Online Lesson Plan
Development Workshop
Texas School for the Deaf
September 14, 2013
Agenda
Introduction—David Coco
 Designing Effective Lessons & Lesson
Plans—Tamara Copeland-Samaripa &
Michelle Halvorsen
 Project Sharing & Tips from Mentors—
Meredith Power & Paul Stropko
 Lunch
 Working Session—Development of
Lesson Ideas

Introduction—David Coco
Know That?!
 What Resources Do You Need
 Project Overview

Know That?!
Started out as a TSD fundraising project
 Transformed to an educational lesson plan
 Key elements

◦ Explain a science concept in ASL
◦ Pick concepts that can be explained well in
ASL
◦ Engage students using humor
◦ Target HS students but appeal to others also
(interpreters, teachers, ASL students, etc.)
◦ Make accessible for all – sign, audio, captions
What Resources Do YOU
Need?
Lesson plans or resources?
 What grade levels?
 What classes?
 What type of resources?

Online Lesson Plan
Development Workshop
Designing Effective Lessons and
Lesson Plans
Tamara Copeland-Samaripa, TSD Literacy Coach
& Michelle Halvorsen, Former TSD Science Teacher
Components of Effective Lessons
Engage Learners
 Relevant Objectives & Activities
 Systematic & Explicit Instruction
 Sufficient Modeling & Practice
 Specific & Timely Feedback
 Scaffolding & Gradual Release of
Responsibility
 Assessment/Evaluation (of learning &
teaching)

Engage Learners in Active Instruction

Engaging - “Hooking” the learner from the
beginning
◦ Activate and stimulate interest

Active instruction - Students take an
active role in the lesson
◦ Passive instruction is less memorable
◦ Active instruction engages multiple senses
◦ Students are the ones growing neurons
Relevant & Meaningful Objectives
and Activities

Relevant - Something that connects to…
◦ …the student’s life, world, or interests
◦ …another area of study

Meaningful - Having some importance for
the student…
◦ …NOW, not just when s/he leaves school
◦ …both inside and outside of the classroom
◦ …and is worth taking the time needed for
instruction
Systematic & Explicit Instruction

Systematic - Learning that proceeds from easier
to more difficult
◦ Lessons should not be haphazard, or planned on a
whim, but should build on one another
◦ Curricula and core programs (e.g.: a science
textbook) should be built upon developmental
sequences

Explicit - Students need to be given clear
direction on what is expected of them
◦ Teachers need to instruct students in the critical
features of the new learning
◦ Students need clear instruction on what they are to
do, as well as how to do it
◦ This is especially true for struggling students
Sufficient Modeling & Practice

Modeling - Showing students how something is
done, as well as how to think through the process
◦ Modeling is one of the most powerful ways humans
learn…for good and for ill
◦ Teachers are all “supermodels”

Practice - Students need many opportunities to
try out new skills
◦ Guided practice with multiple opportunities for
feedback
◦ Independent practice with feedback at the end of the
process
◦ The more difficult the task, the more practice is
needed
Specific & Timely Feedback

Feedback needs to be specific as to…
◦ …what part of the task/answer was correct
◦ …what part of the task/answer was wrong
◦ …(possibly) what to do to improve next

Feedback needs to be timely so that…
◦ …incorrect learning can be corrected
◦ …correct responses can be reinforced
◦ …motivation for improvement is enhanced

As learning progresses and the student
matures, s/he may be able to accept feedback
that is less timely and specific
Scaffolding & Gradual Release of
Responsibility

Scaffolding - Supporting student learning as much
as is needed
◦ Difficult, abstract, or new tasks will require higher
degrees of scaffolding

Gradual Release of Responsibility - The goal is for
the teacher to no longer be needed
◦ The teacher assumes more responsibility for difficult,
abstract, new learning
◦ Responsibility for the learning should be transferred
to the student as quickly as possible
◦ The teacher will need to gauge this transfer carefully
and give more support if the student falters, and then
relinquish it again when the student is ready
Assessment/Evaluation of Learning &
Teaching

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Assessment must be built in to all parts of the
lesson, and must drive instruction
Learning should be monitored and assessed to
ensure student growth
Teaching should be assessed to maximize student
growth
Observation and reflection are valuable forms of
assessment
Objective documentation should be a part of the
assessment package as well
Cannot rely on “cardiac” or “chin” assessments
Quick Check


Turn to a partner and explain one of the
components of an effective lesson
Share with your partner which component
you feel you could improve upon most
◦
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◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Engage Learners
Relevant Objectives & Activities
Systematic & Explicit Instruction
Sufficient Modeling & Practice
Specific & Timely Feedback
Scaffolding & Gradual Release of Responsibility
Assessment/Evaluation (of learning & teaching)
Considerations in Lesson Planning
Prerequisite skills/Background knowledge
 Need(s)/Level(s) of Students
 Modifications & Accommodations (what’s
the difference?)
 Differentiation

◦ Grouping Strategies
 Whole vs. Small Group vs. Individual
Resources/Tools to Incorporate
 Technology to Utilize/Incorporate

One Strategy—The 5 E Model
Particularly effective in science
 Engage
 Explore
 Explain
 Elaborate
 Evaluate

ENGAGE
Designed to engage students in a concept,
process or skill
 Designed to activate prior knowledge
 Designed to make connections to new
learning

EXPLORE
Designed to give students an opportunity
to explore a concept
 Students go through a common
experience to develop a concept, process
or skill

EXPLAIN
Students have an opportunity to explain
concepts they have explored
 Opportunity for teacher to provide some
direct instruction (vocabulary/key terms,
key steps in a process, etc.)

ELABORATE
Opportunity for more practice to extend
conceptual understanding
 Designed to help students develop a
deeper understanding of a concept and/or
refine skills

EVALUATE
Assess student understanding and abilities
 Allows teacher to determine if students
understand key concepts and/or
developed the appropriate skill(s)

Tips/Strategies

Begin with “the end in mind”
◦ Make a list of ALL things students need to know
to master your main objective

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Ensure objectives are MEASURABLE
Incorporate a variety of activities, learning
styles, and grouping strategies
Use technology when possible
Incorporate writing into all disciplines
Consider student’s prior knowledge/skills
(or lack thereof)
Consider a back up plan (predict student
roadblocks)
ELA Tips/Strategies

Plan for all areas:
◦ Reading, writing, listening, speaking, word
study
◦ Consider: shared reading, independent reading
(how will you effectively use both?)
◦ Consider language accessibility
◦ REMINDER: you are writing for OTHERS—
make sure steps are clearly outlined/explained
Tamara’s Template
Online Lesson Plan
Development Workshop
Flipping Your Classroom
Meredith Power
TSD HS Math Teacher
Online Lesson Plan
Development Workshop
NASA Videos & Lesson Plans
Paul Stropko
TSD High School Math/Science/Robotics Teacher
Paul’s Points to Ponder

NASA/TSD with Astronaut Tracy Caldwell
Dyson
www.tsd.state.tx.us/NASA
 Students were engaged!
 Good quality videos
 Lesson Plans (basic/simple)
 Worksheets with Web 2.0 tools
 www.info.TexasDHHResources.org/NASA
 Teacher’s Video for demonstration

Paul’s P to P Part 2
Lesson plans – too short
 Videos would cover some areas
 Need to expand with a standard format
 Worksheets are available but need more
 Videos in ERCOD websites are for public
use

Lunch Break
Working Session

Please break into two groups:
Math/Science and ELA/SS/”Other”
Part I: Group Brainstorming
15 Minutes
 Brainstorm ideas of topics/content that
you feel lesson plans need/should be
developed around
 Record in a Google Doc labeled for your
group in the folder for this workshop

Part II: Tying to the TEKS

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Within your large group, split into smaller groups
of 2-3 people
20 Minutes
Each group select 2-3 topics that interest you
from your brainstorm list
Identify the top (max 5) content TEKS that could
be “hit” by this topic
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148
Record in the Google Doc labeled for your group
(Michelle will create and share with you within a
few minutes)
Part III: Objectives/Goals
20 Minutes
 Select your favorite topic from your
previous list
 Write 1-3 main objectives/goals for
student learning for the topics you’ve
selected
 Record everything in your group’s Google
Doc
 (If you have time, you can do this for the
other topics as well)

Part IV: Lesson Procedure (How?)
20 Minutes
 Using your selected topic, discuss and
brainstorm ideas on what resources,
tools, and lesson activities you might use
for this activity
 Does not have to be a formal procedure
 Be realistic about the time it would take
to create any resources you think up
 Record in your group’s Google Doc

Sharing
Everyone should have access to the
Google Doc folder, with each group’s
document in it
 Take time later to review other group’s
work, as it may stimulate new ideas for
you

Online Lesson Plan
Development Workshop
ERCOD Lesson Resource Grant Project
2013-14
David Coco
ERCOD Lesson Resource Grant Project
2013-14

Goal => Stimulate Development of Lesson Resources
for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in Texas

Two grants ($500-2000 each)
◦ English/Language Arts
◦ Science/Math
◦ All grade levels eligible

Updated info at
◦ http://www.info.texasdhhresources.org
ERCOD Lesson Resource Grant Project
2013-14
Key Dates
 Sept 18, 2013 - Template for submission available online
 Oct 1, 2013 - Proposals due
 Oct 15, 2013 - Winners announced
 May 1, 2014 - Completed projects due
Access Issues

Lesson plans should be accessible to ALL
◦ Captions
◦ Audio
◦ Signed

Design for visual learners
◦ Minimize video distractions
◦ Use on screen text
◦ Universal Design – built-in access, not add-on
access
Template for ERCOD Lesson Resource Project
2013-14--Stimulating Development of Lesson
Resources for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Students in Texas
Lesson Title
Approximate Duration (minutes, hours, days)
Student Learning Objective(s)
TEK(s) (2-5)
Materials (specific as to what & amounts)
Resources/Tools (websites, etc.)
Background Knowledge Expectations
Lesson Procedure (Instruction & Activities—
Differing Levels/Etc. Considered) (this will be BASIC
idea(s) for proposal—fleshed out if you are selected)
 Assessment/Evaluation
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Additional Resources
DeafTEC: www.deaftec.org
 Math Signs Project: www.tsdvideo.org
 RIT Science Signs:
http://www.rit.edu/ntid/sciencesigns/
 Job Posting:
http://www.tsd.state.tx.us/apps/jobs/show_jo
b.jsp?REC_ID=12603
 Discovery Retreat:
http://www.info.texasdhhresources.org/apps/
news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=322536&id=0

Wrap Up--Questions/Comments?

If you have additional questions, please
feel free to contact:
◦ David Coco: david.coco@tsd.state.tx.us
◦ Michelle Halvorsen:
mmhalvorsen98@gmail.com