RETURN FELLOW ADVISOR ACTIVITY
Facilitation Exercise
1. Write an updated lesson plan for “What to Teach: Identifying the Key Concepts” found in the SAF Facilitation Guide, keeping
in mind any obstacles you and/or your Fellows may have experienced while facilitating this session. In your updated lesson,
you may want to consider the following:
 How could you improve this session’s flow to impact Fellows’ comprehension?
 What supplemental materials would you consider adding? Why?
 Would you alter the amount of time allocated to any portion of the session?
 How could you integrate subject content into your session?
2. Please provide a written rationale for each of the session activities that addresses how your proposed modifications to the
session would enhance Fellows’ understanding of how Backward Design, key concepts, and supporting standards provide the
contextual framework for effective unit and lesson planning.
 You may choose to use the pre-formatted template provided. The pre-formatted template contains an example of a
modified “Do Now” portion to the session, along with accompanying rationale. You may write the lesson plan in any
style you feel most comfortable with (narrative, etc.), but each portion of the lesson must contain the rationale for your
changes and a description of any content material you wish to incorporate.
 Applicants are only required to address Activities 1-3 in their lesson plan. Applicants need not re-write the “Do Now” or
“Closing” portions to this lesson, unless the applicant chooses otherwise.
RETURN FELLOW ADVISOR LESSON PLAN EXERCISE
MODULE 5, SESSION #2
What to Teach: Identifying the Key Concepts
Name:________________________
Content Area:_______________
AGENDA
INSTRUCTIONAL FLOW
Do Now
1. Remind Fellows that this module will explicitly answer two of the most
daunting questions asked by new teachers: What do I teach? And How
do I teach it?
Scheduled: 10
minutes
Revised: 15-20
minutes
“One research-based approach to lesson planning is through the use of
Backward Design. Just as we found that finding the shortest route to
Fort Lonesome was quickly accomplished by tracing a route backwards
to our starting location, backward planning also facilitates effective
instructional planning.”
2. Direct Fellows’ attention to the FA created flow chart, and read aloud
each step of the Backward Design process. Then inform Fellows that
the first place that deliberate instructional planning begins is with a close
inspection of state standards. In order to read state standards with
accuracy, Fellows must begin to understand Bloom’s Taxonomy.
CONTENT SUPPLEMENTS AND
MODIFICATIONS
1. FA created poster, “The Process
of Backwards Design.”
It will list the three main steps of
Backward Design:
 Identify the key concept of the
content area under study.
 Align assessments to the key
concepts.
 Design instructional activities
that ensure students’ mastery
of the content.
2. FA created list of IEP goals and
short-term objectives, including
goals for academic, emotional, and
3. Direct Fellows to Handout 5.2.1, Bloom’s Taxonomy Resource; inform speech/language students.
Fellows that before they evaluate state standards, they must review their
understanding of Bloom’s. Allow Fellows to review the workbook sheet.
3. Bring in FA owned “Bloom’s
Taxonomy Wheel” for Fellows to
4. Pair Fellows.
review for possible incorporation into
their own lesson planning process.
5. Have Fellows complete Handout 5.2.2, allowing them to create their
own operational definition of each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Share.
6. Provide Fellows with an FA created list of IEP goals and short-term
objectives. Ask Fellows to underline the appropriate verb associated
with the annual goal and the short term objectives.
7. FA will then demonstrate that each of the written short term goals
have lower order levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, all of which build up to the
student’s annual “high order “ goal.
Rationale for modifications and/or content materials:
For the “Do Now,” I wanted to ensure that my Fellows understood the instructional importance of Backward Design and how it facilitates instructional planning. I
specifically wanted a chart on the wall that noted the progression of activities required for Backward Design. The Backward Design flow chart was intentionally left
relatively broad, rather than risk Fellows’ confusion. The chart will be used throughout the Module.
I did not modify a significant amount of the “Do Now” activities, as I believe that the handouts were clear and benefited Fellows’ understanding of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Having taught this “Do Now” with Cohort 16, I experienced a small degree of confusion when Fellows were asked to create their own operational definitions of
Bloom’s Taxonomy levels. Misunderstandings were primarily addressed through group discussion.
As a special education Fellow Advisor, I believe that it is important to integrate content specific examples and artifacts throughout SAF sessions. For the “Do Now,” I
developed a list of IEP annual goals and their associated short term objectives. This IEP worksheet was distributed to Fellows in order to illustrate how an IEP’s
annual goals (with “higher order” levels of Bloom’s taxonomy) are supported by carefully chosen short term objectives (generally consisting of lower taxonomy levels).
For Fellows to become effective IEP writers, they must understand how IEP goals are formulated through real world examples. Accordingly, I will walk Fellows
through the IEP worksheet, demonstrating how lower taxonomy levels (used in short term goals) purposefully build upon themselves to accomplish the larger
taxonomy level stated in the annual goal.
Due to the need to connect this foundational understanding of Bloom’s to IEPs, I have elected to alter the time allotted in this area by 10 minutes.
Activity 1:
Identifying Key
Concepts
Rationale for modifications and/or content materials:
Activity 2:
Clustering
Supporting Standards
Around Key Concepts
Rationale for modifications and/or content materials:
Activity 3:
Communicating
Key Concepts
To Students
Rationale for modifications and/or content supplements: