M5U1A2 Standards and Backwards Mapping

This Blog post for TEACH-NOW tasks the students to write a blog post that includes the subject and grade level and subject I will be teaching (12th grade and social studies.) the source of standards (common core), An explanation of why I chose this standards for developing my unit. At least 3 proficiencies that that indicate what students will be able to do when they finish, At least 3 assessments that will help me know the students are meeting the standard, and at least 3 learning experiences or activities that will help them meet the standard. After reading the required materials I was thoroughly confused with the section on templates and just reverted back to the rubric and began there.
I’ll begin with creating 3 learning experiences that should make the students proficient in 3 areas, and create 3 assessments that will help me know that the students are meeting the standard. This lesson will be for 11-12 graders during an activity day that covers a 90 minute class toward the end of the semester.
Required materials
School library or classroom with
Books, Magazines, a computer, student gate keepers
The standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

I chose this standard because I plan on teaching social studies which is a mix of events and history. I feel that this standard is important when learning about history and events because a side benefit from learning from multiple sources is that students will be able to have practice discerning bias. I also plan to be teaching this standard to 11th and 12 grade students as it is the area I plan to be teaching in.

The breakdown
Big idea Verbs Context
Multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media Integrate Quantitative data, video, multimedia
In order to
Evaluate
Address
Solve

So my initial thought is to plan this like a game, something to the effect of a danger room, where willing participants will be locked in a room for an hour or until they figure out the clues to be able to get out of the room. Here we will use the school library as the “danger room”. The danger room will contain multiple sections each with their own gatekeeper that answers questions or assigns tasks. Each student or group of students will be assigned with unlocking each section by getting past the gatekeeper. Each section of the room has a different puzzle for each group. Unbeknownst to the participants they will have to do x amount of things, like; utilize a computer, find an answer in a book, consult an encyclopedia, watch a newscast, read a magazine article, record a song, or find other clues.

3 Activities
Watch a newscast and summarize the main idea
For one section of the danger room the gatekeeper’s question is “anchors are heavy and confusing, what is it say?” In this part of the room is a looping newscast who is speaking about a random topic. Here the students have to summarize the news anchor, once they finish the summaries will be collected and given a pass/fail.
Determine honest vs dishonest sources of information
The students will have to listen to two other students tell them facts about a famous person or event. One student will only lie, and the other will only tell the truth. The student may ask any number of questions to the liar and the truth teller. The student needs to be able to discern who is lying and who is truthful.
Utilize different sources of media
Since they won’t be able to use their phones during this time they will have to look around the room and see what is available. For example let’s say the gatekeeper’s riddle was “I popped in 2008”. Here they need to be consulting with available media to try and find the answer to the riddle. The answer can be found in more than one source and clues scattered throughout the room, books, magazines, and newspapers from that time will be scattered throughout the area.

While the participants are trying to get out of the danger room the teacher can watch and assess them as they attempt to get out.
4 Assessments
Alternative Assessment– Are the students able to evaluate and summarize a source of information?
Assessment 2– Are the students able to integrate multiple sources into one answer?
Assessment 3– Are the students able to utilize different forms of media?
Summative assessment— How quickly did the students complete each section and exit the danger room?

4 Proficiencies
Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media
Evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media
Solve a problem
Address a question
I feel that with this combination of activities assessments and proficiencies the students will be able to not only understand and learn the standards but be able to excel and conquer it.

M5U1A4 Understanding and Applying Standards

This Blog post for TEACH-NOW tasks the students with writing about what they’ve learned and to reflection unpacking standards, backwards mapping, and writing objectives to help them understand and apply standards.

 

From my beginnings as a not so qualified teacher I had to learn how to pace my students the hard way. The hard way for those who are wondering is that I, a book, and students were thrown in a room with a 12 week time frame. I initially had no idea how to actually plan it other than dividing up the book, and be finished at the time the semester ended. My first attempt didn’t go very well, as I didn’t leave time for tests or quizzes. I’ve come a long way from this first failure, but with each module that passes and each assignment completed I’ve come to learn how to modify and add to my existing modus operandi.  In Activity 1 we learned about unpacking standards, while I’m not engaged in a program that unpacks standards, It has been helpful. Activity 2 had us integrate unpacking standards but planning in reverse. Activity 3 taught us to plan specific objectives by making them S.M.A.R.T.

 

Activity 1 completely changed around my way of thinking on how to disseminate information. My only experience with teaching thus far (6 years) has been management handing me a text and saying, “Be finished by the end of the semester” I hadn’t even considered someone else unpacking the standards for me. Nor had I considered that there were standards to unpack. So much time was spent on just making sure they knew the material in the book that I hadn’t even thought about the underlying standard. Now that I’ve learned about standards it definitely changes the way I approach the material. That said, I still am in a position that requires me to only teach the book, so it will be a while before I start receiving and unpacking standards of my own.

Activity 2 taught us how to plan in reverse, while I hadn’t been planning in reverse to the dictates of a standard, I have been planning in reverse. Planning for a semester generally goes something like this. Having consistent set timeframes for teaching (12 week periods) made planning very straightforward. Planning began with a number of questions. How many total days do I have the students? Are they Two times a week? Three times a week? Or every day? How many holidays do we have? This gave me a number, my next step would be to add 2 quizzes and 1 test, ok so x number of days minus 3. Then a end of semester fun day and some type of cultural activity needed to be planned. Divide up the number of days across the book and Voila! Lesson plan finished. Unpacking a standard merely seems to tack on another 3 sections. Collecting the standards required for that grade level, dividing them up across the time frame, and choosing/making materials that would cover them.  While I’ve not yet made a semester long lesson plan that incorporates standards, the assignment in this activity gives me insight and a “how-to” scaffolding that I’m looking forward to trying.

Activity 3 while extremely simple to remember, requires a lot of thought and planning. Teaching S.M.A.R.T. objectives will probably be one of the more difficult aspects to execute and satisfactorily fulfill. This comes down to planning a well thought out lesson plan and discerning what each student is capable of. At this point in my career I’ve not had to put a lot of thought into lesson plans, everything was “in the book” so there was no need for careful planning or carefully considering the students. If they couldn’t handle the information they got moved down to a lower level. If they understood and were able to fly through the lesson, they were moved up a level. If the students didn’t know everything I was teaching and had some issues with it, they were left at the same level. This approach didn’t really require I know much about student capabilities outside of their book abilities. Learning S.M.A.R.T. objectives opened up a new dimension of lesson planning and student interactions.

Overall I’ve found this Unit to be helpful and instructive. The lessons opened up my understanding and gave me insight into a dimension I’d not yet understood or considered. Now that I’ve learned from this Unit I can see that my actions are just a small part of what’s really happening. What I’ve been missing has been running parallel to what I’ve been doing all along.   To explain this better imagine a member of an orchestra playing alone in a recording studio. He’s given his part is and told to record it. After years of practicing, he finally records his instrument. One day he receives a cd, and as he plays it he hears his recording combined with a multitude of other instruments. This unit opened up that type of revelation for me.

M5u1A2 Backwards Mapping

 

This Blogpost for TEACH-NOW tasks the students to write a blogpost that includes the subject and grade level and subject I will be teaching (12^th grade and social studies.) the source of standards (common core), An explanation of why I chose this standards for developing my unit.  At least 3 proficiencies that that indicate what students will be able to do when they finish, At least 3 assessments that will help me know the students are meeting the standard, and at least 3 learning experiences or activities that will help them meet the standard. After reading the required materials I was thoroughly confused with the section on templates and just reverted back to the rubric and began there.

I’ll begin with creating 3 learning experiences that should make the students proficient in 3 areas, and create 3 assessments that will help me know that the students are meeting the standard. This lesson will be for 11-12 graders during an activity day that covers a 90 minute class toward the end of the semester.

Required materials

School library or classroom with

Books, Magazines, a computer, student gate keepers

The standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.7

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

 

I chose this standard because I plan on teaching social studies which is a mix of events and history. I feel that this standard is important when learning about history and events because a side benefit from learning from multiple sources is that students will be able to have practice discerning bias. I also plan to be teaching this standard to 11^th and 12 grade students as it is the area I plan to be teaching in.

 

The breakdown

 

Big idea	Verbs	Context
Multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media	Integrate	Quantitative data, video, multimedia In order to
	Evaluate
	Address
	Solve

 

My initial thought is to plan this like a game, something to the effect of a danger room, where willing participants will be locked in a room for an hour or until they figure out the clues to be able to get out of the room. Here we will use the school library as the “danger room”.  The danger room will contain multiple sections each with their own gatekeeper that answers questions or assigns tasks.   Each student or group of students will be assigned with unlocking each section by getting past the gatekeeper. Each section of the room has a different puzzle for each group. Unbeknownst to the participants they will have to do x amount of things, like; utilize a computer, find an answer in a book, consult an encyclopedia, watch a newscast, read a magazine article, record a song, or find other clues.

3 Activities

• Watch a newscast and summarize the main idea

For one section of the danger room the gatekeeper’s question is “anchors are heavy and confusing, what is it say?” In this part of the room is a looping newscast who is speaking about a random topic. Here the students have to summarize the news anchor, once they finish the summaries will be collected and given a pass/fail.

• Determine honest vs dishonest sources of information

The students will have to listen to two other students tell them facts about a famous person or event. One student will only lie, and the other will only tell the truth. The student may ask any number of questions to the liar and the truth teller. The student needs to be able to discern who is lying and who is truthful.

• Utilize different sources of media

Since they won’t be able to use their phones during this time they will have to look around the room and see what is available. For example let’s say the gatekeeper’s riddle was “I popped in 2008”. Here they need to be consulting with available media to try and find the answer to the riddle. The answer can be found in more than one source and clues scattered throughout the room, books, magazines, and newspapers from that time will be scattered throughout the area.

 

While the participants are trying to get out of the danger room the teacher can watch and assess them as they attempt to get out.

4 Assessments

Alternative Assessment– Are the students able to evaluate and summarize a source of information?

Assessment 2– Are the students able to integrate multiple sources into one answer?

Assessment 3– Are the students able to utilize different forms of media?

Summative assessment— How quickly did the students complete each section and exit the danger room?

4 Proficiencies

• Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media
• Evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media
• Solve a problem
• Address a question