Session 2 Facilitator’s Guide: Choosing
Compelling Topics
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 the variety of ways that students can be motivated to read and build knowledge of the world
through what Expeditionary Learning calls compelling topics.
Related Learning Experiences

The rest of this NTI
Key Points

Common Core curriculum can be compelling to students, driving them to read complex texts.
Session Outcomes
What do we want participants to be able to do as a result of
this session?

I can describe how compelling topics ensure that students
build knowledge of the world.
How will we know that they are able to do this?


Participants’ reflections on student work
Reflections in journals
Session Overview
Section
Time
Overview
Prepared Resources
Opening
20 min.
Participants are reminded of
Concept Paper
importance of topics in designing Compelling Topic Frayer Model
Common Core-aligned curriculum. https://vimeo.com/10386572
Participants are introduced to the
Frayer Model which will guide
their work in this session.
Analyzing
Samples/Models
20 min.
Discovering
characteristics
30 min.
Participants view a portion of
video in which students describe a
project that motivated them to
read closely and write using
evidence. Participants discuss
the impact of such curriculum on
students’ motivation.
Participants review several
Samples of student work
student work samples that
Grades 3-8 ELA Curriculum Plans
resulted from the study of
compelling topics.
Participants read and discuss a Selection from Transformational
Literacy
section of Transformational
Literacy that describes several
It Says, I Say and So Protocol
Facilitator’s Preparation
Non-examples of
compelling
Creating a definition
and brainstorming
5 min.
Closing
5 min.
15 min.
ways to make topics compelling. Frayer Model
Participants brainstorm topics that Frayer Model
are less compelling.
Participants work in a small group Chart paper
to craft a definition of “compelling Frayer Model
topic” and brainstorm several that
might work in their grade level.
Participants gather their thoughts Participant’s Journal
and reflect on this session.
Session Roadmap
Section 1: Opening of Session
Time: 20 min.
Materials:
The Role of Compelling Topics in Literacy Instruction Concept
Paper
Compelling Topic Frayer Model
https://vimeo.com/10386572
Time
4 min.
Slide #/ Pic of
Slide
Script/ Activity directions
●
Draw participants’ attention to the Expeditionary Learning
document “The Role of Compelling Topics in Literacy
Instruction.” Participants should read this entire document at
their leisure, but this particular quote sums up a key point nicely
GROUPING
(direct them to this quote on PPT): “Content knowledge and
literacy skills are inextricably linked; building students’
knowledge initiates a virtuous circle.” Tell participants one way
to meet this goal is through what Expeditionary Learning calls
“compelling topics.”
1 min.
●
Tell participants this session will focus on the following target.
Introduce the target for this session: “I can describe how
compelling topics ensure that students build knowledge of the
world.” We will explore together what makes a topic
“compelling.”
10 min.
●
Introduce participants to the Frayer Model for the concept of a
“compelling topic” that will serve as their notecatcher in this
session. The Frayer Model is a vocabulary strategy that is often
used in the middle school modules. Participants will begin
developing their understanding of the concept of “compelling
topic” by watching a video in which students describe work that
they found compelling.
Ask participants to view this video through the lens of the
following guiding question: “What compelled students to
engage in this challenging and high-stakes work?”
Play a portion of the video Revitalize Rochester.
●
●
https://vimeo.com/10386572 (1:47 to 8:24).
5 min.
●
●
●
Tell participants they will have the opportunity to see the
recommendations students made to the community and the
Mayor later in the session.
Encourage participants to discuss their reactions to the video,
particularly in relation to students’ motivation.
Ask participants to jot 1-2 “characteristics” of compelling topics
in the characteristics box of their notecatcher.
Section 2: Analyzing Examples and Models of
Compelling Topics
Time: 20 min.
Materials:
Samples of student work
Grades 3-5 and 6-8 Curriculum Plans
Time
3 min.
Slide #/Pic of Slide
Script/Activity directions
Introduce participants to the variety of student work available
on their tables, along with the 3-5 and 6-8 ELA Curriculum
Plans in their participant’s notebooks.
Ask participants to work in small groups at their tables to
analyze the student work for:
 The Common Core Standards it was designed to
meet.
 The ways it would compel students to read closely
and write from sources/with evidence.
Grouping
15 min.
Participants should analyze the sample work and add specific
information about what makes a topic “compelling” to the
“examples and models” box of their Frayer model.
Direct participants to review the 3-5 or 6-8 Curriculum Plans
for the ELA Curriculum. The topics of the modules were
chosen because of their “compellingness.” Ask students to
discuss amongst themselves which of the topics have been
most compelling to the students at their school.
2 min.
Section 3: Discovering Characteristics
Time: 30 min.
Materials
It Says/I Say/And So
Selection from Transformational Literacy
Frayer Model
Time
15 min.
Slide #/Pic of Slide
Script/Activity directions
Ask participants to form groups of 3
Introduce participants to the “It Says/I Say/And So” protocol.
10 min.
Ask them to read the selection from Transformational Literacy
that has to do with compelling topics, selecting and
commenting on specific ideas from the text that “compel”
students to read complex text and write with evidence.
Ask participants to share and discuss the ideas they selected
from text, ensuring that each member of the group offers up
Grouping
triads
one specific idea.
Ask participants to work with their group add the
“characteristics” of compelling topics to their Frayer model.
5 min.
Section 4: Non-Examples
Time: 5 min.
Materials
Frayer Model
Time
5 min.
Slide #/Pic of Slide
Script/Activity directions
Ask participants to continue to work as a group to brainstorm
“non-examples” of compelling work/topics and add these to
their Frayer Model.
Section 6: Creating a Definition and Brainstorming
Time:15 mins
Materials
Frayer Model
Chart paper
Markers
Grouping
Time
Slide #/Pic of Slide
5 min.
Script/Activity directions
Grouping
Ask participants to continue to work as a group to create a
definition for the content of a “compelling topic.” “A
compelling topic is __________.”
Ask participants to brainstorm a list of ideas for compelling
topics that would work in their grade level/school/community.
Ask participants to post their lists.
10 min.
Section 6: Closing
Time: 5 min.
Materials
Participant’s Journals
Time
5 min.
Slide #/Pic of Slide
Script/Activity directions
In closing, participants should feel free to browse the “gallery”
of compelling topic brainstorms just posted. Take pictures,
tweet, etc. Finally, participants should capture what they want
to remember in their participant’s journals.
Grouping