As you have learned over the last four weeks, there are many considerations to include when designing a positive learning environment: from considering the unique needs of your students; fostering classroom community; developing schedules; routines and transitions; to ensuring the overall climate is diverse, equitable, and inclusive—it is no simple task.
For your final assignment in this course, you will bring together the work you have already begun, along with additional elements to create your final visual layout and a rationale for how your design supports the needs of the children and family you will be working with based on the classroom you have been utilizing throughout the course.
To prepare,
Locate the visual layout you created in your Week 3 assignment.
Download a copy of the UDL Environment Checklist Download UDL Environment Checklist.
Review the feedback you received from your instructor on previous assignments and your peers’ feedback in the Week 4 Designing the Classroom Environment discussion forum.
Watch Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Early Childhood ClassroomLinks to an external site..
Watch Early Childhood EnvironmentsLinks to an external site..
Read Advancing Equity in Early Childhood.
Preschool Classroom
A 2/3-year-old classroom of 12 students. In the room you have one student Maria who comes from a home where Spanish is only spoken. Maria’s parents seem very interested in supporting her, but language is a barrier for them to communicate their needs to you. You also have one child Johnny who has cognitive and physical delays which require him to work with an aid most of the time when he is in your room. Johnny’s mom is very worried about him and would like to schedule regular meetings with you to review his goals and progress throughout the year. Then, you have a 3-year-old boy Michael who is living with a foster family after being moved around a bit. The family is overwhelmed trying to help him manage his behavior and he tends to lash out at other children often.
Assignment Instructions
There are two parts to your final assignment:
Part 1: Final Visual Layout
Using the tool of your choice, create a final visual layout for your chosen classroom. environment. There should be enhancements and refinements to your visual layout based on the feedback you have received.
Label the layout to identify which of the classrooms you designed it for (Preschool Classroom, 4K or 5K Classroom, or First-Grade Classroom).
Evaluate your final design based on the UDL Environment Checklist Download UDL Environment Checklist.
Part 2: Positive Learning Environment Rationale
Using the tool of your choice (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, video, etc.), create a project that fully addresses the following:
Describe how you enhanced or refined your visual layout based on the feedback you received.
Explain how your classroom design incorporates the key principles and characteristics related to developmentally appropriate practices in establishing high-quality learning environments for diverse young leaners.
Assess how your classroom design fosters a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.
Demonstrate how your classroom design allows you to utilize classroom management techniques, such as daily schedules, routines, and transitions.
Express how your classroom design encourages your students to foster a strong sense of community.Break down how your classroom design provides opportunities to engage and foster partnerships with families.
Submission Requirements
In your Learning Environment Design Project,
Part 1: Final Visual Layout must have the following format options:
One-page document with a visual representation (image on a Word document or a PDF download of the visual layout)
A completed copy of the UDL Environment Checklist Download UDL Environment Checklist.
Part 2: Positive Learning Environments Rationale must have the following number of pages, slides, or minutes for the format options:
Paper or PDF document: 5 to 6 pages (not including title and reference pages)
Presentation: 15 to 18 slides (not including title and reference slides)
Review the Writing Center’s PresentationsLinks to an external site. support page for guidance.
Video or Narrated Presentation: 10- to 12-minute video
If you choose to make a video, the following may be helpful:
Refer to the Zoom Quick Start GuideLinks to an external site. for instructions on how to record and share a video.
Screencast-O-Matic Quick-Start GuideLinks to an external site..
Web Recording Do’s and Dont’sLinks to an external site..
You must submit two deliverables to Waypoint for this assignment, one for Part 1 and one for Part 2 that
Must be formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site. or How to Make a PowerPoint PresentationLinks to an external site..
Must include a separate title page or slide with the following:
Title of paper in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Student’s name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Due date
The Learning Environment Design final project
Must be the following length:
Paper or PDF document: 5 to 6 pages (not including title and reference pages)
Presentation: 15 to 18 slides (not including title and reference slides)
Website: 5 to 6 pages (not including title and reference pages)
Video or Narrated Presentation: 10- to 12-minute video
Formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site. or How to Make a PowerPoint PresentationLinks to an external site..
Must include a separate title page or slide with the following:
Title of project in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Student’s name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Due date
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic VoiceLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. and Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site., refer to the Writing Center resources.
Must use at least four scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view this Quick and Easy Library ResearchLinks to an external site.tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper Links to an external site.guide.
Must include a separate references page or slide that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Writing Center for specifications.