Eric.ed.gov – Building Blocks, Learning Goals, and Success Criteria: Planning Instruction and Formative Assessment for K-8 Math Standards. From the College and Career Ready Standards to Teaching and Learning in the Classroom: A Series of Resources for Teachers

This resource is part of a series produced by the Center for Standards and Assessment Implementation (CSAI) to assist teachers and those who support teachers to plan teaching and learning from College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) for all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, academically at-risk students, students living in extreme poverty, and gifted/talented students. The series of resources addresses key shifts in learning and teaching represented in the CCRS. This resource uses the Common Core State Standards (CCSS; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010) as an example of CCRS. The processes described in this resource are applicable to all States’ CCRS, including the CCSS. The content of this resource is drawn from leading theory and research about learning and formative assessment and from an examination of the CCSS. This resource is the second in a suite of resources that helps teachers merge content and practice standards of CCRS for Mathematics in daily instruction. The first in this suite, “What’s Learned First, What’s Learned Together? Developing a Yearlong Plan from the K-8 College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematical Content,” helps teachers arrange and sequence content standards into a Yearlong Plan. This resource assists teachers in moving from a Yearlong Plan to establishing Learning Goals and Success Criteria for daily lesson plans and formative assessment. This resource is divided into two sections: (1) Teachers determine the “Building Blocks” (i.e., series of changes that occur in student thinking or ability) that lead from the previous grade’s learning to achievement of the current grade’s standards; and (2) For each Building Block, teachers determine associated Learning Goals and Success Criteria–two key elements of formative assessment. Contains a list of references and background materials. The following templates are provided: (1) Building Blocks of a Standard; and (2) Lesson-Sized Learning Goals and Success Criteria. [For “What’s Learned First, What’s Learned Together? Developing a Yearlong Plan from the K-8 College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematical Content,” see ED565345.]