Concept Based Curriculum and Instruction What You Need to Know

Session Objectives and Learning Targets Objective  Understand how concept- based curriculum and instruction can be used to improve student learning across content areas.  Discuss how to implement and provide feedback relating to concept based curriculum and instruction. Learning Targets  Demonstrate an understanding of concept based curriculum and instruction.  share all information and resources from this session with the leaders and teachers within LEAs and schools.

NCDPI K-12 Social Studies Team Section Chief Fay Gore K-12 Consultants: Ann Carlock Justyn Knox Dr. Steve Masyada Michelle McLaughlin Program Assistant Bernadette Cole

A few agreements for our time together:  Place electronic devices on vibrate or off  Participate fully  Limit side-bar conversations  Respectfully disagree Ground Rules Any additional suggestions from participants? Questions and Comments:

Questions to Drive the Brain! What is concept based curriculum and instruction? What is the difference between teaching concepts and teaching conceptually? What should you see and hear in a concept based classroom? What is the most important type of knowledge within concept based curriculum and instruction? What kind of assessments should we see in a concept-based classroom?

What Is Concept-based Curriculum And Instruction? The Concept-Based Curriculum & Instructional Framework is … A three-dimensional design model that allows teachers to identify what is important for students to know, understand, and be able to do in an organized, planned unit of instruction that promotes student engagement and thinking. During the instruction, teachers use concepts as a tool to help students see patterns and connections between facts and related ideas in order to reach a deeper understanding of the content.

You must have a plan!

Trying to teach in the 21 st century without conceptual schema for knowledge is like trying to build a house without a blueprint. (Erickson, 2002, p. 8)

Let’s Observe Two Classrooms

Guiding Questions 1.What behaviors did you see the teacher exhibiting during this lesson? 2.What behaviors did you see the students exhibiting during this lesson? 3.How did the students respond to the teaching and learning experience? 4.Can you connect anything you learned about the shifts to what you observed in the clip?

Classroom #1

Guiding Questions 1.What behaviors did you see the teacher exhibiting during this lesson? 2.What behaviors did you see the students exhibiting during this lesson? 3.How did the students respond to the teaching and learning experience? 4.Can you connect anything you learned about the shifts to what you observed in the clip? 5.What are the differences between the traditional classroom and this lesson experience?

Classroom #2

What Did You See? Based on the videos, what should you see in a concept based classroom? Think of how these might be turned into an observation protocol!

Unit Design

What is a principle/generalization in concept-based curriculum and instruction? Two or more concepts in a relationship... Concept  CONCEPTUAL IDEAS THAT TRANSFER  DEVELOP “DEEP UNDERSTANDING’’ What do I understand as a result of my study that I can transfer?

What is the difference between a concept and a topic? “[A concept is] a mental construct that frames a set of examples sharing common attributes.” - H. Lynn Erickson

Concepts are…  Timeless  Universal  Transferable  Abstract and broad (to various degrees)  Examples share common attributes  Represented by 1-2 words

Generalizations or Principles may also be called… Essential Understandings Enduring Understandings “Big Ideas”

Students will understand that:  War may alter the physical and human geography of a place.  The population of a species will grow to fill any available habitat to which it can adapt.  Repetition of lines can imply texture or pattern.

Helpful Guidelines Full sentence statements, describing what, specifically, students should understand about the critical concepts in the lesson Guidelines: 1.No proper or personal nouns or pronouns 2.Use a present tense verb 3.Show a relationship between at least two concepts 4.Transferable idea that is supported by the factual content 5.Sometimes needs the use of a qualifier (often, can, may) 6.Avoid lower level verbs if possible: impact, affect, influence, is, are, have 7.Think about the connections between and among concepts in the various strands from your web.

Common Errors 1.Use of past tense verbs or proper nouns which makes them facts instead of generalizations or principles 2.Use of proper nouns or pronouns 3.Only one concept represented 4.Use of value statements 5.Lack of clarity (poor word choice or sentence construction) 6.Use of level 1 verbs: impact, affect, influence, is, are, have (need to scaffold)

Evaluating Generalizations and Principles  Do the ideas should grow in sophistication?  Do the ideas become clearer from level to level because they are more specific (use more specific micro concepts)?  Did the writers answer their question at each level?  Did the writer avoid using impacts, influences, affects?  Are the verbs active and present tense?  Are the ideas based in fact? (Use “often,” “can,” and “may” if not true all the time, but still important)?  Are the ideas developmentally appropriate?

What is a Level 1 Generalization?  Use the following verbs:  influence, impact, affect, is, are  Lack clarity and specificity These are the principles and generalizations we should scaffold to Level 2.

Scaffolding Thinking The ideas in your principle or generalization…  Should grow in sophistication.  Should become clearer from level to level because of increased specificity use of more specific concepts.  The verbs should be active and present tense.  Should be based in fact. (Use “often,” “can,” and “may” if not true all the time, but still important)  Should be important and developmentally appropriate.

Scaffolding Thinking The verbs in your generalization or principle…  Should be active and present tense.  Should be clear and specific.  Impacts, Influences, Affects, Is, & Are…(are always Level 1 verbs only)  Level I verbs should be replaced to provide you with a generalization that presents a clearer and more specific idea.

Scaffolding From Level I to Level II Generalizations To scaffold a Level 1 generalization to Level 2 ask “how?” or “why?”  Level 1 Government policies are influenced by societal norms. Now ask the question: (How? or Why?) How are governmental policies influenced by societal norms?  Level 2 Governmental policies differ based on time, place, values, and beliefs.

Scaffolding From Level I to Level II Generalizations To scaffold a Level 2 generalization to Level 3 ask “so what?”  Level 2  Governmental policies differ based on time, place, values, and beliefs. Now ask the question: “So what?” What is the significance or effect that these factors have on governmental policies?  Level 3  The more a country’s people participate in the political process, the more the Governmental Policies should benefit the General Welfare over the welfare of Interest Groups.

Two or more concepts in a relationship... War Resources War may decrease the availability of resources.

Two or more concepts in a relationship... Organisms niches Organisms may occupy specific niches in a habitat. habitat

Two or more concepts in a relationship... People faced with social injustice may choose to submit or revolt. Social injustice revolt submit People

So… How does a typical generalization or principle differ from factual knowledge and skills? Do you still NEED factual knowledge and skills to get to the Big Ideas?

What Do You Need to Do Impediments to change? Site based learning teams SHARED VISION AND COMMON FOCUS Staff development and support Performance Tasks and other assessments District curriculum provides: –Clear expectations –Common focus for professional conversations –A criteria for selecting resources –A basis for decision making –Ongoing engagement with community members (p. 119)

Let’s Wrap It Up… Respond in Today’s Meet ( Based on our conversation today, is concept-based curriculum and instruction ‘doable’ in your district or school? Do you already do this in your district or school? What strategies do you/can you use to implement concept based curriculum and instruction in your district or school? What other questions, comments, or concerns do you have?

Resources Social Studies CBCI Wiki: Social Studies CBCI-Related Webinars: ar+Series ar+Series Concept Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom (H. Lynn Erikson) Transitioning to Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction (H. Lynn Erikson, Lois A. Lanning)