BUSD AVID Vertical Alignment of Skills and Strategies The AVID Elective class is built around detailed content standards in each of these eight domains: Writing Reading The Writing Process Writing Skills Writing Applications Writing to Learn Vocabulary Textual Analysis College Readiness Inquiry Costa s Levels of Thinking Tutorials Socratic Seminar and Philosophical Chairs Guest Speakers Field Trips College and Career Knowledge College Entrance Testing College Admissions Collaboration Character Development Types of Interactions Positive Interaction Skills Organization Self-Awareness Goals Community & School Involvement Ownership of Learning Organization and Time Management Note-Taking Research and Technology Test Preparation/Test-Taking Communication Speaking Listening The AVID Elective curriculum supports student success by intentionally scaffolding and increasing expectations around specific skills and strategies designed to accelerate growth in the eight domain categories. The foundational skills and strategies are as follows:
The Writing Process 1. Use graphic organizers and quick writes to prepare for writing assignments 2. Analyze prompts, in order to effectively respond to writing assignments 3. Begin considering the audience, purpose and form for writing assignments 4. In collaborative groups, revise drafts or writing to improve and clarify 5. Edit students' essays, especially checking for errors in capitalization and pronoun usage 6. Use common editing marks during the editing process 7. Utilize rubrics to self evaluate and peer evaluate work 8. Reflect on one's own writing to encourage continual growth 1. Use varied strategies to prepare for and plan writing assignments 2. Budget and plan time to complete all steps of the writing process 3. Use feedback from readers to revise drafts 4. Edit students' essays, especially checking for word choice and voice 5. Utilize rubrics to self evaluate and peer evaluate work 1. Use organizational strategies and tools to aid in the development of essays 2. Understand and identify the audience, purpose and form for writing assignments 3. Revise drafts multiple times to improve and clarify 4. Edit students' essays, especially checking for transition words and errors in grammar, punctuation and comma usage 5. Use common editing marks during the editing process 6. Utilize rubrics to self evaluate and peer evaluate work, especially those similar to AP exam rubrics 7. Reflect on one's own writing to encourage continual growth 1. Practice strategies for pre writing in response to various prompts for both timed writing and process writing 2. Analyzing a prompt for timed writing situations 3. Edit students' essays, especially checking for the usage of varied sentence types 4. Utilize rubrics to self evaluate and peer evaluate work, especially those similar to AP exam rubrics 1. Organize, monitor progress, and effectively manage time requirements surrounding complex 2. writing assignments 3. Analyze a prompt, distinguishing between writing under testing conditions and untimed 4. situations 5. Revise drafts as necessary until all ideas are expressed in the best possible manner 6. Edit students' essays, especially checking for integration of quotes and citations 7. Use a variety of rubrics to grade essays, especially those used to grade essays for the SAT and other college admissions tests 8. Reflect on one's own writing to set future goals and/or determine next steps or needs as a writer 1. Understand and identify the audience, purpose and form for writing assignments 2. Analyze complex college level prompts and design arguments with fully developed claims and cited evidence 3. Edit students' essays, checking for professionalism in all aspects of writing 4. Use a variety of rubrics to grade essays, especially those used to grade essays for the SAT and other college admissions tests
Tutorials 1. Understand and utilize 10 Steps in the Tutorial Process 2. Understand roles of all participants in academic tutorials with peers as group members and college tutors as facilitators, twice per week 3. Complete the Tutorial Request Form (TRF), including heading, source, academic vocabulary, point of confusion and level 2 question(s), prior to class 4. Presenter explains new understanding of question, and group members ask clarifying questions 5. Develop thought provoking questions, in order to actively participate in academic tutorials 1. Refine the 10 Steps in the Tutorial Process 2. Understand roles of all participants in academic tutorials with peers as group members and college tutors as facilitators, twice per week 3. Group members ask questions, guide and facilitate understanding, support use of resources and take Cornell notes 4. Complete reflections about the learning process of answering and solving tutorial questions 5. Develop content specific, higher level questions, in order to actively participate in academic tutorials based on analysis of academic grades and needs, outside of class 1. Refine collaborative tutorial skills through tutor led discussions following tutorial sessions 2. Student presenter initiates the discussion by explaining the question (what strategies have been previously attempted and where they became confused in answering the question) 3. Utilize resources (such as Cornell notes and textbook) to gather information 1. Refine collaborative tutorial skills through tutor led discussions following tutorial sessions with a focus on higher level questioning 2. Complete a higher level reflection about the learning process during tutorials 1. Student group members and presenter will lead the discussion with minimal tutor input 2. Students complete a higher level reflection about the learning process during tutorials 1. Create a study group with a discussion of rules and expectations 2. Reflect upon the relationship between high school tutorials and their connection at the collegiate level 3. Reflect upon participation and knowledge gained from tutorials and other collaborative activities
Socratic Seminar and Philosophical Chairs 1. Actively participate in and evaluate the process of Philosophical Chairs and/or Socratic Seminar, selecting topics/articles as appropriate 2. Analyze how two or more authors, writing about the same topic, shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 3. Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words) in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 1. Actively participate in and evaluate the process of Philosophical Chairs and/or Socratic Seminar, focusing on strategies for continuous improvement 2. Reference text, citing location to support claims and questions 3. Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 4. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 1. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision making 2. Analyze a seminal U.S document of historical and literary significance (e.g., the Gettysburg Address, Washington's Farewell Address) in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 3. Utilize critical reading strategies to identify authors claims and formulate questions to explore meaning as preparation for a Socratic Seminar 4. During the Socratic Seminar, ask additional questions to continue deeper exploration of the text and one another s thinking and expressions 5. Reflect on the Socratic Seminar discussion and identify areas for future improvement 1. Utilize critical reading strategies to determine main ideas/claims as a pre activity to Socratic Seminar and Philosophical Chairs discussions 2. Come to Socratic Seminar/Philosophical Chairs discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study and explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts 3. Analyze a seminal U.S document of historical and literary significance in a Socratic Seminar or 4. Philosophical Chairs discussion 5. Analyze various accounts of a subject told through different mediums (e.g., a person's life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account in a Socratic 6. Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 7. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussions to broader themes or larger ideas 8. Focus on the development of leadership skills and self refinement during Soc. Seminar discussions 9. Summarize points of agreement and disagreement 1. Students provide the central statement for Philosophical Chairs 2. Formulate questions to make a personal connection with text(s) and/or other content/concepts 3. Evaluate ideas/points of view within the discussion and generate/construct appropriate responses 4. Appreciate multiple perspectives, in order to negotiate multiple meanings or ideas during the 5. discussion 6. Prepare an academic argument on a controversial topic, integrating fully developed claims
7. Analyze a 17th, 18th, or 19th century foundational U.S document of historical and literary significance (e.g., The Declaration of Independence or the Preamble to the Constitution) for their themes, purposes and rhetorical features in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 1. Students select their own topics for Socratic Seminar/Philosophical Chairs discussions 2. Integrate a variety of source evidence to support position statements 3. Articulate a more thorough understanding of the topic, based on the discussion 4. Take an active leadership role that results in higher levels of thinking and comprehension 5. Analyze a 17th, 18th, or 19th century foundational U.S document of historical and literary significance for themes, purposes and rhetorical features in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion 6. Integrate and evaluate multiple courses of information presented in different media or formats(e.g., visually, quantitatively), as well as in words, in order to address a question or solve a problem in a Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs discussion
College and Career Readiness Knowledge 1. Use technology to research colleges of interest 2. Begin developing an understanding about the value of a college education 3. Begin a basic understanding of college vocabulary 4. Prepare for and conduct a career interview on a profession of choice 5. Research various careers, comparing salaries and qualifications 1. Use technology, guest speakers and field trips to expose students to different aspects of college 2. Use the Internet to analyze a career-related website 3. Utilize email, when appropriate, to interview a person regarding a specific career 4. Understand differences between jobs and careers 5. Complete a career interest inventory to determine potential career opportunities that align with interests 1. Research college admissions requirements, with emphasis on cost of living, tuition, and financial aid for a college of choice 2. Continue developing a basic understanding of college vocabulary 3. Research a career of interest, based upon career values 4. Participate in career awareness tests and activities to help build awareness of personal strengths 1. Narrow down potential colleges/universities of interest, choosing campuses that fit personality, academic interests and goals 2. Sign up for ongoing information regarding admissions and potential scholarships from colleges/universities of interest 3. Develop an understanding of the college application process and required information 4. Begin developing an understanding of career paths and the associated college degree 1. Develop an understanding of the scholarship application process and required information 2. Determine which colleges/universities will best meet academic pursuits 3. Examine cost of colleges and determine how financial aid, grants, scholarship, work study programs and other funding sources can help meet those cost needs 4. Examine FAFSA requirements and determine appropriate action steps to meet deadlines 5. Begin a basic understanding of selecting and scheduling courses in college 1. Apply for scholarships as a class and individually 2. Check any specific college requirements or local graduation requirements for community service and log those in the student portfolio 3. Examine cost of colleges to which students have been accepted and determine how financial aid, grants, scholarships, work study programs and other funding sources can help meet those cost needs 4. Develop an understanding of selecting and scheduling courses in college, including fulfilling the requirements of a degree plan 5. Ask for letters of recommendation from teachers and club advisors with whom a strong relationship has been established 6. Select a college major based on a career choice of interest
Note-Taking 1. Develop a basic understanding pertaining to the components of the CORNELL WAY focused 2. note taking process 3. Take notes for each core class on a weekly basis 4. Take seven to 12 pages of quality Cornell notes per week 5. Understand how to utilize Cornell notes as a study tool 6. Have notes available during tutorials to support questioning 7. Understand how to identify important points, use abbreviations, and use shorthand in the right 8. column of Cornell notes 9. Begin writing questions (any level) in the left column that correspond to chunks of information in the notes section 10. Compose an essential question based on the standard or objective covered by the lesson 11. Reflect on all notes taken during a unit of study after the test is returned and consider gaps of study that led to missed questions 1. Review and utilize the components of the CORNELL WAY focused note taking process 2. Write Cornell notes for each class, including AVID, on a weekly basis and acquire knowledge 3. pertaining to expectations of usage from each teacher 4. Take seven to 12 pages of quality Cornell notes per week 5. Fill in gaps of information in Cornell notes to maximize use as a study tool for exams 6. Mark, highlight and underline key concepts in notes to show key information 7. Write effective summaries for Cornell notes that link all of the learning together 1. Take 10 to 18 pages of quality Cornell notes per week 2. Understand how to use notes to study, including the fold over method 3. Utilize notes during the tutorial process to support questioning and gathering of key learning 4. Edit and revise notes outside of class to improve usability 5. Refine process of identifying important points, using abbreviations and using shortcuts in the right column of Cornell notes 6. Begin writing higher level questions in the left column that correspond to chunks of information in the notes section 7. Reflect on all notes taken during a unit of study after the test is returned and consider gaps of study that led to missed questions 1. Take 10 to 18 pages of quality Cornell notes per week 2. Utilize notes after the tests to reexamine incorrect items on the tests and where potential gaps in the notes might exist 3. Create visuals or symbols in the right column to represent and help recall information 4. Change pen colors to indicate change in concept 5. Refine the skill of composing an essential question based on the standard or objective covered by the lesson 6. Write higher level summaries for Cornell notes that link all of the learning together 1. Take 15 to 25 pages of quality Cornell notes per week 2. Utilize Cornell notes as an advanced study tool, which will be continually refined and studied 3. independently 4. Adapt organization strategy of note taking to meet required academic tasks, such as lectures, lab work, reading or collaborative work 5. Use the skills of underlining key terms, highlighting and going back to fill in gaps to sufficiently process notes that have been taken
6. Review, refine and use color coding on notes focusing on unimportant information, key information and potential test questions 7. Refine content on notes as new understanding is gained through reading textbook(s), tutorial sessions, study groups and discussions with the teacher/peers 8. Refine writing of higher level questions in the left column that corresponds to chunks of information 9. in the notes section to ensure that they will generate higher level thinking 10. Reflect on all notes taken during a unit of study after the test is returned and consider gaps of study that led to missed questions 1. Take 15 to 25 pages of quality Cornell notes per week 2. Utilize Cornell notes as an advanced study tool, which will be continually refined and studied 3. independently 4. Adapt organization strategy of note taking to meet required academic tasks, such as lectures, lab work, reading or collaborative work 5. Create notes which track reading and research effectively 6. Personalize notations to call out key information while taking notes 7. Utilize notes during in class and independently formed study groups 8. Refine the skill of editing and revise notes outside of class to improve their usability 9. Refine the skill of writing higher level summaries for Cornell notes that link all of the learning together