Week 3 Assignment 2

According to the reading given about P21, P21 works with the Common Core Standards to provide grade-level indicators, which include critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and integrating cross-curricular themes as well as Global Awareness, and Financial, Civic, Health and Environmental literacy.  The 4th grade sample lessons given in the reading allowed the students to create an outcome which involved them utilizing the higher level of Blooms.  Students had to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information with real-world application.  As a teacher, i would crate a rubric to assess the project in sample number 1.  I would also assess the learning outcomes through student journal entries regarding the project, one-on-one and small group discussions.  Because students are working in groups in the first sample lesson, creating a beginning of a story in another sample lesson, instruction and the activity is differentiated for students of various reading levels.  common core Standards state that students are to engage in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners in order to build on ideas.  Additionally Common core Standards state that students should be able to explain events, procedures, and ideas within informational (expository) text including cause and effect based on the information provided in the text.  Therefore, as a teacher I would be designing my instruction with the end in mind.  I have to start with what I want the students to learn according to the Common Core Standards and how I would like them to demonstrate their acquisition of the knowledge.  So, the design of my assessments is informing my instruction, which is creating lessons with allow students to collaborate, be creative, communicate while critically analyzing what they have read regardless of their reading level.