What do we want students
know and be able to do?
For students in the Houston Independent School District, the answer is found in the
curriculum documents developed by the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department.
Each document provides specific information and serves a specific purpose. Currently,
teachers and administrators can reference three curriculum documents when planning
instruction and writing lesson plans.
Power Objectives
Among the many objectives that make up the curriculum within each course,
there are some objectives that are considered crucial in establishing a solid
understanding of that discipline and are absolutely essential for student success. These
objectives are called Power objectives and posses the following criteria:Endurance – Will this objective
provide students with knowledge and skills that will be of value beyond a single test
date? For example, proficiency in reading will endure throughout a student’s academic
career and professional life.
Leverage – Will this objective provide
knowledge and skills that will be of value in multiple disciplines? For example,
proficiency in creating graphs, tables, and charts and the ability to draw accurate
inferences from them will help students in math, science, social studies, and language
arts. The ability to write an analytical and persuasive essay will similarly help students
in every academic discipline.
Readiness for the next level of learning
– Will this objective provide students with essential knowledge and skills that are
necessary for success in the next grade level or the next level of instruction? For
example, fourth-grade teachers are unanimous that reading comprehension and math facts
recall are essential for third graders who wish to enter the fourth grade confidently and
pursue fourth-grade studies successfully.
 Learn more about the Power
Objectives Initiative
|
Curriculum Documents
Available for Instructional Planning
Year At A Glance
Teacher and administrators have a new tool to help map out their instruction for the year.
The Year At A Glance document serves as a
quick and concise preview of the learning focuses for the entire year. The time allotments
help define the pacing for the objectives that will be taught during each grading cycle.
With a "big picture" perspective provided by the Year
At A Glance (YAAG), teachers now are better
equipped to plan meaningful instruction. Vertical
Alignment Matrix
The Vertical Alignment Matrix provides a developmental mapping of objectives across grade
levels. The scope of objectives at each grade level and the progression from grade level
to grade level serves to delineate instruction and outlines the accountability for
specific student learning at each grade level.
TEKS/TAKS Correlations
The alignment between the district curriculum and the state standards are documented in
the TEKS/TAKS Correlations documents. The TEKS/TAKS Correlations defines the relationship
between the HISD objectives and the state standards known as the Texas Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS). The document also reflects the learning that will be assessed on the Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).
Horizontal Alignment Planning Guides
Planning Guides, sometimes referred to as the scope and sequence, outline
the objectives to be taught during a specific grading cycle. For the secondary
schools, six guides will be developed and for elementary schools which are on a nine-weeks
grading cycle, there will be four guides.
In addition to specifying the objectives that will be targeted, teachers are given
guidance in the amount of time that should be allocated for teaching an objective or group
of objectives. The guides also provide instructional considerations and instructional
strategies that the teacher may use to make learning more student-centered and
interactive. Professional resources for the teacher as well as instructional resources to
enhance the instruction are provided, giving teachers and students additional support.
|
