brief description of your curriculum evaluation project

Using Dr. Robert J. Marzano’s Teaching Standards aligned with inTASC Principles to

Evaluate the TERC (K-5) Mathematics Curriculum

By Cameron C. Crowson

Keiser University

Dr. VanDeventer

EDU 740 – Curriculum Design

12/17/2016

Evaluation of the TERC (K-5) Mathematics Curriculum 2

Using Dr. Robert J. Marzano’s Teaching Standards aligned with inTASC Principles to

Evaluate the TERC (K-5) Mathematics Curriculum

In relating the teaching standards in the State of Florida to this curriculum, a proper

evaluation will be determined to justify whether the TERC curriculum should replace the current

elementary school curriculum. Therefore, an evaluation using Dr. Robert J. Marzano’s teaching

standards aligned with inTASC principals will determine the effectiveness of the TERC

curriculum; this evaluation will break-down the goals, objectives, learning curriculum, content,

instructional strategies, assignments, standards, and scope and sequence of the TERC

curriculum. This evaluation will describe the content standards of the TERC curriculum in

comparison with that of the common core curriculum in the state of Florida and mainly Pinellas

County Schools (PCS).

Methods

This study was performed to evaluate an elementary-level curriculum in correlation with

the standards of the state of Florida to determine if the TERC curriculum correlates with the

standards of the public-school classroom. As far as the people being studied in the TERC

curriculum, the curriculum being studied relates directly to students that are in grades K-5. In

regards to how the study will be performed, the research related to Dr. Robert J. Marzano and the

inTASC principles will provide the evaluative materials needed to compare the TERC

curriculum to that of the one currently used in Florida Public schools. In the end, this study will

conclude whether to adopt the curriculum in to the Florida public school system.

Evaluation Criteria Used

Dr. Robert J. Marzano has literature pertaining to the institution of teaching and

evaluating effectiveness of curriculum. In his book called The Art and Science of Teaching he


simplifies the classroom strategies and behaviors pertaining to classroom management,

preparation for classroom lessons by way of using a scale system, a way for teachers and

administration to reflect on teaching common core benchmarks, and reasoning for proper

professionalism and collegiality in an educational setting (Marzano, 2011).

As far as the inTASC principals, - aligned with that of Dr. Robert J. Marzano’s

evaluation methods – the inTASC – “Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support

Consortium” – principals determine the effectiveness of the individual teachers in the school by

way of assessing multiple skills: knowledge of the type of students in the curriculum, ability to

differentiate instruction, ability to diversify teaching methods to help students understand the

material, sustain classroom motivational skills, ability and effectiveness of communication,

ability to lesson plan effectively, assessment of students, professionalism and commitment to the

students and school, and lastly, ability to work with others (Becker & Gallo, 2008). Directly

stated, the inTASC principals, modeled by the Council of Chief State School Officers (2011)

model core teaching credentials in which the teacher…

1. understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning

and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic,

social, emotional, and physical areas…

2. uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and

communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to

meet high standards.

3. works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative

learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in

learning, and self-motivation.


4. understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the

discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates…

5. understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage

learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related

to authentic local and global issues.

6. understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their

own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s

decision making.

7. plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by

drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills,

and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

8. understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to

develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build

skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

9. engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually

evaluate his/her practice…

10. seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for

student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school

professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance

the profession.

To further add, the inTASC principles institutes a proper evaluation based on the measures

associated with performance and essential knowledge teachers/educators should have in the areas


of the learning of the student, content, instructional practice, and professional responsibility

(Officers, 2011).

Overview and Analysis of Evaluation and Rationale

The evaluative mensuration determined by Dr. Robert J. Marzano aligned with the

inTASC principles, are used in the state of Florida to provide core evaluative measures for

students and teachers in determining the rigor of curriculum and the effectiveness of the

instruction/instructor. The public-school system states that the reason they adopted these

principles are because the Marzano research provides “One of the largest validation studies ever

conducted on an observation framework shows that the Marzano model’s research-based

structure is correlated with state [value-added models] VAMs” (Clark, 2016, p. 4).

Examination of the goals, objectives and learning outcomes

As far as the goals, objectives, and learning outcomes of the curriculum, the TERC

curriculum is focused on the improvement of the elementary mathematics curriculum. As far as

the goal of the curriculum, it is clearly defined that “making sense of mathematics is the heart of

the work, for students and teachers” (TERC, 2016, para. 1). The objectives are defined by grade

level and is determined by correlating Florida benchmark in the Common Core Curriculum. The

learning outcomes written here are from the unit summaries rather than from the scope and

sequence; therefore these objectives are brief.

Kindegarden. Broken into eight units – (1) classroom routines and materials, (2)

counting and measurement 1, (3) 2-D geometry, (4) counting and measurement 2, (5) 3-D

geometry, (6) addition, subtraction, and the number system 1, (7) modeling with data, and (8)

addition, subtraction, and the number system 2:


Unit 1 - Counting People, Sorting Buttons.

1. Students will be able to count and explore math materials

2. Students will be able to count and describe attributes

3. Students will be able to collect, count, and sort data

Unit 2 - Counting Quantities, Comparing Lengths.

1. Students will be able to count and represent quantities

2. Students will be able to compare lengths and quantities

Unit 3 - Make a Shape, Fill a Hexagon.

1. Students will be able to describe and make 2-D shapes

2. Students will be able to make and combine 2-D shapes

Unit 4 - Collect, Count, and Measure.

1. Students will be able to measure and count

2. Students will be able to change quantities

3. Students will be able to investigate numbers on tiles

Unit 5 - Build a Block, Build a Wall.

1. Students will be able to describe, make, and combine 3-D shapes

Unit 6 - How Many Now?

1. Students will be able to count larger quantities

2. Students will be able to investigate “how many in all?”

3. Students will be able to investigate “how many of each?”

Unit 7 - How Many Noses? How Many Eyes?

1. Students will be able to determine how data is similar and different

2. Students will be able to investigate and create a project using data

collected

3. Students will be able to count similar objects (i.e. noses and eyes)

Unit 8 - Ten Frames and Teen Numbers.


1. Students will be able to subtract within fluency of 5

2. Students will be able to compute complements of ten and the teen

numbers

3. Students will be able to measure and compare weights

First Grade. Broken into eight units – (1) addition, subtraction, and the number system

1, (2) 3-D geometry, (3) addition, subtraction, and the number system 2, (4) measurement and

fractions, (5) addition, subtraction, and the number system 3, (6) modeling data (7) addition,

subtraction, and the number system 4, and (8) 3-D geometry:

Unit 1 – Building Numbers and Solving Story Problems.

1. Students will be able to count and explore quantity

2. Students will be able to understand addition

3. Students will be able to understand subtraction

Unit 2 – Comparing and Combining Shapes.

1. Students will be able to compose and decompose shapes

2. Students will be able to describe and sort shapes

Unit 3 – How Many of Each? How Many in All?

1. Students will be able to count forward and backward

2. Students will be able to count “how many of each?”

3. Students will be able to understand multiple addends and equivalent

expressions

4. Students will be able to work with larger numbers

Unit 4 – Fish Lengths and Fraction Rugs.

1. Students will be able to measure and compare

2. Students will be able to understand halves and fourths

Unit 5 – Number Games and Crayon Problems.

1. Students will be able to understand number compositions up to 10


2. Students will be able to understand addition and subtraction

3. Students will be able to understand unknown change

Unit 6 - Would You Rather Be an Eagle or Whale?

1. Students will be able to collect, represent, and solve problems about

data in two categories

2. Students will be able to organize and collect data into three categories

Unit 7 – How Many Tens? How Many Ones?

1. Students will be able to count, add, and subtract groups of 10

2. Students will be able to understand the concept of tens and ones

3. Students will be able to add within 100

Unit 8 – Blocks and Buildings.

1. Students will be able to understand blocks and buildings

Second Grade. Broken into eight units – (1) addition, subtraction, and the number

system 1, (2) geometry and fractions, (3) addition, subtraction, and the number system 2, (4)

modeling with data, (5) addition, subtraction, and the number system 3, (6) linear measurement

(7) foundations of multiplication, and (8) addition, subtraction, and the number system 4:

Unit 1 – Coins, Number Strings, and the Story Problems.

1. Students will be able to understand math tools and classroom routines

2. Students will be able to answer “does order matter?”

3. Students will be able to compare quantities counting by groups?

4. Students will be able to solve story problems

Unit 2 – Attributes of Shapes and Parts of a Whole.

1. Students will be able to understand attributes of 2-D and 3-D shapes

2. Students will be able to recognize quadrilaterals, rectangles, and

squares

3. Students will be able to understand halves, quarters, and thirds


Unit 3 – How Many Stickers? How Many Coins?

1. Students will be able to play games involving combining amounts to

get 100 or $1 – “Sticker Station”

2. Students will be able to add and subtract within 100

3. Students will be able to problems with an unknown change or

unknown start

Unit 4 – Pockets, Teeth, and Guess My Rule.

1. Students will be able to work with categorical data

2. Students will be able to work with numerical data

Unit 5 –How Many Tens? How Many Hundreds?

1. Students will be able to create combinations of a 100

2. Students will be able to add within 100 and count to 1000

3. Students will develop fluency within 100

Unit 6 – How Far Can You Jump?

1. Students will be able to understand the concept of measurement (i.e.

inch, feet, yards, etc…)

2. Students will be able to understand two measurement systems

Unit 7 – Partners, Teams, and Other Groups.

1. Students will be able to explain if a number is even or odd

2. Students will be able to explore equal groups

Unit 8 – Enough For the Class? Enough For the Grade?

1. Students will be able to subtract within fluency of 100

2. Students will be able to create models for adding and subtracting

larger numbers

Third Grade. Broken into eight units – (1) multiplication and division 1, (2) modeling

with data, (3) addition, subtraction, and the number system 1, (4) 2-D geometry and


measurement, (5) multiplication and division 2, (6) fractions, (7) addition, subtraction, and the

number system 2, and (8) multiplication and division 3:

Unit 1 – Understanding Equal Groups.

1. Students will be able to understand things that come in groups

2. Students will be able to perform skip counting and understand 100

charts

3. Students will be able to understand arrays

4. Students will be able to understand division

Unit 2 – Graphs and Line Plots.

1. Students will be able to model with data

2. Students will be able to collect, represent, and analyze measurement

data

Unit 3 – Travel Storties and Collections.

1. Students will be able to work with 100

2. Students will be able to perform collections up to 1,000

3. Students will be able to add

4. Students will be able to find differences

5. Students will be able to understand subtraction stories

Unit 4 – Perimeter, Area, and Ploygons.

1. Students will be able to understand linear measurement

2. Students will be able to understand and find area

3. Students will be able to evaluate and understand triangles and

quadrilaterals

Unit 5 –Cube Patterns, Arrays, and Multiples of 10.

1. Students will be able to understand the relationship between

multiplication and division

2. Students will be able to solve multiplication and division problems


3. Students will be able to multiply by multiples of 10

Unit 6 – Fair Shares and Fractions on Number Lines.

1. Students will be able to understand the concept of fair shares –

“sharing brownies”

2. Students will be able to understand the many ways to make a share

Unit 7 – How Many Miles?

1. Students will be able to add and subtract numbers in the 100s

2. Students will be able to comprehend various addition strategies

3. Students will be able to comprehend subtraction

Unit 8 – Larger Numbers and Multi-Step Problems

1. Students will be able to solve division problems

2. Students will be able to solve multiplication and division problems

3. Students will be able to solve multi-step problems

Fourth Grade. Broken into eight units – (1) multiplication and division 1, (2) modeling

with data, (3) multiplication and division 2, (4) 2-D geometry and measurement, (5) addition,

subtraction, and the number system, (6) fractions and decimals, (7) number and operations 4, and

(8) analyzing patterns and rules:

Unit 1 – Arrays, Factors, and Multiplicative Comparison.

1. Students will be able to represent multiplication with arrays

2. Students will be able to find factors

Unit 2 – Generating and Representing Measurement Data.

1. Students will be able to model with data

2. Students will be able to use data to compare

Unit 3 – Multiple Towers and Cluster Problems.

1. Students will be able to break apart multiplication problems



3. Students will be able to understand various strategies for

multiplication

Unit 4 – Measuring and Classifying Shapes.

1. Students will be able to understand linear measurement

2. Students will be able to sort and classify polygons

3. Students will be able to measure angles

4. Students will be able to understand symmetry and area

Unit 5 – Large Numbers and Landmarks.

1. Students will be able to study addition

2. Students will be able to study subtraction

3. Students will be able to add and subtract large numbers

Unit 6 – Fraction Cards and Decimal Grids.

1. Students will be able to understand parts of a rectangle

2. Students will be able to compare fractions and decimals

3. Students will be able to add and subtract fractions and decimals

4. Students will be able to compute with rational numbers

Unit 7 – How Many Packages and Groups?

1. Students will be able to perform multiplication with 2-digit numbers

2. Students will be able to comprehend strategies of multiplication


Unit 8 – Penny Jars and Towers.

1. Students will be able to represent and analyze patterns

Fifth Grade. Broken into eight units – (1) multiplication and division 1, (2) 3-D

geometry and measurement, (3) rational numbers 1: addition and subtraction, (4) multiplication


and division 2, (5) analyzing patterns and rules, (6) rational numbers 2: addition and subtraction,

(7) rational numbers 3: multiplication and division, and (8) 2-D geometry and measurement:

Unit 1 – Puzzles, Clusters, and Towers.

1. Students will be able to understand properties of numbers

2. Students will be able to understand multiplication strategies

3. Students will be able to understand division strategies

Unit 2 – Prisms and Solids.

1. Students will be able to find the volume of solids

2. Students will be able to use standard cubic units

Unit 3 – Rectangles, Clocks, and Tracks.

1. Students will be able to compare and order fractions

2. Students will be able to add and subtract fractions

3. Students will be able to add and subtract mixed fractions

Unit 4 – How Many People and Teams?

1. Students will be able to understand and comprehend multiplication

strategies

2. Students will be able to understand and comprehend division

strategies and notation

3. Students will be able to use operations

Unit 5 – Temperature, Height, and Growth.

1. Students will be able to graph temperature and height

2. Students will be able to analyze geometric patterns

Unit 6 – Between 0 and 1.

1. Students will be able to represent and compare decimals

2. Students will be able to add and subtract decimals

Unit 7 – Races, Arrays, and Grids.


1. Students will be able to multiply and divide fractions

2. Students will be able to understand fractions as division

3. Students will be able to multiply and divide decimals

Unit 8 – Properties of Polygons.

1. Students will be able to categorize the properties of polygons

2. Students will be able to find the area and perimeter of related

polygons.

Examination of Content

In looking at the state’s curriculum, the TERC curriculum does not necessarily match

100% to the common core curriculum, but instead organizes the material in a way that is

comprehensive to elementary school students by adding a great deal of application-based

problems. In understanding the concepts in the TERC curriculum presented, the students at the

elementary school level will have a full understanding of the common core content arranged for

each grade level.

One example of a common core curriculum from the Pinellas County School Board

(PCSB), is the fifth-grade common core curriculum which is spread into five domains throughout

a period of one-full school year: (1) operations and algebraic thinking, (2) number and operations

in base-ten, (3) number and operations – fractions, (4) measurement and data, and (5) geometry

(Schools, 2016). The TERC fifth-grade curriculum arranges its material by way relating to (1)

multiplication and division, (2) 2-D and 3-D geometry, (3) rational numbers, and (4) analyzing

patterns and rules. The main differences in the curriculum now vs. the TERC curriculum is the

arrangement of lessons and the differences in what is placed in each category; which could mean

a great deal of change for teachers and students.


Examination of the instructional strategies, assignments, standards

The source videos included on the website are very outdated – by way of the use of the

technology and the year of publication (2012) – but the standards and sources of assessment

seem to be very similar with that of the one used today in the Florida public school system. The

use of strategies – students were asked to put their thumb up if they understood, thumb sideways

if they were getting there, and thumb down if they did not understand or comprehend the

material - like that the of the Marzano method are presented and would transition very well into

today’s standards and methods of evaluation. As far as putting these curriculum goals into a form

of scales, there are too many learning outcomes in each unit to break-down and the instructor

would have to create and put up different scales more than once a week at times. This may

become to chaotic and too much work for the teachers to handle.

Examination of the Scope and Sequence

The projected scope and sequence is very thorough and includes a more thorough

examination of the lesson objectives by explaining each learning outcome by unit – (1)

explaining the main math ideas and (2) their further subdivisions and supported ten-minute

activities. The entire scope and sequence can be found on the Investigations TERC curriculum

website - http://investigations.terc.edu/index.cfm.

Analysis of Assessment/Evaluation elements

The investigations website (2016) TERC curriculum explains that

there are also three kinds of formal assessment: checklists to track information

about the Mathematical Practices and about Benchmarks that can best be assessed

via observation (K-5); brief Quizzes every 8-10 Sessions that familiarize students

with a variety of test question formats (1-5) … (TERC, 2016, para. 6).

http://investigations.terc.edu/index.cfm


With that being said, the TERC curriculum uses constant forms of assessment ot make sure that

their students are constantly being evaluated to make sure that there is a differentiation in

curriculum for every child. There are even suggestions for what to do for students failing to meet

the content standards.

Audience

The appropriate audience for which this project is guided towards are those instructors

and administrators who wish to pursue this level of instruction in the classroom or school by way

of using inTASC standards and principals aligned with Dr. Robert Marzano’s methods of

teaching effectiveness. As far as the TERC curriculum, it is guided toward the elementary level

students and instructors who wish to pursue this type of differentiated curriculum.

Recommendations

There are a few suggestions that might make the curriculum presented more relatable to

the standards of the common core curriculum in Florida, (1) the curriculum online should

suggest a period of transition between the state’s current curriculum to the curriculum presented

within, (2) the lesson plans should try to match the format related to Dr. Robert J. Marzano or

suggest reasons, by way of research, of why the Marzano methods are not sufficient, (3) update

the source videos on the website to match that of the last couple of years rather than 2012, and

(4) place these learning outcomes in way of Web’s/Marzano scales for student evaluation and

broaden the units to have less learning outcomes - there are way too many.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the adoption of this curriculum would mean a variety of adjustments in the

scope of learning toward those entering and beginning to exit the elementary school level. The

only problem with adopting this curriculum is that students in upper grade levels would be lost


and those in the middle of the elementary school education would have to adjust to a different

learning environment than what they had before. The Marzano scales do not necessarily match

that of curriculum presented online in the scope and sequence; and lastly, there would have to

training for the teachers on how to use the new curriculum, which could cost the county a great

deal of money to transition to. Therefore, unless the curriculum can be transitioned in small

increments, the TERC curriculum would disrupt the flow of the standards used in the state of

Florida’s curriculum and that of the individual school boards in the state of Florida like the

PCSB.


References

Becker, E., & Gallo, M. (2008, February 13). InTASC Principles. Retrieved from University of

North Dakota: http://www.und.edu/instruct/mgallo/INTASC_Principles.html

Clark, D. (2016). Marzano framework validated with Florida vam. Retrieved from Marzano

Center: http://www.marzanocenter.com/MCTeacherEval_VAM%2020160328.pdf

Marzano, R. (2011, April). Research base and validation studies on the Marzano evaluation

model. Retrieved from Marzano Evaluation:

http://www.marzanoevaluation.com/files/Research_Base_and_Validation_Studies_Marza

no_Evaluation_Model.pdf

Officers, C. o. (2011, April). InTASC model core teaching standards: a resource for state

dialogue. Retrieved from ccsso.org:

www.ccsso.org/documents/2011/intasc_model_core_teaching_standards_2011.pdf

Schools, P. C. (2016). Elementary Mathematics . Retrieved from E-Learn:

http://elearn.pcsb.org/pluginfile.php/53100/mod_resource/content/0/2016-2017%20Fifth

%20Grade%20Content%20Guide.pdf

TERC. (2016). Investigations in number, data, and space . Retrieved from TERC:

http://investigations.terc.edu/index.cfm

University, C. (2016, January 7). Overview of Robert Marzano’s model of teaching effectiveness.

Retrieved from Concordia University: http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/curriculum-

instruction/overview-of-robert-marzanos-model-of-teaching-effectiveness/

brief description of your curriculum evaluation project

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