Module 4: UDL Lesson Plan Individual Assignment

Original Lesson Plan

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/free-lesson-plans

“Learning How Values Help Us Face Barriers: Grades 4–8

Students study the values Jackie Robinson used to break baseball’s color barrier, and understand
how values are important tools to help face challenges.”

Pre-instructional Planning

OBJECTIVES
Students will:

 Learn about the concept of values and how they are used to face barriers

MATERIALS

 Values and Barriers printable

 Optional: Computers for student use

During Instruction

SET UP
Make a class set of the Values and Barriers print outs.

LESSON DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Start the class by asking students what the word “values” means. Guide them to define
values as: Beliefs that are important to you and that help to guide your life.
Step 2: Distribute the Values and Barriers printable to each group. Have students read the
examples on the activity sheet from other students who wrote about different barriers they faced.
Ask: What different barriers did these students face, and how did they use values to face them?
Step 3: Divide students into nine small groups and assign each group a value from the
reproducible. Have students respond to the following questions, making text references in their
responses:
 Explain the meaning of your assigned value in your own words.
 Why is this an important value for people to have?

 How could this value help people face and overcome a barrier? Provide an example.

Step 4: After students finish their discussions, ask groups to share their answers with the class.
Step 5: Have students reflect on their own barriers, and how they have used Jackie Robinson’s
values to face those barriers, in preparation for writing essays.

LESSON EXTENSIONS

Videos

 “Jackie Enters the Majors”

 “Jackie Robinson and the Freedom Bank”

You can also read synopses of the video clips.

While students are watching the clips, ask them to look for any of the values Jackie Robinson
demonstrated in the clips.
After students have viewed the clips have them discuss how Jackie Robinson followed any of the
nine values in the following events shown in the video clips:

 His first week playing in the Major Leagues

 His encounter with Ben Chapman’s taunts when he came to bat during the first games he
played
 His cofounding of the Freedom National Bank after he left baseball

ADDITIONAL EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

 Discuss the concept of character, which can be defined as the features and traits of an
individual that reflect the sort of person he or she is. How do values reflect a
person’s character? How do a person’s actions display his or her values and character?
What does it mean when a person is described as having “strength of character”?
 Have students research and discuss contemporary examples of individuals who have
broken barriers, and values that they relied upon in facing barriers. (Examples might
include Sonia Sotomayor, Malala Yousafzai, or someone in their local community.)
 Encourage students to conduct interviews with family and friends to discuss any barriers
they have faced, as well as the values they have called upon to overcome these barriers.
 UDL-aligned Lesson Plan

Pre-instructional Planning

OBJECTIVES
Students will:

 Learn about the concept of values and how they are used to face barriers

MATERIALS

 Values and Barriers visual (print and digital) *attached*

 Computers
 Art supplies (scissors, markers, crayons, paper, etc.)
 Images of potential trials with audio descriptions
 Printed and digitalized outline with key ideas highlighted to accompany the lecture
 Video with captions

During Instruction

SET UP
Make a class set of the “Values and Barriers” print outs and have digital versions available as
well. Make a class set of an outline with key ideas highlighted to accompany the lecture and have
digital versions available as well. Create a PowerPoint presentation with images of potential
trials with audio descriptions and videos with captions. Gather art supplies so students have the
option to complete the assignments artistically.

LESSON DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Start the class by conducting a group discussion about what the word “values” means.
Support this with pictures with captions on a PowerPoint presentation. Guide them to define
values as: Beliefs that are important to you and that help to guide your life.
Step 2: Allow the students to choose whether they view the “Values and Barriers” sheet
physically or electronically. Have students volunteer to read the examples on the activity sheet.
Ask the group: What different barriers did these students face, and how did they use values to
face them? Aid this discussion with pictures and captions on the PowerPoint presentation.

Step 3: Watch the following videos with the captions on: “Jackie Enters the Majors” and “Jackie
Robinson and the Freedom Bank”. Students can also choose to read synopses of the video clips.

While students are watching or reading about the clips, ask them to identify any of the values
Jackie Robinson demonstrated in the clips.
After students have viewed/read about the clips have them discuss, write, or draw how Jackie
Robinson followed any of the nine values in the following events shown in the video clips:
  His first week playing in the Major Leagues
 His encounter with Ben Chapman’s taunts when he came to bat during the first games he
played
 His cofounding of the Freedom National Bank after he left baseball

Step 4: Divide students into small groups and assign each group a value from the reproducible.
Have students respond to the following questions, giving examples to back up their responses:
 Explain the meaning of your assigned value in your own words, writing, or artwork.
 Why is this an important value for people to have?

 How could this value help people face and overcome a barrier? Provide a picture, verbal,
or written example.

Step 5: After students finish their discussions, writings, or pictures, have one person in the group
volunteer to share their groups’ answers with the class.
Step 6: Have students reflect on their own barriers, and how they have used Jackie Robinson’s
values to face those barriers. This may be done digitally, verbally, artistically, in a written form,
or any combination of these.

ADDITIONAL EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

 Discuss, read, draw, or watch about the concept of character, which can be defined as the
features and traits of an individual that reflect the sort of person he or she is. How
do values reflect a person’s character? How do a person’s actions display his or her
values and character? What does it mean when a person is described as having “strength
of character”?
 Have students research (physically or digitally) and discuss, write, or draw contemporary
examples of individuals who have broken barriers, and values that they relied upon in
facing barriers. (Examples might include Sonia Sotomayor, Malala Yousafzai, or
someone in their local community.)
 Encourage students to conduct interviews with family and friends to discuss any barriers
they have faced, as well as the values they have called upon to overcome these barriers.
The report may be done digitally, verbally, artistically, in a written form, or any
combination of these.
 Summary

The biggest change I made when altering the original lesson plan into a UDL-aligned
lesson plan was making sure the teacher delivered content in multiple ways. The students were
also presented a lot more choices. Throughout the entire lesson, students were given the option to
read, write, type, draw, etc. to portray their participation and understanding of the content.
Students are active learners who engage and analyze the content to gain understanding, so I
wanted to make sure the learning environment encouraged the students to explore the content
based on personal interests, preferences, or abilities. I also opted to include the videos in the
lesson plan with captions to ensure this way of learning was highlighted in the lesson, rather than
included as an optional aspect. Even though this made the lesson plan much longer, I think it was
a worthwhile change to help include more learning styles.

The students I kept in mind the most while making these changes were Nevah Kelley and
Nolan Davis. Nevah, for example, Nevah uses an assistive technology app on her tablet to
communicate. This makes it hard for her to communicate efficiently enough to participate in
group discussions. The options to type out the assignments would be a very useful modification
for her. Nolan, on the other hand, struggles to make connections on his own and requires some
background knowledge to help him do so. By requiring the class to watch the videos, I believe
this will give Nolan the opportunity to get a better grasp of the content before moving into more
of the discussions and assignments.