What Do You Teach? Heacox Chapter 3

What We Teach Standards direct curriculum & learning goals HOW you teach these is the creative part of teaching

What D.I. Does with the Standards Differentiated Instruction provides learning opportunities for students that focus on “objectives that are fundamental, significant, and most important for students to grasp.” It is important to determine which learning projects/activities are most relevant, then eliminate the rest!

Essential Questions Go beyond factual information BIG IDEAS Key understandings that you want your students to have upon completion Questions encourage inquiry, rather than memorization of facts

Essential Questions (cont.) Recurring themes that unify a subject or curriculum across units Explicitly stated throughout the year to help the students develop understanding & connections Blank form for planning p. 63

Writing Essential Questions Most important concepts that repeat themselves throughout course Limit to 5 Address standards & learning goals Student-friendly language Post in room Examples of essential questions p. 54

Unit Essential Questions Clarify the main content & facts about the essential questions Add depth & specificity Limit to 5 or fewer May address only some of course-long essential questions Students should be able to answer them at the end of the unit Examples of unit essential questions p. 55

Mapping Your Curriculum Outlines your instruction by using essential questions & unit questions Identifies the content, skills, & products for a particular unit Focuses on tangible products or observable performances that require greater commitment of student time or effort, or more comprehensive demonstrations of learning

Curriculum Mapping (cont.) Photocopy blank curriculum map pp. 64-65 to use Follow the steps on p. 58 to complete Examples of curriculum maps on pp. 59 & 60 Lists of analytical, critical thinking, and creative thinking skills p. 61

Exit Points “times during the teaching of a unit when your curriculum diverges and various students ‘exit’ the common instruction and activities because their learning needs differ from the core group.” (p. 62) May be for more instruction/reinforcement, or may be for more challenge & depth May differentiate by learning preference to complete products/projects

Exit Points (cont.) Look at your completed curriculum map Figure out where can differentiate or modify – Mark with asterisk * These are your potential exit points Tips for determining when to exit & what to do p. 62