Topic 4-Designing a Differentiated Lesson Plan

Reflecting on the Lesson Plan for Fahrenheit 451 and Censorship

In creating this lesson on censorship as a precursor to Fahrenheit 451, my goal was to design an inclusive and engaging learning experience that accommodates diverse student needs and learning preferences. The primary goal was to create a lesson that supported student readiness, interest, and learning styles through multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression.

Instructional Strategies

To engage students and account for diverse learning styles, I incorporated several strategies to address student readiness and interest. The lesson begins with a Quickwrite prompt asking if students think books are valuable, which provides a low-pressure way to express their views on censorship and books. The Quickwrite is followed by a Think-Pair-Share activity that lets students discuss ideas with a peer before sharing with the class, fostering a collaborative environment.

For content representation, I introduced vocabulary terms through a handout, anchor charts, and guided notes on key concepts like censorship, intellectual freedom, and symbolism. These tools help reinforce academic language visually and verbally, guiding students to make connections between new vocabulary and the lesson content. Graphic organizers allow students to visually map the relationships between historical, literary, and contemporary texts. Additionally, using original and adapted versions of texts, accommodating ELLs and students with special needs through simpler language and translation tools.

By using paper copies of texts, the "Nazi Book Burning" video (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2013) and a document camera, I introduced multiple forms of media to cater to auditory and visual learners. The video on Nazi book burning provides historical context, making the lesson more relatable.

Assessment

Differentiated assessment was designed to meet the diverse needs of students, including ELLs, students with special needs, gifted students, and early finishers. Formative assessments were incorporated throughout the lesson, such as thumbs up-thumbs middle-thumbs down, pair-share discussions, and a reflection exit ticket to assess student understanding and adjust the lesson as needed. These quick checks ensure that I can re-teach or provide additional support if necessary.

For ELLs, I provided language support through sentence stems, bilingual dictionaries, and Google's translation tools. To ensure comprehension, I also offered an abridged version of each text with simpler language and captions for the video. These adjustments help ELLs understand the content without overwhelming them with complex language, allowing them to participate in a meaningful way during discussions and quickwrites.

For students with special needs, modifications included skeletal notes, reduced reading length, and sentence stems to support discussions. I also provided the option to listen to the text through CommonLit’s audio feature, giving students more control over the pace of their learning.

Gifted students were encouraged to explore the topic further by answering deeper, probing questions and thinking critically about censorship’s relevance today. Early finishers were given access to iXL enrichment activities and GimKit vocabulary practice, allowing them to extend their learning independently.

Summative assessment options included a multiple-choice reading comprehension questions over the literary pieces, short written response, and a graphic organizer displaying showing connections between “Burning a Book”, “I Am Very Real”, Holocaust Book Burning video, and censorship in today’s world (Common Lit, n.d.-a; Common Lit, n.d.-b; United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2013). 

Technology

Technology is a vital part of engaging students and providing differentiated support. Chromebooks allowed students to access CommonLit.org, where they could read the texts, use annotation and translation tools, and access audio support. For the YouTube video on Nazi book burning, I enabled captions to ensure accessibility for ELLs and students with special needs. GimKit offered interactive vocabulary practice, giving students an engaging, gamified way to review essential terms. Lumen Learning (2021) boasts the benefits of using technology in the classroom as providing a more engaged learning environment, boosting collaboration, and better supporting learning for all students. 

When selecting technology resources, I ensured that each tool would offer accessibility features and aligned with the learning goals. For example, CommonLit’s flexibility in providing annotation tools and audio support made it suitable for a diverse group of learners. By carefully vetting resources to confirm they included features like captions and bilingual options, I created a technology-supported lesson that accommodated all students. My district supports me by providing lists of resources that are already approved and/or paid-for through district funds. 

Conclusion

Through the instructional strategies, various assessment techniques, and technology used, I created an engaging, relevant lesson on censorship that supports students in building connections between their lives, history, and literature. With this, students should be able to better understand the significance of reading Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. 

 References

CommonLit. (n.d.-a). Burning a book by William Stafford. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/burning-a-book-1

CommonLit. (n.d.-b). I am very real by Kurt Vonnegut. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/i-am-very-real

Lumen Learning. (2021, October 29). 10 benefits & uses for technology in the classroom. Lumen Learning. https://lumenlearning.com/technology-in-the-classroom/

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Book burning. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/book-burning

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (2013, May 13). Nazi book burning [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHzM1gXaiVo

Topic 3-Learning Styles Analysis

Visual Representation

Introduction and Side Note

While analyzing my data, I discovered some interesting (and perplexing) research that is in opposition of teachers tailoring instruction according to learning styles. Pashler et al. (2008) explains in their abstract:

Our review of the literature disclosed ample evidence that children and adults will, if asked, express preferences about how they prefer information to be presented to them. There is also plentiful evidence arguing that people differ in the degree to which they have some fairly specific aptitudes for different kinds of thinking and for processing different types of information. However, we found virtually no evidence for the interaction pattern mentioned above, which was judged to be a precondition for validating the educational applications of learning styles. Although the literature on learning styles is enormous, very few studies have even used an experimental methodology capable of testing the validity of learning styles applied to education. Moreover, of those that did use an appropriate method, several found results that flatly contradict the popular meshing hypothesis. (p. 105)

    This information led me down the rabbit hole of trying to find definitive support for my data interpretation. The most convincing information I found requires a paradigm shift that explains that how teachers deliver information isn’t what is most important; the importance lies with what the students (learners) do with the information (Lander, 2024a). The two principal researchers responsible for the development of the VARK learning style inventory stress that “the profiles are promoted as insights and not as definitive diagnoses” (Fleming & Mills, 1992, p. 3). I have used this information to guide my answers with the understanding that learning styles should not be used as a “be all, end all” approach to teaching these students. The best lessons and assessments should use a variety of activities that will work together to enhance the learning for all students, regardless of learning style preference.

Learning Styles & Cognitive, Linguistic, Social, Emotional, & Physical Development of Students

The visual representation of the learning styles data helps highlight the interconnectedness of these learning preferences with cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development:

• Cognitive Development: Students with strong preferences for certain learning styles often display specific cognitive strengths. For example, auditory learners may have stronger verbal processing skills, while kinesthetic learners excel at problem-solving through hands-on activities.
• Linguistic Development: Auditory learners are likely to have stronger listening and speaking skills, benefiting from discussions and oral presentations. Visual learners may have better comprehension when processing written and visual information.
• Social and Emotional Development: Socially, students who are multimodal (e.g., KA, MP, TR) often work well in collaborative environments that engage multiple learning styles. Emotionally, students may feel more confident and motivated when activities align with their preferred learning modalities. This insight directly relates to the way Fleming and Mills (1992) wanted their learning style inventory to be used.
• Physical Development: Kinesthetic learners (e.g., TR, KA, MP) benefit from physical engagement, linking their motor skills with learning. This can aid in developing fine and gross motor coordination as they interact with materials and perform tasks.

Using the Learning Styles Inventory to Influence/Affect Planning

The learning styles inventory provides a foundational guide for creating lesson plans that resonate with students’ preferences. Here’s how it would influence my planning:

• Instructional Strategies for Each Learning Style:
• Auditory (MJ, HC, BB): Implement read-alouds sessions to engage these students. Use discussions and verbal instructions to clarify and deepen understanding.
• Visual (All students to varying extents): Incorporate diagrams, infographics, videos, and slideshows that visually represent information to support comprehension.
• Kinesthetic (KA, MP, TR): Use role-play and movement-based activities to enhance learning.
• Reading/Writing (Lower preference overall): Provide written summaries and instructions but combine them with complementary strategies such as interactive writing tools and visual representations.

Evaluating and Using Students’ Strengths, Interests, and Needs for Growth

• Strengths: Identify students' dominant learning styles and use them as starting points for engagement. By educating the students about their strengths, I can help them better understand how they best process information and give them resources that provide study strategies specifically tailored for their strengths (Lander, 2024b). For example, use auditory resources for MJ to leverage their strength in verbal processing and engage HC with structured group discussions.
• Interests: Gather information about students’ hobbies and passions to integrate relevant content into lessons, making learning more engaging. For instance, if a student is interested in music, use song lyrics to teach literary analysis. 
• Needs for Growth: Address areas where students show less preference by integrating these modalities subtly into lessons. For example, students with lower Read/Write scores can practice with scaffolded writing exercises paired with visual or auditory supports.

Addressing All Learning Styles when Developing & Implementing Assessments

When developing and implementing assessments, it’s essential to design them in a way that appeals to all learning preferences:

• Auditory: Offer oral presentations or discussions as part of assessment options. Students could also record their explanations of concepts.
• Visual: Use diagrams or multimedia presentations as assessment formats. Students could create visual posters or infographics to demonstrate understanding.
• Kinesthetic: Include practical demonstrations, project-based tasks, or models that require physical manipulation to show comprehension and learning.
• Reading/Writing: While less preferred, ensure that written tasks are present but supported by audio-visual cues or interactive written exercises.

Holistic Assessments: Combining various formats within a single assessment helps address all learning styles. For example, a novel or literary analysis project could require:

• A written report for the Read/Write component.
• An oral presentation to include auditory learners.
• A poster or slideshow for visual learners.
• A physical demonstration for kinesthetic learners.

Evaluation Approach:

• Use rubrics that account for multiple ways of demonstrating knowledge.
• Provide feedback that emphasizes strengths and suggests areas for improvement in less-preferred modalities.
• Conduct reflective activities where students can express what strategies helped them learn best and what they found challenging. Allowing time for students to pause and reflect on how they are doing will give them time to “actively engage in metacognitive strategies, such as self-questioning, summarizing, and reflecting on [their] learning process” with the hope being for the reflective process to become an automatic part of their learning process (Lander, 2024b, Make Time for Metacognition section).

My hope is that this multi-faceted approach ensures that instructional plans are inclusive and consider the unique learning needs of each student, promoting balanced development across cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical domains.

References

Fleming, N. D., & Mills, C. (1992). Not another inventory, rather a catalyst for reflection. To Improve the Academy, 11, 137–155. https://vark-learn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/not_another_inventory.pdf

Lander, H. (2024, May 20a). Adapting teaching styles to VARK: A metacognitive approach. VARK. https://vark-learn.com/adapting-teaching-styles-to-vark-a-metacognitive-approach/

Lander, H. (2024, May 20b). How to encourage student metacognition - 5 tips for teachers. VARK. https://vark-learn.com/how-to-encourage-metacognition-in-students-5-tips-for-teachers/

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105-119. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x

Topic 2-Assessing Technology-Based Resources for Differentiation

    In today’s classroom, meeting the diverse needs of students requires educators to leverage current technology that facilitates differentiated instruction. These tools empower teachers to address individual learning styles, readiness levels, and interests, helping students take ownership of their learning and preparing them for 21st-century skills.

1. EdPuzzle
• Brief Description: Edpuzzle allows teachers to embed questions into videos, transforming passive watching into interactive learning (EdPuzzle, n.d.). It enables teachers to track student progress and understanding.
• Ease of Use and Practicality: Teachers can easily edit and customize video content by adding questions, making it practical for flipped classroom models. Videos can also be viewed in "live mode" which allows teachers to project the video and pauses it automatically when there is a question to allow students to answer on their own device. 
• Cost: Free, with premium features available.
• User Friendliness: Teachers can monitor student understanding through embedded quizzes. Students can replay sections of videos as needed. Teachers have access to tools that allow them to disable the ability for students to "skip" or fast-forward through video content. 
• Cross-Curricular Ability: Edpuzzle is applicable across subjects, especially for video-based learning in science, history, and language arts.
• Differentiation: By embedding questions, teachers can adjust videos for student readiness, and the platform supports visual and auditory learners. Closed-captioning is available on many of the videos. 
• Instructional Strategies:
• Flipped Classroom: Use videos as pre-class assignments to free up in-class time for hands-on activities. 
• Formative Assessment: Questions embedded in videos provide immediate feedback.
2. Canvas
• Brief Description: Canvas is a cloud-based LMS that allows educators to create, manage, and deliver courses online. It includes a variety of tools for course creation, assignment management, grading, communication, and analytics. This LMS seems to be very similar to the Halo LMS that we use for our online classes with GCU. 
• Ease of Use and Practicality: Canvas is designed with a clean interface that simplifies navigation. Teachers can easily create modules, post assignments, and set up discussions, while students can access materials and submit work with minimal confusion. Integration with other educational tools such as Google Docs makes it practical for a variety of learning environments.
• Cost: Canvas operates on a subscription model, typically paid for by districts. Individual pricing is generally not available to teachers directly. 
• User Friendliness:
• For Teachers: Canvas offers a wide range of tools that simplify course design and student interaction.
• For Students: The platform is designed to be user-friendly, with dashboards that allow students to track assignments, grades, and course materials. Mobile access through the Canvas app also enhances user convenience.
• Cross-Curricular Ability: Canvas is flexible and can be used across any subject or grade level. Teachers can incorporate various content types, including videos, quizzes, discussion forums, and peer review, allowing it to serve diverse curricular needs.
• Differentiation: Canvas by Instructure (n.d.) boasts that it offers "equitable learning experiences for all students." It supports differentiation by offering tools that allow teachers to customize the learning experience for students with different readiness levels, interests, and learning styles.
• Readiness: Teachers can assign different tasks based on students’ current knowledge and abilities. Advanced learners can be directed to more challenging assignments, while struggling students can receive remediation materials. 
• Interest: Canvas allows for content customization, enabling teachers to provide students with learning resources that align with their interests. 
• Learning Styles: Canvas caters to different learning styles by offering diverse formats for content delivery. Visual learners benefit from video lectures and infographics, while auditory learners can listen to podcasts or audio recordings. Kinesthetic learners can engage with interactive elements like simulations or drag-and-drop quizzes.
• Instructional Strategies: 
• Blended Learning: Canvas facilitates the integration of online and face-to-face instruction. This model works well for differentiated learning environments, where students can engage with content at their own pace before applying concepts in class.
• Flipped Classroom: Teachers can use Canvas to post instructional videos, articles, or interactive lessons that students access outside of the classroom. This allows for class time to be dedicated to hands-on activities or small group instruction, ensuring that each student receives the support they need. 
3. Immersive Reader: 
• Brief Description: Immersive Reader is a Microsoft tool designed to improve reading and comprehension for learners by providing customizable reading experiences. This tool helps students by enhancing text accessibility through features such as text-to-speech, word highlighting, grammar assistance, translation, and other visual aids (Microsoft, n.d.). It is integrated into Microsoft products.
• Ease of Use and Practicality: Immersive Reader is user-friendly, requiring no special technical skills to operate. With just a few clicks, students can enable features that improve their reading comprehension.
• Cost: Immersive Reader is available free of charge with Microsoft products (like Word), which are already widely used in schools.
• User Friendliness: 
• For Teachers: Immersive Reader requires minimal setup. Teachers can use it to ensure that all students, including those with special needs or language barriers, have access to the same instructional content. 
• For Students: Students find Immersive Reader easy to use, with features such as text-to-speech and adjustable text size enhancing readability. Students with dyslexia, ADHD, or other learning disabilities benefit significantly from the customizable features that improve focus and reduce cognitive overload. 
• Cross-Curricular Ability: Immersive Reader can be used across all subjects and all grade levels to support students in engaging with and understanding content. 
• Differentiation: 
• Readiness: Immersive Reader allows students at different readiness levels to engage with the same content by adjusting the way it is presented.  
• Interest: Immersive Reader’s customizable features, such as font size, background color, and text spacing, allow students to tailor the reading experience to their preferences.
• Learning Styles: 
• Auditory Learners: Text-to-speech functionality allows auditory learners to listen to the text being read aloud, improving comprehension through sound.
• Visual Learners: Customizable text formatting, such as color contrast, font size, and line focus, helps visual learners better process information.
• Kinesthetic Learners: Students can manipulate the text in real-time, actively controlling features like text size, focus mode, or grammar markings to interact more deeply with the reading content.
• Instructional Strategies:
• Flipped Classroom: Teachers can provide reading assignments in advance using Immersive Reader, allowing students to engage with the material at their own pace. 
• Differentiated Reading Assignments: Teachers can assign the same text to all students while using Immersive Reader to scaffold support for students who need it. 

     Canvas promotes learning by providing a structured platform for students to access course materials, participate in discussions, complete assignments, and receive feedback. Features like quizzes, multimedia content, and personalized learning paths engage students with varied learning styles. Canvas encourages ownership of learning by allowing students to track their progress through real-time grade updates and assignment deadlines. Its self-paced structure empowers students to manage their own schedules, making them accountable for their own learning.

     Immersive Reader promotes learning by enhancing text accessibility, offering tools like text-to-speech, grammar support, and translation. These features cater to diverse learners, especially those with reading difficulties or language barriers. It promotes ownership by allowing students to customize their reading experience—adjusting text size, background color, and line focus to suit individual preferences. This autonomy fosters responsibility, as students control how they engage with reading materials and adapt them to meet their needs.

References 

• EdPuzzle. (n.d.). EdPuzzle | Make any video your lesson. Edpuzzle. https://edpuzzle.com/getting-started
• Instructure. (n.d.). Canvas by Instructure: LMS for K-12 teachers and students. Instructure. https://www.instructure.com/k12/products/canvas 
• Microsoft. (n.d.). Immersive Reader product guide. Microsoft Learn. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/educator-center/product-guides/immersive-reader/ 

Should Juul pods and other E Cigarettes be banned?

Should Juul pods and other E Cigarettes be banned?

Although I do believe that Juul pods and other E Cigarettes should be banned, I believe that actual cigarettes should also be banned.  There are absolutely no health benefits to either cigarettes or E cigarettes.  These are simply my own opinions. 

2018 Spring Semester

For the 2017-2018 school year, I am no longer updating this blog.  Instead, I am using Google Classroom.  As a parent, if you would like to be added to Google Classroom as a guardian for your child, please email me at chelsea.avalos@granburyisd.org.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

You can always email me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.  

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Week 5, Day 3
Frame: We will read independently.
Closing: I will use a text to answer reading comprehension questions.

1. Bell Work: What are the requirements for a story to be considered a "short story?"
2. Listen to "Hearts and Hands"
3. Finish Quiz over "Hearts and Hands"
4. Study for Literary Terms Quiz on Friday
5. Reminders/Announcements:
1. Be good for my sub.  

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Week 5, Day 2
Frame: We will read independently.
Closing: I will use a text to answer reading comprehension questions.

1. Bell Work: 10-minute journal writing.  Don't forget the guidelines.
2. Metaphors and Similes Worksheet for "The Most Dangerous Game"
3. Read "Hearts and Hands"
4. Quiz over "Hearts and Hands"
5. Pass back graded papers
6. Corrections on p. 82 from the textbook
7. Reminders/Announcements:
1. Be good for my sub.  

Monday, September 11, 2017

Week 5, Day 1
Frame: We will increase our ability to find word meaning through word parts analysis.
Closing: I will identify at least 3 words that use the Week 5 stems.

1. Bell Work: 10-minute journal writing.  Don't forget the guidelines.
2. Week 5 DRE-due on MONDAY, so I can be here to grade it with you!
3. Grade pages 1-14 in your Interactive Vocab. Notebook
4. Work on Week 5 Stems in your Interactive Vocab. Notebook
1. p. 15-Non-not
2. p. 16-Post-after
3. p. 17-Pre-before
4. p. 18-Semi-half
5. p. 19-Sub-under
5. Reminders/Announcements:
1. Open House tonight from 5:30-7pm

Friday, September 8, 2017

Week 4, Day 5
Frame: We will use our HUGE brains and the textbook to answer questions over "The Most Dangerous Game."
Closing: I will find text evidence to PROVE all of my answers are correct for the Open-Book Test over "The Most Dangerous Game."

1. Bell Work: 10-minute journal writing.  Don't forget the guidelines.
2. Open-Book Test over "The Most Dangerous Game" with text evidence
3. If you finish, you may
1. Work on Week 4 Stems in your Interactive Vocab. Notebook
2. Work on/finish Literary Term Assignment
3. Work on/finish "The Most Dangerous Game" Scavenger Hunt
4. Reminders/Announcements:
1. No DRE this week.
2. Literary Term Assignment-due TODAY!
3. Scavenger Hunt-due TODAY!
4. Pages 1-14 in Interactive Vocab. Notebook-due Monday

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Week 4, Day 4
Frame: We will use our HUGE brains and the textbook to answer questions over "The Most Dangerous Game."
Closing: I will find text evidence to PROVE all of my answers are correct for the Open-Book Test over "The Most Dangerous Game."

1. Bell Work: 10-minute journal writing.  Don't forget the guidelines.
2. Open-Book Test over "The Most Dangerous Game" with text evidence
3. If you finish, you may
1. Work on Week 4 Stems in your Interactive Vocab. Notebook
2. Work on/finish Literary Term Assignment
3. Work on/finish "The Most Dangerous Game" Scavenger Hunt
4. Reminders/Announcements:
1. No DRE this week.
2. Literary Term Assignment-due Friday
3. Scavenger Hunt-due Friday
4. Pages 1-14 in Interactive Vocab. Notebook-due Monday