NOTES:
Building Aligned Curriculum
Implementing a New Curriculum Unit
Step 3:
Pilot the Unit and Collect Data in Real Time
Video: Building Aligned Curriculum Toolkit
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUDbR50fEeM&feature=youtu.be]
Introduction:
This toolkit is designed to help a district or a team of teachers customize and
implement new curriculum units in ways that address their learning goals for
students. We suggest that you watch the video in its entirety first. Then, as
you focus on each step, use the related handout and review the specific
video segment.
Step 3 Video Segment: Begin at 4:45.
Rationale:
The third step in the process is to implement the curriculum unit in your
classroom. As you work through the unit with students, keep a record of both
students’ progress as well as your insights and questions about the unit so
that you can make adjustments based on data.
To better understand the impact of the unit, keep data about the daily
successes and challenges in teaching the unit. This data could include
student work, formative assessments, your notes on the lesson, and any
additional materials you prepare to support students.
Time: 3–4 weeks
Directions:
 Begin piloting your customized curriculum unit.
 As you teach the unit, keep a record of students’ progress, insights,
and questions.
 Decide as a group whether to keep this information electronically for
immediate access to each other’s thoughts, or to do it individually and
then share in meetings.
 Collect student work samples to use in Step 4. (Identify key tasks or
assignments to collect.)
 Look at the data about student learning (your notes, exit tickets,
journal entries, charts, formative assessments, etc.) and make
adjustments in real time, as needed.
 Set up a midpoint meeting with your team to discuss successes and
challenges and to share your insights about student learning. Share
resources.
Suggested Questions for Discussion:
 Are students making adequate progress with the material?
 What concepts or skills need to be retaught?
 Do all students or just specific students need reinforcement on the
NOTES:

concept?
As you prepare to teach each lesson, what adjustments are you
making?
Suggested Materials and Resources:
 Curriculum unit with your edits
 Online forum for sharing student data in real time
Products at the End of These Sessions:
 Your notes from teaching and reflecting on the unit
 Your notes from conferring with colleagues as you met about the unit
(these can be combined)
 Student work samples
Connections to the Massachusetts 5-Step Educator Evaluation Cycle:
 Discussion Questions:
o If your evaluator were to conduct a classroom observation of
you piloting the adapted MCU, what areas of focus would you
ask her/him to pay particular attention to based on your goals
and Educator Plan?
o Could your evaluator observe you facilitating a team meeting
debriefing the piloting experience, and how could this evidence
be connected to the Model Performance Rubric or your goals?
o Could you use student feedback or formative assessments to
better understand how the adapted unit met your students’
needs?