WRITING STANDARDS-BASED UNITS

1. WRITING STANDARDS-BASED UNITS Presented by the SRHS Literacy Team

2. AGENDA FOR TODAY Recap Last Meeting Focus For Today -Steps 1 And 2 Activity Homework

3. RECAP… • Remember drawing the present? • Very few people made 100 on their present, why?

4. The Big Six • Summarizing • Paraphrasing • Categorizing • Inferring • Predicting • Recognizing Academic Vocabulary

5. Standards-Based Unit An instructional plan that deliberately focuses on a group of prioritized standards and uses essential questions, pre- & post-assessments, and a daily sequence of engaging instructional activities to teach the standards during a specified time.

6. Standards-Based Units • Use standards to promote what student need to know and be able to do • Standards-based units change the focus from teaching to learning • Rigorous assignments & assessments, teach critical thinking • Focus on rigorous, meaningful lessons and engagement • Connect assignments to real-world • Students are motivated to succeed when they find relevance to their world in the lessons • Use literacy strategies and habits of success • Help students master the content language • Help students develop time management, study skills • Address learning styles • Different types of assignments and assessments provide attention to different learning styles

7. Why take the time? • If we “begin with the end in mind” (or use “backwards planning”), we will create lessons that are more focused on the daily and weekly activities that lead to the final assessment. • Can result in improved student engagement • Can result in improved comprehension and retention of material • Can result in improved student achievement

8. The TEN STEPS • Pick Your Topic Carefully (Use Standards) • ID And Chunk Standards Together (Piles) • Write Essential Questions Based On The Standards That Determine Exactly What You Want Students To Know And Be Able To Do At The End Of The Unit • Plan The Post Assessment • Brainstorm Possible Resources • Use Data To Choose Literacy Strategies • Choose The Habits Of Success • Plan The Daily Sequence For Each Day • Teach The Unit • Increase The Level Of Proficiency

9. FOCUS FOR TODAY… • Step 1 – Choose your first topic (concept) carefully • Choose standards you enjoy teaching • Allow several weeks to plan, organize, and complete the unit • Standards addressed should lend themselves to multiple days of lessons and numerous choices for post-assessment • Tests, projects, presentations, research papers, etc. • Title should be “catchy” to immediately engage students • See pg. 15

10. FOCUS FOR TODAY… • Step 2 – Identify and Chunk Standards and Readiness Indicators • Identify – select standards that logically support the topic • Chunk – arrange the standards into similar, closely related groups

11. FOCUS FOR TODAY… • Step 2 continued… • Chunking standards allows: • Students to make connections desired by the teacher • Deeper learning (know it past test time) • Time saved by addressing desired outcomes • Data-driven decisions about which activities and strategies would produce desired outcomes • Mastery of standards • Integration

12. FOCUS FOR TODAY… • Step 2 continued… • Identify the required standards for this unit • Select standards that support the topic • Begin with the end in mind – use “backwards planning” to determine specific knowledge students should have mastered upon completion of unit

13. ACTIVITY • Look through your SCOS • Choose 4 concepts that you enjoy and will teach next semester • With a partner, answer questions on pg. 15, Think It Through (you have already answered first question!)

14. HOMEWORK • Choose one topic you would teach as a unit • Consider the questions on pg. 15 and top of pg. 17 when considering topic choice • Give it a catchy name – pg. 15 • Determine the standards that will be addressed in the topic • Please have completed by December 1 at our next Literacy Meeting