Like most states. Ohio has adopted content standards for the main content areas of English-Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. In addition, Ohio has approved standards in Technology, Foreign Language, Library and Fine Arts. Ohio provides educators with Benchmarks and Grade-level Indicators that are aligned with the Standards. These Benchmarks and Indicators serve as a scaffolding tool for teachers as they build instructional units, lessons, and assessments. 

High-stakes Ohio assessments are based on the four main content standards. Teachers have a responsibility to follow the standards with all students in order to optimize student achievement.

Featured Tips

Know your standards

It is difficult to prepare units, lessons and assessments covering state standards if you don't know what they are. Hard copies, CDs and Web sites provide easy access to Ohio's standards. Before preparing units/lessons/assessments, read over the indicators at your grade level and think about the ways the indicators can be woven into your lesson(s). When possible, review indicators for the grade level before and after yours. It helps to know what knowledge and skills your students should arrive with and what they will be expected to know and do when they arrive at the next grade level.

Prepare lessons and assessments that cover standards

Check out some good examples before you begin. Two excellent resources are ODE's Instructional Management System (IMS) and the Ohio Resource Center (ORC). If your instructional materials don't seem to cover a particular indicator, do a search on one or both sites for materials correlated to a particular Standard, Benchmark, or Grade-level Indicator. Both sites provide examples of best practice, lessons, assessments, activities, and more. The IMS covers more content areas.

Talk to a colleague. Many teachers are as anxious to share their best efforts with a peer as they are to share them with their classes.

Collaborate with a colleague. Together, you and a colleague may build a tool that both will find helpful.
Integrate standards from different content areas whenever possible

Elementary Teachers: Look for ways to integrate indicators from different content standards. Integration may lead to less stress as you try to fit in all of the different content area indicators.

Secondary Teachers: Look for ways to collaborate with teachers in different departments. Collaboration may lead to wonderful units that not only cover standards but provide wonderful connections between subjects.

Featured Web sites

ODE's Instructional Management System (IMS) Resources for all content areas
http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ode/ims/Default.asp?bhcp=1

Ohio Resource Center (ORC) Resources for Reading, Math and Science
http://www.ohiorc.org/
Check these out for great examples and other resources for standards-based teaching.