Cohort Curriculum Spring 2010 ESU 6

Goals Participants will develop curriculum products. Participants will design collaboration networks.

Objectives for the Day Determine common curriculum Begin to develop a common unit of instruction for fall semester Design interim communication tools and processes Determine interim activities

Agenda Introductions Cohort Schedule Curriculum Design Overview Sharing of instructional units Determine common unit of study Interim communication tools Work time

Curriculum What economic advantage does your curriculum provide to your students? –Scott McLeod

What do we want? What things do you want your students to know and/or be able to do two years after they leave your care?

Essential Question What should curriculum accomplish?

Literature Framework Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2007). Schooling by design. Alexandria, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Curriculum Defined The blueprint for learning derived from the desired results. Takes content and shapes it into a plan for effective teaching and learning. Based on the learning goals for students. Once we agree on the goals, what would the learning plan look like, and what methods would help us achieve our goals?

Curriculum is not… A list of places to visit A list of content (which even if preceded by verbs is not a curriculum, but an inventory of stuff) Hierarchical lists of the major topics: –The Civil War –Parts of a Cell –Long Division

Curriculum should… Be written backward from worthy tasks that require students to use content wisely. Help students “do the subject”, not just learn it’s findings. Be the blueprint for learning

Curriculum Components Mission Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions Curriculum Maps Common Assessments Rubrics Anchors Learning Activities Diagnostic and Formative Assessment Differentiation Troubleshooting Guides *See the SbD Handout

Mission Specifying the integrated accomplishments sought – based on the habits of mind (problem solving, critical thinking). If we were successful students would have –Accomplished… –Created… –Used their learning to…

Curriculum Components Mission Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions Curriculum Maps Common Assessments Rubrics Anchors Learning Activities Diagnostic and Formative Assessment Differentiation Troubleshooting Guides

Understanding Read the excerpt from Schooling by Design. Complete the Three Level Text Protocol.

Enduring Understandings An important inference, drawn from the experience of experts, stated as a specific and useful generalization. Refers to transferable, big ideas having enduring understanding beyond a specific topic. Involves abstract counterintuitive and easily misunderstood ideas.

Enduring Understandings Is best acquired by “uncovering” (i.e., it must be developed inductively, co- constructed by learners) and “doing” the subject (i.e., using the ideas in realistic settings and with real-world problems). Summarizes important strategic principles in skill areas.

Knowledge vs Understanding The facts A body of coherent facts Verifiable claims Right or wrong I know something to be true I respond on cue with what I know The meaning of the facts The “theory” that provides coherence Fallible, in-process theories A matter of degree I understand why it is true I judge when to use what I know

Transfer Apply learning to new situations not only in school, but also beyond it. The point of school is to learn in school how to make sense of learnings in order to lead better lives out of school. Learn now to apply lessons to later challenges.

Playing the Game Transfer allows students to apply what they have learned to new situations Action words for student projects –Design –Create –Develop –Recommend –Construct

Project Based Learning Provide an overarching problem that students uncover throughout a learning segment. Upside Down Teaching, Hook Problem

Essential Questions Provocative and arguable question designed to guide inquiry into the big ideas. By actively exploring the essential questions, students develop and deepen their understanding.

What does “Essential” Mean? Important questions that recur throughout life – “what is justice?” Core ideas and inquiries within a discipline. “what causes conflict?” Helps students make sense of complicated ideas. “how do the most effective leaders gain consensus”? Engages the students through relevance and meaning.

Curriculum Components Mission Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions Curriculum Maps Common Assessments Rubrics Anchors Learning Activities Diagnostic and Formative Assessment Differentiation Troubleshooting Guides

Curriculum Maps Show how habits, big ideas, essential questions and assessment tasks spiral through the curriculum

Example Grand Island examples at

Curriculum Components Mission Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions Curriculum Maps Common Assessments Rubrics Anchors Learning Activities Diagnostic and Formative Assessment Differentiation Troubleshooting Guides

Common Assessments Answers the question: –How will we know students have learned? Demonstrations of the most important learning targets. Ongoing measures of learning for gauging progress and guiding improvement efforts.

Rubrics Common rubrics provide consistent evaluation and specific feedback Provide more consistent evaluation from one teacher to the next Provide targets for students

Anchors Tangible examples of student work to illustrate various performance levels Provides examples for classroom instruction Provides models for students to better evaluate their own work

Learning Activities Research based instructional strategies are tied to the learning goals. Recommended resources are identified.

Diagnostic and Formative Assessments Diagnostic Assessments: Pre- assessments to provide information that aid in planning instruction. A check of prior knowledge is an example. Formative assessments: ongoing assessments that provide information to guide instruction.

Differentiation Directions for tailoring instruction to student needs. Provides resources and strategies for differentiation aligned to the learning goal.

Troubleshooting Guides Advice and tips for addressing predictable learning related problems Provides assistance for novice teachers based on the experience of veterans

Learning Plans Backward design of classroom lessons based on the learning goals. –Stage 1: Goals, Understanding, Essential Questions –Stage 2: Evidence/Assessments –Stage 3: Activities

Summary Review the handout: 10 Curriculum Components. How could a curriculum based on some or all of these provide a blueprint for learning? What would be the benefits to a design such as this?

Common Curriculum What topics/units of study do we have in common? What should we design for next fall? See unit questions Answer the questions collaboratively

Communication Skype Wikispaces K-1 Cohort Wiki Documents Unit questions

Work Time

Next Steps What will be done prior to the next meeting? What are the deadlines?