Goals & Objectives

The learning objectives for my unit plan include: By the end of the unit students should be able to orally describe what a pattern is in their own words, and orally describe an example. Their example should at least follow the ABAB format but could also follow other formats like ABCABC or ABBABB (to name a couple). Students should also be able to create a pattern using a drawing and/or objects, and explain why what they created is a pattern. Lastly, students should be able to orally describe a pattern that exists in their life (this one I may need to reword).

Context

This connects to my students specifically because they are in Kindergarten and have been learning information and skills that will help them understand patterns, such as mathematical concepts of number and shape, as well as colors and letters. They enjoy participating in attention getters by repeating a clapping or shh-ing pattern done by the teacher, they have created patterns and may or may not know it! These students enjoy playing and doing hands-on work, so I think using manipulatives to create and change patterns will engage them in creative learning.

Assessment

I would assess these learning goals through informal and formal assessment. Students will have opportunities to participate in whole group, small group, partner, and individual learning activities. Each lesson, I will observe students and note their responses during brief checks for understanding. I will keep track of misconceptions or language barriers that come up, and adjust accordingly. At the end of the unit, there will be a mini project where students can use and show what they have learned.

The language demands include: listening, speaking, and writing (or drawing). Students will orally describe patterns by making observations, and orally explain whether or not something is a pattern.

Planning The most important thing I have needed to consider about unit planning is: Where are my students at now? Where do I want them to be at the end of this unit? What standards can I incorporate and utilize to get them there? This connects to lesson planning because I also need to first think of the end goal/learning outcome for students in relation to where my students are at now and what I know about them as learners. For example, all of my students know the colors of the rainbow and they know basic 2D shapes (circle, triangle, square). I can use that in my initial lesson of the unit when we introduce the concept of patterns. Starting with a new concept can be hard, but I can scaffold in familiar knowledge (colors, shapes, #s 1-5) to better support my students and make the information more accessible.