Learning Strategy Portfolio
Throughout the term you will develop a notebook of disciplinary-literacy strategies that I hope
you will find useful as you enter the field. This notebook will consist of reading and writing
strategies we read about and discuss in class. The purpose of this assignment is for students to
demonstrate what they have learned about how to select appropriate texts for their classrooms as
well as how to select, develop, and implement appropriate instructional strategies for content
area classrooms. For this assignment, students will develop six “mini lesson” strategy activities
using the provided template.
Each submission will include:
(1) An introductory overview of the content and relevance including the name of the
strategy, a citation for both the strategy and the pertinent text selection, content area and
standards that are addressed, and the age/grade level targeted:
(2) A research-based explanation of the strategy, including its purpose, how the teacher
would prepare the strategy, steps for teaching the strategy, and at least three ways to help
extend this strategy to different learners if it were necessary;
(3) a visual (if applicable) or an example, including any necessary rubrics or answers keys
that might be necessary for grading purposes;
(4) a copy of the reading or sample of the reading for which the strategy would be used.
You will begin to compile these strategies over the course of the term as it relates to the specific
learning targets each week. Each of these lessons will be worth a total of 50 points.
The focus of each strategy will be as follows:
a. Vocabulary strategies – DUE: Week 3
b. Developing Understanding/Guided Practice Strategies – DUE: Week 4
c. Extending and Applying Knowledge – DUE: Week 5
Your final set of three additional mini lessons will be composed of any combination in these
three areas and will be due on Week 7 of our course for a total of 150 points.
Learning Strategy #
Student Name
EDUC 656
A. Introduction
a. Name of strategy
b. Citation for the strategy and for the included pertinent reading/text selected to which the
strategy will be applied.
c. Content area
d. Standards addressed – should include both State-specific and National - see common core
standards for literacy.
e. Age/Grade Level targeted
B. Description
In this area you should provide a research-based (read: citations MUST be included) explanation
of the strategy that was chosen, including how the strategy increases student
understanding/knowledge for this field and standard. You should include a description of the
strategy as well as the steps for teaching the strategy in a brief lesson outline (i.e. is this a student-
led, guided, independent, or teacher-led activity). This area should make up the bulk of your mini
lesson and should include extensive detail throughout in order to meet the requirements of the
assignment and rubric. Be sure that you also address modifications and adaptions that may be
made to the lesson to extend this lesson or to provide differentiation among students.
C. Examples/Guidelines
Include here a visual (if applicable) or an example of the strategy or handouts. If creating a digital
assignment be sure to include any teacher guides or instructions that might be relevant when
using in a lesson. Be sure to include any necessary rubrics or answer keys that might be necessary
for evaluative purposes.
D. Text Sample
Be sure to include a copy of the reading or a sample of the reading on which the strategy will be
used. This should be the reading to which the students would apply the strategy. It is hard to
determine the appropriateness of the chosen strategy without the reading itself. This may be
comprised of text pages, subject/content-specific articles, text-sets or pairs that may be relevant,
websites, etc.
References Page
Do not forget to include any pertinent citations throughout. A good researcher and teacher rely on
building from others knowledge. They also make sure that they are giving credit where it is due. Be sure
that you include citations from anywhere you may have gotten information. References should be
formatted using APA guidelines, should be on their own page at the end of the text, and should be
formatted using a hanging indent. Your APA manual, or websites like Purdue OWL can help with
correctly formatting your citations.
Learning Strategy Portfolio
Throughout the term you will develop a notebook of disciplinary-literacy strategies that I hope
you will find useful as you enter the field. This notebook will consist of reading and writing
strategies we read about and discuss in class. The purpose of this assignment is for students to
demonstrate what they have learned about how to select appropriate texts for their classrooms as
well as how to select, develop, and implement appropriate instructional strategies for content
area classrooms. For this assignment, students will develop six “mini lesson” strategy activities
using the provided template.
Each submission will include:
(1) An introductory overview of the content and relevance including the name of the
strategy, a citation for both the strategy and the pertinent text selection, content area and
standards that are addressed, and the age/grade level targeted:
(2) A research-based explanation of the strategy, including its purpose, how the teacher
would prepare the strategy, steps for teaching the strategy, and at least three ways to help
extend this strategy to different learners if it were necessary;
(3) a visual (if applicable) or an example, including any necessary rubrics or answers keys
that might be necessary for grading purposes;
(4) a copy of the reading or sample of the reading for which the strategy would be used.
You will begin to compile these strategies over the course of the term as it relates to the specific
learning targets each week. Each of these lessons will be worth a total of 50 points.
The focus of each strategy will be as follows:
a. Vocabulary strategies – DUE: Week 3
b. Developing Understanding/Guided Practice Strategies – DUE: Week 4
c. Extending and Applying Knowledge – DUE: Week 5
Your final set of three additional mini lessons will be composed of any combination in these
three areas and will be due on Week 7 of our course for a total of 150 points.
Running head: LEARNING WINDOW LESSON PLAN 1
Learning Window Lesson Plan
Jennifer Milledge
Liberty University
LEARNING WINDOW LESSON PLAN 2
Section 1. Standards information.
Subject:
Social Studies
Grade Level:
Grade 4
Topic:
Protecting Rights and Maintaining Order
Standards I intend to address:
State:
Maryland
Literacy:
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-literacy
Section 2. Learning Window Considerations
What will the students need to KNOW?
(terms, facts, formulas, events,
procedures, etc.)
Rights of a Maryland citizen.
Responsibilities of a Maryland citizen
Freedoms of a Maryland citizen
Functions of the Maryland Judiciary system
Impact of the rule of law
What TERMS will the students need to
know?
State Agency, Interpretation, Translation, Civil,
Constitution, Article, Immunity, Amendment,
Citizenship, Judiciary, Rule of Law, Volunteering,
Violation
What will students need to
UNDERSTAND?
(big ideas, concepts, principles, “hows
& whys”)
The students need to understand that every citizen in
Maryland has rights and responsibilities, which the
constitution protects.
LEARNING WINDOW LESSON PLAN 3
The students need to understand that it is a
requirement to uphold each right also, why a
violation of civil rights is a crime.
The students also need to understand why a citizen's
rights, responsibilities, and freedoms are essential.
The students need to understand how the
government protects the citizens’ rights.
What will the students need to BE
ABLE TO DO? (thinking and learning
skills like summarizing, researching,
and data analysis, as well as products
and performances that the students will
need to create)
The students will need to develop an ability to
distinguish rights from responsibilities of a
Maryland citizen while identifying the different
types of human rights.
The student will need learning skills such as
researching to identify the different rights and the
importance of protecting them.
The students will be able to participate actively in
community activities such as voting, cleaning, and
abiding by laws.
Section 3. Standards-Based Learning Targets
The learning is meant to understand and identify the different types of rights and
freedoms and the responsibilities attached. Human rights exist in various categories, which
include civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. Civil rights include the right to
LEARNING WINDOW LESSON PLAN 4
government services, while political reasons include the right to vote. Collective freedoms
available to Maryland citizens include freedom of press, religion, and speech. The first objective
involves identifying all these categories and understanding them.
The second objective involves identifying the responsibilities attached to the mentioned
rights and freedoms while understanding the rule of law. Maryland citizens are expected to
exercise their rights and liberties decently. Maryland citizens have a responsibility to use their
freedom of speech without inciting violence. The second objective also involves understanding
that every citizen is subject to the fair application of the law protecting the rights and freedoms.
(Palley, Bright & Afkinich, 2017).
The third objective involves understanding the government’s role in protecting its
citizens’ rights. The local government has a role in promoting the respect of civil rights through
the formation of legal provisions and clear guidelines regarding violations. Also, understanding
the role of Maryland's judicial system in upholding the rule of law. The Judicial system ensures
the protection of rights without prejudice by presiding fairly in cases of violation.
LEARNING WINDOW LESSON PLAN 5
References
Maryland Public Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DCAA/Social-Studies/MSSS.aspx
Palley, H. A., Bright, C. L., & Afkinich, J. (2017). DNA, Privacy, and Social Justice: The
Policy-making Process in the State of Maryland. Journal of Social Welfare and Human
Rights, 5(1), 1-14.
The People’s Law Library of Maryland. (n.d.). Civil Rights. Retrieved from
https://www.peoples-law.org/cat/other-legal-issues/civil-rights
Running head: COLLABORATIVE WRITING 1
Collaborative Writing
Student Name
EDUC 656
COLLABORATIVE WRITING 2
A. Introduction
a. Collaborative Writing
b. Collaborative Writing is an approach to learning whereby learners come together
to produce a single text on a topic of interest. Collaboration means that learners
coordinate their efforts in establishing the best way forward in ensuring task
fulfillment (Storch, 2019).
c. Content area: Collaborative Writing is useful in all content areas and it includes
background considerations for students to come up with comprehensive texts. In
this lesson plan, it addresses the application of knowledge in social studies in
civic education and protecting rights.
d. Standards addressed: Collaborative writing supports English Language Arts
Standards and specifically CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.C (Common
Core State Standards Initiative, n.d).
e. Age/Grade Level targeted: Grade 4
B. Description
Collaborative writing involves a process of bringing together personal ideas to create a
comprehensive text regarding a topic. Students first put down their ideas and then
collaborate with others in revision and organization to come up with more refined
creations. The main advantage of this approach is that it boosts grammatical accuracy,
task completion, and complexity in written text (Storch, 2019). It is also very useful in
lowering anxiety in English Language Learners and also boosting their confidence. Its
applicability in teaching ‘Protecting Rights’ is that it can allow students to draft an
imitation of civic rights in a show of their understanding of citizenship and how rights
work in the public scope.
When preparing to use collaborative writing, the teacher must first ensure that students
understand the topic to be handled by teaching it. For instance, the educator has to teach
about rights in Maryland and ensure that students get the gist of it and understand what
rights are. Secondly, the teacher has to provide specific topics to be included in the
collaborative writing exercise. Due to the need for accommodation, the topic has to be
wide enough to be discussed by the designated number of students (Talib & Cheung,
2017). The students are then directed to write their own accounts and then share with
others in coming up with a comprehensive and collaborative copy.
Step-by-Step Process
1. Introduce the technique and provide clear instructions how groups work
2. Assign pupils to groups
3. Give pupils the assignment sheet and provide 15 minutes for discussion
4. Have students draw a starter for each group
COLLABORATIVE WRITING 3
5. Divide tasks for each student and delineate responsibility
6. Set up schedules for pupil updates and collaborative revisions for the project
7. Review groups and discuss the method with pupils
Several differentiation approaches may be used to ensure students effectively participate
in the exercise. First, allowing students who are visually challenged to contribute their
ideas verbally ensures that they are also included in the effort. Secondly, grouping
English Language Learners with students whose first language is English will allow them
to participate effectively and gain confidence in spoken and written English. Finally, an
inclusion of a visual representation of the project may be added to ensure that visual
learners effectively contribute to the project.
C. Examples/Guidelines
Figure 1: Sample collaborative writing for grade 1 students
D. Text Sample
COLLABORATIVE WRITING 4
Figure 2: Sample web-page text of human rights that students can read before
collaborative writing (University of Minessota, 2019)
COLLABORATIVE WRITING 5
References
Common Core State Standards Initiative (n.d). English Language Arts Standards: Writing Grade
4-6. Retrieved from www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/4-6/
University of Minnesota. (2019). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Abbreviated).
Retrieved from http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/hreduseries/hereandnow/Part-5/8_udhr-
abbr.htm
Storch, N. (2019). 8 Collaborative Writing as Peer Feedback. Feedback in Second Language
Writing: Contexts and Issues, 143.
Talib, T., & Cheung, Y. L. (2017). Collaborative writing in classroom instruction: A Synthesis of
recent research. The English Teacher, (2), 15.
