EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING & COMMON CORE STANDARDS ~ Grades 3-5 ELA Modules Charlene Jordan, Dana Fulmer & Pat Krizan SCDN September 6, 2012

A Model of Content-Rich Curriculum LT 2a. I can describe the impact of content-rich curriculum on students’ college and career success.

What you’ll find: Research: Dworkin, Liben, Stiggins, ACT study, etc. Protocols: materials-grades-3-5-ela-curriculum-appendix-1-teaching-practices-and- protocols-august materials-grades-3-5-ela-curriculum-appendix-1-teaching-practices-and- protocols-august Modules & Curriculum Outline: 5.pdf Assessments

How Modules Are Organized Introduction (aka rationale & goals) Guiding Questions Performance Tasks/Assessments Content Connections (S.S. and science) Description of CCLSs & Learning Targets Central Texts Calendared Curriculum Map

EL’s Learning Targets Goals for lessons, projects, units, courses Derived from standards Used to assess growth & achievement Written in concrete, student –friendly language: “I can” statements! Shared & tracked carefully by teachers & students

A Sampling of Performance Assessments Grade 3Grade 4Grade 5 2a2a Informative Writing: Audio Report about a country – using Voice Thread Narrative Writing: Historically accurate first person account Informative & Narrative Writing: graphic novel style: Frames about an inventor 4 Opinion Writing & Speaking: Importance of water public service announcement Opinion Writing: How a minority selected group helped to win the revolutionary war Opinion Writing: A famous athlete’s impact!

Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards Why Text Complexity Matters  Why focus on text complexity?  What is text complexity?  How do we help students understand more complex texts?

Tools: Day 4 Materials Gradients in Complexity: Informational Texts Gradients in Complexity: Literary Texts Helping Students Read Closely Examining Models to Determine Criteria Text Complexity Recording Form Scaffolding Complex Text

COMMON CORE “MOVES” Short chunks of text Multiple reads Cycle of reading, thinking, talking, writing Making meaning through structured conversation Then... text dependent questions (make students return to text) Writing from sources Writing and reading are integrated

Remember: Assess for LEARNING!

When teachers assess “for learning,” they use the continuous flow of information about student achievement to check on and advance learning. The result is that students keep learning and remain confident – they do not give up in frustration or hopelessness! (Stiggins, 2002)

How do teachers assess “for” learning?  Establish learning goals – use language students understand  Provide frequent and descriptive feedback  Continuously adjust instruction based on classroom assessments  Engage students in regular self-assessment  Actively involve students in communicating with teachers and families about their progress  Become assessment literate!

16 Resources Engage NY: materials-grades-3-5-ela-curriculum-august / Expeditionary Learning: