Generalizations

• Fundamental concepts that all students should understand when they complete the unit or module have been identified.
• Essential questions that evoke interest in those "understandings" were developed.

Objectives

• Objectives clearly state what students are expected to understand and to be able to do.
• Objectives are aligned with national, state, and local standards.
• Objectives are aligned with the TEKS.

Authentic Performance Tasks

• Desired achievements are clearly designed and described.
• Tasks are hands-on and performance based.
• Tasks are important, appropriate, and relevant for students.
• Guidelines for performance obligations are specific and appropriate.
• Tasks provide students and teachers feedback for self-monitoring and self-adjusting during and after completion.

Performance Rubrics

• All important outcomes are addressed by criteria.
• Rating strategy matches purpose.
• Rating scale provides usable, easily interpreted score.
• Are based on analysis of many samples of student work.
• Reflect consistent scoring across evaluators and time.

Activities provide direct and indirect experiences that develop understanding of concepts. The following activities will be included:

Higher-Order Thinking Skills

• Higher-order thinking skills at the highest levels of the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains.
  Cognitive (Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation)
  Affective (Receiving, Responding, Valuing, Organization, Characterization)
  Psychomotor (Imitation, Manipulation, Precision, Articulation, Naturalization)

Diverse Modalities

• Activities address the multiple intelligences and individual learning styles of all students.
  Multiple Intelligences (Logical/Mathematical, Verbal/Linguistic, Visual/Spatial, Body/Kinesthetic, Musical/Rhythmic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, [naturalist])
  Learning Styles (Analytical, Global, Kinesthetic)

Graphic Organizers

• Graphic organizers that help students to think and reflect will be included in the unit.
  Thinking Skills (analyzing, identifying causes, comparing/contrasting, predicting, brainstorming, seeing relationships, clarifying concepts, sequencing, evaluating, specifying)
  Graphic Organizers (Venn diagram, T-chart, Question Matrix, Spectrum, Gathering Grid, Pie Chart, Web, Mind Map, Ranking Ladder, KWL, Agree/Disagree Chart, Sequence Chart, PMI, Prediction Tree, Target, Fat and Skinny Questions, Right Angle, Fish Bone, Information Chart)

Technology

• Participants will integrate the use of computer applications in their units.
• Participants will integrate research from the unit.
• Participants will communicate with their peers through e-mail.
• Participants will integrate the use of the Internet in their unit.
• Participants will integrate technology equipment in their units (QuickTake camera, scanner, video, etc.)
• Participants will appropriately place all components of their units in the Project ABCD framework.

Constructivism

• Inquiry-based activities are included.
• Students are given opportunities to develop strategies for solving problems.
• Students develop reflective and independent thinking.

Socratic Questioning

• Students engage in Socratic questioning techniques that use convergent and divergent questioning strategies.
• Student Behaviors – give reasons for answers, use precise/specific words, take time to think, stick with the problem, offer different answers to one problem, listen to what other students say, think about his/her own thinking, ask complex questions about the topic