Curriculum WritingEnglish Language Arts
January 18, 2016
2015-2016 Curriculum Writing
August September October November December January
Curriculum Writing Feedback
Curriculum Writing In-Service: Finalize Units
Curriculum Writing K-6 ELA, Math, Social Studies, Science Writing
Implement written curriculum
Use binders to capture strengths and needs of written curriculum
Share feedback with primary authors (quarterly or by unit)
Primary authors continue to write and revise units based upon feedback
Identify prioritized list of resource needs (Science 3-8, ELA 7-9, Social Studies 3+)
Curriculum Binders Use the curriculum unit maps and binder to continually assess
strengths and needs within each unit design.
Finalized Curriculum Units Across all Departments
January 18, 2016
“Final”:
Ready for a new teacher’s eyes
Level of quality to proudly share with staff and community
Exemplary CurriculumThe Curriculum Assessment Baseline and Curriculum Review Process leadership committee referenced earlier also developed the following elements of an “ideal” curriculum for PRSD:
We are working to create a…–Standards-based curriculum…
–Written in practical/useful language…
–Connected to a variety of resources (e.g., text, technology, and authentic)…
–Coordinated across teachers of the same content (i.e., horizontal alignment)…
–Articulated in a manner that “spirals” key content/skills (i.e., vertical alignment)…
–Developed and used by our PRSD staff…
–Engaging for students…
–Organized within reasonable time parameters…
–Responsive to formative assessments of students…
–Measured by summative assessments of students…
–Visible to all…
–And continuously improved over time.
We want students to retain critical content knowledge, transfer learning into new settings, and enhance skills that are the underpinning of lifelong learning.
UbD 3-Circle Audit
Today’s Outcomes 7-12
★ Refine unit curriculum ○ Read at least one other course (8:30-9:15)
■ Read with a critical eye■ Use Step-by-Step Guide■ Provide Specific Feedback
○ Read your course(s) (9:30-10:45)■ Read with a critical eye■ Use Step-by-Step Guide■ Clean Up the Document
● Spaces, background color○ Is you course ready to be published?
★ Transition to Assessments Presentation (10:55-11:15)
If anyone feels as though they are “finished” please see an administrator for an assessment task.
Today’s Outcomes K-6
★ PA Core/Wonders Gap Analysis ○ Use the 13-14 Gap Analysis Document to
compare PA Core ELA to Wonders (3-6 use eligible content)
★ Begin Curriculum Writing○ Develop Unit Titles and Timelines (Semester 1)○ Begin Developing Big Ideas and Learning Goals
★ Transition to Assessments Presentation (10:55-11:15)
A Model for Teaching and Learning
January 18, 2016
Today’s Purpose
● Provide an update on a component of the strategic plan related to the integration of curriculum, instruction and assessment
● Describe several big ideas and concepts related to assessment
● Assign two tasks that will help us prepare for the February 15th in-service
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
● Over the past two years, we have invested considerable time in the curriculum review process with the key outcome of a locally-developed written K - 12 curriculum for all courses.
● Purposeful use of vertical teams has helped ensure a sequential alignment within each content area.
● Utility has been the clear goal. The written curriculum cannot sit on an “electronic shelf” and must be used as the foundation for daily lesson planning and continuously improved over time.
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
● The first category in our strategic plan is titled “Teaching and Learning.” In the Teaching and Learning category of the strategic plan, the first three long-term goals in that category relate directly to curriculum, instruction and assessment.
● With substantive completion of the curriculum, we are now shifting to the 2015 - 2016 short-term goals of instruction and assessment.
● We are in “design mode.” We will not actively implement these areas until 2016 - 2017. This focus ties directly to our mission to “focus on learning for every student every day.”
Strategic Plan Review
Teaching and Learning
● Among elements such as a well-articulated curriculum and a safe and orderly environment, the one factor that surfaced as the single most influential component of an effective school is the individual teachers within that school (Marzano, 2007, p. 1).
● Four Fundamental Questions:
○ What is it we want our students to know?
○ How will we know if they are learning?
○ How will we respond when individual students do not learn?
○ How will we enrich and extend the learning for students who are proficient?
Case for a Common Language
Why is it important?
● 400 teachers
● 11 principals and assistant principals
● 0 – 35 years experience
● Dozens of colleges
● Multiple content areas
● Different departmental levels
● Varied professional development experiences
We added a glossary to the strategic plan for a similar reason.
Enrich/Extend and Re-teach/SupportReal-World, Hands-on Experiences
Technology Integration
Curriculum
AssessmentInstruction
Assessment Preview
● The in-service on February 15th will begin a focus on assessment.
● We will take a few minutes today to set the foundation for that in-service by reviewing some of the concepts and big ideas connected to this topic.
● The assessment focus is split into two main areas:○ Unit-based curriculum with a variety of assessment
types○ Standardized assessments, such as AIMSweb and F&P
Assessment CommitteeUnit-Based Assessments Standardized Assessments
Dave Kristofic Madeline Anderson
Laura Burns Gene Nicastro
Jennifer Bubb Autumn Turk
Tim Converse Maura Paczan
John Simko Missy Ramirez
Vincent Thearle Tim Mahoney
Alexandra Batouyios Mindy Bramer
Pamela Beauseigneur Derek Eshbaugh
Amy Snyder
*Mike Pasquinelli, Laura Davis, Noel Hustwit and Brian Miller are involved with both sub-committees
Assessment Big Idea #1
Achievement Growth
Achievement and Growth
Achievement and Growth
Beginning of Unit Middle of Unit End of Unit
Assessment Big Idea #2
Assessment of Learning• Standardized tests
– PSSA– Keystone Exam– SAT– ACT– AP
• End of chapter test prior to moving into the next unit
• Midterm or Final Exam
Assessment for Learning• Pre-test to determine prior knowledge• Quiz or informal check for
understanding that leads to an instructional decision by the teacher
• Diagnostic-style assessment to guide decisions
– CDT
We want to shift more into this area.
Assessment within Unit-Based Curriculum
Levels of Understanding
“Many teacher tests tend to focus on the accuracy of knowledge and skill rather than on evidence of transferability” (Wiggins and McTighe, p. 150)
DuFour and Marzano (2011)
Assessment Big Idea #3
Next Steps - Task 1
GALE Virtual Reference Library
Password: relevant
*This online resource can be used by PRSD teachers. It contains a wide variety of excellent books published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Prior to February 15th, please take a few minutes to read Chapter 1 - The Case for Classroom Assessment (about10 minutes).
Click on the hyperlink below and enter the password.
We have some before, during and afterreading questions related to this chapter. CLICK HERE
Next Step - Task 2
● As a section of the curriculum binder, we have asked teachers to collect sample assessments. We would like all teachers to bring hard copy assessment exemplars to the in-service on February 15th.
● Please identify a variety of assessment types (e.g., performance task, traditional quiz/test, non-traditional, formative questions, rubrics, etc.). We are especially interested in examples of formative assessment (see definition from prior chapter reading).
● On February 15th, we will engage in professional development activities around the topic of assessment and identify a representative sample from each department. These samples will then be shared with the district sub-committee focused on this topic. This representative group will then “bunker down” to understand and wrap their collective heads around the future process (2016 - 2017).
Next Step - Bonus Task
● If interested, please read Chapter 7 - Thinking Like an Assessor.
● GALE Virtual Reference Library
● Password: relevant