Curriculum and Rigor in your Classroom

“Teaching is only as good as the learning that takes place.” International Center for Leadership Education

Warm-UpIf you could provide schools with your perfect 5-

step recipe for implementing Rigorous Lessons using the phrases below, what elements would your recipe include?

• A pinch of …• A teaspoon of…• A cup of…• A quart of…• A gallon of…

•Assessment•Relevance•STEM activities•Standards•Common Core•Benchmarks•Eligible Content •Difficulty•Complexity•Progress Monitoring•Quality Instruction•Planning

•Coaching support•Lesson Study•Problem solving•Scaffold support•Standards aligned

system

Discussing Rigor and Relevance

• Cloze• Frayer Model– Rigor – Relevance

Use Total Participation Technique-BOUNCE card to discuss•Bounce•Inquire•Sum it Up

Rigor is not…

• Something else you have extra to do on top of everything else

• More.– More pages – More of the same math problems– More homework

Rigor is…

• Part of quality instruction• Part of a quality schooling experience

• You cannot have quality instruction or a quality school without rigor

#1 How rigorous is this assignment? Design a controlled experiment investigating bacterial growth•Develop a question•Develop a hypothesis•Design and carry out the experiment to test the hypothesis (changing only one variable at a time)•Write up the experiment and results •Use the rubric to evaluate your report before turning it in

#2 How rigorous is this assignment?Using the materials in the class and what you have learned about sound…• Design a musical instrument that changes pitch at least

three times• Name your instrument and write a description that

includes an explanation of how the instrument makes different pitches • Play your instrument for the class, showing how it changes

pitch • Use the rubric to review the instrument and description

before turning them in

Is Your Lesson Rigorous?

Examine your lesson using:• Bloom’s and Webb’s DOK • Three Elements of Rigor• Rigor Quick Check

Examples of Instructional StrategiesStrategy Quadrant A Quadrant C Quadrant B Quadrant D

Brainstorming ** *** * ***Cooperative Learning ** ** *** ***Inquiry * *** ** ***Guided Practice *** ** ** *Lecture *** ** * *

Rigor Quick CheckReminder: Look at what students are being asked to do.

Content: Is the content part of the state standards? Does it include basic skills and important concepts? Does the content require students to apply core academic knowledge to problems or issues?Instruction: Does the instruction require students to engage in higher order thinking skills? Are students required to engage in elaborated communication? Do they have to explain or justify their conclusions or thinking? Assessment: Is the assessment aligned to the lesson goals? Do students have to use higher order thinking skills on the assessment? Do students have to explain or justify their conclusions or thinking?

My onlyskill istakingtests.

Resources

• http://www.leadered.com/• http://www.pdesas.org/• http://www.serve.org/• Total Participation Techniques by Himmele and

Himmele

H.E.A.T. Index

Higher-Order Thinking Look-Fors Higher- Order Thinking Intensity Levels

1. Students taking notes only; no questions asked

2. Student learning/questioning at knowledge level

3. Student learning/questioning at comprehension level

4. Student learning/questioning at application level

5. Student learning/questioning at analysis level

6. Student learning/questioning at synthesis/evaluation levels

Engaged Learning Look-Fors Engaged Learning Intensity Levels

1. Students report what they have learned only

2. Students report what they have learned only; collaborate with others

3. Students given options to solve a problem

4. Students given options to solve a problem; collaborate with others

5. Students help define the task, the process, and the solution

6. Students help define the task, the process, and the solution; collaboration extends beyond the

classroom

Authentic Connections Look-Fors Authentic Connections Intensity Levels

1. The learning experience is missing or too vague to determine relevance

2. The learning experience represents a group of connected activities, but provides no real world

application

3. The learning experience provides limited real world relevance, but does not apply the learning to a

real world situation

4. The learning experience provides extensive real world relevance, but does not apply the learning to

a real world situation

5. The learning experience provides real world relevance and opportunity for students to apply their

learning to a real world situation

6. The learning experience is directly relevant to students and involves creating a product that has a

purpose beyond the classroom that directly impacts the students

Technology Use Look-ForsTechnology Use Intensity Levels

1. No technology use is evident

2. Technology use is unrelated to the task

3. Technology use appears to be an add-on and is not needed for task completion

4. Technology use is somewhat connected to task completion involving one or more applications

5. Technology use is directly connected to task completion involving one or more applications

6. Technology use is directly connected and needed for task completion and students determine

which application(s) would best address their needs