Connecting Content to Connecting Content to StudentsStudents

Long-Term Instructional Long-Term Instructional Planning Based on Big Ideas Planning Based on Big Ideas

and Essential Questionsand Essential Questions

What Do We Know about What Do We Know about Learning?Learning?

Students learn best when:Students learn best when:

– The goal is explained clearlyThe goal is explained clearly– New content is connected to prior knowledge or New content is connected to prior knowledge or

familiar conceptsfamiliar concepts– Content is organized around Big Ideas or Enduring Content is organized around Big Ideas or Enduring

Understandings instead of a string of facts or isolated Understandings instead of a string of facts or isolated skillsskills

– Content is presented in a variety of ways to address Content is presented in a variety of ways to address different learning needsdifferent learning needs

11Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998) Understanding by design. ASCD: Alexandria, VA.Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998) Understanding by design. ASCD: Alexandria, VA.

Where Do We Begin?Where Do We Begin?

Begin with the end in mind – What Big Begin with the end in mind – What Big Ideas/Enduring UnderstandingsIdeas/Enduring Understandings11 do you want do you want students to gain from this unit? students to gain from this unit?

– You need to understand clearly the content and the You need to understand clearly the content and the reasons you are teaching itreasons you are teaching it

– Develop a content map or overviewDevelop a content map or overview

– Ask, Ask, “What concepts do I want kids to walk away with “What concepts do I want kids to walk away with or ultimately remember when this unit is over.”or ultimately remember when this unit is over.”

Big IdeasBig IdeasThe Enduring The Enduring UnderstandingUnderstanding

It is what we want It is what we want students to walk away students to walk away with after studying the with after studying the unit or topic and course. unit or topic and course.

The SO WHAT-The SO WHAT-

It is the forest, not the It is the forest, not the individual treesindividual trees

Big IdeasBig IdeasTraditional StudiesTraditional Studies– Chinese DynastiesChinese Dynasties

Names, time periods, leaders, form of rule/governmentNames, time periods, leaders, form of rule/government

– Magna CartaMagna CartaTime period, leaders, impact on the time periodTime period, leaders, impact on the time period

– Mayflower CompactMayflower CompactTime period, leaders, facts, impact on Plymouth colonyTime period, leaders, facts, impact on Plymouth colony

SO WHAT? What’s the Big Idea? Why is this important? Why SO WHAT? What’s the Big Idea? Why is this important? Why study this?study this?

How does this connect with the student – today?How does this connect with the student – today?

What’s the Big IdeaWhat’s the Big IdeaTie them together around a Big IdeaTie them together around a Big Idea

Chinese Dynasties?Chinese Dynasties?Magna Carta?Magna Carta?Mayflower Compact? Mayflower Compact?

Teacher UnderstandingTeacher Understanding: : The use of written law and The use of written law and Reason helps describe the power and responsibilities of Reason helps describe the power and responsibilities of government and the rights of its citizensgovernment and the rights of its citizens

What’s the Big IdeaWhat’s the Big IdeaTeacher UnderstandingTeacher Understanding: : The use of written law and The use of written law and reason helps describe the power and responsibilities of reason helps describe the power and responsibilities of government and the rights of its citizensgovernment and the rights of its citizens

Translate to 6Translate to 6thth – 7 – 7thth grade understanding: grade understanding: What do you think?What do you think?Talk it over - Talk it over -

What’s the Big IdeaWhat’s the Big IdeaAmphibians and ReptilesAmphibians and Reptiles11::

Teacher UnderstandingTeacher Understanding: The physical and physiological : The physical and physiological structures of amphibians and reptiles support their structures of amphibians and reptiles support their survivalsurvival

Translate for 2Translate for 2ndnd – 3 – 3rdrd grade understanding: grade understanding: What do you think?What do you think?Talk it over -Talk it over -

Big IdeasBig Ideas

As you read through the curriculum As you read through the curriculum documents and your textbook resource documents and your textbook resource materials, ask: What’s the Big Idea?materials, ask: What’s the Big Idea?

Once you understand the Big Idea, then you Once you understand the Big Idea, then you can begin to plan effectively for long-term can begin to plan effectively for long-term

instructioninstruction

Curriculum ManagementCurriculum ManagementFrom Big Ideas you need to connect those ideas From Big Ideas you need to connect those ideas to the student and to the objectives in the to the student and to the objectives in the curriculum – HOW?curriculum – HOW?

Big IdeasBig Ideas

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Curriculum ObjectivesCurriculum Objectives

StudentStudent

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

Tied to Big IdeasTied to Big Ideas

Act as the bridge from Big Ideas to Act as the bridge from Big Ideas to objectives/contentobjectives/content

Open ended, thought-provoking questions Open ended, thought-provoking questions used to lead students from the BI to the used to lead students from the BI to the content and specific objectivescontent and specific objectives

Essential QuestionsEssential QuestionsExamplesExamples– What is freedom?What is freedom?– 11Who is a friend and can a friend be a villain?Who is a friend and can a friend be a villain?– When is a revolutionary a terrorist?When is a revolutionary a terrorist?– How might your life be different without linear How might your life be different without linear

equations? The world? equations? The world? – What makes a linear equation linear?What makes a linear equation linear?– In what ways is a democracy “undemocratic”?In what ways is a democracy “undemocratic”?– 11Is a straight line always the shortest possible Is a straight line always the shortest possible

distance? distance? – What special characteristics or traits help amphibians What special characteristics or traits help amphibians

and reptiles to survive? and reptiles to survive? – What makes a friend a friend ? Are Frog and Toad What makes a friend a friend ? Are Frog and Toad

friends? friends?

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

Open endedOpen endedBased on Big Ideas while incorporating Based on Big Ideas while incorporating content/objectivescontent/objectivesUsed to help organize your units and sub-Used to help organize your units and sub-unitsunits– Unit Essential Question: Must a story have a Unit Essential Question: Must a story have a

moral, hero, and villain?moral, hero, and villain?Sub-unit EQ (Lessons 1-3): Is Huck Finn a hero? Sub-unit EQ (Lessons 1-3): Is Huck Finn a hero?

Curriculum ManagementCurriculum Management

Big IdeasBig Ideas

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

Curriculum ObjectivesCurriculum Objectives

StudentStudent

Putting It All TogetherPutting It All Together

Big Idea for the Unit: Big Idea for the Unit: Reptiles and Amphibians Reptiles and Amphibians have special traits and characteristics that help have special traits and characteristics that help them to livethem to live

– EQ for the Unit:EQ for the Unit: What special characteristics or traits What special characteristics or traits help amphibians and reptiles to survive? help amphibians and reptiles to survive?

– EQ for Sub-unit: What special characteristics help EQ for Sub-unit: What special characteristics help frog to survive during the summer and winter? frog to survive during the summer and winter?

Specific behavioral objectives from curriculum guide:Specific behavioral objectives from curriculum guide:– Define reptile and amphibianDefine reptile and amphibian– Compare and contrast reptile and amphibianCompare and contrast reptile and amphibian– List characteristics or eachList characteristics or each– Etc……Etc……

Curriculum ManagementCurriculum Management

Big IdeasBig Ideas

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

Curriculum ObjectivesCurriculum Objectives

StudentStudent