Literacy Design Collaborative:

Day 5November 14, 2013

Goals of LDC To engage students in reading, comprehending,

analyzing, interpreting, and responding to complex texts

To align assignments to standards and promote collaboration

To help teachers personalize learning so that every student can master the standards

To ensure that all students can be college and career ready

Template Task Collection Version 2.0July 2013

Revisions to the Template Tasks• Starting the task with a question is now an option in both the

“after researching” and the “after reading”• SREB has a set of template tasks that does not give this option. Instead, each

task begins with an essential question or what is called a “Critical Focus Question.”

• In Arkansas, teachers will compose an essential or critical focus question for ALL tasks written.

• The L2 and L3 statements have been removed and replaced with a set of demands that can be added to increase the rigor of the task. Rigor is added to a task by adding a set of “demands” or “D’s” from a list.

• The rubrics for the teaching and assessment task have been updated to support these new demands

A Complete Example

Three types of Tasks!

1. Argumentative2. Informational/Explanatory3. Narrative

Text Structures

1. Analysis2. Comparison3. Evaluation4. Problem/Solution5. Cause/Effect6. Description7. Sequential8. Procedural/Sequential9. Synthesis

The LDC Template Task CollectionArgumentative Informational/

ExplanatoryNarrative

• Use exact wording of the template task• Keep the exact CCR Anchor Standards listed in the

blank module because the alignment is already completed. Include grade-level appropriate content standards as well as CCSS grade-level standards.

• Use the exact rubric listed in the blank module.

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Reminder: LDC Task Requirements

LDC Guidebook (PN, TAB 2) LDC Task Scoring Guide (PN, TAB 7)

What is the purpose of an Essential Question (Critical Focus Question)?

• Pinpoints the important learning that needs to occur in the content

• Encourages higher order thinking• Allows thinking in an open-ended way• Defines what students should know

and be able to do throughout the unit of study

The Essential Question(Critical Focus Question)

• Should be significant• Should be based on prior knowledge • Should be in simple language• Should be thought provoking• Should be important five years from now• Should not be answered by a simple “yes” or

“no”

Essential Questions?• Were the senators justified in assassinating

Julius Caesar?• English

• Should schools continue to teach photosynthesis in life science?

• Science

• In the construction industry, is the customer always right?

• CTE

• Was the American Revolution Revolutionary?• Social Studies

Try it Out!

• Think about a unit of study that will take two to four weeks. Write an Essential Question for that module or take the module that you are currently working on and write an Essential Question for that module.

• Share the question with a partner and utilize the Check Sheet to provide specific feedback.

The Elements of a Great Teaching Task

A Great LDC Teaching Task

• Addresses content essential to the discipline, inviting students to engage deeply in thinking and literacy practices around that issue

• Makes effective use of the template task’s writing type (argumentation, information/explanation or narrative)

• Selects texts that use and develop academic understanding and vocabulary

A Great LDC Teaching Task(continued)

• Designs a writing prompt that requires sustained writing and effective use of ideas and evidence from the texts

• Establishes a teaching task that is both challenging and feasible for students, with a balance of reading and writing demands that work well for the intended grade and content

Can This Task Be Saved?

• Each table will be assigned a Teaching Task from one of the following six slides.

• Decide what, if anything, could be improved with the task.

• After analyzing the task, make notes on revisions to make it more effective.

• Task 19: Can social climbers really move into a new social class? After reading The Great Gatsby, Vanity Fair, and Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams, write an essay in which you explain how a character succeeded or failed in efforts to move to a higher social class.

• English III

Task 21: What will it take to raise voter participation? After reading "Where Have All the Voters Gone?” and “Many will mark this election by not voting,” write a legislative proposal in which you analyze the best legal changes to increase participation, providing examples to clarify your analysis.

A.P. U.S. Government

Task 11: After researching Romeo and Juliet and Westside Story, write a report in which you define “star-crossed lovers.” Support your discussion with evidence from your research. If you had friends who were in love and whose families disapproved, what advice would you give them?

10th Grade English

Task 12: What is the most important challenge you have met? After reading several personal challenge essays on the Internet, write an essay in which you define your challenge and explain how you met it. Support your discussion with evidence from your research.

6th Grade Language Arts

Task 3: After researching your textbook chapters on human anatomy, write an article for students your age in which you compare two major body systems and argue which one is the most exciting. Be sure to support your position with evidence from the texts.

8th Grade Life Sciences

Task 2: In today’s society, which type of advertising media is more effective, traditional media or social media? After reading business articles write a memo that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the text(s). Be sure to acknowledge competing views. Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your positioin.

9th Grade CTE

Try it out!!

• Design a Teaching Task using a Template Task you have selected that covers 2-4 weeks of material that you will teach.

• Pay special attention to the essential question, the reading assignments and the writing assignments.

• Write the Teaching Task on a large sheet of paper and post on the wall as directed.

Gallery Walk

• Start with the Task to the right of your own. Using a sticky note, post a question, a positive comment or a concern on each of the five tasks to your right.

• Continue around the gallery and comment on as many tasks as possible

Feedback as a Learning Tool

Plus not a minus Suggestion not a mandate

Feedback + Reflection = Better Module

Use your feedback to revise and refine your Teaching Task

Adding Rigor to the Template Task

• Add additional requirements to the Template Task to differentiate or provide additional challenge.

• Add one or two demands to a prompt.• Add demands that align to the appropriate

grade-specific standard.• Consider the demands when determining…

What skills?

What Skills?

LDC Skills Clusters

• Preparing for the Task– To understand the Task and assignment

• Reading Process– To read rigorous materials from different types of texts

• Bridging– To analyze the texts and synthesize them in preparation

for writing• Writing Process

– To write thoughtful and insightful pieces demonstrating learning

LDC Skills Clusters

• Content– To understand and apply the tenants of the

content taught

– The Content is embedded throughout the four literacy skill clusters.

– Add the content skill within each of the four skill clusters.

Defining the Skills

• Each required skill is defined.

• There are multiple skills in each cluster.

• Clusters 1-4 are completed in order.

• Content is embedded throughout the skill clusters.

Skills Cluster 1: Preparing for the Task

Skills Cluster 1: Preparing for the Task1. Task engagement

Ability to connect the task and new content to existing knowledge, skills, experiences, interests, and concern

2. Task analysis Ability to understand and explain the task’s prompt

3. Project planning

Ability to plan so that the task is accomplished on time

Skill Cluster 2: Reading ProcessSkills Cluster 2: Reading Process

1. Active ReadingAbility to select appropriate texts and understand necessary reading strategies needed for the task

2. Essential Vocabulary

Ability to apply strategies for understanding of text(s) by locating words and phrases that identify key concepts and facts, or information

3. Note-takingAbility to read purposefully and select relevant information; to summarize and/or paraphrase

4. Organizing Ability to prioritize and narrow supporting information

5. Academic Integrity

Ability to use and credit sources appropriately

Skills Cluster 3: Transition to Writing

Skills Cluster 3: Transition to Writing

1. Creating a Bridge Ability to move smoothly from reading to writing

2. Organizing thinking Ability to organize notes for writing

3. Demonstrate understanding

Ability to demonstrate analysis of readings

Skill Cluster 4: WritingSkill Cluster 4: Writing

Prewriting Ability to organize ideas in logical format including creating a controlling idea and focus for the writing

Drafting Ability to put thoughts on paper in cohesive, organized fashion

Revising Ability to add revisions and corrections to improve a paper by using the rubric to ensure the quality of the written product

Editing Ability to evaluate other student writing and make suggestions for improvements

Next Steps

• Complete the current module.

• Teach the module

• We will cover Steps 3 and 4 in-depth at the next date.

Reflection Questions:

1. How can LDC serve as a planning tool to address the changes required by CCSS?2. How does LDC impact curriculum, instruction, and assessment?3. What are the benefits of moving from current practices to Literacy Design Collaborative?