1. Rigor and Relevance
for ALL Students

2. "A society's competitive advantage will come not from how well its schools teach the multiplication and periodic tables, but from how well they stimulate imagination and creativity."
- Albert Einstein

3. 21st Century Skills Thinking Critically Problem Solving Creativity
Communicating and Collaborating
Making use of knowledge
Taking charge of financial, health,
and civic responsibility 3

4. Made to Stick
by Chip and Dan Heath

5. Six Principles Simplicity Unexpectedness Concreteness Credibility
Emotions
Stories

6. But HOW we teach is just as important as HOW MUCH we teach

7. First…
We must close the
“Engagement Gap”
Before we can close the
Achievement Gap!

8. Rigor/Relevance Framework For 21st Century Students
The
Rigor/Relevance Framework
Is critical
For 21st Century Students

9. Brain Research is providing new support…

10. The Brain Responding to Image courtesy of R. Clay Reid
Activating Learning
Learning takes place when multiple neurons fire from numerous places in the brain, and these new memories can be retrieved over a period of time.
Learning must be connected and relevant to be remembered.
We only remember things that have meaning for us.
The Brain Responding to
Visual Stimuli
Image courtesy of R. Clay Reid

11. Use it or lose it, because… Neurons that fire together, wire together!

12. You want your neural networks to look like a maple tree… Not a palm tree!

13. Connections / Pathways
Association Area
Prefrontal Cortex
Sight
Hearing

14. From Theory to Practice
The Rigor and Relevance Framework

15. Theory to Practice Focus on instruction through RR Work with ICLE
Instructional Strategies Handbook
Common vocabulary
Collaboration for best practices

16. Rigor/Relevance Framework
Knowledge 1 2 3 4 5 6
Application 1 2 3 4 5

17. Levels
Bloom’s
C D
A B 6 5 4 3 2 1
Application

18. Knowledge Taxonomy 1. Awareness 2. Comprehension 3. Application
4. Analysis
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation

19. Knowledge Taxonomy
Basic Nutrition
6 Appraise results of personal eating habits over time
5 Develop personal nutrition goals
4 Examine success in achieving nutrition goals
3 Use nutrition guidelines in planning meals
2 Explain nutritional value of foods
1 Label food by nutritional groups

20. Application Model 1. Knowledge in one discipline
2. Application within discipline
3. Application across disciplines
4. Application to real-world predictable situations
5. Application to real-world unpredictable situations

21. Application Model 1 Label food by nutrition groups
2 Rank foods by nutritional value
3 Make cost comparison of foods considering nutritional value
4 Develop nutritional plan for a health problem affected by food
5 Devise a sound nutritional plan for a group of 3 year-olds who are “picky” eaters

22. Application Model Is it Application? If YES - Is it real world?
If NO
If YES - Is it real world?
If NO and one discipline
If NO and interdisciplinary
If YES - Is it unpredictable?
If YES
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5

23. Levels
Bloom’s
C D
A B 6 5 4 3 2 1
Application

24. Teacher/Student Roles
Rigor/Relevance Framework
Teacher/Student Roles D C
Student
Think
Student
Think & Work
RIGOR
High A B
Teacher
Work
Student
Work
Low
Low
High
RELEVANCE

25. Did Students Get it Right?
Rigor/Relevance Framework
Did Students Get it Right? D C
Rational
Answer
Right
Questions
RIGOR
High A B
Right
Answer
Right
Procedure
Low
Low
High
RELEVANCE

26. D C B A Rigor/Relevance Framework Easy RIGOR High Low Low High
Compare captialism and socialism
RIGOR
High
Write a letter to the editor A B
Make change as cashier without working register
Low
Count by 5s to 100
Low
High
RELEVANCE

27. D C B A Rigor/Relevance Framework Difficult RIGOR High Low Low High
Solve quadratic equations
Determine cost efficent heating for new home design
RIGOR
High A B
Describe function of gas
spectrophotometer
Troubleshoot lawnmower that doesn’t start
Low
Low
High
RELEVANCE

28. OK. In which quadrant does this belong?

29. Rigor/Relevance Framework
KNOWLEDGE D C
• Express probabilities as fractions, percents, or decimals.
• Classify triangles according to angle size and/or length of sides.
• Calculate volume of simple three- dimensional shapes.
• Given the coordinates of a quadrilateral, plot the quadrilateral on a grid. A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

30. Rigor/Relevance Framework
KNOWLEDGE D C
• Express probabilities as fractions, percents, or decimals.
• Classify triangles according to angle size and/or length of sides.
• Calculate volume of simple three- dimensional shapes.
• Given the coordinates of a quadrilateral, plot the quadrilateral on a grid. A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

31. Rigor/Relevance Framework
KNOWLEDGE
• Analyze the graphs of the perimeters and areas of squares having different-length sides.
• Determine the largest rectangular area for a fixed perimeter.
• Identify coordinates for ordered pairs that satisfy an algebraic relation or function.
• Determine and justify the similarity or congruence for two geometric shapes. D C A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

32. Rigor/Relevance Framework
KNOWLEDGE
• Analyze the graphs of the perimeters and areas of squares having different-length sides.
• Determine the largest rectangular area for a fixed perimeter.
• Identify coordinates for ordered pairs that satisfy an algebraic relation or function.
• Determine and justify the similarity or congruence for two geometric shapes. D C A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

33. Rigor/Relevance Framework
• Calculate percentages of advertising in a newspaper.
• Tour the school building and identify examples of parallel and perpendicular lines, planes, and angles.
• Determine the median and mode of real data displayed in a histogram
• Organize and display collected data, using appropriate tables, charts, or graphs.
KNOWLEDGE D C A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

34. Rigor/Relevance Framework
KNOWLEDGE D C
• Calculate percentages of advertising in a newspaper.
• Tour the school building and identify examples of parallel and perpendicular lines, planes, and angles.
• Determine the median and mode of real data displayed in a histogram
• Organize and display collected data, using appropriate tables, charts, or graphs. A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

35. Rigor/Relevance Framework
• Obtain historical data about local weather to predict the chance of snow, rain, or sun during year.
• Test consumer products and illustrate the data graphically.
• Plan a large school event and calculate resources (food, decorations, etc.) you need to organize and hold this event.
• Make a scale drawing of the classroom on grid paper, each group using a different scale.
KNOWLEDGE D C A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

36. Rigor/Relevance Framework
KNOWLEDGE
• Obtain historical data about local weather to predict the chance of snow, rain, or sun during year.
• Test consumer products and illustrate the data graphically.
• Plan a large school event and calculate resources (food, decorations, etc.) you need to organize and hold this event.
• Make a scale drawing of the classroom on grid paper, each group using a different scale. D C A B
A P P L I C A T I O N

37. Rigor/ Relevance Handbook

38. Learning Power Tools for 21st Century Learners
Conversing & Sharing
Searching & Exploring
Collecting & Organizing
Modeling & Simulating
Creating & Constructing
From: National Research Council, Edited by Bransford, Brown and Cocking

39. Changing Literacy for the 21st Century…
Increasing demands of non-prose text such as websites, iPods, cell phones, charts, maps, graphs, photos, composite devices, etc.
Changes in texts, newspapers, work documents
The need for Quantitative Literacy

40. Tools that Work for Highly Visual 21st Century Learners
Video clips – before, during and after learning
Environmental Impacting – unit by unit
Use of technology
Use of color coding, text coding, and cueing
What else would you add?

41. "A society's competitive advantage will come not from how well its schools teach the multiplication and periodic tables, but from how well they stimulate imagination and creativity."
- Albert Einstein

42. Rigor and Relevance
Help us Solve
The Right Problem…

43. International Center for Leadership in Education, Inc.
Jim Warford
International Center for
Leadership in Education, Inc.
Karen Wilkins
Phone (518) x 206
Fax (518) –
Website –
PowerPoints