Differentiated Curriculum Lesson Plan Assessment

Differentiated Curriculum

Lesson Plan Assessment

The Lesson Plan selected from the Discovery Education site is a two session plan designed with the flexibility to appeal to grades 3 through 5. As this corresponds with the grade in which I provide instruction, and also as it center on a subject matter that is both central to our curriculum and to my own passions, the How Green is Your Community? (http://turfmutt.discoveryeducation.com/lesson-one.cfm?campaign=com_flp_lp_turf) lesson plan is particularly appealing. Because conservation, sustainable living and environment conscientiousness have all become central issues to our way of life, they must naturally be central to the education of our children from an early age.

The structure of the lesson plan is an excellent one in terms of helping students to remain aware of that which they are expected to know and understand. According to said lesson plan, the instructor is to use verbal instruction and virtual materials in close correspondence with actual physical experiences in order to help create a recognition of the knowledge which is expected. This centers largely on the identification of green space and a conceptual understanding on why such space is valuable and in need of preservation. Especially useful is the employment of Google Earth technology which allows students to view directly the green spaces in their neighborhoods and regions. By connecting this experience with that of walking around the school and observing the way that green space is used in its contextualizing neighborhood, the lesson plan helps to promote a multidimensional understanding of the green space concept, with the macrolevel represented in the virtual display and the microlevel represented in direct interaction with the outside environment.

One opportunity which the provided lesson plan does not appear to seize is that of actually creating green space. In one respect, the lesson plan works to help students make meaning of their newfound knowledge by composing letters to congressmen and other public officials calling for an expansion of green space. However, the emphasis on community involvement could be yet improved by creating a more actionable activity at the lesson plan's resolution such as the creation of a community garden. This will give students a greater opportunity to see their efforts actually improve the availability of green space and may reflect more current and realistic measures to making policy progress than contacting remote public officials.

That said, aspects of the lesson plan that ask students to surmise reasons that sufficient green space may be lacking are distinctly valuable in helping them to refine problem-solving abilities. By applying these to a set of issues that are not just bound to the classroom but which have implications that are socially, culturally and economically far-reaching, the lesson plan has the added attraction of being likely to capture both the excitement and imagination of students. It seems that a greater emphasis is likely in the practice of this lesson plan on informing students of the real environmental issues with which we are contending. Even at their age, students will benefit significantly from understanding exactly the challenges that our green space is up against.