1. The Levels of Thinking in AP Vertical Teams®: Skill Progressions for Strong Programs Julie Stephenson Mike Milstead Ruston High School Ruston, Louisiana

2. Talking points Program Status Before Action Plan Alignment Study Concepts v. Skills Study Skill Progressions Professional Development Plan Laying the Foundation, Inc. College Board workshops and institutes Interdisciplinary Learning Opportunities 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade Program Status After

3. Before District Initiatives Uniform Assessment Guidelines Power Words HOTS Emphasis 6th-10th Grade Honors Classes Social, not academic, decision to enroll More work, not deeper work Limited accountability Unclear roles in course sequence

4. Action plan Cohesive and Intensive Professional Development Plan APSI: TCU and UALR Laying the Foundation Regular Vertical Team Meetings (AP/Non-AP) Philosophy and Objectives Skills and Concepts Skill Progressions in CCSS Laying the Foundation Skill Progression Charts Course Planner Creation Assessment Writing

5. Objectives Create and implement a curricular reform action plan based on SKILLS and CONCEPTS necessary for success in courses by doing the following: Identifying target skills and concepts for each course in the RHS designated course sequence Drafting a course syllabus for each course in the RHS designated course sequence based on the determined skills and concepts Creating valid and reliable diagnostic and summative assessments for each course in the RHS designated course sequence Adopting a timeline for designing and implementing the necessary changes in the curriculum

6. Learning Our roles in the course sequence Alignment Study Correlate GLEs (Grade-Level Expectations) to Common Core State Standards Study vertical alignment of skills and concepts Acknowledge gaps in skill progressions Declarative and Procedural Knowledge What’s the difference between a concept and skill?

7. Alignment study:Skill Progressions

8. Charting the Skill Progressions Create a Visual Skill Progression Banner paper Large printed copies of CCSS for final course in sequence English Language and English Literature Calculus Chemistry Physics Biology American History Teacher copies of state standards and CCSS Markers Post-It notes Tape

9. Creating the alignment map Cut a large piece of banner paper from the central roll. Lay the Standards across the paper in rows with spaces between the rows to write. Using the list of K-12 standards in your binder, align the enabling knowledge standards from courses in the sequence of study. Record the grade-level and standard number. Chart the standards in reverse chronological order. Highlight on your document any standards that don’t seem to align.

10. Creating the alignment map Intended Results Illustrates Gaps in Learning Progressions Gallery Walk Needs Assessment Informs Teachers Depth of Mastery Priorities Insights Concept vs. Skill Levels of Thinking Unintended Results Solutions generated Ideas shared Administration “brought on board”

11. Concept v. SkillWhat's the difference? Subject matter can be organized into five broad categories; those categories can be classified into two types. From Classroom Instruction That Works Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock

12. Declarative procedural VOCABULARY terms and phrases DETAILS: facts, time sequences, cause/effect sequences, and episodes ORGANIZING IDEAS: generalizations and principles TACTICS: general rules governing an overall flow of execution ALGORITHMS: mental skills that have specific outcomes and steps; those steps generally have to be performed in a set order PROCESSES: not amenable to "step-by-step" instructional approach; involve complex interactions of complex skills

13. Levels of Thinking & Powerful Words Used with permission of Laying the Foundation, Inc.

14. Deeper than standards:pre-ap English skill progressions

16. Deeper than standards:pre-ap science skill progressions At each level of thinking, teachers assess the students’ knowledge and competence. Without regular formative assessment to determine students’ mastery, these skill progressions have little value.

17. Professional development needs Content area expertise Depth of teaching Consistent vocabulary Consistent strategies Our Solutions Laying the Foundation, Inc. AP Summer Institutes

18. Intensive Plan forProfessional development Summer 2009 Laying the Foundation Summer Institute in Irving, Texas TCU AP Summer Institute Summer 2010 Laying the Foundation Summer Institute in El Dorado, Arkansas TCU AP Summer Institute 2010-2011 School Year One- and Two-Day CollegeBoard® AP Workshops Human Geography Biology Pre-AP Math AP Language AP Summer Institutes: TCU and UALR 2011-2012 School Year In-District Laying the Foundation Year One Training 6th-11th Math 6th-11th Science 6th-11th English

19. Interdisciplinary Learning:Reading and writing required Common Core Literacy Standards English as a Supporting Course Teacher-Led Professional Development Shared Innovation Shared Vocabulary Common Assessment Language Latin and Greek Word Parts Kelly Gallagher’s 30-15-10 List from Deeper Reading Interdisciplinary Research Projects Authentic prompts Integrated research skills

20. 9th Grade Pre-AP English I & AP Human Geography & pre-ap biology

21. 9th Grade Pre-AP English I & AP Human Geography & pre-ap biology Writing Workshops Close Reading Model Lessons Shared Essay Assignments and Common Rubrics Integrated Units Agriculture with The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Young Reader’s Edition by Michael Pollan Population with Anthem by Ayn Rand Migration with The Odyssey by Homer Imperialism and Colonialism with Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Religion and Ethnicity with Night by Elie Wiesel Language with Romeo and Juliet

22. 10th GradePre-AP English II& AP government/AP Economics

23. 11th gradeAP Language and Composition& AP US history

24. evidence of Student Growth 2007 2011 School Performance Score 85.7 ACT Average 20.6 AP 3+ Rate 49% School Performance Score 108.9 ACT Average 21.7 AP 3+ Rate 74% AP Enrollment +60%

25. Q & A