Curriculum planning chart

Generative Topic (Blythe et al, 1998): Critical Thinkers: Fact vs. Opinion Subject: 4th Grade SS & Writing Name:
Anna Arsenault
Assessment

Concept*
("The student
will
understand")
(The big idea,
the "enduring
understanding"
[Wiggins, 1998];
a broad way of
making sense of
the world, or a
life lesson)
Differences
between facts
and opinions.
Central problem
/ issue / or
essential
question
(intended to
"get at" the
concept; the
motivator)
What is the
difference
between facts
and opinions?
What can you
do with
either/both?

Standard

PA Core Standard
History 8.1.4.B:
Distinguish between fact
and opinion from multiple
points of view, and primary
sources as related to
historical events.
E04.C.1.1.1. Introduce a
topic for the intended
audience, state an opinion,
and create an
organizational structure in
which related ideas are
grouped to support the
writers purpose.
E04.C.1.1.2 Provide reasons
that are supported by facts
and details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5
With guidance from peers
and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as
needed by planning,
revising, and editing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.6
With guidance, use
technology to produce and
publish writing as well as
interact with others.

(How will you

have evidence
that they know
it?)
Journal
questions:
List facts and
opinions about
different
subjects.
Graded quiz:
Identify and
match the facts
and opinions
about different
artifacts and
historical
documents.
Writing prompt:
Compose a
persuasive
paragraph that
uses facts and
evidence to
support their
opinions.
Debate/Trial:
Decide what
happened in the
event using facts
(not opinions) to
support what
happened.

Facts
("The
students will
know")
A fact is
something
that is true
and can be
proven.
An opinion is
what a
person thinks
or feels
about
something.
Everyone has
an opinion.
(Facts based
on selected
text and
subject)

Skills
("The
students will
be able
to")
Distinguish
between
fact and
opinion.
Support their
opinions with
facts.
Select an
appropriate
audience.
Write a
paragraph
on one
topic.
Edit and
revise their
writing.
Publish their
writing online
and
comment on
their
classmates
writing.
Debate
issues using
facts.

Problems to pose
("Guiding
questions" or "unit
questions")
Why is it
important to
know the
difference
between a fact
and opinion?
How can you tell
the difference
between a fact
and opinion?

Activities:

Separate facts
from opinions
after listening to
a story.
Walk around the
school block
and write down
observations,
facts, and
opinions.
Students will
publish their
persuasive
pieces on a
blog.
Students will
conduct a
culminating
trial/debate
about an event.

Curriculum planning chart

Generative Topic (Blythe et al, 1998): Critical Thinkers: Perspectives
Name: Anna Arsenault
Assessment

Concept*
("The student
will
understand")

Standard

(The big idea,

the "enduring
understanding"
[Wiggins, 1998];
a broad way of
making sense of
the world, or a
life lesson)

PA Core Standard
CC.1.2.4.D:
Compare and
contrast an event or
topic told from two
different points of
view.

Evidence and
facts always
come from a
particular
perspective.
Central problem
/ issue / or
essential
question
(intended to
"get at" the
concept; the
motivator)
Why might
evidence differ?
What deeper
understanding
surfaces if you
closely examine
the
perspective?

CC Correlation
RI.4.6 Compare and
contrast a firsthand
and secondhand
account of the
same event or topic;
describe the
differences in focus
and the information
provided.

(How will you

have evidence
that they know
it?)
Journal
questions:
Identify the
similarities and
differences
between the
two accounts in
writing notebook
(in their own lives
and in a text)
and discussions.
Journal
questions and
discussions:
On-going
questioning
about the
information
presented.
Debate/Trial:
Organize the key
details of a given
event into what
they feel they
know and what
should be
contested. Use
the evidence to
decide what
happened.

Facts
("The students
will know")
Define a
firsthand
account,
secondhand
account,
primary source,
and secondary
source.
That accounts
and
interpretations of
the same event
may be
different.
The farther you
get away from
the source, the
greater the
likelihood that
the facts may
be different.

Subject:

4th Grade Literacy & SS

Skills

Problems to
pose

("The students
will be able
to")

("Guiding
questions" or
"unit questions")

Activities:

Identify
relevant
information
and key
details from
an event.

Why is it difficult
to figure out
what really
happened?

Whisper down the

lane to get students
to begin thinking
about why first and
secondhand
accounts may differ.

Present their
thinking in a
written
response or
verbal
presentation.
Debate issues
using
evidence.

Why is it
important to
question the
facts?

Students will write

about an event in
their life (firsthand
account) and
interview someone
at home about they
recall the event.
Two different read
alouds to illustrate
the difference in
points of view on the
same subject
Journal writing time
to record questions
and wonderings
Students will
conduct a
culminating
trial/debate about
an event.

Curriculum planning chart

Generative Topic (Blythe et al, 1998): Critical Thinkers: Solving Problems
Anna Arsenault
Assessment

Concept*
("The student
will
understand")

Standard

(The big idea,

the "enduring
understanding"
[Wiggins, 1998];
a broad way of
making sense of
the world, or a
life lesson)

CC.2.1.4.C.1. Extend
the understanding of
fractions to show
equivalence and
ordering.

You can apply

what you know
to figure out
what you dont
know and solve
a problem.
Central problem
/ issue / or
essential
question
(intended to
"get at" the
concept; the
motivator)
How can you
use facts and
what you know
to creatively
solve problems?

CC.2.1.4.C.2. Build
fractions from unit
fractions by
applying and
extending previous
understandings of
operations on whole
numbers.
CC.2.4.4.A.1. Solve
problems involving
measurement and
conversions from a
larger unit to a
smaller unit.
4.MD.3. Apply the
area and perimeter
formulas for
rectangles in real
world and
mathematical
problems.

(How will you

have evidence
that they know
it?)
Quiz:
Equivalent
fractions
Quiz:
Arranging
fractions from
smallest to
largest
Performance:
Give the
students certain
size measuring
cups and have
them follow the
recipe.

Subject: 4th Grade Math

Skills

Problems to pose

("The students
will know")

("The students
will be able
to")

("Guiding
questions" or "unit
questions")

Fractions a/b are

equivalent to
fractions (n x
a)/(n x b)

Compose and
decompose
fractions with the
same
denominators

Facts

When the
denominators
are the same,
the smaller the
numerator, the
smaller the
fraction and the
larger the
numerator, the
larger the
fraction.
When the
numerators are
the same, the
smaller the
denominator,
the larger the
fraction and the
larger the
denominator,
the smaller the
fraction.

Add fractions
with common
denominators
Order fractions
from smallest to
largest

How can you

change what
you know into a
form that can
help you solve
the problem?

Name:

Activities:

Create fraction
bars to
reference during
the unit.
Figure out how
to make a
recipe with
limited
measuring cups.