This course is designed to help educators gain a basic understanding of the nature of the middle school and to enable them to apply what they have learned in practice.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview. 

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum. Each thread must be at least 300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. For each initial thread, the candidate must support his or her assertions with at least one research-based, scholarly journal citation and one scriptural reference in APA format. In addition to the thread, the candidate is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 100 words. (CLO: C, D, E, F)

The candidate will create a profile of a middle school student using the provided template. The profile should describe and analyze the growth of preadolescent learners in regard to physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and character development. The assignment must include a minimum of 3 sources and each category of development should have a minimum word count of 250 words. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F)

Interdisciplinary Instructional Planning (IIP) Project

For this project you will plan a research-based curriculum with instruction and assessments that are engaging, culturally responsive, aligned to interdisciplinary standards, infused with technology, and designed to meet the needs of all learners. The project will be a 20-day interdisciplinary instructional unit plan that is content focused with connections to reading and writing across the curriculum. The first 10 days will include full lesson plans using the student teaching lesson plan template provided. Then candidates will map out the following 10 days providing a horizontal planning outline (block plans) with standards and instructional topics only. This assignment will be broken up into smaller pieces and submitted across the term. This is a key assessment that will be submitted to LiveText upon conclusion. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F)

1. IIP Project: Mission Statement, Character Principles, and Biblical Worldview Assignment – For this assignment you will create a school and write a mission statement to guide the focus of your school. In addition to the mission statement, you will identify eight-character principles that represent the values of your school and state how you would integrate a biblical worldview.

2. IIP Project: Proposal Assignment – For this assignment you will provide an overview of your ideas for meeting the requirements of the 20-day interdisciplinary instructional unit plan.

3. IIP Project: Lesson Plans 1 – 4 Assignment – For this assignment you will complete and submit your first four days of detailed lesson plans using the lesson plan template provided.

4. IIP Project: Lesson Plans 5 – 8 Assignment – For this assignment you will complete and submit your next four days of detailed lesson plans using the lesson plan template provided.

5. IIP Project: Final Assignment – For this assignment you will complete and submit two more detailed lesson plans and 10 days of block plans. You will also create a flyer that could be sent home to parents/families inviting them to attend a culminating activity/student presentation event.

The candidate will interview a middle school teacher or administrator. The candidate choose from provided questions and create 5 original questions related to the structure of people and time. The candidate will summarize the interview and draw connections from research to practice. Each section should have a minimum word count of 300 words and all resources should be cited in APA format. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F)