Project Learning Curve

Unit on Theme
Anna Beljin
ECE: 3rd Grade
Monroe Elementary School
Cooperating Teacher: Michael Keith
Supervisor: Cheri Immel
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Section 1: Lesson Foundation

1. Project Explanation/ Curriculum Justification

Students in my classroom are currently using a balanced literacy program. Each lesson is
developed by my cooperating teacher and I to meet state standards, while also using authentic
literature. Previous to my lesson for Project Learning Curve, students had been working on
thinking critically about the books they read by identifying setting, characters, problem, and
solution. Currently my goal is to assess students on identifying the main idea, or theme, of a
book. We have been using folktales to not only teach these skills, but to expose students to
various literary forms. When identifying theme, students will read fables, which fall under the
folktale umbrella. Eventually, it will be our goal to have students identify theme in chapter
books, which will present students with a greater challenge.

Standard: Reading Applications: Literary Text

Benchmark: E. Identify the theme of a literary text

Indicator: 6. Identify stated and implied themes

Standard: Reading Applications: Literary Text

Benchmark: C. Recognize the defining characteristics and features of different types of

literary forms and genres.

Indicator: 4. Identify and explain the defining characteristics of literary forms

and genres, including fairy tales, folk tales, poetry, fiction and non-
fiction.

The goal of this unit is to have students identify stated and implied themes while
introducing them to a different type of literary form; fables. While they will not be assessed on
their understanding of fables, this unit is an introduction to the genre. Students will demonstrate
their knowledge of theme by completing multiple choice questions based on three passages, a
graphic organizer, conferences, and meeting in small groups. The pre and post assessments will
take the form of the multiple choice questions and graphic organizers. It is the goal for students
to identify the correct theme of the passage on the multiple choice questions and identify the
theme from a fable read aloud to them on a graphic organizer.

2. Appropriateness of Lesson Plan

In order to accommodate all learners in this unit, I first identified the individual needs of
my students. Because I used guided practice, in which students need to pay close attention to my
instruction, I organized the seating chart to help certain students who struggle with attention.
Three of these students were placed close to the smart board so they would not be distracted by
 Beljin, 3

other students or their environment. I was also able to monitor their behavior more closely. One
boy in my classroom has difficulty sitting, but he does not struggle with paying attention. I
placed his desk in the back of the classroom so he would not distract other students when he felt
like he needed to move around during my lesson. For these students I also used many verbal
cues to keep them on task and remind them of my expectations for their behavior and the
assignment.
There are also a few students in my classroom who struggle with completing tasks and
often need additional time. In order to accommodate the needs of these students I gave the
theme graphic organizer to the whole class on Monday and allowed them the entire week to
finish it during reading workshop time. Some students completed the organizer in one day,
while others took the entire week. Not only did this accommodation allow for students to
complete the graphic organizer at their own pace, but it also gave the needed time for fast and
slow readers. Students were not rushed to finish their books, but could read at their own pace.
The students in my class vary greatly in terms of reading level. I did not want to give one
book to the entire class and have them identify the theme, although that would have been easier
to assess. Instead, I gave students the opportunity to choose a book at their own reading level.
In addition, they could choose a book which interested them and kept them engaged in the story.
During my pre and post assessments I read the fable out loud to the students. This prevented
limitations in reading ability and allowed students to simply listen to the story instead of struggle
with word identification.
In addition, based on my two pre-assessments, I was able to identify the students who
struggled with the concept of theme. During conferences, which I explain further in Section 3, I
was able to work one-on-one with these students. It was during conferences that I was able to
individualize instruction. There were 3 students whom I identified as high achievers and in order
to differentiate to their specific needs I asked them enrichment questions about theme to get them
thinking on a deeper level. For example, if the theme they identified was, “Treat others as you
would like to be treated,” I would ask them to identify another book which has the same theme.

3. Strategies and Resources

The first strategy, which I used to teach theme was modeling/ guided practice. I read a
fable aloud to the entire class. After I was done reading the story I completed a graphic
organizer. The graphic organizer consisted of four boxes with the labels: title, problem, solution,
and theme. I used a Smart Board to project the paper onto a screen so all the students could see
what I was doing. Use of this technology also allowed students to come up and complete
sections of the organizer while the rest of the class remained engaged. Because the students had
been working previously on problem and solution I asked for them to complete this section of the
organizer with me. I had a few students come up to the Smart Board and fill in the blanks. Prior
to filling out the theme section, I reviewed the definition of theme and gave examples from
stories the children were already familiar with, such as Beauty and the Beast and The Boy Who
Cried Wolf. I then read the fable, The Fox and the Stork, and afterward I asked the students
 Beljin, 4

what they thought the theme was. I listened to a few suggestions and told them what I thought
the best answer would be. I finished modeling filling in the answer on the organizer. Afterward,
I passed out the same paper to each student. They were assigned to complete their organizer
with any book of their choice by the end of the week. I modeled filling in the same graphic
organizer during instructional reading time throughout the week with three other stories, The
Frogs that Wanted a King, The Lion and the Mouse, and The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg.

The second strategy I used to teach theme was through conferencing. During reading
workshop time I had a group of five students work independently at a small table while I met
with one at a time. During conferences we went over the graphic organizers, which they were
asked to complete in strategy 1. Students were also required to bring their books to the
conferences so we could refer back to them if needed. If students were struggling with the
concept I was able to help them, but if they were excelling I would challenge them to think more
deeply about the theme they identified. For example, I would ask them to apply the theme to
another book and defend their choice. Conferences lasted about 3-5 minutes with each child and
it was the most effective gauge to see how each student was doing individually. During
conferences I also used the results of the pre-assessments to focus my instruction and emphasis.

The third strategy I used was small groups. During center time in the afternoon I met
with a mixed group of students and read the Scott Foresman leveled reading book, Market
Treasure Hunt. Each student had their own copy and we read through the story together. After
we read the story I asked the students what they thought the book was really about. We
discussed the theme of the story and were able to go more in-depth and identify multiple themes.
We applied the story to our personal experiences and discussed how we could apply the theme,
which was valuing friendship, to our own lives. There was also a worksheet, including multiple
choice and short answer, which went along with the book. Students worked in partners to
complete the questions and afterward we came back together as a group to review our answers.

4. Lesson Plan
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Standard: Reading Applications: Literary Text

Benchmark: E. Identify the theme of a literary text

Indicator: 6. Identify stated and implied themes

Objective: Students will demonstrate the ability to identify stated and implied themes through
the use of reading a book independently and completing a graphic organizer, in which they need
to generate the appropriate theme for their specific book. Teacher will model this skill using the
fable, The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg.

Materials:

-Graphic organizers with the labels: title, problem, solution, and theme
-pencil
-The fable, The Fox and the Stork
-Provide books at each student’s independent level, with which they can complete their
theme graphic organizer throughout the week.

Differentiation
-Arrange seating chart to accommodate students who are easily distracted by placing
them closer to the Smart Board. Also, place the student who needs to move
throughout lesson in the back so he doesn’t distract other students.
-Allow students ample time to complete graphic organizer throughout the week to
accommodate students who need more time reading their books or focusing on an
assignment.
-Allow students to choose a book at their instructional level to complete assignment.

Procedure:

1. Ask students if they have ever heard the word theme before. Introduce the idea of
theme. Tell students that a story may have certain events, but it is not what the story
is really about. For example, the story The Boy Who Cried Wolf is about a boy who
lies that a wolf is coming to eat his sheep, but when the wolf really does come, no one
believes him. In reality, the story is really about the consequences of lying.
2. Read the story The Fox and the Stork.
3. Begin completing the graphic organizer on the Smart Board.
-Fill in the title of the book.
-ask students to come up and fill in the problem and solution of the story.
-remind students the events of the story, but ask them what the story was
really about.
-Ask students what they think the theme of the story is and write the best
answer for theme on the graphic organizer.
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4. Pass out an identical graphic organizer to each student in the class

5. Explain that it is their job to complete the organizer during Reading Workshop time
and that I will conference with them about their progress
-Students can choose any book of their choice, but it must be at
their reading level.
6. Monitor student progress during reading workshop time throughout the week and
record their results during conferencing by using a rubric. (not taken as grade, only
for records)
7. Give final assessment for grade (may be a few days later)-read The Lion and the
Mouse and have student complete identical organizer.

Evaluation: -Students will bring their graphic organizers to conferences, in addition to the book
used, in which they need to explain their thinking. (not taken for grade, but used as a way to
monitor progress)

-At the end of the unit a post assessment will be given, which consists of filling out a graphic
organizer by identifying the theme of the fable, The Lion and the Mouse.

-Students will also be evaluated on theme by completing a post-assessment in which they read
three short stories and choose the correct theme from a set of three multiple choice answers.

Section 2: Assessment Plan

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1. Description of Pre/ Post Test Assessment Instruments:

Two pre-assessments were given prior to instructing the class on theme. The first
assessment was a worksheet, which consisted of three short stories 4-5 sentences long. This
assessment was taken from Collections-Touch a Dream; a practice book, which assesses various
skills. Following each story were three multiple choice options, in which the student was to
identify the theme of the passage. This assessment was given to get a rough estimate of what
students knew about theme using a generic passage. During this pre-assessment, students were
required to identify the stated theme out of a choice of three options, which is the goal and
indicator for this unit.

Standard: Reading Applications: Literary Text

Benchmark: E. Identify the theme of a literary text
Indicator: 6. Identify stated and implied themes

The second pre-assessment given was a graphic organizer, which students were to
complete individually. I read the fable, The Jay and the Peacocks to the whole group and as I
read they were to identify the problem, solution, and theme. I included problem and solution on
the graphic organizer because it was the unit which we studied prior to theme. It also allowed
the students to think about the events of a story, which help clarify the theme. When scoring the
assessments I did not take problem and solution into consideration. I looked only at the theme
they identified. Because theme can sometimes be subjective I used my best judgment to
determine if the student identified the correct theme. There was not only one correct answer.
For example, some students said the moral was “Just be yourself” while others wrote, “don’t
care what others think of you.” I determined both answers to be correct because they were both
lessons learned from the story. I used a simple, “yes” or “no” system to record if they identified
the correct theme. This second pre-assessment required students to identify implied themes
from the fable, which is the indicator of this lesson.

Standard: Reading Applications: Literary Text

Benchmark: E. Identify the theme of a literary text
Indicator: 6. Identify stated and implied themes

The first post-assessment I gave to my students was the identical worksheet given as the
first pre-assessment. Again, students were identifying the theme of the three passages. The
text used in these stories was at or below the reading level of each child in the classroom. This
was to ensure that students did not struggle on reading the text, but were able to fully
concentrate on the content and ultimately identify the theme. In addition, they are familiar with
the format of reading a passage and answering multiple choice questions about a text.
 Beljin, 8

The second post-assessment I gave was an identical graphic organizer used in the second
pre-assessment; but I read a different story. I wanted to keep it as similar as possible, however,
so I used another fable. After reading The Lion and the Mouse students were to complete the
organizer by filling in problem, solution, and theme. Fables were used throughout this unit, not
only to fill an additional indicator of introducing students to various literary texts, but because
the ideas and concepts were age appropriate and lent themselves to theme. In addition, many of
the characters in the fables were animals, which is characteristic of children’s literature. The
vocabulary was at instructional level and because I read the text aloud in both the pre and post
assessments, students were able to focus on the story instead of being able to read all the words.
Again, scoring of these organizers was somewhat subjective, however, I was able to see whether
or not they understood the concept if their theme identified was relevant to the fable.

2. Description of Data Collection Process:

This unit took place over 7 days.

Day 1: I gave students the first pre-assessment, which was the theme worksheet. Students were
given 15 minutes to complete the worksheet. If they finished early they were to get a book to
read silently at their desks. If students needed more time they were able to work at the front
table as the other students began their reading workshop time. Only one student required this
extra time and she was finished 2 minutes after she moved to the front table.
Day 2: I gave students a second pre-assessment, which was reading The Jay and the Peacocks
and having students complete the graphic organizer. Students were able to fill in as much
information as they wanted as I was reading and were given an additional 15 minutes after the
story was over. No student required additional time, but if there was a student who did, they
would have been able to finish the organizer at the front table.
Day 3: I introduced the idea of theme. I then demonstrated identifying theme in a text by
reading the fable, The Fox and the Stork. I modeled filling in a graphic organizer identical to
the one used for both the pre and post assessments. After the lesson I passed out a graphic
organizer to each student. Students kept this organizer in their reading folder and completed it
throughout the week during workshop time. They were able to complete the worksheet with
any book of their choice, which was at their independent reading level.
Day 4: I passed out the same graphic organizer and read the fable, The Goose that Laid the
Golden Egg. The students and I filled out the organizer together.
Day 5: I again modeling identifying the theme in the fable The Frogs that Wanted a King and
filled out a graphic organizer with student help on the Smart Board.
Day 6: I gave the students the same worksheet given as pre-assessment 1 for their post-
assessment.
Day 7: I read the fable, The Lion and the Mouse and had students complete the graphic
organizer, which was post-assessment 2.
Throughout the week I met with students for conferences during reading workshop time.
I would call a group of 5 students up to a table and work one-on-one with each student. We
would go over the graphic organizer, which they were assigned to complete on Day 3. If
students were not able to complete the organizer by the time they met with me I would guide
them and answer questions if they were struggling. If so, we would look at the book, which
they were using for the organizer. By the end of the week I met with all of the students and
 Beljin, 9

looked at their organizers. During this time I was able to talk with students one-on-one and
address their individual needs.
Also, throughout the week I met with small groups of 5 students in the afternoon while
the other students were at centers. During this time we read Market Treasure Hunt and
completed a worksheet, which went along with the story. The questions were centered around
the students identifying the theme and finding details to support that theme. During this time I
was able to work with students in a more intimate setting and explain theme using a different
text other than a fable.

3. Pre-Assessment 1 Results-Three Passages and Multiple Choice Questions

Student Pre-assessment #1 Post-assessment #1

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1 3/3 3/3
2 2/3 3/3
3 2/3 2/3
4 0/3 0/3
5 2/3 3/3
6 1/3 3/3
7 2/3 1/3
8 1/3 2/3
9 1/3 2/3
10 2/3 2/3
11 1/3 1/3
12 1/3 2/3
13 2/3 3/3
14 0/3 1/3
15 2/3 3/3
16 3/3 3/3
17 1/3 3/3
18 2/3 3/3
19 1/3 1/3
20 3/3 3/3
21 3/3 3/3
22 3/3 3/3
Percentage of total 56% 76%
questions answered
correctly

Legend – 100% Correct Pre+Post, Improvement, No Improvement, Depreciation

STUDENT CATEGORY # OF STUDENTS % OF TOTAL

100% on Pre + Post 5 23%
Improvement 11 50%
No Improvement 5 23%
Depreciation 1 4%
Totals 22 100%

*This data shows that out of 66 total questions for the entire group, on the first pre-
assessment only 37 were answered correctly. On the post-assessment 13 more questions
were answered correctly for a total of 50 questions answered correctly. Eleven students
showed improvement, five stayed the same, and one student regressed. In addition, five
students scored 100% on both the pre and post assessments.
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Post Assessment 2- Graphic Organizer

Students Pre-assessment 2 Post-assessment 2

1 Yes Yes
2 Yes Yes
3 Yes Yes
4 No No
5 Yes Yes
6 Yes Yes
7 Yes Yes
8 Yes No
9 Yes Yes
10 Yes Yes
11 No No
12 No No
13 Yes Yes
14 No No
15 Yes Yes
16 No No
17 Yes Yes
18 Yes Yes
19 No Yes
20 No Yes
21 Yes Yes
22 Yes Yes

Legend- No Change (+), No Change (-), Improvement, Depreciation

Student Category # of Students % of Total

No Change (+) 14 64%
No Change (-) 5 23%
Improvement 2 9%
Depreciation 1 4%
Totals 22 100%

*This data shows that a majority of the students (fourteen) scored correctly on both the pre and
post assessments. Five students also scored the same for both the pre and post assessments,
however they gave wrong answers both times. Two students showed improvement, while one
student regressed. In total sixteen students out of twenty two displayed understanding on the
post-assessment.
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Section 3: Research Knowledge Base

4. Research to Support Strategies

Using conferencing as a teaching strategy helped me work with my students one-on-one

and identify their strengths as well as areas, which they were not proficient. From there I was
able to cater instruction to their specific needs. My cooperating teacher introduced me to this
strategy and said he has been using it for years and found it to be effective in guiding
differentiated instruction. Using conferencing as an instructional strategy has also been proven
effective by Literacy for the 21st Century which states, “Through the process of conferencing,
teachers involve students in assessment, and students become more responsible for their own
learning as they self-assess their progress and set goals for themselves” (p. 93). It also states that
“through these conversations students can think metacognitively and reflect of the progress
they’ve made” (p. 378). When working with my students in conferences it was beneficial to hold
the student accountable for what they were to be working on during reading workshop time. It
encouraged them to produce their best work and allowed me to reinforce their strengths and help
them in other areas. Beth Kupper-Herr, associate professor at Leeward Community College,
also lists the benefits of conferencing, “Conferences are more personal (many students prefer
them), feedback given in person may have more impact, conferences provide an opportunity to
build rapport and this form of feedback may be less labor-intensive, more satisfying for
instructor.” Young students, such as the third graders in my classroom, needed individual
attention and instructional time. They felt valued and I was able to help their specific needs.

Modeling was also a beneficial instructional strategy identified in Literacy for the 21st
Century. Gail E. Tompkins writes, “Teachers provide the greatest amount of support when they
model how expert readers read and expert writers write. When teachers read aloud they are
modeling: They read fluently and with expression, and they talk about their thoughts and the
strategies they are using” (p. 21). Although during this unit I was not instructing students on
being fluent readers, I was modeling the strategy I used to find the theme in The Fox and the
Stork. I first identified the problem and solution, which led to the discovery of the theme. I
discussed my thought process throughout the lesson and told students that they should do the
same when they were filling out their own graphic organizers.

Small groups were also used as a teaching strategy for theme. It allowed students to take
charge of their learning while I stepped back from the focal point. TeacherVision supports group
or cooperative learning and says, “Cooperative learning changes students' and teachers' roles in
classrooms. The ownership of teaching and learning is shared by groups of students, and is no
longer the sole responsibility of the teacher. The authority of setting goals, assessing learning,
and facilitating learning is shared by all. Students have more opportunities to actively participate
in their learning, question and challenge each other, share and discuss their ideas, and internalize
their learning. Along with improving academic learning, cooperative learning helps students
engage in thoughtful discourse and examine different perspectives, and it has been proven to
increase students' self-esteem, motivation, and empathy.” During small groups we were all able
to interact together and because it was mixed grouping, higher students were able to help
struggling students.
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2. Research to Support Assessment Tools:

I chose my first pre-assessment tool to be three simple multiple choice questions because
they were easy to quantify as well as administer. In addition, each student was reading the same
passages and it was easy to compare the results. Two law professors from Manchester
Metropolitan University say, “…multiple-choice questions need not be limited merely to testing
knowledge; tests can include more challenging comprehension/application-based questions, and
these might well allow more of the intended learning outcomes for a unit to be assessed
efficiently and thus be valid for summative assessment” (Higgins and Tatham). Theme can be
an abstract concept, however, if created properly, multiple choice questions can be used as this
beneficial assessment tool. You must review the questions to check for bias; however, I felt as
though the questions I used were fair and measured the knowledge of theme in my classroom.

Graphic organizers have been proven to help students organize information and make
sense of text, which is why I chose it as my second pre and post assessment tool. When
describing effective ways to teach comprehension, C.R. Adler writes, “…graphic organizers can
help readers focus on concepts and how they are related to other concepts. Graphic organizers
help students read and understand textbooks and picture books.” This was the intended goal of
asking my students for the problem and solution, in addition to theme. Although I only looked at
their response to theme, I chose to include problem and solution because I believe it helped them
organize their thoughts. Graphic organizers were also described by EverythingELS as “…visual
tools that help ELLs understand and organize information. They are like mind maps which
promote active learning. Graphic Organizers can also help students develop higher level thinking
skills and promote creativity. One of our goals in teaching our English language learners is to
help them summarize and interpret text. Graphic Organizers are excellent tools in achieving this
goal” (Haynes). Although there were no English Language Learners in my classroom, I believe
the same ideas could be applied for all learners. Graphic organizers can be modified for any age
level, skill level, and subject area. The students in my classroom were also familiar with the
format because we use organizers for many activities throughout the day.

Works Cited

Adler, C. R. "Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension." Readingrockets

(2004). WETA. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. <http://www.readingrockets.org/article/3479>.
"Cooperative Learning: Teaching Strategy (Grades K-12) - TeacherVision.com."
Teacher Lesson Plans, Printables & Worksheets by Grade or Subject - TeacherVision.com.
TeacherVision. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. <http://www.teachervision.fen.com/pro-dev/cooperative-
learning/48531.html>.
Haynes, Judie. "Graphic Organizers for Content Instruction." EverythingESL: The K-12
ESL Resource from Judie Haynes. EverythingELS, 2004. Web. 15 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/graphic_organizers.php>.
Higgins, Edwina, and Laura Tatham. "Multiple-Choice Questions in Assessment | LTiA
Issue 4 | CeLT | MMU." Centre for Learning and Teaching | Manchester Metropolitan
 Beljin, 14

University. Feb. 2003. Web. 15 Oct. 2010.

<http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/ltia/issue4/higginstatham.shtml>.

Kupper-Herr, Beth. "Conferencing with Students about Their Writing." Leeward CC

EMedia Server Home Page. Nov. 2000. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.
<http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/writing/Conferencing.htm>.

Section 4: Student Learning Evidence

1. Reflection on Data Results and Impact on Students:

Results from the first multiple choice pre-assessment confirm that out of a total of 66
questions given to all 22 students, only 37 were answered correctly. After the unit on theme was
taught and an identical post-assessment was given, the entire group of students scored 50 out of
66 questions correctly. This was an improvement of 13 questions total. Looking individually at
students, five had perfect scores (3/3) on both the pre and post assessments. Eleven students
(half the class) improved by 1 or 2 questions and five students did not improve at all. Only one
student regressed. On the second pre test fourteen students scored perfectly on both the pre and
post tests. Five students scored incorrectly on both assessments, two answered the first pre
assessment incorrectly and answered the second correctly, while only one regressed on the post
assessment.

These pre and post assessments prove that by the end of the unit a majority of the
students in my classroom had an understanding of theme; sixteen students on the multiple choice
assessment and sixteen students on the graphic organizer. Results from assessment 1 (multiple
choice) show a greater change in understanding theme, with eleven students improving in score.
However, a greater number of students scored perfectly on both the pre and post assessment
number 2. Although multiple themes could be identified and counted as correct, assessments
were cut and dry with either a student understanding theme or not.

There were sixteen students who displayed a greater understanding of theme, and three
who scored perfectly on both pre and post assessments 1 and 2. These students will continue to
identify theme in chapter books. These books have more complex ideas, story lines, and
sometimes contain multiple themes. I will give the students more independence to read the
books and identify theme. We will go over their findings during conferencing. From there we
can reassess the progress of these students and their understanding. Also, as an extension during
writing time, I will have students write their own stories. Students will first create a theme and
then write a story, which presents the theme to the reader. This activity will provide students
with the creativity to develop their own theme as well as a story, which illustrates this theme. It
will get them thinking about elements of a story that convey the theme to a reader.

For remediation I will focus on my struggling students during conferences and small
group. I will place all the students struggling with theme into one group. We will continue to
practice with the leveled readers, however will use text below their reading level. This will
allow them to focus solely on theme. We will also use books and movies, which they are already
familiar with. When students use their background knowledge it gives them confidence and this
 Beljin, 15

familiarity can make the process of identifying theme easier. Throughout this process I will
continue to assess my students with the graphic organizers and their verbal responses of
identifying theme. I will also give them another multiple choice assessment with different
passages.

2. Reflection of Data Results and Impact on Future Teaching:

I believe this unit was successful as an introduction to theme. Theme can be an abstract
concept and difficult for students to grasp. Sixteen out of eighteen students showed an
understanding with three of those students displaying mastery. Although the multiple choice
questions gave me an objective assessment of theme, I looked more toward the graphic organizer
to show their comprehension. Students were required to identify the theme on their own. By the
post assessment, sixteen students were able to do this correctly. They used an authentic text to
do this and their own words in their summation of theme.
If I were to teach this lesson again I would have developed an additional way to present
the idea of theme. Modeling using the graphic organizer for four stories became repetitive and
dull. If a student did not understand that method, it was difficult for them to grasp the concept.
In this way, the unit was not fair. In the future I will provide my students with more options.
Although we used small groups, I would have liked to incorporate more partner work within this
unit. I would have students partner read a story and identify the theme together. This would also
allow for students to discuss their ideas with each other and defend their answer. Working with a
peer can often solidify and clarify ideas.
Although there were some weak areas, overall I believe this unit was impactful and
reached the intended goal. Not all students understood theme by the end of the unit, but they
were introduced to the idea and it will come easier to them in the future. I especially liked the
small group and conferencing aspect. It gave me time to build rapport with my students as well
as modify my instruction based on their progress. I also liked the graphic organizer assessment.
It allowed students to use an authentic text and develop their ideas on their own. This form of
assessment also provided me with some flexibility in grading. Theme can vary and although
multiple choice questions are objective, not all students find the same theme in every text. This
part of the unit was fair to each student because they were able to use vocabulary comfortable to
them and their own ideas based on the text.
For future lessons I will use the information from this unit to guide my instruction. I will
use multiple strategies to teach each lesson. I will allow time for conferences and small group to
get a better understanding of each student’s individual needs. Preparing extension activities is
also crucial in supporting accelerated students. In the past I have thought that if a student
understands a concept, my job is done and I should focus on struggling students. This lesson
taught me to continue pushing my gifted students to their full potential. Most importantly, I have
learned to use multiple assessments. I will provide students with multiple assessments because
based on my results, it is clear that not all students respond the same to each assessment type.
Some students who scored well on the multiple choice assessment scored poorly on the graphic
organizer. These assessments also helped guide my instruction and identify students who needed
additional help and extension activities.