Friesen’s (2009) “Core Principle 1: Effective teaching practice begins with the thoughtful and intentional design of learning that engages students intellectually and academically” is demonstrated through the step by step process by which I build the lesson and build student knowledge.  Prior to the unit, I focus on developing Judson’s (2018) Walking Curriculum so that students can engage in their learning using prior knowledge to connect to current learning experiences.  “Core Principle 2: The work that students are asked to undertake is worthy of their time and attention, is personally relevant, and deeply connected to the world in which they live” is precisely why I engaged with a walking curriculum prior to the unit so that students could and would use their previous experiences to inform and guide their current learning in this lesson and beyond.  Finally, “Core Principle 4: Teachers foster a variety of interdependent relationships in classrooms that promote learning and create a strong culture around learning” through the use of partners, small groups and the whole group engaging each other in respectful and challenging discourse.  I work with my students to build a learning community in the beginning of each semester.  We spend several classes engaging in discussion and brainstorming around how to build a culture of trust that promotes learning.  I have found these activities to be extremely beneficial moving forward in the semester.

Finally, in terms of assessment (which I did not specifically focus on in this particular lesson), Jodi made an excellent suggestion that I will immediately incorporate.  Previously, I had students journalling their walking curriculum reflections/experiences, but rather than reading each journal entry, Jodi suggested asking students to choose which journal entr(ies) they want me to comment on, and maybe they reflect on their “strongest” example, using the criteria that we created and established together.