Starting the Year with Learning Targets

Learning targets are the foundation of a student-engaged assessment system.  They translate state standards into learning goals for lessons, projects, units, and courses, and are written in student-friendly language that is concrete and understandable.  Because learning targets must come from teachers' deep understanding of the standards they need to teach, they are the foundation and the connective tissue of a student-engaged assessment system.  Learning targets, which begin with the stem "I can," are posted in the classroom and tracked carefully by students and teachers.  Because learning targets are written for and owned by students who are striving to say, "I can . . .," they are an essential ingredient in the engaged part of student-engaged assessment.

__ Leaders of Their Own Learning by Ron Berger, Leah Rugen, Libby Woodfin

Students at Paine began their first day back with clear learning targets.

Teachers at HTHS are providing clarity for students this upcoming year through unit overviews that include Course of Study Standards, unit learning targets, important vocabulary, and a checklist of assessments and activities.  

Unit Learning Targets: (1 = Not at all, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Excellent)

5.1   _____ I can define the term Renaissance.

5.2   _____ I can list and discuss the reasons the Renaissance began in Italy.

5.3   _____ I can identify the major city-states that existed within Italy during the Renaissance.

5.4   _____ I can explain the events within the Italian Wars.

5.5   _____ I can discuss the various aspects of Renaissance Society. (Hierarchy, Family, Marriage, etc.)

5.6   _____ I can define and explain humanism, humanist education, and Christian Humanism.

5.7   _____ I can identify and discuss the early life, occupation, contributions, and impact of the Renaissance and Reformation Figures, (Medici, Savonarola, Machiavelli, Castiglione, Petrarch, Dante, Chaucer, Donatello, Brunelleschi, da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Erasmus, Luther, Charles V, Zwingli, Calvin, and King Henry VIII)

5.8   _____ I can discuss the forms of corruption within the Catholic Church. (Simony, Indulgence, etc.)

5.9   _____ I can connect the Ninety Five Thesis to the creation of the Peace of Augsburg and Protestantism.

5.10                    _____ I can explain the creation of Calvinist denomination.

5.11                    _____ I can discuss the reasons why the Church of England was created by King Henry VIII.

5.12                    _____ I can list the changes created within the Catholic Church during the Counter Reformation.

HTMS teachers spent time earlier this week learning about writing and implementing learning targets for students.  Click on this useful learning target handout from HTMS to learn more about using learning targets in your classroom.