Curriculum Overview

Short, Short, BIG! was built during the pandemic by a team of literacy experts who specialize in working with students in the Lexile range of 350-790. The program succeeds by using a research-based approach to English Language Arts instruction that delivers measurable results.

Short Reads

  • Engaging content about high interest subject matters
  • Developmentally appropriate literacy instruction aligned to student competency
  • Scope and sequence lesson planning

Short Writes

  • Engaging prompts that stimulate internal student motivation to “want to respond” to the subject at hand
  • A scaffolded approach to writing instruction that intelligently builds skills through a pedagogical schema that meets learners where they are
  • Step-by-step lesson planning

BIG Gains!

  • Pre- and post-assessment including rubrics for formative assessment
  • Research-based pedagogy
  • Gradual release of responsibiltiy
  • An evidence-based writing program
 

Empower your students with a proven ten week program that interconnects standards-based reading and writing instruction.

 
 
Weeks 1-3

Claim it!

PRE-ASSESSMENT: Composing an evidence-based short response

Baseline assessment: How well do students make claims?

  • What it means to lay claim to a text
  • Identifying claims
  • P-Q-A Putting the Question in the Answer
  • Honing in on highly reasonable claims
  • Honing in on richly expressed claims
  • Honing in on well-written claims

Demonstrating standards-based competency: Claiming it!

 
Weeks 4-7

Cite it!

Baseline assessment: How well do students cite evidence?

  • What it means to cite and evaluate evidence
  • How to properly quote evidence
  • How to properly paraphrase evidence
  • Model sentence starters to help cite it
  • Honing in on citing relevant evidence
  • Honing in on citing strong evidence
  • Honing in on citing accurate evidence
  • Citing more than one piece of evidence

Demonstrating standards-based competency: Citing it!

Weeks 8-10

Cement it!

Baseline assessment: How well do students cement a Short Write?

  • What it means to cement a Short Write
  • What it means to compose a well-reasoned conclusion
  • Model sentence starters to help cement it
  • Honing in on cementing well-reasoned conclusion
  • Honing in on cementing conclusive conclusion
  • Honing in on cementing presentable Short Writes (proofreading)

Demonstrating standards-based competency: Cementing it!

POST-ASSESSMENT: Composing an evidence-based short response

 

We have so much confidence that you are going to see an immense value in Short, Short, BIG! that we are providing 33 pages worth of material.

Go ahead, try us out. Nothing up our sleeves.

 

  • Multiple Teacher Lesson Plans

  • Multiple Student Worktexts

  • A combination of Short Reads and Short Writes

  • Reading Comprehension Activities

  • Targeted Instructional Materials for Writing, Reading and Thinking