myperspectives student-centered unit structure

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myPerspectives Student-Centered Unit Structure


Introduction

Today I’m excited to dive into the unit structure of myPerspectives™ with you. I know you’re eager to get started too. So, let’s roll!



Student-Centered Unit Structure

myPerspectives engages learners with a student-centered unit structure that promotes ownership of learning.

Did you know, and I quote:

"When student centered learning opportunities are implemented properly, students experience a multitude of positive outcomes including increased motivation, deeper retention of knowledge, greater understanding, and improved attitudes towards the subject being taught (Collins and O’Brien, 2003)."

I’ll give you a moment to let that sink in . . . pretty profound, right?

In myPerspectives, the units start with an open-ended Essential Question, followed by engaging activities-all designed to prepare your students for the final Performance-Based Assessment.

As your class moves through the unit, your role will shift from teaching to facilitating to advising to assessing-that’s where your teacher superpowers will come in handy! Listen to how this teacher superhero does it.

Okay, let’s break down the unit structure now. It’s actually pretty basic. A unit consists of six parts-Introduction, Whole-Class Learning, Small-Group Learning, Independent Learning, Performance-Based Assessment, and Unit Reflection.



Pacing Plan

The Pacing Plan tells you how long a unit should take and how many days each element should take. Each day is based on a forty- to fifty-minute class period.

Before we get into each element in a unit, I want to show you these neat Unit Planning Guides. They can be an amazing resource for you as you plan your instruction.

Download them from mysavvasntraining.com, right here, customize it for yourself, and make the magic happen in your classroom.

Okay, now let’s take a closer look at each element within a unit.



Unit Introduction

You’ll begin each unit with an activity called Jump Start. This activity introduces students to the Unit Concept and is followed by an Introduction video. Next, you’ll pose an open-ended Essential Question to stimulate thoughtful student inquiry.

Then, you’ll introduce specific Unit Goals and Academic Vocabulary words, and students will read a Launch Text. This text models the way students will be writing for the Performance-Based Assessment. I love that all roads lead to the Performance Based Assessment!

At the end of the Unit Introduction, students will write a Summary of the Launch Text and complete a QuickWrite based on the content they read and viewed.

Now let’s learn more about the elements of a Unit Introduction.



Launch Text

Word Network



Discuss It

Launch Activity



Whole-Class Learning

Let’s talk about Whole-Class Learning now. You’ll begin this section by discussing Whole-Class Learning Strategies with your students to help set expectations for learning.

Then, you’ll introduce them to the Concept Vocabulary. Students will rate their level of familiarity with each Concept Vocabulary word.

myPerspectives offers complex, rigorous texts that are aligned to the Unit Concept.

For every selection, students will read the text a first time to get an overall understanding of it. Then, they’ll read it again to revisit parts that are particularly important or complex.

They will then process the text in three ways.

• First, by making meaning of the text through close reading activities and analyzing the author’s craft and

structure.

• Next, by completing language development activities with concept vocabulary and conventions practice.

• Last, through effective expression activities where students work in groups, communicating their own ideas and

listening to the ideas of others.

At the end of Whole-Class Learning, you’ll evaluate what students learned by having them complete a Performance Task. The task guides students through the writing process.

Next let’s learn a little more about Whole-Class Learning.



Teaching

Lesson Resources



Close Read

Performance Task



Small-Group Learning

Once the Whole-Class Learning part of the unit ends, your role shifts from teaching to facilitating, and even more amazing things start to happen. You will encourage collaboration as your students work in groups, sharing their own ideas and perspectives.

They can then reflect, clarify, and refine their understanding, ideas, and applications. They can also find additional texts and media selections that provide new insights into the Essential Question and Unit Concepts.

The same four-part reading routine in Whole-Class Learning is also included in Small-Group Learning.

Small-Group Learning ends with a Speaking and Listening Performance Task. This task is designed to help students prepare for the unit Performance-Based Assessment.

Now let’s learn more about Small-Group Learning.



Facilitating

Lesson Resources



Performance Task



Independent Learning

After students complete the Small-Group Learning part of the unit, your role again shifts from facilitating to advising.

During this Independent Learning part, your students will select an online text to read on their own, based on interest and complexity level, and then start to formulate their own unique perspectives about the content. How powerful is that?

Students will use the four-step process included in the First-Read Guide and Close-Read Guide to help work through their independent selections.

Next let’s learn more about Independent Learning.



Advising

Planning



PBA Prep



Performance-Based Assessment

Now we get to my favorite part-the Performance-Based Assessment! Students will demonstrate their learning using their content knowledge, notes from their Evidence Logs, completed activities, and Performance Tasks.

This assessment has two parts-a writing component and a speaking and listening component.

Next let’s learn more about the Performance-Based Assessment.



Assessing

Rubrics



Unit Reflection

Lastly, in the Unit Reflection, students get a chance to reflect on the Unit Goals, Learning Strategies, and a text of their choice.

This is an important student-centered feature of the program that strongly encourages them to stop and reflect on their growth as learners, as a class, and as individuals before they move on to the next unit.



Closing

Thank you for going through the myPerspectives Student-Centered Unit Structure with me.

For additional myPerspectives tutorials, visit MySavvasTraining.com.

myperspectives student-centered unit structure

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