Learning Targets NNMST Science Breakout Session December 8, 2011

Learning Targets and Success Criteria Learning targets: I can extract and create learning targets from a standard. I can identify the role that learning targets play in promoting and monitoring student learning

Guiding Question What would a classroom look like that was fully devoted to learning?

Essential Question How can we promote and monitor student learning?

Keys to Quality Classroom Assessment Key 1: The PURPOSE of the assessment is clear. Key 2: The TARGETS of the assessment are clear. Key 3: Appropriate METHODS and methodology are employed. Key 4: Effective COMMUNICATION is utilized. Key 5: Students are INVOLVED in the process. Accurate Design Effective Use Classroom Assessment for Student Learning Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2004

What are the learning targets? A learning target is any achievement expectation for students on the path toward mastery of a standard. It clearly states what we want the students to learn and should be understood by teachers and students. Learning targets should be formatively assessed to monitor progress toward a standard.

Standards and Targets

How might a test plan help ensure that the test is valid? Mapping an Assessment Plan

Role of Learning Targets As a table group, identify the role learning targets play in promoting and monitoring learning by completing this statement: – Without learning targets, we can’t …

Using the science standards that you identified for your unit, apply the “finding our targets” process. Identify any places that will require success criteria. Identify any places that will require direct instruction. Identify any places that might require a formative assessment. Identify any places that might require standards of quality or a rubric.

“There is no more foundational activity for a school leader than making sure that there are clear learning targets aligned to whatever standards are in place in the school or district, that teachers understand them and teach to them, and that students understand them and reach for them.” Connie Moss and Susan Brookhart, “Leveling the Playing Field: Sharing Learning Targets and Criteria for Success”

Classroom Curriculum Design Where are you in the process? – Learning window – Essential Questions – Summative assessment – Diagnostic/Pre-assessment – Curriculum topic study – Task rotation Have you saved your work to the Dropbox folder so we can provide feedback on your work?

“We would argue that the things you do well were taught to you through a series of intentional actions. You probably did not develop high levels of skills from simply being told how to complete tasks. Instead, you likely had models, feedback, peer support, and lots of practice.” Fisher and Frey from Better Learning through Structured Teaching (2008)

The Learning Activities: Our Organizer….. KITCHEN Where students cook up a product that demonstrates the full scope of their learning. LIBRARY Where we provide Information & ideas thru Lecture, readings, or Viewings. FOYER Where we activate students’ knowledge & arouse student interest to help them anticipate the learning to come PORCH Where students lean back, reflect, generalize, & question what they have learned. WORKSHOP Where students rehearse, practice, & evaluate the progress of their learning Silver Strong & Associates, Thoughtful Education Press 2010

Reading and Writing to Learn Science Science Breakout Session NNMST December 8, 2011

Our Learning Target I can identify ways to embed reading and writing into a unit of study in order to improve learning of science content.

From Power Tools for Adolescent Literacy by Rozzelle & Scearce

Learn as much by writing as by reading. – Lord Acton Meaning making is not a spectator sport. Knowledge is a constructive process; to really understand something each learner has to create a model or metaphor derived from that learner’s personal world. Humans don’t get ideas, they make ideas. – Art Costa

From Power Tools for Adolescent Literacy by Rozzelle & Scearce

Weather & Climate: A Unit in Patterns

‘Unit’ Focus Questions Which is more predictable: weather or climate? – What are weather and climate? – What affects weather and climate? – What impact do humans and nature have on weather and climate? – How is trend data used to predict weather and climate? How accurately can we predict weather? Climate?

Question 1 (The Foyer) What will I do to activate prior knowledge, generate ideas, arouse interest and provide engagement?

What’s the Payoff? Why do we need to help students to “get ready” to build their knowledge? What benefits would we expect? What happens if we don’t plan in this way?

Questions for the Foyer How will you help students know where they are going and why? How will you help them activate their prior knowledge, assess their skill levels, and identify their interests? How will you hook the students through engaging and thought-provoking activities? How will you help students develop insight into the products they will create and the knowledge they will construct?

Strategies for the Foyer Curriculum Design Folder, page 91 “Interactive Techniques” – Numbers : 1, 6, 9, 11, 12, 15, 22, 33, 39, 48, 83, 136, 174

Question 2 (The Library) What will I do to help students effectively interact with new knowledge?

What’s the Payoff? Why do we need to help students acquire knowledge—not only raw information but also tools for making sense of the information? What benefits would we expect? What happens if we don’t plan in this way?

Questions for the Library How will the students acquire the knowledge, understanding, skills, and habits of mind they will need to succeed in the unit? How will you engage students and what tools and strategies will you used to help students obtain the critical information and construct meaning? How will you provide for different learning styles, intelligences, and ability levels so that all students will be engaged and achieve success?

Strategies for the Library Curriculum Design Folder, page 92 “Interactive Techniques” – Numbers: 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 14, 18, 20, 21, 26, 29, 33, 34, 38, 45, 46, 47, 60, 62, 74, 82, 86, 92, 136, 163

Question 3 (The Workshop) What will I do to help students practice and deepen their understanding of new knowledge?

What’s the Payoff? Why do we need to help students practice and process new knowledge? What benefits would we expect? What happens if we don’t plan in this way?

Questions for the Workshop How will you build in periodic review and guided practice opportunities to help students master key skills and content? How will you use modeling and coaching to help students refine their skills? How will you help students deepen their understanding of key content? How will you help students self-evaluate their understanding and skills and determine their own levels of understanding?

Strategies for the Workshop Curriculum Design Folder, page 93 “Interactive Techniques” – Numbers: 2, 7, 8, 9, 13, 16, 20, 25, 26, 34, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 59, 60, 61, 62, 75, 82, 85, 87, 91, 95, 96, 121, 163, 170

Question 4 (The Kitchen) What will I do to help students demonstrate what they know?

What’s the Payoff? Why do we need to help students apply their knowledge? What benefits would we expect? What happens if we don’t plan in this way?

Questions for the Kitchen How will you equip students with the skills they will need to develop successful products and performances? How will you provide guidance and feedback to your students so they can rehearse, revise, and rethink their work?

Strategies for the Kitchen Curriculum Design Folder, page 94 “Interactive Techniques” – Numbers: 26, 30, 75, 119, 120, 124 (Several could be here with a little tweaking)

Question 5 (The Porch) What will I do to help students reflect and question what they have learned?

What’s the Payoff? Why do we need to help students survey their learning? What benefits would we expect? What happens if we don’t plan in this way?

Questions for the Porch How will you encourage students to reflect on the content and their learning process? How will students exhibit their new insights about learning and performance, and how they set future goals?

Strategies for the Porch Curriculum Design Folder, page 95 “Interactive Techniques” – Numbers: 31, 32, 54, 57, 81, 153

Designing Your Own Blueprint Using your LESSON blueprints from your unit, you are going to develop questions that promote deeper understanding. In other words, think of your daily lessons---what questions are you going to ask to help students think about the material? Develop higher level questions in style for each of your learning targets. Keep in mind the blueprint—where are you going to use these questions during instruction? Use pp in workbook for examples.

Discuss – Strengths with respect to using reading and writing to help students learn content? – Challenges that you foresee as you utilize the literacy standards to help students understand science? What? So What? Now What?

Next meeting prep – January 19, 2012 Homework Read Chapter 4 in Drive and complete the reading guide Finish any parts of unit up to this point Science—examine probe books to identify any probes that might work with unit…