SAMPLE UNIT PLANNING MATRIX – EDSC 182 Weeks 1-4
Big Ideas
What are the
enduring
understandings/
essential
questions to be
addressed?
Why assess
student learning?
How do teachers
decide on what
and how to assess
student learning?
Skills & Standards
What important
skills/standards will students
learn, practice, or apply?
The student will be able to:
Explain how current
trends in assessment and
accountability influence
policy and practice in
schools today.
 Compare and contrast
assessments “for” and “of”
learning and justify their
use in classrooms and
schools.
Collect and use multiple
sources of information to
assess student learning
 Understand and use a
variety of informal and
formal, formative and
summative assessments
to determine progress and
plan instruction
 Explain and justify with
examples from your own
teaching and the teaching
of others how standards,
assessment, curriculum,
and instruction are
integrated for the purpose
of supporting student
learning.
 Construct and provide a
rationale for a variety of
assessment tools
(including rubrics or other
scoring guides, portfolios,
quizzes, and tests) in
specific subject area
teaching
 Apply concepts of
reliability, validity,
Student & Family
Knowledge
How will you draw on
students’ ideas, interests and
experiences to connect
students to the big ideas?
Lesson one:
 Students share questions
they have about
assessment.
 Diagnostic assessment of
module objectives to
determine student prior
knowledge and experience
with assessment tools and
their applications.
 Instructor queries students
about rationale for
conducting a diagnostic
assessment.
Lesson two:
 Students use their prior
knowledge to brainstorm a
list of various assessment
tools.
Lesson three:
 Students examine content
standards in their own
subject area.
 Students write their own
EQs and objectives
Lesson four:
 Students bring in their own
ideas about instruction and
assessment in discussing
the case.
 Students critique sample
matrices in their own
subject areas.
Assessment (Formative &
Summative)
What is meaningful
evidence that students
have understood the big
ideas and reached
proficiency on the
skills/standards?
Formative
L1) Diagnostic
assessment of student
prior knowledge related to
course objectives
L2) Brainstorm of
students’ prior knowledge
of varied assessment tools
L2) Group presentation
on Ormrod graphic
organizer
L2) Quick write on
assessment for learning:
“What is one thing you are
doing in your class that is
assessment for learning?
What is one thing you could
be doing that is
assessment for learning?”
L3) Write your own EQ
and objective – peer
critique of UDT
L3) Quickwrite on
formative/summative
assessment
L4) Quickwrite on RSVP
Summative
1) Unit planning matrix
and rationale reveals
students’ application of
CIAS to a unit design in
their own subject area.
This includes:
 how standards, C, I, and
A are integrated for the
purpose of supporting
student learning (how
and why selected
Instructional Strategies
Resources & Materials
What instructional practices
and strategies will support
students to meet the standards
and grasp the big ideas?
What resources will best
convey the big ideas and
concepts to support skill
attainment?
Lesson one:
 Course overview
 Community building
(introduce a partner)
 Diagnostic assessment
(linked to course objectives)
Module-based materials
Diagnostic assessment of
course and objectives
Lesson two:
 Interpretation and analysis of
diagnostic assessment data
 Brainstorm list of
assessment tools and
categorize as “of” and “for”
learning
 Mini-lecture on RSVP,
formative and summative
assessment tools
 Jigsaw activity on
assessment types (based on
Ormrod reading)
 Quickwrite on Assessment
for learning
Lesson Three
 Quickwrite on
formative/summative
assessment
 Small group and whole class
discussions using guiding
questions on the readings
about standards.
 Interactive lecture on CIAS
links and standards, goals,
objectives and essential
questions -- defining terms
and examining of samples.
 Pair activity – 1) examine
state content standards and
evaluate level of specificity
Powerpoint presentation on
RSVP, formative and
summative assessment
(Whittaker, 2002 based on
Ormrod, 2000 cited below)
Powerpoint presentation on
standards (Whittaker, 2002)
Jigsaw matrix on Ormrod
reading
Guiding questions for
readings on standards (see
list below)
Unit planning matrix and
assignment rubric with
sample unit planning
matrices in specific subject
areas (for critique)
Standards
Subject Matter Standards
(provided by students)
Samples of various types of
standards used in interactive
lecture
Texts
Ormrod, J. (2000) Assessing
Student Learning, From
Educational Psychology, 3rd
Ed., Merrill: Columbus Ohio,
SAMPLE UNIT PLANNING MATRIX – EDSC 182 Weeks 1-4
practicality and
standardization (RSVP) to
the design of classroom
assessment tools
Establish and
communicate learning
goals for all students
 Explain and contrast the
types and purposes of
standards, goals and
objectives and their
corresponding roles in
planning curriculum,
instruction, and
assessment
 Use grade level subject
matter content standards
to plan short and long term
curriculum, instruction and
ongoing assessment
Use assessments to
support, guide, and reflect
on feedback related to
student learning
 Use assessment tools that
provide students with
meaningful feedback
about their progress
 Examine and use
assessment results to
inform planning of ongoing
instruction.
instructional strategies
support student learning;
how the results of the
assessment guide
specific next steps for
teaching)
 the distinction between
formative and summative
assessment tools as
assessments “of” and
“for” learning,
 distinctions among and
use of essential
questions, content
standards, and objectives
in planning instruction
and assessment
(specifically the coherent
links within and across
columns in the matrix)
 ways to diagnose student
prior knowledge early in
the unit and for
continuing to draw on
student’s backgrounds
and interests throughout.
(EQ, S, or O); 2) Write your
own EQ and objective and
critique the UDT of both.
 Introduction to unit planning
matrix assignment.
Explanation for columns (as
CIAS links)
Lesson Four
 Quickwrite on RSVP
 Discussion of Schultz case
to identify CIAS and RSVP
issues and dilemmas; and
provide a rationale for
potential solutions.
 Critique unit matrix samples
(from previous semesters)
using assignment rubric and
critiquing questions
 Group Activity – Share
assessments and peer
critique using discussion
protocol (CIAS lens)
Lesson Six
 Examine graded unit
planning matrix and rationale
Ch. 16 pp.632-683
Stiggins, R. (2002)
Assessment Crisis: The
absence of assessment FOR
learning. Phi Delta Kappan,
pp. 758-765.
Thompson, S. (2001) The
Authentic Standards
Movement and its Evil Twin.
Phi Delta Kappan, pp. 358362.
Falk, B. (2002) Standards
Based Reforms: Problems
and Possibilities. Phi Delta
Kappan, pp. 612-620.
Wiggins, G. (1998) Essential
Questions and Curriculum
Template. Excerpts from
Educative Assessment,
Jossey-Bass, San Francisco,
pp. 214-220.
Schultz, S. (1998) Case 5:
Exploring Alternative
Assessment, Groupwork in
Diverse Classrooms. A
Casebook for Educators,
Shulman, Lotan and
Whitcomb (Eds.) Teachers
College Press.
Bond, D. (2000) Lecture
notes and unit test
guidelines. College of
Education, San José State
University, pg. 9-24.