1. K-12 Social Studies Unit Development Training
Part I
Log onto the internet
K-12 Social Studies Unit Development Training
Participants
Northwest RESA
North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
September 17-18, 2012

2. NCDPI K-12 Social Studies Team:
Section Chief
Fay Gore
Program Assistant
Bernadette Cole
K-12 Consultant
Ann Carlock
Steve Masyada
Michelle McLaughlin
NCDPI Instructional Technology Partner
Gail Holmes
Make sure to allow participants to introduce themselves.

3. During this Session: We will :
Reflect on your readiness for engaging in concept-based unit development.
Discuss why a concept-based framework is a useful tool to develop local curricula.
Provide an overview of the Unit Development Process.
Collaborate (by grade level or course) to create or revise a concept-based unit.
Find out how many participants have attended the Unit Development training in the Spring 2012? How many people attended SI? For those that have attended the UD session in the past, should be able to go deeper in their understanding of the process and apply it to units that they have already created.

4. Essential Standards Crosswalks Unpacking Documents
Standards Student Achievement
The Standards
Essential Standards Crosswalks
Unpacking Documents
Local Curricular
Curriculum Framework
Unit Development
Instructional Design
Lesson Planning
Developing Classroom Assessments
They should reflect on where they are in the process. CBAM?????

5. What Is Concept-based Curriculum And Instruction?
The Concept-Based Curriculum & Instructional Framework is a three- dimensional design model that allows teachers to identify what is important for students to know, understand, and be able to do in a organized, planned unit of instruction that promotes student engagement and thinking. During instruction, teachers use concepts as a tool to help students see patterns and connections between facts and related ideas in order to reach a deeper understanding of the content.

6. understand dO
Use this slide to talk about the KUD and then take them to the wiki and Greg’s sheet. (wiki)
At their table, they will take 2-3 min. to discuss this Q: Based on the graphic, what is the difference between a 2-d and a 3-d classroom.
KNOW

7. ORGANIZING UNITS OF INSTRUCTION
Step 1: “Unpack” the state standards for the grade level or course for which you will develop curriculum.
First step: Start with standards! So you know what you want to target
See p.63 of The Thinking Classroom book. “The Unit development approach contextualizes state academic standards into the school district’s core curriculum. This method shows teachers how to address the standards using their content, and clarifies the link between what students must know, understand, and be able to do.”
For Example:
6th Grade
ESSENTIAL STANDARDS

8. YEARLY/SEMESTER PLAN OUTLINES
Steps 2-4
Grade level/Course: __________________
Unit
Unit Title
NCSCOS Clarifying Objectives
Conceptual Lens 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Create an outline of units you may teach for the entire year or semester. Assign Clarifying Objectives to each unit. Identify an appropriate conceptual lens. #3. Write a short description of the unit.
RULE OF THUMB. Developmentally appropriate and whatever schema you have chosen
General number of units per grade span:
3 to 4 units for grades K-3
4 to 6 units for grades 4-6
5 to 8 units for grades 7-12

9. A Conceptual Lens …
Is a broad, integrating concept or conceptual- level question.
Creates intellectual synergy between the factual and conceptual levels of thinking.
Narrows the scope of the unit.

10. Looking at a topic through a “conceptual lens” engages the personal intellect and emotions of the student so that they…
gain a deeper level of understanding
retain the factual information because it has relevance
are motivated to take ownership of their learning

11. DECIDING ON A CONCEPTUAL LENS
Supports the unit title
Provides direction for thinking
Narrows the scope of the unit

12. THE POWER OF A CONCEPTUAL LENS…
Influence
Conflict
Continuity
&
Change
Power
&
Authority
Narrow focus AND excite kids to start thinking. How does my unit focus change when I change my lens?
Interdependence
Systems

13. Diversity Location Roles and Responsibilities
Topic: Our Community
Diversity Location Roles and Responsibilities
What kinds of things could we teach about?

14. Persuasive Force Innovation Perspective
Topic: The American Media
Persuasive Force Innovation Perspective
What kinds of things could we teach about?

15. Step 5

16. Integrating Concepts and Topics Inter- or Intra –disciplinary Units
Thoughts for this slide:
Use this slide to visually help transition into the Webbing process.
Tell the teachers that now once they have outlined the units for the year or semester, the can begin the integration of concepts and topics by identifying which strands of social studies are integrated as well as other subject areas that will be included in the unit of study.
Let them know that this is another mechanism to brainstorm the content that they need and want to teach.
Make sure to point out the following:
This is a really good way to help teachers make connections to each of the strands and to make generalizations.
Every strand will not always be represented nor will you always have connections to each discipline and content area.
Once you have integrated the five strands, you can integrate other content areas. Inter/intra disciplinary

17. From Concepts to Generalizations
Step 6 17 40 17

18. GENERALIZATION= Enduring Understanding
Concept
Two or more concepts in a relationship...
CONCEPTUAL IDEAS THAT TRANSFER
DVELOP “DEEP UNDERSTANDING’’
What do I understand as a result of my study that I can transfer? 70 18

19. Students will understand that:
War may alter the physical and human geography of a place.
Leadership may change the course of war.
Nations often go to war to protect their political and economic interests.

20. Helpful Guidelines To Remember When Writing Generalizations
Full sentence statements, describing what, specifically, students should understand about the critical concepts in the lesson
Guidelines:
No proper or personal nouns or pronouns
Use a present tense verb
Show a relationship between at least two concepts
Transferable idea that is supported by the factual content
Uses a qualifier (often, can, may)
Think about the connections between and among concepts in the various strands from your web.
Share generalizations in small groups; revise accordingly; exemplars from each group

21. Common Errors In Writing Generalizations
Use of level 1 verbs: impact, affect, influence, is, are, have (need to scaffold)
Use of past tense verbs or proper nouns which makes them facts instead of generalizations
Lack of clarity (poor word choice or sentence construction)
Use of proper nouns or pronouns
Use of value statements
Only one concept represented

22. Scaffolding Thinking
Level 1 Verbs: affects, impacts, influence, is are, have
Lacks clarity and specificity
In these instances, you should scaffold thinking to more complex levels.
To scaffold to Level 2: Ask how or why?
To scaffold to Level 3: Ask so what is the significance?
See p. 93 We used level 1 verbs to get you starting thinking about essential understandings. You should never teach to level 1 generalizations because they lack clarity and specificity. To get a deeper level of understanding, you want to scaffold thinking to level 2 & level 3 generalizations. -- allows you to teach to “deep, conceptual specificity

23. Evaluating Scaffolding Criteria
Do the ideas should grow in sophistication?
Do the ideas should become clearer from level to level because they are more specific (use more specific micro concepts)?
Did the writers answer their question at each level?
Did the writer avoid using impacts, influences, affects?
Are the verbs active and present tense?
Are the ideas based in fact? (Use “often,” “can,” and “may” if not
true all the time, but still important)?
Are the ideas developmentally appropriate?
We used level 1 verbs to get you starting thinking about essential understandings. You should never teach to level 1 generalizations because they lack clarity and specificity. To get a deeper level of understanding, you want to scaffold thinking to level 3 & level 4 generalizations. For example: 23

24. Level II Generalizations
To scaffold a Level 1 generalization to Level 2 ask “how?” or “why?”
Level 1
Government policies are influenced by societal norms.
How are governmental policies influenced by societal norms?
Level 2
Governmental policies differ based on time, place, values, and beliefs.
Include new info from Lynn. 24

25. Level III Generalizations
To scaffold a Level 2 generalization to Level 3 ask “so what?”
Level 2
Governmental policies differ based on time, place, values, and beliefs.
So what? What is the significance or effect that these factors have on governmental policies?
Level 3
The more a country’s people participate in the political process, the more the Governmental Policies should benefit the General Welfare over the welfare of Interest Groups.
Main text page- Click to add title and text accordingly 25

26. Part II: Purpose & Expected Outcomes
You will be able to:
Develop generalizations to support a unit.
Make modifications to strengthen generalizations.
Write guiding questions that lead students to inductively arrive at the generalizations.
Learn how to develop performance tasks to assess understanding.
Identify the non-negotiable components of effective concept-based instruction.
Determine next steps for your district/school to begin designing concept-based units of instruction.

27. Change to new poster image

28. Guiding/Essential Questions
Guide student thinking through the factual material to inductively arrive at the generalization
Can be factual, conceptual, or provocative (debatable)
Engages student interest and intellect
Promotes discussion and debate
Promotes inquiry
Each generalization should have 3-5 questions
A unit may have 2-3 provocative questions for the entire unit.

29. Conceptual Essential Questions Provocative Essential Questions
Factual Questions
Locked in time, place, or situation
Conceptual Essential Questions
These questions can transfer over time and space.
Provocative Essential Questions
These questions have no right or wrong answer and should stir debate.

30. An Example – Kindergarten
Unit Topic:
Who are we?
Conceptual Lens:
Culture and Change
Unit Overview:
Who we are is ultimately a reflection of where we come from, what we are raised with, and the experiences that change our lives. In this unit, students will learn about the factors that shape their young lives and the ways that people, places, and things can change over time, remaking who we are.
Generalizations: Who we are is shaped by our culture and can change over time.
What is a timeline? (F)
How does environment impact culture? (C)
Is it important to always be the same as everybody else ? (P)
What is the relationship between environment, culture, and community? (C)
How is your culture the same as and different from other people’s culture? (F)
What are some ways that people can change who they are? (F)

31. An Example – 6th Grade Unit Topic: Conceptual Lens: Unit Overview:
Generalizations: Exploration, innovations, and inventions often bring regions into contact with one another and result in the movement of people, goods, and ideas.
What innovations and ideas enabled European nations to engage in trans-Atlantic exploration? (F)
In what ways can economic goals affect government actions and individual rights? (C)
What is the economic impact of emigration on a society? (C)
In what ways does demand for natural resources fuel exploration? (C)
Why was gold such a desirable resource for nations of Europe during the Age of Exploration? (F)
How is the need for oil affecting the way that nations in South America and Europe participate in the global economy? (F)
Unit Topic:
Historical Foundations of Contemporary Societies
Conceptual Lens:
Patterns and Influence
Unit Overview:
A variety of factors influence the way that people lived and interacted in the past. Events and ideas from the past continue to shape contemporary societies. Those events and ideas often form patterns that help us understand not only the past, but the present as well. In this unit we will examine the historical foundations of contemporary societies around the world.

32. An Example – AH2 Unit Topic: Conceptual Lens: Unit Overview:
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
*Note: The content of this unit is the Cold War and Its Effects.
Conceptual Lens:
Power & Conflict
Unit Overview:
This unit will focus on the elements of the foreign policy known as containment and the major conflicts that shaped the Cold War. Students will begin to look at how containment affected domestic policy and American life as well as the U.S. position as a power in the global world.
Generalization: Democratic governments seek public support and use propaganda to influence issues of national security and domestic policy issues and debates.
In what ways did the U.S. use emotional response to generate public support for the search for communists and anarchists in American government? (F)
How might fear affect political or government action? (C)
Is the restriction of civil liberties ever justified? (P)
How have both the Red Scare and the Patriot Act impacted the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens? (F)

33. Steps 8-9
Fay
Articulate to them that when they begin to prepare the Key content and Key skills component that what they did in the webbing will be helpful as far as content.

34. Assessing for Understanding Step 10
Begin with the end in mind (KUD) and
work toward assessing for understanding.
Identify the desired results (KUD – Know/Understand/Do).
Design meaningful performance tasks that meet critical KUD’s.
Develop effective criteria to evaluate the results. U K D

36. Developing The Performance Tasks
Performance Tasks: Provide students with opportunities to actively demonstrate understanding of concepts, generalizations and content in the standards and unit.
Student Performances:
Reflect the most important
Understand (Generalizations),
Know (Factual Knowledge), and
Able to Do (Skills) of the unit.
Student Performances are the assessment evidence of mastery.
Student Performances are not simple “activities.”

37. The Components To Developing Performance Tasks
Performance Task Template
[What] Topic
[Why] Generalization(s)
[How] Student Performance

38. Here’s A Performance Task Example
What: As one of a team of cultural anthropologists, analyze the interactions of the early European settlers and American
Indians.
Why: In order to understand that:
Interaction between different groups ma lead to cultural
diffusion.
How: Research one aspect of early Native American Indian and European culture (history, arts, religion, government, daily living, land use...) before and after the interaction between the groups. Drawing from your research, write a case study describing the obvious impacts or influences that these merging cultures have had on each other over time. As one member of the anthropological team, present an insightful and powerful speech to the state historical society, using visuals or multi-media, detailing the positive and negative lessons to be learned from the historical study of merging cultures.

39. R.A.F.T.S WHAT:__(Unit Title)________
Why:__(Enduring Understanding(s)_____________
HOW:_Performance (RAFTS)___________________
R= Role
A= Audience
F =Format
T= Topics
S= Strong verbs and adjectives
R.A.F.T.S

40. Developing Learning Experiences & Instruction
Step 11
III. Implement the design in a lesson.
Ask:
What LEARNING EXPERIENCES and INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES will enable students to achieve the desired results?
What enabling KNOWLEDGE (facts & concepts) and SKILLS (processes, procedures, strategies) will students need in order to perform effectively and achieve desired results?
What ACTIVITIES will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills?
[2 minutes]

41. Developing Learning Experiences
Developing Learning Experiences & Instruction
Developing Learning Experiences
Determine the knowledge and skills that students will need to be successful in independently completing the Culminating Performance Task; then…
Design Student Learning Experiences to prepare students with the knowledge and abilities to be successful on the Culminating Task.
Do the Correlations of Student Learning Experiences, by number, to the GENERALIZATIONS, KNOW, and KEY SKILL components developed earlier in the unit. This correlation makes certain that the unit has coherence as well as adherence to what you want students to KNOW, UNDERSTAND, and be able to DO.

42. Suggested Learning Experiences/Instructional Activities
Page 4
Suggested Learning Experiences/Instructional Activities
Correlations
Endur. Unders.
Know
Key Skill
Research Skills 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Know cultural diffusion – other key concepts & voc.
How to write a case study
Expose them to various visuals with Public Speaking Skills
Teach how to use multimedia presentations
Teach how to use graphic organizers – especially using vocabulary

43. Developing Learning Experiences
Using the previous performance task, Make a list of learning experiences that a teacher will need to teach and students will need to learn in order to effectively complete the performance task.

44. Planning Your Next Steps
On the wiki, pull up these data documents
DPI Recommendations
Fidelity Check
Action Plan