Day 1
01 Workshop Opener 02 Previously, on 03 Break 04 Model Lesson 05 ML Reflection 06 Group Dynamics 07 Lunch 08 Curriculum Investigation 09 Conclusions and Connections 10 Break 11 Unit Planning 12 Wrap Up 13 Debrief

Session 11: Unit Planning

45 Minutes

discussion-based

Purpose

This session provides participants with time to think about the unit as a whole and spend time thinking about and planning for how they will structure the long term projects within Unit 4. This time is intended to be collaborative with participants using each other as essential resources and thought partners as they plan. The session concludes with an opportunity for peer feedback.

Objectives

  • Participants are able to access and use supporting project resources in order to communicate clear project expectations to students
  • Participants have articulated a clear plan for how they will support students during group projects (grouping, timelines, check in points, student presentations, managing challenging group dynamics, assessment, peer feedback, etc.)
  • Participants have articulated a plan for student presentations
  • Participants have identified when and how they will utilize teaching and learning strategies
  • Participants engage in the “peer feedback” teaching and learning strategy

Supplies & Prep

Room Setup:

  • Participants are seated in pods with participants that are interested in planning for the same topic (project planning, project implementation, communication, teaching and learning strategies)

Facilitator Supplies:

Teacher Materials:

Agenda

Unit Planning (27 minutes)

Wrap Up (18 minutes)

Facilitation Guide

Unit Planning (27 minutes)

(2 minutes) Context Setting

Remarks

Unit 4 contains multiple opportunities for students to work together in teams. This is a great opportunity for students to work on further developing their skills in collaboration and communication. This type of learning requires careful thought and preparation on the part of the teacher. In this session, you will have time to reflect and plan for how you will structure learning in your classroom while implementing Unit 4.

You are encouraged to work together on this activity with a partner so you can discuss choices you will make for your classroom. The expertise within the room today is a great resource for us to tap into as we brainstorm ways that we will empower our students to manage their own learning and progress while completing a project with a team of their peers.

Facilitator Note: Participants should plan for one of the four categories (project planning, project implementation, communication, teaching and learning strategies). Have the participants sit in groups with teachers that are interested in planning for the same topic so they are able to plan together.

(25 minutes) Unit Planning

Facilitator Tip

It is unlikely that participants will complete their entire unit plan in the time allotted. Encourage participants to look through the guide and start with the section they are least comfortable with. This will give participants the opportunity to think through the logistics of a portion of project implementation planning that they find challenging while they have a room of peers to collaborate with. They can use the unfinished portions of the guide to support their planning outside of the workshop.

Participants will work in partners or groups to complete the CSD Unit 4 Unit Planning - Activity Guide.

Unit 4 Planning - Activity Guide Prompts:

Project Planning: How will you structure a multi-lesson collaborative project to support student learning?

  • Creating Teams: How will students be grouped into teams? (teacher selected, student selected, homogeneous, heterogeneous, etc.)
  • Establishing Norms: How will teams establish group norms and expectations?
  • Expectations: How will you communicate clear project expectations to students? How will you gauge understanding of these expectations?
  • Pacing: How many class periods will you devote to each component of the project?

Project Implementation: How will you support students throughout the project implementation?

  • Feedback: When will students receive feedback on their work both from the teacher and from their peers?
  • Assessment: How will you assess individual learning when students are working as a team?
  • Differentiation: How will you challenge early finishers and support students who struggle?
  • Struggle Points: When do you think your students will struggle most? What will you do to empower students when they struggle?

Communication: What opportunities will you create for students to share their work with their peers and their community?

  • Structure: How will you support students in structuring their work so it can be easily understood by others?
  • Background and Perspectives: How will students to consider the perspective and background of their audience when presenting work?
  • Presentations: How and when will students have opportunities to present their work to an audience?

Teaching and Learning Strategies: How and when will you use teaching and learning strategies to enhance student learning?

  • Think - Pair - Share: How and when will you use think - pair - share to ensure students are able to articulate their thoughts independently before sharing with others?
  • Journaling: How and when will you provide students with the opportunity to reflect on their own learning and articulate their reflections in writing?
  • Peer Feedback: How and when will you provide students with opportunities to practice both providing and accepting constructive feedback in order to improve their work?

Wrap Up (18 minutes)

(12 minutes) Peer Feedback

Facilitator Tip

Giving and receiving feedback can be a challenge for some people. Setting the tone is important here. Remind participants that one of the greatest resources in a workshop is the professional expertise within the room. We all have things to share with and learn from each other.

Have participants exchange unit plans with a participant from another table. (If participants are using the electronic version of this activity guide, have them share their doc with a partner for the peer review process.) Participants read and leave constructive feedback on their peer’s unit plan. (Feedback should be specific and deeper than nice work or good idea.) In addition to leaving general comments in the peer feedback section of the activity guide, each participant should give feedback using the following sentence starters:

  • I like…
  • I wish…
  • What if…

(6 minutes) Quick Popcorn Share Out

Prompt: Did your partner have an idea in his or her unit plan that you feel would be valuable for the whole group to hear?