Developing Learning Targets for Power Standards

[Revision note, 8/22/20: Shout-out to Hector Caudillo (@CaudilloHector) who suggested I rearrange the learning targets of Standard 2. They have been sequenced so writing a claim comes first, then formatting proper in-text citations, and then using those citations to analyze the topic at-hand. The text below is edited from my original posting.]

Continuing from my previous post, I plan to use the following six guiding/power standards for the 2020-2021 school year:

Standard 1: Reading Nonfiction and Informational Texts

Standard 2: Composing Nonfiction

Standard 3: Reading Fiction and Literature

Standard 4: Composing Fiction

Standard 5: Developing Speaking and Listening Skills

Standard 6: Employing Mechanics, Style, and Vocabulary

Even from my post a couple days ago, I have changed a category and added Vocabulary back to Standard 6. I was going to have it integrated throughout, but it makes more sense to have one learning target (subcategory) for it under one Standard (rather than repeating it); this is the same reason why mechanics and style is its own standard rather than integrated in Standards 2 and 4.

All assessments will be linked to at least one of these standards. For example, an analysis paragraph of a piece of fiction can serve as evidence for Standards 2 (as the analysis itself is nonfiction writing, with all its purposes and formatting), 3 (as students will need to provide evidence from their reading using appropriate vocabulary or literary terms), and 6 (since students will need to make stylistic and grammatical choices). A script-writing assignment would encompass Standards 4 (since drama is a genre of fiction with all its attendant unique structural needs) and 6 (since students will need to compose a range of sentences and use their developing vocabularies). A classroom discussion may encompass only Standard 5 (since students will need to engage with one another and be active participants), but it may also touch on Standard 2 (as students may utilize greater rhetorical features in a longer response or presentation during discussion).

Our gradebook, therefore, will utilize these six standards as the categories, and each assessment/task may have multiple columns in the gradebook (one for each Standard).

DETERMINING LEARNING TARGETS

While these overarching Standards are useful, they do require a little more finesse. For the past year or so, I have been assessing using “I can statements” that fit under each standard. A more thorough explanation of this can be found here (“Qualifying Proficiency Levels with Look-Fors”) and here (“Assessing by Standards in the Secondary ELA Classroom”).

Two years ago, I walked through my process of “Preparing Standards and Learning Targets for Standards-Based Grading in HS ELA,” where I referred to my district curriculum. I returned to that curriculum as well as the rubrics I have been creating to craft major Learning Targets for each Standard. Here was my process:

1.     I went through my district’s written curriculum’s “procedural knowledge” statements and categorized them under each of my six Standards.

2.     I went through my past rubrics to copy-and-paste my “I can” “Look-Fors” from each assignment and categorized them under each of my six Standards.

3.     Next, I began combining, rephrasing, or deleting any statements that I do not heavily assess, or that do not need to be formally/summatively assessed. These became the Learning Targets you see below.

4.     Lastly, I worked to arrange the Learning Targets if there seemed to be a logical order or a sequence. I then labeled them with letters for easier reference for myself and my co-teacher.

I plan to use the following Learning Targets as necessary when providing feedback for each assignment—the rubrics will be similar to those found here, but without the “Grade” column; instead, I will provide more narrative feedback in the “I can” and “I cannot yet” columns.

STANDARDS AND LEARNING TARGET LIST FOR ENGLISH 9

Standard 1: Reading Nonfiction and Informational Texts

• Learning Target 1.A. I can read and understand a variety of informational texts and narrative nonfiction, keep track of my reading, and reflect on my reading in my reading journal.
• Learning Target 1.B. I can identify the type (biography, autobiography, memoir, essay, article, or speech), purpose (persuasive, descriptive, narrative, informative), point of view (first or third), and style (formal or informal) of a nonfiction text.
• Learning Target 1.C. I can analyze how an author’s choice to use one element of nonfiction (facts, opinions, subjectivity, objectivity, essential information, and nonessential information) determines the author’s purpose, trustworthiness, and impact.
• Learning Target 1.D. I can analyze how an author establishes relationships between two or more elements of nonfiction (facts, opinions, subjectivity, objectivity, and essential & nonessential information) to create an impact on the reader.
• Learning Target 1.E. I can read nonfiction texts to locate information for the purpose of responding to a (provided or self-generated) research question or problem.

Standard 2: Composing Nonfiction

• Learning Target 2.A. I can plan, draft, revise, edit, and/or rewrite a piece of narrative, persuasive, or analysis writing.
• Learning Target 2.B. I can logically and clearly transition from one idea or paragraph to the next using transition words and phrases.
• Learning Target 2.C. I can effectively utilize and interweave elements of setting, point-of-view, characterization, plot, and conflict when composing a personal narrative (memoir).
• Learning Target 2.D. I can develop a compelling claim (or topic sentence) that addresses my writing task and provides a specific focus for my composition or analysis.
• Learning Target 2.E. I can select a word-for-word sentence or phrase from a text that supports my claim, introduce the direct quotation, and properly punctuate (with quotation marks and parentheses in MLA style) to give the author credit.
• Learning Target 2.F. I can analyze word-for-word citations or paraphrased ideas from a text by linking the evidence with my claim to build a compelling argument.
• Learning Target 2.G. I can compose a strong guiding thesis statement for a multi-paragraph composition and maintain a clear focus throughout my writing, guided by topic and conclusion sentences.
• Learning Target 2.H. I can craft a conclusion sentence that extends my claim, makes a prediction based on the evidence throughout the paragraph, or provides a call to action (and does not begin with “This is why…” or “These are…”).

Standard 3: Reading Fiction and Literature

• Learning Target 3.A. I can read and understand a variety of fictional texts, keep track of my reading, and reflect on my reading in my reading journal.
• Learning Target 3.B. I can analyze how an author’s choice to develop one element of fiction (characterization, setting, plot, conflict, theme, and literary devices) influences the impact of the text on the reader.
• Learning Target 3.C. I can analyze how an author establishes relationships between two or more elements of fiction (characterization, setting, plot, conflict, theme, and literary devices) to create an effect.
• Learning Target 3.D. I can identify, describe, and analyze how archetypal characters and the hero’s journey shape a story and the reader’s experience.
• Learning Target 3.E. I can differentiate between the specific cultural significance and the potential universal significance of a piece of literature.
• Learning Target 3.F. I can analyze how an author’s choices regarding dramatic structure (stage directions, monologues, dialogue, and soliloquies) influences an element of fiction (characterization, setting, plot, conflict, point of view, and literary devices).
• Learning Target 3.G. I can identify poetic structure (meter, rhythm, iambic pentameter, and rhyme) in poetry.

Standard 4: Composing Fiction

• Learning Target 4.A. I can plan, draft, revise, edit, and/or rewrite a piece of fiction writing.
• Learning Target 4.B. I can logically and clearly transition from one sentence, idea, or paragraph to the next.
• Learning Target 4.C. I can correctly format dialogue using indentations, quotation marks, and dialogue tags in narrative writing.
• Learning Target 4.D. I can utilize the steps of the hero’s journey (birth, call to adventure, separation, road of trials, initiation, escape, return, etc.) and some archetypal characters (hero, villain, orphan, mentor, trickster, etc.) to craft a narrative.
• Learning Target 4.E. I can apply the structural features of drama (stage directions, character attributions/tags, dialogue, monologues, and/or soliloquies) to craft a script.

Standard 5: Developing Speaking and Listening Skills

•  Learning Target 5.A. I can present on my own by using appropriate physical choices (body position, poise, gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions).
• Learning Target 5.B. I can present on my own by using appropriate verbal techniques (volume, rate, emphasis, articulation, and word choice).
• Learning Target 5.C. I can engage in discussion with my peers on a range of topics by using active listening skills and by engaging to further the conversation (rather than only talking to be heard).

Standard 6: Employing Grammar, Style, Mechanics, and Vocabulary

• Learning Target 6.A. I can use transition words, phrases, and sentences to guide my reader throughout my writing and begin new paragraphs when necessary to help the flow of my ideas.
• Learning Target 6.B.I can use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, and complex sentences) to develop my own writer’s style and voice.
• Learning Target 6.C.I can show my editing process is effective because I use correct spelling and punctuation (periods, question marks, exclamation points, commas, semi-colons, colons, dashes, etc.).
• Learning Target 6.D.I can demonstrate the range of my vocabulary by avoiding a reliance on repetition and simplistic words.

NEXT STEPS

With this framework of Standards and Learning Targets linked with the Pennsylvania State Standards, our district curriculum, and our actual work in class, my co-teacher and I devised a hefty to-do list before school begins September 8^th. Since we are going gradeless (where students will gather evidence, track their progress, and pitch a grade to us), we had to determine our process for recording student achievement. My future posts will detail these pieces as they are developed.