UNPACKING MEANINGFUL LEARNING TARGETS
Determine Unit of Study
Identify Standard Selected for Assessment
Unwrap Standard Selected for Assessment
Write Essential Questions
A unit of study is a series of specific lessons, learning experiences, and related assessments – based on designated prioritized standards and related supporting standards – for a topical, skills-based, or thematic focus.
- Topical Units of Study – Focus on a specific portion of a larger subject or discipline. Examples include: estimation, story elements, solids and liquids
- Skills-based Units of Study – Emphasize application. Examples include: converting fractions to decimals, making text connections, editing and revising
- Thematic Units of Study – Emphasize connections to other topics within the same discipline or to completely different disciplines. Examples include: life cycles, impact of war, art and multimedia
Use the handout to fill out your topic or unit.
Identify Standards Selected for Formative Assessment
Identify Standard Selected for Assessment
Unwrap Standard Selected for Assessment
Write Essential Questions
When selecting the standards for the CFA you will consider the following.
- Review the standards for your grade level and/or course.
- Identify those that match the focus for your unit of study based on the following criteria.
- Leverage—which standards are essential in multiple content areas (cross-curricular)?
- Readiness—which grade or course specific standards are critical for our students to know and understand to be prepared for the next level of learning? Which standards help students move from grade level to grade level or from introductory course levels to more advanced course levels (i.e., Alegbra I to Algebra II?)
- Endurance– Which standards are life-long skills? Which will be essential beyond school?
Critically important for the state assessment—Which of these standards based on our high stakes assessment data do we need to emphasize? Look at trend data for this—hard to choose based on one assessment?
When teachers choose standards for formative assessments, these questions as criteria are considered:
- Are the standards aligned with college and work expectations? Save
- Are the standards clear, understandable, and consistent?
- Do the standards include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order thinking skills?
- Do the standards build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards?
- Are the standards evidence-based?
Use the handout to fill out the standards addressed in this unit.
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