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Use Standards to Guide Every Learning Opportunity

Using standards to guide every learning opportunity means that the teacher has clarified what the students are expected to learn, both for herself and the students! It is important that students clearly understand what they are being asked to do.

Watch this video by Instructional Superintendent Diane Louwer giving an example of exactly how to "unpack" a standard.

Unpacking the standard example:

Standard: RL.2.1 Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.

For primary grades, it is developmentally appropriate (and FUN) to use pictures in place of the nouns, verbs, and adjectives to ensure students clearly understand what they are expected to learn.

Visually Unpacked standard:
Another way to clarify learning objectives is by "unpacking" the standard. The teacher has an opportunity to communicate the expectations of this standard (learning goal) by unpacking the standard in student-friendly language.

Download the file below to see an example of a visually unpacked standard

visually_unpacked_standard_for_students.docx
File Size:	76 kb
File Type:	docx

Download File

Here is another tool Teachers can create to help ensure that standards are being used to guide every learning opportunity. I created a "Math Standards Tracker" for 2nd graders to help keep a running data table of students mastery of standards. This table helps me to guide future lessons with specific standards that may need to be re-taught.

math_standard_tracker.docx
File Size:	16 kb
File Type:	docx

Download File

References:

Sheldon, K. M., & Biddle, B. J. (1998). Standards, accountability and school reform: Peril and pitfalls. Teachers College Record, 100(1), 164-180.

Colorado Department of Education Content Specialist uses a graphic organizer to unpack standards. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W452p7sgQ8