Strategic Lesson Plan

OC / Objective: To describe early Islamic civilizations, including the development of religious, social, and political systems.
Standard(s): 8th World History, Standard 11; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4
BEFORE / Strategy: Vocabulary Acquisition
Description: The students will be engaged in creating a definition map during the warm up period. By creating a definition map, the students will be able to analyze words and their definitions more closely by creating a paraphrased definition, listing things that are similar to this word, and then by listing three examples/characteristics of the word.
Purpose: To help students analyze vocabulary more closely and to help students acquire information associated with the vocabulary.
4C: Critical Thinking, Communication
DURING / Strategy: To allow students take part in a differentiated, student choice approach to understanding early Islamic civilizations.
Description:
Stage 1: The students will work in groups to complete a map analysis lesson. The topic of the map is the spread of Islam, 622 – 900. The students will answer a series of questions that force them to use geography and map skills to find the correct answers. Also, the students will compare the spread of Islam map to modern day maps in the textbook atlas to draw comparisons to the modern day world.
Stage 2: The students will complete a task list exercise. A Task List gives the students choice in how they work towards achieving mastery of the standard. The choice in the exercise revolves around two things; first, the students can choose which tasks they want to complete; second, the students can choose how to complete some of the tasks. These choices differentiates the assignment for the students. The tasks have different point levels based on which type of question it is. DOK 1 questions are worth 5-7 points, DOK 2 questions are worth 10-15 points, and DOK 3 questions are worth 20 points. The students do not have to complete all tasks on the paper, they only need to reach 100/121 points. If the students show the initiative to complete all tasks, they will receive 21 bonus points and receive a score of 121 (if it is completed correctly).
The Task List will cover the following topics: Qur’an, Sunnah, Shariah, Muslim, Islam, Muhammad, Mecca, Sunni, Shia, mosque, Ottoman Empire, Safavid Empire, Mughal Empire, Five Pillars of Islam, reasons for the spread of Islam, Arabic calligraphy, and the Blue Mosque.
The Task List will also be supported by short videos that address some of the topics that are found on the Task List. The videos provide students that are visual learners the opportunity to acquire information visually. It will also allow students that are not choosing to address those topics through their Task List work the ability acquire information about those topics.
Stage 3: The students will take turns teaching the information associated with the Task List back to the class. This stage will allow some student volunteers the opportunity to lead the instruction on the topics. When topics are discussed that students did not address on their Task List, it will be their responsibility to take notes. After each topic from the Task List has been addressed, all students will have a complete set of information (notes/materials from task list) to prepare them for the upcoming test.
Stage 4: The students will take their standard 11 test. The test will cover information that was presented during the three stages of the standard. This test will allow me to see what the students excelled in understanding and what their struggled to understand. This information will help me make decisions about what information needs to be retaught before the benchmark exam at the end of the 9 weeks.
Purpose: To allow the students to achieve mastery of the standard by showing their knowledge through a differentiated, student choice approach that focuses on varying levels of questioning.
4C: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration
AFTER / Strategy: Verbal Review
Description: The students will engage in a verbal review of each day’s topics. (TOTD – Ticket Out the Door)
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to assess the information that was presented during the day and allow the verbal learners another chance to pick up information from that day’s lesson.
4C: Communication
ASSESSMENT(s)
used / Completion of the Task List
Completion of the Map Exercise
Standard 11 Test
Ticket Out the Door

Label each activity with one of the 4 Cs that apply.

1.  Critical Thinking

2.  Creativity

3.  Communication

4.  Collaboration