Virtual Teacher Final Project Lorrie Cook Part 1: Project Overview PLEASE NOTE: Many of the Final Project requirements are incorporated into the various sections of this overview. I’ve including everything here so you can see how the Layered Curriculum system flows and fits together. I have included extra notes and explanations in the the various parts of the project so each part should be graded from the separate attachments. Thank you. I. What is Economics?

Economics ­ Grade 12 Note: This course is designed so that all students can choose activities and projects that meet their learning needs and interests.

II. Module Overview:

“What is Economics?” Is the first, 3­week unit in a semester Economics course required for seniors. Students have been exposed to economic terms and concepts throughout their education but this is likely the first time they have participated in a serious study of the subject. Students will participate in a variety of activities, some online and some on their own, that include online mini­lessons and discussions, online group activities, hands­on projects, and research projects. Links to multiple resources will be provided throughout the lesson. The course is designed using the Layered Curriculum delivery system described in the introduction section below. Students will earn points by demonstrating their learning through a process of explaining what they’ve learned during a task and responding to questions, called Oral Defense, also explained below. The course is designed as a fully virtual course but it is possible for students who live in the same area to work on activities together. I chose to design a virtual course because I live overseas and expect to be teaching in a completely virtual environment.

III. Introduction to Layered Curriculum: (Please forgive the added length of this extra material but it seems necessary to understand the layout of this module or unit.) I haven’t taught in a regular classroom for many years so I decided to share a high school Economics unit that I taught from 2000 through 2004. I used a curriculum delivery system called Layered Curriculum (LC), designed by Dr Kathy Nunley. More information about LC can be found at www.help4teachers.com . This is a link to a summary I wrote to explain layered curriculum: Educational Project ­ Layered Curriculum . Part of the structure of Layered Curriculum includes the student unit sheet that I have included with this module. Students use the unit sheet to guide and track their progress. As students complete a project or feel prepared for something like a vocabulary assessment, they demonstrate their learning through oral defense (OD) (Kathy Nunley, Layered Curriculum). To briefly explain, OD occurs when the teacher asks a student to explain what they know then the student responds to a couple of real life application questions related to the topic. Students can’t fake these responses. They are also given permission to talk about what they think and understand instead of regurgitating what the book or the teacher has said. If students demonstrate successful mastery, I stamp my initials next to the activity on their unit sheet. . If they need more work I give them some instruction, sometimes with small groups of students with similar needs, or guide them to another learning resource. This unit sheet is an effective formative assessment tool because it enables each student to take responsibility for his or her own learning, gages student progress for both student and teacher, and informs instruction. One of the drawbacks I found in using Layered Curriculum in the past, was encouraging the students to pace themselves and avoid procrastination. Pacing is especially vital in a virtual setting so these solutions are especially important. Related to pacing was the district requirement to post weekly grades online. The only grade that really mattered was the final grade when the unit was completed, so, I set guidelines for how many points students should have earned by the end of each of the three weeks the unit covered. I then converted the students’ accumulated points into a letter grade to post in the online grade book. This was not always a perfect representation of the students’ learning or progress but it met the district requirements and it helped keep the students on task. In addition to this progress grade, it occurred to me that a series of formative assessments would help students pace themselves and give me an effective tool to evaluate student learning and progress. These formative assessments would be particularly valuable in a virtual classroom because students would have the chance to interact and build

community as well as provide self­assessment and formative information for me as the instructor. I have added five formative assessments to the student unit sheet to receive a participation grade only. I will explain these and other formative assessments that could also be used in the unit. Teacher’s Guide and Unit Sheet. I am presenting these pages together with the overview so you can see how the Layered Curriculum Unit flows and fits together. I will pull out the various elements for parts two through six: (I know this is long but it is thorough and you are welcome to use it for your personal classroom. Not intended for commercial use.)

Economics ­ Grade 12 Unit 1: Ch. 1 What is Economics?

Teacher’s Guide

Objectives: Lesson 1: Define economics ~ Explain the importance and process of making economic choices and decisions ~ Identify the factors of Production ~ Determine the goal of entrepreneurship Lesson 2: Determine why scarcity is a basic problem of economics ~ Identify the issues that producers must address to distribute resources, ~ Explain why producers study productivity Lesson 3: Understand why sacrifice is an important element of economic choice ~ Identify the assumptions involved in creating a production possibilities curve ~ Determine why future production possibilities might differ from current production possibilities Lesson 4: Identify and describe the difficulties associated with barter ~ Explain why true self­sufficiency is rare ~ Identify the economic benefits of interdependence Formative Assessment: These activities will be used to reveal incoming knowledge, guide student and teacher planning for instruction, benchmark outcomes to encourage pacing, guide feedback and intervention, engage students, provide for self and peer assessment and build understanding for final assessments. The layered curriculum process is made up of continuous during­learning and after learning­formative assessments. The unit grade is based on the points earned when mastery is achieved for each activity so the oral defense is formative until it determines the final grade for mastery of each objective or skill. However, a regular summative assessment can easily be added to the end of the unit. An after learning review like the Kahoot activity would be a great way to help students prepare for a unit test, or to gage the overall learning of the students to determine if the class, as a whole, is ready to move on. NOTE: I no longer have access to the economics textbook or resources used for this course so I will substitute examples from the internet.

Preassessment #1 ­ Google Form Quick Quiz A ‘Test Your Economic Literacy’ quiz will be posted on the Google Classroom page as part of the introduction to the course. (Sample Quiz: http://goo.gl/LQaDSU Web based, not in Google Form Format)

Taking this quiz will expose students to new vocabulary and help them start thinking about what economics means in their lives. The results will give me an idea of what I need to focus on in my lectures and which students might need a little extra help.

Preassessment #2 ­ K­W­L I often introduce economics by reading the book “The Three Little Pigs” by Steven Kellogg (Goodreads: http://goo.gl/YG56J1 ) This story adds a twist to the traditional fairy tale by including the entrepreneurial adventures of the pig family waffle delivery business. In a synchronous but recorded Google Hangout session, I will read the story to the students while encouraging use of the Hangout Chat during and after the story. We will then use the live audio on Google Hangouts to discuss any economics concepts that might be familiar or learned from the story. A K­W­L grid will be assigned, via Google Classroom, on which students will list ‘What they know (K)’ about economics in general, ‘What they want (W) to learn’, and ‘How they plan to learn (L)’ the new information. This provides the opportunity to introduce the student unit sheet which they can use to help them complete the ‘L’ section of the grid and plan for their personal learning process. During Learning Assessment #1 ­ Padlet Online Activity (To take place one or two days after the lecture on the topic.) Students will be asked to make two postings, one to the padlet for Decisions and Resources, and one to the padlet for Scarcity and Choice. Each post must include a comment about what they think is true about the topic and why they think it is important in 30 words or less. They should also include an image or a link to support their conclusions. Students will select one post from a fellow student on each padlet and discuss why they agree or disagree with that student’s comment. After this activity, students will discuss their understanding of the topic in small groups via G­Hangout Conversations and list any questions they might still have. These questions would be posted on Google Classroom as an ongoing discussion forum, with guidance from the teacher, of course.

During Learning Assessment #2 ­ S.O.S. (To take place one or two days after the lecture on the topic.) The teacher posts a statement (S) about Trade­offs on a shared Google Document via Google Classroom. Students will express their opinion (O) about the statement, then support (S) their opinion using at least two forms of evidence. Each student will then state their opinion about another student’s statement and give evidence. Each posting should be no more than two sentences long. The process will be repeated for a statement about Opportunity Costs and Productivity. After the written activity students will discuss what they have learned in small groups and make a list of questions they still have. The questions will be discussed and answered in the Google Classroom question section, with guidance from the teacher.

After Learning Assessment #1 ­ Oral Defense Every teacher develops his or her own technique for oral defense. In general, I first ask students to explain to me what they have learned from the project. Then, depending on the point value of the activity, I ask one or two questions that requires the student to make an application. For example, “How do you see the law of supply and demand in action when you purchase a soda at 7­11?” When students practice oral defense with each other, they have to think about what they are learning, find ways to apply it to their personal life, and help each other clarify their understanding. Link to Dr. Kathy Nunley’s Youtube video explaning oral defense : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcaCCFz6_IE After Learning Assessment #2 ­ Kahoot Online Review Activity Kahoot is a fun way to present a basic assessment activity. Students compete against other students and sometimes ghost players to review unit objectives and evaluate their own grasp of the learning objectives. One thing I’ve found about Layered Curriculum is that students may not realize how much they have learned. An activity like Kahoot can build their confidence in their own ability to learn as well as inform the teacher of any gaps in learning or individual support that might need to be remedied before a final summative assessment.

Web site: https://getkahoot.com/ Link to Youtube video demonstrating a Kahoot activity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ3Er1­tCMc

C Layer: Daily lecture: Using Google Hangouts On Air, the teacher provides a short, approximately 10 minute lesson every two or three days to introduce the main topics of the lesson. Students who choose to participate in the lessons must take notes. Students will need to review their notes and demonstrate that the main points are recorded by responding to quick questions via the hangout chat or an embedded quiz. The completion stamp for participation and the notes will be posted to the unit sheet for credit based on responses to these quick questions. Daily book work: Students may chose to read the chapter in addition to or instead of participating in the lectures and receive credit based on oral defense. For the oral defense, do not repeat the chapter questions. Instead create questions with real life scenarios and applications so the students have to think about how the concept affects them personally. Vocabulary: A vocabulary assessment is required. To facilitate the oral defense of the vocabulary, I assign each vocabulary word a number. Students draw a number from a virtual jar so the 5 words, worth 4 points each, are selected at random. Since students don’t know which words will be tested, they have to study all of them, but I don’t need to test each word. Students write the word in the G­Hangout chat to check for spelling, then they explain the meaning to me and I ask one oral defense/application question about the word. If I have to give a little hint, I might subtract 1 point. If students need more than one hint on a word, or need help on more than two words, they go back to studying until they are ready to try again. The words are always selected at random so there is no benefit to doing the assessment before the student is confident with the material.

Link to Vocabulary Assessment Options: https://goo.gl/AKLGRo Supplemental C­layer Assignments: Students choose the activities that they want to work on. While students are working independently or in groups, I visit the chat rooms, make phone calls or send emails so I can virtually observe or ask questions to make sure they are on task and learning correct concepts. When students feel ready to be assessed they make arrangements to present their project to me and participate in the oral defense process either during my regular scheduled office hours or by appointment. NOTE: I admit this is the part of layered curriculum that I am most worried about in the virtual environment. I suspect it will take practice and adjustments to find a process that works well for me and my students. Points for C­layer projects are based on the following rubric:

Link to C­Layer Rubric: https://goo.gl/3t5bzI

B­Layer Assignment: Students may complete only one B­layer activity. It is important to note the students do not receive credit for a B­Layer assignment if they have not completed a passing level of C­layer assignments, at least 78 points. B­layer assignments are intended to move students up to higher levels of thinking in Bloom’s Taxonomy. Students are asked to apply their learning to create an item that demonstrates their learning. These items can be shared with me via photographs, Google Documents, multimedia submissions, various apps and other creative methods.

Link to B­Layer Rubric: https://goo.gl/RJJMLo A­Layer Assignment: Students may begin their A­Layer project at any time but can not receive credit for the A­Layer assignment without achieving passing grades in both the C and B layers. This assignment is intended to take students to the highest levels of thinking: analyze, evaluate and create new knowledge. Students research a topic, and express their own opinion, justifying it with references to outside resources. Generally students write a paper which often ends up being much longer than required because the topics become personally meaningful. At times, rather than writing a paper students have presented a group debate, performed an original readers theater, and even performed an original dance. Learning demonstrated through creativity instills a personal bond to the new information that is rarely forgotten. Generally this assignment would be turned in as a Google Document but can be in the form a video or other artifact.

Link to A­Layer Rubric: https://goo.gl/OxqGr1 NOTE: The Iowa State University Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning has created an excellent article discussing the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: http://goo.gl/R2tL0T

Economics Unit 1: Ch. 1 What is Economics?

Layered Curriculum Student Unit Sheet

Name ____________________ Due Date _____________________

70 ­ 77 = D 78 ­ 85 = C 86 ­ 92 = B 93+ = A

Objectives: Lesson 1: Define economics ~ Explain the importance and process of making economic choices and decisions ~ Identify the factors of Production ~ Determine the goal of entrepreneurship Lesson 2: Determine why scarcity is a basic problem of economics ~ Identify the issues that producers must address to distribute resources, ~ Explain why producers study productivity Lesson 3: Understand why sacrifice is an important element of economic choice ~ Identify the assumptions involved in creating a production possibilities curve ~ Determine why future production possibilities might differ from current production possibilities Lesson 4: Identify and describe the difficulties associated with barter ~ Explain why true self­sufficiency is rare ~ Identify the economic benefits of interdependence Formative Assessment: Participation Points ____ 3. Participate in the following: one pre, two integrated, and one post, whole­class formative assessment activities designed to guide instruction, monitor progress, promote pacing, guide feedback and interventions, and provide review. (Participation required for participation points)

Pre­assessments: Google Form: ‘Test Your Economic Literacy’ , ‘The Three Little Pig’ and K­W­L

Decisions and Resources and Scarcity and Choice Padlet activity Trade­offs and Opportunity Costs and Production S.O.S. Activity Kahoot Review Activity

C Layer: no more than 85 points Daily Work: (25 points) Either number one or number two is required; if you do both the extra points will count toward your supplemental work. Whole­class formative assessment activities spaced throughout the unit are required and receive participation points. Lecture: Points Earned: ____ 1. Listen to the lecture and take notes. (5 points each day)

1­1 Decisions and Resources 1­2 Scarcity and Choice 1­3a Tradeoffs and Opportunity Costs 1­3b Production 1­4 Exchange Possibilities

Book work: Points Earned: ____ 2. Read a lesson from the chapter. Answer one question chosen at random in oral defense, or write out the answers to the assigned questions (5 points each lesson).

Read & Answer p. 3­7 p. 7 #2­6 p. 8­10 p.10 #2­6 p.11­12 p.14 #5,6 p.12­14 p.14 #2­4 p.15­18 p.18 #2­6

Vocabulary (Required): (20 points) Points Earned: ____ Note: Supplementary C­layer activities may not be substituted for Vocabulary points, but vocabulary evaluations may be repeated until the maximum points are achieved. 4. Study vocabulary from the unit. Create any study aids needed to learn the words such as flashcards or a notebook. Demonstrate your understanding of the words through orally defending 5 words, by taking a written test on 10 words, or by writing a short in­class paper using all of the vocabulary words in context. Supplemental C­layer Assignments: (40 points) You must orally defend what you have learned from each of the following assignments: Note: Activities worth 5 points should take about 15 minutes. 5. (Up to 25 pts) Bookwork in #2 completed in addition to lecture Points Earned: ____ 6. (Up to 10 pts) Choose 1 or 2 worksheets at 5 points each Points Earned: ____ For the following projects, students should practice their oral defense with at least one fellow student before requesting the teacher evaluation. 7. Choose a type of business to start up. Decide what to produce and how and for whom to produce

it. Create a model, drawing, prototype, or video presenting your product. Create a list of some of the main factors of production that they will need to run the business. (10 points) Points Earned: ____

8. Make a graphic organizer that identifies the three questions that all economic systems must address. Give specific examples of how you answer these questions for two different types of businesses or organizations; one that provides a service and one that produces a consumer good. These businesses should be something in which you participate; your job, a family ranch, school activities etc. (If necessary, ask the teacher for an example of a graphic organizer.) (10 points) Points Earned: ____

9. Assume that you have $50 and need to decide how best to spend the money. Build a decision making grid like the one in figure 1.2 showing at least three alternatives and three activities. Answer the following questions: Which choice satisfies the greatest number of criteria? And, What is the opportunity cost of this choice? (5 points) Points Earned: ____

10. Create a graphic organizer to identify three forms of exchange along with the characteristics of each form of exchange. (5 points) Points Earned: ____

11. Partner activities and projects: (10 points) Points Earned: ____

With or without a partner complete one or two of the following activities: a. Choose a product that you have used or purchased. Create a flowchart that organizes the economic flow for that product from producers to consumers. Use the flowchart example in lesson 1.1 as a model. List specific examples of each item in the chart. b. List at least four different types of companies and decide how these companies answer the three economic questions. Make a chart, diagram or presentation that compares these companies. c. Choose an industry or business and create a production possibilities curve for two products. (Refer to the example in figure 1.3.) Develop a scenario that would shift the production possibilities curve to the right and then create a second graph that shows how the curve has shifted. Demonstrate and explain what changing factors caused the shift. d. Create a chart that shows the differences between microeconomics and macroeconomics. Make a poster, video, or other artifact that illustrates these concepts.

B Layer: Points Earned: ___ Choose one ­ 7 points ­ You must earn a minimum of 5 points to get credit and follow the requirements of the B level rubric. Remember, each person involved will need to write a paragraph summarizing the activity. Students should practice their oral defense with at least one fellow student before requesting the teacher evaluation. _ Work on your own or with a group of 2 to 3 other students to complete one of the following scenarios. Each student in the group must write a good, 5 to 7 sentence paragraph summarizing the activity and discussing what you have learned. a. Your group will play the role of entrepreneurs who have decided to produce a paper or digital entertainment guide for the High School. The guide will provide highlights of upcoming events as well as listings of local restaurants. Create a sample guide and answer the following questions: What natural resources, human resources, and capital resources will we need to produce and sell an entertainment guide? b . Imagine that the students in your group are the managers of a large company that is deciding whether to move its main factory from the United States to Mexico. Debate the benefits versus the trade­offs and opportunity costs of moving the factory to Mexico. Half of your group should support the move the other half should support staying in the US. After the debate discuss which trade­offs or benefits were most convincing in their debates. (This debate should be presented to the group via Google Hangout.) c. Review a newspaper section or Internet site covering local, national, or international news. Make a list of each example of economic interdependence that you find in the section/site. For each item on the list, record the benefits and drawbacks, if any, for the individuals, groups, or nations involved. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of economic interdependence. Make a chart, diagram or presentation showing how you and your families are economically interdependent with producers outside of your homes.

A Layer: Points Earned: ____ Choose One ­ 7 points ­ You must earn a minimum of 5 points to get credit and follow the requirements of the A level rubric. Students should practice their oral defense with at least one fellow student before requesting the teacher evaluation. 1. Do you agree that entrepreneurs are important to the economy in the United States? Justify why you agree or disagree. 2. What is the most important factor in increasing small business productivity? 3. Explore an economic action that affected the environment. Do you think the trade­offs involved were worth the benefits? 4. Explore modern examples of scarcity. Do you agree that scarcity is the most basic problem of economics?