Germantown Middle School implemented a school-wide Common Unit Planning (C.U.P.) initiative to emphasize the need for cross-curricular units.
Germantown Middle School C.U.P. Evolution
2013-2014 -Administration created a Literacy Team consisting of representatives from each subject area and an ELA teacher from each grade level.
-State test data determined that students scored lowest in vocabulary.
-Administration provided professional development on Best Practices for teaching vocabulary in the content areas. The Literacy Team worked with teachers to compile vocabulary lists and teaching strategies. The words, definitions, and uses were read over the intercom during the daily announcements. “Word Up” became the motto of the vocabulary initiative. The team created school-wide vocabulary assessments.
2014-2015 -An MDE representative provided professional development to the staff on College and Career Readiness Standards and the upcoming PARCC assessment.
-Teachers used SERP vocabulary units with science and history focuses to prepare cross-curricular units.
-In the spring of 2015, “Equality” units were implemented in each of the grade levels.
2015-2016 -Administration changed the name of the Literacy Team to the Common Unit Planning (C.U.P.) Team.
-During July professional development, teachers worked to create cross-curricular units using school-wide themes: Courage, Perseverance, and Equality.
-The units were centered around the novels taught during each quarter. All teachers worked to incorporate their content in the units.
-During Spring 2016, teachers in each grade level submitted ideas for teaching subject area units: (1) Language Arts (2) Social
Studies/History, Fine Arts, and Physical Education (3)Science, Math, and Technology.
2016-2017 -During the summer 2016 professional development, teachers “fine tuned” the first unit (Language Arts focus).
-Teachers “fine tuned” the second unit (Social Studies/History, Fine Arts, and Physical Education focuses) and third unit (Science, Math, and
Technology focuses).
-Each grade level had a culminating unit (Project Based Assessment) to allow students an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the unit standards (6th grade- “Famous Failures”; 7th grade- “Water Conservation”; 8th grade- “Mock Trial”).
2017-2018 -C.U.P. team was restructured by adding new members.
-Teachers are challenged to supplement content area instruction with College and Career Readiness Standards. School-wide testing data
determines the focus standards.
-Each grade level will create a cross-curricular unit project. Previous examples include: 8th grade mock trial, 7th grade healthcare technology inventions, and 6th grade City of Ember S.T.E.M. project.
Science CUP Testimony
