Developing Instruction

  • This framework has been developed to align with guidance from the California Department of Education, accessed March 23, 2020.  It is also informed by work in the field and advice from Dr. Richard Smith of Kelseyville, California.

    Design distance learning according to the following sequential framework to maximize student access to cohesive, quality education during this time.

Phase 1: What will you be teaching?

    • Review applicable Common Core and Content Standards 
    • Decide upon the content and of your unit for the week (longer traditional units should be broken down into week-by-week content and activities). 

    Example: World War II - How and Why America Went to War
    History/Social Science Standard 11.7.1: Students will examine the origins of American involvement in World War II. 

    • Write a summative project directions sheet and checklist and/or rubric for students.  This project will act as the summative assessment for the unit or lesson, measuring student understanding of your Learning Objective. See Phase 4: Elaborate/Apply for ideas.

    Example (OVERVIEW): Students will analyze America’s participation in World War II by designing a wartime propaganda poster addressing their choice of the following: (1) the responsibilities of citizens at home, (2) Roosevelt’s foreign policy prior to World War II, (3) the constitutional issues and impact of events on the U.S. home front, (4) Lend-Lease Policy

Phase 2: What are reasonable daily chunks of contents for students to access?

    • Consider what students will learn from each day’s work, and how they will demonstrate their knowledge and/or skills.

    Example - LESSON 1: Students will examine the origins of American involvement in World War II by writing a paragraph responding to the prompt: Did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor for Oil?

Phase 3: What activities will students do to facilitate their own guided learning?

    • Consider what students will learn from each day’s work, and how they will demonstrate their knowledge and/or skills.

    Example - LESSON 1: Students will examine the origins of American involvement in World War II by writing a paragraph responding to the prompt: Did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor for Oil?

Activity type (sequential)

  • EXPLORE

    What Does It Look Like?

    • Teacher provides an image, piece of text, or artifact with a prompt to activate prior knowledge and/or preview content.
    • Research
    • Watch videos 
    • Read Articles
    • Discuss
    • Crowdsource

    Potential Student Prompts

    • Describe a time when you…
    • What do you see/read that makes you think…?
    • What do you notice?  What do you wonder? What are you curious about?
    • Creative Coding: Underline information about ____, circle information about ____.
    • List at least 3 questions you have after reviewing this/these sources.
    • What data can you collect as evidence?

    APPLY

    What Does It Look Like?

    Formative assessments 
    Make connections

    • Connect concepts to other content: art, music, literature, science, math, etc
    • Connect concepts to life beyond the classroom
    • Apply learning to new or novel situations
    • Tackle real-world  problems
    • Student-created study materials and resources

    Potential Student Prompts

    • Answer the question: [from LEARNING OBJECTIVE].  Cite text evidence in your response.
    • Produce a model to illustrate [from LEARNING OBJECTIVE].
    • Analyze ____ data.  How does it support or contradict [from LEARNING OBJECTIVE]?
    • Which of your questions have you been able to answer through your research?  What are your answers?
    • Based on what you have learned, how would you solve [real world problem]?
    • Create a study guide to review key content from the topic.

Potential activities

Potential activities

some tools i can use

Phase 4: What do Families need to know in order to support students this week?

  • Design a cover sheet for parents addressing the following information:

    Unit Title:  Example: World War II - How and Why America Went to War

    Suggested Time Commitment by Day

    Example:

    • Monday: 30 minutes
    • Tuesday: 45 minutes
    • Wednesday: 30 minutes
    • Thursday: 45 minutes
    • Friday: 60 minutes  

    You student might need help with… 

    Example: understanding the United States took actions in support of the Allied Powers and against the Axis Powers prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, writing in complete sentences, getting feedback on their poster. before they turn them in.  Check your student’s completed poster against the project directions and checklist in this packet.

    Answer Key(s):

    Teacher Office Hours and Contact Information:  

    Example: Email or call Erika Barrish with questions Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m.

     Where to go for parenting help and support: 

    Contact Ana Santana (707) 289-4110 or asantana@lakecoe.org