February 13, 2013 BTPS Assessment Facilitator Meeting

 "Americans hold the notion that good teaching comes through artful and spontaneous interactions with students during lessons… such views minimize the importance of planning increasingly effective lessons and lend credence to the folk belief that good teachers are born, not made.” Stigler, J. & Herbert J. (1997). “Understanding and Improving Classroom Mathematics Instruction”, p.20.

 The Twin Sins  The 3 stages of backwards design  Stage one: big ideas & essential questions  Stage two: acceptable evidence  Stage three: plan learning and instruction  Tools and Templates

 How does the front matter relate to this process?  More time on essential questions and big ideas  Exemplars please!

Our task: uncover the target purposes and identify the BIG IDEAS intended for our students  Read through the “Front Matter”, identify the BIG IDEAS you think would help teachers create a philosophical and organizational framework for instruction, highlight the key words or phrases that clarify the intention (purpose) for teaching the subject.  At your table group, discuss the key words and phrases that each of you identified to help you to clarify an intention (purpose) for teaching your program. On your piece of chart paper, reach a consensus for a vision/ mission statement that describes the intention of your program (in general, according to the Front Matter, not a specific grade), by using the key words and phrases identified by the group. Write this program intention statement across the top of your chart paper. Underline your key words/ phrases.

 Did anything surprise you about this activity? (Did you know there were requirements of you to address the ideas and philosophy from the front matter statement of your program?)  Are there similarities? Between grades? Subjects?  Why do you think similarities exist here?  What are the implications for your teaching knowing that all subjects share philosophical underpinnings or BIG IDEAS?  How will you incorporate these common visions into your day-to-day teaching?

Consider:  Year and Unit Planning in teams so you can…  Scope and sequence across grades and subjects  Create Big Ideas for grades/ subject areas that scaffold your big ideas for units of study

 Marzano – guaranteed and viable curriculum #1 for school improvement and student achievement.  Big ideas and essential questions guide feedback so students can make progress toward a key learning goal.  Big ideas and essential questions allow for focus on content that is relevant and applicable to real life in order to achieve motivation and engagement.

 Not all standards are created equal.  Learning without practical and meaningful application is quickly forgotten.  Understanding occurs when individuals seek answers to important questions and make connections

With an elbow partner consider…  If someone asked you, “why does sharing big ideas matter & essential questions matter,” what would you say?

 Big Ideas  Type  Unwrapping standards  Essential Questions

 Focusing themes  On going debates and issues  Insightful perspectives  Underlying assumptions  Paradox/problems/challenges  Organizing theory  Overarching principle  Provocative questions  Processes- problem solving, decision making

Concept Big Idea nutrition You are what you eat westward expansion Hardship forged a nation persuasive writing Powerful media can influence beliefs and behaviors fairness(mathematical) Statistics can be manipulated to obscure the truth

 Does it have many layers not obvious to the inexperienced learner?  Does one have to dig deep to truly understand its meaning or implications?  Is it prone to disagreement?  Might you change your mind about it over time?  Does it reflect the core ideas as judged by experts?

Jeopardy.ppt

Strategy #2: Unwrapping standards

 Looking at key nouns and verbs helps to identify key learning which can than be taught in the context of big ideas and essential questions.

Standard: Comprehend and interpret information from a variety of graphic displays including diagrams, charts, and graphs. Big Idea: Graphic displays of information enhances comprehension and interpretation of information.

Standards  Relate data and facts from informational texts to prior information and experience with assistance.  Identify and interpret facts taken from maps, graphs, charts, and other visuals, with assistance. Big Idea  Prior experiences can impact the degree to which we relate to and interpret visual representations.

Activity: Unpack this standard with your table partner by: 1. Finding the nouns and verbs 2. Write big ideas Standard: (Possible examples on next slide) Students interpret, analyze, and evaluate informational text in order to extend understanding and appreciation. (ELA 11)

 Students interpret, analyze, and evaluate informational text in order to extend understanding and appreciation. Big ideas  We interpret information and draw conclusions both from what we read and life experiences.  Knowing the difference between fact and opinion and inferences can help you become more discerning.

A question is essential when it:  Causes genuine INQUIRY into the big ideas and core content  ARGUABLE: provokes deep thought, lively discussion, sustained inquiry, and new understanding as well as more questions  Requires students to CONSIDER alternatives, WEIGH evidence, SUPPORT their ideas, and JUSTIFY their answers  Stimulates vital, on-going rethinking of big ideas and assumptions  Sparks meaningful CONNECTIONS with prior learning and personal experiences “An essential question is – well, essential: important, vital, at the heart of the matter – the essence of the issue.” - Grant Wiggins

ESSENTIAL  What traits and characteristics determine a classification?  Where do artists get their ideas?  What determines value?  What distinguishes a fluent foreigner from a native speaker?  How does where we live influence how we live? NOT ESSENTIAL  How many legs does a spider have?  Did nature influence Monet?  How many dimes in a dollar?  What is the meaning of the Greek term technology from its Greek root “techne”?  Why were settlements developed around lakes and rivers?

Big Ideas  We interpret information and draw conclusions both from what we read and experience in life.  Knowing the difference between fact and opinion and inferences can help you become more discerning. Essential questions  How do you determine if a main idea is believable?  How can we decide if what we read is true or accurate?  Facts, opinion and inferences, why do they matter? Revisit unpacking standards to big ideas AND essential questions. Students interpret, analyze, and evaluate informational text in order to extend understanding and appreciation.

Big Ideas  Graphic displays of information supports comprehension and interpretation of information.  Prior experiences can impact the degree to which we relate to and interpret visual representations. Essential questions  How can information be represented through visual displays?  How do some types of visuals better represent information than others?  What knowledge do I need to bring to the information in order to make meaning and sense of the concepts? Revisit unpacking standards to big ideas AND essential questions. Relate data and facts from informational texts to prior information and experience with assistance.

Essential or NOT.doc

Essential or NOT answer key

Tools for your use- - general resources - templates to consider/ use - reflections/ self-assessment tools 3 Simple Steps to Planning