Jim Writer 4 | - Freelance Writer
May 16, 2018 | #1
The IEP is a crucial tool in developing effective lesson plans for students with special needs. The following three lesson plans were birthed from the IEPs of an ESL learner, an autistic child, and a student with ADHD. The goals of the IEP were utilized as a basis for the entire lesson, including objectives, steps, and assessment.
Age: 6- 9 Time: 45 minutes
Objectives: Student will cultivate social communication in both a group environment as well as via class presentation using an science-rooted, artistic project as a basis for creative expression.
STEPS:
- Go over the main characteristics of planets in the solar system, paying particular attention to weather, skyline, and topographical features.
- Students will be grouped into threes, assigned a planet, and charged to design their own house for their planet using art materials. Each member of the group is assigned a particular feature (roof, doors and windows, foundation, etc.), but all group members need to work together.
- Students will present their outer-space home to the class with each member speaking about their part in the structure.
Assessment: Did all students communicate effectively and consistently? Did the autistic child succeed in interacting with his/her group? Did all students grasp the differences between the Earth environment and their own planet's environment?
Materials: Construction paper, cardboard, glue, markers, glitter, play-doh.
Brief Rationale: The IEP goals for the second-grade student with mild autism revealed that he struggles with social communication and needs to work on interrupting, taking turns, and speaking in front of others; this plan addresses all of those goals through a structured, group environment.
Age: 8-10 Time: 45 minutes
Objectives: Using Island of the Blue Dolphins as a foundation, students will infer the meaning of words and then act out salient vocabulary words physically.
STEPS:
- Writing the vocabulary words for Chapters I and II of the text on the board, the teacher will charge students to infer the meaning of these words and write it in their journals (pelt, crevice, vow, wreckage, clamor, reef).
- In groups of three, each student will find the meanings of two words, so that an entire group finds the meaning of all six words, using internet searches and reference books.
- Silently, students will then act out the meaning of their two words for the rest of their group before all group members write down the full meaning of each term.
- As an extension and if time allows, students from all groups can act out their word for the class. For instance, the students who had the word "wreckage" could all demonstrate for the class how they acted it out for their group.
Assessment: Did all students effectively link their physical actions with new vocabulary? Do all students fully grasp the new terms?
Materials: One or more computers with internet access, four to seven dictionaries, one set of encyclopedias.
Brief Rationale: The IEP that inspired this lesson was for a third-grade, ESL learner who struggles with vocabulary learning. Because substantial research suggests that physical movement supports vocabulary retention, this lesson utilized group communication and physical expression to enhance learning.
Age: 13- 15 Time: 2.5 hours (several class periods)
Objectives: Students will track the development of a character in the film Far and Away, paying particular attention to how events mold the character
STEPS:
- The film will be introduced by discussing immigration and Westward expansion in the nineteenth century
- Students will work in pairs and be assigned one main character from the film (Joseph Donnelly, Shannon Christie, Stephen Chase, Daniel Christie, and Nora Christie)
- Students will watch the film using a tracking sheet and record events that directly impact their character, citing how those events change them in some way (Ex. Joseph Donnelly becomes obsessed with land ownership when his father dies)
- At film's end, the groups will create a timeline for their character's development and present it to the class
Assessment: Did students remain attentive throughout the film? Do they successfully grasp how events evolve characters within a film? Do they understand how immigrants were affected by Westward expansion in the United States during the 1800s?
Materials: Tracking sheets and writing utensils for each group, the film Far and Away (1992), poster-board and art materials for timeline creation.
Brief Rationale: The IEP used as the basis for this lesson belonged to an eighth-grade boy with moderate ADHD. His goals largely surrounded maintaining an attentive state with regard to texts (written or cinematic). Keeping him engaged in a film by charging him to consistently track character development holds his focus; this is supported by his working with a partner that can keep him on track should his attention begin to wander.
Summation
In general, IEPs provide a firm foundation for lesson planning. By integrating IEP goals into lessons, teachers can ensure that students achieve their full potential in each and every subject area. Using group work fortifies social interaction between the general, student population and the students with special needs.
Lesson Plan I: Social Skill Development through Science-Rooted, Creative Expression
Age: 6- 9 Time: 45 minutes
Objectives: Student will cultivate social communication in both a group environment as well as via class presentation using an science-rooted, artistic project as a basis for creative expression.
STEPS:- Go over the main characteristics of planets in the solar system, paying particular attention to weather, skyline, and topographical features.
- Students will be grouped into threes, assigned a planet, and charged to design their own house for their planet using art materials. Each member of the group is assigned a particular feature (roof, doors and windows, foundation, etc.), but all group members need to work together.
- Students will present their outer-space home to the class with each member speaking about their part in the structure.
Assessment: Did all students communicate effectively and consistently? Did the autistic child succeed in interacting with his/her group? Did all students grasp the differences between the Earth environment and their own planet's environment?
Materials: Construction paper, cardboard, glue, markers, glitter, play-doh.
Brief Rationale: The IEP goals for the second-grade student with mild autism revealed that he struggles with social communication and needs to work on interrupting, taking turns, and speaking in front of others; this plan addresses all of those goals through a structured, group environment.
Lesson Plan II: Vocabulary Learning through Physical Expression
Age: 8-10 Time: 45 minutes
Objectives: Using Island of the Blue Dolphins as a foundation, students will infer the meaning of words and then act out salient vocabulary words physically.
STEPS:
- Writing the vocabulary words for Chapters I and II of the text on the board, the teacher will charge students to infer the meaning of these words and write it in their journals (pelt, crevice, vow, wreckage, clamor, reef).
- In groups of three, each student will find the meanings of two words, so that an entire group finds the meaning of all six words, using internet searches and reference books.
- Silently, students will then act out the meaning of their two words for the rest of their group before all group members write down the full meaning of each term.
- As an extension and if time allows, students from all groups can act out their word for the class. For instance, the students who had the word "wreckage" could all demonstrate for the class how they acted it out for their group.
Assessment: Did all students effectively link their physical actions with new vocabulary? Do all students fully grasp the new terms?
Materials: One or more computers with internet access, four to seven dictionaries, one set of encyclopedias.
Brief Rationale: The IEP that inspired this lesson was for a third-grade, ESL learner who struggles with vocabulary learning. Because substantial research suggests that physical movement supports vocabulary retention, this lesson utilized group communication and physical expression to enhance learning.
Lesson Plan III: Increasing Attentiveness through Character Development Tracking in Film
Age: 13- 15 Time: 2.5 hours (several class periods)
Objectives: Students will track the development of a character in the film Far and Away, paying particular attention to how events mold the character
STEPS:
- The film will be introduced by discussing immigration and Westward expansion in the nineteenth century
- Students will work in pairs and be assigned one main character from the film (Joseph Donnelly, Shannon Christie, Stephen Chase, Daniel Christie, and Nora Christie)
- Students will watch the film using a tracking sheet and record events that directly impact their character, citing how those events change them in some way (Ex. Joseph Donnelly becomes obsessed with land ownership when his father dies)
- At film's end, the groups will create a timeline for their character's development and present it to the class
Assessment: Did students remain attentive throughout the film? Do they successfully grasp how events evolve characters within a film? Do they understand how immigrants were affected by Westward expansion in the United States during the 1800s?
Materials: Tracking sheets and writing utensils for each group, the film Far and Away (1992), poster-board and art materials for timeline creation.
Brief Rationale: The IEP used as the basis for this lesson belonged to an eighth-grade boy with moderate ADHD. His goals largely surrounded maintaining an attentive state with regard to texts (written or cinematic). Keeping him engaged in a film by charging him to consistently track character development holds his focus; this is supported by his working with a partner that can keep him on track should his attention begin to wander.
Summation
In general, IEPs provide a firm foundation for lesson planning. By integrating IEP goals into lessons, teachers can ensure that students achieve their full potential in each and every subject area. Using group work fortifies social interaction between the general, student population and the students with special needs.