Common Core Planning –Unit Analysis Tool – Literacy, Grades 3-12
How can a unit or assessment help a teacher be more effective?
Indicator
Unit:_Expeditionary Learning_ 7.1_ Focus Standards:_ RL.7.1 & RI.7.1 – Citing textual evidence from a literary source, determining central ideas
OVER TIME – Focus on pp. 1-17
Coherent
- Focused on key standards – Y/N
Planning
Yes, for example, RL.7.1 & RI.7.1 (Citing textual evidence from a literary & informational source, determining central ideas) is key to CCSS and it is
Lesson plans are
central to the lessons as well as the mid-unit & end-of-unit assessments. (pp. 6-7). The unit’s focus is balanced between literary & informational texts.
standards-based and
reflect work toward
annual student
achievement goals.
Progression of
Instruction
Lesson objectives fit into
a larger, coherent
sequence that leads to
student mastery of the
appropriate standards.
- Reading, writing, speaking and listening are integrated so that students apply and synthesize advancing literacy skills. – Y/N
Yes, there are references to reading, writing, speaking and listening standards embedded throughout the 14 lessons of the module (pp. 9-16).
- Clear End Performance – Y/N
Yes, end of unit assessment is clearly spelled out on p. 7.
- Careful sequence of tasks & texts allow students to be successful on culminating task – Y/N
Yes, the unit is built around the careful sequence of four texts listed (p.7). What is less clear is whether this sequence provides access for all students.
There are assessments in each lesson that build on one another that are connected well with the mid-unit and end-of-unit assessments. (pp. 6-16)
- Writing to Sources (Students are asked to gather evidence, develop claims from evidence, & cite evidence) – Y/N
Yes, the end-of-unit assessment is a reading assessment: the purpose is for students to demonstrate their ability to cite textual evidence that
articulates perspective in an informational text, specifically in regard to how history and culture affect social identity.
Depth of
Knowledge
Lesson objectives, tasks
and materials require
students to
demonstrate the
following skills:
 Recall &
Reproduction,
 Basic Application of
Concepts,
 Strategic Thinking,
 Extended Thinking.
High
Expectations
The teacher fosters a
classroom culture that
is consistently one of
high expectations and
hard work and the
teacher models
excellence.
- Inclusion of independent reading based on student choice and interest to build stamina, confidence and motivation– Y/N
Yes, pp. 3-4 lists both literary and informational texts with a range of Lexile text measures about the conflict in Sudan and the experience of the
“Lost Boys of Sudan.” This provides appropriate independent reading for each student to help build content knowledge about this topic.
- Text selection is rich enough to provide opportunities for strategic & extended thinking – Y/N
Only partially - the lessons outlined on pp. 9-16 reveal how the unit uses the texts to engage students in a wide range of rigorous activities including
ones that require strategic thinking. The optional extension activities on p. 17 offer ways for students to engage in extended thinking.
-
Inclusion of a balance of on-demand and process writing (e.g., multiple drafts and revisions over time) and short, focused research projects,
incorporating digital texts where appropriate. – Y/N
Yes, the lessons outlined on pp. 9-16 along with the overall assessments for unit on pp.6-7 have this balance of writing tasks.
- Opportunities for authentic learning, application of literacy skills, student-directed inquiry, analysis, evaluation and/or reflection. – Y/N
Only partially – there are opportunities for analysis and reflection but student-directed inquiry and authentic learning would require engaging in
some of the activities on p. 17
- Promotion of High Expectations for All – Y/N
Yes, the mid-term and end-of-unit assessments ask all students to meet the high expectations embedded in the CCSS for this grade.
- Cultivation of student interest and engagement in reading, writing and speaking about texts. – Y/N
Yes, partially – the unit attempts to engage students in an area that would be of interest to them (e.g., the experience of children facing adversity)
but this particular topic may not engage all students.
Understanding of
Growth
Teacher can articulate
specifically (and with
evidence) whether or not
each student has
internalized grade-level
standards and, if not, what
s/he still needs to learn.
Using Data
Teacher tracks assessment
data to understand each
student’s progress toward
mastery and uses results
to guide planning &
instruction.
- Ways to Measure Growth – Y/N
Only partially – there are assessments but not a clear way to track growth other than for teachers. The supplemental materials (p. 187) describe
how to create rubric for the End of Unit Assessment using strategies from “Things Close Readers Do” and language from the lesson’s learning
targets but using this rubric to track growth is not explained. This may be better addressed through the interim assessments from the
Achievement Network.
- Use of Data to Inform Instruction – Y/N
Only partially – there are assessments but not a clear way to generate data on student progress. This may be better addressed through the
interim assessments from the Achievement Network.
IN ONE LESSON – Focus on Lesson 5, pp.78-89
Questions & Tasks - Opportunities for Multiple Reads – Y/N
Questions and tasks
Yes, Lesson 5 provides students with another opportunity to read A Long Walk to Water building off of previous lessons.
ensure student
Rich and rigorous evidence-based discussions and writing about common texts through a sequence of specific, thought-provoking, and textcomprehension and ask for application, analysis
dependent questions – Y/N
and/or synthesis.
Yes, for example, one activity asks students to turn to a partner and discuss the following question “Based on the example in the first row of
Precision &
the graphic organizer, How do you think the cited evidence from the text supports the listed inference?” However, while this does ask
Evidence
students to engage in rigorous, evidence-based discussions, most of the text-dependent questions for this text were used in previous lessons.
Teacher and students
- Expectation that students draw evidence from texts to produce clear and coherent writing that informs, explains, or makes an argument in
require precision and
evidence in tasks and
various written forms – Y/N
responses.
Yes, the central purpose of the lesson is to help student practice gathering evidence from the text A Long Walk to Water.
Tailored
- Instructional Supports & Scaffolds – Y/N
Instruction
- Scaffolds enable all students to experience rather than avoid the complexity of the text – Y/N
Teacher tailors instruction
Yes, the lesson provides guidance on how to help students who need additional support in the “Meeting Students’ Needs” column – specifically, on
to move all students
p. 84, it states that “for students in need of additional support with the practice of gathering evidence, consider creating a more scaffolded
toward mastery.
version of the graphic organizer in which the text has already been selected, and students can focus on their inferences/reasoning about the
textual evidence (for an example, see supporting materials from Lesson 4).” These supports are designed to ensure students are still
wrestling with the text.
- Appropriate supports in reading, writing, listening and speaking for students who are ELL, have disabilities, or read well below the grade level
text band. – Y/N
Lesson 5 recommends partnering an ELL with a student who speaks the same L1 when discussion of complex content is required. This can allow
students to have more meaningful discussions and clarify points in their native language. The unit also recommends accommodations for ELLs and
students with disabilities for the mid-unit assessment.
- Extensions and/or more advanced text for students who read well above the grade level text band. – Y/N
Yes, the lesson includes extensions for students who want to go beyond the whole class activities.
- Evidence of Universal Design for Learning:
o Multiple options for how instruction is presented, Y/N (TBD)
o Multiple options for how students express their knowledge - Y/N (TBD)
o Multiple options for how teachers engage students in their learning, tailored to meet individual student needs. - Y/N (TBD)