Evaluating Effective Lessons

In the discussion forums this week, you learned about the important role planning plays when it comes to creating lessons and activities that align with a developmentally appropriate curriculum. “It is important to remember that educational value comes from the goals an activity addresses, the extent to which the components of the plan align with those goals, and how well the plan can be individualized to meet the needs of your particular children” (Kostelnik, Soderman, Whiren, & Rupiper, 2015, p. 87). It is this combination that makes effective lessons. In your assignment, you will apply the information you have learned about planning for instruction by evaluating a lesson in order to ensure that it is developmentally appropriate.

You will be using the Week Two Assignment Template to complete your assignment this week. Below you will find the directions needed for completing each step of the template.

Step 1: Choose one of the videos below to watch a lesson being taught to a group of children. As you are watching the video, record each of the parts of the lesson you see in the video on the Lesson Plan Template section of the Week Two Assignment Template. Use the Early Childhood and Child Development Lesson Plan Handbook as a guide to help you determine where to place things within the template. For example, if you observe the teacher activating the children’s prior knowledge, you will record what the teacher does to activate their prior knowledge in the introduction section of the lesson plan template. If a section of the Lesson Plan Template is not observed in the video, you will record Not Observed in that section on the Lesson Plan Template.

Step 2: Using the notes you recorded on the Lesson Plan Template, evaluate the lesson plan using the Activity Plan Self-Check section of the Week Two Assignment Template. For this section, you will place an X on the line if the characteristic was observed from the lesson you watched when completing the Lesson Plan Template in Step 1. If the characteristic was not observed, you will leave the line blank. Then, count up the number of Xs you have on the Activity Plan Self-Check, and circle the corresponding level for the lesson you observed on the Self-Check Scoring Key.

Step 3: Using the Lesson Plan Template, Activity Plan Self-Check, the Early Childhood and Child Development Handbook, your primary text, and at least two additional scholarly or credible sources, address the following regarding the lesson you observed in the Lesson Evaluation section of the Week Two Assignment Template:

• Describe the steps of intentional planning that were evident in the lesson you observed and how the planning contributed to the success, or lack of success, of the activity.
• Explain how the lesson was developmentally appropriate for the children in the group.
• Discuss how the lesson plan is or is not aligned from the objective all the way through the closing.  
• Justify the score that you gave the lesson you observed based on the Activity Plan-Self Check. Make sure to cite specific evidence from the video that supports your justification.
• Summarize how completing this evaluation activity will allow you to develop more effective leaders when it comes to developing lesson plans in your current or future work with children.

Research and Resource Expectations:
Source Requirement:

• At least two scholarly peer-reviewed or credible sources.  Please use the MAECEL Source Guide if you need assistance with how to locate scholarly peer-reviewed or credible sources.

Writing and Formatting Expectations:

• Title Page: Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Academic Voice: Academic voice is used (avoids casual language, limited use of “I”, it is declarative) as outlined 
• Purpose and Organization: Demonstrates logical progression of ideas.
• Control of Syntax and Mechanics: Writing displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• APA Formatting: Papers are formatted properly and all sources are cited and referenced in APA style as outlined 
• Assignment Length: This assignment should be two to three double-spaced pages in length (not including title and reference pages).