The Unit Organizer Routine The Content Enhancement Series

The Unit Organizer Routine The Content Enhancement Series 1999 The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning Lawrence, Kansas 66045

Content Enhancement A way of teaching an academically diverse group of students in which: – Both group and individual needs are valued and met; – The integrity of the content is maintained; University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 2

Content Enhancement A way of teaching an academically diverse group of students in which: – Critical features of the content are selected and transformed in a manner that promotes student learning; and – Instruction is carried out in a partnership with students. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 3

Guidebooks in the Content Enhancement Series Routines to help students organize information and tasks: – The Course Organizer Routine – The Unit Organizer Routine – The Survey Routine – The Lesson Organizer Routine University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 4

The Challenge Many students have difficulty: – Relating new information to known information. – Seeing the "big ideas" among the details. – Translating the "big ideas" into words, phrases, and concepts that make sense to them. – Identifying the structure of information. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 5

The Challenge Many students have difficulty: – Seeing the relationships between different sets of information. – Generating questions to help them focus their learning. – Projecting and managing time in order to complete tasks. – Keeping the "big ideas" and structure of a unit in mind as they progress through the unit. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 6

Responding to the Challenge The Unit Organizer Routine helps students to: – Relate unit content to previous and future units and to bigger course ideas. – Understand the main idea of the content through the use of a meaningful paraphrase of the "big idea" of the unit. – See the structure of the unit's content. – Focus attention on important relationships in the content of the unit. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 7

Responding to the Challenge The Unit Organizer Routine helps students to: – Generate questions that relate to learning the big ideas of the unit. – Build a schedule to plan time and task completion. – Keep the "big ideas" and structure of the unit in mind as unit content is learned. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 8

Supporting Research • Field tests took place in 7 th-12 th grade classes. • Teachers learned the routine easily. • Students gained an average of at least 10 to 20 percentage points on unit tests. • Teachers continued using the routine after the studies were completed. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 9

Supporting Research • Positive results were achieved when teachers: – received 2 -3 hours of instruction in the routine – discussed the routine with colleagues – spent the necessary time to plan use of the routine University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 10

Supporting Research • Positive results were achieved when teachers: – taught students how to participate in and use the routine – used the routine regularly over time – held the highest expectations for student learning University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 11

Components of The Unit Organizer Routine The Unit Organizer Teaching Device The Craft Linking Steps The Cue-Do-Review Sequence University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 12

The Unit Organizer Teaching Device Is a visual device that: – is used under teacher guidance – focuses attention on critical outcomes – identifies critical unit content – prompts elaboration on critical points – helps make relationships concrete University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 13

The Unit Organizer Teaching Device Is a visual device that: – is designed to enhance student… • . . . organization • . . . understanding • . . . remembering • . . . responses • . . . belief in the value of the content University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 14

The Unit Organizer 4 NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE Elida Cordora 1/22 The roots and consequences of civil unrest. 2 LAST UNIT /Experience Growth of the Nation 8 1/22 UNIT SCHEDULE The Causes of the Civil War 1/29 Cooperative groups over pp. 210 -225 "Influential Personalities" projectdue 1/30 Quiz 2/2 Cooperative groups over pp. 228 -234 2/6 Review for test 2/7 Review for test 2/6 Test 3 NEXT UNIT /Experience The Civil War is ab out. . . UNIT MAP was based on Quiz Sectionalism was influenced by pp. 201 -236 Areas of the U. S. emerged because of became greater with Differences between the areas Events in the U. S. What was sectionalism as it existed in the U. S. of 1860? How did the differences in the sections of the U. S. in 1860 contribute to the start of the Civil War? What examples of sectionalism exist in the world today? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 Leaders across the U. S. descriptive compare/contrast cause/effect 6 UNIT RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS CURRENT UNIT CURRENT Cooperative groups over pp. 201 -210 1/28 7 5 1 15

The Unit Organizer 9 The Causes of the Civil War Expanded Unit Map is ab NEW UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 10 ded the which includ which whic h inc lude d th e ed the Areas of the U. S. North Elida Cordora 1/22 out. was based on the South NAME DATE West . . Sectionalism was influenced by pp. 201 -236 developed because of became greater with Leaders of change such as -Henry Clay -Stephen Douglas -Zachary Taylor -Harriet Beecher Stowe -Douglas Filmore and included such as and included -John Brown -1820 Missouri Compromise -Jefferson Davis Social Political Economic -1846 Mexican War -Abraham Lincoln Differences -1850 Compromise of 1850 -1850 Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 -1852 Uncle Tom's Cabin -1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act -1854 Republican Party formed -1854 Bleeding Kansas -1857 Dred Scott Case -1858 Lincoln Douglas Debates -1859 John Brown's Raid -1860 Lincoln Elected -1860 South Carolina Secedes -1861 Confederacy formed Differences between the areas Events in the U. S. How did national events and leaders pull the different sections of the U. S. apart? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 16

The Unit Organizer 4 NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE Elida Cordora 1/22 The roots and consequences of civil unrest. 2 LAST UNIT /Experience Growth of the Nation 8 UNIT SCHEDULE 1/22 Cooperative groups over pp. 201 -210 1/28 Quiz 1/29 Cooperative groups over pp. 210 -225 2/2 Cooperative groups over pp. 228 -234 2/6 Review for test 2/7 Review for test UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS The Causes of the Civil War 3 NEXT UNIT /Experience The Civil War is ab ou UNIT MAP t. . . Sectionalism was influenced by pp. 201 -236 Areas of the U. S. emerged because of became greater with Leaders across the U. S. 1. CURRENT UNIT Events in UNIT the U. S. 3. NEXT UNIT 4. BIGGER PICTURE Differences between 2. LAST the areas Information is listed to help students see how the current unit descriptive What was sectionalism as it existed in the U. S. of 1860? is related to other units compare/contrast How did the differences in the sections of the U. S. in 1860 contribute to the start of the Civil War? an to course ideas. cause/effect Test What examples of sectionalism exist in the world today? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 6 UNIT RELATIONSHIPS 7 CURRENT UNIT CURRENT was based on "Influential Personalities" projectdue 1/30 Quiz 2/6 5 1 17

The Unit Organizer 4 NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE Elida Cordora 1/22 The roots and consequences of civil unrest. 2 LAST UNIT /Experience Growth of the Nation 8 1/22 UNIT SCHEDULE 5 1 CURRENT UNIT CURRENT The Causes of the Civil War was based on Quiz 1/29 Cooperative groups over pp. 210 -225 "Influential Personalities" projectdue 1/30 Quiz 2/2 Cooperative groups over pp. 228 -234 2/6 Review for test 2/7 Review for test NEXT UNIT /Experience The Civil War is ab out. . . UNIT MAP Cooperative groups over pp. 201 -210 1/28 3 Sectionalism was influenced by pp. 201 -236 Areas of the U. S. emerged because of became greater with Differences between the areas Leaders across the U. S. Events in the U. S. What was sectionalism as it existed in the U. S. of 1860? descriptive A Unit Paraphrase of the big idea of the unit and acompare/contrast Content How did the differences in the sections of the U. S. in 1860 contribute to the Map are used to show students how to think about and start of the Civil War? cause/effect structure the What examples of sectionalism existinformation in the world today? in the unit. 6 UNIT RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 5. MAP 2/6 UNIT Test 7 University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 18

The Unit Organizer 4 NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE Elida Cordora 1/22 The roots and consequences of civil unrest. 2 LAST UNIT /Experience 1 CURRENT UNIT CURRENT of the RELATIONSHIPS Nation The Causes of the Civil War 6. Growth UNIT 8 1/22 UNIT SCHEDULE 5 3 is ab ou UNIT MAP t. . . Cooperative groups over pp. 201 -210 A list of relationships that reflect Sectionalism the central ideas of the unit are pp. 201 -236 Areasstudents of provided so that can look for the U. S. these relationships as the content Events of in Differences between the U. S. the unit is learned. the areas was based on 1/28 Quiz 1/29 Cooperative groups over pp. 210 -225 was influenced by emerged because of became greater with "Influential Personalities" projectdue 1/30 Quiz Cooperative groups over pp. 228 -234 2/6 Review for test 2/7 Review for test 2/6 Test What was sectionalism as it existed in the U. S. of 1860? How did the differences in the sections of the U. S. in 1860 contribute to the start of the Civil War? What examples of sectionalism exist in the world today? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 Leaders across the U. S. descriptive compare/contrast cause/effect 6 UNIT RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 2/2 7 NEXT UNIT /Experience The Civil War 19

The Unit Organizer 4 NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE Elida Cordora 1/22 The roots and consequences of civil unrest. 2 LAST UNIT /Experience Growth of the Nation 8 UNIT SCHEDULE 1/22 Cooperative groups over pp. 201 -210 1/28 Quiz 1/29 Cooperative groups over pp. 210 -225 The Causes of the Civil War 3 NEXT UNIT /Experience The Civil War is ab ou UNIT MAP t. . . was based on 2/2 Cooperative groups over pp. 228 -234 2/6 Review for test 2/7 Review for test 2/6 Test Sectionalism was influenced by pp. 201 -236 Areas of the U. S. emerged because of became greater with Leaders across the U. S. Questions that students can use to Differences Events in between check understanding ofthe U. S. big ideas the areas and relationships in the unit are listed. What was sectionalism as it existed in the U. S. of 1860? How did the differences in the sections of the U. S. in 1860 contribute to the start of the Civil War? What examples of sectionalism exist in the world today? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 descriptive compare/contrast cause/effect 6 UNIT RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS CURRENT UNIT CURRENT 7. UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS "Influential Personalities" projectdue 1/30 Quiz 7 5 1 20

The Unit Organizer 4 NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE Elida Cordora 1/22 The roots and consequences of civil unrest. 2 LAST UNIT /Experience Growth of the Nation 8 UNIT SCHEDULE 1/22 Cooperative groups over pp. 201 -210 1/28 Quiz 1/29 Cooperative groups over pp. 210 -225 5 1 8. UNIT SCHEDULE The Civil War The Causes of the Civil War 3 CURRENT UNIT CURRENT NEXT UNIT /Experience is ab ou UNIT MAP t. . . To help students organize task Sectionalism management and pp. 201 -236 completion, experiences that Leaders Areas of across the U. S. promote learning and show U. S. Differences what Events in have students they between the U. S. thelearned areas are listed. was based on was influenced by emerged because of became greater with "Influential Personalities" projectdue 1/30 Quiz Cooperative groups over pp. 228 -234 2/6 Review for test 2/7 Review for test 2/6 Test 7 What was sectionalism as it existed in the U. S. of 1860? How did the differences in the sections of the U. S. in 1860 contribute to the start of the Civil War? What examples of sectionalism exist in the world today? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 descriptive compare/contrast cause/effect 6 UNIT RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 2/2 21

The Unit Organizer 9 The Causes of the Civil War Expanded Unit Map is ab ded the which includ which lude d th e ed the Areas of the U. S. whic h inc Elida Cordora 1/22 out. was based on the South NAME DATE West . . Sectionalism was influenced by pp. 201 -236 developed because of became greater with Leaders of change such as -Henry Clay -Stephen Douglas -Zachary Taylor -Harriet Beecher Stowe -Douglas Filmore and included such as and included -John Brown -1820 Missouri Compromise -Jefferson Davis Social Economic Political -Abraham Lincoln Differences -1846 Mexican War -1850 Compromise of 1850 -1850 Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 -1852 Uncle Tom's Cabin -1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act -1854 Republican Party formed -1854 Bleeding Kansas -1857 Dred Scott Case -1858 Lincoln Douglas Debates -1859 John Brown's Raid -1860 Lincoln Elected -1860 South Carolina Secedes -1861 Confederacy formed Differences between the areas Events in the U. S. 9. EXPANDED UNIT MAP NEW UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS North As the unit progresses, the basic UNIT MAP from the first page of the Unit Organizer is expanded with key summary 10 information about the How did national events and leaders pull the different sections of the U. S. apart? content of the unit. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 22

The Unit Organizer 9 Expanded Unit Map The Causes of the Civil War is ab NAME DATE Elida Cordora 1/22 out. was based on the . . Sectionalism was influenced by Areas. NEW of the UNIT SELF-TEST Leaders of pp. 201 -236 10. QUESTIONS U. S. change became greater with ded the developed because of such as South North NEW UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 10 which includ which whic h inc lude d th e ed the -Henry Clay Differences Eventsquestions in the -Stephen Douglas As the unit progresses, new between the -Zachary Taylor U. S. areas -Harriet Beecher Stowe that seem important aboutsuchthe content of -Douglas Filmore and included as and included -John Brown -1820 Missouri Compromise -Jefferson Davis the unit are Social listed. Political or old questions can be Economic -Abraham Lincoln Differences -1846 Mexican War Compromise of 1850 modified. -1850 Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 West -1852 Uncle Tom's Cabin -1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act -1854 Republican Party formed -1854 Bleeding Kansas -1857 Dred Scott Case -1858 Lincoln Douglas Debates -1859 John Brown's Raid -1860 Lincoln Elected -1860 South Carolina Secedes -1861 Confederacy formed How did national events and leaders pull the different sections of the U. S. apart? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 23

The Unit Organizer 4 NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE The Animal Kingdom 2 LAST UNIT/Experience 4/1 UNIT SCHEDULE 5 out. . . the most advanced and Introduce vertebrates intelligent animals on the Fish/Amphibian of choice report due 4/5 Fish/Amphibian quiz such as the fishes earth pp. 427 -482 Reptile quiz Trip report due 4/16 Bird/Mammal quiz 4/17 Lab report due 4/18 Review 4/19 Test such as the birds reptiles What are the basic differences among the major groups of vertebrates? In what ways is life on land more difficult than life in water? What is mean by cold blooded and warm blooded? Which of the major groups of vertebrates is the most successful group? Why? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 6 explanation compare/contrast UNIT 7 mammals RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 4/15 amphibians such as the 4/12 Trip to natural history museum Ecology is ab UNIT MAP 4/4 4/10 NEXT UNIT/Experience 3 Vertebrates Invertebrates 8 Interrelationships CURRENT UNIT 1 Sharra Ti 4/1 24

The Unit Organizer 2 UNIT SCHEDULE 1 5 UNIT MAP NAME DATE BIGGER PICTURE 3 CURRENT UNIT NEXT UNIT/Experience is ab out. . . 6 7 University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 UNIT RELATIONSHIPS UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 8 LAST UNIT/Experience 4 25

NAME DATE The Unit Organizer 9 Expanded Unit Map is ab out. . . NEW UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS 10 University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 26