The Standards Juggling Act: Balancing the Common Core, ISTE, and 21st Century Skills in Your Unit Design

Molly J. Bestge6th Grade ELA Teacher and National Board Certified TeacherSTEM Center—West Fargo, ND

Tri-City Tech CampJune 5-7, 2012

Presentation Description

• This session will provide participants the opportunity to apply their new “tech” knowledge to unit design. • Learn how you can easily incorporate some of

your new skills to create units that will assess content standards as well as address ISTE-NETS standards and 21st Century skills.• Participants will gain access to a wonderful unit

template that will make balancing these important standards manageable.

• Supplies--Sticky Notes--7-Essentials article--Middle Level article--ISTE standards (laminated)

SEND PEOPLE:--6th ELA Template--6th 21st Century Template--PowerPoint

Participants Will Be Able to…

•Define 21st Century Learners, Learning, and Educators.•Apply Understanding by Design (UbD)

to unit creation.•Use Common Core and ISTE

Standards as well as 21st Century Skills in Unit Design.

How Do Today’s Kids Learn?• Sticky Notes! Need to sit in TEAMS of 3!!• SOLO

Answer the question, “How do today’s kids learn?” Put one answer on each sticky note. Place in the center of the team. Keep going until time runs out…(3 minutes)

• TEAM1. Identify a SORTER for the team (P1) Sort the sticky notes, putting

same ideas in a stack. 2. Identify a RECORDER for the team (P2). That person records on a

new sticky note all of the ideas where EVERYONE in the team had agreed.

3. Identify a SPOKESPERSON for the team (P3). Share out what the team identified as ways that today’s kids learn.

4. Molly will record on the slide…

How Today’s Kids Learn… YOUR Thoughts!

The World Our Students Live In…

•http://ht.ly/5mOUp

Quote from Eric Schmitt, CEO of Google

• “What you see is a culture where people feel that they can build things; that they can actually accomplish what they want. And ultimately people stay in a company because they can achieve something.”

• How is there a disconnect between this and today’s education???

• How are WE preparing our students for this type of work environment?

Social Media Video (4:26)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eUeL3n7fDs

This is the 21st Century.How are we…• Keeping abreast of the newest technologies?• Filling a students’ social need to network with

others?• Creating relevancy in the way that students

publish/communicate their work?• Utilizing the devices that they bring to school each day?• Supporting collaboration, creativity, innovation, critical

thinking?• Modeling life-long learning?

What is 21st Century Learning?

www.p21.org

The 4 C’s—CRITICAL 21st Century Skills1. Creativity & Innovation2. Critical Thinking & Problem

Solving3. Communication & Collaboration

But What Does 21st Century Learning LOOK LIKE?

• Inquiry• Real Problems and Real-World Problem Solving• Higher-Order Thinking & Questioning• Project-Based Learning• Designed BackwardsUbD

• Relevant & Timely Topics• Technology Infused Throughout Units of Study• Embraces the “Culture” of the Student• Collaboration/Cooperation• Final Communication Piece that is as “REAL” as it can get!

The 21st Century Teacher…

• Engages students in authentic “work.”

• Thinks globally, not just locally.

• Is a “guide on the side,” collaborating with students to solve problems.

• Is OK with “organized chaos.”

• Realizes that this kind of work can be “messy” and challenging for all.

The 21st Century Teacher…• Begins with the “end” in mind--designing units with big

ideas, essential questions, and enduring understandings.

• Can go with the “flow” if students need more time to finish creating.

• Is constantly learning from his/her students, and adapting lessons to make them relevant to the students’ needs.

• Is not afraid to take a “risk.”

• In every lesson, is preparing his/her students for the future that is theirs…

Digital Native vs. Digital Immigrant (3:08)• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwKD-GuKkFc

STEM Center Philosophy

• At the STEM Center in West Fargo, we have decided that we use Backward Design along with Project-Based Learning.

• It’s a nice combinationWe“begin with the end in mind” and design projects that allow our students to engage in critical thinking and higher-order thinking skills.

• We each are continuously doing individual projects that align to Common Core Standards, but we come together several times a year in interdisciplinary projects that we plan together.

Understanding by Design (UbD)

• UbDGrant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

• “Begin with the End in Mind.”

• Teacher is…the instructor, coach, friend, evaluator, disciplinarian and advisor.

Understanding by Design (UbD)

• PLANNING and DESIGN of the Curriculum and Assessment is most important!

1. Identify Desired Results2. Determine Acceptable Evidence Then, and only then…3. Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Understanding by Design (UbD)

• Common MistakeIdentify content, brainstorm activities, come up with an assessment and link it to a standard.• UbD”Think like an assessor, not an activity designer!!”• Big Idea & Enduring Understandings• Essential Questions• Design Assessments/Performance Assessments• Plan learning activities that will meet standards and

build toward the assessment/performance assessment.

Remember WHERETO• Where are we headed?• How will the student be ‘hooked’?• What opportunities will there be to equipped,

experienced, and explore key ideas?• What will provide opportunities to rethink, rehearse,

refine and revise?• How will students evaluate their work?• How will the work be tailored to individual needs,

interests, styles?• How will the work be organized for maximal engagement and effectiveness?

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

• Video from www.edutopia.org (EXCELLENT resource for instructing

with technology!)

http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-introduction-video

Why Teach with Project-Based Learning?

• “Project learning is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges. With this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they're studying.”

• Source: www.edutopia.org

A Good Combination!

• PBL and UbD are the perfect combination!• Designing projects with “the end in mind” allows

teachers to start with the big idea that leads to a quality assessment.• Don’t just do a project to do a project. • Do a project with and for a PURPOSE!

NETS-S Standards• Not only are we accountable for our

Common Core Standards, but WFPS is using the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-S).

• These standards encourage everything that STEM is about!• Creativity and Innovation• Communication and Collaboration• Research and Information Fluency• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and

Decision Making• Digital Citizenship• Technology Operations and Concepts

• Here’s a laminated copy for YOU!

Other Resources for You…

• “7 Essentials for Project-Based Learning” article.• If you are a middle level teacher, “Middle

Schools Preparing Young People for 21st Century Life and Work” article will be GREAT for you!

• Developed by the National Governor’s Association.http://www.corestandards.org/

• North Dakota has adopted the Common Core Standards with supplements, effective July 1, 2013. The old standards are no longer available on the DPI website. We will explore them later.

• In order to receive certain funding from the federal government, states have had to adopt these standards.

• They focus on 21st Century skills and college/career readiness.

ANCHOR Standards

• Off of the English Language Arts Standards, there are ANCHOR Standards that ALL content areas are going to be responsible for teaching.• Left hand side under “6-12 Literacy”

http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards

• It is EVERYONE’s job, not just the English/Language Arts teacher, to be teaching these standards.

Building Interdisciplinary Connections• Teachers trained in Elementary

Education have been instructed about the importance of building connections between Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

• Secondary teachers are trained to departmentalize—to “owning” their own discipline, teaching the concepts only within that discipline.

• 21st Century Learning requires more of ALL of us. We must make learning

RELEVANT and CONNECTED!

How Can You…• Use RELEVANT non-fiction articles to highlight

concepts?• Tie other disciplines into your discipline?• Increase the amount of WRITING your students do in

your classroom?• Increase the amount of READING your students do in

your classroom?• Use READING STRATEGIES with your students as they

read?

How Can You…• Create PROJECTS that are high-interest for your

students?• Make the REAL-WORLD come into your classroom?• Infuse 21st Century Skills into your practice?• Make sure that the 4 C’s (Creativity, Collaboration,

Critical Thinking, Communication) are a part of your lessons?• Allow students to COMMUNICATE in relevant and

authentic ways?

Time to Explore the Common Core Standards…• http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/standard/content.shtm• Please notice…• At the end of the ELA standards, there are standards for ELA in Science and

Social Studies• New standards for Math and ELA based on the Common Core Standards, with

ND additions throughout…

• Go back to the ANCHOR Standards to see where you fit in!

• As you EXPLORE, record on a sticky note how you can incorporate the COMMON CORE Standards into your current practice…

http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards

Nuts and Bolts…The 21st Century Unit Template• Developed it after I saw a need to organize my own work on

new Common Core Curriculum for 6th Grade ELA.• Not going to lie… When I first got my hands on the Common Core

Standards, I knew I had a lot of work to do to make it all make sense in my brain!

• Wanted everything in ONE document so that I could see the “big picture” of what was addressed in a unit and how all of the things our district values in our strategic plan are being met in the units I teach.

Two Templates…• 21st Century Template with Standards• To be used for INTERDISCIPLINARY planning, as it lists out the Common Core

Standards for ELA, Math, and Science, as well as the Anchor Standards…• ISTE, 21st Century skills, and Library Media Standards are included.• Feel free to ADD standards for Social Studies/Humanities as the standards

are unveiled.

• 6th Grade ELA 21st Century Template with Standards• Created specifically for 6th grade ELA.• Includes “I Can” statements from the www.ndcurriculuminitiative.org (BTW

—this is an incredible resource!!!! Put it in your favorites!!!)• Modifications were made to fit with the needs of ELA.

• PLEASE NOTE: Both of these are WORKING DOCUMENTS. Modify them to fit your needs. You will NEED to put your own grade level standards into the document to make this work…

BIG PICTURE Thinking Broken Down into Digestible Bits…• The templates are at times overwhelming, but they work…

• Begin with UbDBig idea, Essential Questions, and Assessments.

• Create/design the assessment.

• Design activities and identify the essential standards that lead to the assessment. Figure out resources needed for the unit and record them. Nonfiction is HUGE for Common Core.

• Highlight ALL standards (Common Core, ISTE, 21st Century skills, and Library) that are addressed during activities and assessment. Delete the ones NOT addressed.

• You have a UNIT and you’ll know exactly what you have addressed and addressed well!

Time to Explore and Ask ?’s

• Sent you the PowerPoint and the two templates.

• Explore the www.p21.org site, www.ndcurriculumintitiative.org site, and www.commoncore.org site.

• Any questions you have about anything?

THANK YOU!• I hope that you’ve learned a few things you can take back to

your classroom. I know that I have learned so much from you!

• Molly J. Bestge6th Grade Language Arts Teacher

and National Board Certified Teacher STEM Center in West Fargo, ND

bestge@west-fargo.k12.nd.us