UMF Unit-Wide Lesson

Plan Template

Name: Matthew Breer Program: Course: GT

Lesson Topic / Title: An Overview of Logic

Lesson Date: 11/20 Lesson Length: 90 min Grade/Age: 8th

Learning Objectives & Content Standard Alignment – Selects, creates, and sequences learning
experiences and performance tasks that support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals
based on content standards.
Learning Objective(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

 Students will be able to name at least 1 type of  Logic is a tool that can be used
logic. to make sense of the world, so
 Students will be able to fill out a truth table arming students with a
 Students will be able to use the Socratic Method method to understand the
to ask questions of others. world around them feels like a
good idea.
 I have 2 reasons. First students
should be able to determine
what is true or false, and
second this was also an intro
into Computer Science.
 All students should be asking
questions of their teachers
both for clarifying purposes as
well as to explore a topic. This
objective gives a ground work
for creating those questions
and practice asking them.

Content Standard(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

 High School Modeling CCSS  Truth tables can be used as a
 A2 Beliefs about Self Knowledge MLR means of modeling generic
 A3 Interpersonal Skills MLR conversations people have
 B3 Education and Career Information MLR such that you can determine
what the person is intending to
say.
 A2 Students practice the
Socratic method in a safe
environment as well as learn
the consequences Socrates
faced due to his behavior.
 A3 is similar to A2 in how
students will practice
interacting.
 B3 Students are introduced to
the basics of Computer Science
through Boolean Algebra

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Assessment - Uses assessment flexibly to expand and deepen understanding of learner performance
and determines best supports for continued learner growth.
Assessment Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
There were 3 assessments within this lesson, the Venn  Venn Diamondgram: This was
Diamondgram, Socratic conversations, and logic puzzles. a summative assessment for
The Diamondgram had students creating the solutions to the Boolean portion. To allow
Boolean Algebra problems using their bodies and a Venn all students to participate
Diagram on the floor. Some students were also using students were allowed to work
traditional paper and pencil to answer the questions out solutions on paper or the
posed. Students had to work as a class to fill in the whiteboard then communicate
Diamondgram correctly allowing for peer feedback and solutions with peers. These
multiple ways to demonstrate understanding. For the results were used to gauge
Socrates portion the only assessment was the student comprehension and if
conversation I had with each student individually, which more time is needed on the
again allowed for instantaneous feedback. Last were the material.
logic puzzles which were used to see if students were  Socratic Conversations: This
comfortable with deciphering information and clues. was a summative assessment
While the only feedback was on the individual puzzles I for the Socratic reasoning
could use what I saw to gauge later word problems to see portion. Since this was a face
how difficult the context clues could be and allow students to face conversation between
to still work with them. peers and the teacher this
could be adapted on the fly. If a
face to face conversation is
impossible then students could
record a video of their
conversation and send it in. As
an extra challenge students
can also record an entire
conversation only in questions
where both students attempt
to change the other’s mind
about a topic.
 Logic Puzzle: This was a
formative assessment that was
testing students comfort with
reading into clues. The puzzles
could be worked on alone or in
groups, or on paper or the
board. If students cannot work
with the puzzle then there are
word problem replacements
that could be used. The
purpose of this was to test for
future problems and how
direct or vague the word
problems need to be for
students comprehension.

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Instructional Materials and Resources – Stays current in content knowledge and expands expertise in
reviewing instructional materials from the perspectives of both the discipline and individual learner
needs.
Materials, Resources, and / or Technology Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
 Whiteboard All the materials are intended to make
 Markers the lesson as accessible as possible.
 Paper Each material is tied directly to my
 Pencils lecturing at the board, or one of the
 Duck Tape activities.
 Logic Handout
 Laptops (with recording software like iMovie)

This lesson has no technology needed however

recording software could be used for the Socratic
Conversations as a modification.

Instructional Methods: Selects, creates, and sequences learning experiences and performance tasks
by using a variety of instructional approaches, strategies, and technologies that make learning
accessible to all learners and support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals.
Teaching and Learning Sequence Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
Intro 15 min: Game Show Debate  Every time I say Discuss what I
Discuss what is Logic mean is that I want to learn
Boolean Algebra 30 min: Discuss what is a Statement about what students already
Lecture on Truth Tables know while giving them
Venn Diamondgram activity information to think about
Connect to Computer Science  All activities are monitored me
Socrates 20 min: Discuss prior knowledge as well as being used as time to
Lecture on who he was and what he did interact with students
Practice Time  Discussions start with asking
Warning about how people react students a question pertaining
Logic Puzzles 10 min: Discuss Sherlock style of reading to the section such as “What is
into clues and situations a Statement” or “Who was
Puzzle Time Socrates”, then following the
Conclusion 5 min: Recap uses and types of Logic conversation or asking more
guiding questions.

Meeting students’ needs (differentiation, extensions, Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

modifications, accommodations)  All the numbered bullets relate
Needs: to the matching numbers.
1. ADHD  All accommodations are
2. Visual Impairment intended to be general use for
3. Anxiety all students
4. Autism (spectrum)  Given more resources this
5. Intellectual Disability lesson could be co taught to

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 Accommodations: allow more 1 on 1 time with
1. Board work to allow standing and regular breaks teachers.
during class.  All students have access to all
2. Seating the student closer to the front board. the choices and they allow for
3. Passing out a class schedule and allowing choice specific student tailoring of the
in seating. lesson to them.
4. Quiet space provided at any time
5. More recaps after every section, or co teach in
small groups that rotate.

Choices:
 Having students make a video of their Socratic
Method conversation.
 Give time for students to make up more questions
for the group Venn Diamondgram.
 Additional logic puzzles of greater and lesser
challenge OR replace puzzles with finding real
world uses of logic and explain (i.e Detectives) OR
replace puzzles with word problems.

Field Courses Only – Post lesson

Reflection
1. For the most part all students met the objectives. Since each object
corresponds to a section of the lesson I found ways to test them in each
section, such as having them create and solve truth table questions. I was not
able to check in with all students individually but I know that each table
group had the capacity to solve the problems.
2. The data told me that students are much better at completing tasks if they
are told exactly what to do, say or think. For example almost all the students
were able to complete a truth table with little difficulty. However when it
came to the Socratic reasoning most students only understood to ask
questions since that is the only real rule. When it came to what to ask,
students had very few ideas. This was also visible in the logic puzzles where
students attacked the clues that allowed them to outright fill in boxes but
once deductive reasoning was needed students got lost.
3. I was surprised with how well most of the discussions went, where many
students were participating and almost excited at points. This excitement
was also present in some of the activities and not surprisingly those activities
went very well.
4. My biggest changes would be in planning our more discussion questions, and
in the organization of the Diamondgram activity. Most of the students were
so engrossed in thinking about the questions I posed I wish I had more of
them on deck to keep them thinking. I also had the Diamondgram activity
split into 2 groups so students could work on paper if they wanted to, but
this just lead to some students not engaging because it was not their turn to

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 do anything involved with the activity. I could have had them think about
new statements for their turn as I did run out of questions.
5. As for what I learned, I need to have higher expectations of students, as in I
need to assume that they will try and plan for that. I was running out of
questions and topics in only one lesson so I need to give students more while
allowing them to accomplish less. I also need to make my assessments more
about being on paper despite my preference to talk to students so I can learn
what they know it makes it much more difficult to remember and keep
accurate track of where they all are in terms of meeting the objectives.

About 80% of students met the objectives and the only objective students struggled
on was the Socratic questioning portion. I think that this topic needed more time to
practice, as there is no way to tell someone the correct way to ask questions. If I
were to teach this again I would want to add in some sort of summative assessment
for this section to allow students to get more practice as well as give me more ability
to see what they do and do not understand.

Teaching Standards and Rationale

I feel that standard 4 was one that I demonstrated here with indicator 4).b (4 (b)
Engages students in learning experiences in the discipline(s) that encourage
learners to understand, question, and analyze ideas from diverse perspectives so
that they master the content.) being shown the most. Everything about the Socratic
section was built with the intention of encouraging students to do this very thing,
ask questions and analyze ideas so they not only understand them better but can
even begin manipulating them.

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