Universal Design for Learning Lesson Plan Explanation Learning Task

Template

Group Assignment Confirmation Form: I confirm that I am aware of the entire contents of this
group assignment and that I have reviewed all group members’ contributions to the assignment. I
also acknowledge that each group member will be awarded the same mark for this group
assignment.

Group Member Names Laboratory Instructor Name,

Section Number, and D2L Group
Number
Finlay, Joel Heather Craig
L04

Explanation

Explain how this lesson plan meets or could be changed to meet the needs of the students
in your classroom scenario?

Mr. Cerruti has a diverse class with a total of 33 students (18 girls; 15 boys): eight students
who have Individualized Program Plans (IPPs), four are English Language Learners (ELL),
seven have Learner Support Plans (LSP), two are diagnosed with medical conditions (although
conditions have tangible impact on this lesson), along with twelve other students. The goal is
to have all of the students in the class have their diverse needs met by the lesson plan/rubric
(Appendix - Fig. 1 & 2).

The objective for the lesson plan - A Slice of Life (Fig. 1), is to describe the characteristics of a
tree, identify coniferous/deciduous types, and effectively communicate information to others.
A Universal Design for Learning (UDL) plan should accommodate the diversity of all students
in Mr. Cerruti’s classroom. This lesson plan includes elements of the three main UDL
principles, the why of learning (engagement), what of learning (representation) and the how of
learning (action/expression). This hands-on lesson is engaging for all students, addressing the
“why of learning principle.” Most teachers should have access to tree cookies, leaf samples,
and branches with needles on them so that all students can physically interact with the lesson.
A short walk in the playground will allow all students the chance to identify several tree
species, or at the very least identify coniferous/deciduous trees. The “what of learning” is
heavily dependent on reading and this lesson plan could benefit from more instruction in visual
formats such as video or photos. This would be beneficial to ELL students and students with a
learning disorder affecting reading. “The how of learning” is covered very well in the lesson
plan since it gives all students various ways of showing their knowledge in the final product
(poster, model, slide show, or oral presentation).

As mentioned, the primary shortcoming of this lesson plan is that it lacks accommodations for
students who are not at grade level for reading and comprehension. Leanna and Nathan (Code
54) would need assistance in reading and comprehension of the instructions and research.
Gemma and Zabrina (Code 301) are both ELL’s and would require assistance translating. To
better meet the needs of these students, it would be beneficial to pre-teach difficult/academic
vocabulary, and the instructions for this lesson plan could be presented verbally along with
visual samples, and multimedia. Two students also speak a language (Greek & Italian) other
than English at home - translating key terms into those languages and inserting into the
instructions would benefit those students, along with teaching other students new words in a
different language and promoting inclusivity. Putting students in groups and pairing these
students with other students who are at grade level for reading/comprehension would provide
support, and a chance to practice language skills in a smaller and lower-risk setting.

There are eight students who have IPPs. Hunter (code 44) with Tourette's Syndrome has the
opportunity to practice or pre-record in the original lesson plan. Thus, no adaptation is needed,
however, progress should be monitored to ensure stress levels are managed. Students wishing
to work alone are not constrained by the original lesson plans. Adaptations will be provided for
students requiring assistance with reading/writing, and grade-level appropriate assistance.
Adaptations can include allowing ample time to complete the task and providing digital
assistance for spell checks. Students requiring assistance with mathematics can be provided
alternative/simplified measurements of observed material to perform simple calculations. For
Owen (code 58) diagnosed with ADHD, a checklist of materials needed to complete the task as
well as a checklist for lesson plan accomplishment to keep the student on task will be
provided. Brelynn (gifted - Code 80) is not confined by limitations within the lesson plan and
will be encouraged to expand upon it in order for greater academic achievements.

Seven students are on LSP - difficulties include mathematics, fine motor skill development,
and emotional support requirements. For the four students requiring advance assistance with
mathematics, the current format of the lesson plan contains basic counting and measuring so
accommodations are necessary for these students. Accommodations could include a focus on
relative sizes of objects and angles, as opposed to absolute measurements. For the two
students who struggle with fine motor skills, assistance or extra time is recommended if they
choose to build a model of their tree cookie or create a visual requiring fine motor skills.
Recommendations include using pencils/markers, rulers, compasses to measure distances and
angles, using tweezers on leaves, cutting items with scissors in the development of a poster
board, etc. For the student with emotional support requirements, the lesson plan is open to
interpretation based on individual student needs. For Aubrey, who struggles with group
settings, the lesson provides the opportunity for the project to be done individually. In addition,
can connect tree development with emotional circumstances (tree ring growth shows that trees
undergo hard/stressful situations as well, but future years get better). Overall, the lesson plan is
flexible enough to allow accommodations for the students on LSPs.
References
Alberta Assessment Consortium. (2017). A Slice of Life - Topic E. Retrieved from
https://aac.ab.ca/assessment-material/a-slice-of-life-topic-e/
Moore, S. (2019). Teacher Team UDL Guidelines Self-Assessment & Target Goal Planner.
Retrieved from https://d2l.ucalgary.ca/d2l/le/content/294629/Home

Appendix
Fig. 1 - Lesson Plan (Alberta Assessment Consortium, 2017)
Fig. 2 - Rubric for Lesson Plan (Alberta Assessment Consortium, 2017)