With the onset of NCLB in 2001,
it is important that all teachers have knowledge of the standards, to develop a solid standards-based curriculum, and the ability to deliver this curriculum to the learner. Standards -based instruction focuses on the standards being taught and deciding what is essential for the student to learn. Here lies the challenge. What is important for your students to know in the first place? These are discussions that must take place with your collegues to develop the common understandings of what is essential and what is not. Some of the questions you should ask are:
1) What should the students know and be able to do
(skills) according to the standard.
2) What essential ideas or big ideas should they know this
year and for subsequent years (vertical articulation)
3) What do they need to know for life?
Once you have identified what the students should know and be able to do, and what is essential for your students to know, then you can develop a curriculum composed of standards-based lessons. To help you plan a standards-based lesson, you can use the Standards-Based Lesson Plan Template created just for this purpose. To access the template, click on the link below:
Lesson Planning Basics
One way to assess whether students have mastered the standard (s) is having them demonstrate what they know and are able to do by creating a product. These products can take many forms. Culminating projects are one example of both a product and an assessment. To be regarded as an assessment of standards-based instruction, , the project must assess mastery of the standard(s) being taught. Projects incorporating SDAIE and research-based strategies help support and improve student learning and engagement so students can access the standard(s) more readily.
Standards-Based Lesson Development Basics:
Goal------------------>Objective(s)------------------>Task(s)
Main Standard Sub-standards Product
What students Should: Demonstrates mastery
a) Know of the objective(s)
b) Be Able to Do Connected to Bloom's Taxonomy
(wheel of tasks)
Goal: The Main Standard
Objective: What about the Main Standard do you want your students to learn?
What should they know or be able to do? (the substandard)
Task: What activity will you have the students do in class to achieve the objective? (on this day)
Standards -based instruction focuses on the standards being taught and deciding what is essential for the student to learn. Here lies the challenge. What is important for your students to know in the first place? These are discussions that must take place with your collegues to develop the common understandings of what is essential for students to know and be able to do. What is essential for them to know for life? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are planning your lesson:
1) Decide what the students should know and be able to do (skills) based on the standard.
2) What essential ideas or big ideas should they know this
year, for subsequent years, and for life?
3) What are the ELD levels of my students? What language Development activities will I use
so my students can access the core content easily.
4) Decide which levels of Bloom's taxonomy are appropriate based on the standard.
5) Decide which activities and how you will scaffold and teach the content of the standard.
6) Consider how to integrate technology into your lessons.
Materials You will need to Build Your Standards Based Lesson Plans
*The California State Standards for your content area
* The Curriculum Frameworks for your content area
* Knowledge of "Unwrapping the Standards" by Larry Ainsworth
* Knowledge of the SDAIE strategies
* the Released Questions
*the Curriculum Lesson Plan Template
*your school or district's pacing plan
*look at examples of standards-based model lessons
Use the Curriculum Lesson Plan Template to build your Standards-based lesson.
First think about the Goal, Objective (s), and Task (s) related to the lesson.
Visit the following page to access the template:
https://sites.google.com/site/eclassroom4teachers/curriculum-lesson-plan-template
Use the Backwards Planning Unit Guide to help you plan lessons around a major standard or unit.
Bloom's Taxonomy Wheel of Tasks (PDF):
When you plan your lessons, always start with the standard first, decide what is important for your students to know and be able to do. From here you can choose an activity/product that is the appropriate level for your students (whether they are Gifted, ELL, Special Ed, regular, mixed ability, or need intervention). The Bloom's Taxonomy Wheel of Tasks makes it easier to differentiate your instruction by choosing a task or a series of tasks and scaffolding your lessons accordingly to master a standard.
Where to Find Your Standard Resources:
Click on the links below:
The California State Content Standards
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
Curriculum Frameworks
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/allfwks.asp
CST Released Questions
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp
STAR Program Resources
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/resources.asp
"Unwrapping the Standards" Larry Ainsworth