Interdisciplinary Unit Planning in the Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Classroom

Catalog description

In this course, Relay students learn how to internalize units across content areas through the lens of the backward design process and evaluate how principles of culturally responsive teaching are reflected within units. Relay students begin by analyzing a math unit, making connections between the math-specific knowledge and skills from the unit, the math practice standards, and the summative assessment. Relay students then analyze a science unit, identifying the key skills that students will develop across the unit and the unit assessment’s criteria for success. Finally, Relay students analyze a social studies unit, identifying connections between the learning experiences and the social studies practice standards. In each content-specific module, Relay students analyze the unit’s big ideas within the discipline and how the content and lessons meet the demands of grade-level standards. Relay students also enhance a unit by building on their previous study of Universal Design for Learning and integrating the arts, physical education, and health to support their students with developing the knowledge and skills within the unit. They also learn how to look at a unit to ensure their classrooms are set up with the routines needed to support students throughout. Finally, students analyze literacy data to plan and practice instruction aligned to an individual student’s needs.