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unit generative?
The learning goal in my unit is generative because it can be approached through a variety of entry points, is interesting to students, and is fascinating for me as the teacher. The learning goal has a variety of entry points and connects to students' lives outside of school by being able to make connections with the lives of the artists in other classes. Many times we are studying an artist and students will be studying something similar in Social Studies or a similar time period, along with that we study different styles of painting and students often recognize these styles from their lives outside of school. Another part of the generative topic that is applicable to students in other classes and outside of school is using technology to express themselves. Students will use this for their entire lives if they are taught properly. The topic is also interesting to me as the teacher and the students because students are generally excited to look at the different types of art and learn about the artist’s lives. The generative topic is how human nature is expressed through the arts and the lives of the different artists and background to the paintings/styles is very important to this. The topic is interesting for me because I love the arts and sharing the backgrounds and lives of the artists with the students is a passion of mine.
2. How do the understanding goals create focus? How are these understanding goals the most important for your students to understand?
The understanding goals create focus by being clearly defined and focusing on the big ideas of the lesson. These goals capture the most important things in my class because it is the standard set for my class by the Sioux Falls School District, they have deemed it the most important thing. Along with that is the goal related to technology, if students become more aware with the different technological avenues there are to effectively express themselves they have at least one necessary tool to help them succeed.
3. How are the performances of understanding related to the understanding goals? In what ways do the performances of understanding help students build and demonstrate their understanding? Were there other performances that you considered using but decided not to use? Why?
The performances of understanding directly relate to the understanding goals by being activities or performances that help students achieve the understanding goal. One particular performance of understanding the students do many different times throughout the unit is the recreation of many different art forms demonstrated by each of the seven artists we study. These performances all directly help students understand the differences among the artists and help students reach that understanding goal. There were performances I considered. Many times I considered a movie guide or other guided readings. I did not use these as many times I found they sat at the bottom of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy, and I decided I did not need any more performances at the bottom. The performances I used were spread across the Taxonomy along with the ongoing assessments.
4. In what ways are the assessments clearly articulated, relevant, and public? In what ways are the assessments "ongoing"?
The assessments were clearly articulated, relevant and public with rubrics provided to each student and available online (class blog: mmshumanities.blogspot.com). In class, I also went over the rubric and made sure each student understood the task at hand with questioning. The assessments were ongoing, because I assessed the students daily with blog comments, quizzes, exit slips, rubrics, and random questioning. I feel ongoing assessments are cumulative and progress with the students as they learn. This is what the different assessments used in the unit did.
5. How did you select the technology used in this unit? How does this technology promote learning?
Technology was selected for this unit based on the variety of technologies I had previously used in Humanities and research. When deciding whether or not to use a piece of technology I looked at whether it involved hands-on learning and fostered 21st century teaching. Many "technologies" I used were not considered technologies while completing this Master's Degree, but recreating every powerpoint into a video or something like that would have been impossible and not practical, so I supplemented this base technology with more advanced types of technology, a skill I wish I could get many other teachers to use instead of starting over. The technology used promotes learning by being user friendly for the students and involving types of media they are directly interested in, catering to the variety of learning styles out there.
6. How did you include 21st century teaching and learning?
One of my favorite quotes from Milton Chen, author of Education Nation, states, "simply dropping machines in schools is a recipe for disaster". 21st century teaching and learning is more than technology, so much more. I did use technology in my classroom and in the lessons, and many teachers would tell you that is how they are catering to the 21st century, but that is not enough. I force my students to think critically and problem solve. Students also need to think globally and that is a big part of Humanities, thinking globally about all the people and how they each contribute to the arts and to humanity. Along with thinking globally, students in my classroom work collaboratively and learn to do it effectively. These skills are so much more than a computer, and so necessary for the 21st century teacher and learner.
7. How did you plan for diversity and exceptionality?
Planning for diversity and exceptionalities is a challenge I love at the middle school level. Every student is different, and at the middle school you are planning for 150 different learners everyday. I plan for diversity by having note taking guides available for students that need them, I also plan for the students that are higher achieving students with deeper thinking questions and more advanced projects. Planning for diversity and exceptionality is most easily done after you have gotten to know your students, and every class is different. The best way to plan for the exceptionalities is to get to know the students and what works for them, along with providing multiple assessments where students can choose what works best for them.

Overarching Understanding Goals, or Throughlines:
to learn?
Yes, your udnerstanding goals are broad and they allow you to go in depth with them throughout the semester/year.
AreYes, as stated this is important to the Sioux Falls School District
Are they phrased appreciate ...”?
You might want to add questions also. (I didn’t do this either!)
Yes
Do they relate closely to generative topics and understanding goals for the?
I think your first and third generative topic/understanding goal could be specified more, it is very similar to the understanding goal. Other than that they sound good.
Yes, very much so!
Generative Topics:
or domains?
Yes, technology, the arts, and students expressions of emotions/ communication.
InterestingYes, they relate very well.
Interesting and exciting to students?
Art
Art is very as well.
Do
I agree I think that students enjoy looking at different types of art and learning about the background of the artists or art.
Do they provide of school?
I
I definitely think their lives.
I think the technology aspect of how this connects to art and their life outside of school provides the students with this opportunity!
Is there related resources and materials to make topic accessible to students?
search engines).
Yes the search engine and blog make it accessible for students at home or anywhere!
Unit-Long Understanding Goals:
to throughlines?
Yes, they relate very well.
DoYes, both address human nature in art and technology uses for art.
Do they focus generative topic?
Yes.
Yes, they connect and focus on the main aspects of the generative topic.
Do they capture what is most important for students to understand about the
generative topic?
Yes, I think your focus is on important learning aspects for the students. I think the students will enjoy this unit.
Yes, how to use technology in art and how human nature is expressed in art.
Do they take the form of a question and a statement?
No, so you might want to add questions. I didn’t do this either the first time.
Yes

Overarching Understanding Goals, or Throughlines:
Do they capture the most important things for students to learn?
Yes, your udnerstanding goals are broad and they allow you to go in depth with them throughout the semester/year.
Are they phrased as questions and as statements (such as “Students will understand ...”or “Students will appreciate ...”?
You might want to add questions also. (I didn’t do this either!)
Do they relate closely to generative topics and understanding goals for the?
I think your first and third generative topic/understanding goal could be specified more, it is very similar to the understanding goal. Other than that they sound good.
Generative Topics:
Are they central to one or more disciplines or domains?
Yes, technology, the arts, and students expressions of emotions/ communication.
Interesting and exciting to students?
Art is very rarely integrated into the classroom and I think students really enjoy learning about art. So I think your unit with be interesting and exciting, especially when integrating technology as well.
Do they provide opportunities for students to make connections to other classes as well as life outside of school?
I definitely think your generative topics relate to several different areas, especially life outside of school. Using technology to express themselves, students will use this every day of their lives.
Is there related resources and materials to make topic accessible to students?
It seems like you are going to use several resources (the blog you created, along with custom search engines).
Unit-Long Understanding Goals:
Are they closely related to throughlines?
Yes, they relate very well.
Do they focus on central aspects of the generative topic?
Yes.
Do they capture what is most important for students to understand about the
generative topic?
Yes, I think your focus is on important learning aspects for the students. I think the students will enjoy this unit.
Do they take the form of a question and a statement?
No, so you might want to add questions. I didn’t do this either the first time.

1. How is the learning in your unit generative?
2. How do the understanding goals create focus? How are these understanding goals the most important for your students to understand?
3. How are the performances of understanding related to the understanding goals? In what ways do the performances of understanding help students build and demonstrate their understanding? Were there other performances that you considered using but decided not to use? Why?
4. In what ways are the assessments clearly articulated, relevant, and public? In what ways are the assessments "ongoing"?
5. How did you select the technology used in this unit? How does this technology promote learning?
6. How did you include 21st century teaching and learning?
7. How did you plan for diversity and exceptionality?

home
introduction
TfU Planning Document
Sequence of Performances
Unit of Study
Reflective Unit Questions
Summary of Collaborative Feedback

Final Project
Effect on Student Learning

The average pretest score was 22/50, and the average post test score was 45/50. The document attached shows 2 students' pretests and their post tests comparing the amount of information learned. Periodic assessments also took place during the unit. Those results can be found under the individual lessons.
{http://www.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png} Pretest Posttest.PDF