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Content Knowledge: Standard Based Instruction

Jenny Leary
Regent University

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Introduction

Included in this competency is math collaboration sheet that unpacks two related math
standards and a lesson plan I developed to help students meet standard 5.2.8. I have also included
a student work sample that is reflective of both of these standards. Standard-based instruction is
important because it helps guide the planning, implementation, and assessment of student
learning. Teachers must be accountable for what they are teaching and should follow standard
based instruction to ensure their students meet the desired objectives.
Rationale
I picked an example of student work and a lesson plan I designed for my two artifacts. I
chose these artifacts because they show evidence of strong content knowledge of standards-based
instruction in use of materials and lesson delivery. During one of my first collaboration meetings,
the math specialist handed every 5th grade teacher the standards we would be discussing during
our meeting. My first artifact is a copy of that sheet, and was the guide I used in planning my
lessons for that week. My second artifact is the first lesson I taught for these specific standards.
In my lesson I also used another one of the resources given to every teacher by the math
specialist and used it as a review for students who were not meeting with the teacher in small
group.
The key element that made me choose my first artifact is the section that unpacks each
standard. This section basically lays out what students need to know and what they need to be
able to do in order to meet this standard. There are many different skills that go into each of these
standards, and it is my responsibility as a teacher to ensure every student possesses those skills in
order to meet the objectives. At Regent I was taught to plan with the end in mind and align
standards, instruction, and assessments logically for lessons and units (McTighe & Wiggins,

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2005). I believe this tool not only help me guide my instruction, but helped me focus on what
content students needed to master.
My second artifact is a lesson I planned to go along with standard 5.2.8. In standard 5.2.8
students needed to be able to create and solve single-step real world problems involving addition
and subtraction with fractions and mixed numbers, with like and unlike denominators, and
express answers in simplest form. As you can see there are many skills involved in this standard,
so for independent work I had students review how to subtract fraction with unlike denominators
in a scavenger hunt. For small group, I reviewed subtracting mixed numbers with renaming
before I taught students a problem solving strategy called RUMOR. I believe this lesson shows
my intention to align student learning with the specific standards.
Reflections
In the text Understanding by Design (2005) by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, the
authors quote Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In the
beginning of this quote, Covey states, To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear
understanding of your destination. (McTighe & Wiggins, 2005, p. 1) I think that teachers can
use this philosophy in their own practice. As teachers we are responsible for monitoring students
learning; however, students should also play a role in their learning as well. It is just as important
for students to know the destination as it is for teachers.
I think standard-based learning really focuses on where the students need to be and how
teachers are going to get each student there. I wanted to plan a lesson that gave students a
framework to work off of. The RUMOR strategy, which stands for read and understand the
problem, underline the question, mark any key information, operations, and recheck for
accuracy, is to help students organize their thinking. Once students had a grasp of what the

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problem was asking them, they were able to solve the problem according to how they learn best,
whether they need to draw a picture, write an equation, or work with a manipulative.
I believe that I still have a lot to learn about standard-based instruction. However, I
believe that these two pieces of artifacts show my intention to align my lessons with the desired
outcomes the standards expressed. I have a strong desire to meet the diverse needs of all my
students and I hope as I become more proficient as a teacher that I will continue to become more
knowledgeable on the best practices and methods to use.

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References

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd ed.). Alexandria,
VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.