Unit and lesson Plan Analysis

 

Comparing the UDL planning with my current Unit Planning document at my school.

Comparison:

Similarities:

The learning objective is clearly written for every lesson.

The teacher's actions are recorded but not in detail. 

The actions are mentioned briefly in my planning.

The student's actions are mentioned.

Standards are mentioned that are aligned with the curriculum.

UDL strategies are written with the links: videos, activities, etc....

Differences:

The teacher's actions are recorded but not in details.

The challenges/ Potential barriers for learning are not mentioned in my planning though it is discussed with planning teachers. An example is a misconception of some ideas that students might face. 

Step by step instructions are not mentioned in my class.

We do not have an enduring understanding.

Enduring Understanding:

record the content of current 

"Think of our lungs as the body's amazing air filters. They help us breathe in fresh oxygen and get rid of the 'used' air we don't need, kind of like taking in good stuff and throwing out the bad stuff. Learning about this helps us see how our bodies stay strong and full of energy.

revised one

Understanding the respiratory system enhances students' scientific literacy. It equips them with fundamental knowledge about the human body, especially the complex biological systems like the respiratory system which will foster their critical thinking skills and their research and inquiry skills. Learning about the respiratory system will lead to greater awareness of global issues like air pollution and of the effect of smoking on respiratory health.

On day 5:

Reviewing my unit of study

Describe my current End of unit assessment

Focus on enduring understanding 

What have I changed? 

End of Unit Assessment: (first copy)

Respiratory System End-of-Unit Assessment

Multiple Choice:

1. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the respiratory system? a. To digest food b. To filter the blood c. To exchange gases with the environment d. To regulate body temperature

2. 
   

3. What is the role of oxygen in the respiratory system? a. To remove waste from the body b. To provide energy to cells c. To carry nutrients in the bloodstream d. To maintain bone health

4. 
   

5. During respiration, where does the exchange of gases primarily occur? a. In the stomach b. In the heart c. In the liver d. In the lungs

6. 
   

7. What happens to the diaphragm during inhalation? a. It relaxes and moves upward. b. It contracts and moves downward. c. It remains still. d. It contracts and moves upward.

True/False: 5. True or False: The main purpose of respiration is to inhale and store gases in the lungs.

6. True or False: The diaphragm is a critical muscle involved in the breathing process.

Structured Questions: 7. Explain the process of gas exchange in the respiratory system, including how oxygen enters the bloodstream and why this exchange is essential for the body's function. You can refer to Diagram 1 ("Respiratory System") in your explanation.

8. Describe the structure and function of the air sacs in the respiratory system and their role in the exchange of gases. You can refer to Diagram 2 ("Air Sacs") in your description.

Diagram 1: Label it "Respiratory System."

• Show the lungs with labeled parts like bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.
• Include arrows to indicate the flow of oxygen (in) and carbon dioxide (out).

Diagram 2: Label it "Air Sacs."

• Detail the structure of an air sac with thin walls and blood vessels.
• Use arrows to show oxygen moving into the blood and carbon dioxide moving out.

Short Answer: 9. Imagine you are a doctor explaining the importance of good respiratory health to a patient. List three key pieces of advice you would give to help maintain a healthy respiratory system.

10. Compare and contrast respiration in humans with respiration in a fish. Highlight the similarities and differences in how oxygen is obtained and carbon dioxide is expelled in these two types of organisms.

Scoring Rubric:

• Each multiple-choice question is worth 2 points (total of 8 points).
• Each true/false question is worth 2 points (total of 4 points).
• Question 7 is worth 6 points.
• Question 8 is worth 4 points.
• Question 9 is worth 6 points.
• Question 10 is worth 6 points.

Total Points: _____ / 34

The key elements that make this end of unit assessment a good one is that:

It gathers evidence of understanding the topic through various means of expression like Multiple choice Questions, labeling, and writing explanations in structured questions.

But the main gap found here is that it was not directly related to the enduring understanding that I am aiming at, the End of Unit assessment should serve the enduring understanding by enhancing knowledge that will stay with the students after the unit is over.

End of Unit Assessment: (Revised copy)

1. In this assessment the students will be divided into small groups and each group will be assigned a case study related to a respiratory system issue. 
2. The students in the same group must work together to analyze the case, identify possible causes, and propose solutions.
3. Then the students will conduct a simulation activity where students take on different roles (e.g., doctor, patient, researcher) and work collaboratively to diagnose and treat respiratory conditions.
4. Organize a debate or discussion where students explore ethical considerations related to lung health, such as smoking or air pollution using scientific reasoning.
5. Students should include scientific terminology and scientific analysis in their debate.

Application:

The learning goals from my selected unit of study after revising:

Week 1 

Lesson 1

Describe how the structure of the human respiratory system is related to its function (in terms of lung structure and the action of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles) and learn about the parts of the respiratory system.

Lesson 2

The learner will be able to list in order the parts of the respiratory system during inhalation and exhalation and understand the difference between breathing (Inhalation and exhalation) and respiration.

Lesson 3

To describe the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide between blood and the air in the lung. The students will relate the special features of alveoli with its function that helps in better diffusion.

Lesson 4

To be able to make a risk assessment for practical work to identify and control risks about an experiment that uses agar gel and dye to model the gas exchange in lungs. Then the students will conduct the experiment about diffusion, collect and record sufficient observations to analyze the results.

Lesson 5

To be able to explain how the intercostal muscles and diaphragm muscles change the volume of the chest cavity, moving air into and out of the lungs.

Week 2 

Lesson 1

Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration, and understand that aerobic respiration happens in the mitochondria of cells and releases energy. Know the word equation of aerobic respiration.

Lesson 2

Investigating how respiration leads to release of energy through conducting an experiment on peas.

Lesson 3

Learn about the effect of smoking on the respiratory system and the disease caused by the chemicals emitted from cigarettes. Understand the importance of maintaining a healthy respiratory system and identify common respiratory diseases.

Lesson 4

Understand how human actions can lead to air pollution that eventually will reflect on the human’s health.

Lesson 5

Describe the component of blood and learn about the function of each (white blood cell, red blood cell platelets and plasma )

Week 3

Lesson 1 

Assess student understanding through an open ended Project: creating a model, presentation on a specific aspect of the respiratory system or any other way.