Unwrapping Standards

Unwrapping Priority

Standards & communicating clear student

expectations is an essential part of implementing core curriculum

for all

Define Curriculum• What is your definition of

curriculum?

Types of Curriculum• Recommended – Standards as

defined by experts in their field.• Written – State standards, local goals

and objectives (ie., curriculum binders).

• Supported – Curriculum for which materials are actually available, such as textbooks and software.

Selecting Priority Standards•Criteria

–Critical life knowledge and skill

–Critical foundation for future learning

–Critical for meeting benchmark on OAKS

Identifying Learning Targets• Examining standard and related

indicators to determine learning targets of exactly what students need to:–Know (concepts or content)–Be able to do (skills)

Identify Learning Targets from Power/Priority

Standards

• Analyze the wording of your Power Standards to determine exactly what students must know and be able to do.

KNOW•Underline the key concepts

(important nouns and noun phrases).

DO•Circle the skills (verbs)—not

all verbs, just those representing what students must be able to do.

•CAPITALIZE vs circle verbs if creating a document on the computer

Remember BLOOMS?• Creating• Evaluating• Analyzing• Applying• Understanding• Remembering

“Unwrapped” Skills With Approximate Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels

(2) RECOGNIZE (main idea)

(2) PROVIDE (supporting evidence)

(4) CONTRAST (facts, supported inferences, opinions)

(4) DRAW (inferences, conclusions, generalizations)

(5) SUPPORT (inferences/conclusions w/ text evidence, prior knowledge)

Create a Graphic Organizer

What Students Need to Be Able To Do

What is Curriculum Mapping?

Curriculum Mapping is the documentation and discussion of what we teach.

It is a collaborative process that helps us understand teaching and learning throughout the Elementary and Middle School .

Types of Curriculum• Assessed – What is actually assessed

at the state and local level.• Taught – The content that teachers

actually deliver.• Intended – The written district guide

for grade level benchmarks/objectives.

Why Curriculum Mapping?

• It benefits ALL students.• Mapping is a COMMUNICATION tool.• Mapping is a PLANNING tool, it

keeps us FOCUSED and targets necessary information.

• Promotes PROFESSIONALISM and teaching creativeness.

Benefits• Mapping is not burdensome, in fact

it replaces repeat teachings and (eventually) lesson plans.

• Mapping allows us to focus on fewer goals, and therefore, teach concepts in depth.

• Mapping will eliminate wasted review and expand teaching time.

• It vertically shows curriculum steps.

Curriculum MappingAttempts to:

• Create a “snapshot” of the educational activities of every classroom within the district.

• Capture the content skills and assessments taught by every teacher in the district.

• Organize this information into an easily accessed visual that presents a timeline of instruction by teacher and course.

How…

Let’s see…..

Sample Curriculum MapEssential Questions

Content/Activities

Outcomes Assessment Standards

August

September

October

November

December

Essential Questions…

• Focus on a broad topic of study.

• Have multiple answers and perspectives. They address “why” or “how”.

• They are “mental Velcro” that helps ideas stick in students’ minds.

Essential QuestionsExamples

• Which is more important – water or air?

• What is change?

• What if Shakespeare were a woman?

Content

• Content is the essential concepts and topics covered during a month.  

ContentExamples

• Cultural diversity • Water cycle• Bridge to Terabithia• Local Government Systems• Fire Safety

Outcomes

• Outcomes are key abilities and processes students will develop related to specific content.

Outcome Examples

• Reading a map• Writing a play• Analyzing non-fiction text• Writing persuasive essays• Matching words and pictures

Assessment• Assessments are the products or

performances that demonstrate student learning.

• Assessments are what the student does (the actual product or performance), not the evaluation tool used to assess the product.

Assessment Examples

• Group presentation• Brochure• Research Paper• Essay exam• Puppet show• Debate

Activities• Key activities that lead to

acquisition of knowledge and skills.

• Describe the "how" for the knowledge and skills.

Activities Examples

• Writing persuasive letters to local government

• Water analysis of local river • Critique a work of art• Create a 50 states quilt

Once we have our Maps, what do we

do with them?

Maps are never finished; they are a work in progress!

Documentation

Examination Revision

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RevisionDocumentation

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