Session 1 Facilitator’s Guide:
The 4 Ts of Expeditionary Learning’s Curriculum
Design Process
Goals and Outcomes
Overarching Objectives of the March 2015 Network Team Institute

Participants will learn Expeditionary Learning’s processes for creating the modules based on the “4 Ts” – targets, topics,
texts, and tasks. Participants will engage in a variety of tasks that help them learn to “bundle” focused sets of standards
into meaningful learning targets, choose compelling topics, select appropriately complex texts, and design assessment
tasks that align with targets.
High-Level Purpose of this Session

In this session, participants will learn about the “4 Ts” of Expeditionary Learning’s curriculum design process; targets, topics,
texts, and tasks. In addition, they will dig into the first T – the standards-aligned bundles of targets that form the basis for a
module.
Related Learning Experiences

The rest of this NTI
Key Points

High quality curriculum design rests on deeply understanding the Common Core standards, building knowledge through
compelling topics, selecting high-quality texts, and aligning tasks with standards/targets.
Session Outcomes
What do we want participants to be able to do as a result of
this session?



I can describe the “4Ts” of Common Core-aligned curriculum
design.
I can analyze the Common Core ELA standards for their
implications for curriculum design.
I can “bundle” ELA standards in order to create a focused set
of standards.
How will we know that they are able to do this?


Journal entries.
Conversations during the bundling “sort.”
Session Overview
Section
Time
Overview
Prepared Resources
Facilitator’s Preparation
Opening of NTI
10
Learning about the
4 Ts
30
Participants are introduced to
the overall theme of the NTI,
set norms, and review
learning targets.
Participants view a video
about the cornerstones of
EL’s Curriculum Design
process (the 4 Ts)
The analyze an example and
reflect on the impact of the 4
Participants’ Journal
Norms for Collaboration
Quotes from Transformational
Literacy
Video:
https://vimeo.com/116564458
Pages 86-93 in Transformational
Literacy.
2 copies of the 4 Ts notecatcher
The 4 Ts Curriculum Design
Read all materials. View video
and complete notecatcher in
order to anticipate participants’
needs and possible
misconceptions. Complete a
standards sort to anticipate the
challenges participants might
have.
Bundling Standards
40
Closing and
Reflection
5
Ts on students
Participants complete a
simulation which shows them
the challenges and creativity
involved in “bundling”
standards.
Participants reflect on what
was learned in session 1.
Framework_NYS Version
Equip Rubric
Bundling Standards Task Card
Selections from Grades 4 and 7
Standards
Participants’ Journal
Session Roadmap
Section 1: Opening of NTI
Time: 10 min.
Materials:
Participants’ Journal
Norms for Collaboration
Quotes from Transformational Literacy
Time
Slide #/ Pic of
Slide
Script/ Activity directions
1 min.
PPT. Slide #1,
#2
● Introduce yourself (and perhaps your facilitation partner)
and tell a bit of background. If relevant, share your
experience with curriculum design.
2 min.
PPT. Slide #3,
#4
● Introduce EL’s approach to PD, the learning targets for the
NTI, and focus for the entire NTI; highlight the target for
this particular session.
GROUPING
Small groups at tables
4 min.
PPT. Slide #5
● Ask participants to select one quote from the pile on the
table and stand and share the quote, and a connection to it
and/or the EL curriculum with a partner.
● Participants should then switch quotes with their partner,
move on, and share their new quotes (along with
connections ) with a new partner. At least three rounds of
this conversation will build connections between
participants and the theme of this NTI.
3 min.
PPT. Slide #6
● Introduce the Norms for Collaboration. Discuss briefly how
norms enrich protocols and ensure that conversations
maintain a professional and collegial tone while digging
deeply into challenging issues.
● Ask participants to rate themselves on the Norms
Inventory based on how they just interacted in the 3-2-1
Stories.
● Throughout the institute they will be asked to participate in
these types of collaborative activities. Ask them to reflect
on areas where they can improve their habits.
Section 2: Learning about the 4 Ts
Time: 30 min.
Materials:
Video: https://vimeo.com/116564458
Pages 86-93 in Transformational Literacy.
2 copies of the 4 Ts notecatcher
The 4 Ts Curriculum Design Framework_NYS Version
Time
1 min.
8 min.
3 min.
8 min.
Slide #/Pic of Slide
Script/Activity directions
Tell participants that Expeditionary Learning based the
process of its curriculum design on 4 Ts – “topic, targets, texts
and tasks.” The first 3 Ts – “targets, topics and texts” were
determined at a very high level before the modules were fully
developed. The final T (tasks, including text-dependent
questions and assessments), were created following the
principles of backwards design. In this part of the session,
participants will learn more about the Ts.
Draw participants’ attention to the first 4 Ts notecatcher and
let them know you will first show a video of teachers at work
designing a module, thinking about the Ts. Ask them to view
the video and complete the video thinking about what the 4 Ts
are and what curriculum designers think about in relation to
each T.
Following the video, encourage participants to discuss what
they saw in the video, particularly what they discovered about
each T.
Ask participants to form a group of 4.
Draw participants’ attention to the second 4 Ts graphic
Grouping
quads
organizer and the excerpt from Transformational Literacy
describing Molly Dykman’s first grade classroom. Ask
participants to each select one of the Ts to use as a focus for
their reading.
Ask participants to read the selection, focusing on the
potential impact of their chosen T on students’ engagement
and motivation.
Ask participants to share their thinking in relation to the
potential impact of each T on students’ engagement and
motivation.
Finally, ask participants to read the document 4T Curriculum
Design Framework and highlight any important information
about the Ts that they hadn’t already discovered or thought
about.
5 min.
5 min.
Section 3: Bundling Standards
Time: 40 min.
Materials
Equip Rubric
Bundling Standards Task Card
Selections from Grades 4 and 7 Standards
Time
2 min.
Slide #/Pic of Slide
Script/Activity directions
Tell participants the last part of this session will be a
simulation designed to get them to think about how curriculum
designers grappled with the first T – bundles of standards-
Grouping
based targets. Show participants how a “focused set of
standards” is the first non-negotiable of the EqUIP Rubric.
Preview the Bundling Standards Task Card.
Participants complete the Bundling Standards Task Card.
3 min.
35 min.
Section 4: Closing
Time: 5 min.
Materials
Participant’s Journal
Time
1 min.
4 min.
Slide #/Pic of Slide
Script/Activity directions
Remind participants that the Curriculum Maps for each grade
show how standards were “bundled” in EL’s curriculum.
Ask participants to gather their thinking about the 4 Ts overall,
and the first T (standards-based targets) in particular and
journal their take-aways from the session.
Grouping