tools to align and assess your curriculum

1. Tools to Align and Assess your Curriculum Informed Instruction Curriculum Alignment Tool (ICAT) and WebCCAT

2. Informed Instruction: Curriculum Alignment Tool Kerry Gain Region 10 ESC gaink@esc10.ednet10.net 972.348.1480

3. Aligning High Stakes Data to Curriculum Normal Process District or campus rating Comparison of district or campus scores to comparable scores (below state average, above regional average, etc.) Determination of weak areas (TAKS objectives) Determination of weak TEKS Determination of how weak TEKS were assessed (Context) Determine curricular adjustments

4. Curricular Adjustments Increase rigor of expected student performance, if necessary (complexity) Clarify vague or ambiguous TEKS with details (content) Determine degree of district vs. teacher control of content and resources Hold staff accountable for new curriculum (walk throughs, documentation) Adjust benchmarks or other assessments

5. 5th Grade Science 2004

6. Curricular Adjustments Increase rigor of expected student performance, if necessary (complexity) Clarify vague or ambiguous TEKS with details (content) Determine degree of district vs. teacher control of content and resources Hold staff accountable for new curriculum (walk throughs, documentation) Adjust benchmarks or other assessments

8. Region 10 Grade 7 WritingNote Objective 4

9. Grade 7 Objective 4 TEKS Now go to the TEKS/Items chart w/ released tests and look for Items and TEKS related to Objective 4: 7.17a – Items 4, 24, and 33 7.18e – Items 2, 7, 27, 37 7.17e – Item 6 7.17b – Items 22 and 35

10. What are the TEKS? 17a: write in complete sentences, varying the types such as compound and complex sentences, and use appropriately punctuated independent and dependent clauses. 17b: use conjunctions to connect ideas meaningfully 17e: use prepositional phrases to elaborate written ideas 18e: edit drafts for specific purposes such as to ensure standard usage, varied sentence structure and appropriate word choice

11. 5)For more than 20 years, sailors have competed in a race called Around Alone 6) It is a boat race.

12. Then he would move on, he would swish his tail in Rabbit’s angry face. 33. What revision, if any is needed in sentence 7? A. Then he would move on, swishing his tail in Rabbit’s angry face. B. Then he would move on. Swishing his tail in Rabbit’s angry face. C. Then he would move on and swish in Rabbit’s angry face his tail. D. No revision is needed.

13. 8)The couple had wanted to get married in the same room, but when Malenchenko’s mission was extended, they decided not to wait for his return.

14. 15) After the private ceremony the bride and the wedding party they attended a reception at a restaurant.

15. 11) Lu played the wedding march. 12) He used a portable keyboard. 6) What is the best way to combine sentences 11 and 12? F. Lu played the wedding march that used a portable keyboard. G. Lu played the wedding march and a portable keyboard. H. Lu played the wedding march and a portable keyboard. J. Lu played the wedding march on a portable keyboard.

16. Using Informed Instruction (ICAT) to save time in analyzing TEKS Live Demonstration of 17a, 17b, 17e, 18e Note the clarifications (content) Note the performance descriptors (rigor and backwards alignment with high stakes assessments)

17. Curricular Adjustments Increase rigor of expected student performance, if necessary Clarify vague or ambiguous TEKS with details (adjust content) Determine degree of district vs. teacher control of content and resources Give sample activities or whole lesson plans Develop scope and sequence or use a Region 10 sample S&S Bundle/Relate TEKS for ease of planning Hold staff accountable for new curriculum (walk throughs, documentation) Administrators may log on and get an idea of level of rigor and concepts, processes, or skills that teachers should be using

18. What other forms of alignment should we be implementing? Gap Analysis Align to highest, most authentic levels Concepts and Processes Align with other state curricular components ELPS, TOP Align with spiraling functions (future and previously learned concepts) and prerequisites Sample Units

19. TAKS-TEKS-ELPS-TELPAS Alignment and Linkages Effective sheltered instruction lessons consist of both content and language objectives. Content objectives are directly linked to the TEKS as a non-negotiable. Language objectives are directly linked to the ELPS as a non-negotiable. The TEKS are directly aligned with the TAKS assessment, whereas the ELPS are aligned with the TELPAS, thereby providing a linkage between the TAKS and the TELPAS.Effective sheltered instruction lessons consist of both content and language objectives. Content objectives are directly linked to the TEKS as a non-negotiable. Language objectives are directly linked to the ELPS as a non-negotiable. The TEKS are directly aligned with the TAKS assessment, whereas the ELPS are aligned with the TELPAS, thereby providing a linkage between the TAKS and the TELPAS.

20. TOP Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

21. ELPS The ELP standards include second language acquisition skills that enable limited English proficient students to become fluent in English. In order for these students to learn the academic English necessary for academic learning, their second language acquisition skills must be addressed in all their academic classes, whether they are learning mathematics, science, or other subjects. The ELP standards also include the language arts skills that all Texas students are required to be taught.

22. Where do we have ELPS Bilingual and ESL language arts TEKS Science (Elementary) Social Studies (all levels) Math (under development)

23. How will ICAT and WebCCAT help to align ELPS? View online

24. Adjust benchmarks or other assessments Use WebCCAT to find higher level questions and more difficult questions as necessary to: Do quick checks Create unit tests Create benchmarks Find multiple choice and more authentic assessments

25. Item Counts Excel

26. Vertical Alignment with Informed Instruction Technology based = ease of search and sort Objectives, S.E.s, and assessments aligned to high stakes assessments and across grade levels and cross-referenced by skills, concepts, and processes Finding and filling in gaps Builds common vocabulary Escalates expectations with regard to rigor and sophistication Redundancies clarified, specific examples given, terms defined Performance descriptors that “inform” the TEKS

27. What information does Informed Instruction include? All TEKS for… ELA – Kinder through English IV Math – Kinder through Pre-Calculus Social Studies – Kinder through Gov/Eco Science – Kinder through Physics

28. Let’s Talk TEKS… Aligned to TAKS It’s the law Aligned to textbooks (somewhat) Some are very specific (know these dates; write for various purposes including to inform, persuade, entertain)

29. Let’s Talk TEKS… Some Vague Some Ambiguous Written in terms some teachers may not understand (orthographic pattern?) Some leave content wide open for selection

30. What information does Informed Instruction include? Clarifications of each Student Expectation List of examples Define terms more specifically Clear up vagueness and ambiguity

31. Example of Clarification K.07A: describe one object in relation to another using informal language; and Clarification: Use terms such as over, under, above, and below.

32. Example of Clarification A2.b1B: In solving problems, the student collects and organizes the data, makes scatterplots (including identifying positive, negative, and no correlation), fits the curves to the appropriate parent function, interprets the results, and proceeds to model, predict, and make decisions and critical judgments. Clarification: Parent functions to include: linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, rational, and square root.

33. What information does Informed Instruction include? Performance Descriptor for each Student Expectation Suggestions for assessment Address necessary level of sophistication and rigor Aligned to TAKS tests from 2003, 2004, and 2006

34. Example of Performance Descriptor K.01A: use one-to-one correspondence and language to describe relative sizes of sets of concrete objects; Performance Descriptor: Given two small cups of pasta, cubes, beans, etc. students will pour objects out and line sets side by side. They verbally describe their sets. "I have two more pebbles than you." "We have the same number of cubes." "You have one less bean than I do."

35. Example of Performance Descriptor 5.03A: use addition and subtraction to solve problems involving whole numbers and decimals; Performance Descriptor: Students will be able to use less than and more than terminology from a worded problem to apply subtraction and addition processes to solve (Carrie has 300 coins. She has 125 more than Mike and 50 fewer than Sara. How many coins does Mike have?) (TAKS 04).

36. Example of Performance Descriptor 8.12A: select the appropriate measure of central tendency to describe a set of data for a particular purpose; Performance Descriptor: Students will be able to choose the correct measure of central tendency for given real-world situations such as determining the most popular color of vehicle sold from a frequency table or the measure which would assist a store in making a week's worth of sales appear the most profitable (TAKS 03 and 04).

37. Example of Performance Descriptor G.b4: The student selects an appropriate representation (concrete, pictorial, graphical, verbal, or symbolic) in order to solve problems. Performance Descriptor: Given an illustration of a composite figure (trapezoid), students will be able to choose the equation that can be used to determine the total area when the length of only two sides is given (TAKS 03)

38. What information does Informed Instruction include? Shells for local additions: Grading Period Activities/Lessons/Instructional Strategies/Resources Modifications ESL/Special Ed/GT Local Objectives Graduate Expectations

39. What can Informed Instruction do? Searchable using common vocabulary Find gaps Find late starts Create scope and sequence Create curriculum guide Limited lesson planning capability Easily accessible teacher resource

40. How is Informed Instruction useful to districts? Vertical Alignment

41. How is Informed Instruction useful to districts? Vertical Alignment Horizontal Alignment Scope and Sequence Quick access to curricular information Accessible to all district staff Easy to use

42. For more information… www.ednet10.net Click on “Online Resources” Click on “Informed Instruction”

43. ICAT Pricing and Ordering Yearly membership $2500 in region $3500 out of region $5.00 per teacher or lesson plan writer $7.50 out of region lesson plan writer Permission to export data under certain circumstances Fee includes training Virtual demos available Live demos in our booth

44. WebCCAT Pricing and Ordering Yearly membership from participating ESC Includes guarantee of minimum 3000 new items per year For 07: 1000-1500 new math Appx. 600 new Spanish No ELA (due to need for new TEKS) Science – 700-800 Social Studies – 200-500

45. Contact Information Jan Moberley, Assistant Director Division of Instruction 972.348.1426 Jan.moberley@region10.org www.region10.org Online Resources Choose ICAT or WebCCAT

46. Live Demonstration