A unit defined within the Common Core is a three to six week series of specific lessons, learning experiences, and related assessments based upon designated Essential Standards and connected Supporting Standards. A Supporting Standard are those standards that are related to and support the teaching of an individual Essential Standard or of the overall unit. Each unit of study should have at least one to two reading standards included as well as the Lexile range in complexity of text tied to material selection. Each unit should be named to give it meaning of purpose. One method in naming a skill based unit of study could be according to their purpose and the dominant Reading and Writing focus throughout the unit.
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The process requires the PLC team to sequence all the elements of the selected standards for the unit into a coherent, workable framework of knowledge level and application. The critical elements to the success of the unpacking process is determining the depth and rigor by applying the Rigor and Relevance Framework, the scaffolding of skills using Depth of Knowledge Chart, and providing clear and concise language for students (Student Friendly Language). This can be accomplished through the use of Common Core Unit Development Template as the PLC team applies the Rigor Relevance Framework to each standard. To clearly define the work of unpacking a standard requires each member of the PLC team to seek out a deep understanding of what is meant by rigor and how rigor is correlated within the dichotomy of relevance.
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Depth of Knowledge with Karin Hess from DOE on Vimeo. |
Open Source Web 2.0 ToolsTied to this process is the three technology domains that have been establised to suport the Common Core standards that have been selected within the unit development template. These domains are open source software applications that define how technology could be used in the unit to support the authenticty of the task. For example, one of the identified authentic task for a unit might support data gathering and synthesis. Students experiencing the unit will be required to interact with technology to obtain the information necessary to complete the assigned task. They will be asked to research information and then report their information electronically.
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