1. Learning by Doing: Unit Planning That Gets Learners Doing! Presenters:
Lia Conklin: ELL Instructor/Team Leader, EL Civics Grant Coordinator & Designer, Ronald Hubbs Center, St. Paul, MN
Jennifer Asp: ELL/Workforce Ed. Instructor, EL Civics Grant Designer, Ronald Hubbs Center, St. Paul, MN
EL Civics Grant materials available at: hubbs.spps.org/elcivics

2. Session Learning Goals
Name: _______________________ Date: _____________________
Circle the picture that shows how you feel about each leaning goal.
 = Hard,  = So-so,  = Easy
Learning Goals
Before Unit
After Unit
Participate in an authentic example of a product-based unit (i.e. this session).
  
2. Identify real-life & work scenarios and describe a unit product that reflects those scenarios.
3. Identify a variety of skills required in a real life or work scenario & unit product.
4. Outline a unit plan with a unit product, section products, activity products, and work skills.
5. Find available unit products and support materials on-line at

3. Learning by Doing: Product-Based Unit Plan
Self survey.
Unit Product:
Design a unit plan that:
Describes an authentic unit product.
Identifies benchmarks.
Outlines section & activity products.
Section Product:
Discuss one’s current unit planning practices.
Discuss w/ group.
Describe unit product
Benchmarks
Identify real-life & work scenarios
Describe unit products
Identify benchmarks
Design a unit plan
Fill in Scenarios.
Fill in lang. skills.
Section Product:
Complete theme chart w/ examples
Fill in work skills.
Describe a unit product.
Housing section products
Housing unit product
Identify scenario
Section Product:
Deconstruct unit product example: Housing Simulation
Section Product:
Navigate the product-based unit plan model.
Identify work skills
Find online resources
Housing activity products

4. Unit Planning Self-Survey:
What unit/theme are you currently teaching?
On average, how long do your units last?
With whom do you regularly collaborate?
What is your greatest strength when designing lesson plans?
What would you like to improve when designing lesson plans?

5. Unit Planning: Small Group Grid
Unit Topic
Real-life
Scenario
Unit Product
Work Skills
Language
Skills
Housing
Community
Food
Health
Civic
Responsibility
Consumerism

6. Product-Based Unit Plan Description
A “product” describes what skills will be demonstrated and HOW they will be demonstrated.
Choose an authentic Unit Product that promotes authentic life & work skills.
Outline benchmarks that integrate a variety of skill types and are achievable w/in the Unit Product.
Segment Unit Product into Section Products or instructional “chunks” that scaffold to Unit Product.
Break down Section Products into Activity Products that scaffold to Section Product.

7. Product-Based Unit Plan: Template
Unit Product:
Section Product:
Work Skills
Section Product:
Section Product:
Section Product:

8. Team Evaluation Instructions: Read each question. Circle your answer.
Your Name:
Date:
Did everyone participate?
Yes  Somewhat  No 
2. Did you participate?
3. Did you learn how to create a unit plan
using the product-based method?
4. Did your team do a good job?
5. Did you do a good job?