Developing a Skeletal Unit How can I pace concepts over time? How do I create a content map of the unit? Presented by Sherah B. Carr, Ph.D. Mercer University – Tift College of Education © 2008 Sherah Carr How do I match standards? What are the enduring understandings for the unit?

Helps teachers determine key concepts. Organizes and focuses on conceptual understandings. Allows students a look at the big picture of content learning. Structures and paces instruction. Provides common teaching content when shared among grade level and resource personnel. Provides a framework for previewing and reviewing content.

To Create a Learning Unit Start with Standards Decide on the standards that you will teach in your unit. Look at Georgia Performance Standards georgiastandards.org georgiastandards.org FYI – Some schools are still using the old Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) standards especially for science and social studies. List the standard(s) you will use for the subject and grade level. See sample unit page 1

Enduring Understandings What are the big ideas? What conceptual understanding do you want students to learn in your unit? What are concepts that students can transfer to other topics or content areas? What are the understandings you want them to remember after the unit is over? See Plant Unit – Enduring Understandings – page 2

Know and Do What do you want students to know? What do you want them to do? See examples plant unit page 2

What do you know about shapes? Enduring Understandings: Shapes are all around us. We use shapes to identify objects in our world. Each shape has special attributes that we use for identification. Objects like shapes can be sorted and classified by characteristics. Student will know: Names and words for shapes Attributes of shapes Ways that shapes can be sorted and classified Use of shapes in real life Student will do: Trace, cut and draw shapes Read and write shapes words Create a shape book Create 3-D shape objects

Getting Ideas from Georgia Standards Frameworks You can get ideas for your unit from the Georgia Performance Standards web site – Look at the subject titles on the top and select the frameworks section. You can use these units to guide you in your own design. If you adapt from these be sure to include this web site as a reference.

Developing Your Content Map I see how learning fits together!

Content Mapping Key Points Content maps help students see mental schemas of information Content maps show how ideas fit together Use kid friendly terms and writing Include key vocabulary for the unit Post in your room or give students a copy For young children or ESOL you can simplify with main ideas and pictures.

Concept Unit Topic: Subject: Topic: Grade Level: Unit Essential Question: Lesson essential question(s) Key Vocabulary: See sample content map on sample unit page 3

Concept: There are different kinds of shapes Concept: You can write and read shape words. Concept: You can sort shapes. Unit Topic: Shapes Subject: Mathematics/Language Arts Topic: ShapesGrade Level: K Unit Essential Question: What do we know about the shapes around us? Concept: Shapes are alike and different Where can you find shapes? What are the names of the shapes you see? How can you know a circle? square, triangle, rectangle, oval and diamond How can you read and write shape words? How can you make a story about shapes? How can you sort shapes by kind? by color? by size? Key vocabulary: shape, circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, diamond, sort Concept: Shapes are all around us. How are shapes alike and different? How can you use different shapes to create a shape city?

What do I know about shapes? KindsWords Drawing Using Circle Square Rectangle Triangle Oval Sorting

Content Map: Third Grade – Earth Science - Rocks and Soil Key Learning(s): Understand what the earth is made of and how rocks and soil play a major role in our lives. Unit Essential Question(s): What is our earth made of? Concepts: Character- istics of Minerals Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary Rock CycleHardness of Rocks Characteristics of soil Characteristics of fossils Un-Covering fossils Lesson Essential Questions: What are minerals and how do we classify them? What are the 3 types of rocks and how do I identify them? What is the cycle of a rock? How do we find the hardness of a rock or mineral? What are the three types of soil and how are they different? What are fossils? What is a paleontologist? Vocabulary: Luster Hardness Texture Igneous Metamorphic Sedimentary CycleMohs Scale Mineralologist Sand Loam Clay Extinct Fossil paleontologist

Pacing Out Your Concepts Over Two Weeks (10 days) Next step Take your content map and pace out your concepts over ten days. For the skeletal unit, they can be brief….just how will you fit your ideas in over the two weeks. You can try to note which day will be your complete lesson, but you may not know yet. This is optional. It is also optional about including technology integration. This will be covered later in the course.

Create Your Unit Pacing Chart Day 1 – Hook – Prior knowledge – content map – introduce vocabulary Day 2 Day 3 – Complete Lesson – ( Optional in skeletal unit) Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 – Technology Integration – (Optional in skeletal unit) Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 – Summarizing unit – Culminating activity See sample unit pacing chart page 4

Let’s Review What Are the Components of a Skeletal Unit? General Information –Your Name –Title of Unit –Grade Level –Subject –Topic Standards Correlation Enduring Understandings Know and Do Content Map Pacing Chart

Resources Georgia Performance Standards Carroll County Schools Content Maps Look under the section that says “System Resources” and then select “K-12 Curriculum” You can use these sample content maps as a resource to help guide you. If you adapt from these, list this web site as a reference.