Home

Syllabus

Career

College Life

Favorite Links

GCU

Business

Teachers

Links for Kids

 

SED-455:
Secondary Curriculum Development & Assessment

 

SED-455 is designing a 10-day curriculum unit in your content area using actual state standards.  The cornerstone is designing a model curriculum unit using the Backward Design.  Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe provide a way to move from simply covering the curriculum to designing a curriculum unit with student understanding.

 

Below I’ve tried to clear any misunderstandings from the syllabus explanations, however, do not hesitate to call or post any questions you may have.  Please refer to rubric before you start any assignment, as I will be grading directly from the rubric.  Leap to any topic needed

 

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Practicum

Writing Assignments

Rubric

Participation

Turnitin

 

 

Week 1 – The readings for this assignment will give you a educational philosophy of our authors.  I recommend everyone take the time to read the chapters to better understand how to complete the assignments.

 

Understanding Student Misconceptions This 1,000-1,250 words essay has three parts:

1.    Part 1: Identify and describe a common student misunderstanding from your content area (be sure to review the misconceptions listed in chapter 2, page 51 and pages 54-55 of our textbook (you need to identify one that is NOT in the textbook).  Be sure to include the specific name of the content area.

2.    Part 2: Analyze how backward design approach would address this student misunderstanding (at least 2-3 paragraphs).

3.    Part 3: Defend or qualify, explaining why you would make progress in eradicating the key obstacles to future understanding (at least 3 paragraphs).  This is where the research comes in, as you must use at least three peer-reviewed articles from the GCU Library to support your explanation.  For help using the GCU eLibrary, please visit this page: http://www.gcu.edu/Student-Affairs/Library/Tutorials.php  

4.    Additional tips:

·        Since this is a 400-level course, we are using APA style 6th edition for all paper formatting; please refer to the resources I provided on my “College Life” webpage under APA Focus. 

·        Please remember that strong writing includes a thesis statement in the introduction and tied to the conclusion.

 

 

 


 

Week 2: Clarifying Content Priorities

It's time to look at three theoretical camps regarding curriculum design: traditionalists, conceptual empiricists, and reconceptualists (critical theorists).  You will look at the strengths and weaknesses of each camp; then you will come up with your own personal position regarding curriculum theory.  Please be sure to use research to support your analysis; this includes our class readings and at least THREE peer-reviewed articles from the GCU Library.  Compile your findings in a chart or graphic organizer.  You will find a sample below, or come up with your own design.

 

Curriculum Nuts & Bolts

SED455 week 2 sample

 

 

File Size:

14 kb

File Type:

docx

 


Week 3: Gaining Clarity on Curricular Goals

There are two comprehensive assignments this week.  You will be using the "Key Design Elements" also known as “Understand by Design” (UbD) to complete Part 1 assignment and the EEI Lesson Plan Template for Part 2 assignment.  Following my step by step directions below will help you make sure you have covered everything.  HINT:  This assignment is the nuts and bolt of this entire class.  Be sure to create a new folder on your computer for your unit plan documents.  For example “finance unit plan”

1.    Part 1 – Consider what unit you would like to develop for a 10th, 11th or 12th grade.  Maybe you’d like a geometry unit or a novel, now is the time to start developing that unit.  This assignment will be the start of your week 7 & 8 assignments so be sure this is the unit you really want to complete.  If not this is the time to change your unit idea.

2.    Look at your state standards (be sure to look at standards for grades 10-12) that will work for that unit plan.  This part is difficult for even those seasoned teachers so never fear I am just a click away.  I really like doing this stuff so please don’t hesitate to ask me for help.

3.    The syllabus asks for 5 Key Design Elements (UbD) of Stage 1, however, that is confusing so we will do only ONE comprehensive unit plan that will include Stage 1, 2 and 3 of the “Key Design Elements” or UbD.  Open the template below and save it in your SED 455 folder. NOTICE the explanation & text page numbers in each section of the UbD to help guide you. 

a.    Goals section is where you type your standards.  Please use the number and words for each standard you plan to cover in this entire unit.

b.    What understandings are desired are your AIMS of the unit.  It is important to fully think this through from your standards as it will help you design your assessments.

c.    Essential Questions – Think of all the questions you will be asking your students every day of the unit.  Don’t worry if you haven’t covered every question as you will have time to revise and add as we move forward. 

d.    Key knowledge and skills – This will take time because I expect measurable objectives.  Be sure to use either the 6 facets verbs or the Bloom’s verbs (resources below).

e.    Assessment Evidence – Performance tasks can be a list of possible assignments students will turn in for grading.  Other evidence may also be graded but not listed under your performance tasks.

f.    Learning Plan – This is a list of your activities.  Our authors encourage the WHERETO statement.  For right now my focus is that your list of activities is aligned with your standards, objectives and assessment. 

 

CONGRATULATIONS YOU CREATED YOUR FIRST BACKWARD DESIGN UNIT PLAN!!

 

Downloads for Part 1

UbD Template

6 Facets of Understanding

6 Facets of Understanding Activities

Blooms Verbs

 

1.    Part 2 - Create a chart/matrix/graphic organizer identifying and describing the Six Facets of Understanding.  Please refer to our text and the handouts above. Remember that graphic organizers come in all shapes and sizes.  They are very helpful for your students so now is a good time to learn how to make graphic organizers for your students. 

2.    From your UbD unit plan in Part 1 or think of three activities for each facet.  This is your opportunity to ensure your activities in your unit plan cover the 6 Facets of Understanding.

3.    Create TWO lesson plans that incorporate a total of SIX activities (3 activities per lesson) that are represented in your six facets of understanding chart.  You should create lesson plans for day 1 and 2 from your unit plan you created in part 1.  Please use the EEI lesson plan template below.  

4.    Write a summative assessment for each lesson plan.  Your day 1 lesson plan should include a pre-test.  A pre-test can certainly be your final assessment. 

5.    Now is a good time to create your final assessment.  This is why they call it the backward design, create the test before the fun activities.  Once you have your final test in place it will help drive the rest of the unit plan/lesson plans. 

6.    Day 2 lesson may not warrant a summative assessment.  If unsure be sure to ask me for clarification.

 

HINT:  You will have many documents by the end of the unit.  I would create a separate folder just for your unit plan/lesson plans (week 8 submission).  Carefully save and name each lesson plan to match your unit.  Example if my unit was named finance my first lesson plan will be named “finance lesson 1”.  As a seasoned teacher you will have several unit plans.  Start out organizing in this manner so you can easily access your units and accompanying documents.

 

Downloads for Part 2

EEI Lesson Plan Instructions (take out the red font instructions & save as a blank template for your lesson plans)

Collection of Graphic Organizers

Prezi on the Six Facets of Understanding

 


Week 4: Practicum Journal 1

This is the first of four practicum observation journals that you will submit.  A few reminders:

1.    First and foremost, find a teacher in your content area in 10th, 11th or 12th grade.  You are required to observe this same teacher for 20 hours.  Please talk to me if you are having difficulty securing one teacher in the grades stated and in your content area.  

2.    You will obtain your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form in the GCU student portal to document and verify your time of practicum/field experiences.  Be sure to complete the form including the email address of your mentor teacher as well as the school district information.  This document must have your original wet signature.  Your mentor will sign and verify your clinical field experience.  Once the form has been verified and e-signed by your mentor, a copy will be emailed to you.  If you have difficulty obtaining the form contact me, your field experience counselor or GCU technical support.   

3.    Be sure and save a copy that is emailed to you because you will be submitting as an attachment with your week 8 Benchmark Assessment in LoudCloud.  Missing or incomplete Clinical Field Experience Verification Forms will follow the policy guidelines listed in the practicum/field experience manual. Which is a 20% deduction in addition to submitting a GCU Practicum Early Alert. If you are experiencing problems receiving the document, you can email COEdocmanagement@gcu.edu NOTE:  Old forms will not be accepted and the hours will be considered Incomplete. 

4.    The written journal should be 600-750 words reflecting what observations you made.  Items to address are curriculum trends, issues, lesson planning, assessments, implementation and/or what came up in our class discussions.  I would like to hear your recommendations on how you would improve any of these recommendations.  Please be sure to include the date of observation, school and teacher observed in your reflection.

5.    Submit ONLY the journal reflection in the assignment box.

 

Continue working on your unit plan and 10 lesson plans from week 3.  Your 10-day unit plan & assessment is due the First day (Monday) of week 7.


Week 5: Practicum Journal 2

This is the second of four practicum observation journals that you will submit.  A few reminders:

1.    Refer to the instructions above.

2.    Please review my feedback on your week 4 observation.  Address any requests or questions I provided on the feedback on your future observations and journals. 

 

Week 5: CLC: Curricular Decision Making

This assignment has two steps:

1.  Research your school district and determine what kinds of criteria are used to make curriculum decisions.  I encourage everyone to call the district office and speak with the curriculum director or whomever is in charge of the district’s curriculum.  Also look for the district’s website as they will have curriculum information.   Include answers to the following questions and share your findings with your team:

·        Who makes the decision?

·        How often is curriculum revised?

·        What are the guiding questions?

·        How are the assessments devised?

 

Please be sure to use the GCU Library in your research, as your group will need a minimum of six to eight peer-reviewed articles for support.

2.  Be sure to include the following:

·        Summary of each team member’s local findings.

·        Details about how local findings compare to the research of best practice.

·        Evaluation of deficiencies in the local districts.

·        Based on your research, what recommendations do you have for the local districts.

·        Compile an essay of 1,250-1,500 words. The assignment needs to be compiled by one member of the group with the title page identifying all group members.

Please use the SLIDE NOTES to expand on your ideas.  Additionally, include APA-Guidelines

 

Continue working on your unit plan and 10 lesson plans from week 3.  Your 10-day unit plan & assessment is due the First day (Monday) of week 7.

 


 

Week 6: Practicum Journal 3

 This is the third of four practicum observation journals that you will submit.  A few reminders:

1.    Refer to the instructions above.

2.    Please review my feedback on your previous observation.  Address any requests or questions I provided on the feedback on your future observations and journals. 


Week 6: Curricular Structures

This week’s assignment will be fun and I want you to use your creativity.  You will create a power point as if you were asked to present to parents/community about curricular structure (i.e., block schedule, year-round, AP, IB, gender based).  PLEASE THINK OF YOUR AUDIENCE AS PARENTS, not giving me an assignment.

 

Many schools are always considering an alternative curriculum structure to save money or as an intervention for student success.  Your goal is to convince your parents that the proposed curriculum structure will be the best one for the student population.  Be sure to address parents versus me as an assignment and include the following:

·        A title slide (with a welcome/thank you for attending).  A references slide (using APA style). **These two slides do NOT count towards the 16+ slide requirement.

·        Speaker Notes (please put them in the slide notes section of each slide).

·        Supporting evidence of 6 peer-reviewed articles from the GCU Library – this lets your parents know you have done your research.

·        Identification of the problem/question/issue.

·        Acknowledgement of context and assumptions – consider showing your parents which schools have implemented your proposed structure.

·        Unique perspective, hypothesis, or position.

·        Integration of other perspectives.

·        Conclusions, implications, and consequences.

·        Question slide – possibly a survey to get feedback from parents

 

Please be sure to review the rubric for additional grading notes.  An "EXCELLENT" PowerPoint presentation will have at least 17 slides (not including the title and references slides) and use 6 or more peer-reviewed articles from the GCU Library.

 

HEADS UP:  Please look at Topic 7 assignment it is due in your CLC Monday!!

 


Week 7: Practicum Journal 4

 This is the fourth and final practicum observation journals that you will submit.  A few reminders:

1.    Refer to the instructions above.

2.    Please review my feedback on your week 4 observation.  Address any requests or questions I provided on the feedback on your future observations and journals. 

3.    Submit ONLY the journal reflection to the Week 7 assignment box. A copy of the emailed Clinical Field Experience Verification Form must be submitted as an attachment with your week 8 Benchmark Assessment in LoudCloud.  Missing or incomplete Clinical Field Experience Verification Forms will follow the policy guidelines listed in the practicum/field experience manual. Which is a 20% deduction in addition to a GCU Practicum Early Alert.

 

Week 7: Component I: 10-Day UbD Curriculum Unit (Benchmark Assessment) Due on the first day of Week 7 (Monday)

This is our second CLC assignment which is a draft of your unit plan.  Take advantage of this opportunity to collaborate with your peers!  Submit Component I from the Benchmark Assignment directions.  You need to complete the following for your 10-day UbD curriculum unit: 

1.    Post a copy of your 10-Day UbD curriculum unit in your CLC discussion board by the first day of Week 7 along with a 300-400 word personal reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of your unit. 

2.    Provide a description of the students for which the unit is planned. Include a course and a unit statement. This helps the reviewer determine if the unit is the appropriate academic level (Grades 10th, 11th or 12th).

3.    Unit plan done in the UbD Template followed by 10 Lesson Plans in the EEI template.  Each element in the templates need to be addressed.

4.    Be sure to include a pre-assessment, which can be your summative assessment so you can compare data from both tests. Your lessons should have a variety of formative assessments and at least one student self-assessment.

5.    In your CLC assigned group post the strengths and weaknesses of each person’s curriculum unit based on your learning in the previous weeks of study.  Things to consider are:

a.    aligned standards, objectives and assessments. 

b.    Measurable objectives

c.    Facets of understanding

d.    varied formative assessments

e.    varied instructional strategies

f.    Differentiated instructional statement align with the activities

g.    What changes (if any) are needed in order for the unit to meet the needs of diverse learners?

6.    Provide 3+2 feedback – offer three positive points/strengths and two suggestions for improvement to each member of your CLC group.

7.    Compile your 3+2 feedback data you have received from your CLC group members into one document.

8.    ONE group member submits a continuous document of everyone’s feedback data by the end of Week 7.

 

EXAMPLE FEEDBACK

 

Strengths

·       You have provided good information in which student’s use creativity to understand the lesson.

·       You provided good group activities in which the students develop problems to help clarify the unit.

·       Your full lesson plans maximize the students time.

·       You provided essential questions to estimate student learning.

Weakness

·       In your lesson plans you have not applied the information taught in the standards to the guided practice of the independent practice. 

·       I did not see a pre-test, self-assessment or a variety of formative assessments.

·       Do the students understand the objectives?

·       All I see are your lesson plans.  Where is your unit plan?

·       I cannot tell if you are following the state standards because your objectives were not well developed. 

·       You did not name the textbook or page number the information can be found.  It is important; the students will need the reference for independent practice.

·       A substitute may not be able to follow the lesson plans as there weren’t enough details. 

 

Just so you are aware, peer review really does happen with teachers https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/better-common-core-lessons-equip

Week 7: Assessment Design

Create a summative assessment for your 10-day UbD curriculum unit.  Be sure to include:

·        a variety of question types (multiple choice, matching, short writing answers)

·        at least 20 questions – If your assessment is an essay we can adjust with a rubric

·        an answer key

·        focus on the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy – See the chart on this website  https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/alignment.html

 

Please see my assessment page to help you design your summative assessment - http://www.scbraves.org/Assessment.htm

 

Convenient Downloads for Week 7

Benchmark Assessment Directions

Sample UbD Unit Plan

EEI Lesson Plan Instructions

 


 

Week 8: Benchmark

This is it folks, your unit plan you started in week 3 should now be finalized which is component III of the benchmark assignment.  You will submit the following in LoudCloud:

·        A title page

·        Your strengths/weaknesses reflection that you provided for your CLC along with a description of your changes.

·        Unit, student and course descriptions

·        Your REVISED 10-day UbD unit plan in ONE CONTINUOUS DOCUMENT – You want to fine tune your unit plan as you will be able to use in the future as a student teacher or when you have your own class.

·        The copy of your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form that was emailed to you

·        Your assessment and answer key

 


 

Practicum

This course requires 20 hours of observation practicum. You must spend 20 hours in a 10th, 11th or 12th grade high school class with the SAME TEACHER. Begin calling potential sites for fulfilling this requirement prior to week 4. Some schools require a letter from the university before a student can complete their practicum hours. I urge you to find this information out "early on" because you do not want anything to keep you from getting your forms signed at the end of the course. The Teacher Education Specialist can provide a letter that confirms that you, the learner attends Grand Canyon University and states the degree program, the class in which the learner is completing practicum hours, and the number of hours required for the practicum. However, in order for the Teacher Education Specialist to complete this in a timely manner, you may be asked to provide the following information to them in an email.

·       Learner's full name

·       Course prefix, number, and full course title

·       Number of practicum hours to be completed

·       Name of the school district and the contact person's name

·       E-mail address or fax number where the letter is to be sent

 

Fingerprint Requirements Announcement

Fingerprinting is required by all students prior to the beginning of their student teaching assignment. As such, a reminder to students to begin the process is recommended: It is strongly recommended that students entering a teacher education program submit a fingerprint application to the Arizona State Education Department ASAP, and before the start of any courses that involve a field experience. Copies of this documentation should be faxed or scanned/emailed to the Teacher Education Specialists in the Office of Academic Counseling.

 

Clinical Field Experience Verification Form

You will obtain your Clinical Field Experience Verification Form in the GCU student portal in order to document and verify your time of practicum/field experiences.  Be sure to complete the form including the email address of your mentor teacher as well as the school district information.  This document must have your original wet signature.  Your mentor will sign and verify your clinical field experience.  Once the form has been verified and e-signed by your mentor, a copy will be emailed to you.  If you have difficulty obtaining the form contact me, your field experience counselor or GCU technical support.   

 

If a student is unable to complete the requirements for the Benchmark Assessment Assignment a 20% deduction must be applied for that entire assignment.

 


 

Writing Assignments

If you haven’t noticed yet, this course has some writing assignments.  Don’t stress!  You’ll find lots of details about APA-style in my instructor add-ons and the Student Success Center. My College Life webpage is packed full of plagiarism and citation resources http://www.scbraves.org/college%20life.htm   Also, don’t forget that I am just a click away and at your disposal! 


 

Rubrics

You will find the rubrics for each assignment in the appropriate Loud Cloud assignment link. Be sure to look at the rubric before during and after completing each assignment, as it provides details about how to go above and beyond the basic requirements of the assignment directions in the Syllabus.  Frankly as future teachers you should get in the habit of using rubrics for your assignments and teaching your students


 

Participation

Please review my slide show on my participation expectations

 

Participation expectation

 


 

CLC (Collaborative Learning Community)

We have two CLC group assignment due for week 5 and 7 of this class.  You may already know that student teachers are evaluated based on the teaching standards developed by InTASC. The following standards relate to a teacher’s ability to collaborate with families, communities, colleagues and other professionals.  Furthermore, teachers consistently participate in committees within a school. 

 

Evaluation Standards that Include Collaboration

Standard #1: Learner Development: The teacher candidate collaborates with families, communities, colleagues, and other professionals to promote learner growth and development. 

Standard #6: Assessment: The teacher candidate works independently and collaboratively to examine test and other performance data to understand each learner’s progress and to guide planning.

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice:  Independently and in collaboration with colleagues.  The teacher candidate uses a variety of data (e.g., systematic observation, information about learners, research) to evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning and to adapt planning and practice.

Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration:  The teacher candidate uses technological tools and a variety of communication strategies to build local and global learning communities that engage learners, families, and colleagues.

Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration:  The teacher candidate advocates to meet the needs of learners, to strengthen the learning environment, and to enact system change.

 

 

·       Week 5 - I will post an announcement at the beginning of Module 4 with your groups for the week 5 CLC.  Week 4 has a light assignment load so my suggestion is for everyone to start working on the week 5 project early.

·       Week 7 – This CLC is quite unusual because your 10-day unit plan is due on MONDAY (the first day of week 7).  

 


Turnitin

Each assignment will let you know if your assignment needs to be turned into “turnitin” please be sure to turn in your assignments into the “turnitin” program before you submit as the final submission.  If not, I will submit to “turnitin” and must grade accordingly per GCU policy.

 


Thank you for a wonderful journey! Your self-learning starts from here!  "It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." --Ursula K. LeGuin

 

 

Updated 1/9/2017

Email Address:         Cindy.Barnes@my.gcu.edu
Phone Number:         (928) 792-8252
Postal Address:         Grand Canyon University