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Linked Learning Summer Linked Learning Summer Institute 2015Institute 2015

Planning Integrated UnitsPlanning Integrated Units

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Day 2 – Day 3Agenda

• Ice Breaker – Team Building• Integrated Units – WHY?

• Integrated Unit Planning Process – An Overview

• Pre-Institute Integrated Unit Planning Items

• During Institute Integrated Unit Planning Items

• Post-institute Integrated Unit Planning Items

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Ice Breaker – Day 2

Marooned

You are marooned on an island. What five items would you have brought with you if you knew there was a chance that you might be stranded. Note that you are only allowed five items per team, not per person. You can write your team’s items on a flip chart and discuss and defend your choices with the whole group.

This activity helps team members learn about each other's values and problem solving styles and promotes teamwork.

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Ice Breaker – Day 3

Academy Team Line Ups

• Category shouted out• Be the quickest team to get in order

without talking, whispering, mouthing or pointing to letters!

Course Integration – Course Integration – WHY?WHY?

• to make course material more engaging, encourage once reluctant learners to succeed in higher-level academic courses, and give students a running start at planning for college and their future careers.

Course Integration – Course Integration – WHY?WHY?

• It looks like the real, thorny, and exciting problem solving that engages professionals in their daily work lives.

• It brings authenticity to students’ schoolwork, homework, and work-based learning situations.

Integration - WHAT?

1. Instruction centers around a concept, issue, problem, topic, or experience in a career-themed context.

2. Students explore a set of topics in several standards-based academic disciplines connected by a unifying concept that reinforces learning and brings the curriculum to life in a meaningful way.

The Foundation of MultidisciplinaryIntegrated Curriculum Units

• Cohort scheduling of students• Teacher professional development &

collaboration• Standards-based, college-preparatory academic

courses• Challenging career-technical courses & industry

partners• Supportive counselors• Academic supports for struggling students

Overview: Planning an Integrated Unit

•Identify Potential Industry Partners•Course Scope & Sequence (Curriculum) Maps

•Sharing Course Scope & Sequence (Curriculum) Maps•Decide on Topic for Integrated Unit •Craft Essential Question and Key Questions per Course•Allocate Responsibilities & Revise Maps (Instructional Sequence) IF necessary•Create/Set Learning Scenario & Culminating Project

•Establish student assessments for the unit•Write Lesson Plans •Evaluate the Unit

Pre Institute ItemsPlanning an Integrated Unit

• Identify Potential Industry Partners

• Course Scope & Sequence (Curriculum) Maps

During Institute ItemsPlanning an Integrated Unit

• Sharing Course Scope & Sequence (Curriculum) Maps

• Decide on Topic for Integrated Unit • Craft Essential Question and Key

Questions per Course• Allocate Responsibilities & Revise

Maps (Instructional Sequence) IF necessary

• Create/Set Learning Scenario & Culminating Project

Post Institute ItemsPlanning an Integrated Unit

• Establish student assessments for the unit

• Write Lesson Plans

• Evaluate the Unit

Planning An Integrated Unit: Video

• ConnectEd Studios: Search ConnectEd Studios

Discussion Questions

• How can integrated curriculum improve your school’s teaching and learning?

• What skills and concepts do you want to teach students with this type of experience that you cannot teach as well with traditional instruction?

• Other ideas? Concerns?

Integrated Unit Planning Resources/Materials

Pre-Institute Integration Steps

Step 1: Connect With Industry and

Postsecondary Partners

• Plan to consult with industry and postsecondary partners for help with identifying authentic connections, providing specialized instruction and mentoring, and evaluating student work.

Step 2: Creating and Sharing Curriculum and Performance

Maps• Examine the existing

scope and sequence of concurrent academic and CTE classes, then map out and share the performance measures for each class.

Sharing Maps

• Sit with your grade level team

• Take turns sharing out your course map (start with the technical teacher)

• Ask each other clarifying questions about topics, outcomes, etc.

Step 3: Decide on the Topic of the Integrated Unit

How will you select a topic?

• In your grade level team –

- Look across the units of study and learning outcomes in your course maps to find connections between them

- Try to find an area in your course maps that allows for authentic integration across subject areas

Example: Where could there be a connection here?

Samples of Topics

Step 4: Craft the Essential Question

• Once a topic has been selected, it’s time to frame your unit with an essential question that will drive instruction.

What is an Essential Question?

• Fundamental query that directs and drives the search for understanding across the subject areas

• Everything in the integrated unit is studied with the goal of understanding and answering the EQ

Characteristics of a Good EQ

Characteristics of a Good EQ

Characteristics of a Good EQ

Sample EQs

Drafting your EQ

• With your grade level team draft ONE EQ for your unit that – is open ended and engages

students– applies to each content area – will drive instruction in each

content area for the duration of the unit

Step 5: Identify Key Questions

• Break down the overall concept of the essential question into smaller parts, often directly related to individual academic or CTE subjects.

• Answering the EQ requires students to address a variety of smaller, more targeted questions called KEY QUESTIONS

Key Questions

• Break up the EQ into more manageable parts

• They relate disciplinary content and standards back to the EQ

• Each key question can be addressed in 2-3 lessons

Unpacking the EQ

Insert sample

Step 6: Allocate Responsibilities

• Teacher collaboration is essential

• Identify and assign the roles and responsibilities for each team member, particularly the team leader, to ensure that development and enactment of the integrated unit moves forward.

Step 7: Review and Revise the Instructional

Sequence - WHEN• Once the unit theme and

general content has been chosen, revisit the curriculum map to identify potential sequence adjustments that might bring relevant topics closer together in the school year.

Step 8: Set the Learning Scenario & Final Project

• The learning scenario is a “hook” that will engage students in the problem.

• Discuss the culminating project for the unit and what will be done/taught in each course for students to complete the project.

Step 9: Establish Student Assessments

• Determine appropriate formative and summative student assessments, including the culminating project. Ideally, the culminating project would allow students to demonstrate multidisciplinary content knowledge mastery.

Step 10: Write Lesson Plans

• After initial overall unit planning is complete, individual subject lesson plans and instructional materials should be written and/or assembled for enactment and future reference.

Step 11: Evaluate the Unit

• Once the various pieces are finished, step back and re-evaluate the unit as a whole.

• Use “The Six A’s of Instructional Design: For Project Based Learning” tool

Overview: Planning an Integrated Unit

•Identify Potential Industry Partners•Course Scope & Sequence (Curriculum) Maps

•Sharing Course Scope & Sequence (Curriculum) Maps•Decide on Topic for Integrated Unit •Craft Essential Question and Key Questions per Course•Allocate Responsibilities & Revise Maps (Instructional Sequence) IF necessary•Create/Set Learning Scenario & Culminating Project

•Establish student assessments for the unit•Write Lesson Plans •Evaluate the Unit