The Course Organizer Routine

THE COURSE ORGANIZER ROUTINE

The Content Enhancement Series

How are we doing? Place dots to indicate how often you

have used the FRAME, LINCs, Unit Organizer and Course Organizer this year.

Startling Facts “On-track Indicator”

Students who stay “on-track” during their freshman year (earn 5 credits and no more than 1 F) are 3.5 times as likely to graduate.

One semester F decreases the likelihood of graduating from 83% to 60%.

2 Fs decreases the likelihood to 44%. 3 Fs decreases the likelihood to 31%.

Lakota’s CLC Past and Future 2009-2010 School

Year FRAME LINCs SMARTER

Planning Unit Organizer

2010-2011 School Year Course Organizer Concept

Anchoring Question

Exploration

The Unit Organizer Is a visual device that:

Is designed to enhance students… …organization …understanding …remembering …responses …belief in the value of the content

The Unit Organizer NAMEDATEBIGGER PICTURE

LAST UNIT /Experience CURRENT UNIT NEXT UNIT /Experience

UN

IT S

EL

F-T

EST

QU

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ION

S

is about...

UN

ITR

EL

AT

ION

SHIPS

UNIT SCHEDULE UNIT MAP

CURRENT UNIT1 32

4

5

6

7

8

The roots and consequences of civil unrest.

The Causes of the Civil WarGrowth of the Nation The Civil War

Sectionalismpp. 201-236

1/22 Cooperative groups - over pp. 201-210

1/28 Quiz


"Influential Personalities" Project due

1/30 Quiz


2/6 Review for test

2/7 Review for test

2/6 Test

Areas of the U.S.

Differences between the areas

Events in the U.S.

Leaders across the U.S.

was based on

emerged because of became greater with

was influenced by

descriptive

cause/effect

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?

compare/contrast

1/22

What examples of sectionalism exist in the world today?

NAMEDATEThe Unit Organizer

NE

W

UN

IT

SEL

F-T

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QU

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ION

S

Expanded Unit Map is about...9

10How did national events and leaders pull the different sections of the U.S. apart?

The Causes of the Civil WarElida Cordora

1/22

Sectionalismpp. 201-236

was based on the

developed because of

North

South

West

SocialDifferences

PoliticalDifferences

EconomicDifferences

Areas of the U.S.

Differences between the areas

-Henry Clay-Stephen Douglas-Zachary Taylor-Harriet Beecher Stowe-Douglas Filmore-John Brown-Jefferson Davis-Abraham Lincoln

such as

was influenced by

Leaders of change

became greater with

Events in the U.S.

such as

-1820 Missouri Compromise-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

which

inclu

ded

the

which

inclu

ded

the

which

inclu

ded

the

and included and included and included

Content Enhancement The Benefit

Group and individual needs are valued and met;

Maintained integrity of the content; Critical content is selected and transformed

in a manner that promotes student learning; and

Instruction is carried out in a partnership with students.

The Value of Course Planning Creates a “mindset” for identifying and

presenting outcomes and using new methods. Promotes the development of broad and

inclusive teaching routines that respond to academic diversity.

Communicates expectations about how content, learning, and social interactions will be organized during the first weeks of a course.

Defines how the learning community will be created and maintained.

The Challenge of Course Planning Students may have difficulty:

Seeing their own progress. Understanding why learning the

information is important. Learning how the teacher approaches the

course. Feeling comfortable with learning rituals. Learning how to participate in creating a

good classroom learning climate.

The Challenge of Course Planning Students may also have difficulty:

Learning the performance standards for course expectations.

Understanding how course ideas are related to units and lessons.

Creating new ways to organize and categorize information over time.

Learning how to integrate and generalize what they have learned.

Research on Course Planning When teachers use the Course Organizer

Routine: Teachers spend more time orienting students to a

course. Teachers use more methods related to inclusive

teaching. Students considered at-risk for school failure

answered more course content questions correctly. All students either improved or maintained steady

progress. Teachers reported that it provided focus for unit

and lesson planning.

Components of Course Planning Questions that capture critical content. A map that shows the sequence of

course units. The underlying concepts that will serve

as the basis for the course questions and units.

The course rituals (comprising of teaching routines & learning strategies).

Components of Course Planning The principles used to create a learning

community. The standards used to evaluate student

progress. The system used to promote communication

and progress toward expectations. A concrete device for communicating

planning decisions. A routine for launching and maintaining

course goals and progress.

The Cue-Do-Review Sequence Cue

A visual device called the Course Organizer is presented and explained at the beginning of the course. Throughout the course the teacher cues

students to use the Course Organizer to evaluate progress and integrate learning.

The Cue-Do-Review Sequence Do

During the initial presentation, the teacher follows a set of procedures called the Linking Steps that help the teacher explain how the Course Organizer will enhance learning. Cue Course Questions Outline Critical Concepts and Units Uncover Community Principles Reveal Learning Rituals Share Performance Options Explain Course Standards

The Cue-Do-Review Sequence Review

The teacher uses the Course Organizer throughout the year and at the end of the year to help students review what and how learning has occurred.

Teacher(s):

Time:

The

Course OrganizerStudent:

Course Dates:

How?What? Value?This Course:

Content:

Process:

Course Progress Graph

Course Questions:

isabout

Course Standards:

CommunityPrinciples

Learning Rituals

Course Map This Course:

includes

PerformanceOptions

Student:

Critical Concepts

Learned in theseUnits

This Course

The name of the courseand a summary or

paraphrase of what thecourse is about

Course Questions

The criticalquestions that everystudent in the class

will be able toanswer by the

end of the course

Critical Concepts

The critical concepts that will be emphasizedthroughout the course, that relate to course questions,

and that cut across more that one unit.

Course Map

A graphic depiction showinghow the course information

has been organized for learning

Community Principles

The principles on which theclassroom learning community

will be built.

Learning Rituals

The teaching routines, learning strategies,and communication systems related to

learning. Are used throughout the courseto enhance learning.

Performance Options

The modifications that will be built intothe course to accommodate the needs of

diverse learners.

Launching The Course Develop a draft of the Course Organizer. Distribute blank Course Organizer to

students. Describe the parts of the Course

Organizer, its purpose in the course, and how it will be used.

Follow the Linking Steps to help students complete a draft of the Course Organizer.

Launching the Course Cue Course Questions Outline Critical Concepts and Units Uncover Community Principles Reveal Learning Rituals Share Performance Options Explain Course Standards

Maintaining the Course As each unit is launched, review course

questions. Discuss which ones have been answered and which ones still need to be answered.

Review the course map. Discuss where previous, current, and future units fit within the course.

Chart and discuss performance in the previous unit for the group. Give students their scores and help plot their progress.

Discuss the climate of the learning community and how well students are using classroom rituals.

Closing the Course Present a synthesis experience or assignment. Review course performance using Unit

Organizers ad the Course Organizer. Discuss the value of the course questions and

related work. Discuss the relationships of this course to

other courses. Discuss the quality of the learning community

and how it could be improved for future courses.

Discuss ideas and options for “What in next?”

A Brighter Future for Lakota Kids We shape the future of our students

everyday. We provide a constant in their lives; Someone that helps and guides; Teachers are a big deal and a big part of

the big picture. You make the difference!!