Curriculum Unit

After reviewing my curriculum unit and the suggestions, I noticed a few things that I would change to improve the lessons. One of the first suggestions made was in regards to the literacy elements that are part of the state standards. In order to actually incorporate these elements more, then I should have the students do more activities such as constructing maps, graphs, and diagrams and give students more opportunity to locate information.
Another suggestion, which I think is critical, especially now since I’ve been teaching, are the objectives. In writing the objectives, I should be more explicit. This will allow me to attach them to my assessment, making them directly related.
One other suggestion that was frequently made was about my actual assessment. For many of my assessments I had the students write short journal entries or complete exit slips. What I needed to be more specific on was how I am going to actually grade these. One of the comments said “good, now how will you grade this? completion?” I think that completion is important, but I need to know what the students actually know. They need to be able to not only complete the assessment but do so correctly. Using my objectives will allow me to see if students are incorporating the information that they learned in the lesson. This will give me a better grasp on how effective the lesson was.