Evaluations fot Teachers M6U4A3

My goal is to be an effective mathematics teacher for all my students.  There are many variables that determine if a teacher is in fact, effective.  Variables like experience, continued education, advanced degrees and so forth.  The evaluation of a teacher is a means of determining the teacher’s effectiveness and gives a measurement of performance and effectiveness that the teacher can look to for improving on specific areas.  As evaluations can be difficult to receive, a teacher must put what is viewed as a negative and transform it to a positive and a way to be the best teacher possible.  My goal in this blog post is to analyze two approaches to teacher evaluations and propose elements that I think as a teacher I should be judged.

My assignment for the Teach-Now program is to compare two evaluation systems.  The first evaluation system I observed was watching the Teaching Channel video. A teacher named Laura Gurick, a high school Chemistry teacher, is being evaluated by Karen Hughes.  The evaluation was a three part evaluation: pre-observation, observation and post observation.  The pre-observation takes place before class time where Hughes (the observer) asked questions about the lesson and expectations of the class.  The teacher is able to ask questions regarding the evaluation that is going to take place.  I thought it was important to have this interaction prior to class so the anxiety level of the teacher was lower and understanding what the observer is assessing for.  I would like my mentor to give me insight before evaluating my class instruction time.  The observation followed when the observer is in the class and assessing the lesson and interactions of the teacher.  Even though the planned experiment was not successful, the teacher planned for a backup scenario, demonstrating solid planning.  This is something I have learned through the Teach-Now class, you need a backup plan when using technology or experiments.  After the observation assessment and meeting the post observation process occurred where the observer gave feedback to the teacher regarding the evaluation.  The observer asked questions about the lesson and class interactions.  I would value this time with my mentor; a time to reflect, asses and grow.

The other evaluation system I researched is the CSTP (California Standards for the Teaching Profession).  This evaluation system is rubric based and follows six core standards in evaluating effective teachers:  Engaging and supporting all students in learning, Creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning, Understanding and organizing subject matter for student learning, Planning instruction and designing learning experiences for all students, Assessing students for learning, and Developing as a professional educator. (CTC, p3)  These standards focus on the diversity of both teachers and students in the state of California, the needs of all students and the environment where the students are learning along with content and growth.  I am not currently teaching in the state of California and I have not been evaluated thus far.  I feel these standards are specific and goal oriented for a teacher to understand the job they are performing and how they will be evaluated.

 

Comparing the evaluation system seen in the Teaching Channel video, and the CSTP both evaluations have clear expectations and specific feedback.  I feel the CSTP is more specific and is goal oriented for a teacher based on the six standards while the Teaching Channel video had the three parts, depending on the pre-observation meeting with the observer, the evaluation could be vague or detailed. 

 

References:

TeachingChannel. (n,d.). New Teacher Survival Guide: The Formal Observation. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/preparing-for-formal-observations

Teacher Evaluation: A Resource guide for National Education Association Leaders and staff. NEA. Retrieved fromhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzYfzjQoASL_eGdtNFdsbXRIRDQ/view

TNTP.org. (n.d.). Teacher Evaluation 2.0. Retrieved from The New Teachers Project: file:///C:/Users/Amy/Downloads/M4U4A3_Teacher-Evaluation_2.0-20150707115740.pdf

Marshall, K. (2014, January 2). Teacher Evaluation Rubrics. Retrieved May 31, 2017, from http://usny.nysed.gov/rttt/teachers-leaders/practicerubrics/Docs/marshall-teacher-rubric-jan-2014.pdf

Preparing For the Formal Observation New Teacher Resources. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/preparing-for-formal-observations

 Commission of Teacher Credentialing (CTC). (2009). California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP). Retrieved https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/educator-prep/standards/cstp-2009.pdf

 

Pre-Assessment and Differentiation

Is the Class Ready for what comes next?

Pre-assessment for High School Geometry

 

What is Pre-assessment? Basically a pre-assessment test or quiz is for grouping or placement of a student based on data or results.  Pre-assessment provides important information to both the teacher and the student.  The teacher can group students based on prior knowledge and data from the pre-assessment to meet the student’s instructional needs.  The data allows the teacher to differentiate instruction and assessment for all students in the class.  The student is made aware of what knowledge is needed to be successful and allows the student to self-assess and be responsible for their learning.

“If teachers want to create flexible groups that address students' needs, they need to pre-assess.” (Pendergrass, 2014)

The following link is a pre-assessment quiz for a high school geometry class to determine readiness for Right Triangles and Trigonometry:

 

 Kahoot quiz for preassessment

CCSS.Math.Content.HSG.SRT.C.8 Use trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean Theorem to solve right triangles in applied problems.

Bloom’s Taxonomy guided the design of the pre-assessment to develop a higher order of thinking.  I wanted the pre-assessment to start with basic algebra skills needed in the unit and graduated to medium and one applied problem – ten total to keep the assessment fun and at a low level of anxiety.  Pre-assessments are not for a grade in my class!  Given three different student groupings:

• the 5 students who answered most, including the most difficult, of the pre-assessment questions correctly
• the 12 students who have some knowledge about the topic as shown in their score, but need to develop higher order thinking skills
• the 5 students who appear to have limited knowledge about the topic

The following is a flowchart (coogle) of differentiation strategies and assessments to address the needs of all the students.  Bloom’s taxonomy identifies specific levels and knowledge to help students evolve in learning.  Advanced students will need to be challenged to promote “creating and evaluating” skills, mid-level students require problems that promote “applying, analyzing and evaluating”, and lower level students will need to review basic skills and new concepts by “remembering and understanding”.

 Coogle mindmap

Continued assessments are needed to monitor students’ progress and tweak my teaching along the way so I am reaching each student at each level.   Modifying problems and material to maintain a high level of academic expectation is the goal of pre-assessment and differentiation strategies.   The end goal is to have each student engaged, learning and enjoying the class! 

 

 

Reference:

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domains. (2015) Retrieved http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

Pendergrass, E. (2014). Differentiation: It Starts with Pre-assessment.  Retrieved http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec13/vol71/num04/Differentiation@_It_Starts_with_Pre-Assessment.aspx

Kahoot. (n.d.) Retrieved https://kahoot.com/

 

 Kahoot quiz

High Stakes Assessments in a High School Setting

Implications of High Stakes Assessments

Assessments are used to further and improve student learning.  High-stakes assessments are assessments given with awareness that significant consequences are based on the results.  This type of exam is an assessment of learning because students’ data from the test are compared to specific standards. As the name indicates, “the stakes are high”, from the outcome of the test.  The Scholastic Assessment Test, known by all high school students in the United States as the SAT and the ACT and are the leading high stakes assessment tests.  Of course there are other high stakes assessments administered to students throughout their school years.

The SAT and ACT are used for admission to Universities and colleges in America. High school students take the test(s) during junior and senior year.  The purpose of the SAT and ACT is to determine a student’s readiness to enter college, measuring what they learned in high school.  The SAT measures the literacy, writing and mathematical skills and the ACT measures English, mathematics, reading and science.  A student applies to college by filling out the admissions application which requires the SAT or ACT results.  These high stakes assessments have been used for decades to decide if a student is the right fit for the college or University.  One can get an idea of the importance placed on the SAT or ACT with one internet search.  Prep courses, practice classes, webinars, and many more sites on how to improve your score.  American high school students know the importance of the score.

As teachers we are expected to analyze assessment data to determine strengths, weaknesses, and specific student needs.  Noting that assessments can be biased, many types of assessment are used to evaluate students’ progress.  The SAT and ACT are different because the teacher is not administering or using the data for the current class.  Students who are performing to the standards or above are expected to be successful on these tests because the test is supposed to be a reflection of what they have already learned.  With that being said, teachers are now in a situation to focus on specific content on these tests.

A positive for teachers and school is the data received.  I show two specific schools below and how they compare to the national average.  The data can help teachers focus on specific content needed to ensure students are learning what they need to learn.  The data can be broken down even more to assist teachers and administration to specifics.  On the flip side creativity in lesson planning can be inhibited because these tests can dictate what will be taught in the classroom.    

“While the SAT is not taught in American high schools, it is meant to be a reflection of the CORE Curriculum and to predict college success. The College Board states that any student capable of getting a high GPA in an American high school should be able to excel on the SAT.”  (Green Test Prep, 2018)

Analysis of Simi Valley School District:  One of the school districts I will apply to teach high school mathematics is the Simi Valley School district.   Royal High School is an above average, public school located in the school district.  It has approximately 2,000+ students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 25 to 1.  Average SAT composite score for Royal High School is 1190 out of 1600 and ACT composite score is 27 out of 36 based on data from the schools website.  Simi Valley High School has approximately 2250+ students in grades 9-12 with an average SAT composite score 1590 and ACT composite score 24 based on data from the schools website.

A perfect SAT score is 2400 with a national average of 1500; a perfect ACT score is 36 with a national average of 21.  There has been criticism that the test questions reflect high income areas.  Revisions have been made to the SAT from criticism and a new SAT with a 1600 score was first revised in 2005 and again in 2016.  The two schools I reported on scores are based on 2400 point SAT.   

“The following scores correlate with the following percentiles for the new scoring scale of the SAT:

1600 = 99.93rd percentile
1480 = 99th percentile
1340 = 93rd percentile
1150 = 72nd percentile
1010 = 48th percentile” (Green Test Prep, 2018)

Royal High School SAT is below the national average while Simi High School is slightly above the national average.  SAT results show Royal High School is above the national average and higher than Simi High Schools composite score.  A quick observation indicates that Royal High School instruction might be more ACT focused while Simi High appears to be SAT driven.  I thought it was important to note that both the SAT and ACT offer accommodations to students with specific needs. 

Working with high school students for over fourteen years now I have witnessed the impact of how students associate a score or number to their entire future.  Students start to think about their future, what college they would want to go to and what they will do as work/career.  Certain Universities and colleges have success attached to their names and they work hard for that honor.  These institutions want incoming students reflecting specific scores among other admission requirements.  These are the scores or numbers students strive to achieve to have a chance to go to college or University. 

A positive and negative are generated from these high stake assessments for the student.  The positive of this type of testing/assessment is it can motivate students to work hard and benefit from the high school experience to the fullest.  The negative is the stress and anxiety resulting from not being able to achieve a desired result.  I personally feel this is a good life lesson.  A number does not define who you are or how successful you will be; it is working hard and learning and growing from your experiences and pressures of life. Of course a high school student will digest that on a different level. 

I thought about school with out high stakes assessments and came to the conclusion that it would not be good overall for the student and for the schools.  There is important data and motivation that high stakes assessments provide.  I was left with the questions after my research and reading - Is there a test or assessment that can truly measure the knowledge and capability of an individual (student)? For now this is what we have!

 

Reference:

Abdao, D. (2015). High Stakes Assessments. Retrieved https://abdao.wordpress.com/2015/07/18/high-stakes-assessment/

American Psychological Association (2018). Appropriate Use of High-Stakes Testing in Our Nation’s Schools. Retrieved http://www.apa.org/pubs/info/brochures/testing.aspx

Niche (2018). Schools Near You. Retrieved https://www.niche.com/k12/schools-near-you/

Green Test Prep. (2018). What is the SAT? Understanding the Scholastic Assessment Test. Retrieved https://greentestprep.com/resources/sat-prep/what-is-the-sat/

Simi Valley High School (2018). Retrieved http://www.svhs.simi.k12.ca.us/sarc

Royal High School (2018). Retrieved http://rhs.simi.k12.ca.us/

 

Multicultural Mathematics

The Importance of Multicultural Mathematics

When you look at architecture, geography, computers, landscapes or even a sports field right triangles are not the first thing that might come to your mind but if you are looking you should be able to see right triangles all around your environment.  Right triangles and trigonometry is a lesson learned in high school Geometry that can reflect world diversity by showing a common knowledge and application through mathematics.  As a teacher I have the ability to engage the class with not only how to apply trigonometric ratios to solve for a missing side or acute angle of a right triangle but to show the rich history and world use of the math the students are going to learn.  Trigonometry was developed for use by astronomers and surveyors.  Trigonometry dates back to early Egypt and was further developed by the Greeks.  Indian mathematician’s updated trigonometry based on the sine function and Muslim astronomers compiled the findings of the Greeks and Indian’s.  In the 13^th century Germans defined the trigonometric ratios and then Isaac Newton continued the study through calculus and differential equations.

It is important to introduce students to multicultural content so they can see how the world has shaped what they are learning mathematically and how mathematics has shaped the world they live in.  Students often see mathematics, especially geometry, as definitions, formulas and problems that have no purpose.  Students may show more interest if they have some cultural connection to the material and see how application of something as simple as a right triangle is used and applied in different cultures around the world.  From the great Pyramids to the Eiffel tower students can engage in a world view application of mathematics.

Developing cultural competence in the classroom starts with me, the teacher.  Getting to know my students as individuals, their backgrounds and cultures and building my knowledge to engage my students.  Having applied problems and projects where students research and incorporate a culture(s)into the mathematics is another way to develop cultural competence in the classroom.  Knowing your school demographic, community socioeconomics, language(s) spoken and learning and growing along with your students. Students demonstrate cultural competence through their project work, problem presentation and interactions in the classroom. 

 

Reference

Honlyn Limited (2004). The History of Trigonometry. Retrieved http://www.trigonometry-help.net/history-of-trigonometry.php

Miller R. (2011). The Importance of Culturally Competent Teachers. Retrieved https://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-miller/the-importance-of-cultura_b_787876.html

 

Differentiated Instruction for SLI student and Readiness

Students Whom Differentiated Instruction Would be Appropriate

 

What is differentiated instruction?  Differentiated instruction is when a teacher (like I am hoping to become) attempts to meet the needs of every student in the classroom through formative assessments, adjusting lessons, offering additional materials, and so forth.  Students have different learning styles, different abilities, and unique personalities that differentiated instruction enable a teacher to elevate each student’s requirements and preferences.  This sounds like a tall order for the teacher!

“Keep in mind that differentiation shouldn’t be something that complicates your day or life. Although additional work and effort are required up front, the payoff comes later in the lesson of study or even in the school year. The payoff comes when students achieve more in your classrooms, become more involved in classroom discussions, smile more during their school days, and, yes, even score higher on various assessments.” (Preszler, 2006).

A disability, listed by the IDEA (Individual’s with Disabilities Education Act), Speech or Language Impairment (SLI) is a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. It would be appropriate to differentiate learning in a High School Geometry class for a student with such a disability.  Formative assessments I plan to use in my classroom are: Homework/Self-Assessment, Oral Question and Answer, Pair-Think-Share, White Board magic, and Exit Ticket. 
The Formative assessment that would need modification based on the students’ needs would be the Pair-Think-Share.  Pairing of students for this assessment would be a high priority.  I would reach out to specific students that are grasping the content at a high level and have the maturity to partner with the disabled student.  This modification differentiates the learning environment and helps the disabled student through a peer tutoring type experience.  I would also give additional time and attention to this pairing during this part of the lesson so that the content is being learned at a high level from both students.  I can also modify the problem given to the pairing, differentiating the content, for the student with the disability into specific steps and include key words and add graphics or pictures when applicable.  The learning environment of the classroom would be a high priority for the learning needs of a student with SLI. As a teacher I would need to be sensitive to calling on a student with SLI during an Oral Question and Answer Formative Assessment, instead I could set up a daily text/email with the student still assessing their learning while meeting their specific needs.   The Learning environment of the classroom should also be supportive and productive for all students - a place where learning math will be fun, interesting and productive.

Three resources that will support the SLI student(s) in the class : 

• Strategies for Speech or Language Impairment http://do2learn.com/disabilities/CharacteristicsAndStrategies/SpeechLanguageImpairment_Strategies.html
• LD Online: Educators Guide to Learning Disabilities and ADHD http://www.ldonline.org/spearswerling/Specific_Language_Impairment
• Project Ideal http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/speech-language-impairments/

Based on the above modifications of the Formative Assessment I would be consistently checking for understanding, making sure the seating position in the class allows for clear access to visual and verbal cues, and using co-operative learning such as peer tutoring.  Proper assessment is key for all students, especially those with disabilities, to be successful and competent with the content they are to master. “The assessment process is multi-tiered, multidisciplinary and occurs in a continuous cycle—from planning through to final assessment and evaluation. The assessment process begins at the classroom level, with the teacher using informal techniques such as observation, reading inventories and other diagnostic tools to explore how the student is learning and to identify areas of strength and concern.” (Speech and Language Disorders, nd).

Early detection, tracking attendance, social interaction and grades are all tools for identifying and addressing struggling students in the classroom.  The readiness level of a student refers to capability to learn and apply new concepts. Formative Assessments are a means to gauge the readiness level of each student .  Differentiating instruction for students at different readiness levels requires a full breakdown of the content.  Tiered instruction is a strategy where a lesson is organized from least complex to most complex.  A great way to organize the levels is from Bloom’s Taxonomy knowledge dimensions: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create.  For example, in the High School Geometry class the current lesson it about the Pythagorean Theorem.  The lesson would start with a very simple application of the theorem, a simple triangle.  As the lesson progresses students could be grouped or paired based on their readiness level and given a set of problems tiered to meet their need(s). 

In my lesson on the Pythagorean Theorem for example - some students may struggle with the algebra while other students may be ready for application.  Having a lesson prepared by readiness levels will allow me to group the students - and work with each groups needs.  The students who are ready for application could work on a project incorporating technology and writing skills.  These students need little instruction which allows my time to work with students needing algebra review and more explanation.  Never wanting students to feel in the low group or high group I feel it would be important to be discrete in the groupings and assignment work. 

 

References

Weselby, C. (2017). What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom. Retrieved https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/

Preszley, J. (2006). Strategies That Differentiate Instruction. Retrieved https://education.ky.gov/educational/diff/documents/strategiesthatdifferentiateinstruction4.12.pdf

Do2Learn. (2017). Disabilities. Retrieved http://do2learn.com/disabilities/Overview.html

Dr. Bloom, B. (2015). Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domains. Retrieved http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

n.a. (2017). Speech and Language Disorders. Retrieved https://speechandlanguagedisabilities.weebly.com/classroom-implications.html

 

Formative and Summative Assessments for High School Geometry Standard

Formative and Summative Assessments for a Geometry Standard

The standard I have chosen to write assessments for is a high school geometry standard: Use trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean Theorem to solve right triangles in applied problems. 

 A formative assessment is an evaluation of learning during a planned lesson while a summative assessment is an evaluation of learning at the end of a planned lesson.  A formative assessment is for both the student and the teacher and should reveal the students level of understanding.  A formative assessment enables a teacher to refine and or revise a lesson to ensure the standard is meet by each student in the classroom.  Formative assessments can be for a grade or not for a grade.  A summative assessment tests how much a student has learned at the end of the planned lesson.  A summative assessment could be a standardized chapter test or cumulative test, for a grade that demonstrates a student’s knowledge of a subject, and application of the knowledge learned.  Only future curriculum is affected with the data received from the summative assessment.

Formative Assessment #1:  For all five of my objective I would assign daily homework as a formative assessment to reinforce the concepts learned each day of class.  My homework assignments will be unique: 

Day 1 Objective 1 = 5 homework problems from the specific objective

Day 2 Objective 2 = 5 homework problems from Objective 2 and 3 homework problems from Objective 1

Day 3 Objective 3 = 5 homework problems from Objective 3 followed by 3 problems from Objective 2 and 2 problems from Objective 1; and so forth. 

Some high schools work on A/B 90 minute schedules and I would adjust my objectives and lesson and homework accordingly.  The goal of the formative assessment is the homework assignments will gradually build with each new objective to revisit and reinforce concepts learned until the standard and total lesson is completed.  As the amount of problems decrease when new objectives are introduced the complexity and critical thinking skills will increase challenging students to apply concepts, knowledge and work towards an excellent understanding of content, thoroughly identifying how topics are applied.

Formative Assessment #2:  Randomly choose students throughout the class time to state the Pythagorean Theorem. Every class during the week I would randomly choose 5 students (or total students in class divided by five or class days) – like a verbal pop quiz.  This would be a good verbal assessment of Objective 1 and have students commit to memory the Pythagorean Theorem which is used and applied in upper level mathematics classes. 

Performance Based Summative assessment #1: (5-10 minutes) Have students answer the following question to demonstrate their depth of understanding and coherence after all objectives have been covered: “How do you use trigonometric ratios to solve for a missing side or angle of a right triangle?” 

Performance Based Summative assessment #2: (5-10 minutes) Have students answer the following question to demonstrate their depth of understanding and coherence after all objectives have been covered: “Use the given image, angle C is a right angle, to find the value of sin A and cos B. What relationship does the ratios of sin A and cos B share? What is the value of tan A and tan B? "

 

Performance Based Summative assessments will be graded on a point system to show students level of learning and understanding:

(3) Superior – Shows thorough understanding of the concepts. Uses appropriate strategies to solve problems. Computations are correct. Written explanations are exemplary. Diagrams are accurate and appropriate. Goes beyond requirements of problem.

(2) Satisfactory with minor flaws – Shows understanding of the concepts. Uses appropriate strategies to solve problems. Computations are mostly correct. Written explanations are effective. Diagrams are mostly accurate and appropriate. Satisfies all requirements of problem.

(1) Nearly Satisfactory with serious flaws – Shows understanding of most of the concepts. May not use appropriate strategies to solve problems. Computations are mostly correct. Written explanations are satisfactory. Diagrams are mostly accurate and appropriate. Satisfies most requirements of the problem.

(0) Unsatisfactory – Shows little or no understanding of the concepts. May not use appropriate strategies to solve problems. Computations are incorrect. Written explanations are not satisfactory. Diagrams are not accurate or appropriate. Does not satisfy requirements of the problem.

The following are five objectives from the above standard:

Objective 1: Students in my geometry class will be able to define, show and solve the Pythagorean Theorem by the end of the class.

 Objective 2: Students in my geometry class will be able to recognize, comprehend and compute the converse of the Pythagorean Theorem and related theorems about obtuse and acute triangles by the end of class.

Objective 3: By the end of class my geometry students will be able to distinguish, identify and interpret the lengths of two sides of a 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangle when the length of the third side is known (given).

Objective 4: Student in my geometry class will be able to identify and explain tangent, sine and cosine ratios for an acute angle of a right triangle by the end of class time.

Objective 5. By the end of class, students in my geometry class will be able to solve right triangle problems by correct selection and use of the tangent, sine and cosine ratios.

 

Summary on Unpacking the Standards and Backwards mapping

Summary on Unpacking Standards and Backwards Mapping Relating to High School Geometry

“Understanding and Applying Standards “is the current course I am studying in my online course program Teach-Now to become a qualified and certified secondary mathematics teacher.  In this unit I studied methods of planning a lesson based on a common core standard I selected based on subject specific area.  I chose Geometry and picked two standards that relate to each other: CCSS.Math.Content.HSG.SRT.C.7 - Explain and use the relationship between the sine and cosine of complementary angles and CCSS.Math.Content.HSG.SRT.C.8 - Use trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean Theorem to solve right triangles in applied problems.  I learned what it means to unpack a standard, identify the big idea and essential questions, and backwards mapping as it relates to how a teacher designs a lesson based on a specific standard.

 

Unpacking the Standard

Providing students with clear and concise learning objectives is what I learned the main goal of unpacking the standard.  Standard based instruction, like the Common Core State Standard Initiative, helps the teacher in planning for specific key content in a lesson, implementing the key content each student is required to master and assessing each students understanding and application of key concepts of the standard.  To gain full knowledge of the two standards I chose I used the unpacking method on the standard “Use trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean Theorem to solve right triangles in applied problems.”  First I identified the verb(s) used in the standard to know what the students need to be able to do to meet the key concepts of the material.  Next I identified the noun(s) used in the standard to for the concepts or what students will know by the end of the unit.  I also noted the context that related the noun and the verb in the standard.  The unpacking phase ends with rewriting the standard in a broken down method that addresses all the requirements and key concepts.  I can now recognize and fully understand the learning goals students need to successfully achieve the standard.  Unpacking a standard gives clarity, continuity, alignment and integration of the desired concepts to be taught.   

 

The Big Idea

Once a standard is unpacked, the Big Idea, or main learning goals will emerge.  Some standards have multiple Big Idea’s which is why unpacking is key in identifying all key concepts students need to master from the standard.  It is important not to add any requirements and to highlight the expectations your desire from the unpacked standard.  Once the Big Idea emerges the teacher can design projects and learning strategies based on each goal.  Big Ideas lead to big learning!

Backward Design Process

Backward design process for a standard begins with identifying the end result or what you want your students to know and apply before you design a lesson plan.  Once the end goal(s) are identified the teacher determines the best assessment for the goal(s).  Now the lesson plan and teaching activities are designed.  A list of concepts, skills and knowledge is needed called learning objectives that students need to demonstrate by the end of the unit or standard.  The assessment plan the teacher chooses evaluate and measure how much each student has learned and if the student can apply the learning objectives successfully.  The teacher can make a formative assessment of the lesson plan in which changes to the lesson can be made to better accommodate the learning needs of the class.  The Backward design process is an effective tool in planning standard based lessons for successful learning.