In this video Marie distinguishes assessments from standardized testing, and connects assessments to unit planning and student performance.
When considering assessments, choosing between those which are common versus comparable depends on how the assessment is going to be used.
Activities in a unit plan address the "how" of instruction. How are we going to approach the why (big ideas and essential questions) and the what (content and skills) in our curriculum?
Unit planning is a way of organizing ideas, and keeping the focus on what we are teaching students and why we're teaching it. At the same time, we are looking at standards...
When considering the internal alignment of units, color-coding can help identify the relationship between elements like the enduring understandings, essential...
Curriculum Mapping can be described as the relationship between two sides of a coin. The first side is the creation of a database (that can be searched and analyzed) which includes...
In a unit, all content, activities and assessments should connect to the essential questions. Remembering the role of two brains in learning, we should aim to balance the EQ's...
Framing The Learning is the process by which we are setting what was described in unit plan into a student facing tool. It is a series of questions to help students think about the target...
Learning Logs and Journals can be used as a technique to help students develop the skill set for self navigation. Here the teacher can coach, model and facilitate the process.
Students who are 'analyzers' need a comprehensive whole. They grab and attach new ideas to that whole. The tend to start with the “why.” High quality Essential Questions (EQ's) and...