Overview of the Curriculum
Units
Grades 1-6 include 4 units which address ALL Ohio standards for the respective grade levels. K units include 3 units that integrate all Ohio science standards.
Units are built and organized with the 5E’s instructional framework to facilitate inquiry.
Each unit overview includes:
- Learning targets
- Teacher background information
- Links to all lessons and resources necessary to teach the unit
Designed with Progression in Mind
The units are organized and arranged in a logical instructional progression that build student understanding over the course of the year. Each unit is carefully planned in a learning progression that builds conceptual understanding of students. This is critical to long term retention and effective learning.
Utilizes the Google Platform
The curriculum is designed and created using the Google Platform so there is no new technology or software to learn or download. The units include hyperlinked Google doc unit organizers linked to all lesson and instructional resources.
Lessons and resources can be copied and saved in teachers’ Google drive and be accessible from anywhere.
Most lessons and resources can be assigned in Google classroom or teachers can use the share links for the resources and assign lesson materials and resources using other learning management systems, such as Schoology.
Many lessons and resources are designed with Google tools such as Docs and Slides to decrease the learning curve for both teachers and students. However, it is not necessary for a school to use Google to utilize the curriculum.
Key Components
Learning Targets and Focus Questions
Each unit contains student learning targets to guide and communicate to students what they are responsible for learning. The units also have focus questions that help guide exploration of the content of the unit.
Direct Alignment to Ohio Standards
Each unit overview has exploration big questions that guide student exploration for the unit. It also includes the specific standards that are addressed for each specific unit.
Teacher Information
All units contain the important teacher information and guidance as to where the content was addressed previously and where it will be addressed in future grades. The information included in this session aligns directly with the Model Curriculum for the ODE. The unit overview also includes the 5 E’s inquiry cycle stages of the learning progression.
Hands-on and Integrated Lessons
Each unit includes engaging, hands-on lessons that assist students in understanding and learning the content. There are also lessons that integrate math and ELA standards for the grade level where appropriate. Most units include Readworks lessons to reinforce literacy skills of students.
Edulastic Assessments
Each unit includes already created Edulastic assessments that assess the content of the unit. The assessments mirror items of the state tests such as drag and drop, multiple select, etc.
All assessments can be copied and edited in the Edulastic platform with a free Edulastic account.
Great Interactive Tools
Most units include interactive simulations from PhET and Concord Consortia. These provide dynamic online learning lessons that can only be done in a virtual environment.
The units for grades 3-6 also include Digital Interactive Notebook templates using Google slides. These templates can be assigned through Google Classroom and provide an online notebook for each student.
Unit Storylines
The Unit Storylines provide a breakdown of the activities in each inquiry stage to provide approximate times for each of the activities. This will assist teachers in pacing and planning their instruction.
The storylines also include the materials for each activity, as well as new, key vocabulary. Lastly, the storylines also include the student outcome for each inquiry stage. This will assist teachers in knowing what exactly students should be able to understand for each of the inquiry stages.
Materials Lists
The materials list contains the materials needed for the lessons that require extra or special materials or supplies. If a lesson only requires handouts or is digital, the lesson is not included on the materials list.
There is a tab at the bottom of the sheet for each unit at the grade level. Just click the tabs to see the materials for lessons in the respective units.
Error and Correction Sheets
There is also a link to the Error and Correction Sheet for each grade level at the top of each Unit Overview.
The Errors and Corrections document is a SHARED, EDITABLE document that all grade level teachers have access to enter information on. This sheet is for teachers to report any errors or issues that need to be addressed in the units, such as a bad link or missing resource, etc..
Capstone Interactive eBooks
The curriculum includes links to Capstone Interactive eBooks on INFOhio’s website. The links in the curriculum should take you directly to the specific eBook.
The eBook can be assigned to the students through Google Classroom.