12 Steps to Create a Unit Plan

1. 12 Steps to Create a Unit Plan From the NC DPI Social Studies Workshop (October 17 – 18) UNCC

2. Purpose of Workshop • The workshop provided insight on: • Concept Based Framework • Overview of a unit development process • With other MS SS teachers we practiced this process and created a unit

3. Purpose of Workshop • After going over what conceptual framework we were presented a 12 step process for creating engaging units. • I-SS is a head of the game when it comes to curriculum understanding and several of the steps are already done for SS teachers thanks to CRW.

4. Concept Based Framework The Concept-Based Curriculum & Instructional Framework is a three-dimensional design model that allows teachers to identify what is important for students to know, understand, and be able to do in a organized, planned unit of instruction that promotes studentengagement and thinking. During instruction, teachers use concepts as a tool to help students seepatterns and connections between facts and related ideas in order to reach adeeper understanding of the content. • Definition provided by NC DPI • With a person by you, discuss your understanding of what this means to your planning for instruction?

5. Concept Based Framework • Conceptual Framework is a move away from teaching from beginning to end. • i.e. begin in 1492 and end with 2012 election. • Conceptual Framework investigates connections between historic events to generate a deeper understanding the topic.

6. 12 Step Process for Unit Creation • It is recommended to do the process in PLCs. • CRW has done several of the steps for us.

7. 12 Steps • We’re going to go through the steps very briefly. Normally a unit plan would take a planning period or two to create. • We’re going to practice this process in about 30 minutes.

8. 12 Steps • You will need: • Lap top computers with access to the I-SS Curriculum Guides. • Handouts • Sit with your grade level PLC, if you are a singleton (Troutman, SMS, or any other) please work with other singletons.

9. 12 Steps • Step 1 – As a plc identify an essential standard for your unit and give it a fancy title. • Step 2 – would ask you to create an outline of units for the entire year (we’re going to skip this one today). Ideally this is done prior to the school year starting. • Step 3 – brief summary of each unit outlined (skip)

10. 12 Steps • Step 4 – Identify clarifying objectives that support your unit. • “Conceptual Lens”

11. 12 Steps • Conceptual Lens • Is a broad, integrating concept or conceptual ideas. • Narrows the scope of the unit. • Basically what concepts go with the unit.

12. Example: “Our Community” Diversity Location Roles and Responsibilities Example: “American Media” Persuasive Force Innovation Perspective/Bias Examples of Conceptual Lens

13. 12 Steps • Step 5 – Create a concept/content web

14. 12 Steps • Take a few minutes to fill out the concept/content unit guide as a PLC for your standard. • Step 6 - Generalizations

15. GENERALIZATION=Enduring Understanding Two or more concepts in a relationship... Concept Concept • CONCEPTUAL IDEAS THAT TRANSFER • DEVELOP “DEEP UNDERSTANDING’’ • What do I understand as a result of my study that I can transfer?

16. Helpful Guidelines To Remember When Writing Generalizations Guidelines: No proper or personal nouns or pronouns Use a present tense verb Show a relationship between at least two concepts Transferable idea that is supported by the factual content Uses a qualifier (often, can, may) Think about the connections between and among concepts in the various strands from your web. Full sentence statements, describing what, specifically, students should understand about the critical concepts in the unit

17. 12 Steps • Examples of generalizations for a unit: • War may alter the physical and geography of a place. • Leadership may change the course of human history. • Nations often go to war to protect their political and economic interests.

18. Common Errors In Writing Generalizations Use of level 1 verbs: impact, affect, influence, is, are, have (need to scaffold) Use of past tense verbs or proper nouns which makes them facts instead of generalizations Lack of clarity (poor word choice or sentence construction) Use of proper nouns or pronouns Use of value statements Only one concept represented

19. 12 Steps • Step 7 – Writing guiding questions to support each generalization • For time, just write one for your unit

20. Guiding Questions • Guide student thinking through the factual material to inductively arrive at the generalization • Can be factual, conceptual, or provocative (debatable) • Engages student interest and intellect • Promotes discussion and debate • Promotes inquiry • Each generalization should have 3-5 questions • A unit may have 2-3 provocative questions for the entire unit.

21. Factual Questions *Conceptual Essential Questions* These questions can transfer over time and space. *Provocative Essential Questions* These questions have no right or wrong answer and should stir debate. Locked in time, place, or situation

22. 12 Steps • Step 8 – Indentify key factual content • Step 9 – Indentify key skills • Fill out graph on back of planning sheet

23. 12 Steps • Step 10 – Assessment; design an aligned assessment • Creating a “Performance Task”

24. Developing The Performance Tasks • Performance Tasks: Provide students with opportunities to actively demonstrate understanding of concepts, generalizations and content in the standards and unit. Student Performances: • Reflect the most important • Understand (Generalizations), • Know (Factual Knowledge), and • Able to Do (Skills) of the unit. • Student Performances are the assessment evidence of mastery. • Student Performances are not simple “activities.”

25. Here’s APerformance Task Example What: As one of a team of cultural anthropologists, analyze the interactions of the early European settlers and American Indians. Why: In order to understand that: Interaction between different groups ma lead to cultural diffusion. How: Research one aspect of early Native American Indian and European culture (history, arts, religion, government, daily living, land use...) before and after the interaction between the groups. Drawing from your research, write a case study describing the obvious impacts or influences that these merging cultures have had on each other over time. As one member of the anthropological team, present an insightful and powerful speech to the state historical society, using visuals or multi-media, detailing the positive and negative lessons to be learned from the historical study of merging cultures.

26. 12 Steps • Step 11 – Develop learning experiences to support the performance task • Step 12 – Identify resources needed for the unit

27. Developing Learning Experiences & Instruction Step 11 • III. Implement the design in a lesson. • Ask: • What LEARNING EXPERIENCES and INSTRUCTIONALSTRATEGIES will enable students to achieve the desired results? • What enabling KNOWLEDGE (facts & concepts) and SKILLS (processes, procedures, strategies) will students need in order to perform effectively and achieve desired results? • What ACTIVITIES will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills?

28. Thank you!