Checklists for Learning

+ Unit Objectives

To introduce the use of checklists for both

teachers and students

To learn how to embed the language of the

standards in all checklists

To use checklists as a Response to Intervention

to help struggling students

What is a Checklist?

+ What is a Checklist?

Graphic organizer to record students’ skills:

Social

Study

Test taking

Thinking

Writing

Speaking

Athletic

Behavior

+ What is a Checklist?

A “to-do” list for teachers and students

Valuable instructional tool

Formative assessment tool

Monitoring tool (progress)

Organizational tool (chunking)

Scaffolding for support

Components of a Checklist

+ What Are the Components

of a Checklist?

Title

Student’s name, class, period, date

Standard or standards

Brief description of task

Major categories of performance

Subpoints or subskills

Scoring columns

Student comments

Scale that translates to grade

Performance Indicators

Not Yet

0

Yes

1

Main Category: ____________________________________

•

•

•

Main Category: ____________________________________

•

•

•

Main Category: _____________________________________

•

•

•

Main Category: ______________________________________

•

•

•

Main Category: ______________________________________

•

•

•

Template for a Student Checklist

Scale: Total Points: ____________

Student Comment: Teacher Comment:

Student Signature: ____________________ Teacher Signature: ___________________________

Title of checklist: ___________________________________________________________

Student: _______________________________Class:_____________________________

Standard: ______________________________Assignment: _______________________

Teacher Task: Use these guidelines to create a checklist to lead your students through

a specific project or performance. Then use this checklist to self-assess your checklist.

Not Yet or

Do Over

0

Yes or

In Progress

1

Language of the standards (LOTS): Did you include…

• The vocabulary from your state standards?

• Important people and places?

• Key concepts from the standards?

“Chunking” the main ideas or categories: Did you…

• Categorize (chunk) parts of the standards that fit together?

• Limit each “chunk” to three to five subskills?

• Rearrange performance indicators under each category so they fit logically?

Sequential order: Did you…

• Arrange the checklist in the order students would complete work?

• Arrange the order so it is developmentally appropriate?

• Add steps that are necessary for understanding?

Scoring: Did you…

• Avoid providing scoring columns for the big abstract categories that appear

in the shaded rows?

• Assign one point for every “In Progress” or “Yes” rating?

• Designate a zero for a “Do Over” or “Not Yet” rating?

• Provide a scale to give specific feedback to students?

Teacher Guidelines for Creating Students Checklists

+

Grade 5 Writing Standard: Students will write

informative/explanatory essays.

Grade 5 Language Standard: Conventions of Standard English

Not

Yet

0

Yes

1

Examine a Topic: Can the students…

• Select a topic of interest (political issue, school issue, environment, bullying, violence on television, endangered species,

social networks and privacy, homework, school uniforms, etc.)

• Research topic using current resources (books, magazines, Internet sources, experts)

• Gather information (accurate and appropriate facts, statistics, and quotations).

Convey Ideas and Information: Can the students… • Introduce a topic clearly (background information)

• Provide a general observation (overview of topic)

• Provide a focus (purpose, topic sentence, thesis statement, point of view, controlling idea)

Group Related Information Logically to Aid Comprehension: Can

the students… • Include formatting (headings, margins, paragraphs)

• Include illustrations (drawings, clipart, maps, graphics)

• Include multimedia (PowerPoint, digital pictures, music)

Develop the Topic: Can the students… • Use facts (names, places, dates)

• Use definitions (define key terms)

• Use concrete details (related to touch, smell, sight, hearing, taste)

• Use quotations (exact words from experts in the field related to topic)

“Repacking” a Common Core State Standard Teacher Checklist

for Informative Writing

Grade 5 Writing Standard: Students will write

informative/explanatory essays.

Grade 5 Language Standard: Conventions of Standard English

Not

Yet

0

Yes

1

Link Ideas Within and Across Categories of Information: Can the

students… • Link using words (and, however, moreover, additionally)

• Link using phrases (on the other hand, most importantly)

• Link using clauses (In addition to the environmental problems facing the homeowners,…)

Use Precise Language: Can the students… • Use action verbs (attacked, ransacked, rambled, grabbed)

• Use vivid descriptions (i.e., bloodthirsty monster, hideous hair)

• Use domain-specific vocabulary related to the topic (mitosis, pyramid, parabola)

Provide a Concluding Statement: Can the students…

• Refer back to the hook in their introduction

• Provide a brief summary of key ideas

• Use a effective quotation or anecdote to summarize the purpose of the essay

• Use a call to action to motivate reader to take a stand

“Repacking” a Common Core State Standard Teacher Checklist

for Informative Writing (p. 2)

Task: Select a topic of interest and write a five-paragraph

informative essay using the guidelines included in this checklist.

Not

Yet

0

Yes

1

Examine a Topic: Did you…

• Select a topic that interests you? What is it:

__________________________________________________________

• Research your topic using current resources? List two sources:

1) ___________________________ 2) _________________________

• Gather accurate and appropriate facts? Give examples:

Fact: _____________________________________________________

Statistic: __________________________________________________

Quotation: _________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Convey Ideas and Information: Did you…

• Provide background information about the topic? What was it?

• State your purpose for writing (persuade, entertain, inform, narrate)? State your purpose:

________________________________________

• Provide a focus for your paper by writing a thesis statement?

Write it: __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Group Related Information Logically: Did you…

• Include appropriate formatting (headings, margins, paragraphing)?

• Include appropriate illustrations (drawings, clipart, charts, maps, graphics)? Which ones:

______________________________________

_________________________________________________________

• Include appropriate multimedia (PowerPoint, digital pictures, music)? Which ones?

_______________________________________________

Student Checklist for CCSS Informative Writing Grade 5 Writing Standard: Students will write informative/explanatory essays.

Conventions of Standard English: Students will demonstrate command of the conventions

of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Not Yet

0

Yes

1

Develop the Topic: Did you…

• Use accurate and appropriate facts? Give examples:

Names: ___________________________________________________

Places: ___________________________________________________

Dates: ___________________________________________________

Events: ___________________________________________________

• Define key terms (content-specific words like ecosystem)?

• Use Concrete Details (touch, smell, sight, hearing, taste)? Give examples:

Touch: (soft)_______________________________________________

Smell: (stench)_____________________________________________

Sight: (red) ________________________________________________

Hearing: (loud) _____________________________________________

Taste: (bitter) ______________________________________________

Use Quotations from Experts: Did you…

• Select an appropriate quotation to support your thesis?

• Cite the name of the author of the quotation?

• Cite the title or position of the author (Secretary of Defense, author, Head of the FDA, noted scientist)?

• Cite the source where you found quotation (publication, date, page)? ____________________________________________

• Capitalize and punctuate the quotation correctly?

Documentation: Did you…

• Paraphrase the ideas of others by putting them in your own words?

• Give credit to your paraphrased ideas by citing the source using the correct format in your paper?

• Did you avoid plagiarism by always citing the source of the information (facts, statistics, ideas, charts) you included?

Student Checklist for CCSS Informative Writing (p. 2)

Grade 5 Writing Standard: Students will write informative/explanatory essays.

Grade 5 Language Standard: Conventions of Standard English

Not Yet

0

Yes

1

Link Ideas Within and Across Categories of Information: Did You…

• Link ideas by using words (and, however, moreover, additionally)?

Give examples:

• Link ideas by using phrases (in contrast, on the other hand, most importantly)?

Give examples:

• Link ideas by using clauses (In addition to the environmental problems faced by the homeowners,)?

Give example:

Use Precise Language: Did you?…

• Use action verbs (rampaged, grabbed)? Give examples:

• Use vivid descriptions (bloodthirsty beast)? Give examples:

• Use domain-specific vocabulary relate to the topic (ecosystem)? Give examples:

Provide a Concluding Statement: Did you?…

• Refer back to the hook in the introduction?

• Provide a brief summary of key ideas?

• Use a effective quotation or anecdote to summarize the purpose of the essay?

• Use a call to action to motivate reader to take a stand?

Student Checklist for CCSS Informative Writing (p. 3)

Options for Introducing

Checklists

+ How would you chunk a

multiple-page checklist?

Present only one section at a time

Allow kids who’ve used a checklist before to

work at their own pace

Present first chunk and corresponding rubric

for students who want to proceed on their own

Give students roles (quality checker, task

manager)

+ Create a Checklist

Chunk main ideas and place them in order.

Begin each main idea with a verb, for example,

“Select a topic.”

Write guiding questions for each main idea.

+ Dual Role of Checklists

Instructional tool to get students organized

Assessment tool to find out if they’re doing

what they need to do

Creating Checklists

and Debrief

+ Create a Checklist

Chunk main ideas and place them in order.

Begin each main idea with a verb, for example,

“Select a topic.”

Write guiding questions for each main idea.

+ English Language Arts

Checklist

Write an introduction

Do I use one of the following strategies to

develop reader interest? (scenario,

dazzling description, startling fact)

Did I develop a clear thesis? What is my

thesis? _____________________________

+ English Language Arts

Checklist

Identify the similarities between the text and

the film

Identify the differences between the text and

the film

Summarize

Did I summarize my ideas without

restating my thesis?

+ Social Studies Checklist

Provide background information on the

country

What’s the name of the country?

Provide five characteristics of the country

What’s the current political situation

involving civil liberties?

+ Social Studies Checklist

Research human rights violations

Identify two human rights violations

Summarize the incidents (who, what, when,

where, why)

Identify amendments that protect American

citizens from similar human rights violations

+ Social Studies Checklist

Use appropriate resources

CIA World Fact Book

State Department website

Constitution in back of textbook

+ Benefits of Checklists Provide feedback to students in real time

Chunk the criteria into more manageable subskills

Sequence the steps into logical building blocks

Embed the vocabulary and concepts from the language

of the standards.

“Begin with the end in mind” so that the standard is

always the target

Build developmentally appropriate instruction

Reinforce the oral instructions of the teacher

Help parents monitor their children’s homework

Allow students to self-assess their own work and

complete do-overs

+ Benefits of Checklists

Encourage students to adjust their learning and

improve their final products

Provide more accurate and consistent grades and

prevent arguments such as “Why did I get a C?”

Help students become more independent learners

Help students become resources for other students by

offering peer support

Help improve teaching and learning

Provide interventions for struggling students

Reduce classroom management problems

+ Benefits of Checklists

Rubrics are our friends.

Checklists are our best friends.

Classroom Observation:

Grade 2 Intro

+ Classroom Observation:

Grade 2 Intro

How does the teacher introduce her students to

the performance task and accompanying

checklist?

How might you accomplish this in your own

class?

Classroom Observation:

Grade 2 Checklist Practice

+ Classroom Observation:

Grade 2 Checklist Practice

What scaffolding and modeling does the

teacher provide? How does this prepare

students to work independently?

In what way is the discussion of capitalization

and punctuation a formative assessment? How

will the students’ responses influence further

instruction?

Classroom Observation:

Grade 5 Checklists

+ Classroom Observation:

Grade 5 Checklists

How does the teacher prepare her students to

tackle the performance task?

How does the teacher use the performance

task, checklist, and rubric to assess students’

mastery of the standard?

Teacher Feedback

+

How do you use checklists?

Review: Repacking Standards

to Creating Checklists

+ Common Core State Standards Initiative:

English Language Arts Standard:

Informative Writing: Grade 5

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and

convey ideas and information clearly. Introduce a topic

clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and

group related information logically; include formatting

(e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful

to aiding comprehension.

Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details,

quotations, or other information and examples related to

the topic.

The Common Core State Standards Initiatives http://www.corestandards.org/ June 2, 2010. Common Core

State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical

Subject Writing Standards, K-5, p. 20 http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf

+ Common Core State Standards Initiative:

English Language Arts Standard:

Informative Writing: Grade 5

Link ideas within and across categories of information

using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast,

especially).

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to

inform about or explain the topic.

Provide a concluding statement or section related to the

information or explanation presented.

The Common Core State Standards Initiatives http://www.corestandards.org/ June 2, 2010. Common Core

State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical

Subject Writing Standards, K-5, p. 20 http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf

+ Repack the Standards

Chunk the topics.

Put them in order.

Include the language of the standards.

Provide examples that clarify the task.

+ Checklist for Teachers

Provides a road map

+ Performance Task

Provide motivation

Ignite imagination

+ Checklists Are Our

Best Friends!

How should checklists be constructed?

How are checklists used for assessment and feedback?

How can checklists help struggling learners?

+ Checklists Are Our

Best Friends!

Enable students (and teacher) to work more efficiently

Ensure nothing’s left out

Give you a common language

Students can self-monitor, know what’s expected