Unwrapping the Standards

to Develop Learning

Targets

•I can unwrap a standard.

•I can create a learning target.

•I can identify appropriate learning targets.

How does this impact you?How does this impact you?

NC Educator EvaluationNC Educator Evaluation

•Standard III (a): Teachers know the Standard III (a): Teachers know the content they teachcontent they teach

•Standard IV (a,b,g & h): Teachers Standard IV (a,b,g & h): Teachers facilitate learning for their studentsfacilitate learning for their students

Why Unwrap the Standards?

Unwrapping a standard is done to develop a

deeper understanding of the standard for

planning, instruction, and assessment.

“Unwrapping”“A simple

process to make standards

manageable.”Larry Ainsworth

What

is

Unw

rap

pin

g? The analysis of standards

and indicators to determine exactly what students need

to:

•Know (concepts)

•Be able to do (skills)

•Through particular context or topic (selected learning activities)

How to Unwrap a How to Unwrap a StandardStandard

1.1.Underline key concepts (important Underline key concepts (important nouns)nouns)

2.2.Circle skills (verbs)Circle skills (verbs)

3.3.Identify the particular context or Identify the particular context or topic (selected learning activities)topic (selected learning activities)

4.4.Represent the Represent the “unwrapped”concepts and skills in “unwrapped”concepts and skills in a bulleted lista bulleted list

Write narratives and other creative texts in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to

describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal

words to signal event order, and provide a sense of

closure.

Represent Unwrapped ConceptsRepresent Unwrapped Concepts

•Write narrative & other creative Write narrative & other creative textstexts

•Recount events or short sequenceRecount events or short sequence

•Describe actions, thoughts, Describe actions, thoughts, feelingsfeelings

•Use temporal words to signal Use temporal words to signal orderorder

•Provide closureProvide closure

Unwrapping Unwrapping TemplateTemplate

Handout

Your Turn•Select a standard from the center of your

table

•Underline key concepts (nouns)

•Circle skills (verbs)

•Identify particular context or topic (learning activities)

•Represent “unwrapped” concepts & skills in a bulleted list

Poster

Helpful Hints...•Use the unpacking guides to help you, especially with the Essential Standards

•Collaborate with team members to ensure understanding of the standard’s demands

“The most effective teaching and the most meaningful student

learning happen when teachers design the right learning target for

today’s lesson and use it along with their students to aim for and

assess understanding.”

Learning Targets

Moss & Brookhart

Learning Target...Learning Target...

•Describes intended learning outcome

•Guides student learning

•Specific to the day’s lesson

•Written in “student-friendly” language

•Written from the NC SCOS

Informs Your Decision Making

•Guides you every mile and turn.

•Uses language you understand to get you to exactly where you need to go.

•Knows exactly where you are.

•Alerts you to the challenges ahead and provides strategies to help you deal with them.

•Doesn’t “grade” your driving - it “recalculates”.

Creates a Learning Creates a Learning PartnershipPartnership

• Cannot do the driving for you, but it monitors Cannot do the driving for you, but it monitors your progress and feeds you forward.your progress and feeds you forward.

• Only works when you are actually doing Only works when you are actually doing something - using its insights and information something - using its insights and information to drive more effectively toward your to drive more effectively toward your destination.destination.

• You have to continually self-assess ~ monitor You have to continually self-assess ~ monitor your driving against the criteria provided to your driving against the criteria provided to make sure you are on the right track.make sure you are on the right track.

What Information Does It Need What Information Does It Need to Work Effectively?to Work Effectively?

Characteristics of a Learning Characteristics of a Learning TargetTarget

• Describes exactly what student’s will learn in Describes exactly what student’s will learn in today’s lesson.today’s lesson.

• Written in kid-friendly language that students Written in kid-friendly language that students can understand.can understand.

• From the point of view of students who have From the point of view of students who have yet to master the content, skill or process that yet to master the content, skill or process that makes up the target.makes up the target.

• Is connected to the performance of Is connected to the performance of understanding from today’s lesson.understanding from today’s lesson.

For Today’s For Today’s Lesson!Lesson!

Learning targets have an expiration date-they are only good for one-two

lessons.

Let’s Look at this StandardPSc.2.1.2 Explain the phases of matter and the physical changes that matter

undergoes.Often we must dig

deeper with the

Unpacking Guide to

determine how to

“Unwrap” the standard and

write a learning target.

Supports our Students...

•What will I be able to do at the end of today’s lesson?

•What will I have to learn and understand so that I can use this information to do it?

•How will I be asked to show that I can do it?

•How well will I have to do it?

To

answer

Reflect:

How do you create a clear

learning target?

Start with the Standard•Identify the essential parts of the

objective or standard - the “Unwrapped Standard”

•Each essential part (unwrapped concepts) can become a learning target

•Put each target into “student-friendly” language

•Ensure that each target is written for ONE - TWO lessons

Your TurnYour Turn

Poster

How did you do?How did you do?

Use the checklist for evaluating learning targets to see that all criteria

were met.

“Learning targets make the difference, from a

student’s point of view, between complying with teachers’ requests and

pursuing their own learning.”

Moss & Brookhart

Share

Learning TargetsLearning Targets

•Come directly from the standard, not a direct restatement of the standard

•Begin with “I can...”

•Only for one-two lessons

•Written in student-friendly language

•Need to be measurable

Posted Learning TargetsPosted Learning Targets

Non-negotiable: All classrooms will be provided with a learning targets

poster.

Reflect using Evernote:

How will you ensure that learning targets

are posted in all classrooms?

Learning Targets Need to Be...

•Posted daily

•Shared with students before each lesson

•Revisited at the end of each lesson

•Visible from anywhere in the classroom

DCS Learning DCS Learning TargetsTargets

Learning targets have been created for most standards. Refer to DCS Wiki to

find targets.

http://bit.ly/dcswiki

Elementary Targets

WikiElementary Home

Page

Middle & High Targets

Wiki

“Learning targets make the difference,

from a student’s point of view, between complying with

teachers’ requests and pursuing their own

learning.”Moss & Brookhart

•I can unwrap a standard.

•I can create a learning target.

•I can identify appropriate learning targets.

ReflecReflec

tt

Overall Smart Goal:

Target Smart Goal:By 2014, ___ % of teachers at ___ will effectively implement the North Carolina Standard Course of Study with the aid of learning targets posted for students in all classrooms.

By 2015, 100% of teachers at _____ will effectively implement the North Carolina Standard Course of Study with the aid of learning targets posted for students in all classrooms.

By 2014, _______ of our students will master the learning target as evidence through common formative assessments.

Overall Student Smart Goal:

Possible Evidence:Possible Evidence:

Lesson PlansWalkthrough Data

Classroom ObservationsSchool Improvement Plan

Student Mastery Form

• August 14, 2013-All K-12 Administrators receive a review of how to unwrap a standard to create a target to present to their staff.  Participants will receive learning targets created by teacher teams.

• August 20, 2013-All certified teachers will receive professional development including an overview of unwrapping standards and creating learning targets. Teachers will receive learning targets for subject areas.

• Utilize state unpacking documents

• Monthly staff development sessions focusing on standards and learning targets

• Monthly walkthroughs to ensure learning targets are posted

• Develop lesson plans and assessments to monitor student understanding of targets and vocabulary.

Possible Action Steps:Possible Action Steps:

References• Learning Targets: Helping Students Aim for

Understanding in Today’s Lesson by Connie M. Moss, Susan M. Brookhart

• NC FALCON

• Presentation provided by Connie M. Moss, Susan M. Brookhart, http://groups.ascd.org/resource/documents/122463-Learning_Targets_Moss_Handouts.pdf

• ‘Unwrapping’ the Standards: A Simple Process to Make Standards Manageable by Larry Ainsworth