Semester Plans - What to do

New Families - 
Don't panic! I will fill in the first learning period (LP) for you, and we will go over the semester plans together at our first meeting.

Returning Families - 
Visions requires that books/materials, LP assignments, and standards are input on the semester plans prior to the first day of each LP. We can do this a number of ways:

• You can enter them
• We can do them together (Via phone, virtual meeting, or even a face-to-face meeting this week)
• I can enter them (Just let me know...For this first LP, I'd use info from your ordering screen and generic placeholders, or you can provide me with specifics via email)

When you open your semester plan, you may find that I began to fill in some areas in based on your order screen.  Feel free to overwrite this info if it is incorrect.

Let me know if you have any questions, or would like to schedule a phone, virtual, or face-to-face meeting to work on semester plans together.

How to fill in your semester plan:

Curricula (texts, etc.), 
The texts and/or other major materials used to guide student learning are considered curricula.

• Enter one text or material title such as “Reach for Reading 2” or “Saxon Math 54” on each line.
• If you are using religious or faith-based materials, use generic titles such as Mathematics 1 or Science 4.  
• If a specific web-based curriculum is used, please name it.  If multiple supplementary websites are used, name them “Website Resources.”
• If you are using multiple sources to create a unit of learning, or no specific curriculum is being used, use the title “Teacher Generated Activities.” 

Assignments

Assignments are laid out over the semester.  They are then solidified prior to the first day of each learning period.  

• Assignments must be on the same horizontal line as the curricula to which they refer and in the same column as the Learning Period in which the assignment is given.

• Assignments can take many forms such as: Chapter, Unit, Lesson, Module, etc.  Additionally, assignments can be given as standards-based units (e.g. California Missions Unit).

• If an assignment spans more than one learning period, it should be labeled as a sequence.  For example, the “Grapes of Wrath Novel Unit” spans three learning periods so it is labeled “Grapes of Wrath Novel Unit A,” “Grapes of Wrath Novel Unit B,” and “Grapes of Wrath Novel Unit C.”  Another example would be a math chapter that spans two learning periods would be “Chapter 3A,” and “Chapter 3B.”

• For non-adopted curricula (no pacing guides), it is helpful if the parent lists the chapter title or main topics for the CT.  Additionally, providing a link to or a copy of the table of contents is also helpful to the CT.  


Optional for Parents...Required for CTs

Focus Standards - 

Focus Standards: Focus standards are those standards which are the main focus of the student’s curriculum or the parent’s lessons for a learning period.  There is no need to list every standard being covered each learning period. 

• Focus Standards: Focus standards are those standards which are the focus of the student’s curriculum or the parent’s lessons for a learning period.  There are specific guidelines for each subject area.  Please do not list every standard being covered each learning period.  

• A CT asks him/herself, “What will be the focus of my questions when visiting with the student?”  Journal this focus standard.

• The focus standard should correlate with what the student is learning during the Learning Period.

• Use Focus Standards only one time per year, though some may be repeated if they have separate Focus Standards labels (e.g. Then and Now A, Then and Now B).

• Pacing guide assignments have been correlated to focus standards on a document called Standard Codes.

• Determining the focus standard, or at least the validity, is the responsibility of the CT.