CURRICULUM PLANNING WITH A PURPOSE
- The Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) for each curriculum area are built on Student Expectations using Blooms Verbs or Verb Phrases.
- The level at which a student is expected to perform is identified by this Verb Phrase.
- Once you have identified the Blooms Level of
thinking you will need to plan your instruction so that:
- Your instruction is at LEAST one level above the level required for student expected performance. This maxim comes from the idea that instructional experiences MUST be higher than the level of assessment. Students do not grasp EVERYTHING we teach, nor do the majority of students perform at the level we teach. So a good rule of thumb is to teach at least one to two levels above the level of student expectation.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: Using your print out of the TEKS:
- Highlight the Blooms Verb Phrase in Yellow
- Identify in a space above or below Verb Phrase what level of Blooms the Verb Phrase implies. In the examples below we have added these in the text in maroon. Many of these Verb Phrases can be taken and taught at different levels of instruction depending on how they are presented to the student. This is what makes the TEKS flexible, but it can also be detrimental to an inexperienced teacher. You may need to study the TAKS test to see HOW FAR the TAKS test extends the level of thinking. For instance "demonstrate" can mean -- repeat facts, identify variations, or produce a product.
- Determine the LEVEL of INSTRUCTION necessary for students to gain the necessary expertise (one to two levels above expectation) Write this in the MARGIN of your TEKS document
- Determine the Appropriate Activities the student will engage in to acquire this LEVEL of expertise. These Activities will become a part of your lesson plans.
- Determine the Appropriate Assessment technique that will determine if the student actually reached the level of thinking required by the S.E. (Student Expectation). For instance, if a student is required to apply these theories in an S.E., then an appropriate assessment WOULD NOT be a True/False test. In fact, if you look at most of your S.E.--a True/False test, fill in the blank, or short answer would rarely be an appropriate assessment.
ELEMENTARY EXAMPLE: §126.25. Language Arts
(3) Listening/speaking/audiences/oral grammar. The student speaks appropriately to different audiences for different purposes and occasions. The student is expected to:
(A) choose and adapt (Blooms Application-->Synthesis Level)(spoken language appropriate to the audience, purpose, and occasion, including use of appropriate volume and rate (K-3);
(B) use verbal and nonverbal communication (Blooms Application-->Synthesis Level) in effective ways such as in making announcements, giving directions, or making introductions (K-3);
(C) ask and answer relevant questions (Blooms Synthesis Level) and make contributions (Blooms Application-->Synthesis Level)in small or large group discussions (K-3);
(D) present dramatic interpretations (Blooms Synthesis-->Evaluation Level) of experiences, stories, poems, or plays (K-3);
SECONDARY EXAMPLE: §126.25. Digital Graphics/Animation (One Credit).
(1) Foundations. The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate knowledge (Blooms Knowledge-->Comprehension Level) and appropriate use (Blooms Application Level) of operating systems, software applications, and communication and networking components;
(B) compare, contrast, and appropriately use (Blooms Analysis Levels) the various input, processing, output, and primary/secondary storage devices;
(C) make decisions (Blooms Analysis --> Evaluation Level) regarding the selection, acquisition, and use of software taking under consideration its quality, appropriateness, effectiveness, and efficiency;
(D) delineate and make necessary adjustments (Blooms Synthesis Level) regarding compatibility issues including, but not limited to, digital file formats and cross platform connectivity;
(E) use the vocabulary as it relates (Blooms Application-->Analysis) to digital graphics and animation software;
(F) distinguish between and correctly use process (Blooms Analysis--->Synthesis) color (RGB and CYMK), spot color, and black/white;
(G) identify color mixing theories and apply these theories (Blooms Application) to the creation of new colors in the digital format;
(H) compare, contrast, and integrate the basic sound editing principles (Blooms Synthesis---->Evaluation) including the addition of effects and manipulation of wave forms;
These Student Expectations generally move up the Blooms Hierarchy as we move from Student Expectation A to Student Expectation C,D,E,F, etc.
RULES of THUMB for EXCELLENT CURRICULUM
- Any Blooms Verb or Verb phrase that indicates a level of Application or above, must be carefully identified as having a potential for becoming a project-based curriculum piece.
- Any Student Expectation that requires Analysis, Synthesis, or Evaluation must be taught over TIME.
- When the Student Expectation requires a certain level of performance on the Blooms Taxonomy, the student must be taught using strategies that engage the student at least one to two levels of thinking above that Blooms verb.
- All activities must be correlated with the correct "Level of Thinking" to ensure that the student performs at the proper level of expectation.
- All assessments must be based on the Student Expectation's "level of thinking" or above for the student to be successful with the TAKS (Tested TEKS) Assessment.
- Benchmark assessment MUST be aligned with the curriculum taught and should reflect both the level of thinking (knowledge) and the skill required in the Student Expectation.
District Specific Curriculum that MUST be included in your lesson plans (SCANS & Character Counts!)
HOW TO TIE IN THE SIX MAJOR STRANDS RUNNING THROUGH ALL CORE CURRICULUM
Copyright: Joy Rousseau April, 2001
May use with permission
