Non Core Toolbox

December 2, 2013Toby Boss

ESU 6

Curriculum Toolbox: 7 Phases

• Mission • Best and Current Practice • Curriculum Framework (and Pre-Mapping) • Selection of Resources • Curriculum Mapping • Assessment • Learning Plans

Big Picture

• Establishing Mission• Review Content Standards• Draft Framework

Wikis

• http://wavarts.wikispaces.com• http://wavmedia.wikispaces.com/• http://wavpehealth.wikispaces.com/• Collaborators must have a free wiki account.

Mission

o “A school mission is the long term-term goal in mind against which we design (and forever) adjust schooling.”

o “A mission summarizes what we are in business to accomplish in learners.”

o “Without a commitment to mission, we really don’t have a school; we just have a home for freelance tutors of subjects.”

• Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2007)

District Essential Outcomes

• How will your program align to these outcomes?

Essential Questions

• Why do we have this program?• What do we believe about the ability of all

students to achieve in this program?• What is the teacher’s role as the facilitator of

the program?• How is data important to program decisions?• What do you want kids to be and become

from experiencing the program?

Framework

• Strand• Enduring Understandings• Essential Questions

Frameworks

• Go into the standards – what things stand out?

• The important Big Ideas become your strands.

Social Studies Big Ideas

• Civic Ideals• Power and Authority• Innovation and Change• Economic Influences• Conflict and Consequences• Beliefs and Culture• Geography

Enduring Understandings

• An important inference, drawn from the experience of experts, stated as a specific and useful generalization.

• Refers to transferable, big ideas having enduring understanding beyond a specific topic.

• Involves abstract counterintuitive and easily misunderstood ideas.

Enduring Understandings

• Is best acquired by “uncovering” (i.e., it must be developed inductively, co-constructed by learners) and “doing” the subject (i.e., using the ideas in realistic settings and with real-world problems).

• Summarizes important strategic principles in skill areas.

Knowledge vs Understanding• The facts• A body of coherent facts• Verifiable claims• Right or wrong• I know something to be true• I respond on cue with what I know

• The meaning of the facts• The “theory” that provides coherence• Fallible, in-process theories• A matter of degree • I understand why it is true• I judge when to use what I know

Social Studies Example

• Civic Ideals – In a democracy citizens have rights and

responsibilities.– Full civic participation strengthens democratic

societies.– Democracies provide freedoms that shape the

ideas, choices & actions of individuals.

Essential Questions

• What essential questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of learning?

Essential Questions

• Provocative and arguable question designed to guide inquiry into the big ideas.

• By actively exploring the essential questions, students develop and deepen their understanding.

What does “Essential” Mean?• Important questions that recur throughout life –

“what is justice?”• Core ideas and inquiries within a discipline.

“what causes conflict?”• Helps students make sense of complicated

ideas. “how do the most effective leaders gain consensus”?

• Engages the students through relevance and meaning.

Social Studies Example

• Civic Ideas– How do people exercise their rights as citizens?– How do people exercise their responsibilities as

citizens?– Why do people become actively involved in civic

practices?– What are examples of civic action that shaped or

changed society?