Relevant Thematic Unit Design Map (A)

Unit Theme / Topic / Problem? High Stakes Testing

Unit Relevance? (Why is this topic important for students to study / act upon?) High stakes tests often lead students to feel unintelligent and stresses them out; students should learn that these tests are not an accurate reflection of their abilities and they should learn methods to cope with stress. These tests only analyze one type of intelligence, while the arts allows for students to express a different type of intelligence. Essential Questions? (Brainstorm 2 to 4 driving ?s)
1. How can the arts demonstrate different intelligences? 2. In what ways can we help facilitate a healthy and less stressed learning environment in the arts? 3. How can we help students understand what high stakes testing is and how it is relevant to them?

Grade 8th Subject Fine Arts Duration? 6 Weeks

Learning Activities? These must line up with the standards

in the section below (show how your activities will develop stated skills) and you must provide attachments of these activities.

Essential Threads? (Place an X for those that apply)

class(ism) Culture Economics Gender X Labor X land / geography X migration Oppression X politics / gov. X race(ism) X Resources X Resistance X

Learning Product #1: Students will better understand the implications of high stakes testing and how it relates to them by discussing and debating the information provided for them in our PowerPoint. Demonstrates the learning concepts of applying learning and communicating. Learning Product #2: Through the process of creating art students will understand how creating something can be a very productive method of stress relief whether it be visual, musical, or dramatic. The expression of their opinions helps them to relieve the stress that is burdening them. Learning standards demonstrated include application of learning, communicating, working on teams, using technology Learning Product #3: Students will improve their artistic abilities through painting, music acting and the development of a show. All of the hard work that students put into making a production will help improve their artistic abilities through continued and exposure to new types of expression through art. Learning standards demonstrated include application of learning, communicating, working on teams, using technology

Other Understandings Students Will Gain? Local: Current and/or Historical Understandings The origins of high stakes testing National Debate over high stakes testing Saucedo resisting the ISATs Global Connections (Current / Historical) Students in other parts of the world dont participate in high stakes testing, however they still experience stress and students can relate to different methods of stress relief. Many high performing nations do not test; is there a benefit?

Applicable Disciplines and Specific Standards?

Place an X for applicable disciplines (write in details) Language Arts Mathematics Media / Tech Music x Natural Sciences Psychology Social Sciences Theater / Drama x Visual Arts x

Specific subject:

Key Competencies (Common Core, ACT, or ILS)

(use Skills Cluster Maps for additional planning)

Main Texts? (readings, video, photos, art, music, etc.) PowerPoint Presentations (1 informing students on the subject of high stakes testing 2 providing a context of expression through the arts), Examples of set design, script writing, and software notated music. Critical Vocabulary Terms? High-Stakes testing/standardized test, stress, harmony, setting, upstage/downstage, balance, notation, instrumentation, brush strokes, collaboration, staging, canvas, backdrop, props

Applications of learning Solving problems Communicating Using technology Working on teams Making connections

Primary Instructional Approaches? Hands on learning, active learning, Collaborative learning, project based learning, use of multiple intelligences (musical vs technical vs dramatic etc.)

Final Project
(What will students do to present their learning and take action?)

Community connection? (field trips, speakers, events) Students will write a letter to the PTA or Board of Ed explaining how they feel about high stakes testing and inciting them to see the performance.

Students will create a small musical production. (Students will act, perform, and create a scene using the skills developed in curriculum.) The scene will be focused around the ideas that they have developed about high stakes testing and stress relief.

Scope and Sequence (a list of key activities / steps towards the learning project / action)
See folders 2c for skill support, 2d for instructional support and 2e for assessment ideas in the Curriculum Toolkit, 3rd ed.

All students will be presented a PowerPoint featuring information regarding high stakes testing. After being given access to the information students will discuss and debate the information. As they form ideas they can begin discussing how they feel about high stakes testing and its influence on them. The drama students will begin to write a script meant to show the audience how they feel about high stakes testing. The script will include a character for each drama student allowing them artistic freedom as they collaborate to create a story. The script must be finalized, and include staging. It will then be performed as the final project presentation. The art students will build a set(backdrops and props) for the show based on the setting of the script that the Drama Department wrote. The set will be appropriate to the mood set by the students' opinion of high stakes testing and will reflect a high level of artistic expression through color and texture choices. The music department will rewrite a song of their choosing to incorporate their opinions on high stakes testing into the lyrics. Students will also transcribe and use music software to notate the music so that it can ultimately be performed by the students in the final production.