How can we help students make sense of what they are supposed to learn?
UNPACK THE STANDARDS
Building Transparency by Unpacking Standards
State standards are written in educational lingo that many times students do not understand. When building transparency, it is important to guide students towards complete comprehension of what they are expected to know, and do, in order to meet the learning targets and exhibit mastery.
When you unpack a standard with a class, students are able to create a student-friendly version of the standard and will be able to personally track their mastery of the said standard.
One thing to remember is that you do not have to unpack every single standard with your students. Choose your power standards that you focus on throughout the year to unpack with students.
When you unpack a standard with a class, students are able to create a student-friendly version of the standard and will be able to personally track their mastery of the said standard.
One thing to remember is that you do not have to unpack every single standard with your students. Choose your power standards that you focus on throughout the year to unpack with students.
How to Unpack a Standard with your Students
Step One: Identify the IMPORTANT words (verbs & nouns)
Step Two: List synonyms for the important words
Step Three: Write the reworded standard (student language)
Step Four: Ask students, "What do you have to KNOW?"
Step Five: Ask students, "What do you have to be ABLE to DO?"
Step Six: Brainstorm with students possible projects to meet the standard
**Once students have an understanding of the steps to unpack a standard and they have done it collaboratively with the class several times, then, teachers can facilitate students unpacking the standards individually.**
Example from 9th Grade CCSS ELA Standards:
Standard: RL. 9-10.5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g. parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g. pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
Student-Friendly Language: I will be able to look at how an author’s choices on how to build a text, put events in order within that text, and changes in time result in mystery, conflict, or surprise.
Step Two: List synonyms for the important words
Step Three: Write the reworded standard (student language)
Step Four: Ask students, "What do you have to KNOW?"
Step Five: Ask students, "What do you have to be ABLE to DO?"
Step Six: Brainstorm with students possible projects to meet the standard
**Once students have an understanding of the steps to unpack a standard and they have done it collaboratively with the class several times, then, teachers can facilitate students unpacking the standards individually.**
Example from 9th Grade CCSS ELA Standards:
Standard: RL. 9-10.5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g. parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g. pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
Student-Friendly Language: I will be able to look at how an author’s choices on how to build a text, put events in order within that text, and changes in time result in mystery, conflict, or surprise.
RISC Worksheet for Unpacking Standards | |
File Size: | 41 kb |
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