WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct standards-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings to meet rigorous evidence requirements, such as federal peer review guidelines; and key feedback that contributes to quality content standards. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.
WestEd’s Item‐to‐Standards Alignment Studies
WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct curriculum-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings to meet rigorous evidence requirements, such as federal peer review guidelines; and key feedback that contributes to quality assessments. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.
WestEd’s Curriculum‐to‐Standards Alignment Studies
WestEd’s content and assessment experts are available to conduct curriculum-to-standards alignment studies, which provide: findings on the alignment between local curricula and state content standards, and key feedback that contributes to quality standards-based curricula. This service is available for a range of grade levels and content areas.
‘Both and’ Literacy Instruction K-5: A Proposed Paradigm Shift for the Common Core State Standards ELA Classroom
This article proposes a language arts curriculum congruent to the new, English/language arts (ELA) college and career ready standards, particularly to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The idea of behind “‘both and’ literacy instruction” is that all of the following elements are needed for students to form a coherent literacy experience:
Foundational literacy practices: alphabetic knowledge, phonological processing, vocabulary, fluency
Reading comprehension: the role of read alouds/shared reading of grade-level text, building knowledge, attending to syntax
High volume of reading: using the technique called Guided Reading with Accountable Independent Reading
The purpose of this article is “to help teachers determine which aspects fo their current practice are inherently aligned with the CCSS and which aspects of existing practices must be added to, adapted or shifted” (p. 1).
Introduction to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) – Course Design, Organization and Implementation
From the abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide readers the opportunity to see the planning, organization and delivery of an undergraduate course in the area of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). This course for is designed for students to thoughtfully engage in the interdisciplinary nature of STEAM. In the course students develop skills related to intersections between these content areas, and the construction and application of STEAM models for cross-disciplinary dialogue, inquiry, and problem solving. The discussion fits in the discipline of SCIENCE and contributes to the continued efforts in the science community to engage and create opportunities for interdisciplinary study for student work and research (p. 2).
Butterfly Unit: Accessing Complex Text in the Primary Grades
This kindergarten class of English language learners (ELLs) demonstrates Lily Wong Fillmore’s guidance in how teachers can support students in acquiring and using academic language and working successfully with complex text. These ELL kindergartners have engaged in a unit studying butterflies where academic vocabulary, language structure, and keys to unlocking the meaning of complex text have been deeply embedded into their daily learning. This video is on sharing a reading/writing lesson which celebrates text complexity. Key points include: (1) Each day select text to amplify as part of instructional conversations and (2) Choose text that has complex structure but also that holds the essence of your lesson/activity, or some really pivotal information.