products? How will you differentiate the assessments based on varying reading levels of students?
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Students can interview one of their classmates asking target questions. Can use flashcards for visual support
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Teacher will ask the student target questions. The Teacher can show flashcards to serve as a visual aid
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Students can give a short presentation on an animal to demonstrate their knowledge
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Teacher will write down progress on a chart using a criteria rubric
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Can the student ask a simple question to a partner with prompts?
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Can the student respond to questions appropriately?
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Can the student respond using a full sentence?
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Can the student describe an ocean animal when given a visual representation?
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Formative Assessment: How will you monitor and track student progress?
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Teacher can ask students target questions to assess their speaking skills
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Teacher can describe an animal and ask student to identify it to assess listening skills
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Teacher can have students trace letters to assess writing skills
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Teacher can have students identify letters based on letter name or sound to assess pre-reading skills
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All formative assessments can be done by observing student to student interactions too.
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Use same chart and rubric to monitor students’ progress with consistency
Lessons: What are the lessons that you will teach for this unit? How will you sequence the lessons that you will teach for this unit? Will your lessons be goal-oriented, theme-based, or project-based? What strategies will you use to teach vocabulary to students of varying reading levels? Mention any other literacy skills covered in a lesson. What follows this unit?
Lesson 1- Week 1
SWBAT produce ocean animal vocabulary (Speaking)
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Use blue and green trays and divide animal toys according to where they live. Ask students if anyone can identify any of the ocean animals (any language). Teacher can say the name of the animal a couple of times for each one.
Use a song with the ocean animals to engage students and work on their listening
Use flashcards and toy animals to teach vocabulary. Play various flashcard games to encourage students to produce vocabulary as a group.
Lesson 2- Week 1
SWBAT produce names and sounds of letters D, F, and O (Speaking and Pre-reading)
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Play fun alphabet song or Alphablocks to engage students and help them remember alphabet sounds and letter names.
Use letter flashcards to show letters and use for drilling. Use flashcards of animals to identify target letters in thematic context.
Lesson 3- Week 1
SWBAT Trace letters D, F, and O (Writing)
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Use sandpaper letters to show how to trace letters correctly.
Have students trace on sandpaper letters, air trace using a stick, trace on a worksheet with a writing tool and finally free write using paper and writing tool or sensory gel board.
Lesson 4- Week 1
SWBAT identify ocean animals by their initial sounds (Listening, Pre-reading)
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Play fun alphabet song or Alphablocks to help remind students of the letter names and sounds.
Review target letter names and sounds
Have students identify target letter when mixed in with other letters
Play four corners where each corner represents a letter sound to help students work on their listening skills
Students can listen for initial sounds to identify animals or use the first letter to identify animals.
Teacher will monitor students and see if any students need additional support. Focus on those students next week.
Lesson 5- Week 1
SWBAT identify ocean animals using full sentences (Speaking)
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Provide color coded sentence frames on the board. Create examples together as a class using target sentence structures.
Students can ask and answer questions such as ‘What is it?’ and ‘What can you see?’ with sentence structures (sentence frames provided) ‘It’s a (ocean animal).’ or ‘I see a (ocean animal).’
Students can use flashcards, toys, or picture books to help prompt questions.
Lesson 6- Week 3
SWBAT produce colors and verbs (Speaking)
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Use flashcards and colored objects to encourage students to produce colors.
Describe ocean animals from a PPT, class decor, virtual aquarium tour or picture books using colors vocabulary.
Act out and encourage students to act out verbs.
Play charades to guess verbs.
Lesson 7- Week 3
SWBAT describe appearances and abilities of ocean animals (Speaking and Listening)
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Review colors, numbers and verbs.
Teacher will model a clear description of an animal and have students guess which animal it is. Initially, show two animals and describe one. Ask the class which animal of the two options is being described.
As a class, create lots of examples
Encourage students to describe and guess animals with the class, in groups and with pairs.
Students can use flashcards, toys or picture books to help them in their descriptions to to support the guessing students.
Lesson 8- Week 3
SWBAT ask and answer unit questions (Listening and Speaking)
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Students can ask and answer questions about ocean animals in small groups or pairs.
Students can use flashcards, toys or picture books to help them form their questions and answers.
Teacher can monitor students and do an informal assessment.
Lesson 9- Week 3
SWBAT produce letter name and sound for letters W, S, T, and O (Speaking and Pre-reading)
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Play fun alphabet song or Alphablocks to help remind students of the letter names and sounds.
Use letter flashcards to show letters and use for drilling. Use flashcards of animals to identify target letters in thematic context.
If time allows, practice assessment presentations.
Lesson 10- Week 3
SWBAT trace letters W, S, T and O (Writing)
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Use sandpaper letters to show how to trace letters correctly. Have students trace on sandpaper letters, air trace using a stick, trace on a worksheet with a writing tool and finally free write using paper and writing tool or sensory gel board.
Practice assessment presentations.
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Differentiating Instruction: How will you differentiate the product, content, and/or process for the various needs, preferences and readiness levels of your students? How will you differentiate the lesson for students with varying reading levels, disabilities and English language learners?
I plan to give students many opportunities for differentiation in the class. Activities are designed to cater to different learning styles and assessments can be selected by the student to assure opportunities for differentiation and to ensure student comfort. Activities will include multiple methods and approaches to support visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners. Gamification of classes will ensure students are engaged and can joyfully participate regardless of ability. All activities are designed for ELL and pre-reading students.
Next Steps: What will you do after the unit? Review, re-teach, extend, or move to the next unit?
Move on to next unit, Rainforest. During the morning meeting part of the day, teacher will review previous unit, ocean, content.
References: Add resources you used to create this unit plan (preferably in APA format).
Cox, J. (2019, July 9). Thematic units in education. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-thematic-unit-2081360
Lease, L. (2016). 5 steps for Curriculum Mapping. 5 Steps for Curriculum Mapping. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-steps-curriculum-mapping-lynn-lease-phd
Li, J. (2012). Principles of Effective English Language Learner Pedagogy. College Board. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED562799.pdf
Kaufman, D., & Crandell, J., (2005). Content-Based Instruction in Primary and Secondary School Settings (Case Studies in TESOL Practice). TESOL Publications
Sullivan, C. (2015, December 29). How to use curriculum mapping. How to Use Curriculum Mapping. https://www.teachhub.com/professional-development/2015/03/how-to-create-a-curriculum-map/
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