EXAMINATION OF CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT 2

Examination of Curriculum and Assessment

A close examination of the Immigration Lesson Plan and a review of the learning
objectives are well aligned with the learning activities and the assessments as well. The
objectives demonstrate that students will use web technology to access immigration history and
develop a concept on immigration. The learning activities involve having the learners use
computers to further access information online as individuals and in groups as they learn more
about immigration. The learning activities and instructional methods Assessment is also based on
the concept of immigration, and assess students on the content covered in class. The plan allows
room for consistent and mindful things such as content structuring towards achieving meaning
and authenticity and using elements in the classroom that give the learners a degree of freedom
in connecting with the content. According to Sousa & Tomlinson (2011), teachers use ongoing
assessment to inform their instruction. This is evident in the assessment planned in the
Immigration Lesson Plan.
The unit is constructed to ensure high relevance to students’ lives and experiences. This
can be seen in activity 1 step 2, where the plan states, “Give students various examples of
immigration. Use personal stories if possible. Invite students to share their own examples, ideas,
or questions about immigration. Allow students to share information about their own families’
countries of origin and write all responses on the board”. One of the characteristics of a quality
curriculum is that it is aligned with content goals and learning experiences (Sousa & Tomlinson,
2011). It is also engaging and authentic to the students and this is evident in the construction of
the unit in the lesson plan. The content aligns with students experiences and engages them by
giving them an opportunity to share personal experiences that are related to the content.

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The lesson plan asks students to engage in activities that further foster their
understanding of the topic being taught. For instance, students are asked to fill KWL Chart
printable with information already known to them about Ellis Island as well as things they wish
to know about the Island. They are also invited for an interactive tour of Ellis Island. After the
tour, they fill out newly learnt information about the Island. The activity helps learners
understand that experts get important information through conducting research as they will do
after visiting Ellis Island. By visiting the Island, learners are supported into being problem
solvers and thinker. The teacher does not provide them with information on the Island but rather
shows them how to acquire the information that they do not know about it. The plan draws on
the methods and practices of experts as it asks students to create knowledge as opposed to just
being consumers of it.
I think the assessments in the lesson plan are the right type to use to measure the learning
objectives. Assessments are used and organized in a manner that fosters learning. Students are
prepared to create knowledge and be problem solvers through different assessments. They are
first asked to share their experiences and knowledge concerning a topic, and then they are guided
on how to gather the necessary information, after which they are given questions to respond. The
assessments enhance learning and are used to gauge the level of learner’s understanding so that
the teacher can make informed decisions based on what learners know and what they need to
know to achieve set objectives. The assessments help the teacher on how to structure the content
being delivered, as well as understand the learner’s level of comprehension (Rockman, 2002).
Based on the results provided, I will refine and revise my instructional plans for the next
time by incorporating more of group discussions. I will instruct students to work in groups
because through this; everyone has a chance to share his or her ideas, understanding as well as

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questions on the topic of discussion. Also, I will incorporate classroom presentations. I like this
method because it helps a teacher achieve two things. One, the teacher understands the learner’s
level of understanding of the topic at hand. Secondly, through presentations, a teacher is able to
foster the students’ level of confidence in them as well as help them develop public speaking
skills.
Overall, the assessments in the Immigration lesson plan provide learners with multiple
means of expression, representation, and engagement. Students are asked oral questions, and this
provides them with an opportunity to express themselves. Through filling in the KWL charts and
studying the maps, graphs and charts provided to them, learners express their knowledge in the
form of writing. They also prepare questions that they plan to ask during the interview at the
Island and this too enables them to express themselves. Sousa & Tomlinson (2011),
“assessments make room for student variance by providing multiple means of representation,
multiple means of expression, and multiple means of engagement”. Evidently, the assessments
planned for in the Immigration Lesson plan allow for multiple means of engagement, expression,
and even representation.

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References

Rockman, I. F. (2002). The importance of assessment. Reference services review.
Sousa, D. A. & Tomlinson, C. A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience
supports the learner-friendly classroom. Retrieved from https://www.vitalsource.com/