1. What Do You Teach?
Heacox
Chapter 3

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

3. 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!

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Curriculum Mapping (cont.)
Photocopy blank curriculum map pp 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

10. 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

11. 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