Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen

(2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum

Unit Plan Overview

Unit:
Stage 1- Desired Results
Connections to Context:

The students that I will be teaching are all
getting a Christian education. They are also
growing up in a conservative society in a
time where there are many conflicts and
issues regarding the Muslim community. I
want to take this Unit as a time to break
down mental barriers and stereotypes and
open the students eyes a bit. I think it is
important to learn about other cultures and
religions to become stronger in our own.

(How does this fit with students experiences,
the school goals, and the larger societal issues?)

Established Goals

7 - W3.1.1 Describe the characteristics that
classical civilizations share (institutions,
cultural styles, systems of thought that
influenced neighboring peoples and have
endured for several centuries).
7 W3.2.2 Locate the geographical center
of major religions and map the spread
through the
3rd century C.E./A.D.
7 W3.2.3 Identify and describe the ways
that religions unified peoples perceptions
of the world and contributed to cultural
integration of large regions of Afro-Eurasia.



(What content standards and program- or
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Show a thorough understanding of the Muslim population.
o Daily lives
o Religious practices
o Culture
Break stereotypes and generalizations of Islam.


(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand that
Muslims share many beliefs with Christians.
Muslim culture/standards change from country to
country.
Islam is falsely portrayed in the media.
Christianity is falsely portrayed in foreign media.
The daily lives of Muslims looks significantly different
than our Western lives.



(What specically do you want students to understand?
What inferences should they make?)
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will keep considering
How do I relate to Muslims?
How do Muslims view Christians?
How does this affect the way I think/treat/act towards a
Muslim?
How does this practice relate to my beliefs?
How is my faith related to the fait of a Muslim?



(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry, meaning-
making and transfer?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions
Cognitive Objectives
Locate the countries of which well be
studying.
Explain how the media forms stereotypes
and give their point of view.
Give personal solution to media problem.
Show the differences and similarities
between our culture and those in the Middle
East.
Explain certain aspects of the daily life of a
Muslim in the Middle East.
Discuss character traits of the people of the
region.
Give an explanation on Islam and where it
came from
Physical Development Objectives
Give specific examples of surprising
aspects of the Middle East (the pictures).
Create diagram relating Christianity and
Islam
Write a paper about how everything we
learned connects to our lives.




(What discrete skills and processes should
students be able to use?)
Socio-emotional Objectives
Give personal solution to media problem
Relate the foreign culture to their own.
Feel the unfairness of the societies in the
ME.
Give advice for how to change this cultural
aspect.
Write a reaction about what they would do
in a society where women were given less
privileges.


(What values and commitments and
attitudes should students acquire or
wrestle with?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum
mission-related goal(s) will the unit address?
What habits of mind and cross-disciplinary
goal(s)- for example 21
st
century skills, core
competencies- will this unit address?
Include source and identifying number)
Name some of the forms of worship
Give advice for how to change this cultural
aspect.
Apply what they have learned to
themselves.
Write a paper about how everything we
learned connects to our lives.
Create an opinion about Islam and express
that in their papers.

(What facts and basic concepts should
students know and be
able to recall?)
Stage 2- Evidence
Evaluative Criteria Students will show their learning by



(What criteria will be used in each assessment to
evaluate attainment of the desired results?)
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Students will be taking notes on a Venn diagram. This way, they will be constantly comparing Islam to Christianity.
I plan to do a simulation to show them the role of woman in the society.

(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex performance?)
(Regardless of the format of the assessment,
what qualities are most important?)
OTHER EVIDENCE:
A reflection paper at the end of the unit could be a great way to see how much the students views of Islam has
changed. I think this is a great assignment because it gives me direct feedback on whether or not I completed my
goals.

(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?


Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum
Stage 3- Learning Plan

Pre-assessment- due ________
Give a short True/False quiz to see students prior knowledge.

(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does each
learning event build?)

Acquisition

Meaning

Transfer

Learning Events

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their participation in
these learning events

1. Lecture Time
a. I want to make it so that there is little lecturing. But this is a good way
to get a lot of information taught.
2. Simulations
a. One simulation my teacher and I have come up with is something to
portray how woman are treated in Muslim society. It would show
favoritism to the boys in the class.
b. MUN. This was my teachers idea. During the whole unit, students
would be split into groups and assigned a country. They would be
researching their countries and then would do a mock MUN at the
end.
3. Film
a. Theres a Ted Talk that my teacher showed me. Its all about the Arab
Spring. I think I would assign this as homework and have a discussion
about it the next day in class.
b. I would like to find another educational movie that gives the students
a look into the daily life of a Muslim.
4. Research
a. There is going to be time for the students to research individually. I
would like them to do some discovering on their own so that they are
not just hearing my voice. This helps make it so that my teaching
doesnt show too much of an opinion.



(Have you included multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and
expression, and multiple means of engagement?)
(Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in the learning
plan?)
(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)
(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

Progress Monitoring

(How will you monitor students progress
toward acquisition, meaning, and transfer
during lesson events?)
By using the pre-assessment, I will be able to
see how much they have learned during
the unit. I would like to, at some point,
have the students write a reflection paper
to see how much they have gotten out of
the unit. Also, along with this paper, I
could integrate a way for them to show
me how they will live differently because
of the new information.

(How will students monitor their
own progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer?)

I mentioned Id like to have them make Venn
diagrams. Also, maybe I could give them their
graded pre-assessments after the unit so that
they can see what they thought before and
how theyve changed.

(What are potential rough spots and
student misunderstandings?)

A potential rough spot is going to be
monitoring the students progress. I will
only have 5 days teaching the material
and I feel that that isnt a long enough
time to notice drastic changes.

(How will students get the feedback they
need?)

I will be giving them feedback throughout all
the learning events and during each class
period.


Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum