Grade 3-5 ELA Common Core Ambassadors

Grade 3-5 ELA Common Core AmbassadorsAugust 13-17, 2012Albany, NY

“We engage students, strengthen teachers, and deliver results.”

Introduction and Framing the Week

Who We Are

Expeditionary Learning (EL) is a network of practitioners, with 165 schools in 30 states, 4,000 teachers and 40,000 students.

We’ve been working with schools and teachers for 20 years to create classrooms where students are pushed and supported to do more than they think they can.

We have a strong history of working in New York State and have engaged teams of teachers from high-performing classrooms throughout the state to help develop our curriculum modules.

Expeditionary Learning Team

Presenters: Cheryl Dobbertin, Suzanne Plaut, Amaris Obregon,

Cyndi Gueswel, Gwyneth Hagan, Lily Newman Senior Staff: Scott Hartl, Ron Berger Table Facilitators: Scott Gill, Lucy Kaempffe (EL

School Designers), Kate Palumbo, Mary Beth Murray (Syracuse City School District), Alva Vives, Courtney Brockler, Stacie Wall, Rebecca Osborn, Kathy Klein (Rochester City School District), Andrew Hossack (Tapestry Charter School, Buffalo, NY)

Support Staff: Joanna Benjamin

Agenda Day 1: Big picture The standards, the shifts and student work Grade-level breakout groups Overview of the modules Culture of achievement

Days 2-4: Research teams: studying the shifts Digging into the modules: “examining” and

“experiencing”

Day 5: Synthesis, reflection, next steps

Learning Targets

“The process of learning shouldn’t be a mystery. Learning targets provide learners (adults or students) with tangible goals that they can understand and work toward…. The learner becomes the main actor in assessing or improving his or her learning.”

Targets articulate specific learning outcomes Learners understand and own the learning targets Targets are accessible, measurable, and specific Sets of learning targets include both long-term and

supporting targets

Framing Expeditionary Learning’s Work

Scott Hartl, Expeditionary Learning CEO

Expeditionary Learning & the Shifts

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The Shifts What you will see in the Curriculum Modules

Balancing Informational and Literary Text(NYS CCLS Shift 1)

Expeditionary Learning’s approach emphasizes effective literacy instruction through the use of compelling topics which engage students in informational and literary texts.

Building Content Knowledge (NYS CCLS Shift 2)

Expeditionary Learning’s approach emphasizes students building expertise about a topic and often sharing that expertise with classmates or a wider audience.

Staircase of Complexity (NYS CCLS Shift 3)

Expeditionary Learning’s approach emphasizes getting students curious so they have purpose for reading, then supporting and challenging students with increasingly complex texts.

Expeditionary Learning & the Shifts

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The Shifts What you will see in the Curriculum Modules

Text-based Answers(NYS CCLS Shift 4)

Expeditionary Learning’s approach emphasizes working with evidence, including students self-assessing, learning to ask strong text-dependent strategic questions as they read, and doing research for a real purpose.

Writing from Sources(NYS CCLS Shift 5)

Expeditionary Learning’s approach emphasizes performance tasks that require students to cite textual evidence, to revise their writing and critique their peers’ writing, and share their writing with a real audience.

Academic Vocabulary (NYS CCLS Shift 6)

Expeditionary Learning’s approach exposes students to a wide range of increasingly complex texts to build background knowledge and interest.

Design Principle: Collaboration and Competition

“Individual development and group development are integrated so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Learners are encouraged to compete, not against each other, but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence.”

Learning Structures for the Week

Grade-level groups Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Small Group/Triads (at least one person from

grade 3, 4, 5) Research teams

Grade Level Groups

Expert Groups: Grades 3, 4, or 5?

Directions: On your table, locate the index cards. On one side, write your name. On the other, write first and second choice for

grade level group.

We will strive to honor people’s first choice when possible.

All curriculae is online. And all curricular structures are consistent.

Introductions at Tables (1 minute/person)

Name Position/role Your district, region, or school One of the long-term targets that caught your

attention and why

Norms for Collaboration

Directions: Think/Pair/Share (5 minutes total)

Which of these norms is a personal strength of yours?

Which of these norms is a challenge for you – particularly in large groups like this one? What is something you want to push yourself to be mindful of during our week?

Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening

Conversation and Collaboration

SL.1 “Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.”

The Standards, the Shifts, and Student Work

LT 1a. I can analyze the common core standards and shifts within the context of student work and the curriculum modules.

Establishing Triads

Use colored dots to find others – your triad needs to represent members from three different tables. So, stand up, stretch, form triads, and stay standing.

Share: Your name School and/or role Why you’re here

Discuss the important points from the Key Design Considerations that you just noted.

The Importance of Models

• Descriptions and rubrics are not enough; learners need models to inspire, clarify, provoke questions, and provide direction for where we’re aiming.

• Over the course of these 5 days, you’re going to be looking at models of curriculum, instructional practices, and - in this session - student work.

• High quality student work that embodies the Common Core Standards is our ultimate goal; it is vital to begin considering what we are aiming for.

• The models provide a catalyst for ongoing discussion about what constitutes quality implementation of the standards.

Creating Quality Work

•Informational reading and writing connected with compelling content is a cornerstone of the Expeditionary Learning model.

•EL engages students in reading for evidence and writing with evidence to create high quality work for a public audience.

•In the modules, students’ learning culminates in text-based performance tasks that provide individual accountability and shared pride in accomplishment.

Digging in to the Standards and Student Work

• We will shift to using the task card for the next instructional sequence.

Lunch

Thank you!

At 1pm, please go to your grade level breakout groups

3rd Grade: 4th Grade: 5th Grade:

FYI: In case you do not have a full copy of the CCLS, go to EngageNY.org)

A Model of Content-Rich Curriculum

LT 2a. I can describe the impact of content-rich curriculum on students’ college and career success.

Grade-Level Groups

Your grade-level EL team: Insert names

Examining the modules: through the lens of a teacher

Analyze the curricular structures (module, unit, and lesson level)

Analyze the instructional practices, pedagogical moves, etc.

Experiencing the modules: through the lens of a learner

Consider one’s own experience as a “Common Core era” learner

Based on one’s own experience, reflect on the implications for students

Grade Level Groups: Introductions

Name Position/role Your district, region, or school Your particular interest in or connection to this

grade level

Quote Strips

Directions: Locate the quotes in the envelopes on your table.

Each person at your table chooses one quote from the envelope.

Read each quote aloud to the group. • As a group, select one quote as a lens through

which to view your work in this session while you are a learner “experiencing” the module. Consider where you see the ideas in this quote come to life in the curriculum.

After your experience some learning from the module, we

will return to this quote to discuss what you noticed.

Grade-Level Specifics: Experiencing the Module

• insert here

Debrief

As a table group, discuss: Insert time

• How was the quote you chose illustrated through your experience?

• What did you notice about your motivation to read/learn during

this experience?• If you were designing this module, what would

you have students do next? Why?

Transition

Thank you!

We will meet in grade-level groups again each day.

Now, please return to the whole group space.

In the whole group space, we will provide an overview of the

modules and give people time to examine them and to ask questions.

Modules: Overview and Design Considerations

LT 1a. I can analyze the common core standards and shifts within the context of student work and the curriculum modules.

Curriculum: “Zooming in” on levels of detail

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Yearlong curriculum

map / scope and sequence

Curriculum module

structure

Unit overview

Assessment overview

Lesson overview

Yearlong Curriculum Plan

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There are four modules per grade in a year Each module is aligned to the CCLS and addresses the six

instructional shifts

Curriculum Module Structure

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Each module spans eight weeks of instruction and is comprised of three units

Modules are designed to integrate reading and writing and to build content knowledge

Curriculum Module Structure

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The summary also contains a list of

Guiding Questions and “Big Ideas” that serve as entry points

into the module content.

Each module overview starts with a summary paragraph that describes the

content and instructional arc of

the module.

Curriculum Module Structure

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The modules are a series of one-hour ELA blocks

aligned with NYS Social Studies and Science Standards.

Assessment Overview

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Each module culminates with a text-based literacy performance task.

Assessment Overview

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Each unit contains two “on-demand”

assessments, which ask students to do their best work on their own and are

aligned to standards.

Module Level: Notice and Wonder

Instructions• On your own: review the module level documents

(5 minutes) – Module overview– Performance task– Assessments• With a colleague or two at your table, discuss– What do you notice?

• State concretely what you see. What is the content? How is it structured?

– What do you wonder? • State questions you have about what you see. What

sparks your curiosity? What do you want to know more about?

Unit Overview

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Each of the three units is structured

similarly to the modules.

Unit-at-a-Glance Calendar

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For each unit, there’s a calendar that shows how

the 8 weeks is laid out.

The calendar also shows the

standards in student-friendly

language…

…and gives ideas for ongoing assessment.

Unit Level: Notice and Wonder

Instructions• On your own: review the unit level documents (5

minutes) – Unit 1 Overview– Unit 1 Recommended Texts

• With a colleague or two at your table, discuss– What do you notice?

• State concretely what you see. What is the content? How is it structured?

– What do you wonder? • State questions you have about what you see. What

sparks your curiosity? What do you want to know more about?

Lesson Overview

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The lesson shows the long-term

learning target…

…and the supporting targets for this particular

lesson.

Lesson Overview

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…and the teaching notes provide some

coaching for teachers as they think about

delivering the lesson.

The agenda shows the lesson “at a

glance…

Lesson Overview

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Each lesson calls out vocabulary that

should be explicitly taught as well as

other words that may arise in the course of teaching the content.

Lesson Overview

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Each lesson is broken down into sections:

Opening, Work Time, and Closing.

Lesson Overview

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Each lesson offers recommendations for

supporting all learners.

Lesson Level: Notice and Wonder

Instructions• On your own: review the lesson level documents

(5 minutes) – Unit 1 Lessons – Meeting Students’ Needs– Supporting Materials

• With a colleague or two at your table, discuss– What do you notice?

• State concretely what you see. What is the content? How is it structured?

– What do you wonder? • State questions you have about what you see. What

sparks your curiosity? What do you want to know more about?

Transition

BREAK: Return at 3:15

When you return, please sit at the table # that is indicated on your

nametag

The Importance of a Culture of Achievement

LT 1b. I can describe the importance of establishing a culture of achievement to prepare students for college and career success.

Research Teams

Purpose of Research Teams:

• Build our expertise about the CCLS “shifts”• Experience the rigor of CCLS learning, as adults:

push ourselves, and feel what it may be like for students when they are challenged in similar ways. • Particular emphasis on SL.1: “engage in

collaborative discussions”– How do we do this effectively as adult learners? – Why is collaboration important for learners?

Introductions in Research Teams

Name Position/role Your district, region, or school One thing you took away from your grade-level

session today

Research Quotes Tea Party

Directions:

• Review the page of research quotes• Select one that resonates with you, either

because it connects to your current practice, extends your thinking, or challenges you• Find someone from another table and share your

quote and your connection, extension, or challenge • Find a second partner and share your quote and

your connection, extension, or challenge• Return to your tables

A Growth Mindset: Seeing it in Action…

“Critique and Feedback: The Story of Austin’s Butterfly”

As you watch the video, note where you see the ideas from the research quotes in action or implied.

A Growth Mindset: Discussion about the Video

Directions: At your tables, discuss (5 minutes)

• What did you see and hear that fosters a culture in which students

are ready and eager to do the hard work of the CCSS?

• What can you infer about the groundwork that was laid in this

classroom before this? What specific evidence in the video helped you draw those inferences?

Culture of Achievement

• Discuss at tables: (5 minutes)– What resonates with you?– What strategies do you use/ hope to use to

achieve this kind of culture?– What questions does this video raise for you?

Mindsets, pages 196-201

•Great teachers set high standards for all students, challenge and nurture them, love to learn, and are partners in learning with their students.

“So, are great teachers born or made?...It starts with the growth mindset—about yourself and about children. Not just lip service to the idea that all children can learn, but a deep desire to reach in and ignite the mind of every child.” (p. 202)

Silent Writing

Directions (5 minutes)

• Reflect on our learning target: – I can describe the importance of establishing a

culture of achievement to prepare students for career and college success.

• Include specific evidence to support your thinking from our

reading so far today.

Guest Speaker: David Coleman

Debrief the Day and Looking Ahead

Discussion

• Review the agenda: How did we address each of our targets?

• How did we promote a culture of achievement for ourselves as a

community of adult learners?

• We emphasized the importance of a content-rich curriculum for

students. What content did you learn today?

• Consider both what you learned and how you learned today. What

are the implications for our work with students?

Learning Journal

Directions (5 minutes) Go to the Day 1 section of your Learning Journal Examine the Supporting Targets Use the space provided to capture your thinking

about the work today: Which learning targets represented your most

important learning? What key points do you want to remember? Which activities or discussion impacted you

the most? What do you want to commit to?

Session Materials

Preparation for Day 2… Orient yourself to the articles in the “research”

tab of your binder You may choose to skim these ahead of time Each day, we will focus on the required readings.

You may choose to read these ahead of time; we will have some reading time together during our morning session.

Please begin each day seated with Research Teams at your table #.