0 Designing a Unit of Study

Posted by Atsumori. Category:

This week, I'll build a new unit of study.  I'm prepping the unit for three reasons:

1. To strengthen a unit I facilitate with my students.
2. To revisit unit building steps before I present the steps at a conference next week.
3. To have a renewed, versatile unit to share at the MTA Summer conference next week. 

Unit design is unit architecture. Essentially it is a process that demands choosing the best elements and connecting those pieces to make a worthy design--one that interacts with students in a powerful, useful way.

As I build the unit this week, I'll gather the following components:

• Examples of past, related units.
• Current state, local, and common core standards including the links to those standards for conference participants. 
• Samples of similar units others have created.  I'll get these samples from Common Core websites, math websites, and a Google search. 
• Related tech tools available at my school, and those likely available at all schools including iMovie, Garageband, Quicktime Screencast, Photobooth, Voicethread, Storybird, 30Hands, Explain Everything, ShowMe, SCRATCH, UClass, and YouTube.
• A unit planning template to use as a guide.
• The SMP design process since this is a math unit that will include SMPs.
• Pre- and post assessments. 
• Formative assessments. 

Next, I'll choose a challenging fourth grade concept to use as a model.  Typically a more challenging concept demands our best work and thought when it comes to teaching well.

After that, I'll design the unit step by step.  I'll publish the unit on this blog and on UClass for participants' and others' ready access and use.

The creativity map is set, now it's time to get started with the specifics?  As I move through this assignment I want to think about the length of time it takes to plan a good unit?  I also want to think about the roadblocks that occur, and the ways this plan lends itself to a collaborative design venture.  

Is your design process similar to mine when it comes to a unit of study?  Did I miss any integral steps that you typically include?  I welcome your suggestions. 

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