Planning for Improved Student Achievement - Ten Steps for Planning and Writing Standards-Based Units

Sep 22, 2026

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Planning for Improved Student Achievement presents a comprehensive, standards-focused approach to designing classroom units that improve student learning. It explains what standards-based units are, why schools should invest time in planning them, and how educators can develop units through a structured 10-step process. The guide emphasizes aligning national, state, and local standards to instruction, building essential questions, designing post-assessments and literacy strategies, and increasing proficiency across daily lessons.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages64

Reading Time22 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Planning a Standards-Based Unit

Why take the time to plan standards-based units?

What is a standards-based unit?

Getting Started: Understanding the Vocabulary

Criteria of an Effective Standards-Based Unit

Unit Format: The Unit Plan Overview and the Daily Plan

The 10 Steps for Writing a Standards-Based Unit

STEP 1: Choose Your First Topic Carefully

STEP 2: Identify and Chunk Standards and Readiness Indicators

STEP 3: Write the Essential Questions

STEP 4: Plan the Post-Assessment Test and Task (Product, Performance or Problem)

STEP 5: Brainstorm Possible Resources

STEP 6: Choose Literacy Strategies

STEP 7: Choose the Habits of Success for the Unit

STEP 8: Plan Each Day’s Lesson

STEP 9: Teach the Unit

STEP 10: Increase the Level of Proficiency in the Unit

Appendices

Appendix A: Templates

Appendix B: Learning More About the 10 Steps

Appendix C: Portfolio Post-Assessments

Appendix D: Further Resources for Addressing Literacy

Appendix E: The Tuning Protocol

Appendix F: Resources and Further Reading

Appendix G: Rigor Rubric: Implementation of Schoolwide Practices

Southern Regional Education Board 592 10th St. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30318 (404) 875-9211 [www.sreb.org](www.sreb.org) Planning for Improved Student Achievement Ten Steps for Planning and Writing Standards-Based Units This publication was developed by Betty Harbin, HSTW School Improvement consultant, and Gene Bottoms, SREB senior vice president. It was reviewed by a team of SREB staff members and consultants, including Lois Barnes, director, State Services for School Improvement; Patricia Clark, literacy consultant; and Renee Murray, School Improvement consultant. This publication is supported by funds from the U.S. Department of education. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of the funding entity, and no official endorsement should be inferred. Table of Contents Introduction ..............................................................................2 Planning a Standards-Based Unit ..............................................................3 Why take the time to plan standards-based units? ..............................................3 What is a standards-based unit? ............................................................4 Getting Started: Understanding the Vocabulary ................................................4 Criteria of an Effective Standards-Based Unit .................................................6 Unit Format: The Unit Plan Overview and the Daily Plan .......................................8 How do teachers learn to write a standards-based unit? .........................................13 How can administrators support change? .................................................... 13 The 10 Steps for Writing a Standards-Based Unit ................................................14 STEP 1: Choose Your First Topic Carefully .................................................. 15 STEP 2: Identify and Chunk Standards and Readiness Indicators .................................16 STEP 3: Write the Essential Questions ..................................................... 18 STEP 4: Plan the Post-Assessment Test and Task (Product, Performance or Problem) ..................19 STEP 5: Brainstorm Possible Resources .....................................................21 STEP 6: Choose Literacy Strategies ........................................................23 STEP 7: Choose the Habits of Success for the Unit ............................................25 STEP 8: Plan Each Day’s Lesson ..........................................................26 STEP 9: Teach the Unit .................................................................38 STEP 10: Increase the Level of Proficiency in the Unit .........................................39 APPENDIX A: Templates ..................................................................40 A.1 Unit Plan Template Overview .........................................................40 A.2 Unit Plan Template .................................................................41 A.3 Daily Activities Plan Template .........................................................42 APPENDIX B: Learning More About the 10 Steps ...............................................44 B.1 Learn More about Standards and Chunking ..............................................44 B.2 Learn More about Essential Questions ..................................................44 B.3 Learn More about Assessments ........................................................44 B.4 Learn More about Using Resources .....................................................47 APPENDIX C: Portfolio Post-Assessments ......................................................48 APPENDIX D: Further Resources for Addressing Literacy .........................................50 D.1 SREB’s Five Goals for High-Level Literacy Programs .......................................50 D.2 Reading Proficiency Levels ..............................

FAQs

What is the purpose of this guide for planning standards-based units?

The guide helps teachers plan and write standards-based lessons and units using a structured process to engage students in meaningful, intellectually challenging instruction that addresses state and local standards.

What does a standards-based unit include?

A standards-based unit aligns national, state, and local standards to classroom activities, assignments, and assessments, using planning that promotes clear learning targets and coherent instruction.

How do the 10 steps support unit development?

The steps guide educators from selecting a topic and chunking standards to writing essential questions, planning post-assessments, choosing resources and literacy strategies, planning daily lessons, teaching the unit, and increasing proficiency.

Sep 22, 2026

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