Educational Challenge Outline

An outline of our project so far....

Educational Challenge:The Lifecycle of a Silkworm
A universally designed lesson plan…
By: Sara Kass, Pantea Makabi, Jessica Suarez & Kara Hodes

The Class
1st and 2nd graders with varying ability levels and needs
Lead Teacher Patti Arturi and Teaching Assistant Lynn
11 students total (2 with visual impairments, 2 using wheelchairs, 5 with fine motor difficulties)
Cognitive abilities ranging from sensory to grade level

The Challenge
“Any grade & curriculum appropriate science or social studies lesson/unit that uses differentiated instruction strategies to maximize student learning and understanding would be appreciated.”
– Patti Arturi

The Unit
The Lifecycle of a Silkworm
Addresses concepts related to 1st and 2nd grade Science curriculum, extending into Social Studies and Art
In Science, students will observe and document the lifecycle stages of the silkworm
In Social Studies, students will learn about the history of silk production and trade in China
In Art, students will create visual representations of the various lifecycle stages of the silkworm

The Lesson Plan
This lesson plan reflects the unit’s final lesson and culminating activity
Concept: Lifecycle of the Silkworm
Advanced Organizer: PowerPoint, Review of previous lessons and observations

The PowerPoint Presentation
The PowerPoint presentation reviews the lifecycle stages of the silkworm and provides an interactive way for students to check their understanding of the lesson. Students receive instant feedback after responding to questions about the silkworm lifecycle and are offered clues to help guide them toward the correct answers.

Materials: Silkworms, Silkworm food (Mulberry leaves), Tupperware (for silkworm habitat), Workbooks, Various art materials (i.e. clay, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, cotton balls, paper, paint, paint brushes, pencils, markers, crayons, etc.)

Anticipated Outcomes: Students will create visual representations of one lifecycle stage (egg, larvae, pupa, moth) using various art materials and complete a workbook on the lifecycle of a silkworm.

Instructional Procedures
The class will be split into four groups (group members should be of varying ability levels to encourage peer tutoring). Each group will be assigned one of the four lifecycle stages. Students will chose from available art materials and work together to create a visual representation of their assigned lifecycle stage. After completion of the art project, students will work individually to complete workbooks on the lifecycle stages. Teachers will review answers with each student and make corrections where necessary. Students will display art projects and booklets on a community bulletin board to display their learning

Method of Evaluation
Students’ understanding of the lesson/unit will be evaluated based on: Their final art projects, their completed workbooks

Universal Design Concepts
Students will observe the silkworms using multiple modes of exploration; students can observe and describe the silkworms in visual and/or tactile terms (Size, shape, color, texture, etc.) Students will have access to a universally designed PowerPoint slideshow (interactive, information presented using words, pictures, & audio) presented on the Smartboard. Students can complete their silkworm observations using various methods of expression (computer, through drawings, writing, cutting & pasting, etc.) Students have their choice of materials/ mode of presentation to use in creating their final art project. Students can complete their final workbooks using various methods of expression (computer, drawing, writing, cutting & pasting, etc.)