Newington high school

1. Newington high school Continuous Improvement Planning

2. Your Thoughts • What is differentiated Instruction? • What is a learning target?

3. Your Thoughts • Why learn about Differentiation and Learning Targets?

4. Why Differentiate? The Theoretical Argument: We must acknowledge differences in motivation, aptitude, prior learning and background experience that lead to differences in learning needs. (Hattie, 2009)

5. Why Differentiate? The Humanitarian Argument: We should treat students as individuals, recognizing who they are, and helping them do their best. (Dewey, 1900; Neill, 1960)

6. Why Differentiate? The Practical Argument: We can either deal with individual differences in instruction, or live with individual differences in learning outcomes. (Bloom, 1984; Guskey, 2007; Katz, 2009)

7. Why Differentiation? Differentiation is neither revolutionary nor something extra. It is simply teaching mindfully and with the intent to support the success of each human being for whom we accept professional responsibility.

8. Why Learn About Learning Targets? When used effectively… District Improvement Planning Learning Targets provide meaning and relevance to each lesson Learning Targets provide evidence of student performance for each lesson Research-based Instructional Strategies School Improvement Planning Learning Targets provide focus for both the teacher and student throughout each lesson

9. Tennis Ball Activity

10. Goal and Rules GOAL: The Goal of this activity is to get the tennis ball to pass through every group members hand in as short of a time period as possible. RULES: • Must pass through every group members hand • Must have one person in group designated as time timer & recorder of time • Three tries to get best time

11. Our Learning Targets forSession 1 (8:00 – 12:15) I can transferprevious learning on effective planning, instruction and assessmentto new learning I can summarize all fundamental aspects of Differentiation and Brain-based learning For Understanding I can summarize all fundamental aspects of Learning Targets I can collaborativelydevelop and present my findings on Differentiation, Brain-based Learning and Learning Targets.

12. Essential Questions • What are Learning Targets? • Why are Learning Targets essential for optimal learning to occur? Differentiation and Brain-Based Learning Learning Targets • What is Differentiation? • How does Brain-based Learning support Differentiation? • Why are these instructional elements essential for optimal learning to occur?

13. What are we going to do this morning? • In your group, learn about Differentiation and Brain-based learning, then Learning Targets • There are multiple resources and methods for learning in your packet (literature, various multi-media…) • You will need to divide up the responsibilities, meaning: • Who will engage in what learning? • Will you do it individually, in pairs, small groups? • After approximately 50 minutes, you will need to regroup, synthesize the information, and present your findings to a partner group. • You have: • 50 minutes to Learn • 25 minutes to Plan (synthesize and develop) • 15 minutes to Present

14. Performance of Understanding What Do I Need to Understand? Differentiation and Brain-Based Learning Learning Targets I will know I can do this by… • Clearly explain the purpose of learning targets; including the following components: • Learning Target Trajectory • Essential Content for Lesson • Reasoning Process Essential for Lesson • Performance of Understanding • Stating the Learning Target • Collaboratively develop and Present group findings to another group • Reframe any personal and group misconceptions about Learning Targets I will know I can do this by… • Clearly explain the purpose of Differentiation; including the following components: • The 5 Key Principles • Brain Research • Mindset and Learning Environment • Curriculum and DI • Assessment and DI • Collaboratively develop and Present group findings to another group • Reframe any personal and group misconceptions about Differentiation and Brain-research

15. Success Criteria (Visual) • Your Learning – 50 min. • Develop Common Group Understanding & Presentation Present 15 min. • Synthesis of Group Learning and Presentation planning – 35 min.

16. A few expectations for our work together: • Askquestions. • Engagefully. • Integratenew information. • Openyour mind to diverse views. • Utilizewhat you learn.

17. Process for Learning Schedule Review….

18. Lunch

19. SESSIONS 1 & 2 AT A GLANCE Part I – What We’ve Accomplished! • Our Purpose Today • Differentiation and Brain-based instruction – What and Why! Deepening Understandings • Learning Targets – What and Why! - Building the Foundation Part II – Where we are going! • Process and Application – Creating Learning Targets using Curriculum Objectives, the 4 Step Process, Brain- based and differentiated instruction • Next steps – Continuous Application and expectations

20. Learning Targets(Session 2) I can collaboratively develop comprehensive Learning Targets for each objective in a unit of study For Understanding I can collaboratively plan to differentiate at least one component of a segment of learning

21. Performance of Understanding Iwill know Ican do this when… • I can break apart an objective into “chunkable” lessons – sequencing learning • I can take each day’s learning “chunk” and create a clear, specific, and descriptive target statement and use it to plan my lesson. • I can describe exactly what my students will come to know (the essential content) or be able to do (the essential skills), and how they will be required to think about that content (essential reasoning process) as a result of today’s lesson. • I can describe exactly why I am asking my students to learn this chunk of information on this dayand in this way. • I can describe exactly what I will “look for” to support my claim that my students have mastered the learning target for today’s lesson. • I can require that what my students actually do, say, write, or make during today’s lesson will produce compelling evidence of what they understand and/or are able to do in relation to the learning target. • I can make the learning target relevant to students

22. Essential Questions • How do I design the right learning target for each day’s lesson;and use it along with my students to aim for and assess understanding? • How do I integrate differentiated instruction and brain-research into my lesson design?

23. A Guided TourHow do I design the right learning target for each day’s lesson and use it along with my students to aim for and assess understanding? • Start with the curriculum Standard(s) or Goal(s) • Identify key Skills and Concepts students must know and be able to do • Develop Objectives • Order the Objectives • Determine how long it will take to teach each objective • Develop Learning Targets for each day’s lesson

24. Start with the Standard or Curriculum Goal Curriculum Goal Discuss Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and his significant writings and speeches and their relationship to the Declaration of Independence, such as his “House Divided” speech (1858), Gettysburg Address (1863), Emancipation Proclamation (1863), and inaugural address (1861 and 1865).

25. Essential Learning • Essential knowledge. My students must learn that… • There are relationships between writings and speeches that have influenced the world, past and present. • Essential skills. My students must be able to… • Understand and discuss main ideas from each document and speech • Make connections among speeches and documents • Demonstrate the impact each has had, past and present.

26. Identify Objectives Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Gettysburg Address [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the “House Divided” speech [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Emancipation Proclamation [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the text of the inaugural address (1861 and 1865 [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Declaration of Independence [comprehension level] Make connections among ideas in the Gettysburg Address and other historical and/or contemporary ideas (e.g., in the Declaration of Independence or other documents and/or in current events). [Higher Order Thinking]

27. Order Objectives Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Gettysburg Address [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the “House Divided” speech [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Emancipation Proclamation [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the text of the inaugural address (1861 and 1865 [comprehension level] Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Declaration of Independence [comprehension level] Make connections among ideas in the Gettysburg Address and other historical and/or contemporary ideas (e.g., in the Declaration of Independence or other documents and/or in current events). [Higher Order Thinking]

28. Selected Objective(s) • Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Gettysburg Address [comprehension level] • Make connections among ideas in the Gettysburg Address and other historical and/or contemporary ideas (e.g., in the Declaration of Independence or other documents and/or in current events). [Higher Order Thinking]

29. Step 1: Define the Essential Content (concepts and skills) for the Lesson OBJECTIVE(S) • Explain the literal meaning of the text of the Gettysburg Address [comprehension level] • Make connections among ideas in the Gettysburg Address and other historical and/or contemporary ideas (e.g., in the Declaration of Independence or other documents and/or in current events). [Higher Order Thinking] • My students must learn how to extract information from the text, specifically • Main ideas & • Supporting Details • My students must learn to explain their findings and support it with evidence from the text. • My students must learn to connect major ideas from multiple sources. • My students must learn to demonstrate the impact a written document or speech has on others. • My students must be able to work collaboratively to formulate major ideas and explain connections

30. Step 2: Define the reasoning process essential for the lesson (think of Bloom’s Taxonomy) Learning Considerations • What experiences have my students had practicing analyzing documents and speeches to extract the main idea and details? • How can I connect this concept to something relevant and meaningful to them? • Can my students connect information and demonstrate their understanding in multiple ways? • How will I ensure my students understand the historic and current impact of these documents and speeches? Elements of the Lesson • My students must learn to analyze a sequence of speeches and writings to understand the connections between those documents or speeches, and how that impacts others.

31. Step 3: Design a Strong Performance of Understanding that will provide evidence of student learning Learning Considerations • My students need to be able to put information into their own words • My students will need to demonstrate the impact a written document or speech has on others, both past and current. • My students can generate ideas and design a product that represents those ideas Elements of the Lesson • My students must engage in a performance of understanding that: • Demonstrates their understanding of text, • Connects main ideas from the Gettysburg Address to the Declaration of Independence and other sources, • expresses the relevance of main ideas through both past and current perspectives

32. Step 4: State the Learning Target • My learning target today is to understand what the Gettysburg Address meant in 1863 and what it means today. I will know I have hit the target when: • I can put the speech into my own words. • I can explain how the Gettysburg Address echoes some ideas from the Declaration of Independence and other Historical documents. • I can explain why the Gettysburg Address still affects people today.

33. What Instructional Activities could Students Engage In? - Opportunity to differentiate!!! • Group "unpacking" of text. Sentence by sentence, students in pairs or small groups put the text into their own words. They either look up or figure out the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. [Oral or written activity, obj. a.] • Give students the text of the Declaration of Independence. Ask them to identify as many points as they can in the Gettysburg Address that refer to something in the Declaration of Independence, and show and explain the connections. Possible adaptation: ask students with below-grade reading skills to concentrate on the first sentence in the Gettysburg Address and the preamble to the Declaration. [Written project, obj. a, b.] • Pretend you are making a bulletin board for a class that is studying the Gettysburg Address. In the style of a graphic novel, draw panels that illustrate the speech. Be prepared to explain your drawings. [Representational project and oral presentation, obj. a. Note: This project is even better if students create a real bulletin board.] • What effect does the message of the Gettysburg Address have on you, reading it today? Can you find any quotes from more recent presidents expressing similar ideas about soldiers who gave their lives in wars? What do you think are the effects of these comments on family members of the soldiers and on U.S. citizens in general? [Written project or oral presentation, obj. a, b.] • Lincoln's phrase "government of the people, by the people, for the people" became a very famous expression about democracy. (1) Using the Internet and the selected literature, find out what sources historians think influenced him to use that phrase. Describe these sources and how they relate to Lincoln and his speech. (2) Although this phrase is not in the Declaration of Independence, show how the phrase also echoes some of the ideas in the Declaration. (3) Given what you know about Lincoln's political views, why do you think he decided to end his speech with this powerful rhetorical device? [Extended written project or paper, obj. a, b.]

34. What are some possible assessments? - Opportunity to differentiate!!! • Conduct in-class oral questioning, preparing questions ahead of time. • Build performance assessment opportunities into instructional activities 2, 3, 4, or 5 (above). • Use criteria to construct rubrics for giving feedback during work. • Use the same rubrics to score or grade the final product. • Use selected- or constructed-response questions. • Exit slip – How does the Gettysburg Address impact me, today?

35. Your Turn!

36. Reflecting on Today! • What did you feel were the strengths and weaknesses of your learning today?

37. Reflecting on Today! Close! I know what I am doing, just need practice. Bull’s-eye! I can do this well all the time. Just beginning. I’m not sure how to do this yet Getting better. I’m starting to understand what to do.

38. Take Aways • Learning Targets are a research-based effective instructional strategy proven to improve student performance. • Differentiated instruction is necessary to reach the needs of all learners. • When used effectively together, learning results in great student achievement gains.

39. END

43. Curriculum Objective: Learning Target 1: I can… Learning Target 2: I can… Learning Target 3: I can… Performance Understanding I will show this by… Performance Understanding I will show this by… Performance Understanding I will show this by… Look-fors I will look for… Look-fors I will look for… Look-fors I will look for… Relevance It is important b/c… Relevance It is important b/c… Relevance It is important b/c…

44. What are learning targets? • Read Chapter 1: Learning Targets: A Theory of Action • Note taking during and after reading (bulleted)

45. Session at a glance PART II • Process and Application – Creating Learning Targets using Curriculum Objectives, the 4 Step Process, Brain- based and differentiated instruction • Next steps – Continuous Application and expectations

46. Break

50. Our School-wide Objectives Objective #1 Increase student access to rigorous learning opportunities. Objective #2 Increase teacher time for collaborative work.