The standard of Instructional Planning seeks to ensure that educators use appropriate curricula, varied instructional strategies, and student data to meet students’ needs when constructing lesson plans. The primary objective of Instructional Planning is for teachers to utilize the resources at their disposal to propel students to success based off an understanding of what students know and can do in reference to academic content and skills. Teachers properly demonstrate this standard when they provide engaging, inclusive, and informative lessons for students that employ varied instructional methods and draw on relevant curriculum standards. Without consideration of curriculum, effective instructional methods and strategies, and students’ needs, lesson plans would inevitably be dull and fail to teach students anything.

Student Data

Using data from the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS), the Developmental Spelling Analysis (DSA), the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI), and Running Records, I am able to see what students already know and where they struggle. Lesson planning focuses on what students still need to get them on the appropriate developmental level.

An example of the PALs assessment. Click image for larger version.

An example of an answer sheet for the DSA. Click image for larger version.

An example of the speaking portion of the QRI. Click image for larger version.

A running record example. Click image for larger version.

Differentiation

Planning for differentiation seeks to guarantee that student’s individual developmental levels will be addressed while learning the same material. Reading groups in the classroom focus on the skills of choral and echo reading, concept of word, and parts of a book. Word Study instructs students on the recognition of letters in print and beginning sounds in pictures. Groups of students work on different books and letters each week, but they are all learning the same basic reading and word skills.

Plans for the highest reading group. Click for larger version.

Reading group plans for the other lower group. Click for larger version.

Multiple Intelligences & Bloom’s Taxonomy

The framework of Bloom’s Taxonomy describes a progression of actions students can take during a lesson. Categories of Bloom’s Taxonomy are remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. Lessons do not have to include all six levels, but a combination of a few will help students remain interested and on task. Below are screenshots of the Multiple Intelligences and Bloom’s Taxonomy sections of my two-week math unit lesson plan.