Planning
Planning: the logic of the unit
Task 1 is judged less by how polished a lesson plan looks than by whether the plans form a coherent, evidence-based sequence. The central focus is the through-line: the important understanding and related skills students should develop. Standards, measurable objectives, assessments, materials, and daily activities should all be traceable to it. Know the context for learning-classroom demographics, students' prior knowledge, assets, and needs-and show how it shapes choices. Academic language is a common weak spot: name the language function students use (explain, argue, describe), the vocabulary, syntax, and discourse demands, and the supports you provide.
Traps
Questions often punish vague central focuses like 'students will learn about ecosystems' or activity names like 'food web poster.' Objectives that cannot be observed or measured, assessments that do not match the objective, and theory dropped in without application are also traps. Do not list differentiation as a label; describe the specific support and who needs it.
Worked example
Weak: 'Students will do a food-web activity.' Stronger central focus: 'Students will explain how energy moves through an ecosystem by constructing and justifying a food web.' Objective: 'Given organism cards, students will construct a food web and write a two-sentence explanation using at least three accurate feeding relationships.' Assessment: a checklist for relationships plus a short explanation rubric. Language: function = explain; vocabulary = producer, consumer; syntax = cause-effect sentences; discourse = partner justification. Rule of thumb: if a plan element cannot be connected to the central focus → objective → assessment chain, revise it or cut it.