Unit Planning 101 & Navigating Curriculum Websites
Right now it is all about connection before curriculum…but at the same time, I know there are several teachers out their lovingly or desperately trying to plan engaging units. They are navigating curriculum websites and feeling overwhelmed:
Where do I start? How do I know what kids will like?
Big Ideas…Curricular Competencies…Content…
Oh My!
Does this sound like you? I am here to help! My good friend suggested that I create a blog post about unit planning. I might break it down eventually into a series, but for now, this is a quick and dirty post.
Part 1: The Website & Pulling Out the Basics
A video walking through using the BC curriculum website. It also demonstrates working through the early stages of unit planning.
Website 101
Big Ideas lead you to questions and research
Curricular Competencies are the skills you want kids to develop or focus on
Content helps select topics you will use to explore the Big Ideas and Curricular Competencies. You might not hit ever single content area in a year and that is okay.
Part 2: Social Studies Unit Example (Unit Planning Cheat Sheet)
This video walks through some of my planning/thinking while working on a grade five Social Studies Unit.
Unpacking Big Questions
The BIG QUESTIONS in my units are not a secret. They are on an anchor chart and we unpack them throughout the unit. This is one strategy called ‘exploding a sentence’. If the kids do not know the questions or goals, they will not know the road map to learning.
“The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see”
Sample Plan (Simple Machines)
Try using the cheat sheet to plan an overview for your unit.
Unit planning takes time, but it gets easier with practice. A good unit plan is a guide that can change based on the needs and interest of your class. As a teacher, I try to use unit planning to explore thinking processes and build independent human beings who see the world in their own way.
Here is the Unit Planning Cheat Sheet that you can download/use. Right now is the time to focus on creating connections, but I hope these videos will help you when you get down to the nitty gritty of unit planning.