STEP  TWO: BENCHMARK REVIEW 2-3 meetings
		Have ready several copies of the Benchmark Brainstormer. You should also have ready copies of the content area benchmarks for each teacher, as well as the technology benchmarks your school uses.
Introduction		First, keep the four criteria for a good unit in mind:
Process			The unit should be an investigation in which students gather, analyze, and present information to answer a question.  Changing the topic from “Rivers” to “Should Rivers be Dammed?” made one team’s unit an investigation.
Step One
Step Two
Step Three			2.  The unit should be strong in each of the content areas.  The topic will be under intense scrutiny regarding this criterion during Step Two.
Step Four
Step Five			3.  Electronic technology should be embedded in the unit;  all students must have opportunities to use technology at various places in the investigation. The student end product should require the use of technology.
Step Six
Step Seven
Step Eight			4.  The unit must have relevance for students; think about local connections.
		Second, choose what seems to be the strongest possibility for your unit topic and use a blank Benchmark Brainstormer to start recording ideas.  As a group, read through the benchmarks for your grade level for each of the content areas with the topic in mind.  The content area teacher should be familiar with which benchmarks are her responsibility.  As you move through the benchmarks for one content area, all team members should discuss ideas for activities and connections that come to mind.  Benchmarks that seem to relate well to the topic should be circled and noted in very abbreviated form on the Benchmark Brainstormer.
		You might be wondering why the team should take the time to do this as a group, as it takes considerable time for the team to go through all content areas.  There are several reasons:
			1.  This process reinforces the notion that this is an interdisciplinary unit.  As the whole team reviews benchmarks, each member begins to see the connections possible within the topic.
			2.  When four brains review the benchmarks, there are four times the ideas, connections, and resource ideas.  There is a synergy that takes over.  This happened  to some of the pilot teams.
			3.  The group think taps into the creativity of each individual.  It is during this step that excitement  arises.  The team begins to buy into the unit as something they are creating.  Often, the level of commitment increases.
		Third, jot down ideas for student activities on the Benchmark Brainstormer that seem especially good and interlinked among disciplines.
		Fourth, as a team, look through the district, state, or national technology benchmarks as student activities begin to form in your minds.  Ask yourselves, “Where could software, databases, spreadsheets, word processing, the Internet, telecommunications or electronic encyclopedias fit in as students gather and organize information?  Could electronic sensors or GPS be used in any of the lessons to gather information?” Each content area should have one technology application besides the culminating task. Write these under "Technology Possibilities".
		Meanwhile,
			begin to think in terms of a unit focus question to which all subjects can tie.
			begin to think in terms of the student end product that synthesizes ideas from all classes and makes use of electronic technology.
		If any come to mind, write them under "Possible Focus Questions"
		This is the end of Step Two. Are you improving on your best practice?
		Are you STUCK?  Here is some troubleshooting advice.
		Save at least five minutes for NEXT  MEETING information.  There are things to print out if you are ready for Step Three: Focus Questions and Unit Charts.
		Finally, take a minute to pause and Reflect .