Unit Plan Overview

Unit: Gratitude Stage 1- Desired Results Connections to Context: This lesson plan is all about gratitude. It is a lesson that can carry over to every aspect of their lives.
(How does this fit with students experiences, the school goals, and the larger societal issues?)

Transfer Students will be able to independently use their learning to Connect Thanksgiving and Bible stories to their own lives Tell others the stories of Thanksgiving and the different Bible stories Independently use what they have learned as a model of how they look at other passages of scripture
(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

Established Goals The goal of this unit is to guide the students in cultivating a heart of gratitude. I want to allow them to discover the reasons to be grateful and the different ways they can show their gratefulness to God and others.
(What content standards and program- or mission-related goal(s) will the unit address? What habits of mind and cross-disciplinary goal(s)- for example 21st century skills, core competencies- will this unit address? Include source and identifying number)

UNDERSTANDINGS Students will understand that Have a better understanding the meaning of Thanksgiving from a Christian perspective. There are many different ways to show gratitude God calls us to be thankful.
(What specically do you want students to understand? What inferences should they make?)

Meaning ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Students will keep considering How to bring the lessons to their everyday lives. How to show they are thankful to God and others How to truly celebrate the gift we have been given of Jesus
(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry, meaningmaking and transfer?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions Students will know Students will be skilled at Students will exhibit The story of thanksgiving Connecting a common practiced A desire to be thankful holiday to a Christian perspective. Its Biblical relation comparison A reason to be thankful Connecting a passage of scripture A memory verses Ways to show they are thankful to their own lives Certain Biblical stories/parables
(What facts and basic concepts should students know and be able to recall?) (What discrete skills and processes should students be able to use?) (What values and commitments and attitudes should students acquire or wrestle with?)

Evaluative Criteria

(What criteria will be used in each assessment to evaluate attainment of the desired results?) (Regardless of the format of the assessment, what qualities are most important?)

Stage 2- Evidence Students will show their learning by PERFORMANCE TASK(S): Showing their understanding of the connection. Continue throughout the week to fill out their booklet. These tasks can be simple recall tasks but most are tasks that encourage the students to apply or connect to their lives in a way that will be memorable.
(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex performance?)

OTHER EVIDENCE: By the questions they ask and the way they engage with the material.
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum

Stage 3- Learning Plan Pre-assessment- due ________

(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)

Ask them about their Thanksgivings. (Toward which goal does Learning Events each learning event build?) Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their participation in Acquisition these learning events Learning the habit of being Thankful on a daily basis. - Listening carefully to the lessons explained Meaning Understanding the meaning - Being involved with the lessons and reason for gratitude and thanksgiving. Understanding - Answering questions throughout lessons the meaning behind Biblical stories/parables. - Telling how they are thankful and how they can show their thankfulness Transfer Transferring the skill of thankfulness to their own lives. Connecting bible verses to their lives and the lesson Starting to memorize particular Bible verses Having discussions about Thanksgiving and gratitude Showing their own excitement for the lessons Giving real life examples about gratitude

Progress Monitoring
(How will you monitor students progress toward acquisition, meaning, and transfer during lesson events?)

Through questions, reciting scripture together, and through their gratitude booklets.
(How will students monitor their own progress toward acquisition, meaning, and transfer?) Their ability to have information recall as well as their ability to connect the lesson with their own lives. Not necessarily just on Thanksgiving but a broader picture. To see that Biblical passages can relate to their lives today. They will specifically see this in their gratitude activity books. (What are potential rough spots and student misunderstandings?)

Misunderstandings about the facts of Thanksgiving and the Bible verses. Also possibly could be hard for them to make the connections themselves.
(How will students get the feedback they need?)

Star the multiple means of representation; underline the multiple means of action and expression; circle the multiple means of engagement (Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in the learning plan?) (Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?) (Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

They will get feedback through my responses to what they add in the gratitude conversations as well as their booklets.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum