UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE (adapted from Thompson Rivers University)

Select, read, and view a range of literature.

bject: English Language Arts

Number of Lessons: 8 (+)

Grade:

Time (in weeks):

~2.5
weeks

Lessons:
Outcomes in
lesson

(a) Outcomes in
student friendly
terms
(b) Teaching strategies

Assessment strategies

Lesson activities

Select,
independently,
texts appropriate
to their range of
interests and
learning needs.

(a) I can select a book I

am interested in and
that is appropriate for
my reading level from
the library to have for
silent reading time.

Reflect on and
discuss their
own processes
and strategies in
reading and
viewing.

(b) Ensure that all

students remain on task
while at the library,
monitor noise level. Be
sure that the librarian is
aware that your class
will be visiting the
library for the period,
ensure that this does
not create conflict with
another class.

This lesson will be

self-assessed. Have
students submit a
journal entry with
what their book is,
what it is about, and
a reflection on the
process and strategies
they used to select
their books.

The teacher will

accompany the class to the
school library, where they
will be given the period to
select a book they are
interested in and that is not
too easy for them too read.
This book will be used for
independent reading
whenever time is allotted in
class, when students have
finished their work, or to be
taken home to read should
students choose to do so.

eststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

When students have

selected a book, the rest of
the period will be spent
reading silently in the
library.

Materials
(specific to
this lesson)

(a) MIs
(b) Ba
lite

Access to the (a) Kines

library for
students
the period.
moving a
handling

Verbal/ L
students
reading a
evaluatin
books fo

Intrapers
students
consider
they will
book or n
as reflect
experienc
journals.

(b) Indep
reading.

Page 1

Select,
independently,
texts appropriate
to their range of
interests and
learning needs.

(a) I can pick at least

one rhyming couplet
from a song, or a verse
from a poem that I am
interested in, and write
it on a piece of paper to
be displayed in the
class.

The successful
completion of the
task will be a
sufficient formative
assessment.

After all students have

selected the verse they wish
to use, they will return to
the classroom where they
can begin writing down the
verse and decorating the
paper around it however
they choose.

(b) After students have

completed this activity,
the teacher should post
their selections on the
classroom wall. Be sure
to monitor noise levels
while students are in
the computer lab, and
ensure that they remain
on task. Book the
computer lab in
advance so as to be
assured of its
availability for the class
period.
Reflect on and
discuss their
own processes
and strategies in
reading and
viewing

(a) I can tell a partner

how I use my reading
strategies to learn
information quickly.
(b) Monitor noise
levels and make sure to
check for
understanding before
group work begins

eststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

Students should have

access to the computer lab
for the majority of the
period so that they can
research poems or the lyrics
to songs.

Assessment will be
formative. Students
will write down in
point form what their
partner and them had
discussed in class.
One student can
volunteer to be a
scribe or they can
both take turns.

Students will be given the

opportunity to take their
papers home so they can
work on them more if they
have not completed. The
assignments should be
returned the following
class, and be displayed on
the wall.
The teacher will divide
students up into pairs. The
teacher will tell the students
that they will be given a
text and will have small
increments of time to gain
information from the text.
The students will then turn
to their partner to explain
what information they have
learned and how they

Access to the
computer
lab,
Regular
sized white
paper for
each student
(as well as
some extras),
Various
colourful
markers/
other writing
utensils.

(a) Intrap
students
evaluate
or poem
enjoy.

A variety of
texts
including:
newspaper
articles,
magazines,
non-fiction
books,
picture
books, and
chapter

(a) Intrap
reflecting
reading s
they use.

Visual/Sp
students
design th

(b) Indep
reading,
independ
writing.

Interpers
sharing w
partner th
strategies
are using

Page 2

Reflect on and
discuss their
own processes
and strategies in
reading and
viewing

(a) I can plan and draft

a letter to a grade five
student to tell them my
strategies for finding
information in the
library
(b) Model the letter
format on the board or
by using a projector.
Students should also be

eststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

The plan and the

rough draft will be
collected along with
the final copy of the
letter. The letter
formatting can be
assessed along with
the ideas surrounding
reflection of reading
strategies.

learned it. The increments

of time will get larger as the
activity progresses. The
first will be 10 seconds, 20
seconds, 30 seconds, 1
minute, 2 minutes, 3
minutes, and then 5
minutes. In between time
increments students will be
given two minutes to
discuss their strategy to
gain as much information
as possible.
Students should start by
noting that they look at
pictures or titles. Later on
they might look at words
that are bolded, indexes or
table of contents. Finally
they will most likely begin
reading the first paragraph
and skimming the rest.
Eventually they will be
reading everything word
per word.
After attending a class at
the library, students will
brainstorm strategies in
choosing texts. These
strategies can be what
sections they look into find
a book, the covers, the
titles, the thickness, the
table of contents, the
summaries on the back of
the book, etc.

books.
The students
should also
have a piece
of paper per
pairing to
write down
ideas
discussed.

Verbal/
linguistic
Discussin
strategies
scribing
conversa

Visual/Sp
regarding
in texts

(b) Indep
Reading,
Independ
Writing.

Looseleaf for (a)

students to
Intrapers
complete
reflecting
planning and reading s
drafts.
they use.

Interpers
sharing w
grade fiv
the strate
they are u

Page 3

encouraged to do a
plan, rough draft and
edit before they write
their good copy.

Reflect on and
discuss their
own processes
and strategies in
reading and
viewing

(a) I can type a letter to

a grade five student to
tell them my strategies
for finding information
in the library
(b) Book the computer
lab or laptops in
advance. Check on
students frequently in
case they are having
computer troubles. If
students finish early
have them decorate
their envelopes.

Use a wider
range of
pictoral,
typographical,
and

(a) Students will

understand what is
meant by paratext
and be able to use it to
understand text better.

eststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

They should create mind

maps to organize their ideas
and when they feel
comfortable begin their
draft.

The plan and the

rough draft will be
collected along with
the final copy of the
letter. The letter
formatting can be
assessed along with
the ideas surrounding
reflection of reading
strategies.

Assessment for
understanding will be
done through group
discussions.
Assessment of

Their draft should be done

in pencil and on looseleaf
so that edits can be made
easily.
The students will be
provided access to
computers to type their
letters. They will type it
into a letter template.
When the students have
finished and have a teacher
give them the ok to print,
they may decorate the
envelope that their letters
will be sent in.

Begin by presenting the

class with a script for a
play.
Introduce the paratextual
elements (cover art, title,

Verbal/ l
Writing a
(b)Indepe
writing, M
Writing.

Laptops or
will be
needed or
the computer
lab will be
booked.
Students will
type out their
letters on the
provided
template.
Envelopes
can also be
provided and
decorated
with markers
or pencil
crayons.

Intrapers
reflecting
reading s
they use.

Interpers
sharing w
grade fiv
the strate
they are u

Kinesthe
the letter

Verbal/ l
Writing a

(b)Indepe
writing, M
Writing.
A hand out
(a) Interp
sheet with
class disc
the two
and grou
discussion
Intrapers
questions for independ

Page 4

organizational
features of
written texts to
obtain, verify,
and reinforce
their
understanding
of information.

(b)Readers Theatre

learning will be done

through the
collection of a
handout that students
have filled in.

scene/act divisions,
character list, stage
directions, footnotes, etc.).
Have students record on a
handout what these tell
them about the play without
even reading the main
text/dialogue and discuss as
a class.
Allow students to divide
roles and read through the
play out loud in small
groups.
Then have the class read
the play aloud in readers
theatre style (have each
group present only a small
section).
Finally, now that the
paratext and text have been
brought together, have the
students record which
elements they found most
helpful in understanding the
text and discuss as a class.

ease of
recording
and to be
collected for
assessment.
A
play/script.
enough
copies for
the entire
class
example:
http://www.
whootieowl.
com/pdf/YK
I/RdrsTheatre.pdf
Possibly
very simple
props or
costumes.

reflection

Kinesthe

Linguisti
speaking

Logical:
applicatio
terms and
literature

(b)Guide
Reading:
can be fo
based on

Oral Lan
speaking
listening.

Shared R
students
as their c
read alou

Word wo
literary v
Read widely and
experience a
variety of
childrens
literature with
an emphasis on
genre.

(a) I will be able to

explain what a genre is,
and be able to discuss
the two main categories
of genre-- fiction and
nonfiction. I will also
be able to describe the

eststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

Project celebrations
are held at the end of
each genre study.
These projects help
keep students
accountable for their
readings during the

See attached.

See attached.

See attac

Page 5

elements that make

something fiction or
non-fiction.
(b) Literacy through
genres. (See attached)

Use a wider
range of
pictorial,
typographical,
and
organizational
features of
written texts to
obtain, verify,
and reinforce
their
understanding
of information.

(a)Students will be able

to use paratextual
information such as
diagrams and pictures
to better understand
non-fiction texts.
(b)KWL strategy.

Cross curricular
outcomes
attaching to
science (use a
reading with
content that
matches the

eststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

unit, while
celebrations help to
excite and motivate
them! Celebrations
may look very
different for each
unit. Some are
contained in the
classroom and are
only shared with
classmates, while
others involve
inviting other classes.
They can be as big or
small as desired.
Assessment for
through class and
small group
discussion.
Assessment of
through KWL chart.

Introduce the topic of

electricity and APK by
having students record what
they have already learned
about it in a KWL chart.
Have them add at least one
thing to the want to know
column.
Show students a diagram of
a simple electrical circuit.
Have students work in
small groups to begin
filling in the Learned
portion of the chart based
on what the diagram tells
them.
Now present the written
description of an electrical
circuit while student follow
along on their own copy.
Take time to clarify any

Printed
copies of
scientific
text, and
printed
copies of
electrical
circuit
diagram

(a)
Interpers
group wo

Intrapers
individua
reflection

Linguisti
speaking
listening.

Spatial: d
interpreta

Logical:
math/phy
content.

(b)
Guided R

Page 6

science
curriculum ex:
electricity.

eststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

new vocabulary.
Now have them finish
filling out the last column
using the text and diagram
together.
End with a class discussion
on which of the two
(diagram or text) student
found easier to learn from.
Ask them how they work
together to learn even more.

groups sh
based on
assessme

Modeled
in model
KWL ch

Shared R
students
along.

Word W
vocabula

Page 7