Curriculum Framework

(relaxed music) (air whooshing) - I used the vertical alignment document to find a prerequisite access point for my eighth-grade student who is performing more at the first-grade level. I wanna know if the skill I have chosen for Isaac aligns with what may be on the STAAR Alternate 2 test that he will be taking this year. (relaxed music) (paper rustling) I can check that using the curriculum framework documents from TEA. I have printed the eighth-grade science curriculum framework for the matter and energy STAAR reporting category. It covers 8.5 from the TEKS that Isaac's peers are working on. The essence of this skill is that the student will recognize matter is composed of atoms, has distinct properties, and interacts with energy. You'll notice that unlike the vertical alignment document, which arranges related skills from least complex to most complex, the curriculum framework documents are the opposite, with the most complex skills listed first, leading down to the related less complex, lower-grade skill levels. I just do this extra check to make sure what we are teaching within our lesson relates to the state assessment. And you can see that the prerequisite skill we have chosen for Isaac to work on in class connects here. The curriculum framework has also been helpful in having testing discussions with families to show how their student is able to be tested on grade-level material with consideration being given to those prerequisite access points to the material. You can even print past-release STAAR Alternate 2 tests to show families how the test looks and give examples of how their student might respond to the prompts. (relaxed music)