1. UNPACKING
STANDARDS
A Summary of Material from
Leading a Team to Unpacking
Standards from
Georgia’s Leadership Institute for
School Improvement
2. THE THREE STAGES
Identifying Desired Results – Break down standard to
smaller pieces of learning
Assessment – Determine how to assess what students
know and how well they do
Have students met the desired results?
Instructional Design – Specify amount of time and
allows for sequencing and prioritizing of learning
3. STEPS TO IDENTIFYING DESIRED
RESULTS
Identify the Big Idea
Identify the Enduring Understanding
Identify the Essential and Key Questions
Identify the Knowledge and Skills
4. IDENTIFYING THE BIG IDEA
What student should know
and be able to do to master
the standard
Organize learning into
smaller pieces to organize
the general content
Guide teacher and student
to discover what is essential
and universal
5. IDENTIFYING THE BIG IDEA
Types of learning include
Major Concepts
Themes
Issues
Processes
Assumptions
Perspectives
These are connected and should be fully understood
6. IDENTIFYING ENDURING
UNDERSTANDINGS
A declaration or
generalization specifying
what students should
understand about the Big
Idea
Generalization = “Moral of the
Story”
Helps to understand the
complexity of standard
Defines what you should
remember in the long term
7. WRITING ESSENTIAL AND KEY
QUESTIONS
Forms structure for content
Gives cues about how to inquire into essential
meanings and understanding
8. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Broader questions that address the standard
Spark inquiry and spur discussion
Should spur more Key Questions
Open-ended questions
9. KEY QUESTIONS
Address each of the elements of the unit
Provide essential understanding in form of questions to
be answered
Sequenced so the learning flows
10. IDENTIFYING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Knowledge – what students should know once they
have mastered standard
Definitions, Formulas, Rules, Principles, Sequence and Timelines,
Critical Details, Key Facts, Events, Concepts
Skills – what students should be able to do
Actions, Procedures, Thinking Skills, Research, Interpersonal/Group
Skills, Study Skills, Psychomotor Skills, Basic Skills
12. SELECTED RESPONSE -- TRUE/FALSE
& MULITPLE CHOICE
Most Common
Best for Assessing Breath of Information
Recall and Recognition – ability to apply knowledge or
understanding of concepts and sequencing items
Typically Written Format
Students Need Good Reading Ability
Can be Administered to a Large Group
Easy to Score
Definate Right and Wrong
Can be Scored Automatically
13. CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE – FILL-IN-
THE-BLANK & ESSAY
Short Constructed Response Items
Student Generated Responses
Quick to Administer and Grade
Efficiently Uses to Assess Content Understanding
14. PERFROMANCE ASSESSMENT –
PRESENTATION & RHYTHM
MOVEMENT
Requires Student to Apply Learning to Task or
Situation
Demonstration of Knowledge Expected
Vary in Complexity, Time Required for Completion, and
Scope of Content
Tasks Must be Meaningful & Relevant
Must Use Knowledge & Skills being Learned
Great Opportunity for Motivation and Innovation
Adaptations & Accomodations Easy to Apply
15. INFORMAL ASSESSMENT –
QUESTIONING & INTERVIEW
Occur in Every Classroom,
Every Day
Teacher-to-Student or
Student-to-Student
May Have Specific &
Precise Criteria
Includes Self-Assessment
and Self-Reflection
16. DESIGNING INSTRUCTIONAL
UNITS
Key Design Question:
What learning experiences and teaching promote understanding,
interest, and excellence?
Design Considerations:
Research-based learning tools and teaching strategies
Design Criteria:
Where is it going?
Hook, Explore & Equip, Rethink & Revise, Exhibit & Evaluate
