Unit Analysis Map HIED 3001/3010

1. Unit Analysis MapHIED 3001/3010 Dr. Allen Guidry – HIED/ECU TQP

2. The Unit Analysis Map • Designed to be completed in 5 phases or steps to assure thoughtful and meaningful planning of instruction aligned with all elements of education reform • Step 1 – General direction and understanding of student population (Rose) • Step 2 – North Carolina Essential Standards, Previous knowledge and skills, summative assessment (Light Blue) • Step 3 – Planning content and determining academic language demands (Light Purple) • Step 4 – Planning lesson topics, lesson essential questions, related standards, and formative assessment (Light Green) • Step 5 – Lesson instructional activities, lesson academic language, and differentiation using Gardner’s MI * The colors in parentheses correspond with the colors on the unit analysis map template. Each color section should be completed step-by-step in turn before moving to another section of the unit analysis map.

3. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 1 • At this phase of unit development it is necessary for teacher candidates to determine what standards and related objectives will be the focus of the unit • Selection of the standards and clarifying objectives must take root in general CCSS in reading, writing, or math

4. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 1

5. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 1 • Note that in the previous slide, the unit topic was derived from the NC Essential Standards for US History I • Also note that the CCSS were used to drive the direction of the lesson • Finally, note the citation of specific NC Essential Standards (USH.H.2.1) there as well to show direction of content for the given instructional unit

6. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 1 • At this point it is also important for teacher candidates to determine the particular needs of students (individually and collectively) • These needs might be derived from: • IEPs • 504 plans • Students’ cumulative records • Special plans designed by teacher teams advocating for students • Personal observations and observed student behaviors or needs for groups or classes of students • Personal observations and observed student behaviors or needs for individual students

7. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 1

8. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 1 • Note here that not only identified exceptionalities are addressed, but also those that are observed or fall into the category of “unidentified” learner needs • This is done in an effort to design instruction that meets the needs of all students in the classroom

9. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 2 • Setting expectations early is a vital part of designing effective instruction • In order to establish the expectations, however, it is necessary to know the previous knowledge and skill sets of students • To establish this baseline from which to begin instruction, it is necessary to identify/think about what the students already know

10. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 2

11. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 2 • Note how the previous skills and knowledge segment • Addresses prior knowledge (even going back to another course) and prior skills (that will become more specific as we know more about the students) • Addresses both content and process of the discipline (ability to differentiate between sources as well as understanding of exploration)

12. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 2 • It is now time to think about what we want the students to know and do/be able to do at the end of the unit • As CCSS focus on reading and writing in a “technical subject” like social studies, it might be necessary to utilize assessment that integrates and measures reading and writing skills as well as content • A good unit summative assessment allows the teacher to not only assess understanding of content (which is crucial), but also the proficiency of the students in delivering that knowledge in a relevant and literate way. The example shown below, presents how a culminating performance task might be used as a summative assessment.

14. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 2 • Note in the example summative assessment that both sets of standards, CCSS and NCES in social studies, are used to design the assessment task • NCES for USH I were used to guide the content of the performance assessment • CCSS in writing were used to guide the method of assessment

15. The Unit Analysis Map • Following completion of Steps 1 and 2, the context for instruction and the expectations for the unit have been established • To this point, the following questions have been asked and answered by the teacher : • What, according to the standards, should I teach in this unit? • To whom am I teaching it and what are there needs and abilities? • What do I want them to know and be able to do upon completion of this unit?

16. The Unit Analysis Map – Steps 3 and 4 • Now we are ready to tackle another couple of questions: • What do they need to know (content and academic language) to be able to do what I want them to do? • What language might I need to coach them on to help them better understand the content and processes associated with this learning segment?

17. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 3 • What do they need to know (content and academic language) to be able to do what I want them to do? • This question will guide work in the next phase of unit development through two documents found as appendices in the unit analysis map: • Content outline • Academic language (vocabularyand language functions)

18. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 3 • An effective and usable content outline is a crucial guiding document for the secondary content teacher • A good content outline: • Provides an appropriate breadth of content to assure that all major topics related to clarifying objectives are covered • Provides sufficient depth to assure that each content point, sub point, and detail is exhaustively and sufficiently addressed • Provides a logical flow of content from one content point to the next – this flow is important across both major topics and between subtopics and details to assure that content is understandable, relevant, and connected • Links content overtly and clearly to standards and objectives

19. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 3

20. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 3 • Although only a small subset of what would be taught in a full unit, the content outline in the previous slide illustrates a couple of points: • The content is clearly linked to state standards via a reference to the NCES in USH I • The content is “spelled out” in detail • The content flows between major topics and between subtopics and details within those major topics

21. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 3 • Students must be able to understand content, not only on their own terms, but also on the terms of the discipline • To facilitate this transition to proper usage of “academic language,” it is necessary to identify, teach, and reinforce the usage of proper academic language • This academic language will take two forms at this point: • Vocabulary: the words we use in common, everyday contexts (e.g. rural, urban, contemporary, foreign, domestic) • Language function: The content and language focus of the learning task represented by the active verbs (e.g. Bloom’s verbs) within the learning outcomes. Examples might include: Analyze, compare/contrast, construct, describe, evaluate, examine, identify, interpret, justify, locate, etc.

22. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 3

23. The Unit Analysis Map – Step 4 • Once the “what” has been determined, it is now time to begin look at the “how” – time to focus on instructional methodology • This fourth phase of unit planning is where content and process come together, where the NCES and CCSS are married • This phase is also where teachers marry content and context to provide learning events that engage all learners

24. The Unit Analysis Map – Steps 4 • How do I know if they learned it and if they can do it? • How can I break this apart into chunks so that I can teach it sequentially and have that sequence be thoughtful, meaningful, and purposeful? • How do I need to teach it so that all learners can have an opportunity to learn?

25. Step 5 – Planning instruction • Once we have determined (a) what it is we want students to know and be able to do and their relative progress toward meeting those expectations through our formative assessments and (b) how we can best divide content into workable, teachable chunks through our lesson topics and essential questions, we can move to how we will teach them.

26. Step 5 – Planning instruction • The central question for step 5, then, is: • How do I need to teach it so that all learners can have an opportunity to learn?

27. The Unit Analysis Map – Steps 4 and 5 • Let’s take a look at how this unit analysis map helps us design instruction down to the lesson level so that we can then focus individually on the procedures of those lessons • The following slides show (a) a sample lesson mapped out and (b) an explanation of each element of the lesson portion of the map • Please note that each lesson in the unit would need to be included in the map in the same way this one sample lesson was designed

29. From our content outline, we must now divide the content topics or skill sets into individual lessons. After determining the topic for each lesson, an essential question (usually a conceptual or “big picture” question that sets the focus for the entire lesson) should be drafted to guide the direction of the lesson. This topic, the corresponding essential question, and the remainder of the lesson (activities, academic language, assessments) should be directly and overtly linked to an identified standard or clarifying objective from the CCSS and NCES.

30. Once we have organized material to be taught, it is important to think about how to assess whether or not observable, demonstrable, or measurable learning has taken place. In order to build from one lesson to the next in a way that will assist students in meeting expectations aligned with the culminating performance task, it is helpful to use a variety of formative assessments for each lesson. Such formative assessments should not only align with teaching practice relative to CCSS, but should also allow us to assess understanding of content and process.

31. Once we know our content and know what students should know and be able to do through our formative assessments, more than ever, our method is of vital concern. CCSS and NCES provide a framework for more process-focused instruction centered around literacy and universal practices. Instructional activities should, therefore, reflect that focus. In presenting instructional activities, be sure to include both content and method. Including resources here is also helpful.

32. Here we connect the vocabularyand language functions that we identified at the outset of unit development to the individual lesson. This academic language should not only be introduced in the lesson, but should be supported throughout the lesson through contextualization, reinforcement, and opportunities for students usage.

33. Our charge as classroom teachers is to teach ALL students. This means that we often must meet them where they are by using various strategies that address a variety of learners. Furthermore, we must challenge them to think in new and different ways, causing them to use learning styles that they are not quite as accomplished in using. By identifying and planning to use multiple methods of instruction as informed by Gardner’s MI theory, we can accomplish both of these goals.