What is InTASC Standard #7: Planning for Instruction
Instructional planning is a critical process for teachers–it involves setting learning objectives based on curriculum guidelines for content knowledge and essential skills for student success. This process requires decision-making, strategic sequencing, flexibility, student data, and pedagogical knowledge. Above all, instructional planning incorporates the strengths and needs of all students to ensure their engagement and achievement. For these reasons, InTASC Standard #7 is significant because it represents the teacher’s ability to understand the nuances of instructional planning to deliver instruction that is data-driven, responsive, engaging, and effective.
Artifacts for InTASC Standard #7:
Technology-Infused Lesson Plan
Technology is an increasingly relevant skill for both students and teachers as they learn to collaborate and share their learning with the help of numerous instructional technologies. This lesson plan teaches third-grade students about narrative writing, with a twist–students practice digital narrative storytelling using Toontastic, an app that creates storyboards complete with illustrations, cartoon characters, and even music. The main objectives of this lesson are a) to create a digital narrative story using applied content knowledge of the parts of a story; and b) to use technology to share their creative products with an authentic audience of kindergarten students. The lesson plan incorporates the teacher’s understanding of InTASC Standard #7 because it involves multiple learning objectives that blend curriculum standards with 21st century skills to create a meaningful learning experience. Secondly, the teacher’s planning allows flexibility in differentiation as students can assume various roles in the project to demonstrate their learning, including roles that show their artistic or linguistic intelligences. In short, the lesson plan incorporates several methods of showing content and skill mastery.
(This link leads to the complete technology-infused unit plan: EDUC 348_041322_Technology Infused Lesson Plan)
Personal Characteristics and Civic Responsibility Unit Plan
In this civics unit for second graders, students learn about the character traits and community values that make their schools flourish. To demonstrate their learning, the students participate in a summative assessment by conducting a school climate interview to help them understand how members of the school community–including faculty, staff, and students–embody the school’s values. This unit plan aligns with InTASC Standard #7 because it demonstrates the teacher’s blending of state curriculum standards, 21st century skills, and citizenship. Another significant aspect of planning for instruction is creating learning objectives, which are the primary focus of each lesson to orient the teacher and the learner to specific content knowledge and skills.
(This link leads to the complete unit plan on personal characteristics and civic responsibility: EDUC 370_120921_Unit Plan)
Lesson Plan for Preliterate Readers
The lesson plan for young readers promotes emotional intelligence through read-alouds, activities, and games while providing exposure to reading and writing instruction. In planning for instruction, the goal for this lesson plan is to create an engaging and comprehensive reading experience that also shows students how to identify and experience emotions in a healthy way. This lesson plan embodies InTASC Standard #7 because it encompasses all aspects of reading–phonological awareness, concept of word, and writing–to transition students into stronger readers. This means that the teacher understands reading development and incorporates this knowledge into their planning as they build hands-on learning experiences and authentic opportunities for writing.
(This link leads to the complete lesson plan for the preliterate reading stage: EDUC 378_030922_Preliterate Stage Lesson Plan)