Session Description
Participants will be introduced to the EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units as a tool to review a lesson and to align to the CCSSM.
Goal of the Session
Participants will explore the components of the EQuIP Rubric and the criteria for an exemplar lesson or unit.
Pre-session Preparation
- Review the PP and slide notes,
- Make copies of the EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Mathematics.
- While this presentation goes over the criteria in the EQuIP Rubric, it may be helpful to choose a quality lesson ahead of time and have participants practice going through the steps. This would make the time needed to review significantly longer. For 6-12 grade groups consider choosing a lesson from the MARS project. Another option is for teachers to choose a lesson from their current curriculum to critique. Keep in mind that we are not trying to start with a perfect lesson. This tool is used to critique the lesson and come up with good suggestions for improvement. Concentrating on the criteria allows for good suggestions.
TIME / CONTENT/ACTIVITIES / MATERIALS
5 min / Introduction and Objectives
Slides 1-3
Introduce yourself and allow participants to read the objective and the quote from the CCSSM. Ask them to pause to think about what our charge is given these new standards.
5 min / EQuIP Rubric Introduction
Slide 4-6
The EQuIP Rubric for Mathematics has been derived from the Tri-State Rubric. The Tri-State Rubric was created by the Tri-State collaborative, comprised of educational leaders from Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. Two criterion-based rubrics were created to evaluate the quality of lessons and units intended to address the CCSS for Mathematics and ELA/Literacy.
EQuIP=Educators Evaluating Quality Instructional Products
ISBE is participating with other states and Achieve to identify exemplar lessons, and units aligned to the CCSS. Illinois wants to build the capacity of educators to evaluate the quality of instructional units.
Slides 5 and 6 are not intended to be read, merely to use as a visual reference. / EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Mathematics
5 min / Scan the Rubric
Slides 7-8
Ask the participants to scan the rubric for the key components and identify similarities to the themes of the CCSSM. / You may want to provide teachers with a copy of the CCSSM or have internet access for them to be able to access on online version or app.
15 min / Column I
Slide 9-10
Allow participants a moment to read through Column I and concentrate on the three bullets of Content, Practice and Balance.
Make sure to point out that dimension I is non-negotiable. In order for the review to continue, a rating of 2 or 3 is required.
Discuss the math wars and how in the past some tried to say that it was only about the skills and the answers, while the others said it was about understanding. The CCSSM calls for a balance, but recognizes that not every lesson will provide this balance. Remind teachers that lessons and units should have a balance.
In each column, take the time to read the lesson/unit material related to alignment.
Read key materials in the packet, particularly those related to the alignment of its instruction and assessment. Identify the grade-level CCSS that the lesson targets and compare its depth and expectations to those of the targeted CCSS. Work the student tasks provided with the lesson/unit, keeping in mind all the possible strategies students might use.
Slides 11-13
Analyze the lesson/unit for evidence of the column criteria. Encourage participants to consider the criteria and not just their subjective feelings.
Examine the lesson/unit through the “lens” of the criteria for which there is clear and substantial evidence of meeting the descriptors.
Check the criteria that are met.
Provide input on improvements needed to meet the criteria. Point out what the lesson is doing well and ways to improve the lesson.
15 min / Column II
Slides 14-15
Ask participants to read column II of the EQuIP rubric, then, summarize the important points.
While there is only one slide for participants to go through the steps, if you want to copy the previous slides for Column I, you can. Participants should still take time for those steps.
15 min / Column III
Slides 16-19
Column III has so many important points that it is listed in three separate slides. With each slide, ask participants to stop and consider what this would look like in an exemplar lesson or unit.
Again, the use of the EQuIP Rubric would necessitate going through the reading, analyzing, examining and providing input. Encourage participants to be truthful about their input and to consider how they could always improve a lesson.
15 min / Column IV
Slides 20-22
Look at the criteria listed here and consider the criteria for a longer unit and lesson. The emphasis on quality assessment is here. Have participants again read, analyze, examine and provide quality input when working on a lesson.
5 min / Overall Rating
Slides 23
It’s not important to concentrate on the rating of this by number, but do consider whether or not you consider the lesson or unit exemplary or how much needs to be improved. Realize that some lessons aren’t going to fit the criteria and need to be let go even if people like them.
5 min / How to Use the Rubric with Teachers
Slide 24
Read through the ideas and ask participants to discuss where they would use this in the school. This is obviously not meant to be used for day-to-day lesson planning, but to think about the bigger picture and needs of the CCSSM. What does a really exemplar lesson look like and how can daily lesson planning get closer to this within the time frame that we have?
5 min / Next Steps
Slide 25- 29
Ask participants to do a “Think, Ink, Pair, Share “on how they can use this information in the future. Give everyone time to process.
EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Mathematics