Embedded Files
Expectations of Practice
Essential
End of Module Summative Assessment
Module On Demand
Essential Questions
Key Standards
Number of Texts and Tasks
Flexible
Which texts/tasks from the unit plans teachers choose to use in a 9-week period
The order of those texts and tasks
The length of each task
What is graded
The responsive discrete skills instruction within a class/lesson
Minimum Ranges of Experiences Per Module
Reading
Extended Texts - at least 1
Short Literary Texts - at least 2-3
Short Informational texts - at least 1-2
CommonLit is the approved curricular resource.
Writing
Routine Writing - ongoing/daily
Analytical Writing - at least 4-6
Narrative Writing - at least 1-2
Research Writing - at least 1
On Demand Writing Task - 1 per quarter
Writable is the approved curricular resource.
Module Descriptions
Key Themes & Topics:
Key Themes & Topics:
Key themes and topics for each unit set the stage of the big ideas classes will be exploring throughout a unit. They guide the selection and use of key texts and instructional resources. Rather than “teaching Title X”, students and teachers activate titles and other resources as they inform and deepen understandings of Key Themes and Topics.
Essential Questions
Essential Questions
As the name implies, these are the big questions driving each unit of study. In SVVSD, each set of essential questions’ theme is recurring in a progression of Community > Identity > Culture culminating with an examination of Interdependence in students’ Senior year. Essential questions are designed as sweeping and without a “right” answer. Major activities, assignments, and assessments within a unit will ask students to practice the skills of the discipline in service of expressing their answers to these questions.
Key Reading & Writing Standards
Key Reading & Writing Standards
While the acts of reading and writing encompass myriad skills and could be argued to speak to all standards, this section highlights the key standards for which students will be held responsible in a unit’s learning tasks and assessments. These standards also provide guidance for lesson design and - along with the topics and EQs - provide the underpinnings of each unit’s summative assessment.
Routine Writing
Routine Writing
Routine writing is designed to become part of a daily or ongoing writing routin within the classroom. Designed to be flexible for both the student and teacher, routine writing may include, but is not limited to:
The Four-Choice Journal
Reader’s Notebook
Daybooks
Interactive Notebooks
Summative Assessment Task
Summative Assessment Task
The unit’s summative assessment outlines how students will show their progress of mastery of key standards and showcase their answers to the unit’s essential questions. This provides a goal toward which all weekly and daily learning activities can be designed.
On Demand Writing Tasks
On Demand Writing Tasks
On Demand writing tasks align to the standards and skills addressed in the unit's summative assessment. This taks could be used as a unit pre-assessment to guide planning and instruction. I could also be used as a mid-unit assessment to monitor student progress towards master of the standards and skill addressed in the summative task.
Extended Texts
Extended Texts
SVVSD students will read at least one extended text each quarter of secondary school. Extended texts should encourage student agency, providing opportunities for students to develop voice and often, choice, through self-selected reading, book clubs or similar structures. Extended texts can be novels, anthologies, collections, non-fiction, etc. Each unit plan presents a collection of supported extended texts aligned to the grade level and unit theme.
Short Literary & Informational Texts
Short Literary & Informational Texts
Throughout the course of each quarter, SVVSD students are expected to closely explore 2-3 short literary texts and 1-2 short informational texts. “Short texts are considered anything less than novel length. The texts in these unit plans are tied to the larger work of the unit by theme and practice at tasks. For each type of text several options are presented to allow teachers to align instructional materials to their students’ specific interests and needs.
Analytical Writing Tasks
Analytical Writing Tasks
SVVSD students will complete 4-6 analytical writing tasks across the course of each quarter. The length, depth, complexity, and level of polish of each task will vary according to the other instructional components activated within the unit plan. One analytical writing task each quarter will include an on-demand writing. These timed writings will allow for formative assessment of what students are able to do as readers, writers, and thinkers without assistance and when faced with texts of complexity corresponding to their grade level. Assignment description sheets and assignments from vetted external sources will be included to chart a pathway to meeting expectations as well as lists of other possible assignments that might be created to meet expectations.
Narrative Writing Tasks
Narrative Writing Tasks
In keeping with SVVSD’s philosophical commitment to the importance of a balanced literacy diet, all students will compose 1-2 narrative texts across each quarter. Similar to analytical writing tasks, these texts will be of varying length, depth, complexity, and level of polish according to learning goals and targets. Assignment description sheets and assignments from vetted external sources will be included to chart a pathway to meeting expectations as well as lists of other possible assignments that might be created to meet expectations.
Research Writing Task
Research Writing Task
As outlined in the Colorado Academic Standards, SVVSD students will build their research skills and abilities throughout each quarter. For some units, research tasks will be stand alone assignments such as researching local issues or current events. For other units, research tasks will be embedded in the quarter’s other reading and writing tasks as appropriate.
Planning
Planning
Each unit’s tasks will be a general week-by-week outline of the flow of learning tasks for students. Realizing the cultures and schedules at each site will vary and place unique demands on class time, these outlines are to be seen as generally flexible. Also in recognition of school and classroom cultures, expectations, and practices, unit plans will offer templates for tasks, but will not list daily lessons. This is to allow enough certainty of district alignment while allowing for features such as co-teaching, integrated ELA and social studies, and other unique programmatic designs.
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