COLLABORATION IN ACTION (part 2)

The second scenario for our collaboration project was to design a lesson plan with a classroom teacher.  I wanted to step out of my elementary school comfort zone (which turned out to be the most intimidating part of this project) and decided to collaborate with a high school English teacher.  It was time for me to do an inquiry-based unit (the second challenge of our project).  Ms. Wilson, my partner in the project, was awesome.  She was completely on board with the project and was very receptive to my ideas.  I had to get past my intimidation to be designing a unit advanced enough for High School Honors English IV.  Ms. Wilson was just beginning an Othello unit and we decided that this would be a perfect opportunity for an inquiry unit that would allow the students to learn more about the context of the play - whether it be directly related to the play or Elizabethan England in general.  She was excited to design a lesson that would justify her students' Honors status.  Focusing on inquiry, research skills, and a creative product to communicate ideas are, I believe, appropriate 21st century skills for higher level students.