Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

Curriculum Project Understanding by Design Sandra Murray SNHU

Abstract: One of the biggest challenges in curriculum design is how to approach curriculum with the purpose of deepening understanding. An understanding is a mental construct, an abstraction made by the human mind to make sense of many distinct pieces of knowledge (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). This unit project focuses on integrated curriculum based lessons built with the backwards design methods highlighted in the Understanding by Design professional development model. These learning experiences include three essential questions that will guide the learning. Learning forward in the 21st century necessitates planning with the end in mind. Using the Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2004) model templates, a unit will be redesigned that addresses 21 st century integrated learning.

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

When considering the significant components of curriculum development, we recognize that we have a responsibility to prepare our learners now to become creative contributors in their futures (Jacobs, 2010). Considering the recent developments regarding Common Core State Standards, the need to proactively address facilitating smooth curricular transitions within districts, schools, and classrooms is necessary. From a top down perspective, knowing that the implementation timeline is eminent, supporting school level development of holistic integrated curriculum based on core standards is imperative. The Common Core State Standards empower New Hampshire districts, schools and teachers to focus on how to teach effectively, rather than what to teach. Because the national Common Core State Standards have been aligned with New Hampshire state standards, alignment at the district and school level should be easily facilitated using the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework. Using the UbDs backward design, teachers should be able to align common standards and outcome statements in order to design curriculum units, performance assessments, and classroom instruction, with focus on the development of cognitive, academic, emotional and physical competencies requisite to 21st century curriculum. Understanding by Design offers a 3-stage backward design framework for developing units of study at the classroom level. The same process guides larger-scale curriculum development for courses and programs across grade level and levels (Wiggins, 2005). To be proactive in improving educational efficacy and preparing all students for 21st century life, standards must be aligned with a content-rich curriculum and robust assessments also aligned to the Standards. Equally crucial to the success of the Common Core standards alignment, classroom teachers must be fully equipped to participate in the development of practices that provide tangible improvements in learning. Curriculum development is about defining and planning for what is important for students to know and be able to demonstrate within a content area

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

(Scribner-Maclean, 2011). Specifically, increased content knowledge and demonstrate-able deeper applied understanding of their learning will move students into the 21st century world. Educators need to consider highly effective ways to develop curriculum that will address the standards, create new lesson plans, deliver effective instruction, and use new assessments. Using the Understanding by design model will allow teachers to unpack the standards and focus on what students need to know, how they will be assessed and how to get them to those deeper and enduring understandings. Understanding can be defined as the wise and effective use of knowledge and skill in varied, important, realistic, and novel contexts (Wiggins, 2001). The desired results align what students will know and be able to do at the end of the unit of instruction, based on the standards and enduring understandings. An enduring understanding is an inference that requires inquiry and student-centered construction if it is to be understood. Within the three stages of UbD, enduring understandings are framed in the context of the established goals, content standards and curriculum objectives. Acceptable evidence is then determined from the perspective of validating student understandings in ways that quantitatively provide evidence of proficiency. Collecting evidence from assessment, both formative and summative, captures the diversity in the lesson design. Performance tasks, that may contain academic prompts, rubrics and formative assessment experiences, guide students through their learning by encouraging exploration, promoting critical thinking and encouraging the development of connections of their learning to the knowledge and skills necessary for cumulative and/or summative assessments. Using the WHERE TO concept to design lessons enables the teacher to design lessons in which the students will know what the learning targets are, why they are important and what the evaluative criteria is. Knowing the expectations and goals engages or hooks and holds the

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

student while encouraging exploration and experiential learning. Within the process students are provided time and feedback in order to to rethink, revise, refine and evaluate their work. Careful consideration of the diversity of learners in the classroom allows lessons and assessments to be tailored to individual student needs and learning styles and organized into a framework that maximizes student engagement and provides effective teaching and learning (McTighe & Wiggins, 2004). Performance tasks, created using the GRASPS principles, recreate learning scenarios that can simulate life experiences. Determining a realistic goal, a role to assume, and the target audience within and prescribed situation allows students to effectively participate and prepare a purposeful product based on predetermined standards and criteria. Rubrics can be effective tools for guiding and assessing the learning stages. Rubrics that consider what is essential to the expected understandings and clearly state the criteria at various levels are the most informative and credible assessment tools. The following integrated unit is part of a larger integrated unit that crosses all disciplines and focuses on literacy across the curriculum. This unit includes connections to New Hampshire geography and history, science and writing as well as 21st century communication and information technology skills and standards. As a mini-research unit, with focus on weather and geographic features that affect weather, students will explore and discover similarities and differences in their states regions and make connections to choices of lifestyles and recreation supported in those regions.

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

UbD Unit Plan Template Teachers Name: Grade 4 Teacher Unit Title: Visit NH! Approximate Time Frame: 3-4 weeks Stage 1 Desired Results Competency/Objectives: Integrated unit Main Theme - New Hampshire Social Studies Theme C: People, Places and Environment SS: GE: 4:2.1: Describe the physical and human characteristics of places, e.g., land forms or where people live. SS: GE: 4:2.5: Compare and contrast the ways in which different people perceive places, e.g., drawings and sketch maps of familiar places or examples from children's literature. S: SPS1: 4:5.3 Draw a conclusion to answer an initial question, based on the evidence collected. S: SPS3: 4:2.4 Locate and collect information about the environment and environmental and natural resources topics. W: HW: 1: Students use pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and critiquing to produce final drafts of written products. R: B: 4:3.2: Evaluating information presented in terms of relevance R: B: 4:3.3: Gathering information and using a given structure (e.g., chart, diagram, outline, etc.) to organize it R: B: 4:3.4: Using evidence to support conclusions Established Goals: Understandings: Students will understand that... Essential Questions: individuals, groups, and societies interact with each other and with their physical and social environments the weather affects a region and its peoples How do urban and rural lives differ and how does the difference between urban, suburban and rural areas affect the way people live?
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Subject/Course: Integrated Unit Social Studies/Science/Writing Grade Level: 4

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

(SS) Students will know Social Studies (SS) Science (Sc) Writing (W) Technology (T) Literacy (L) Why do people live where they live? (SS) Why is the climate in the geographic region in which your community is located important? (Sc) About how interactions of individuals, groups and societies with each other and the physical & social environments shapes communities. (SS) How to gather, interpret and communicate information in a variety of ways (Sc)(L)(T) How to integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. (W)(T) How to prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. (W) (T) Students will be able to

Find and collect information using 21st century tools and methods (T)(Sc) Comprehend a wide range of social studies and science -related materials and apply those concepts to daily life experiences (Sc)(SS)

Use economic and geographic data from sources such as documents, charts, pictures, architectural works; weather equipment such as thermometers, rain gauges, barometers; technology tools such as auditory and visual sources to draw conclusions about regional weather patterns and predict future patterns (SS)(Sc)(T)

Brief Summary of the Unit: Social Studies: This integrated unit will focus on the study of regional New Hampshire and involves an examination of how people interact with the physical and cultural environments, use the states limited resources for the advantage of both individuals and groups, participate as informed public citizens in the life of their communities, gain personal and societal knowledge
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Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

and apply it in daily living to make choices both individually and as groups to live and play in various geographic area of New Hampshire. Students will collect, review and refine products for inclusion in a summative product, Travel brochure, in Unit 3. Science: Classroom activities will provide students opportunities to engage in concrete manipulative activities that will lead students to construct justifiable concepts through investigation and analysis of experience. Students will observe weather patterns and create charts and tables that might be used in the Travel Brochure in Unit 3 Literacy and Writing: Students will use effective writing skills to clearly communicate information they have collected and interpreted effectively. This unit will provide information for a Travel brochure that will be created in Unit 3. Technology: Become proficient in the use of 21st century tools to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information within the context of the core subjects

Desired Results within Unit Established Goals: Students will: Learn to use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating understanding of the subjects they are studying, and conveying real and imagined experiences and events Learn that the purpose of writing is to communicate clearly to an external, sometimes-unfamiliar audience and use classroom technologies to present information. Understandings: Students will understand that Routinely writing over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences will improve literacy and communication. Gathering relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assessing Why is the climate in the geographic region in which your community is located important?
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Essential Questions: Why do people live where they live? How does the difference between urban, suburban and rural areas affect the way people live?

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrating the information while avoiding plagiarism will assure accurate and interesting texts. Writing narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences enhances reader engagement. Students will know How to write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. How to write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. How to prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. How to integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse 21st century media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence (GRASPS) Performance Task 1:

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD Create and maintain electronic journal (blog)

Evidence: Rubrics provided at start of task Concurrent daily blog entries on class blog spot with well crafted observations based on the activator for each day One twitter per week containing one fact about chosen area. Persuasive letter

about your observations about the weather in one of these five regions of New Hampshire (North Country, Seacoast, Southern NH, Western NH, Lakes Region) Tweet one fact a week on the class Twitter Write a one page persuasive letter to the principal about why students should or should not be able to use playground equipment in winter. Performance Task 2: Using the tools and instructions available in the science center, make daily observations on your weather chart. Use the IPad or classroom computers to visit a town in your chosen region and record the daily weather for two weeks. Predict the weather for week three based on your observations. Support your prediction with data you have gathered. Tweet your Weather Person prediction. Create a Glogster poster about this weeks weather. Publish it on the class Glogster Page. Performance Task 3: Using the information gathered by your group, plan and script three-minute weather show. Use the Smart Board as a background and a Flip Camera to record your show. Alternative: Create an electronic presentation (PowerPoint, Keynote, etc.) and record the audio. Use graphics, charts and weather data collected

Evidence: Rubrics provided at start of task Weather chart, graph and lab report with summary. Vocabulary checkpoint (weather) Regional weather observation chart

Weather Person tweet. Electronic poster for peer review.

Evidence: Rubrics provided at start of task Peer reviewed short movie. Presentation (stand alone) with collected data and audio narrative.

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

Unit 1 - Checklist

Due

Complet ed

I have completed the KWL worksheet, and reviewed the Rubrics. I have worked with my group to agree on our projects focus I have selected a region for research. I have reviewed the Netsmartz resources. I have completed the Weather lessons on Scholastic.com. I have taken the vocab quiz. I have completed the weather chart and predicted the weather. * I have I have created my Glogster poster and published it to the class site. I have cited the Internet resources for my Blog and Twitter I have created a folder for my research notes on the common drive I have decided to create a video ___ or a slide show___. I have selected a collection of photos to be used in the blog and presentation I have edited my Blog comments (Grammar and Spell check, etc.) and have commented on my classmates blogs * I have I participate in my groups presentation and correctly respond to questions asked by the viewers (audience) I have written a narrative reflection about the lessons, the process and steps taken in creating this project, using the Critical Thinking criteria.

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Curriculum Framework Project - UbD

*Enrichment activities Please complete the statement for any activity that you have completed using a classroom enrichment activity card or discovery card.

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Curriculum Framework Project UbD

KWL Chart The letters KWL stand for what you Know, what you Wonder about, and what you Learn. Filling out a KWL chart can help you gather information for an informative essay. Write what you already Know. Write questions you Wonder about. Write answers you Learn.

What do I Know?

What do I Wonder?

What did I Learn?

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Curriculum Framework Project UbD

Multimedia Project Rubric

Communicate complete information on your topic with: __ Internet graphics, ____original graphics, ____ animations, ____ video ____narration.
Beginner: 1 point Novice: 2 Points Intermediate: 3 points
Includes essential information with most sources properly cited. Includes enough elaboration to give readers an understanding of the topic.

Expert: 4 points
Covers topic completely and in depth. Includes properly cited sources and complete information. Encourages readers to know more. Includes at least ___ cards, 5 or more graphics from outside sources, 5 or more animations and several advanced features, such as video. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalizatio n are correct. No errors in the text.

Self Evalua tion

Peer Teacher Evaluation

Topic/Content

Includes little essential informatio n and one or two facts

Includes some essential information with few citations and few facts.

Technical Requirements (To be filled in by teacher)

Includes ___ cards or less, few graphics from outside sources, few animation s and advanced features. Includes more than 5 grammati cal errors, misspellin gs, punctuatio n errors, etc. Cannot work with others in most situations. Cannot share decisions or responsibi lities. Great difficulty communic ating ideas. Poor voice projection. Little preparatio n or incomplet e work.

Includes ___ cards or less, fewer than 3 graphics from outside sources, fewer than 3 animations and few advanced features, such as video, 3-D, or sound. Includes 3-4 grammatical errors, misspellings, punctuation errors, etc.

Includes at least ___ cards, at least 3 graphics from outside sources, at least 3 animations and some advanced features, such as video.

Mechanics

Includes 2-3 grammatical errors, misspellings, punctuation errors, etc.

Cooperative Group Work

Works with others, but has difficulty sharing decisions and responsibiliti es. Some difficulty communicati ng ideas, due to voice projection, lack of preparation, or incomplete work

Works well with others. Takes part in most decisions and contributes fair share to group.

Works well with others. Assumes a clear role and related responsibiliti es. Motivates others to do their best. Communicat es ideas with enthusiasm, proper voice projection, appropriate language, and clear delivery.

Oral Presentation Skills

Communicates ideas with proper voice projection. Adequate preparation and delivery.

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Curriculum Framework Project UbD

Twitter Rubric

http://www.uwstout.edu/static/profdev/rubrics/Twitter_Rubric.html

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Curriculum Framework Project UbD Persuasive Letter Rubric

4 Audience Demonstrates a clear understanding of the potential reader and uses appropriate vocabulary and arguments. Anticipates readers questions and provides thorough answers appropriate for that audience. The purpose statement is clear, strong statement of the authors position on the topic. 3 Demonstrates a general understanding of the potential reader and uses vocabulary and arguments appropriate for that audience. 2 Demonstrates some understanding of the potential reader and uses arguments appropriate for that audience. 1 It is not clear whom the author is writing for.

Purpose Statement

The purpose statement provides a clear statement of the authors position on the topic. Includes 3 or more reasons (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the goal or thesis statement.

A purpose statement is present, but does not make the authors position clear. Includes 2 reasons (facts, statistics, examples, reallife experiences) that support the goal or thesis statement.

There is purpose statement.

Reasoning

Includes 3 or more reasons (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the goal or thesis statement. The writer anticipates the readers concerns, biases or arguments; and has provided at least 1 counter-argument. All of the facts and examples are specific and relevant, and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the authors position. Arguments and support are provided in a logical order that makes it easy and interesting to follow the authors train of thought.

Includes 1 or fewer reasons (facts, statistics, examples, reallife experiences).

Content Accuracy

Most of the facts and examples are specific and relevant, and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the authors position. Arguments and support are provided in a fairly logical order that makes it reasonably easy to follow the authors train of thought.

At least one of the facts and examples is relevant and has an explanation that shows how that piece of evidence supports the authors position. A few of the support details or arguments are not in an expected or logical order, distracting the reader and making the letter seem a little confusing.

Facts and examples are not relevant and/or are not explained.

Flow

Many of the support details or arguments are not in an expected or logical order, distracting the reader and making the letter seem very confusing. Fewer than 75% of the requirements for a formal persuasive letter are evident. Author makes more than 4 errors in grammar and/or spelling.

Letter Format

All the requirements for a formal persuasive letter are evident.

Almost all the requirements for a formal persuasive letter are evident.

Several of the requirements for a formal persuasive letter are evident.

Grammar & spelling (conventions)

Author makes no errors in grammar or spelling.

Author makes 1-2 errors in grammar and/or spelling.

Author makes 3-4 errors in grammar and/or spelling

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Curriculum Framework Project UbD

Classroom Blog Guidelines: The following guidelines have been established to safeguard the safety of students when blogging. The guidelines are also reminders of how to use the classroom blog to improve writing and keyboarding skills. Students work will only be identified using assigned names. All comments should use these names only. Remember to use citations if you borrow someone elses words, thoughts or media. All comments submitted will be approved before they are included on the blog. Inappropriate or disorganized writing will not be approved. Draft and edit off line for the best results. Proofread your comments carefully. Consider your readers. Always write in full sentences and words no acronyms or abbreviated text talk will be allowed. Before we start we will visit a website that will give us a little background on Internet use and safety. These shortcuts are in the class resources folder on the computers common drive. Discuss Internet safety with your family and take the safety pledge.

Critical Thinking Reflection:

Visit CriticalThinking.org and view the videos. Write a reflection based on the criteria from the videos.

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Curriculum Framework Project UbD

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Curriculum Framework Project UbD

Assessment Task 1. What understandings or goals will be assessed through this task? Students will understand the general distinctions between weather and climate.

2. What criteria are implied in the standards and understandings regardless of the task specifics? What qualities must student work demonstrate to signify that standards were met? Weather and Climate The water cycle Observation/analytical data Writing clearly, persuasively and descriptively

3. Through what authentic performance task(s) will students demonstrate understanding? Task Overview: Considering what students have learned about weather. Students will identify the effects of recent weather, for example, icy playground, no access to the playground equipment, etc. and create a daily weather journal for tracking this weeks weather. Students will make assumptions/predictions, based on analysis of short-term data about whether the playground equipment will/should be accessible next week. Write a letter to the principal explaining why the equipment should or should not be available. 4. What student products and performances will provide evidence of desired understandings? Observational Journal Letter to principal

5. By what criteria will student products and performances be evaluated? Accurate data collection and analysis Narrative and persuasive writing strategies and form Spelling accuracy Understanding weather cycle

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Formative Assessment Task: Read all of the statements below. If you can fill in the blanks, go ahead and do so. Then, please visit http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/k4/online/Wonline1.html and play the Timmy Bowtie Weather game. As you are playing the game check your answers and correct them, as you need to. Have fun; you can play the quiz game as often as you need to. Keep this in your weather folder to use as a study guide. 1. Water that falls from the sky is called _________________. 2. Regular cycles of weather changes are called ______________. 3. The force of air pushing down on the earth called air pressure is measured with a ________________. 4. The main source of energy that creates the earths weather is the __________. 5. Long-term patterns of weather in different parts of the world are called ___________. 6. Some types of precipitation are _________ and __________. 7. The change of water from solid to liquid to gas and back is called the _____________________. 8. The form of precipitation, whether it is rain or snow, depends on the _________________? 9. The three major climate zones are ____________, ______________and ____________. 10. All of the Earths air is called the ________________. 11. The day-to-day change in air pressure, temperature and precipitation is called ____________. 12. ______________ is the average temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and air pressure in an area that typically stays the same for very long periods of time. Use these vocabulary words to help you fill in the blanks. * Challenge words Climate Weather Rain Snow Tropical Condensation * Temperate Polar Temperature Water cycle Atmosphere Clouds Sun (solar energy) Barometer Air pressure Thermometer Seasons Precipitation * Evaporation * Wind

Name: _________________________________________________________Date:

Vocabulary Spelling Quiz: 1. Water that falls from the sky is called _________________. 2. The force of air pushing down on the earth called air pressure is measured with a ________________. 3. The main source of energy that creates the earths weather is called _________________. 4. Long-term patterns of weather in different parts of the world are called ______________. 5. Some types of __________________ are rain and hail. 6. The change of water from solid to liquid to gas and back is called the _____________________. 7. The form of precipitation, whether it is rain or snow, depends on the _________________. 8. The three major climate zones are ____________, ______________and ____________. 9. The day-to-day change in air pressure, temperature and precipitation is called ____________. 10. Regular cycles of weather changes are called ______________. 11. ______________is the force of air pushing down on the earth. 12. ______________ is the average temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and air pressure in an area that typically stays the same for very long periods of time. 13. ______________ is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor in the water cycle 14. Water vapor, in the atmosphere, that gets cold and changes back into liquid forms_________. 15. The process in which water vapor turns to liquid is called ____________. 16. All of the Earths air is called the __________. 17. A ___________ measures temperature. 18. The movement of air on the Earth is called _______________.

Weather Data Collection Sheet

Name:

Week 1: Date Wind Direction Wind Speed (Rotations per min.) Wind Direction Air Pressure Temperature Rain (in inches) Snow (in inches)

Week 2: Date Wind Direction Wind Speed (Rotations per min.) Wind Direction Air Pressure Temperature Rain (in inches) Snow (in inches)

PredictWind Direction Wind Speed (Rotations per min.) Wind Direction Air Pressure Temperature Rain (in inches) Snow (in inches)

Adapted from Weather Data Sheet http://www.scholastic.com

Class Reading Reflections Blog Rubric

Proficient -3 point Developing -2 poin s ts Beginning-1 point Blog entry shows evidence of preparation through reading. Author speaks as one who has knowledge to share. Blog entry contains information for reader. The entry addresses the topic. Blog entry communicates evidence of a personal response to topic; demonstrates the author is capable of reflecting on learning. Comments to two classmates' blog entries. Reply shows some thought has been given to other students' comments. Blog entry may have some errors in standard written English that rarely interfere with understanding. Blog entry shows little evidence of preparation through reading or reflection. Blog entry shows no evidence of preparation through reading or reflection.

CATEGORY

Strong -4 points

Preparation of Blog entry shows blog entry evidence of thorough preparation through reading or reflection. Author speaks as one who has knowledge to share. Quality of content Blog entry contains much information for reader. The entry addresses the focus topic completely. Blog entry communicates much evidence of a personal response to the topic; demonstrates the author's growth through reflection on learning.

Blog entry contains minimal information for reader. The entry addresses the focus topic.

Blog entry contains minimal information for reader. The entry does not address the focus topic.

Personal reflection

Blog entry Blog entry shows communicates no personal little evidence of a response to topic. personal response to topic.

Comments on Comments to two others' entries classmates' blog entries. Reply is thoughtful; comments and replies in a way that promotes conversation. Conventions Blog entry shows few, if any errors in standard written English that do not interfered with understanding.

Comments to two classmates' blog entries. Reply shows little thought given to students' comments. Blog entry has several kinds of errors in standard written English that interfere with understanding.

Comments to classmates' blog entries are not submitted.

Blog entry has frequent and severe errors in standard written English that interfere with understanding.

Requirements All written requirements outlined on the assignment sheet were met on time with clear expression. Answers were comprehensive.

All written All written Requirements requirements requirements were were not met on were met on time met. time with clear expression.

Curriculum and Instruction: A 21st Century Skills Implementation Guide. (2009). Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Tucson, AZ Franker, K. (2010, September 19). Twitter Rubric. Retrieved March 19, 2012, from University of Wisconsin website: http://www.uwstout.edu/static/profdev/rubrics/Twitter_Rubric.html Grade Level Expectations. Retrieved February 9, 2012, from New Hampshire Department of Education website: ww.education.nh.gov/instruction/assessment/necap/gle.htm Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Netsmartz Kids. (2012). Retrieved March 1, 2012, from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website: http://www.netsmartzkids.org/ McTighe, J., Wiggins, G. (2005). Understanding by Design: Expanded 2nd Edition. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. McTighe, J., Wiggins, G. (2004). Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Rubistar for teachers - Create a new rubric. (2008). Retrieved March 27, 2012, from University

of Kansas website: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=NewRubric Scholastic Teachers Weather Watch. (2012). Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Scholastic website: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/ Scribner-Maclean, M. (2011). Introduction to curriculum development. EDU 547 SNHU. The Critical Thing Community - For young students. (2011). Retrieved March 22, 2012, from Criticalthinking.org website: http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/for-young-studentselementaryk-6/792

Critical Elements Background

Not Evident Fails to provide background information Fails to highlight key points

Basic Briefly describes background information Briefly highlights key points

Proficient Provides a good overview Highlights key points. Attempts to define the context from multiple perspectives Highlights key points. Attempts to define the context from multiple perspectives Minor errors related to spelling, grammar, and style

Distinguished Provides a comprehensive overview

Milestone # 1 Main Elements

Highlights key points. Presents a well-defined context from multiple perspectives Highlights key points. Presents a well-defined context from multiple perspectives
No errors related to spelling, grammar, and style

Milestone # 2 Main Elements

Fails to highlight key points

Briefly highlights key points

Mechanics

Major errors related to spelling, grammar, and style

Some errors related to spelling, grammar, and style

APA Citation

None of the sources are accurately documented in APA format

Some sources are not accurately documented in APA format

Project Requirement s

The project lacks presentation of the main elements and requirements

The project includes some of the main elements and some of the requirement s

All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented , but many are not in APA format The project includes most of the main elements, and all of the requirement s

All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in APA format

The project includes all requested information

Total Points