UNIT PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
For this assignment, you will design a unit of instruction and present an overview of your plan. The purpose of this assignment is for you to gain a big-picture view of instructional design for a specific topic in social studies.
INSTRUCTIONS
Produce a unit of instruction containing each of the elements listed below and present it in a Microsoft PowerPoint (or equivalent slide presentation program). The entire length of your presentation may not exceed 20 slides. A Unit Portfolio Example has been provided for your reference.
The first slide of your presentation must be the title slide containing the title of the unit, the date of submission, and your name.
Subsequent slides must include the following:
1. A description of the unit, including:
a. The unit’s overall topic/subject matter.
b. For which grade and subject the unit is designed.
c. State, national, and InTASC standards addressed by the unit. See the links provided with this assignment. Only Virginia Standards of Learning or Common Core Standards may be used for state standards.
2. The specific character principles addressed in the unit. Describe how each character quality or life skill will be integrated.
3. A list of the specific learning objectives covered by the entire unit. The learning objectives should be succinct and contain a clear Condition, Performance, and Criterion. Here is an objective example with each part color-coded (Condition, Performance, Criterion): After reading three fictional short stories, the student will correctly identify each story’s main conflict and resolution from a list of choices with 4/6 identified correctly.
4. A listing of the key critical concepts being addressed in the unit. The key critical concepts are ones that arise and permeate throughout the unit (e.g., democracy, freedom, environmental influence, etc.). Your unit plan should include an exploration of these key concepts throughout.
5. Context of where the unit lies within a course and the unit’s series of lessons. Provide this context in the following:
a. Course map – Create a flowchart or graphic of all units for that grade/subject, demonstrating where your unit falls within that series.
b. Unit map – Create a flowchart or graphic of all the lessons for your unit. All lessons in the unit map should be related and build toward the unit’s learning objectives.
c. Unit schedule – Create a table, flowchart, or graphic that depicts your unit’s duration. The schedule should give day counts, not specific calendar dates. Include topics of instruction, unique activities (e.g., field trips, guest speakers, etc.), and assessments.
6. An overview of the unit’s launching activity and all subsequent learning activities. The launching activity is an attention-grabbing activity to build anticipation and provide real-life relevance. Provide a list of all subsequent learning activities with a general description of their topic and/or goal.
7. A list of the resources and materials required for the unit. Use various types of resources, including technology, texts, and hands-on activities. Specify in which lesson(s) each resource/material will be used.
8. A description of the unit’s differentiation and accommodations for student diversity (both cultural and learning diversity, including learners with identified special needs). Include stimulating and engaging experiences for diverse students in the areas of giftedness, English Language Learners (ELL), and learning styles. All types of learners must be addressed with at least two or more activities or accommodations provided to meet their needs.
9. Assessments – describe the unit’s diverse array of formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments are to be interspersed appropriately among the lessons to evaluate the lessons’ efficacy and needs for concept reinforcements. Summative assessments measure students’ performance in meeting the unit’s objectives.
10. An overview of the unit’s cross-curricular connections. Connections to a minimum of three other content areas must be p
11. References of all resources used in creating your unit plan. Your references must be listed in adherence to current APA formatting guidelines.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
