Vertical Alignment Quarterly Review

Vertical Alignment Quarterly Review : 

Vertical Alignment Quarterly Review September 2009

Overview : 

Overview

Concerns… : 

Concerns… Curriculum Maps Sent in August Review Mistakes and Issues New Folks/New Curricular Areas New Courses

Where are we? : 

Where are we?

Plan for the Day : 

Plan for the Day

Essential Questions : 

Essential Questions Review

Math and EQsWhat do you REALLY want them to understand? : 

Math and EQsWhat do you REALLY want them to understand?

Slide 8: 

Essential Questions

Overarching Essential Questions : 

Overarching Essential Questions Require students to use prior knowledge, new information and individual research/experiences to formulate a response. One to three per unit. “Big” questions students should be able to answer at the end of the unit. Encourage Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation Reflection

Why Essential Questions? : 

Why Essential Questions? “Essential questions are important because they connect classroom work to the large and enduring issues that affect our lives…

Why Essential Questions? : 

Why Essential Questions? “They are the link that make expeditions relevant, connecting the curriculum to actual concerns that young people face…

Why Essential Questions? : 

Why Essential Questions? “They also provide an invitation into critical thinking, providing chances to coach young people to think clearly, precisely, accurately, and reasonably about things that matter.” (Umphrey, 2005)

Stepping Stone Questions : 

Stepping Stone Questions Bridge the gap between objectives and essential questions Guide the learning process Solicit close-ended, factual responses Created by turning the learning objectives into questions

Stepping Stone Questions : 

Stepping Stone Questions

Is My Question Essential? : 

Is My Question Essential?

Is my question in Essential? : 

Is my question in Essential?

NOT for Curriculum Maps : 

NOT for Curriculum Maps Supporting (Stepping Stones) Interest-generating questions Student-friendly objective turned into a question Leading Questions Closed questions to solicit facts and build background knowledge Overarching EQ: How do beliefs, ethics, or values influence different people's behavior? Daily EQs: What is a “civil war”? What issues sparked the Civil War?

Questions for Curriculum Maps : 

Questions for Curriculum Maps Overarching Essential Questions Higher-Order, Conceptual Questions Elicit original thought, not predetermined answers Encourages critical thinking and evaluation of data Overarching EQ: How does the type of data influence the choice of graph? Daily EQs: What are types of graphs we use in math? What information can we learn from a graph?

Devising Essential Questions : 

Devising Essential Questions Think about what is the “depth” in this unit? How do I gear students in that direction? What questions do I ask? http://delicious.com/mullinshe/essential_questions

We need HELP! : 

We need HELP!

Curriculum Map Review Process : 

Curriculum Map Review Process

Benchmarks : 

Benchmarks

Next Steps : 

Next Steps

Tasks : 

Tasks

Culminating Activity : 

Culminating Activity What has been beneficial about having the curriculum map in place? What are the challenges with having the curriculum map? What do you need now?

References : 

References (1996). From now on. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from FNO.org Web site: http://www.fno.org/sept96/questions.html (2002). Writing essential questions. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from myprojectpages.com Web site: http://www.myprojectpages.com/support/ess_questpopup.htm (2004). Themes & essential questions: Framing inquiry & promoting critical thinking. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from Greece Central School District Web site: http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/essential%20questions/Index.htm (2005). Essential questions. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from The Question Mark Web site: http://questioning.org/mar05/essential.html (2008). Essential questions. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from Spartanburg School District 3 Web site: http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/essentialquest.htm Nellan, Ted (2008). What is an essential question?. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from The Nellan Family Jewels Web site: http://www.tnellen.com/alt/essential.html Wiggins, G., What is an essential question?. Retrieved August 17, 2008 from Big ideas, an authentic e-journal: Web site: http://www.authenticeducation.org/bigideas/article.lasso?artId=53

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. For more information, visit http://creativecommons.org . Credit info: Heather Mullins, Hickory Public Schools Curriculum Specialist mullinshe@hickoryschools.net http://mullinshe.wordpress.com