Unit Planning
Andrews University
Department of Teaching and Learning
Principles of Teaching
Presentation Developed by Mr. Bradley Sheppard
Board Work –
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Focus On Outcomes
The following examples of objectives DO NOT focus on
intended learner outcomes. Rewrite them so they do
represent intended learner outcomes.
Students will participate in a discussion on mammals.
Students will state how Roman civilization was like Greek
civilization.
Students will demonstrate their enthusiasm for painting.
Students will play basketball.
Students will know all the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Students will go to the Museum of Fine Arts and write a paper
on their favorite painting.
Unit Topics:
Selected Content Areas
Art
Home Economics
Watercolors
Perspective
Pottery
Printmaking
Nutrition
Fabrics
Money Management
Baking
Physical Education
Music
Aerobic Exercise
Tennis
Body Conditioning
Swimming
Rhythm
Jazz
Wind Instruments
Classical Era
Do Activity

Write out four or five different unit topics
for your own particular content area(s).

Share your unit topics with your partner.
Unit Plans – Benefits

For Teachers: Help bridge gap between
long-term planning and daily lesson plans.

For Students: The components (goals,
objective, content, activities) are tied
together in a logical coherent manner,
providing structure for the new material to
be learned.
Unit Plan:
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Overview/Goal
Describes the
purpose of the Unit
Starting point for unit
planning process
Conceptual organizer
for the rest of the
planning process
Communicates
instructional intent to
students, teachers,
and administrators.
Example: “This unit is
intended to develop
fourth-graders’ ability to
use reference files, both in
paper form and on
computer. This unit will
focus on titles, authors,
and subject files.”
Teach This Concept
To Your Partner
Do Activity

Write an overview/goal for one of the unit
topics that you wrote a few minutes ago.

Share your overview/goal with your team.
Unit Plan:
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Rationale
Example: “Understanding
Explains why the unit is
reference systems and how
important and how it will
they’re organized is
necessary for students using
benefit students
the library. They need to be
Encourages teacher to
able to locate desired
materials to use in research
be thoughtful and
projects, and eventually they
reflective while planning
need to be able to work
independently. Because
Connects new content
many libraries have both
to other topics
physical and computerized
Helps students see
cataloging systems, students
should understand
importance of topic and
both.”
adds motivation
Teach this concept to your partner!
Do Activity

Write a rationale for one of the unit topics
you wrote a few minutes ago.

Share your rationale with your partner.
Unit Plan:
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Objectives
Deal specifically with “What
do I want my students to
learn?”
Involves translating general
goals into more specific
objectives
Desired Educational
Outcomes listed in specific
terms.
A description of a content area
or skill
A statement of what students
will be able to do when they
reach the objectives
Example: “Given a ruler
and compass,
geometry students
will construct the
bisector of an angle
within 1 degree of
error.”
Teach this concept
to your partner!
Do Activity

Write two or three objectives for one of the
unit topics you wrote a few minutes ago.

Share your objectives with your partner.
Unit Plan:

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Content
Describes what students
will actually be studying
The information students
will know or understand,
or the skills they will
develop
The way information is
organized
Examples: Schematic
Diagrams, Hierarchies,
and Outlines are all
effective ways of
organizing and
communicating the way
the content is organized.
Teach this concept to
your partner!
Do Activity

Write one “small” segment of the course
content section for a unit plan from one of
the topics you chose a few minutes ago.
– You may create brief outline or diagram.
– Do not write anything elaborate right now.

Share your “Content” section with your
partner.
Unit Plan:
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Learning Activities
Most important part of
the Unit
Elementary or
Secondary Methods
“What you teach
should influence how
you teach and how
your students should
learn”
Example: Cooperative
Lessons and Today’s
Lesson called SaySee-Do.
Teach this concept
to your partner
Do Activity

Brainstorm with your partner a list of ways
you can teach the objectives you wrote a
few minutes ago.
Unit Plan:

Evaluation
Provides students
with feedback and
feedback facilitates
learning
 Provides teachers
with information about
students’ learning
progress
 Allows teachers to
make decisions about
what to do next

Connected to all other
parts of the unit plan
 The way you measure
student learning depends
on what you want
students to learn
(objectives) and the
learning activities
involved.
 Teachers test what they
have taught.
Unit Plan:
Evaluation
Example: “What are the three kinds of
reference systems?” OR “Go to the card
catalog and locate the author’s name and
call number for each title listed below.”
Teach this concept to your partner
Do Activity

Write ONE evaluation question for one of
the unit topics you wrote earlier in the
period.

Share your question with your partner.
Unit Components
Components
Function
Overview/General
Goal
Summarizes the general
purpose of the unit
Rationale
Answers the question, “Why
is this topic important?”
Objectives
Describe the specific
outcomes expected
from the unit
Unit Components
Components
Function
Content
Identifies and organizes the
topics that are included in the unit
Learning Activities
Describe the experiences that will
be used to help learners reach the
unit objectives
Evaluation
Identifies ways that learning will be
measured
Andrews University
Department of Teaching and Learning
Unit Planning Guide
Subject:
Grade:
Overview/General Goal:
Rationale:
Objectives
Evaluation:
Content Activities
Learning Activities
Days