Creative Teaching: Designing Culturally Relevant Instruction

For the Final Project, you will assume the role of a classroom teacher applying for a $10,000 Teacher Creativity Fellowship Grant. This award provides financial resources to teachers, which allows the recipient to spend time during the summer months developing an instructional experience that will be implemented and evaluated during the upcoming fall semester. This year’s grant recipients are awarded funding on the condition they develop instructional experiences and programs to support the learning of 21st century skills, specifically, creative and innovative skills. 
To further prepare for your Final Project, imagine you teach in a culturally diverse school, and you recognize a need to develop more culturally relevant instructional experiences that promote creative and innovative thinking. After carefully examining the information in the request for proposal for the grant described above, you realize the funding awards are based on the clarity and details of a ten-part form submitted for evaluation. After careful deliberation, you decide to apply for the grant to finance your time and help you obtain the resources needed to develop the proposed instructional experiences. A primary component of your plan requires consideration of the culture and specific needs of each child enrolled in your class (or one of your classes) for the upcoming semester. 
Writing the Final Project
Create your Final Project to meet the content and written communication expectations below. The content expectations include the ten parts of the request for proposal. If you have questions about the expectations for this assignment, use the Ask Your Instructor discussion section in the left-navigation pane of your course.
Content Expectations:

·         Part I: Audience and Rationale (1 point): Write an overview of the class and target population, including the age range, grade and/or subject area, and other relevant attributes of the culture in which school is situated.

·         Part II: Outcomes (1 point): List the instructional outcomes (i.e., learning objectives) of the instructional experience including (a) Content Outcomes, (b) 21st century skills with an emphasis on creativity and innovation and the International Society for Technology in Education technology skills, and (c) cultural competencies explicitly facilitated within the planned learning experience.

·         Part III: Assessment (1 point): Describe how you will measure the degree to which the learners have acquired your targeted outcomes. You do not need to develop the assessments, just describe what they would be in some detail.

·         Part IV. Context Description (2 points): Describe the nature of the overall instructional context established by addressing (a) creativity (i.e., learners involved in making or creating something), (b) problem solving (i.e., overall activity focuses on solving a specific or ill-defined problem), or (c) a real/simulated experience (i.e., activity consists of performing tasks that are part of a real-world experience or an experience designed to simulate real-world activity).

·         Part V: Instructional Plan Summary (2 points): Summarize the planned instructional experiences, providing a justification for the need to employ a culturally relevant framework to help facilitate both creativity and innovation skills and the content-area skills the instructional experience addresses.

·         Part VI. Evidence of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in the Instructional Plan (8 points): Describe the planned learning experiences in detail. Ensure the plan includes at least four of the following nine strategy options:

a.    Maximizing academic success through relevant instructional experiences

b.    Addressing cultural competence through reinforcing students’ cultural integrity

c.    Involving students in the construction of knowledge

d.    Building on students’ interests and linguistic resources

e.    Tapping home and community resources

f.     Understanding students’ cultural knowledge

g.    Using interactive and constructivist teaching strategies

h.    Examining the curriculum from multiple perspectives 

i.      Promoting critical consciousness through opportunities to challenge predominant elements of the students’ social norms

·         Part VII. Creativity/Innovation Strategies in the Instructional Plan (6 points): Ensure the planned instructional experience provides four or more of the following ten strategies for facilitating creativity and innovative thinking:

a.    Encouraging students to believe in their culture-influenced creative potential

b.    Nurturing the confidence to try

c.    Helping learners find their creative strengths

d.    Promoting experiment and inquiry and a willingness to make mistakes

e.    Encouraging generative thought, free from immediate criticism

f.     Encouraging the expression of personal ideas and feelings

g.    Conveying an understanding of phases in creative work and the need for time

h.    Developing an awareness of the roles of intuition and aesthetic processes

i.      Encouraging students to play with ideas and conjecture about possibilities

j.      Facilitating critical evaluation of ideas

·         Part VIII: Timeline (1 point): Explain when the following steps will occur: (a) development of instructional materials (including both formative and summative assessments), (b) Implementation of the instructional experience, and (c) evaluation and reporting of results.

Written Communication Expectations

·         Page Requirement (.5 points): Submit eight to ten pages, not including the title and reference pages.

·         APA Formatting (.5 points): Format your paper according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

·         Syntax and Mechanics (1.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. 

·         Source Requirement (.5 points): Reference three scholarly sources in addition to the course textbooks, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the references page need to be used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Next Steps: Review and Submit the Final Project
Review your assignment with the Grading Rubric to be sure you have achieved the distinguished levels of performance for each criterio

n. Next, submit the assignment for evaluation no later than Day 7.

Instructions
Your country just overthrew its dictator, and you are the newly elected President. Unfortunately, due to the divisions in the country and the years of war, economic, military, and political structures are non-existent. A group of loyalists to the old dictator have been detonating bombs, murdering civilians, assassinating leaders, and terrorizing towns with help from a neighboring country's dictator.

Create a comprehensive plan for your new government. While creating this government identify the governing style, functions of various branches of government, principles that govern leaders, the maintaining of public good, which economic structure is most beneficial to your citizens, at least two domestic programs, ways to create national unity, ways to combat terrorism and violence, and international organizations to join. (See rubric for specific ways to meet the requirements of the paper.)

Paper headings:

• Introduction (1 paragraph)
  • Introduce your country
  • Briefly outline all of the parts of the paper
• Domestic Concerns (1-2 pages)
  • Identify governing style and principles that correlate to this style
  • Identify the branches of government and its functions
  • Development of two public good domestic programs and how they will meet the public good
  • Economic structure and reason why this should be used
  • Socializing citizens is noted with rationale for how it creates national unity
• Foreign Concerns (1-2 pages)
  • Two international organizations are noted, one for economics and one for security
  • Descriptions of both organizations
  • Rationales for joining these organizations
  • Steps to joining
  • Two ways your country will combat the neighboring country's terrorist threat and the domestic threat
  • Two ways these will be effective
• Conclusion (1 paragraph)

Writing Requirements (APA format)

• Length: 3-4 pages (not including title page or references page)
• 1-inch margins
• Double spaced
• 12-point Times New Roman font
• Title page
• References page (minimum of 2 scholarly sources)

Week 7 Assignment: Essay - Creating Your Ideal State (1)

Week 7 Assignment: Essay - Creating Your Ideal State (1)

CriteriaRatingsPts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGoverning style and principles of the government.

20.0 ptsThe governing style is understandable and the principles support the choice of the governing style.

16.0 ptsThe governing style is unclear, the principles are unclear, or the governing style and principles do not support each other.

12.0 ptsMissing one part of the governing style and principles.

0.0 ptsMissing both parts of the governing style and principles.

20.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeBranches of government and its functions.

20.0 ptsExplains each branch of government and the function of the particular branch and how they support the governing style.

16.0 ptsThe branches of government and their functions do not match, or the branches are discussed without talking about their functions AND how they support the governing style.

12.0 ptsOnly minimally discusses branches, and their functions or the branches do not support the governing style chosen.

0.0 ptsDoes not discuss the branches and their functions.

20.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMaintaining public good through at least two domestic programs

20.0 ptsTwo domestic programs are created clearly explaining how public good is maintained with these programs.

16.0 ptsTwo domestic programs are noted, but it’s unclear how they benefis the public good.

12.0 ptsOnly one domestic program is noted, or it is unclear how the public good is maintained.

0.0 ptsNo domestic program is noted.

20.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEconomic structure

15.0 ptsThe economic structure is named and supports the governing style with a rationale for using the structure.

12.0 ptsThe economic structure is named and supports the governing style, but the rationale is unclear.

9.0 ptsThe economic structure is named but does not support the governing style, and the rationale is unclear.

0.0 ptsThe economic structure is not addressed.

15.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePolitical socializing to create national unity

15.0 ptsThere is at least one method the new government will use to socialize citizens to create national unity and rationales for using these methods.

12.0 ptsThe method described will create national unity, but rationale is not provided.

9.0 ptsThe method described will not create national unity and rationale is not provided.

0.0 ptsNo method for national unity is addressed.

15.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeInternational organizations

25.0 ptsAt least two different international organizations, one economic and one for security, were identified with brief descriptions of the purposes of these organizations and steps on how to join.

20.0 ptsOnly one international organization is noted, obut descriptions and rationale are unclear andit is nclear on the steps to join.

15.0 ptsOnly one international organization was noted and no rationales and descriptions were given.

0.0 ptsInternational organizations were not addressed

25.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCombatting terrorism and violence

25.0 ptsTwo ways were offered to combat terrorism and violence (one to deal with international threat and one with domestic).Effective rationale for solutions were offered.

20.0 ptsTwo ways were offered to combat terrorism and violence (one to deal with international threat and one with domestic). Effective rationale for one or both solutions were not offered.

15.0 ptsOnly one way to combat violence and sound rationale on why to use that solution was offered.

0.0 ptsWays to combat violence is not noted.

25.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeScholarly resources

10.0 ptsUses both the book and, at least, one outside scholarly source.

8.0 ptsUses only the book or a scholarly source.

6.0 ptsUses only a scholarly source and the source is not scholarly.

0.0 ptsDoes not use the book or scholarly source.

10.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAPA

5.0 ptsAll sources are properly cited and referenced according to APA standards.

4.0 ptsSources are either properly cited or referenced, missing one of those elements.

3.0 ptsThe citation and/or reference are incorrect.

0.0 ptsNo APA format was used.

5.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting

5.0 ptsPresents information using clear and concise language in an organized manner (minimal errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

4.0 ptsPresents information using understandable language but is somewhat disorganized (some errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

3.0 ptsPresents information using understandable language but is very disorganized (many errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

0.0 ptsPresents information that is not clear, logical, professional or organized to the point that the reader has difficulty understanding the message (numerous errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and/or punctuation).

5.0 pts

Instructions
Your country just overthrew its dictator, and you are the newly elected President. Unfortunately, due to the divisions in the country and the years of war, economic, military, and political structures are non-existent. A group of loyalists to the old dictator have been detonating bombs, murdering civilians, assassinating leaders, and terrorizing towns with help from a neighboring country's dictator.

Create a comprehensive plan for your new government. While creating this government identify the governing style, functions of various branches of government, principles that govern leaders, the maintaining of public good, which economic structure is most beneficial to your citizens, at least two domestic programs, ways to create national unity, ways to combat terrorism and violence, and international organizations to join. (See rubric for specific ways to meet the requirements of the paper.)

Paper headings:

• Introduction (1 paragraph)
  • Introduce your country
  • Briefly outline all of the parts of the paper
• Domestic Concerns (1-2 pages)
  • Identify governing style and principles that correlate to this style
  • Identify the branches of government and its functions
  • Development of two public good domestic programs and how they will meet the public good
  • Economic structure and reason why this should be used
  • Socializing citizens is noted with rationale for how it creates national unity
• Foreign Concerns (1-2 pages)
  • Two international organizations are noted, one for economics and one for security
  • Descriptions of both organizations
  • Rationales for joining these organizations
  • Steps to joining
  • Two ways your country will combat the neighboring country's terrorist threat and the domestic threat
  • Two ways these will be effective
• Conclusion (1 paragraph)

Writing Requirements (APA format)

• Length: 3-4 pages (not including title page or references page)
• 1-inch margins
• Double spaced
• 12-point Times New Roman font
• Title page
• References page (minimum of 2 scholarly sources)

Week 7 Assignment: Essay - Creating Your Ideal State (1)

Week 7 Assignment: Essay - Creating Your Ideal State (1)

CriteriaRatingsPts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGoverning style and principles of the government.

20.0 ptsThe governing style is understandable and the principles support the choice of the governing style.

16.0 ptsThe governing style is unclear, the principles are unclear, or the governing style and principles do not support each other.

12.0 ptsMissing one part of the governing style and principles.

0.0 ptsMissing both parts of the governing style and principles.

20.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeBranches of government and its functions.

20.0 ptsExplains each branch of government and the function of the particular branch and how they support the governing style.

16.0 ptsThe branches of government and their functions do not match, or the branches are discussed without talking about their functions AND how they support the governing style.

12.0 ptsOnly minimally discusses branches, and their functions or the branches do not support the governing style chosen.

0.0 ptsDoes not discuss the branches and their functions.

20.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMaintaining public good through at least two domestic programs

20.0 ptsTwo domestic programs are created clearly explaining how public good is maintained with these programs.

16.0 ptsTwo domestic programs are noted, but it’s unclear how they benefis the public good.

12.0 ptsOnly one domestic program is noted, or it is unclear how the public good is maintained.

0.0 ptsNo domestic program is noted.

20.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEconomic structure

15.0 ptsThe economic structure is named and supports the governing style with a rationale for using the structure.

12.0 ptsThe economic structure is named and supports the governing style, but the rationale is unclear.

9.0 ptsThe economic structure is named but does not support the governing style, and the rationale is unclear.

0.0 ptsThe economic structure is not addressed.

15.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePolitical socializing to create national unity

15.0 ptsThere is at least one method the new government will use to socialize citizens to create national unity and rationales for using these methods.

12.0 ptsThe method described will create national unity, but rationale is not provided.

9.0 ptsThe method described will not create national unity and rationale is not provided.

0.0 ptsNo method for national unity is addressed.

15.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeInternational organizations

25.0 ptsAt least two different international organizations, one economic and one for security, were identified with brief descriptions of the purposes of these organizations and steps on how to join.

20.0 ptsOnly one international organization is noted, obut descriptions and rationale are unclear andit is nclear on the steps to join.

15.0 ptsOnly one international organization was noted and no rationales and descriptions were given.

0.0 ptsInternational organizations were not addressed

25.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCombatting terrorism and violence

25.0 ptsTwo ways were offered to combat terrorism and violence (one to deal with international threat and one with domestic).Effective rationale for solutions were offered.

20.0 ptsTwo ways were offered to combat terrorism and violence (one to deal with international threat and one with domestic). Effective rationale for one or both solutions were not offered.

15.0 ptsOnly one way to combat violence and sound rationale on why to use that solution was offered.

0.0 ptsWays to combat violence is not noted.

25.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeScholarly resources

10.0 ptsUses both the book and, at least, one outside scholarly source.

8.0 ptsUses only the book or a scholarly source.

6.0 ptsUses only a scholarly source and the source is not scholarly.

0.0 ptsDoes not use the book or scholarly source.

10.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAPA

5.0 ptsAll sources are properly cited and referenced according to APA standards.

4.0 ptsSources are either properly cited or referenced, missing one of those elements.

3.0 ptsThe citation and/or reference are incorrect.

0.0 ptsNo APA format was used.

5.0 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting

5.0 ptsPresents information using clear and concise language in an organized manner (minimal errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

4.0 ptsPresents information using understandable language but is somewhat disorganized (some errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

3.0 ptsPresents information using understandable language but is very disorganized (many errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

0.0 ptsPresents information that is not clear, logical, professional or organized to the point that the reader has difficulty understanding the message (numerous errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and/or punctuation).

5.0 pts