Bringing it All Together Knowledge Writing and a
Bringing it All Together: Knowledge, Writing and a Cohesive Curriculum Grades 6 – 8 Winter 2017
Reconnecting as a Community
Today’s Session • Analyze the impact that knowledge makes on the quality of writing. • Name the essential elements of curriculum that are aligned to the standards. • Analyze the Engage. NY ELA curricula for those essential elements to determine whether your current curriculum has those essential elements. • Plan next steps to ensure alignment.
Session Objectives At the end of today, we will have a better understanding of • how building knowledge influences writing performance. • what a fully aligned curriculum contains, and how it marries the things we’ve been talking about all week into an integrated package. • the state of your own curriculum.
Session Agenda I. Experience and analyze how building knowledge influences the quality of writing. II. Dive deeply into the Engage. NY curriculum—really getting a handle on what’s there and why. III. Compare what you see in the Engage. NY curriculum to your current state—any gaps? IV. Action planning—what are the right next steps for you?
Norms That Support Our Learning After some shared work this morning, much of today’s session is going to be highly self-directed. • Take advantage of this time, especially if you’re here with colleagues. You never get enough. • GET WHAT YOU NEED…. Ask questions, seek resources, etc. You are in the driver’s seat this afternoon.
Will Water Shortages Affect You? • Read “Florida Has Driest, Warmest December in 6 Years. ” –What evidence does this author present that Floridians should be alarmed? –What specific words and phrases does this author use to raise your level of concern?
Let’s Do Something! • Our public relations agency has been asked to submit a proposal to work with the State of Florida to win the EPA’s annual “Watersense Award. ” This award is given to municipalities that develop successful water conservation campaigns. • Your task this morning will be to work with a partner to develop a powerful 30 -second radio public service announcement that will convince fellow Floridians to do something specific in order to protect fresh water. This public service announcement will be our “audition” to win the contract with the State of Florida.
Analyzing a Model
What Makes a Great Radio PSA? • What do you notice about the model? • Exactly 30 seconds (you will have to read it aloud and time it several times).
Writing from Sources • Any of the pieces we’ve looked at over the past three days. • Some additional places for ideas: –Protecting Source Water in General: https: //www. epa. gov/sourcewaterprotection/what-you-cando-protect-source-water –Preventing Nutrient Pollution: https: //www. epa. gov/nutrientpollution –Conserving Water (be sure to look at the tabs across the top of the page): https: //www 3. epa. gov/watersense/ –Protecting Watersheds (remember our Fairy Shrimp!): https: //www. epa. gov/watershedacademy
Draft Your PSA • Remember our criteria for quality!
Praise-Question-Suggestion • Where have you learned enough to support your claim? • Use your partner’s suggestions to determine what you still need to learn.
Reflection • How has your knowledge of the threats to fresh water and the life forms that rely on them changed over the last several days? • Look back in your journals at your writing from Day 3, to 4, to today. What’s changed? Why?
Break – 15 minutes
Knowing and Writing • Read “A Powerful Tool: Writing Based on Knowledge and Understanding. ” • As you read the article, annotate as you desire in preparation for the First Word/Last Word discussion protocol.
Knowing and Writing: Discussion As a table, discuss the article using “First Word/Last Word. ” 1. The first person at the table shares something that he or she noted in the article. 2. Each person responds to what was shared, but the first person stays silent. 3. Once everyone has commented, the first person responds to the comments. 4. The next person shares something he or she noted and Steps 2 and 3 are repeated until everyone has shared.
Knowing and Writing • How did your understanding of importance of fresh water grow over the past few days? • What specifically was done to build your knowledge? What instructional strategies were used?
Planning Components of “Writing Based on Knowledge and Understanding” • Central Ideas • Focusing Question • Building and Processing Working Knowledge • Structure • Writing
LUNCH – 60 minutes
The “Engage. NY” 3– 8 ELA Curriculum Created “by teachers, for teachers” in a collaboration between the New York State Education Department and the teachers and curriculum design team of a non-profit organization called Expeditionary Learning/EL Education.
How to Use It? • Designed to be a resource to help teachers understand the shifts and the standards, and also to be a curriculum that can be adapted and adopted.
How to Access It? • The curriculum is available, free, online: –www. unbounded. org (we are going to work mostly from here today) –www. eleducation. org (some important additional documents here)
What’s There?
Supported By
At a Glance: The Curriculum Plan
More Than You Can Use: Choice
Bundles of Standards Reading Closely and Writing to Learn Working with Evidence Understanding Perspectives Research, Decision Making, and Forming Positions
The Staircase of Complexity 29
Structure of the EL ELA Curriculum Module 1 Unit 2 Module 2 Unit 3 Unit 1 8/9 weeks Unit 2 Module 3 Unit 1 16/19 weeks Unit 2 Module 4 Unit 3 Unit 1 24/26 weeks Unit 2 32/34 weeks ▪ Teaching four modules results in deep teaching and assessment of all of the standards. Engage. NY. org Unit 3
Each Module Contains Three Units Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Building Background Knowledge (2– 2. 5 weeks) Extended Reading and Research (2– 2. 5 weeks) Extended Writing (2– 2. 5 weeks) 31 Engage. NY. org
Each Module Embeds Assessment ½ Unit 1 End Unit 1 ½ Unit 2 End Unit 2 ½ Unit 3 End Unit 3 Culminating Performance Task Assessment ▪ ▪ Incorporates multiple modes, or types, of writing (e. g. , argument, informative/ explanatory text, and narrative) Always involves writing from sources and citing evidence 32 Engage. NY. org
Heading to the Website: Focus on Grade 6
The Highest Level
Go to Module 2 A: See the Units?
Download the Module
Analysis • The goal of this work is fourfold: –To help you see the components of a curriculum that’s been called an “exemplary” model of standards alignment. –To help you notice the embedded nature of reading, writing, and discussion in curriculum design. –To help you think about your own curriculum—how aligned are you now? –To help you begin to determine if this a resource that can help you.
Analysis Note-Catcher Use this note-catcher to capture your thinking as you view the videos and study the curriculum materials.
Planning Components of “Writing Based on Knowledge and Understanding” • Central Ideas • Focusing Question • Building and Processing Working Knowledge • Structure • Writing What are you noticing?
Central Ideas and Focusing Questions in the Engage. NY Curriculum Materials • Read these documents to gather information on the central ideas of the module: –First page of the Unit 2 A Module Overview –First page of each Unit 2 A Overview • What are the guiding questions and big ideas? • What are the reading and writing standards that focus students’ skills and establish the learning goals of the module? • What is the writing prompt to which students will craft a written piece?
Building & Processing Working Knowledge in the Engage. NY Curriculum Materials • Read these documents to gather information on building knowledge in the module: –Unit 1 Overview • Central Texts (page 3) • Unit-at-a-Glance chart (pgs. 4– 7) –Unit 2 Overview • Central Texts (page 3) • Unit-at-a-Glance chart (pgs. 4– 12) • What texts will students read, view, discuss, and respond to throughout the module to build knowledge? • How will they take notes as they read and discuss so they can access their thinking when they are writing?
Planning Components of “Writing Based on Knowledge and Understanding” • Central Ideas • Focusing Question • Building and Processing Working Knowledge • Structure • Writing What are you noticing?
Structure in the Engage. NY Curriculum Materials • Read this document to gather information on structure in the module: –Unit 3 Overview • How will students know what is expected of their writing? • What organizers or tools might they need?
Writing in the Engage. NY Curriculum Materials • Read this document to gather information on writing in the module: –Unit 3 Overview • What are the opportunities for drafting, feedback, and revision?
What Do You Need? Action Planning Guidance Sessions • Meet in teams to make plans for next steps. • Meet with one of us to discuss curriculum implementation—we’ve learned a lot over the past several years from schools doing this work!
Action Planning
Closing How has your thinking changed as a result of this institute? What are you committing to doing differently? Where will you need more support? How will you get it?
http: //www. standardsinstitutes. org/institute/winter-2017 -standards-institute#tab--details 50
References Slide Source 19 Grades 6 -8 Curriculum Plan, Engage. NY. https: //www. engageny. org/resource/grades-6 -8 -english-language-artscurriculum-map
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