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	Teaching and Learning Secondary Curriculum
Teaching and Learning	Elementary Curriculum	Secondary Curriculum	Instructional Materials	Highly Capable	Mentoring	Clock Hours	Parent Information	Edmonds School District

Setting the Context	7-12	Washington State EALRs
The Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs)

This information was prepared by Terry Bergeson and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Washington:

A dynamic discussion about education has been taking place between educators, parents, and business and community people in this state. Growing numbers of citizens who care about education have been working together to create what will be the driver of reform - higher academic standards.

Oddly enough, Washington State has never had common goals for which students and educators were accountable. Earlier attempts to set standards left districts to develop their own lists, and there was no coherent attempt to measure achievement.

After much study, intense discussion, and thoughtful public debate, statewide academic standards have been developed for the "basics" - reading, writing, communication, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and health and fitness. We call these standards Essential Academic Learning Requirements. They represent the specific academic skills and knowledge students will be required to meet in the classroom.

Integrated into the design of the Essential Academic Learning Requirements are the state's learning goals 3 and 4 as outlined in the Education Reform Act. Under the law, Goal 3 asked us to link thinking skills to the basics; Goal 4 asked us to link the Essential Academic Learning Requirements to the world of work. Ultimately, learners must understand the link between their personal efforts and performance in school and their decisions about future career and educational opportunities.

The Essential Academic Learning Requirements are clear targets for students and teachers across the state. Setting higher standards calls for better methods of measuring student and teacher performance.

The Washington State EALRs are embedded in the Edmonds Curriculum Frameworks 9-12. Thus, if an Edmonds teacher uses the Edmonds Curriculum Frameworks, they will indeed be teaching students the Essential Academic Learning Requirements as tested in the 10th grade WASL and beyond.

Washington State Learning Goals:
In order to raise academic standards for students in Washington State, a focus has been placed on the four state learning goals. These goals include:

Goal 1
Read with comprehension, write with skill, and communicate effectively and responsibly in a variety of ways and settings.

Goal 2
Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics: social, physical, and life sciences; civics and history; geography; the arts; and health and fitness.

Goal 3
Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems.

Goal 4
Understand the importance of work and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect career and educational opportunities.

Any changes to be made to these EALRs will appear in the subsequent printing of the technical manual (see bibliography), and pending that publication of the technical manual, notations of approved changes will be posted on the OSPI web site.

Setting the Context	7-12	Washington State GLEs
Grade Level Expectations (GLEs)

A New Level of Specificity
Washington's school reform efforts focus on setting clear, high expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The original Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) defined benchmarks for grades four, seven, and ten. They were written in broad terms to provide flexibility, with an expectations for the other grade levels. Now, the Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) provide a new level of specificity from K through 10, clarifying the basic skills necessary for students to achieve to prepare them for life in our complex world.

The Office of Superintendent of Public instruction is committed to supporting educators in their efforts to provide a high quality education for all Washington students. As part of their work, OSPI will be creating GLEs for all core academic subject areas. Important to this effort is the continual review and refinement process of the state's EALRs as well as creation of aligned grade level resources (On-line Grade Level Resources) that will help guide the educators' work. The Edmonds Scope and Sequence document align the GLEs to adopted instructional materials in the district. Thus if a teacher uses the scope and sequence to plan instruction, the class will indeed be learning materials aligned to the GLEs.

Content Area	Timeline	Publication of GLEs	On-line Grade Level Resources
Reading	2002-2004	Winter 2004	Available Now
Mathematics	2002-2005	Summer 2004	Available Now
Science	2003-2005	Winter 2005	2005-2006
Writing/Communications	2004-2005	Summer 2005	2005-2006
Social Studies	2006-2008	Winter 2008	2008-2009
Arts	2007-2008	Summer 2008	2008-2009
Health and Fitness	2008-2009	Summer 2009	2009-2010

Please continue to visit the Curriculum and Instruction page of the OSPI web site to access Grade Level Expectations and On-line Grade Level Resources as they become available: http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct

Setting the Context	7-12	The Edmonds Five Learning Outcomes
Introduction

The Origins of the Five Learning Outcomes
In 1993, the Edmonds School District first drafted The Tapestry, a document that defines what students should know and be able to do in order to graduate. The Tapestry was developed in collaboration with educators, parents, and other community members. All stakeholders in the community had the opportunity to review and provide input on all drafts. From The Tapestry, teachers and administrators began developing the Edmonds Curriculum Frameworks K-8. The Curriculum Frameworks defines standards of performance at checkpoints in each student's school life and includes not only community expectations as defined in The Tapestry, but also the Essential Academic Learning Requirements as defined by the state board of education. The document also contains Key Results Tasks (K-8), which allow teachers to clearly identify whether students are able to meet standards by checking student work against scored models.

Tapestry Focus
Educating students for the world they will inherit requires a partnership involving all of the community. Parents, educators, community residents, and students themselves have individual and shared roles to play in ensuring that graduates of the Edmonds School District acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become Lifelong Learners, Personal Life managers, Quality Workers and Producers, and Contributing Community Members.

Lifelong Learners
Students continually strive for excellence and experience the joy and value of learning. They are good thinkers who create solutions and discover new knowledge. They assume responsibility for their own learning, are willing to take risks, and can meet the challenges of change.

Personal Life Managers
Students gain knowledge and develop character traits that contribute to healthy, balanced, and fulfilling lives. They confidently manage the multiple responsibilities of family, work, and personal interests. They understand their own abilities and needs, and demonstrate a positive sense of self-worth.

Quality Workers and Producers
Students take pride in work well done and value quality in all aspects of their lives. They take responsibility for contributing to an effective work environment. They work with a variety of technologies and are prepared for new and emerging career options.

Contributing Community Members
Students experience the rewards of being involved, contributing member of their communities. They know the responsibilities of local and national citizenship and respect the rights of all people. They understand the diversity of their world and the complexities of global relationships.

The Tapestry centers on:
Language Arts
Thinking and Problem Solving
Science
Working with Other
Communicating
Mathematics
Technology
Art
Self-Directed Learning
Personal Health and Well-Being
Producing Quality Work
Practical Living Studies
Career Development
Social Studies

From a concentrated look at these areas, Edmonds determined that there are five key Learning Outcomes that all our graduates should have as they exit our system. They should be able to:

Use information resourcefully
Manage socially and personally
Communicate effectively
Think strategically
meet post-secondary academic competencies

These learning outcomes are embedded in the graduation performance tasks, anchor tasks, high school plus plan, and culminating project.

Setting the Context	7-12	The Edmonds Five Learning Outcomes
Using information Resourcefully

Our students live in a data-rich environment. In fact, it is very easy for students to become overwhelmed by the amount of information that is available to them as they solve problems. That is why it is very important that our students have the skills necessary to access, read, analyze, and evaluate information.

Information Management

Use reading, writing, speaking and listening and observing to gather and interpret information
Define the task prior to beginning a search for information
Use information-seeking strategies
Know the location of information and how to access it
Examine information for errors in reasoning
Use information appropriately
Synthesize information from many different sources
Evaluate own information-gathering process and determine whether it was successful in relationship to the task
Cite resources appropriately

The Edmonds Research Process

Define the tasks: write the central question(s)
Prepare for the search: identify all possible information sources and keywords
Locate and evaluate relevant information sources: find useful and reliable information and record bibliographic data
Interpret, evaluate, and record relevant information: paraphrase and take notes
Construct meaning by synthesizing and organizing information from multiple sources
Apply findings and present the information to an audience
Evaluate both the research process and the final product
Reflect on the research process and the product

Setting the Context	7-12	The Edmonds Five Learning Outcomes
Managing Socially and Personally

Managing socially and personally includes a key set of skills that are necessary for live, from pre-school to retirement living. Our students need to be able to manage individually, as well as socially.

Responsibility/Reflection
Demonstrate the ability to manage and direct one's own learning in the process of solving a problem.

Learn from models.

Recognize the need to seek out a variety of authentic relevant models
Access models independently
Discern relevant information that must be incorporated to achieve a high quality product

Use high quality standards to evaluate and improve own performance.

With teacher's assistance, create a scoring guide (rubric)
Use the rubric to evaluate work throughout the process to make adjustments for continuous improvement

Problem-Solving/Decision-Making
Demonstrate perseverance.

Students demonstrate perseverance at an independent level by demonstrating the following:

Willingness to put in the time and effort the task requires
Continuing to work even when it becomes difficult or when he/she doesn't feel like working
Continuing to work, and if necessary, reworking until he/she has achieved a predetermined high standard of quality

Resolve problems.

Resolve problems in a way that shows consideration of various points of view.

Articulate cause of conflicts
Listen to and empathize with other person's perspective
Generate a variety of solutions, and think of their consequences, and choose and acceptable solution to all

Cooperation
Demonstrate the ability to work with others as a team to achieve a shared goal in the process of solving a problem. Participate in the establishment of self-directed work teams.

Articulate an understanding of variety of team work styles, articulate their own style, and adapt to the needs of the team members with divergent styles
Select a team comprised of members who represent the range of skills and team work styles necessary for success

Plan actions that contribute to the success of the team.

Explain the shared goal of the team
State the specific responsibilities assigned to his/her role
Negotiate a team operating agreement which clarifies responsibilities for such things as performance and attendance, and states a plan for bringing in new members (if necessary)
Make a detailed timeline for completing a task

take specific actions that contribute to the success of the team.

Use a timeline as a tool to manage his or her progress
Monitor and adjust his or her behavior in accordance with the team operating agreement and the needs of the team
Solicit assistance from the teacher, if necessary, in holding others accountable for upholding the team operating agreement
Follow through, if necessary, with a plan for incorporating a new team member

Setting the Context	7-12	The Edmonds Five Learning Outcomes
Communicating Effectively

In order to communicate effectively, students need to be able to communicate ideas clearly and effectively when speaking, use listening and observation skills to gain understanding, and use interpersonal communication strategies to work effectively with others.

Speaking
Communicate ideas clearly and effectively.

Communicate clearly

Use awareness of audience's background to capture and effectively hold its attention

Develop content and ideas

Use prior knowledge and experimentation to create new ideas
Give clear logical thesis (when appropriate)
Describe ideas in concrete or symbolic terms

Use effective delivery

Skillfully incorporate verbal and non-verbal cues (stress, volume, projection, pitch, fluency, rate, body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture and movement) to enhance message
Use eye contact

Use effective language and style

Use formal standard English or special forms of language as appropriate, such as accents or dialects in oral dialogue
Use language that is interesting and well-suited to topics and audience

Use effective action, sound, and/or images

Use multi-media sources and documented information
Interpret information from a variety of verbal and nonverbal sources (charts, graphics, videos, interviews, and personal experience)

Analyze and evaluate presentations

Asses own presentation while viewing videotape
Seek and give input on effectiveness of own and other's presentation

Listening and Observing
Use listening and observation skills to gain understanding.

Focus attention.

Explain the impact of using attending skills, remaining focused, responding, and questioning

Observe and Listen

Draw inferences and verify conclusions based upon observed sensory experience

Check for understanding

Interpret and evaluate oral and visual contexts based on a variety of sources
Apply thinking skills to analyze additional information to draw conclusions and develop hypotheses

Analyze mass communication

Be able to develop own opinions from mass communication
Compare/contrast the influence of various mass communication strategies
Skillfully use technology to browse, retrieve, and select information from various sources
Analyze bias in mass communications

Interpersonal Communication
Use interpersonal communication strategies to work effectively with others.

Use language to interact effectively and responsibly

Explain how verbal/non-verbal communication influences each other to enhance and hamper effective communication
Communicate effectively and appropriately with others
Use language that is free from stereotyping, bias, libel, slander, or harassment

Participate in discussions

Create and use a plan for conflict management
Contribute to discussions effectively
Organize, facilitate, and evaluate a group process plan
Participate in informal and formal debates
Listen to and paraphrase another point of view

Setting the Context	7-12	The Edmonds Five Learning Outcomes
Thinking Strategically

Thinking Strategically is at the heart of using information to solve problems, think creatively, investigate issues, make decisions, and analyze and design systems.

Constructing Meaning from Information
Select and interpret information from a variety of resources to construct meaning, solve problems, and perform tasks.

Create Problem Solving
Develop an effective solution to a realistic complex problem, using creative problem-solving strategies.

Define the problem, brainstorm solutions
Systematically evaluate several possible solutions for logic and feasibility considering varying points of view, then justify the selection
Collect data systematically on all possible variations on the solution
Implement the proposed solution

Investigation Skills
Design and employ an appropriate process for investigating specific issues or questions and accurately interpret findings.

Formulate a central question
Brainstorm ways to find answers (hypothesize, predict)
Select an investigative approach
Design procedures, list materials, and estimate time and cost
Conduct multiple trials, objectively observe, measure, and record results, make adjustments
Organize information into a relevant format
Generalize about the data by comparing/contrasting and noting patterns and trends
Recommend ideas for further research

Decision-Making Skills
Clearly identify barriers, criteria, information, insights, and values in making an appropriate choice from among feasible alternatives.

Systems Analysis and Design Skills
Clearly explain how a complex system is impacted by change to its parts and design a sustainable functional system.

Identify and describe how the parts of a system work together
Describe the boundaries of the system
Analyze the parts of the system and the manner in which they interact
Explain what would happen if a part of a system changed or stopped working

Setting the Context	7-12	The Edmonds Five Learning Outcomes
Meeting Post-Secondary Competencies

The Edmonds School District envisions that every Edmonds graduate will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed choices and have a purpose and a vision for their lives. In order to have choices about their futures, our students need to leave our system with the knowledge and skills to meet post-secondary competencies required to attain their goals. There are several key checkpoints along the way that indicate student progress towards meeting post-secondary competencies.

Meeting Post-Secondary Competencies
The path to Meeting Post-Secondary Competencies	Grade 7	Grade 8	Grade 9	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12
	Students are on the path to meeting post-secondary competencies if they are:
	Meeting the standards on the 7th grade WASL in reading, writing, listening, and math. Meeting 7th Grade Common Assessments.	Meeting the standards on the 8th Grade WASL in science. Meeting 8th Grade Common Assessments.	Meeting Proficient on the Pre-Certificate of Mastery Anchor Tasks and the 9th Grade Graduation Performance Task.	Meeting the 10th grade WASL in reading, writing, listening, math, and science. (Certificate of Mastery) Meeting Proficient on the Pre-Certificate of Mastery Anchor Tasks and the 10th Grade Graduation Performance Task.	Meeting Proficient on the Pre-Certificate of Mastery Anchor Tasks and the 11th Grade Graduation Performance Task. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Optional Assessments that predict student success on meeting post-secondary competencies: PSAT, SAT, Accuplacer, College Applications and Essays.	Meeting Proficient on the Pre-Certificate of Mastery Anchor Tasks and the 12th Grade Graduation Performance Task. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Optional Post-Secondary Competencies: Advanced Placement and international Baccalaureate Exams, Industry entrance exams.