
During the video: Jot down 3 things that
made you think

What am I doing in the classroom that is
going to prepare my students for the 21st
Century job market?
Visually articulating what happens in a
classroom through the use of graphic
representation of skills, activities and
learning across content areas.
 A conceptual framework that can be
used to guide planning, learning and
evaluation.
 Includes a “Big Idea” or a “Concept”

› Concept Mapping (H. Lynn Erickson)
› Island Mapping (Lin Kuzmich)
› Understanding by Design-Backward Design
(Wiggins and McTicghe)
› Curriculum Mapping (Heidi Hayes Jacobs)
 Identify Desired Results
 Determine Acceptable Evidence
 Plan Learning Experiences and
Instruction
Having a clear goal helps to focus our planning and guide
purposeful action toward the intended results.
-Wiggins and McTighe
Look at standards
 Identify gaps and repetition
 Identify Potential Areas for Integration
 Match assessment with standards
 Review Timelines

State Standards
 District’s Scope and Sequence
 Time Frame
 District-wide initiatives
 School-Wide initiatives

Broad and abstract
 Represented by one or two words
 Universal in application
 Timeless- carry through the ages
 Represented by different examples that
share common attributes.

H. Lynn Erickson







Abundance
Balance
Change/Continuity
Cycles
Discovery
Environment
Exploration






Migration
Patterns
Survival
System
Technology
Variance/Variable
Determine how we will know if students
have achieved desired results.
 What types of products will we accept
as evidence of understanding and
proficiency.
 How are you going to assess?


We used:
› Formal / informal assessment
› Authentic performance tasks
 Observations
 Quizzes
 Journals
 Student reflections
 Projects (using technology)
 Flip Charts (Smart Board)
 Video

Think about the enabling knowledge
and skills students will need in order to
perform effectively and achieve desired
results.
› Instructional planning:
 Choices about teaching methods
› Sequence of lessons
› Resources and materials
Help guide students through the unit
 Provide expectations
 Hook their interest
 Technology Integration
 Differentiate learning
 Grouping

Milestone Activity
Cost of Construction Proposal (Chart)
Time Frame
6 weeks
Excellence Looks Like




Make a list of the U.S Regions
Characteristics of the regions (forces, climate and
temperature)
Populations of those regions and their economy
Cost of living
Critical Questions



Why did you select that region to build your house?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the
region? (Compare & Contrast)
If you move to this region, how would that affect you
and your family?
ELL BEST PRACTICES (SIOP)




The learner will
The learner will
The learner will
The learner will
be able to discuss the do’s and don’ts of lab safety with their partner.
be able to generate questions before listening to an oral presentation.
read an article with peers and then share the main information to another student.
create a graphic organizer to display the findings of their research.
SCIENCE
Lab Safety:

Science in your home

Pictures & Guest
Speaker

Establish roles
Scientific Method:

Laws of motion and
forces
Activities:

Role Play (do’s and
don’ts)

Lab experiments (friction
lab)

Forces

Measurement

Distance

Place Value (+,-,÷,x
decimals)
SOCIAL STUDIES
Geography:

Continents

Bodies of water

Regions (landforms)
Activities:
•
Power Points
•
United Streaming
•
Brain Pop
•
Foldables
•
Research regions
MATH
Place Value:

Whole numbers

Decimals

Compare and order
numbers
Activities:

Human place value
game

Create a place value
chart

Foldable (accordion)

Writing checks

Population studies per
region
TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS




Google Earth Activity (locating regions)
Research natural disasters (ELAR)
Research Engine (Librarian)
Power Point Presentation
READING
First 20 Days (Balanced
Literacy):

Genres

Main Idea

Figurative Language
Activities:

Classifieds Ads.

Fiction and Nonfiction

Research articles about
natural disasters
(library)

Capstone Library
Mind shifts do not come easily, as they
require letting go of old habits, old
beliefs, and old traditions.
 Growth and change are found in
disequilibrium, not balance.

It takes some time getting used to. 
-Heidi Hayes Jacobs