Eman Mohammed Azizi

Curriculum Project Stage 2

Submission 1

Grade Level: 9

Subject: Biology

CURR 305

9 AM
Create a bulletin board
Bulletin Board #1
Theme: Review and reflection of learned concepts
● Made by the teacher with intention to support the learning targets
within the Mitosis and Photosynthesis units of instruction.

Bulletin Board Reflection of Learning

What worked for me? What did not work for me?

My practicum is online, so I was not able to take pictures of bulletin boards

in the school building. Due to limited supplies at home, I decided to create

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my bulletin board digitally using an online tool called Canva. What didn’t

work for me while making this board was that I had difficulty thinking of

ideas that I could make my board based off of. I know that bulletin boards

are usually colorful and word-limited, so I had to think of something that

would catch the students’ eyes, as well as benefit them. At first, I was going

to do a bulletin board with a Biology pun, but I felt that I needed to create a

board that would reflect the students’ knowledge on the subject. I also had

trouble with making the board look organized and eye-catching. I am not a

very artistic person, so I never really understand which colors go well

together or how to make things artistically pleasing. However with lots of

thought and effort, I created the final product above.

What worked for me was using online tools to create the bulletin

board. I feel like I learned about different techniques and strategies that I

could implement into my classroom in the future. Especially with the time

and age we are in now, technology is a part of our lives whether we like it

or not. I feel the need and importance to be more familiar with using

technology to create activities, lessons, and even bulletin boards like the one

I made above. That is why using online tools to create my bulletin board

worked for me.

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What would you do differently?

Something I would do differently is that I would have someone to help

me create an artistically pleasing and beneficial bulletin board. I think I did

okay with the beneficial part of the board, but I feel like I could have done

way better with the eye-catching part of the bulletin board. Perhaps if I had

the supplies at home, I could have made a really nice and organized board

using different colored papers, stickers, markers, etc., but with limited

supplies, the bulletin board above is what I could make using technology

instead.

What did you learn from this experience?

Something I have realized while creating my bulletin board was that it

is actually a difficult task. Making a board that is beneficial, eye-catching,

and word limited all at the same time seemed easy at the beginning, but as

I continued to work, I realized how difficult it actually was. I believe that

bulletin boards shouldn’t be filled with too much information or else students

won’t read them. But, the bulletin boards should also be eye-catching so

that students want to read them. As a teacher, I want to create beneficial

and artistically pleasing bulletin boards that encourage positivity in my

classroom, as well as enforce the learning targets with each unit of

instruction.

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Stage 2 Unit Design –
Assessments and Reflection
Assessment Plan:

Major Group ● Students will be put into groups of 5 and each of

Products
them will be assigned a different step of mitosis.

They will draw or illustrate the step they were

assigned to using whatever tool they would like

(drawing, designing on computer, clay, etc.). They

will then have a group discussion comparing each of

the different steps and the positions of the

chromosomes in each step.

● Photosynthesis Lab: Assign groups of 3. Each group

will get to watch photosynthesis occur in spinach

leaves. After the lab, each group will work together

to answer worksheet questions asking detailed

questions about how photosynthesis occurred in the

spinach leaves as well as any errors that could have

occurred during the experiment.

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Major Individual ● Mitosis Lab: Prepare different slides with an onion
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root tips at different steps of mitosis. Allow for

students to take turns looking at the slides under a

microscope. Students will identify which step of

mitosis they are looking at in the microscope and

draw out what they see on a paper.

● Students will draw a venn diagram or a table and

compare and contrast the processes of mitosis and

the cell cycle.

● Students will be given 2 plants to take home. One

plant will be put in a dark room and the other plant

in sunlight. Before taking the plants home, each

student will write their hypothesis in class about

which plant they think will grow successfully. After

three weeks of the plants being at the students’

homes, the students will answer questions about

the lab and determine if their hypothesis was

correct.

● Students will draw a venn diagram or a table

comparing and contrasting the processes of

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photosynthesis and cellular respiration, while also

determining the products of both.

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Product(s): ● 3D/2D/digital models of mitosis

● Group discussion and supporting their claims with

evidence

● Discussion about how photosynthesis occurred in

experiment and about possible errors

● Drawings/illustrations of mitosis steps of onion

root tip slides under microscope

● Chart/Venn Diagram/Table

● Observations of plant growth experiment

● Written hypotheses

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Stage 2
Knowledge and Skills Needed Already Taught Taught
Have Before During
Learned the the
Project Project

1. Understanding cell structure and

X
organelles

2. Constructing 2D/3D/Digital models

X X

3. Oral Speech and Presentation skills

X
4. Written Communication Skills
X
5. Finding evidence to support claims
X X
6. Computer knowledge and skills (word
X X
processing, web research, etc.)

7. Reading and writing levels of seventh

X
grade

8. Knowing the elements of venn

X
diagrams/compare-and-contrast tables

9. Writing hypotheses
X x

10. How to use a microscope

X X

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 11. How to describe observations
X

12. How to write out chemical equations.

x

Stage 2: Assessment and

Reflection
Complete the chart below:

Rubric(s)* I will use: Collaboration

X Written Communication
x
ASSESSMENT OF
LEARNING
AND/OR PROJECT(S) Critical Thinking &
X Content Knowledge
x
Problem Solving

Oral Communication
X Higher level learning
x
mastery

Class participation Other – Identify here

X

Other classroom
Quizzes/ tests
X Practice presentations
x
assessments for
learning: (Check all Self-evaluation Notes
that apply with an “X” in x
the box.)
Peer evaluation Checklists/observations
x
Online tests and Concept maps
exams
x

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 Teamwork Opinion Sharing
x x

Reflections: (Check all Survey Focus Group

that apply with an “X” in
x
the box.)

Discussion Task Management

x Chart
X

Journal Writing/ (SELF EVALUATION)

Learning Log
x Other – Identify here
x

Stage 2: Project Evaluation: How will you and your students

reflect on and evaluate the project?

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 I never want a student to feel that they are behind because that

discourages them . This is why I think it is important for students to

reflect on any projects I give them. I want to know if the project helped

them learn and if I should continue assigning those types of labs or

projects. I would also like students to do self-evaluations to reflect on

how they did during their group projects, as well as how well they

worked with their peers. They could say what worked for them or what

didn’t work for them so that next time, I can change things up a bit. This

would help me as the teacher to know if all students participated and if

my assigned projects were interactive enough. Reflections from students

would help me to reflect on my own work to see what I can do to

improve to encourage all different types of learners.

Stage 2: Technology Paper

1) Technologies Selected:

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 Technology is a very important aspect during this time and age, which

is why I think it is very important to implement technological strategies

into my curriculum. What is amazing about the internet is that there is a

project, activity, lab, etc. for everything. I would definitely implement the

use of Google Docs, YouTube, Kahoot, Jeopardy, Canva, PowerPoint, etc.

in my curriculum. The internet really does have a solution for anything,

which is why I think that using technology is critical in a student’s

learning journey. When teaching lessons, I can use a projector to present

my presentations, as well as implement interactive activities in my

presentations. If the school I work in has the resources to give all

students access to a laptop, then I would definitely use technology often

in my classroom. If the school doesn’t have the resources to facilitate

this, then I can take the students to the library or computer lab where

they will have the chance to use online resources.

2) Use of Technologies:

I have many uses for technology in my classroom. If the school could

provide laptops for each student, then I will be able to teach using many

online learning tools. I can present lessons from my laptop using a

projector. The students can use the school laptops for completing online

quizzes, worksheets, and other interactive activities. They can also use

the laptops for group projects and when designing models for projects. I

think that using technology could also keep everything organized. Having

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all assignments, assessments, projects, etc. due as electronic

submissions would keep everything in check. Students can also check

their grades and progress using online resources.

3) Technologies and Uses Explained:

There are many uses for technology that I can implement in my

curriculum. For example, if students need to work on group projects

together, they can use Google Docs. If there is a time when I cannot have

in-person labs, then I can send the students virtual labs to complete. If I

ever want to have a review session with the students before a test, then I

can use Kahoot, Jeopardy templates and Peardeck online. If I want to

assign students individual projects, they can complete online posters or

presentations using Canva and Google Slides. If my students are having

difficulty understanding a concept, I can show them a YouTube video that

presents the concept in a simple way with many animations and images.

A tool I would use on the daily however, would be Peardeck. It is

something my practicum teacher uses in all of her lessons. In her

presentations, she would have Peardeck questions and interactive

activities after every concept to reinforce what the students learned. She

would count their responses as their participation grades. Of course, this

is only possible if all students have access to their phones or to school

laptops during class. Like I mentioned earlier, if not all students have

access, I could make use of the computer lab or library. I think that by

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 using technological tools in the classroom, students can keep track of

their progress (as well as teachers keeping track of students’ progress),

students can learn and use many online tools that are appropriate and

suitable for them, as well as the students’ learning journey being

interactive and engaging.

4) Explanation of How Technologies Enhance Instruction:

I think that it is almost impossible to not use technology in the

classroom in this day and age, especially since when the students will go to

college and get a job, they will definitely need to use technology then. This

is why I think it is important to nurture students’ computer skills from when

they are still young before they go out into the real world. This is why I must

include technology in my instruction. Besides preparing students for the real

world, technology would also enhance my unit of instruction. Because

technology is something that students cannot live without, bringing online

tools into my classroom and incorporating them into my lessons will keep

students engaged. When students are engaged, they will learn more and will

also help them retain and remember the information they learned. Instead

of the usual lecture with just the teacher talking the whole time, technology

would give students the opportunity to be more engaged in class as well as

allowing them to research, make claims, say their opinions, and support

their claims with evidence. Using technology in the classroom will also make

it easier for me as the teacher to make concepts easier for students to

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understand. Using videos and useful diagrams, I think that students would

be able to understand concepts better, which would in turn enhance their

learning.

5) Justification of How Technologies Enhance Student Learning

Mastery of Learning Targets:

The reason why technology will be used in my classroom is so that every

different learner has the opportunity to learn in the way that they deem

most appropriate. Using for projects and assignments allows for the students

to make their own decisions about how they should execute or go on about a

certain project. Without technology, I would have to figure out how I can

satisfy all the different needs of the students, but with technology, students

have the opportunity to choose how they would like to do things. Another

way technology enhances student learning is that students need hands-on or

interactive activities for them to fully grasp a concept. Using the many online

tools available, I am able to use videos, diagrams, charts, etc. to explain and

break down each concept to the students. Not only will this help the

students to better understand lessons, but it will also open my eyes to the

many ways I can satisfy the learning needs of my students. I believe that

technology is an amazing thing to take advantage of when teaching

students. It allows for more opportunities for both students and teachers, as

well as keeps students engaged during class.

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