Evaluating the Implementation of UDL Guidelines
Evaluating the Implementation of UDL Guidelines

Evaluating the Implementation of UDL Guidelines

Now that you have seen an example of how to identify and apply the UDL principles in a lesson or activity.

  • Select a lesson/activity that you would like to evaluate from the Common Sense website.
  • Describe the ways that the lesson/activity does or does not support the three UDL principles: Multiple means of representation, engagement, and action & expression. 
UDL principles: Multiple means of representation, engagement, and action & expression
  • Write your findings and recommendations on how to improve the lesson/activity you chose in the comments area of this post. Make sure to include a link to the lesson you chose.
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Diomaris Sierra
2 months ago

 Evaluating the Implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Original Lesson: Protecting Online Reputations

How can you respect the privacy of others online?

GRADE 9TIME: 50 mins.Lesson Evaluation: Digital Footprint and Reputation 

The lesson “Digital Footprint and Reputation” introduces students to the concept of a digital footprint and its long term implications for their reputation. It uses scenarios to engage students in reflecting on how their online actions can affect them and others. I show how the lesson aligns with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and my recommendations for improvement and accessibility:

Multiple Means of Representation

The lesson provides a mix of content formats, such as text based scenarios and discussion prompts, to explain the concept of a digital footprint. However, it lacks visual aids and multimedia resources that could enhance comprehension, such as videos, infographics, diagrams showing how digital footprints evolve over time. To better align with UDL, the lesson could include an animated video illustrating the concept of a digital footprint or an interactive graphic that shows how personal data can be tracked online. Additionally, providing transcripts for videos and text-to-speech options for written materials would support diverse learners.

Multiple Means of Engagement

The scenarios presented in the lesson are relatable and thought provoking, which helps capture students’ interest. However, it could further sustain engagement by offering real world examples, such as profiles of individuals who have faced consequences (positive or negative) from their digital footprints. Interactive elements like online polls, quizzes, or a What Would You Do? activity could encourage deeper participation. To promote self regulation, the lesson could include reflective prompts, such as asking students to analyze their current digital footprint and set personal goals for improving it. As we did in EDU 227 class, we were guided by Professor  Guevara. It opened my eyes extremely about the importance of footprint and security privacy.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Currently, the lesson relies heavily on group discussions and written responses. While effective, it could be improved by offering students varied ways to express their understanding. For example, students could create a digital poster, record a short video reflecting on their digital footprint, or design a social media campaign to promote responsible online behavior. Additionally, providing graphic organizers to help students structure their thoughts and scaffolding with sentence starters would make the activity more accessible to all learners.

My recommendations for Improvement of this lesson plan are: 

  1. Incorporate visual aids and multimedia resources like videos, infographics, or interactive graphics to support varied learning preferences.
  2. Introduce interactive elements, such as polls or gamified quizzes, to sustain interest and engagement.
  3. Provide multiple options for expressing understanding, such as digital posters, videos, and creative writing to provide choice opportunities for students.
  4. Enhance accessibility by including text to speech tools, voice typing, closed captions for videos, and alternative formats for materials.
  5.  Include reflective activities that connect the lesson to students’ personal lives and help them set actionable goals to safeguard their digital footprint. For instance, encourage students to adopt habits like thinking carefully before sharing or posting online. This could involve asking reflective questions such as:
  • How might this post or share affect my reputation or someone else’s in the future?
  • Would I be comfortable if my family, teachers, or future employers saw this content?
  • Does this post respect the privacy of others involved?

These reflections can lead to practical steps, such as setting personal guidelines for what they will and won’t post, regularly reviewing privacy settings on social media accounts, and deleting old posts that no longer represent their values or goals.

Including real world examples such as news stories about individuals whose posts have positively or negatively impacted their lives can make the lesson more relatable. Additionally, tools like a personal digital footprint checklist can help students create actionable strategies to protect their online presence. I think considering these activities in students’ lives, we are empowering them to take ownership of their digital choices, fostering responsible online behavior and long term success. And the lesson would better align with Universal Design for Learning principles (UDL), ensuring that all students can access, engage with, and express their learning effectively.

Finally, I would change this question from the beginning «How can you respect the privacy of others online?» for «How can you respect your own online privacy and the others»

Yrka Paula (She/her)
2 months ago

Analysis of the Lesson: My Values & Tech What are my values, and how do media and tech impact them?for 6-12 grades
1. Multiple Means of Representation:
Strengths:
In this activity students can better understand patterns and connections between technology and values by using visual aids like posters and color-coded dots .For distant learners, a digital option (Virtual Values Voting slides) offers accessibility.Limitations:
Additional modalities that could help students with different sensory needs, such tactile or auditory support, are absent from the lesson.Some students may find it difficult to relate abstract ideas to real-world situations since there is no clear explanation or multimedia resource (such as movies or instances) to contextualize how technology either helps or hinders values.Recommendations:
Provide situations of how technology affects values by using multimedia elements, such as audio or video clips.To help students who might require more context, include written definitions or examples for each value.2. Multiple Means of Engagement:
Strengths:
 The activity promotes involvement by having participants walk to posters and make decisions about where to put the dots.In order to establish a connection with their real lives, students are encouraged to consider their individual and collective experiences with technology.Limitations:
Because the lesson focuses mostly on group-based interaction, it might not be engaging for students who prefer isolated or introspective activities.Beyond the voting process, there isn’t much room for ingenuity or in-depth investigation.Recommendations:
Incorporate a personal reflection component, such as journaling about how technology affects their values.Allow students to share personal stories or examples in a small-group discussion to deepen their engagement.3. Multiple Means of Action and Expression:
Strengths:
Students can express their thoughts through the voting activity, which is accessible both physically (stickers, markers) and digitally (slides).The class discussion provides an opportunity for verbal expression.Limitations:
The activity restricts students to voting and verbal discussion, limiting options for creative or individual expression.Students may not have adequate tools to organize or elaborate on their thoughts beyond surface-level responses.Recommendations:
Offer alternative ways for students to express their insights, such as creating a visual or written reflection (e.g., a poster, infographic, or paragraph).Provide graphic organizers to help students map the connections between technology and their values.

Last edited 2 months ago by Yrka Paula
Jean Miller
2 months ago
Reply to  Yrka Paula

Hi Yrka, offering other ways for students to express their ideas is very effective. I gave my students the opportunity to choose how they would like to do a science project. As a result, they were more engaged with their work.

Mauricio (He)
2 months ago

LESSON: Pause & Think Online: How can we be safe, responsible and respectful online?

Link: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/pause-think-online

GRADE 1

TIME 25 Minutes

To assess how this lesson supports UDL principles, I analyze whether it provides multiple ways for students to access information (representation), stay motivated and involved (engagement), and demonstrate their understanding through various methods (action and expression); if it lacks options in any of these areas, it may not fully support UDL principles.

The lesson emphasizes that before posting anything, we must protect our personal information, be mindful of what we share, treat others with kindness and respect as we would in person, verify the information before sharing it, and report any inappropriate behavior we encounter online.

Multiple Means of Engagement:

Supports:

The lesson allows students to choose their learning pace, incorporates interactive activities, provides collaboration and peer feedback opportunities, uses gamification elements, and makes learning relevant to students’ lives. For instance, the first questions of the lesson are: “Do you ever go on the internet? What kinds of things do you do? Or what could you do? Then, “Invite students to respond. Answers will vary but emphasize that we can do many different things online, including learning new information, playing games, communicating with friends and family, and looking at pictures and videos.”

Multiple Means of Representation:

Supports:

The lesson uses visuals like pictures and videos alongside text explanations, offers diverse text formats (e.g., different reading levels, summaries), provides audio recordings of crucial information, and incorporates real-world examples and simulations.

Multiple Means of Action & Expression:

Supports:

The lesson offers various ways to demonstrate understanding, such as coloring books, drawing, performing, recording audio (pause & think song) responses, and using digital tools. For instance, “For slides 9-13, project each slide, read aloud the question, and have students pair-share. Then, invite students to share with the class. This can also be done as a whole-group discussion instead.”

After reading many lesson plans on the Common Sense website, I found that this one relates to the UDL framework. I said that because it allows students to use their strengths while working on deficiencies. The lesson explains the power of the internet and how it will enable students to experience and visit places they might not be able to see in person. But, just like traveling in the real world, it’s essential to be safe when traveling online. Moreover, it helps teachers recognize the variability and diversity of individual brains.

Zainab Barry
3 months ago

Meet Feet of the Digital Citizens

Lesson Topic: What footprints are you leaving online?

Grade Level K- 2

Objectives:

  • Understand what a digital footprint is.
  • Reflect on what they share online and who they share with.

UDL principles

 Multiple Means of Representation

Strength: The lesson talks about digital footprints through the character “Feet,” using a friendly character as a visual, helps students grasp abstract ideas in a good way.

Areas of Improvement:

  • Adding visual aids such as a short video or animations illustrating examples of digital footprints could enhance understanding, especially for students who benefit from multimedia content.
  • Incorporating a hands-on activity such as creating digital footprints with stamps or footprints on paper will engage students who learn best through touch and movement.

2. Multiple Means of Engagement

Strength: The lesson encourages students to reflect on how they feel when their friends are distracted by devices, which fosters social-emotional engagement and helps students connect on a personal level.

Areas of Improvement: 

  • Providing students with choices, such as selecting different examples of online sharing e.g. photos and videos will increase engagement by allowing them to explore different areas that are meaningful to them.
  • Integrate interactive storytelling where students can help “Feet” make decisions about what to share online. This will provide a more engaging way to reinforce the lesson concepts.

 Multiple Means of Action & Expression

Strength: The lesson allows for group discussion, allowing students to express their thoughts verbally, which supports students who prefer to share ideas aloud rather than through writing.

Areas of Improvement:  Incorporating an option to visually represent their understanding, such as drawing a device-free moment poster, could allow students who prefer artistic expression to convey their ideas.

Summary of Findings and Recommendations

The “Meet Feet of the Digital Citizens” lesson introduces the concept of digital footprints effectively through a friendly character and age-appropriate language, supporting early understanding of digital citizenship. Enhancing this lesson with additional hands-on activities is good for students with more diverse means of representation. Allowing more choices and immersive, role-playing options would improve engagement and expression, making it more inclusive and aligned with UDL principles for diverse learners.

Lesson link: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/meet-feet-of-the-digital-citize

ns 

Elena Camacho
3 months ago

LESSON: Don’t Feed the Phish: How can you protect yourself from phishing?

Link: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/dont-feed-the-phish

GRADE: 6th

TIME 45 mins.

The “Don’t Feed the Phish” lesson effectively aligns with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principle of Multiple Means of Representation by using slides to emphasize essential vocabulary and concepts related to identity theft and phishing. By incorporating real-life scenarios and examples, the lesson helps students understand complex topics through tangible illustrations. However, adding multimedia elements such as videos or interactive infographics could enhance representation and address diverse learning styles.

Engagement is a strong aspect of the lesson, as it promotes collaborative learning through small group activities like the “Trick Questions!” quiz and message analysis. These interactive elements boost student motivation and relate the content to their experiences. The warm-up activity, which connects to students’ personal belongings and identity, adds relevance, ensuring learners are engaged in the topic. Nevertheless, including more hands-on activities, such as role-playing phishing scenarios, could make the learning experience even more dynamic.

The lesson supports Action & Expression by allowing pair work and collaborative examination of phishing messages, giving students a chance to creatively showcase their understanding. The wrap-up activity promotes summarizing the lessons learned, encouraging self-reflection. However, expanding assessment methods by providing alternatives like posters, digital presentations, or videos could offer more ways for students to express their knowledge and meet different expression preferences. Overall, while the lesson is effective in several areas, there are opportunities for improvement to fully embrace UDL principles.

Jean Miller
3 months ago

Lesson: Grade 7-Big, Big Data

This lesson teaches students how companies collect information about their customers and how they can limit the amount of information that companies collect from them.

Lesson Link: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/big-big-data

Multiple means of representation: Lesson slides are provided. The slides include black text as well as green text to highlight the essential question. There are also pictures included on the first slide. There are no pictures on the rest of the slides. To improve this component, I recommend that pictures are included for each vocabulary word with a real life example included on each slide.

Multiple means of engagement: In the warm up portion, students are invited to share their ideas with a partner. Then, they are given the opportunity to share their ideas to the whole class. Students are also asked various questions during the lesson as an entry point into learning the concepts. To improve this component, I recommend using Kahoot to ask these various questions during the lesson so that every student, not only a few, has the opportunity to provide a response. Kahoot allows all students to respond to the same question. Kahoot also uses different colors and symbols for each possible answer to the question. This helps students differentiate between the answer choices.

Multiple means of action & expression: Students are given the option to draw or paste a picture of what their product will look like. To improve this component, I recommend more options to be provided for students to express what their product will look like. I would allow students to also have the option to create a real life example of their product.

Sara N Rosado
3 months ago

I chose Who’s Looking at Your Digital Footprint?

Grade Level: 11th Grade

Duration: 50 minutes

Lesson Topic: Digital Footprint and Identity

UDL Principles:

Multiple Means of Engagement

Strengths: 

  • The lesson effectively connects to students’ personal lives, making the topic relevant and engaging.
  • It gives students the autonomy to explore areas of interest, allowing them to take ownership of their learning.
  • Active student participation is fostered through discussions, small group work, and the creation of a vignette, promoting collaborative learning and hands-on engagement.

Recommendation for Improvement: 

  • Incorporating individual reflection activities could provide an additional layer of personal engagement. This could help students who are more introverted or prefer individual tasks to stay engaged.

Multiple Means of Representation

Strengths: 

  • A real-world video example, such as the Harvard admissions story, provides visual and auditory learning opportunities, helping to demonstrate the impact of digital footprints on future opportunities.
  • Vocabulary definitions are provided clearly via Google Slides, making complex terms more accessible to students.
  • A list of online resources is shared, which allows students to explore the topic at their own pace, enhancing flexibility and personalization in learning.

Recommendation for Improvement: 

  • Including more visual aids, such as infographics or diagrams, would further clarify the concept of digital footprints, especially for visual learners.
  • Offering an audio version of the definitions or utilizing text-to-speech tools would better support students with reading difficulties and make the material more accessible.

Multiple Means of Expression

Strengths: 

  • The lesson includes group activities which provide opportunities for peer interaction and collaborative learning.
  • The use of a vignette creation activity, where students brainstorm and write about a positive digital footprint, provides a hands-on, creative way for students to apply their learning.

Recommendation for Improvement: 

  • Providing more options for how students could demonstrate understanding such as creating a digital poster or an infographic would further engage students who may struggle with written expression.
Zandra Prestigiacomo (She/Her)

I chose the “Digital Drama Unplugged” lesson as it aims to help 6th graders understand digital drama, recognize how quickly it can escalate online, and learn strategies for de-escalation. The lesson is designed for a 45-minute timeframe which is ideal for my school.

UDL Principles:

Multiple Means of Representation:

  • Strengths: The lesson includes various materials, such as videos, articles, and real-life scenarios that help students visualize and understand digital drama. also offers supports for diverse learning styles.
  • Areas for Improvement: To enhance representation, the lesson could include more visual aids, such as infographics or charts, summarizing key points about digital drama and its consequences. Also, offering translations or simpler texts for diverse reading levels could also be beneficial.

Multiple Means of Engagement:

  • Strengths: The lesson addresses the emotional impact of digital drama, making it relatable for students. Interactive discussions and scenarios help engage students in thinking critically about their online interactions.
  • Areas for Improvement: To boost engagement further, the lesson could incorporate choice-based activities, like selecting a scenario to role-play or creating their own skits about digital drama. Allowing students to share personal experiences (anonymously if preferred) could also foster a more connected learning environment.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression:

  • Strengths: The lesson encourages students to reflect on their responses to digital drama and learn de-escalation strategies, which promotes critical thinking and personal expression.
  • Areas for Improvement: The lesson could offer more options for students to express their understanding, such as creating a digital poster, writing a blog post, or producing a video explaining how to handle digital drama. Providing tools for organizing their thoughts, like mind maps or graphic organizers, would also support diverse expression methods.

Recommendations for UDL:

  • Incorporate Visual Aids: Use more infographics or visual summaries to reinforce key concepts.
  • Add Choice: Allow students to choose their activities for engagement, such as scenarios to role-play or personal reflections.
  • Diverse Expression Methods: Offer various ways for students to demonstrate their learning, like digital projects, videos, or written reflections.

Link to Lesson: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/digital-drama-unplugged

Elisa Velez
6 months ago

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/meet-arms-of-the-digital-citizens

for the above lesson I will address each section of the UDL

Multiple means of representation: in this lesson, the students are given a slide show to represent the lesson. on the slideshow students are provided with words and images. since this is Kindergarten, it can be deemed appropriate.

engagement: this lesson begins by asking students to reflect on their feelings and then answer the essential question. to ensure students are engaged, I would adjust this lesson by allowing students to answer the question by doing any of the following: turning and talking, drawing a picture, or using 3 pictures as prompts to point and show the ways students balance their time with technology

action & expression: in this lesson students are asked to write what they do/don’t do with their technology. To make this lesson UDL appropriate, I would encourage students to draw or write things they do with their technology, I would let them show their friends by acting it out or with charades, and I would also allow them to search through a magazine and cut and paste images that represent what they do with their devices.

Zebo Pirmukhamedova
6 months ago

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/how-is-ai-trainedThis is a very interesting lesson to introduce students to the concept of AI. I have created my own lesson plan based on this lesson to teach in September
Class: 
Self-Contained Entering/Emerging ENL Classroom
Topic and Lesson
How is AI Trained?
Learning Standards:
ELA Standards-
8SL1c: Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
8L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
8SL5: Integrate digital media and/or visual displays in presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add elements of interest to engage the audience. 
8W6: Conduct research to answer questions, including self-generated questions, drawing on multiple sources, and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. Generate additional related questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. 
Computational Thinking Standards-
7-8.CT.1 Compare the results of alternative models or simulations to determine and evaluate how the input data and assumptions change the results. 
Learning Target: 
SWBT: Understand that data is a building block of artificial intelligence.
              Identify what an AI can do based on the data it was trained on.
Essential Questions:
How does data determine what artificial intelligence can do?
How can I use AI to my advantage to help me improve my English language skills?
What constraints can I run into while using AI? 
Materials and Resources:
Computer
Smartboard
Laptops
Ipads
Google Translate
Rosetta Stone
Duolingo
Prompts Tracking Sheet
AI created 4 point Rubric
Slides from Common Sense
Common Sense Lesson Plan 
MagicSchool Student 
Magic School Language Learning Tutor
Key Vocabulary:
Data, Input, Output, Limitations, Advantages, Disadvantages, Benefits, Compare. Contrast
Differentiation 

  • Visuals/ Videos
  • Sentence  Starters
  • Word Banks
  • Dictionaries/ Glossaries
  • Speech to text
  • Wh- and How questions
  • Microsoft Translator 
  • Translated Slides 
  • Multiple ways of representation (audio, posters, a written piece, comic strips, Scratch)
  •  Independent/partner/ group work by languages  

Activity Process
Length of Time
Common Sense Lesson 
Practice: Training AI1.
Show Slide 4 and explain that students are looking at an illustration created by generative AI. The image is meant to show how AI learns.
Give students a few minutes to analyze the picture and share their answers to the reflection questions:

  • What do you notice?
  • How does the picture show the AI learning process?

2.
Review slides 5–8 and highlight some of the key themes in the illustration:

  • The robot in the middle represents artificial intelligence. It’s surrounded by people who are talking to it and showing it books. These people are the human “trainers” or computer scientists (Slide 5).
  • The “trainers” share data to help the AI learn. This data can be things like text from books, websites, or even human speech (Slide 6).
  • Data is any type of information that can be collected, categorized, and analyzed (Slide 7).
  • We can use the data the AI is trained on, also known as the inputs, to infer or make an educated guess about the types of things the AI might be able to do, which are the outputs (Slide 8).

Note: Students might notice that all the AI trainers in the illustration are men. You can explain that this is a common bias that generative AI exhibits.
3.
Define the words input (Slide 9) and output (Slide 10).
4.
Say: Now that we know about how AI is trained to create a certain output, let’s look at some real-life examples (Slide 11).
As you go through each example, allow students time to pair-share and make an educated guess before revealing the answer on the next slide (Slides 12–15).
5.
Have students pair up to go through two additional scenarios. This time, they are given the output and need to think about the necessary inputs.

  • Scenario: YouTube video recommendations (Slides 16–17).
  • Scenario: Targeted advertisement (Slides 18–19).

6.
Say: As these last two examples show, what we do online and the data we share is also a part of the input, or data, that AI might use. Thinking critically about the data (or input) behind AI can help us be more informed users and understand what AI’s limitations might be (Slide 20).
20 minutes 
Guided
Independent Practice
Now, using what the students have learned about how AI is trained, the teacher will demonstrate the Magic School language learning tutor tool and walk students through the steps before they begin their independent group practices. The teacher will note that the groups will be assessed using a rubric, show it to them, and give each group a physical copy. Then, the teacher will ask students to break into groups in their respective languages. The students will then decide on the roles with their peers: recorder, revisor, reflector, and reporter.  
Once in their groups, the teacher will ask students to log into their accounts and launch Magic School Language Learning Tutor. The guidelines will be for the recorders to keep track (log) the prompts they ask and use the AI-suggested prompts, revisors to help revise their prompts once they get stuck, reflectors to reflect on the tool’s benefits and limitations, and reporters to share their findings with the whole class. 
While students work in their groups, the teacher will circulate the classroom to support students and check on comprehension while assessing student groups on collaboration, engagement, representation, and findings.   
20 minutes
Closing Activity  
Share -Out:
A reporter from each language group will share some findings that the students were able to gather and how they could use it in the future.
8 minutes
Exit Ticket
How did this activity make you feel and why? What did you like or did not like about it?
2 minutes
Extention Activity 
Students can compare their finding and come up with some classroom procedures when using AI tools in class and outside of the class. 
-How can we use this data to make informed decisions about AI? 
-What are some of the challenges you ran into?
-What are the benefits of this AI tool? 
-How can we use it effectively in our classroom?
-What are some limitations you have noticed?
-Why do think the results are different? 
-Compare how this AI tool is different or similar to the translation tools you have previously used.
Multiple Means of Representation:

  1. Visual Representation:
  • Slide Presentation: Uses visual aids (slides) to introduce and explain AI concepts with clear graphics and illustrations.
  • Illustration Analysis: Encourages students to analyze an illustration depicting AI learning, fostering visual comprehension and understanding.
  1. Text and Language Support:
  • Definitions and Explanations: Provides definitions for key terms (input, output) on slides, supporting students’ comprehension through text-based explanations.
  • Real-Life Examples: Uses scenarios (YouTube video recommendations, targeted advertisements) to illustrate AI applications in everyday contexts, enhancing contextual understanding.

Multiple Means of Engagement:

  1. Varied Learning Activities:
  • Pair-Sharing and Discussion: Allows students to engage in pair-sharing activities to discuss and predict outcomes in AI scenarios, promoting active participation and peer interaction.
  • Group Work: Assigns roles (recorder, revisor, reflector, reporter) within groups to collaborate on using the Magic School language learning tutor tool, accommodating diverse learning styles and strengths.
  1. Options for Sustaining Effort and Persistence:
  • Real-World Relevance: Relates AI concepts to real-life applications, which can increase student motivation and persistence in learning.
  • Structured Activity: Provides a structured rubric and guidelines for group work, clarifying expectations and promoting sustained effort.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression:

  1. Hands-On Learning:
  • Use of AI Tools: Students actively engage with the Magic School language learning tutor tool to log prompts, revise responses, reflect on benefits and limitations, and share findings. This hands-on approach supports kinesthetic and interactive learning styles.
  1. Options for Communication:
  • Group Presentations: Facilitates group presentations where students share their findings with the class, allowing for varied modes of expression (oral, visual).
  • Exit Ticket: Provides an opportunity for students to express their feelings and reflections on the activity, accommodating diverse ways of self-expression.

Making Learning Materials Accessible:

  • Digital Accessibility: Ensures digital tools and materials (like the Magic School language learning tutor tool) are accessible and user-friendly for all students, including those with diverse learning needs.
  • Language Support: Offers support through clear explanations, definitions, and real-life examples, helping ESL students and others comprehend complex AI concepts.

Assessment and Reflection:

  • Assessment Practices: Uses a rubric to assess student engagement, collaboration, findings, and representation, accommodating different ways students demonstrate their learning.
  • Reflection Opportunities: Includes an exit ticket and extension activity for students to reflect on their experience, share feedback, and discuss implications of AI use in different contexts.

Charlene V Jimoh
6 months ago

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/chatting-safely-online

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR):

  • Strengths: The lesson effectively utilizes visual aids like videos and slides and physical demonstrations to cater to different learning styles. The inclusion of an alternate e-book activity offers another mode of representation.
  • Areas for Improvement: The lesson could enhance MMR by incorporating audio recordings or text-to-speech options for students who prefer auditory learning. Further integration of digital tools like interactive simulations or virtual models could offer more diverse representations.

Multiple Means of Engagement (MME):

  • Strengths: The lesson excels at MME by providing interactive elements like discussions, hands-on activities, and relatable content to foster engagement.
  • Areas for Improvement: The lesson could introduce more personalized learning pathways to enhance MME. This could involve offering choices within activities, tiered assignments to cater to different skill levels or opportunities for students to explore topics of personal interest.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE):

  • Strengths: The lesson allows for various forms of expression, including discussions, physical movements, and responses on handouts. The inclusion of quizzes and family activities offers diverse avenues for demonstrating understanding.
  • Areas for Improvement: The lesson could expand MMAE by incorporating more creative assessments like projects, presentations, or performances. Allowing students to collaborate on projects or choose how they want to demonstrate their learning would foster greater autonomy and ownership.

Overall Suggestions for Improvement:

To better align the lesson plan with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, consider the following enhancements: The Lesson should offer materials in multiple formats (audio, visual, text, tactile), incorporate interactive digital tools, and provide options for customization (e.g., font size, background color). It should introduce personalized learning paths, choices within activities, tiered assignments, and opportunities for self-directed exploration and include creative assessments like projects, presentations, performances, and peer feedback. Offer options for individual and collaborative work. By implementing these modifications, the lesson can cater to a wider range of learner variability, ensuring all students have equal opportunities to access, engage with, and express their learning.

Martin Adames
6 months ago

Lesson : The Consequences of Online Hate speech

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/the-consequences-of-online-hate-speech

This lesson has many UDL principles in it. :

Some principles of engagement I found in the lesson are , Clear objectives, and presenting Students with routines that are known to them. Also, asking students to activate past experiences, prior knowledge, and asking guiding questions for active participation and lessening distraction.

Some principles of representation are, giving students different options to access the information. Tis lesson is packed with slides, prompts. There is also a section where students are debating on whether and how hate speech should be regulated. The lesson also has an audio clip from NPR’s. This is great for students that are read very slowly, also for students that are blind. There is also a handout in the Exploration phase of the lesson.

Some principles of action and expression are, debating and taking stands to show understating. The lesson has many places for students to actively participate in lesson discussion. Students will demonstrate understanding by completing a lesson quiz. In some instances of the lesson there are specific easy to follow steps, scaffolds and provide opportunities for growth, which are a part of checkpoint 5.3, Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance.

Overall, the lesson provides multiple entry points of learning and accessibility, and like any other lesson, there is room for improvement.

Ioana Paunescu
6 months ago

The lesson I evaluated was “Don’t Feed the Phish.” This lesson is for 6th graders and teaches students how they can protect themselves from scams and online phishing. The link to the lesson plan is: Don’t Feed the Phish | Common Sense Education.

The ways that the lesson/activity does or does not support the three UDL principles (Multiple means of representation, engagement, and action & expression) are as follows: 

Multiple means of representation:

The lesson does

  • Provide clear visuals like Google Slides with images.
  • Provide definitions (read aloud) for key vocabulary and concepts throughout the lesson. 
  • Provides translations in Spanish for printed handout
  • Provides real-life scenarios to help students understand phishing in a practical context (ex: phishing could be a link in a tweet that asks an interesting question; a photo with the caption “Funniest thing ever!”, a video pop-up  that says “To continue watching, click here.”)

The lesson doesn’t

  • Provide videos to help engage the students. 
  • Provides translations in multiple languages, apart from the handout in Spanish

Recommendation: 

  • Provide videos and translations in multiple languages

Multiple means of Action and Expression

The lesson does

  • Features a fun activity (How to catch a Phish) in which students are provided with phishing clues (ex: spelling and grammatical errors; “friend” in trouble; sense of urgency) and are asked to use them to complete an activity  Grade 6 – Don’t Feed the Phish – How to Catch A Phish Student Handout 
  • Features a quiz (available in Google Forms and on a printable handout) in which students are asked trick questions regarding scams and phishing. (Ex 1. Zack sees an online contest. He could win $10,000 instantly! On the sign-up form he enters his name and email address. He is also asked to enter his nickname, the name of any pets, and his mom’s maiden name. Should he do it?)
  • Offers graphic organizers (handout) to help students organize information they learned about phishing. 

The lesson doesn’t

  • Doesn’t offer students multiple ways of demonstrating information in terms of choice or format (Ex: drawing a picture, making their own “phishing” examples, making posters)

Recommendation: 

  • Offer students many ways to demonstrate learned information via artistic expression (ex: draw pictures, make warning posters/infographics on Canva, make their own phishing examples). 

Multiple Means of Engagement

The lesson does

  • Include group work and an activity called “Click it or Skip it?” that is based on real-world events. 
  • Features multiple opportunities for students to debrief and have classwide discussions 

The lesson doesn’t

  • Doesn’t offer choices for students to explore phishing in a way that interests them. (Ex: they can search for examples of phishing like links on youtube videos, text messages, etc.)

Recommendation: 

  • Provide more options for students to discuss phishing that they have encountered. 
  • Make lesson more differentiated for groups/students who finish early. 
Alondra Ramirez (She/her)

Lesson plan: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/internet-traffic-light-quick-activity

Multiple means of representation:

-The lesson plan has different visuals and slides for students to understand the information.

-The information can be in English and Spanish

-They learn what the color traffic light means online.
I will provide more discussion for students to have and be able to connect with real experiences.

Multiple means of engagement

-The students will engage in a game called Traffic Light game, students listen to the statement the teacher says and have to decide if it is green, yellow, or red is a site or an app. If it’s green they move two steps forward, yellow one step forward, and red can’t move.

-Students listen to a poem video and students have to hold up a correct color paper up high when they hear a specific statement.

-My recommendation for this would be to have students do more independent activity and give students more one one-on-one support.

Multiple means of action and expression

-Students will draw a picture of what would happen if they went to the wrong website or app. Have students color the traffic light sheet and write what they mean.

-I don’t have any recommendation for this one because I believe this would be a good exit ticket for students to do and it will give teachers a better understanding of what their students might need help with.

Deborah Monforte
6 months ago

lesson plan: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/pause-think-online

  • Representation: the lesson offers different ways to present the information. There are videos and visuals which is important for students especially younger students.
  • Engagement: the lesson contains a coloring book activity as well as a workbook and a digital workbook for engagement of students. Something that can be added in for increased engagement is a discussion with peers. There is an opportunity to share with the class but I think some collaboration amongst each other can also add to the engagement piece.
  • Action and Expression: For this there is the opportunity to write and share with the class. To expand on this I think teachers can have students choose to not share or use pictures vs words.
Charlene V Jimoh
6 months ago

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/chatting-safely-online

Multiple Means of Representation (MMR):

  • Strengths: The lesson effectively utilizes visual aids like videos and slides and physical demonstrations to cater to different learning styles. The inclusion of an alternate e-book activity offers another mode of representation.
  • Areas for Improvement: The lesson could enhance MMR by incorporating audio recordings or text-to-speech options for students who prefer auditory learning. Further integration of digital tools like interactive simulations or virtual models could offer more diverse representations.

Multiple Means of Engagement (MME):

  • Strengths: The lesson excels at MME by providing interactive elements like discussions, hands-on activities, and relatable content to foster engagement.
  • Areas for Improvement: The lesson could introduce more personalized learning pathways to enhance MME. This could involve offering choices within activities, tiered assignments to cater to different skill levels or opportunities for students to explore topics of personal interest.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE):

  • Strengths: The lesson allows for various forms of expression, including discussions, physical movements, and responses on handouts. The inclusion of quizzes and family activities offers diverse avenues for demonstrating understanding.
  • Areas for Improvement: The lesson could expand MMAE by incorporating more creative assessments like projects, presentations, or performances. Allowing students to collaborate on projects or choose how they want to demonstrate their learning would foster greater autonomy and ownership.

Overall Suggestions for Improvement:

To better align the lesson plan with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, consider the following enhancements: The Lesson should offer materials in multiple formats (audio, visual, text, tactile), incorporate interactive digital tools, and provide options for customization (e.g., font size, background color). It should introduce personalized learning paths, choices within activities, tiered assignments, and opportunities for self-directed exploration and include creative assessments like projects, presentations, performances, and peer feedback. Offer options for individual and collaborative work. By implementing these modifications, the lesson can cater to a wider range of learner variability, ensuring all students have equal opportunities to access, engage with, and express their learning.

Cristina Vazquez (She/Her)

The lesson plan I chose is a social emotional literacy lesson plan that talks about the movie “Encanto”. I chose this lesson plan for many reasons. For one, I LOVE THIS MOVIE. It is a very modern approach to show children about emotions, generational trauma, family relationships, and forgiveness. All the characters are different and hold different roles in the family. I also once suggested to my English professor to include Disney movies into his writings because a lot of Disney movies have major lessons.

 The lesson plan I chose did a very good job in applying UDL guidelines to this lesson plan. For Multiple means of representation, the teacher provided two different ways to teach the lesson. The first option was by showing clips of the movie and then pausing to ask questions to speed up the lesson and the second option was to watch the movie and the lesson would be taught in a few days span. If this was my lesson I would use a bit of both because it is very important to get the full context of the movie and I think clips will do the lesson less justice then actually watching the movie. A lesson can be short or long without taking a way from the actually goal of the lesson. This type of lesson should be progressively shown. I would then ask questions from the specific clips because they were really good questions. The only thing I would change about the multiple means of representation she showed in the lesson is to include subtitles for other languages spoken if necessary if she didn’t already because it wasn’t mentioned.

The way she showed multiple means of action that I liked is that she had the students fill out a worksheet that applied to their real life experiences asking what their family thinks of them and also what do they think of themselves . Also it had a question about Bruno( one of the characters) that asked students to describe their perspective (movie paused)of Bruno during the movie and also what they felt after the movie about Bruno. This really allowed the students to give their opinion before and after they gained better knowledge to see if their perspectives changed providing a moment of expression for students. At the end of the lesson the teacher provided multiple means of engagement because she asked students to make a Venn diagram comparing Encanto to their own lives using aspects such as clothing, setting and food. This in my opinion is very engaging because the worksheet was a great but some students may find it hard to describe themselves or even say how their family feels about them. That can be a very sensitive topic so making a Venn diagram to compare lives may be simpler and more fun. Another activity she made was to compare Encanto to another movie with a similar theme. This will engage students to watch more movies that delve into emotional aspects as well as be on the look out for these things every time they watch a movie. My recommendation is I would’ve had students share their responses with other classmates. A group project would’ve been great as well. The objective would’ve been to pair students into 2-3 student groups and assign similar movies to each group to then later discuss what social emotional, family relationships and morals of the stories they came up with and how they were similar and different. Overall this lesson was very good, just minor details that I mentioned could’ve been implemented but good lesson and a very important one as well. Emotional literacy is something that is under taught in education especially in underserved communities.

Linked below is the lesson plan I chose from common sense

https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/encanto-and-sel-a-movie-guide-and-lesson-plan-for-your-classroom

Angelica Laburda (she/her)

Lesson: This is Me

Engagement: affective networks the “Why” of learning
Positives: the lesson recruits interest by optimizing relevance by starting talking about selfies which is super relatableNeeds: the lesson does not build or vary demands to optimize challengeNeeds: the lesson does not plan for internalize/provide options for self regulationRepresentation: recognition networks the “What” of learning
Positives: the lesson provides 3 vocabulary words at the beginning of the lessonNeeds: the vocab words would be stronger if they also included some sort of visual to supportNeeds: The expectations of the students engaging in the activity is rigid- the lesson would best support “recognition” part of UDL if it gave students a chance to show what they know in a variety of ways, not just a completion of the worksheetNeeds: the lesson would be stronger if it provided supports across languagesAction and Expression: strategic networks the “How” of learning
Positives: the lesson does a good job at “provide options for executive functions” and facilitated managing information and resourcesNeeds: the lesson is all pencil/paper and dialogue – it would be stronger if it provided multiple tools for construction and compositionOverall, this lesson had a balance of UDL practices and ones missing so it was semi-effective. If I were to change one major thing about it, I’d focus on provide multiple means of Action and Expression: strategic networks the “How” of learning by providing options for expression and communication. Instead of having students just writing, I’d give them time to compose in multiple media such as text, speech, drawing, illustration, comics, storyboards, design, film, music, dance/movement, visual art, sculpture, or video.

Last edited 7 months ago by Angelica Laburda
Pamella Peguero (She/her)

The lesson I’ve chosen Is Your Rings of Responsibility

Analyzing lesson plan for UDL

·     Supports multiple means of representation.

     The lesson uses visual aids through videos and slides.

      The lesson has physical demonstrations that allow students to see abstract concepts tangibly.

       The lesson provides an alternate activity for students to create an e-book.

·     Does not: The lesson could be more accessible.

       It has limited technology and opportunities to use digital tools.

·     Supports multiple means of engagement.

       The lesson is interactive. It includes various activities, from a handout to discussions and opportunities to actively participate.

       Uses familiarity to make it relatable which makes it easier for students to engage.

·     Does not: The lesson has limited personalization.

       Doesn’t allow for choices.

        Doesn’t offer challenges for students with varying engagement levels.

·     Supports multiple means of action and expression.

       Students express themselves through their discussions, physical movements, and handout responses.

       Through discussions, lesson quizzes, and family activities to further extend learning.

·     Does not: Limited expression.

      Should include more creative alternative assessments like projects and presentations.  

 

To improve the lesson plan, I would provide materials in various formats such as audio, visual, and text. I would incorporate technology tools, and interactive elements to cater to different learning styles. I would include differentiated activities and choices within the activities. I would allow for artistic expression through projects, presentations, and peer work. These tweaks would help the lesson plan further align with UDL principles.  

Angelica Laburda (she/her)

Incorporating technology tools and interactive elements would definitely cater to different learning styles and elevate this lesson!

Maryann Ortiz
7 months ago

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/meet-guts-of-the-digital-citizens

Lesson:  Meet Guys of the Digital Citizens!                   Grades: K -2

Learning Objective: I can be a digital citizen on the internet  by keeping my password and information safe online.

Three UDL principles: Multiple means of representation, engagement, and action & expression. 

  1. Multiple means of engagement:

The students were engaged in this learning because this is information that all students should learn about.  The “Why” in the learning of this activity was to learn to be safe online. 

  1. Multiple means of representation:

The students viewed the lesson on slides which were both created in English and Spanish. Vocabulary words were reviewed to introduce them to what they would learn. They also watched a video called Meet the Digital Citizen Guts. Handouts for coloring were given to students and students had the opportunity to share and reflect on ways that they can stay safe online.

  1. Multiple means of action and expression:

 The students learned by watching a video with information and having a worksheet to write a sentence to reflect what they have learned from the lesson.  Students also had a chance to reflect and share ideas with their friends. 

The lesson for Common Sense seems to use the UDL guidelines.  I would improve the lesson by thinking about accessibility for my students.  Giving them the opportunity to interact with Guts on a personal level using their headphones and completing lessons online to practice about the safety and the use of passwords. 

Angelica Laburda (she/her)
Reply to  Maryann Ortiz

Giving your students the opportunity to use their headphones and complete lessons online to practice about the safety and the use of passwords would absolutely be one way to optimize tools – I think it would improve “action & expression”

Ingrid Blumberg (she/her)

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/thats-private

That’s Private!- What kinds of information should I keep to myself when I use the internet?- Grade 2 

Multiple Means of Representation:

  • The lesson uses visual aids with slides, graphics and a student handout to help represent the information. 

A recommendation I have is to implement additional visual aids or multimedia elements such as a short video to further enhance engagement and understanding. 

Multiple Means of Engagement:

  •   The lesson uses interactive elements such as thumbs up and thumbs down game, collaborative discussions and partner reflections. 

A recommendation I have is to encourage more peer -to-peer interaction, perhaps through small group discussions or projects. Have examples related to real-life scenarios to make the lesson content more relatable and engaging. 

Multiple Means of Action and Expression:

  • The lesson offers students various ways to express their understanding such as participating in discussions and completing the handout with a partner or independently. 

A recommendation I have is to provide additional options for expression such as allowing students to create their own illustrations on the importance of keeping information private. 

Isatou Kebbeh
1 year ago

The lesson that I’ve chosen is called, “Meet Guys of the Digital Citizens!”

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/meet-guts-of-the-digital-citizens

Grades: K -2

Objective:

Understand what being safe on the internet means.

Reflect on ways to keep their passwords and information safe.

Multiple means of representation:

Students watched videos and reviewed vocabulary words.

Students were given handouts to color pictures.

Students shared their reflections on ways they can stay safe online.

Slides were given in both English and Spanish.

Multiple means of action and expression:

Students were given take home handouts to do family activities.

Students shared their reflections with class.

Multiple means of engagement:

Students were allowed to have class discussions.

Students did feelings check in.

Students watched videos and were asked questions.

Common sense lessons always use the UDL guidelines but I would recommend that they use visual and audio aides for students with vision or hearing impairments.

Kathleen
1 year ago

The lesson I picked was Meet the Arms:
https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/meet-arms-of-the-digital-citizens

The objective was to teach students how to balance their time using technology by introducing a character.

Provide Multiple Means of Engagement:
– The lesson provided a cartoon video which can be very engaging
-presentation of a fun character
– the students can draw a picture
-picture slides available to teach and are colorful
(Overall supports this UDL principle)

Provide Multiple Means of Representation:
-ideas are represented in a video format
-easy to understand video can break down more comes ideas such as balance
-content can be drawn or written
-Slides can be presented in English or Spanish
– pictures in slides can help decipher meaning of content
(Overall supports this UDL principle but would be nice to have other languages available as well)

Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression:
-allows students to write or draw what they learned
-an activity is included for students to practice at home
(Although there are two Means to provide expression perhaps students can also engage in a group discussion to assess learning)

Nicole Berrios
1 year ago

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/putting-a-stop-to-online-meanness

The lesson I chose to evaluate is putting a stop to online meanness.

Grade 2:

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand what online meanness can look like and how it can make people feel
  • Identify ways to respond to mean words online, using S-T-O-P (S: Step away, T:Tell a trusted adult, O:OK sites only, P:Pause and think)

Multiple means of representations:

  • Common sense lessons always have multiple means of representations. Using google slides in both English and Spanish, STOP online Meanness Handout, as well as take home resources, family activities and tips, the SEL conservation starters are ways parents can ask questions and talk to their children about the strategy they learned.

Multiple means of action and expression:

  • Students have a variety of actions and expressions. Using think-pair-share during the lesson on many occasions.
  • Using a stuffed animal for role play.
  • The use of a t-chart to organize face to face interactions to compare them with online interactions.

Multiple means of engagement:

  • Students are given a scenario to be able to implement the strategy, Step away, Tell a trusted adult, Ok sites first, and Pause and think online.
  • Students are also asked to Pause and think for a moment. They have the choice to draw a picture about what they should do if they experience someone being mean to them online or write a few sentences explaining what they should do if the experience someone being mean to them online.

Common sense lessons, in my opinion, always use the UDL framework to address different topics related to the digital world we live in. These lessons address the needs of diverse learners while using real world scenarios to spark discussions on how we need to manage ourselves in the digital world. There is nothing I would add to this lesson. I would definitely use the drawings the students create as a display in the classroom or outside the classroom for other students to see.

Kattie Guerrero-Valoy

Grade: 9

The Big Data Dilemma ; What are the benefits and and drawbacks of online tracking?

Learning Objectives:

  • Define online tracking and describe how companies use it.
  • Identify the benefits and drawbacks of online tracking to both companies and users.
  • Analyze specific examples of online tracking and take a position for or against them.

Representation:

  • Students watch a video on how information is tracked online by companies.
  • Students are presented that content through a slideshow, videos, and articles.

Engagement:

  • As students are watching the video they engage in a whole class discussion and track their thinking on a note tracker.

Action and Expression:

  • Students are prompted to narrow down their examples and choose two to analyze by answering guided questions.
  • Students are given an activity to complete with parents.

This lesson has the principles of UDL, I would have recommended for students to engage in a form of a debate and develop an activity surrounding a scenario to give students a hands on real-world situation.

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/the-big-data-dilemma

Sarah Palomeque
1 year ago

Grade 2

Device-Free Moments

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize the ways in which digital devices can be distracting.
  • Identify how they feel when others are distracted by their devices.
  • Identify ideal device-free moments for themselves and others.

Provides Multiple Means of Representation:

This lesson provides a video, Google Slides presentation, 2 worksheets, family activities, family tips and family engagement resources to educate students why it is important to have some device-free moments in our lives. The worksheets and family resources are available in English and Spanish.

  • More than 2 languages are needed to support the wide variety of languages we have in our classroom.
  • Have devices available to translate to languages CommonSense does not offer
  • Translate the worksheets in multiple languages

Provides Multiple Means of Engagement:

This lesson provides a video, a Google Slides presentation and turns and talks to educate students why it is important to have some device-free moments in our lives.

  • This lesson has a lot of content, so it should be broken down into 2 days.
  • More videos once the lesson is broken down into 2 days

Provides Multiple Means of Action and Expression:

This lesson provides 2 worksheets for students to express themselves on what they have learned. One worksheet is for students to create a device-free rule to stay safe, to show respect, so we can concentrate, and get our sleep. The other worksheet has students writing and drawing one piece of advice they would give a grown-up to not be distracted by devices. Then to explain the advice they would give and why.

  • Provide a variety of different ways students can express what they have learned, like: a poster, a cartoon strip, a dialogue conversation between parent and child, etc. 

Overall, the common sense website provides great lessons based on grade level to educate students on how to be good digital citizens when using technology. For almost all the lessons, I break all of them into 2 days because I feel there is a lot of content to teach in one period which is about 35-40 minutes. 

Jennifer R. (she/her)

Grade 6 Chatting Safely Online

Learning Targets:

I can:

-Analyze how well they know the people they interact with online. 

-Reflect on what information is safe to share with different types of online friends. 

-Learn to recognize red flag feelings and use the Feelings & Options thinking routine to respond to them.

Provides multiple means representation:

The lesson includes a slide show and video. The topic is directly related to the students and the video features students that reflect the population of my class. All the materials, the slides, video, hand-outs, and family resources are included in Spanish and English.

  • Have a device available that can translate for ELL students.
  • Have translated response forms in other languages, online response sheets for students who do not like/cannot write.

Provide multiple means of action and expression:

The lesson provides a  chance for the students to respond to prompts and share their responses with a partner. There is also an online quiz to demonstrate their understanding. They also have to respond to online chat scenarios.

  • To incorporate more areas of UDL, you could add additional choices to demonstrate understanding such as creating a video, comic strip, posters ,slideshow etc. 

Provide multiple means of engagement:

  • This lesson grabs the students attention from the beginning by bringing in their gaming, texting, social media, and other experiences online. It talks about chatting with people they know and strangers. This is completely a relevant topic for them.
  • The lesson also front loads any necessary vocabulary at the beginning to increase the student’s understanding.

Overall, this is a well-written and planned lesson. It encompasses the principles of UDL. There are always improvements that can be made but definitely worth using and modifying with my own classes. It is an important topic to cover.

JoEllen (She/Her)
1 year ago
Reply to  Jennifer R.

I agree, commonsense.org has done a great job taking into account all learners as evidenced by all of our blog comments.

JoEllen (She/Her)
1 year ago

I choose Power of Words lesson from Commonsense.org

The Power of Words

Lesson Goals:

  • Understand that it’s important to think about the words we use, because everyone interprets things differently.
  • Identify ways to respond to mean words online, using S-T-O-P.
  • Decide what kinds of statements are OK to say online and which are not.

Provides multiple means representation:

The lesson includes a slide show and video. These include emojis which will allow more students to connect to the emotions trying to be solicited and developed. The slides, video and response sheet are included in Spanish and English.

  • Have a device available that can translate for ELL students.
  • Have translated response forms in other languages, online response sheets for students who do not like/cannot write.

Provide multiple means of action and expression:

The lesson provides a response sheet that includes visual of an example. It also includes an online quiz.

  • Instead of having students complete the response form or quiz, students could be asked to extend the activity by creating a comic strip, video, sign, Flipgrid video, presentation teaching other kids what to do when they encounter unkind words online.
  • The lesson offers an acronym “STOP” for what to do before posting or responding online – students could once again be given a menu of activities to either put this in practice (role playing, sharing a real life example, or creating a “STOP” visual.

Provide multiple means of engagement:

The lesson as written has an engaging start that asks students to match the tone of the voice saying hello to an emoji. Next students watch a video using the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
The lesson offers copies of the slides and response sheet in Spanish, but no other languages.

  • If there are students who speak other languages, I would intersperse their home language’s “hello”.

Overall this lesson is a good lesson on a very difficult topic. I think there are challenges as so much about this is linked to students ability to perceive how words might impact other’s emotions and empathize. Students in 3rd grade also have different ideas of what is funny or understanding sarcasm, and different tolerances. In this lesson you are getting them to understand that if it is hurtful to the recipient it is crossing the line. If you have autistic students it might be challenging, but can be done by integrating more emojis or role playing.

Sarah Palomeque
1 year ago
Reply to  JoEllen

I like your suggestions for the lesson to help it reach UDL.

Christina Salters (She/Her)

The lesson I choose from the Common Sense website is Our Online Tracks | Common Sense Education. The lesson does a great job of teaching students about how their online activities affect their digital footprint.

  • Multiple means of representation- 

The lesson does: Students play a game “Share Jumper” in a digital passport to give them background information. Vocabulary is provided to explain key words/concepts

The lesson doesn’t: Students don’t get an opportunity to see other resources that would help them engage with the information.  Such as books, magazines, and/or videos.

  • Engagement-

The lesson does: There are images on the slides to get students talking about what they see.

The lesson doesn’t: Students don’t have much choice in what they are seeing and how they are able to process the information.  Students should be given time to talk in pairs or small groups.  They should be able to explore more examples to get a better understanding.

  • Action & expression-

The lesson does:  Students work in pairs to complete a handout. Students are asked to share out their thoughts to the

The lesson doesn’t: Students are not given multiple ways to express their knowledge.  The handout is very straightforward. Students should be allowed to create their own explanations.

These are some of my findings and suggestions for improving on this lesson. By including some of the things that it doesn’t include, students may be more interested in and active in the learning process.

Vanessa Polonio (she/her)

I chose the Password Power-Up lesson because it is a third grade lesson and creating a strong password is one of my important steps in being a good digital citizen.

Multiple Means of Engagement:
Strengths:

  • The lesson does provide opportunities for students to work in groups during turn and talks and the jigsaw activity with the different scenarios.
  • The scenarios are realistic and relatable.
  • The objectives of the lesson are presented at the beginning.
  • Students are given a checklist to help them create a strong password with the sheet called Power Up Password.

Weaknesses:

  • Students aren’t given many choices to explore creating passwords.
  • Students are not given choices on how to present the effects in the scenarios.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression:
Strengths:

  • Students are given a quiz which they can take online.

Weaknesses:

  • Students are given only one way to show their understanding which is taking the quiz.
  • There were no tools to help students organize their thoughts or learning.

Multiple Means of Representation:
Strengths:

  • The lesson in presented on Google Slides.
  • The vocabulary is presented on the Google Slides.
  • There is a game that children can play at the beginning of the lesson.

Weaknesses:

  • There are no videos to help support the lesson.
  • Not all the vocabulary has visual aids.
  • The steps also have no visual aids.

I noticed this lesson provides lots of ways to engage students. It allows them to work in groups using realistic scenarios and provides a checklist in helping them to create a strong password. However, I feel the lesson lacks in the principles of multiple means of representation and action and expression. For instance, to strengthen representation, more visuals could be added. A visual for a phrase would benefit all students. Also a video to show the negative effects of weak passwords would help students see the importance and be more engaging. A book or article could also help to engage students and present the information in a different way. Students could take the quiz or be given a choice of how to present their understanding. They could create their own infographic about strong passwords. This infographic could be visual or digital. This activity could be independent or collaborative. When going over the scenarios the students could have acted or written the results. Providing options would have improved the lesson in engagement and action and expression.

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