Martha Meloy

FRIT 7430: Instructional Design

Stage 3, Understanding by Design

Fall 2009
 Title of Unit Communication and Grade Level 3rd Grade Gifted
Collaboration with Class
Technology

Standard: NETS for Students

2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively,
including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of
others.

Students will:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a
variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a
variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of
other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

Understandings:
Students will understand that:

Overarching Understandings
- Communication is essential to gain ideas about the world we live in.
- Collaborating or working with others is valuable in gaining new perspectives on ideas.
- Having perspective on different points of view is necessary for global empathy and global interpretation.
- Technology, communication, and collaboration are interrelated concepts in today’s digital society.
- Communication and collaboration can be applicable to numerous and diverse situations.

Topical Understanding
- Sharing the student’s own ideas and working with other students on a problem solving task are valuable
in determining self efficacy by having their own ideas valued and supported and by supporting and
valuing others ideas.
- Valuing another country’s input in determining an acceptable advertisement about what makes a good
book will allow for more of an interpretive and empathetic point of view dealing with cultural
understanding and global awareness.

Related Misconceptions:
- Working by oneself is the most effective way to accomplish a task.
- A student’s own ideas are the only ones that matter.
- Communication and Collaboration are not important in today’s society.
- Other countries and cultures do not matter to me.

Essential Questions:
Overarching Questions: Topical Questions:

1. Is communication and collaboration with others 1. Should one country’s ideas and opinions be valued
important? Why or Why not? more than another country’s ideas and opinions?
2. Why are different opinions other than your own How is this value determined?
opinions valuable? When would other opinions be 2. Are opinions about what makes a good book other
valuable? than your own important?
3. What might happen if humans were not able to 3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of
communicate and collaborate with each other? collaborating with others?
4. What makes an idea valued and considered
credible? Who creates credible and valued ideas?
5. What do technological advances reveal about the
human race?
6. What makes effective communication?

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences

Week 1

This week’s instructional strategies will focus on the following aspects of the technology standard,
understandings and essential questions of the unit:

Standard components:
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a
distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

Understandings:
• Communication is essential to gain ideas about the world we live in.
• Technology, communication, and collaboration are interrelated concepts in today’s digital society.
• Sharing the student’s own ideas and working with other students on a problem solving task are valuable
in determining self efficacy by having their own ideas valued and supported and by supporting and
valuing others ideas.

Essential Questions:
• Is communication and collaboration with others important? Why or Why not?
• What might happen if humans were not able to communicate and collaborate with each other?
• What makes effective communication?
• Are opinions about what makes a good book other than your own important?
• Why are different opinions other than your own opinions valuable? When would other opinions be
valuable?
• What makes an idea valued and considered credible? Who creates credible and valued ideas?

1. Academic Prompt for student’s journal using the essential questions: Is communication
 and collaboration with others important? Why or Why not? What might happen if
humans were not able to communicate and collaborate with each other? W, H
2. Students will be presented with a challenge in small groups to complete a game without
talking, writing or communicating in any way. H, E, & Aesthetic Entry Point,
Interpretation Facet
3. After playing the game without communicating students will rethink and revisit their
responses to the earlier answered essential questions by revisiting them in their
journals. R
4. Students will be given a Pre Test on essential prerequisite skills and knowledge of the
unit. E-2, W
5. Introduce all essential questions for the unit and rubrics for the final performance tasks.
These include an advertisement digital story on qualities that make a good book and a
Power Point or Prezi presentation that students will present about the process of
communicating and collaborating with others at our culminating “Communication and
Collaboration” day. All parents and the administration will be invited to attend. W
6. Students will complete a KWL chart using ideas of communication, collaboration and key
vocabulary terms of the unit. W
7. Key Vocabulary terms are introduced: Communication, Collaboration, Wiki, Digital
Story, Cultural Understanding, Global Awareness, Prezi, Power Point, email. E
8. Informal Check for understanding on key vocabulary terms using a concept map that
defines each term and ties the key vocabulary together as it relates to our upcoming
assignments. E, Explanation Facet
9. Students will work in pairs determined by their type of Multiple Intelligence and choose
one of the following communication quotes for a mini presentation to the class. Pairs
may choose how they present their quote to the class. They may act out what the quote
means to them (bodily kinesthetic), design a concept map (logical), create a song
(musical), draw a picture (spatial), or create a poem (linguistic) E, T, Foundational
Entry Point, Differentiation Strategy – Content and Product, Interpretation Facet
Communication Quotes
• The relationship is the communication bridge between people.
Alfred Kadushin
• The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
Hubert H. Humphrey
• Communication is not only the essence of being human, but also a vital property of life.
John A. Piece
• To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we
perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with
others.
Anthony Robbins
• The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.
Joseph Priestley
10. After the mini presentations using the communication quotes students will revisit the
essential questions and complete an informal check for understanding using the one-
minute essay: Is communication and collaboration with others important? Why or Why
not?, What might happen if humans were not able to communicate and collaborate with
 each other?, What makes effective communication? R
11. To prepare for the upcoming learning task of using a Wiki and collaborating with a
student in another country, students will begin to determine how importance is placed
on an idea by working with a partner in class to determine what qualities make a good
book. They must determine whose ideas should be valued more. Each person will
discuss what he or she feels are important qualities of a good book. Together they will
discuss and problem solve how they should incorporate both ideas together. As a class
after the small group exercise we will discuss as a group the essential question: Are
opinions about what makes a good book other than your own important?, What makes
an idea valued and considered credible? Who creates credible and valued ideas?, Why
are different opinions other than your own opinions valuable? When would other
opinions be valuable? E, R
12. Teacher model of how she determines credible information. She will explain why she
feels gaining ideas from others are useful to her and in what ways. E
13. After the discussion about ideas students will answer the following question in their
journals. How difficult was it to work with a partner determining whose ideas should be
valued? How has what you’ve learned changed your thinking? E-2

Week 2

This week’s instructional strategies will focus on the following aspects of the technology standard,
understandings and essential questions of the unit:

Standard components:
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a
distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.

Understandings:
• Collaborating or working with others is valuable in gaining new perspectives on ideas.
• Having perspective on different points of view is necessary for global empathy and global interpretation.
• Communication and collaboration can be applicable to numerous and diverse situations.
• Valuing another country’s input in determining an acceptable advertisement about what makes a good
book will allow for more of an interpretive and empathetic point of view dealing with cultural
understanding and global awareness.

Essential Questions:
• What do technological advances reveal about the human race?
• Why are different opinions other than your own opinions valuable? When would other opinions be
valuable?
• What makes an idea valued and considered credible? Who creates credible and valued ideas?
• Should one country’s ideas and opinions be valued more than another country’s ideas and opinions? How
is this value determined?

1. A statistic will be used to gain the attention of students concerning email usage in the
United States. By multiplying the US population 308,070,462 (according to the US
 Census Bureau population statistic http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
) by the % of internet users (determined by Pew Research Center
http://www.pewinternet.org/Trend-Data/Online-Activites-Total.aspx ) by the % of
email users we come to find that approximately 211 million people use email in the
United States. While investigating a world map as a class, we will make predictions and
discuss what we think the world usage might be. H, E, Logical Quantitative Entry
Point
2. The teacher will read excerpts from Whizz Kids E-mail Wizard by Anne Rooney and
discuss as a class how email has changed communication. We will make a class chart
based on the pros and cons of email usage. E, W, Narrational Entry Point
3. Students will email a predetermined author or librarian for information. They will
inquire about what qualities the authors and librarians feel make a good book. Students
will summarize their email responses and report back to the class. Students must also
respond to their emails with what they feel makes a good book. At the end of the week
we will make a graph of “Good Book Qualities”. Students will also create concept maps
independently. E
4. Before pairing up with students in another country using a Wiki, students will email an
introduction about themselves to their assigned friend. They must include a photo as an
attachment in their email along with four additional facts about them and four facts
about living in the United States. Students in the other country will also respond to the
emails with the same information within two days. After exchanging emails and learning
a bit about their new partner students will journal responses. Did your new friend seem
friendly? What did you like about your new friend? Did they seem different from you?
How can we admire new friends without making judgments on them? (Special Note: All
specifics of this unit must be predetermined in advance with another classroom teacher
in Australia or whichever country the teacher chooses to collaborate with.) H, E,
Perspective Facet
5. Students will continue to think about the essential questions: Why are different opinions
other than your own opinions valuable? When would other opinions be valuable?, What
makes an idea valued and considered credible? Who creates credible and valued ideas?,
Should one country’s ideas and opinions be valued more than another country’s ideas
and opinions? How is this value determined? We will conduct a Think Aloud session to
review and revisit our essential questions. R
6. A review of the rubrics for the performance tasks will be reviewed to ensure students
are aware of what information needs to be obtained for the digital story advertisement
and the Power Point or Prezi presentations that will encompass our “Communication
and Collaboration” day. R
7. With another teacher, the classroom teacher models how to best communicate and
collaborate with the same idea working as a unit in a way that both parties thoughts and
ideas are valued. They will discuss and model how to determine the best form of
communication, the cell phone or email. Each teacher will take a side and model how to
interact with one another positively and constructively using a LCD projector and the
class Wiki as a model (http://meloyswonderfulwiki.pbworks.com/FrontPage). E
8. Students will collaborate on a Wiki with their partners from Australia. The time zone
differences allow students to be working at different times of the day, which allow posts
 to be updated daily. Each student will have three days to work on their Wiki with their
partner in determining what qualities make a good book. E
9. Students will respond to the following academic prompts to reflect about the experience
using a Wiki to collaborate with a partner in another country. Academic Prompts: What
went well with working on the Wiki? What didn’t go as you planned? Would you like to
work on the Wiki again? E-2, R , Self-Knowledge Facet
10. Students will choose to create Mind Maps (logical, spatial), write a play involving more
than one character with the chance to act it out for the class (bodily kinesthetic), or
create a poem or poems (intra personal, linguistic) about their new friends and the
experience they had working with them. The activity they choose must answer the
questions: What would it be like to walk in your partner’s shoes? What did you learn
about cultural understanding and global awareness? R, Differentiated Strategy –
Product, Empathy Facet
11. Teacher Model using the LCD projector to model and review basics of creating a digital
story, Power Point and Prezi presentation. Students will be given a choice for the 2nd
performance task of either using Power Point software or the new Prezi software for
those students who would like a challenge. T, E, Differentiation Strategy – Tiered
Assignment
12. Teacher Model on how to create an efficient storyboard for effective management in
completing performance tasks on the computers. Individually, students will storyboard
plans for their digital story advertisements and Power Point or Prezi presentations. The
teacher will coach and give recommendations as the students work independently. E
13. Peer Evaluation of digital stories and educational presentation storyboards: Students
will pair up with partners to determine if their work meets the criteria listed in the
rubrics. Peer feedback will be given to each other in dialogue form as well as written
feedback from peers to improve the quality of the performance tasks. R, E-2, T
Week 3
This week’s instructional strategies will focus on the following aspects of the technology standard,
understandings and essential questions of the unit:

Standard components:
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a
distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
b. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media.

Understandings:
• Collaborating or working with others is valuable in gaining new perspectives on ideas.
• Having perspective on different points of view is necessary for global empathy and global interpretation.
• Communication and collaboration can be applicable to numerous and diverse situations.
• Valuing another country’s input in determining an acceptable advertisement about what makes a good
book will allow for more of an interpretive and empathetic point of view dealing with cultural
understanding and global awareness.
• Technology, communication, and collaboration are interrelated concepts in today’s digital society.
• Sharing the student’s own ideas and working with other students on a problem solving task are valuable
in determining self efficacy by having their own ideas valued and supported and by supporting and
valuing others ideas.

Essential Questions:
• What do technological advances reveal about the human race?
• Should one country’s ideas and opinions be valued more than another country’s ideas and opinions? How
is this value determined?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of collaborating with others?

1. Feedback and mini conferences are held with each student from the teacher concerning
performance task assignments. E
2. Students work independently on the computers completing advertisements and
presentations for culminating activity. The teacher provides feedback as needed. E, T,
Application Facet
3. Final Peer assessment –Students give feedback during the working process on the
computers creating advertisements and presentations. They will view each other’s
advertisements and presentations in pairs to make any final recommendations and to
ensure all work coincides with the rubrics. Teacher also gives additional feedback for
fine tuning presentations. E-2
4. For the conclusion of the unit students will present their digital stories and
presentations at the “Communication and Collaboration” day. Parents and our
administrators will be invited for the fun. E, T
5. Letter Assessment- Students will create (Application Facet) a letter to an ambassador
at the United Nations explaining (Explanation Facet) their experience with
collaborating and communicating with others during this unit. They will analyze by
comparing and contrasting (Perspective Facet) the pros and cons of working with
others in different countries. Students will consider (Empathy Facet) what they have
learned about themselves and include something they learned about students in other
countries. They must include what they realize and recognize (Self-Knowledge Facet)
about communication and collaboration in the world after completing this unit. E-2
6. Students will work in pairs or alone and create a mini presentation for the class.
Students must answer the question: What do technological advances reveal about the
human race? They may act out what the question means to them (bodily kinesthetic),
design a concept map (logical), create a song (musical), draw a picture (spatial), or
create a poem (linguistic). E, T, Differentiation Strategy – Product and Flexible
Grouping
7. Journal Entry – Students will reflect (Self-Knowledge Facet) about this experience
and self assess (Self-Knowledge Facet) their efforts in this process. E-2
8. Students will be given a posttest on essential skills and knowledge of the unit. E-2

Notes to the Instructor

• The teacher must predetermine a list of authors and librarians for the email
learning strategy in week 2.
• The teacher must also predetermine a classroom in another country to work with
on the wiki and email project. Dates and times of working on the wiki must be set
up well in advance to make this unit successful.
• Students must have some basic experience with a wiki, email, Power Point, and possibly
the new Prezi software for the more advanced learner.
• There must be a 1:1 ratio of students to computers during parts of this unit. Computers
are required for the beginning of week 2 and most of week 3. Laptop carts must be
checked out in advance or students must have access to the school’s computer lab more
than an hour a day.

Resources
U.S. Census Bureau. (2009, December 3). U.S. & World Population Clocks. Retrieved from
http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
Pew Internet Research Center. (2009). Pew Internet & life project. Retrieved from
http://www.pewinternet.org/Trend-Data/Online-Activites-Total.aspx
 Stage 3 Scoring Rubric
(0 Points)
1. Does not clearly
communicate
WHERETO for learning
activities
Fails to provide a pretest for
learners.
2. Alignment is not
demonstrated between
instructional strategies,
standards, and
understandings of the
unit.
3. Instruction has one
global starting point for
all learners.
No evidence of an
attempt at
differentiation
4. Fails to provide
opportunities for
students to RETHINK
ideas, REFLECT, and to
REVISE work.
5. (0 Points)
(2-3 Points)
Codes some learning
activities with
WHERETO
There is evidence of
alignment between some
of the instructional
strategies, standards, and
understandings of the
unit.
Utilizes Gardner’s strategy to
provide different “Entry
Points.”
Evidence of an attempt at
differentiation exists
Provides opportunities for
students to RETHINK big
ideas, REFLECT on progress,
and REVISE their work.
(1 Points)
(4-5 Points) Your
Score
Clearly codes each activity
with WHERETO
Includes a pretest to check for
prerequisite skills and knowledge.
Alignment is clearly
demonstrated between
instructional strategies,
standards, and
understandings of the unit.
Matches all essential
questions, understandings,
skills, and knowledge with a
corresponding instructional
strategy.
Utilizes Gardner’s strategy to
provide different “Entry Points” to
meet the needs of all types of
intelligences.
Clear plan for differentiation
Provides numerous opportunities
for students to RETHINK big ideas,
REFLECT on progress, and to
REVISE work.
(3 Points)
 Does not indicate the use Includes the use of technology Includes the use of technology in a
of technology in a meaningful way.
meaningful way “Off the shelf” resources are
properly referenced

6. (0 Points) (1 Points) (2 Points)

Assignment is not Assignment somewhat Assignment is organized
organized organized
Assignment Instructions followed
Most assignment instructions
Assignment Instructions followed No errors in grammar or form that
not followed distracted the reader.
A few errors in grammar and
Several errors in form which distracted the
reader
grammar and form,
which distracted the
reader
Your Total Score /25