Understanding by Design Unit Template
For Drafting Designs
Unit Cover Page
Unit Title:
Introduction to School in the United States
Subject/Topic Areas: ESL (English as a Second Language) for Newcomers in U.S. School System
Kindergarten to Second Grade
Designed by:
Catherine Schneider, TESOL (Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages)
Time Frame:
One week
Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals)
What is the purpose of this unit? What should students learn in this unit? How does it relate to units that precede it, and those that
come after? What are the most important understandings that students should take away from the unit? What are the themes,
essential questions, or big ideas? What will the major performance assessment be?
ELLs (English Language Learners), who have recently moved to the U.S. from another country, will develop cultural awareness of
American schools as well as basic English listening comprehension proficiency and speaking proficiency to communicate
appropriately in different school settings.
1. To introduce newcomers to basic English language used in different school settings.
2. To familiarize students with American school facilities and their functions. Students will understand school policies
and procedures and their expected behavior. Students will understand how to appropriately communicate with peers
and staff in different academic and social settings. Students will gain independence in their school day.
3. Facilitate a positive academic experience.
Unit Design Status:
?
Completed template pages—Stages 1, 2, and 3
?
Completed rubrics
?
Directions to students and teachers
?
Materials and resources listed or included
?
Suggested accommodations
?
Suggested extensions
?
Samples of student work as “anchors” included
Status:
? Initial draft (date ______________)
?
Revised draft (date _____________)
?
Peer reviewed
?
Field tested
Stage 1—Desired Results
Established Goals: State Standards or goals addressed in this unit
1. Comprehend spoken instruction of high-frequency vocabulary used daily in different school settings.
2. Identify main idea of spoken English.
3. Speak using appropriate vocabulary so that student is understood.
4. Speak for varied purposes to peers and school personnel.
5. Gain knowledge and competencies related to American school culture.
Understandings:
Students will understand that. . .
Appropriate Overarching Understandings from Course Frameworks.
-appropriate behavior is expected in different school facilities.
-there are policies and procedures in American schools that may differ
from those in native country or at home..
-basic words and phrases can be used to communicate in each school
facility.
-key vocabulary is used in different school settings.
-a variety of resources are available at school to increase
comprehension.
Essential Questions:
Appropriate Overarching Essential Questions from the
Course Frameworks
How do I learn English? How do I communicate with my
classroom teacher? How do I communicate with different
staff members at school? How do I communicate with my
peers? How do I ask questions? What words are important
in different places at school?
Topical essential questions that are specific to the unit topic
How do I function in school? How can I follow directions?
How do I ask my new teacher a question? What do I say
when different school personnel ask me questions? How
do I express myself and my needs? Where do I go when I
get hurt or feel sick?
Topical Understandings that are specific to the unit topic:
Students will understand that….
Asking questions is an important skill to understanding.
Key words will help students communicate important ideas.
Students will know. . .
 What key knowledge and content will students acquire as a result
of this unit? (key concepts, processes, formulas, vocabulary)
-The names, titles and jobs of school personnel that students interact
with during their school day.
-American school facilities and their functions: classroom,
lunchroom, bathroom, playground, library, music room, art room,
gym, hallway, office, clinic
-Vocabulary for materials they will use in school.
-Commands and direction words frequently used by school staff:
look, point, say, listen, walk, stop, raise your hand, show me, stand up,
sit down,
-Question words: who, where, what
-words and phrases to describe health symptoms
Students will be able to. . .
 What skills will students acquire as a result of this
unit? What should they eventually be able to do as a
result of these new skills?(see performance indicators
in state standards)
-State familiar and rehearsed expressions correctly.
-Produce basic words and familiar phrases that can be
understood.
-Comprehend high-frequency spoken vocabulary spoken
in familiar, routine and or social contexts.
- Comprehend and follow simple instructions given by
school staff members throughout the school day.
-Identify the main idea of brief, routine messages in
familiar contexts.
-Participate in school activities throughout the school day.
Stage 2—Assessment Evidence
Authentic Performance Tasks Using Grasps Format:
Through what authentic performance tasks (using GRASPS) will students demonstrate the desired understandings?
Goal of task related to understandings: Students will be able to explain their physical symptoms and answer questions
about how they’re feeling with school personnel.
Role : You are yourself, but you’re not feeling well.
Audience: You need to tell your classroom teacher, the secretary in the office and the nurse in the clinic that you are not
feeling well.
Situation or Context of Scenario: First, you are in your classroom, then you walk to the office, and ask if you can talk to
the nurse. Then you go to the clinic.
Product(s) or Performances for evaluation: You will use rehearsed and familiar phrases that are understood by different
school personnel and listen to and respond to their questions. The final product will be used to show to future ELLs new
to the United States.
Standards for evaluation (see below)
The rubrics will be used as an observational checklist by the ESL Teacher to evaluate support levels for ELLs and
accommodations and learning goals for ELLs in different settings.
Key Criteria or Rubric:
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged? (S of GRASPS)
The following rubrics are taken from the English Language Proficiency Standards and their Benchmarks.
LISTENING RUBRIC:
Beginning Level Listening Benchmark:
Comprehends vocabulary spoken in a familiar context.
Score Point 0
Score Point 1
No response by student.
Student does not respond
appropriately, verbally or
non-verbally, to questions
asked by school personnel.
Student relies on gestures,
facial expressions and other
visuals from the speaker.
Score Point 2
Student responds appropriately
when school staff members
modify speech, by speaking
more slowly with frequent
repetition and rephrasing by the
speaker.
LISTENING RUBRIC:
Beginning Level Listening Benchmark:
Understands common expressions and vocabulary related to interactions at school.
Score Point 0
Score Point 1
Score Point 2
No response by student.
Student has difficulty
Student responds appropriately
responding verbally or nonin English verbally or
verbally to school related
non-verbally to school related
conversations. Relies on
conversations spoken with
gestures, facial expression,
limited repetition and
and frequent repetition
rephrasing from the speaker.
and rephrasing from the
speaker.
Score Point 3
Student responds
appropriately without the
speaker modifying his/her
speech.
Score Point 3
Student responds
appropriately in English
verbally or non-verbally to
school-related conversations
in a variety of settings.
SPEAKING RUBRIC:
Beginning Level Speaking Benchmark:
Ask a simple question.
Score Point 0
Score Point 1
No response by student.
Student asks questions in
English with one word or simple
phrase.
SPEAKING RUBRIC:
Beginning Level Speaking Benchmark:
Student responds to questions with basic facts.
Score Point 0
Score Point 1
No response by student.
Student responds in a
developmentally appropriate
manner to questions with
one–two word utterances in
English. Even with
additional teacher prompting,
student does not provide
additional details.
Score Point 2
Student asks questions in
English that may be
grammatically incorrect but
convey meaning.
Score Point 2
Student responds in a
developmentally appropriate
manner to questions with
phrases or simple sentences in
English. When prompted,
student provides additional
details, which may be one–two
word utterances.
Score Point 3
Student asks questions in
English approximating
native English language.
Score Point 3
Student responds in
a developmentally appropriate
manner to questions with
phrases or simple sentences in
English. Student provides
additional details without
teacher prompting.
Other Formative and Summative Evidence:
What diagnostic or pre-assessment about the unit concepts, content, or skills will guide teacher instruction?
Pre-LAS (Language Assessment Scale) - pre-reading and oral language assessment for 5 to 6 year olds
Target Vocabulary Checklists
Interview with students’ families about schooling in native country
Observations of students’ interactions with school personnel and peers
Discussion with students’ classroom and specials teachers
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Through what other evidence (e.g., quizzes, tests, academic prompts, observations, homework, journals) will students demonstrate
progress or achievement toward the desired results? How will the teacher use this formative assessment to guide instruction and
students?
Picture prompts
Teacher prompts
Observations of students in various school settings
Teacher feedback
Role playing/Skits
Small group games with pictures of vocabulary
Quick reviews/informal reviews of key vocabulary during and at the end of each lesson
Informal conversations with students
Daily records of student progress
Rubrics to share with parents and other teachers
TPR – Total Physical Response/”Direction Words” checklists
__________________________________________________________________________________
How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?
This self-evaluation will be used at the end of five lessons and will include simple questions with simple graphics. Students will
use hand signals, “thumbs up or thumbs down” response.
Self Evaluation:
1. I ask my friends questions.
2. I look at my friends to follow directions.
3. I ask my teacher questions.
4. I use my picture dictionary.
5. I draw pictures to communicate.
6. I say that I don’t understand.
7. I feel  at school.
Stage 3—Learning Plan
Lessons and Activities should be aligned with Stages 1 and 2 best outlined in the order they are to be taught
Label the purpose of the activity: What learning experiences and instruction will enable students to achieve the desired
results? How will the design:
W = Help the students know Where the unit is going and What is expected? Help the teacher know Where the
students are coming from (prior knowledge, interests)?
H = Hook all students and Hold their interest?
E = Equip students, help them Experience the key ideas and Explore the issues?
R = Provide opportunities to Rethink, Reflect, and Revise their understandings and work?
E = Allow students to Evaluate their work and its implications?
T = Be Tailored (personalized) to the different needs, interests, and abilities of learners?
O = Be Organized to maximize initial and sustained engagement as well as effective learning? This is day by day
(use lower case w.h.e.r.e.t.o. for labeling
Please also label at the end of the activity the appropriate learning principle AMT. (label with capital A, M, or T) How will activities
within the unit provide a balance of transfer, meaning making, and acquisition activities to guide students toward understanding?
Lessons are taught in small groups comprised of students from grades kindergarten to second who are non-English speakers at the
Beginning Level of their English proficiency.
Learning activities in this unit will accommodate ELLs in the pre-production stage of language learning in which they respond
physically, not verbally, and in the speech-emergence stage in which ELLs speak in key words and phrases and have knowledge of
very basic English.
Day 1: Lesson Focus: Welcome to school!
Question: How do I learn English? How do I communicate with my
teachers and peers?
Big Questions with visuals are posted in the ESL Classroom.
1. To introduce the unit, teacher points to resources available at school to ELLs to learn English in school: A wall chart with the
heading “English” and a happy face contains the following: photos of their classroom teachers, ESL Teacher, peers or “friends”, as
well as pictures of a computer and picture dictionaries. Another visual organizer will have question words and a visual
representation. Pre-assessment will show which students are in the “pre-production stage” and will only listen and respond physically,
instead of verbally, because they are not ready to speak in English and which students are in the “speech-emergence stage and will
respond verbally.
Students who understand basic English will role play being “happy at school” and being “scared at school”. Students will be
introduced to a picture dictionary by looking at marked pages showing different settings at school. Introduce question word, “where”
by asking, “where are the students?” while looking at each page. (Each newcomer’s classroom teachers will have a copy of this
picture dictionary to use as a resource for their newcomer.)
2. Students will learn basic commands or direction words necessary for a school tour and for “survival” in their regular classroom.
Students will learn commands:
walk, stop, listen, look, say which are displayed on wall chart with visual representation.
1.
2.
Model and practice each direction word by playing Simon Says. For feedback, have student be “Simon” for a quick review
and adjustment.
Tour the school with a camera. Say, “This is the office”. Students will hold up sign labeled for each place in the school.
Photograph each student in each place they will use, (library, classroom, art room, music room, lunch room, bathroom).
Introduce students to staff members in each facility.
(w,o, A)
Day 2: Lesson Focus: Places and People in School
Question: What words are important in the different places in
school?
Use large visual organizer, displayed on the wall, with photos of students in different places of the school, from previous day, under
the question, “What place is this?” Use TPR (Total Physical Response) to identify correct school facility. Display each student in a
different school facility. Students will learn key words and phrases using photographs of themselves from their school tour the day
before. “Point to the picture of Max in the library.” “Show me the picture of you in the Art Room”.
1. Use Sheltered English to review each place students visited the day before on the school tour. Students who can respond
verbally will answer questions orally and those who can’t will be expected to show or point to the correct place.
2.
Begin using question word “who” to ask questions about staff members who work in each facility students will visit during
their school days. Show students pictures of these staff members and ask, “Who is this?” and “Where does ______ work?”.
Then, students will put the correct staff member above the place where he/she works, on the visual organizer, responding
verbally or with a physical response. Assess during this activity.
3. Review direction words already taught by playing Simon Says.
Model and practice new direction words: Raise your hand, Point to, Show me, Stand up, Sit down using TPR activity.
Then, play Simon Says, with students to reinforce all words introduced.
(o, M)
Day 3: Lesson Focus: The functions of school facilities
Question: How do I follow directions?
A large bag containing items used in different places in the school is shown to students. Students will pull out an item from the large
bag and the item will be used to review the people and places of Gurney. Explain and act out: “A hula hoop. This is not my hula
hoop. Where do we take it?” Students can point to photograph of a place or respond verbally, Teacher prompts by asking questions,
“Do we take it to the Art Room?” Students will learn the words yes and no. After items are introduced students will deliver items to
correct place. Dialogue that takes place between students and staff members will be assessed on speaking and listening rubrics.
(h, T)
Day 4: Lesson Focus: The clinic and health vocabulary
Question: How do I communicate with people at school?
How do I express myself when I’m hurt or feel sick?
1. Use pictures showing different health symptoms. One student role plays symptom on card shown and either that student or teacher
says the symptoms. For example, “I have a headache. I have a sore throat. I fell and need a band-aid.”
2. To accommodate different skill levels, one student will role play having symptoms and describing them and others will point to the
corresponding picture card, the TPR Method.
3. Role play using roles of nurse in clinic, secretary in the office, the classroom teacher and student explaining his/her health
symptoms.
(e, T)
Day 5: Lesson Focus: The clinic and health vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
Question: Where do I go when I get hurt or feel sick?
Show students the video camera. Explain that we will visit student’s classroom, the office and the clinic. Review staff
members and places using wall organizer with photos.
In ESL Class, role play using roles of nurse in clinic, secretary in the office, the classroom teacher and student explaining
his/her health symptoms
Then, students will take turns describing their symptoms in the authentic settings of their classroom to their classroom
teacher, in the office to the secretary and in the clinic with the nurse.
(e, T)
The unit will continue for at least another week and will include activities to practice previously introduced school-related vocabulary,
and focus on using new English vocabulary to follow directions, ask questions and respond to staff and peers in school.
The summative assessment has been described using the GRASP format and rubrics. Scores from this assessment will be used to
evaluate students’ levels of support they receive and their future learning goals.