I love the framework of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)! I learned about it in my first class at Regis in the Fall of 2023. It really resonated with me then and it still does now. It is something that I have looked for in each of my practicum placements- and something that I would love to fully implement in my future classroom. It was especially interesting to intentionally observe and help teach through the UDL lens this week.
This writing piece was done by a student that I typically support during writing time, however, this project had amazing scaffolding that allowed this student to complete the project from beginning to end independently. The sentence frames on the board were enough support to help her be successful without taking away her learner agency- or her ability to take ownership of her own learning in this project (IRIS | Page 1: Universal Design for Learning, n.d.). She recognized that she didn't have to ask for help and was really excited and proud of her work.
We began our life science unit studying animals this week. This is often a favorite unit of the students and so the teachers have been excited to get here. We started by talking about different ways that animals can be classified or organized. We watched videos about animal classification and had some discussions.
This past Wednesday the first graders were given a fun STEM project to work on. First the students watched a read-aloud of The Biggest Snowman Ever by Steven Kroll. They were then given a set of supplies and told to create the biggest snowman they could. The students had 45 minutes to plan and make their snowman. According to Kopp, "STEM activities fall at the highest level of inquiry. In STEM activities, students apply learning for a real-life purpose, suited to address a real-life problem. They actually design and construct a model to address the problem, and test its effectiveness" (Kopp, 2015, p.53).
The students had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the freedom of this project. I am always amazed at the amount of creativity and motivation students have when given an engaging assignment with very few constraints. The objective of this project was really simple- a student will be able to construct a snowman using only the materials provided. They will be able to measure their snowman and they will be able to record facts about their snowman in writing. I thought this project demonstrated the common UDL phrase "clear goals, multiple means" really well (IRIS | Page 4: Goals, n.d.). The students easily understood what they needed to do but the objective did not dictate how the students had to accomplish the objective.
Some students carefully planned their designs on paper first, while others just pulled out scissors and glue and started creating. A planning paper was available to everyone but not required. Some students got frustrated when they ran out of supplies- especially when they ran out of the small bit of tape they got- but that is also when they got more creative. As I walked through each classroom and observed all the different ways the students were creating, I thought about how the UDL framework recognizes learner variability. In the UDL Module on the IRIS Center website it says, "educators who understand variability recognize that every student brings a unique constellation of abilities and experiences to their learning. Variability is the rule, not the exception" (IRIS | Page 1: Universal Design for Learning, n.d.). I don't think anything demonstrates learner variability better than a 1st grade STEM project!
After students had completed their snowman, they used them in math by measuring them with both popsicle sticks and unifix cubes. Students loved working in math with their own creations. They were so excited to take measurements and compare them to others in the classroom.
Students also did a writing prompt about their snowman.
This writing piece was done by a student that I typically support during writing time, however, this project had amazing scaffolding that allowed this student to complete the project from beginning to end independently. The sentence frames on the board were enough support to help her be successful without taking away her learner agency- or her ability to take ownership of her own learning in this project (IRIS | Page 1: Universal Design for Learning, n.d.). She recognized that she didn't have to ask for help and was really excited and proud of her work.
We began our life science unit studying animals this week. This is often a favorite unit of the students and so the teachers have been excited to get here. We started by talking about different ways that animals can be classified or organized. We watched videos about animal classification and had some discussions.
The students learned about animals that are called vertebrates, meaning they have a back bone. Vertebrates will be the focus of our animal study. Groups of vertebrates include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish. Students chose a favorite animal to draw and then the class organized the animals into different groups of vertebrates.
One day this week we jumped into learning specifically about reptiles. We watched a slideshow about different types of reptiles and then created a list of what we knew. This unit is fun because students have a lot of background knowledge about animals, and they get really excited to share.
Another day we focused specifically on fish. Students watched an informational video and then wrote down what they know about fish.
The first grade classes will continue to explore mammals, birds, and amphibians over the next week. The objective of this research and information gathering is to provide students with the background knowledge they will need to choose which animal they are interested in studying further. One important aspect of UDL is addressing barriers. A barrier is any aspect related to the design of a learning experience that hinders a student's ability to access and demonstrate learning. According to the IRIS module, educators committed to UDL are proactive in predicting and removing barriers (IRIS | Page 2: Addressing Barriers, n.d.). The first grade teachers I work with have planned to remove barriers involving differing levels of background knowledge and vocabulary in their classrooms by providing some general information on animal groups and their attributes.
This week was really busy! In social studies we continued studying notable Americans. We did informational writing about Jackie Robinson from what we learned about him last week. We then learned about Harriet Tubman, filled out a note catcher and did a timeline of important events in her life. We finished the week with informational writing about Harriet Tubman.
In our 4th week of studying notable Americans, the students are getting much better at understanding how to use their note catchers as an effective note taking tool- and they are learning how to use them best for themselves. Some students write full sentences that capture every detail, some students write one- or two-word bullet points and others draw and label pictures. They now understand that they will be using their note catcher to do informational writing and so they add what works for them.
The UDL framework is built on three principles that guide educators in their lesson planning and design. These principles are:
- Design multiple means of engagement
- Design multiple means of presentation
- Design multiple means of action & expression
(IRIS | Page 3: UDL Principles, n.d.)
As in weeks previous, the learning around Harriet Tubman was done through multiple means of presentation. The content was delivered through a video, informational books and through primary sources including photographs and maps of the underground railroad. Harriet Tubman's story was extremely engaging for the students, most of whom are learning about slavery in early America for the first time.
It has been an exciting week packed full of science and social studies, inquiry and explorations, inclusive planning and implementing the UDL framework. Looking forward to more fun in first grade next week!
References
IRIS | Page 1: Universal Design for Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2025, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/udl/cresource/q1/p01/#content
IRIS | Page 2: Addressing Barriers. (n.d.). Retrieved February 7, 2025, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/udl/cresource/q1/p03x/#content
IRIS | Page 3: UDL Principles. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2025, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/udl/cresource/q1/p03/#content
IRIS | Page 4: Goals. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2025, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/udl/cresource/q2/p04/#content
Kopp, K. (2015). Teaching Science Today (2nd ed.). Shell Education.
It sounds like such an engaging and thoughtful week of learning! I love how the UDL framework was intentionally woven throughout the STEM project, science lessons, and social studies activities. The snowman project is a great example of allowing students to explore concepts in multiple ways while also providing just the right amount of scaffolding to ensure success. It's amazing to see how learner variability was embraced, and it must have been so rewarding to watch students take ownership of their learning.
ReplyDeleteIn social studies, the integration of primary sources and multiple means of presenting information about Harriet Tubman is such a powerful approach. It's great that students are developing their note-taking strategies in ways that work best for them!
I'm curious- how do the teachers assess students' learning in these UDL-based activities? Are there multiple ways for students to demonstrate their understanding beyond traditional writing assignments?
UDL also really resonates and gets me excited to teach because it makes learning available to all students. I like how you cited the reason for STEM-one being that is helps teach students how they can solve real-world problems. The snowman project seemed like a great opportunity for students to work on a problem through planning and/or trail and error. I also like how this activity was paired with a writing activity and that some writing barriers were removed with the sentence starters.
ReplyDeleteWhen the students wrote about the animals and what they learned, did the teachers require or ask them to use certain vocab words such as mammals or vertebrates?
1st grade certainly was busy this week! Thank you for your post-you did a great job tying the readings with the classroom lessons and activities.
Jess, this is a packed blog. You're really lucky to be observing so many amazing activities and strategies in your classroom!
ReplyDeleteI love the snowman activity, especially how it integrated more than one subject and how it allowed the students to use their creativity. I find that as kids get older, they use their creativity less and less in the classroom, and I wish that activities like this one could be applied to older grades as well.
I'm wondering if additional supports could be added to the Social Studies note catcher. What first struck me was the lack of lines, which could make writing even more challenging for students that are already struggling in that area. Adding lines would be a great example of how UDL benefits all students, not only those that need the support. I also wonder if students, especially in first grade, could be encouraged to use pictures for their notecatcher instead of just words.
Jess,
ReplyDeleteIt's great to read how well the UDL framework is working in your classroom! I think your focus on giving students freedom while still maintaining clear goals was really effective. The STEM project, for instance, offered students the chance to express their creativity while still sticking to the core objective. I love how the process itself helped students' problem-solve when they ran out of supplies—this is a perfect example of encouraging flexibility and adaptability, which are key components of UDL. The idea of learner variability shines through, and it’s clear how you've been able to embrace those differences in how students approached the assignments.
The use of scaffolding for your student who you typically support in writing was another strong example of UDL in action. It’s fantastic that the sentence frames gave her the independence to complete the task on her own. This shows how well you've integrated supports while still empowering her to take ownership of her learning.
One area for potential improvement could be in further diversifying the means of engagement for all students during the life science unit. While it’s awesome that you're providing a mix of videos, discussions, and drawing activities, you could offer even more interactive or hands-on experiences.
I enjoyed reviewing your blog and the way you structured your posts, with pictures describing the activities and the outline. You were able to clearly convey how UDL can make classrooms more flexible and inclusive. Through your hands-on activities, you engaged your students' learning and curiosity, allowing them to learn in their own unique style. Regarding your snowman project, you demonstrated that everyone learns differently, and by offering different ways to complete the task, you supported diverse approaches to learning. Your writing samples showed the progression of students' writing abilities and offered helpful ideas with your sentence stems, encouraging independence. Thank you for providing such great examples.
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