Week+4

Note: This assignment is different from the one posted in the syllabus.

Readings: Wiggins and McTighe (UbD) chapter 5 Postman and Weingartner chapter III Smilowitz

This week's readings begin with a discussion of essential questions (EQs in edu-babble) and move from there to discovery, or inquiry learning (which is driven by those essential questions. The Smilowitz article describes how one teacher used inquiry learning as the foundation for teaching what is otherwise considered a dry, boring subject in many schools.

Imagine yourself preparing a lesson for פסח. You can choose the grade level and, type of school, and even the content.

1. Define the goals (content, skills, affect) for this class. Make sure you include why you think that these goals are appropriate for this population and why you think they will be compelling to your students. 2. Describe how you will open the class, and how your opening is integrally linked to the substance of what you will be teaching. 3. List 1-3 central, or essential questions, around which your learning will revolve.

Please post the above to the wiki and make sure that you have a copy available in class (either electronic or paper). You do not need to comment on each other's postings, but if you see something particularly interesting or something about which you are curious or puzzled, please feel free to post!