InTASC Standard #7, Planning for Instruction, involves the teacher using content area knowledge, curriculum knowledge, cross disciplinary skills, and pedagogy to plain his/her/their instruction such that students are supported in their pursuit of content mastery and meeting learning goals. The teacher also demonstrates his/her/their understanding of this standard by using his/her/their knowledge of the learners in the classroom and the community in which the class is located. A teacher can demonstrate his/her/their understanding of this standard through the use of Madeline Hunter lesson plans, Gardner’s multiple intelligences, and Bloom’s Taxonomy in the instruction planning process.
Madeline Hunter Lesson Plan
I first demonstrate my understanding of the Planning for Instruction standard through my use of the Madeline Hunter lesson plan format and the “I do, We do, You do” methodology when planning my instruction for each lesson, as shown in my Evolution and Natural Selection: Monster Mutations and Gradualism vs. Punctuated Equilibrium lesson. By modeling my instruction after the “I do, We do, You do” pedagogy, I provide supports for my students through the lesson so that they are able to meet their learning goals. For example, I am able to model the metacognitive processes I want my students to use, then have a student work with me on the same process, I am able to have my students work on their own to make conclusions about the process of evolution based on their own observations.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
I use Gardner’s multiple intelligences when developing my lessons to ensure that my students are engaging with the content using as many different ways of learning as possible. When planning my lessons, I make sure to incorporate Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences in my classes so that I know I am using a variety of activities and activating different parts of my students’ brains. This is demonstrated in my stations lesson during the Matter unit I created for sixth grade students, as each station addresses several different intelligences and the majority of the multiple intelligences are utilized over the course of the stations.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
I also use Bloom’s Taxonomy to structure my lesson and my questions such that my students progress from lower levels to higher levels over the course of the lesson and the unit. In this scientific method lesson, the Bloom’s levels increase from Remembering to Applying over the course of the two days. One method I use to promote higher levels of thinking is having my students answer a question and then expand on how they came to that answer and why they believe that answer to be correct.