Elementary Social Studies Curriculum Alignment: Clear Learning Targets for Teachers and Students

1. Elementary Social Studies  Curriculum Alignment:Clear Learning Targets for Teachers and Students Stan Masters Coordinator - Instructional Data Services Lenawee ISD November, 2009

2. POP Purpose Understand the importance of learning targets for students and teachers, using the Michigan social studies GLCE Outcome Practice “backward design” by unpacking the expectations to design good assessment and instruction Procedure PowerPoint slides for presenting information Templates for unpacking expectations Copy of GLCE to practice

3. So, do your students know what are the targets for their learning?

4. Michigan’s GLCE Aligned with National Standards (p.6) Grade-specific focus (p.7) Spiral down from HSCE (p.7) Promotes careful implementation (p.8) Major change at grades 3 and 4 (p.9) First operation state test in Fall 2010

5. 3rd Grade – Michigan Studies4th Grade – United States Studies (p.9 GLCE) The need to address significant concepts in geography, civics, and economics prior to grade 5 Michigan Studies has limited history chronology to statehood Rich literature connections Later history of Michigan integrated in 5th, 8th, and high school, when these periods are studied in depth United States Studies provide a firm understanding of civics to understand early American history. 

6. Warming Up to the GLCE/HSCE Using colors, code the benchmarks using the following key:

7. Marginalia with GLCE The purpose of this strategy is to document your initial thoughts prompted by the questions provided. Read the content expectations for your grades/courses While reading, take time to write initial thoughts and answers to any of the following questions in the margins of the page

8. Marginalia Connections What do I already know about this? Is this something I already teach? What is new for me? Determining Importance How important are these expectations compared to others? Check for Comprehension Do I really understand what I am supposed to teach? Do I need more information? Visualizing What images or pictures come to mind? Questions What questions do I have? What am I wondering about? Is there anything about which I am confused?

9. Backward Design Addresses All Three Parts of the Curriculum Triangle

10. Where does curriculum come from? National content organizations documents State standards documents Local curriculum is created Organize into units Determine essential questions and key concepts Develop summative assessment tasks Locate instructional resources Construct a catalog of lessons Must be aligned with state accountability summative assessments

11. Problems with Our Curriculum

12. From Outcomes to Targets…

13. Kinds of Learning Targets  Knowledge – The facts and concepts we want students to know and understand. Reasoning – Students use what they know to reason and solve problems Skills – Students use their knowledge and reasoning to act skillfully Products – Students use their knowledge, reasoning, and skills to create something new. Dispositions – Students’ display attitudes about school and learning.

14. Helpful Hints to Targets (p.64) Knowledge targets are identified in the noun/noun phrase found in the expectation Reasoning targets are identified in the verb/verb phrases found in the benchmark analytical, compare/contrast, synthesis, classification, inference/deduction, evaluative (p.70) Skill targets always have knowledge targets Product targets have to be discerned apart from the product tasks we ask students to create Disposition targets reflect attitudes or feelings

16.

18. Sample Unpacking from Social Studies GLCEs

19. Sample Unpacking from Social Studies GLCEs

20. Unpacking Your Outcomes Choose a outcome (benchmark/expectation) that your students will learn and you will teach in an upcoming unit of instruction. Write the outcome at the top of your target/method planning sheet. Complete the left hand side of the chart. Knowledge/understanding, reasoning, skills, products, and/or dispositions Check your understanding of the targets with a partner

21. Unpacking for the Students Targets are clearer for the student when they are put into positive “I can” statements. They may be unpacked to include more concrete understandings. Using your previous unpacked learning outcome, create “I can” statements for your students.

22. We need a balance of assessments for and or learning! Classroom assessments in social studies GLCE aligned Multiple methods of assessment Opportunity to fix misconceptions or develop skills State assessments in social studies Sampling of GLCE One assessment method Only given at the end of learning (6th, 9th, and 11th)

23. A Case Study… Individually, Read the following narrative about a school district studying their student achievement. What about this school looks/sounds/feels like your school? What would be your plan of action?

24. Donegal’s Plan of Action Professional development on assessment Unpacked expectations for assessment Developed a standards template for designing assessment tasks Met in teams to analyze assessments

25. assessment for learning formative (monitors student progress during instruction) placement (given before instruction to gather information on where to start) diagnostic (helps find the underlying causes for learning problems) interim (monitor student proficiency on learning targets) assessment of learning summative (the final task at the end of a unit, a course, or a semester) Purposes of Assessments

26. Methods of Assessment Selected response one answer is correct; sometimes taken from a list Extended written response constructed into sentences; criteria given for quality Performance assessment observed product of learning; criteria given for quality Personal communication interaction with student; uses checklist or criteria

28. Target-Method Match Activity Individually: Review your targets from your unit. Refer to the chart showing the target-method match. On your right hand side of the chart of your target/method planning sheet, list the methods that would be the best matches for the targets you have identified.

29. Methods of Assessment Selected response Extended written response Performance assessment Personal communication

30. Authentic Academic Achievement Construction of Knowledge producing meaning from prior experiences Disciplined Inquiry cognitive work for in-depth understanding Value Beyond School meaning apart from documenting competence

31. Seven Standards forAssessment Tasks Organization of Information Consideration of Alternatives

32. Examples of Authentic Tasks Students will design a poster showing the history of a major city of a U.S. region. Students will collect population data of given nations of the Western Hemisphere and create an graphic representation of the population. Students will tell about three different events in their week, identifying correctly when each occurs. Students will draw a map using place characteristics to display regions within the United States. Students will write a persuasive essay about a position on a current monetary or fiscal policy that addresses unemployment. Students will conduct an investigation on the migration of major league baseball franchises, documenting their movement each decade. Students will make a PowerPoint presentation to a younger audience about a tribe of Michigan Native Americans.

33. Using the Standards for Assessment Tasks Each task will not meet each standard. Over the course of a unit, teachers should plan to reach as many of the standards as appropriate. Over the course of the year, students should be able to demonstrate their performance on all of the standards.

34. Components of an Authentic Assessment Task What “new” prompt will you use to trigger “old” learning from prior instruction? What directions will you give to the students completing the task? What procedures will you use as the teacher administering the task? What scoring rubric will use to evaluate the quality of the students’ task?

35. A rubric is… a protocol using a set of scoring guidelines/criteria they describe a range of possible student responses for a particular assessment task.

36. A rubric contains… a scale that indicates different performance levels of proficiency a set of meaningful descriptors for each performance level on that scale. Descriptors establish the continuum of competence along which a learner moves towards proficiency. Effective rubrics focus on the outcomes of performance, not the process (e.g., effort, enjoyment of doing task) Rubrics should be share with students during instruction so learn targetEffective rubrics focus on the outcomes of performance, not the process (e.g., effort, enjoyment of doing task) Rubrics should be share with students during instruction so learn target

37. Example of Rubric

38. Why use a rubric? Communicate appropriate standards and expectations for students (“what will count”) Provide feedback to students and parents Guide and focus instruction Promote student self-assessment and goal setting Improve grading consistency Feedback: Where students’ are in relation to a target/standard Guidance: Gives direction and information to help students improveFeedback: Where students’ are in relation to a target/standard Guidance: Gives direction and information to help students improve

39. Features of High-Quality Rubrics Content: What counts? Clarity: Does everyone understand what is meant? Practicality: Is it easy to use by teachers and students? Technical quality/fairness: Is it reliable and valid? Content: if number or amount is included does it really indicate quality (e.g., four sentences for each paragraph?); represent best thinking in the field; clear what is most important; know what is expected and will guide thinking. Clarity: teachers and students likely to interpret same way; content can be inclusive but not clear in way stated; can you find student work to support each Practicality: is the rubric easy to use and provides guidance and feedback (e.g., if students missed something clear what need to teach); visually appealing; students understand it; developmental not negative Technical: have hard evidence to make judgment; criteria can be applied consistently with different people; ratings actually represent what you want students can doContent: if number or amount is included does it really indicate quality (e.g., four sentences for each paragraph?); represent best thinking in the field; clear what is most important; know what is expected and will guide thinking. Clarity: teachers and students likely to interpret same way; content can be inclusive but not clear in way stated; can you find student work to support each Practicality: is the rubric easy to use and provides guidance and feedback (e.g., if students missed something clear what need to teach); visually appealing; students understand it; developmental not negative Technical: have hard evidence to make judgment; criteria can be applied consistently with different people; ratings actually represent what you want students can do

40. Designing rubrics for tasks Task-General Rubric Rubrics can be used with a variety of tasks Examples: Writing assignments Book reports Problem-solving Oral presentations Task-Specific Rubric Rubrics can be used with a specific task Examples: Settlement map Colonial narrative Checks and balances poster Persuasive argument

41. Holistic or Analytical Rubrics? Holistic Rubric: Gives a single score or rating for the entire product or performance based on an overall impression of a student’s performance. Analytical Rubric: Divides a product or performance into essential traits (“Look Fors”) so they can be judged separately. Provides a profile of strengths and weaknesses.

42. assessment for learning placement (given before instruction to gather information on where to start) diagnostic (helps find the underlying causes for learning problems) formative (monitors student progress during instruction) interim (monitor student proficiency on learning targets assessment of learning summative (the final task at the end of a unit, a course, or a semester) Purposes of Assessments

43. Talking PointsPresentation by Jay McTighe, November 30, 2007, Macomb ISD “Students should be presumed innocent of understanding until convicted by evidence.” Prior knowledge is like the largest part of the iceberg. “Think photo album versus snapshot” when it comes to assessment.

44. Defining a Lesson An instructional activity to give students the opportunity to learn Aligned with, but not identical to, the assessment tasks within the unit plan Lessons can vary in length, but have distinct starting and ending points which follow a sequence of steps

45. How do you align instruction with assessment? Organize instruction to meet the learner’s needs Develop strategies for students to process knowledge and skills Utilize teacher techniques to allow students to reflect and respond

46. Standards of Authentic Instruction Higher Order Thinking Deep Knowledge Substantive Conversation Connections to the World Beyond the Classroom

47. Students discuss whether or not to remove the anti-slavery clause in the writing of the Declaration of Independence Students interpret a series of physical and resource maps to study the concept of location for potential industries. Students dialogue around use of advertising to sell products to young children. Students identify possible products that are made in Michigan that could be sold to adults in the community as a fundraiser for a class trip. Examples of Authentic Instruction

48. Using the Standards for Authentic Instruction It might be difficult for any one lesson to meet all the standards for instruction. Within a single lesson, there might be an emphasis on one standard. Over the course of a unit, teachers should plan to reach as many of the standards as appropriate. Over the course of the year, students should be able to demonstrate their performance on all of the standards.

49. Formative Assessment ToolsSource: Brookhart, S. M. (2006). Formative Assessment Strategies for Every Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, pp. 10-55 Creating Quality Classroom Assignments Does the assignment require students to use the content specified by the learning target? Does the assignment require the student to use the cognitive processes specified by the learning target? Would the student know what to do for all of the aspects of the assignment? Are the criteria for evaluating the assignment given, and are they clear?

50. Formative Assessment ToolsSource: Brookhart, S. M. (2006). Formative Assessment Strategies for Every Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, pp. 10-55 Blueprint for Pre-Assessment Teachers should plan to address these domains: Prior school experiences Vocabulary Concept knowledge Attitudes Personal connections

51. Formative Assessment ToolsSource: Brookhart, S. M. (2006). Formative Assessment Strategies for Every Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, pp. 10-55 Intervention Framework Identify learning target(s) that are a weakness for a substantial portion of your students, according to summative assessment results Identify instructional resources that can be used to support explicit instruction on the learning target(s) Plan instructional lessons that allow for differentiation to meet the needs of all students

52. POP Purpose Understand the importance of learning targets for students and teachers, using the Michigan social studies GLCE Outcome Practice “backward design” by unpacking the expectations to design good assessment and instruction Procedure PowerPoint slides for presenting information Templates for unpacking expectations Copy of GLCE to practice

53. Questions? Stan Masters Coordinator of Instructional Data Services Lenawee Intermediate School District 2946 Sutton Road Adrian, Michigan 49921 517-265-1606 (phone) 517-263-7079 (fax) stan.masters@lisd.us http://www.lisd.us/curriculum/