Leadership Education and Training (LET)

JROTC

Program of Instruction (POI)

U.S. Army

Cadet Command

Ft. Monroe, VA

7 September 2010

(Updated 29 October 2010)

DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION:

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program2

JROTC Cadet Creed

I am an Army Junior ROTC Cadet.

I will always conduct myself to bring credit to my family, country, school and the Corps of Cadets.

I am loyal and patriotic.

I am the future of the United States of America.

I do not lie, cheat or steal and will always be accountable for my actions and deeds.

I will always practice good citizenship and patriotism.

I will work hard to improve my mind and strengthen my body.

I will seek the mantle of leadership and stand prepared to uphold the Constitution and the American way of life. May God grant me the strength to always live by this creed.Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program3

Program of Instruction (POI) Cover Page

Total Computed Academic Hours: 720 (180 hours per year for four years)

Approval Authority: U.S. Army Cadet Command, Director, JROTC

Approval Date: 29 October 2010

Supersedes POI Date: This POI supersedes the POI updated 15 September 2006.

Minor Changes and Additions: Changes and additions that do not substantially alter the intent of this Program of Instruction (POI) or the Leadership Education and Training (LET) lessons will be posted on the JROTC web portal. The changes and additions should be annotated where needed and the original notice kept behind the POI in the Instructor Desk Reference.Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program4

Table of Contents

Total Computed Academic Hours: .................................................................................. 3

Approval Authority: .......................................................................................................... 3

Approval Date: ................................................................................................................ 3

Supersedes POI Date: .................................................................................................... 3

Minor Changes and Additions: ........................................................................................ 3

Preface ........................................................................................................................ 6

Status: ......................................................................................................................... 6

Training Location(s): .................................................................................................... 6

Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................................................... 6

1-1 Purpose ............................................................................................................. 6

1-2 Collaboration ...................................................................................................... 6

Chapter Two: Course Scope ....................................................................................... 8

2-1 Course Goals ..................................................................................................... 8

2-2 Program and Learning Outcomes ...................................................................... 8

2-3 Core Abilities ...................................................................................................... 9

2-4 Competencies .................................................................................................... 9

2-5 National Standards .......................................................................................... 10

2-6 Course Prerequisites ....................................................................................... 10

2-7 Course Length and Size .................................................................................. 10

2-8 Substitution of Credit ........................................................................................ 11

2-9 Training Start Date ........................................................................................... 13

2-10 Proponent ...................................................................................................... 13

2-11 Instructor Requirements/ Course Remarks .................................................... 13

Chapter Three: Curriculum Information ..................................................................... 14

3-1 Basis of the Curriculum .................................................................................... 14

3-2 Assessments and Tasks .................................................................................. 14

3-3 Cadet Learning ................................................................................................ 15

3-4 Instructor and Cadet Teaching ......................................................................... 16

3-5 Lesson Plans ................................................................................................... 16

3-6 Learning Plans ................................................................................................. 16

3-7 Learning Materials ........................................................................................... 17

3-8 Beating the Odds Foundation and Quarterbacks of Life .................................. 17

3-9 Teen CERT ...................................................................................................... 17

Chapter Four: Scheduling Information ....................................................................... 18

4-1 Traditional and A/B Block Schedule ................................................................. 18

4-2 Accelerated Block Schedule ............................................................................ 18

4-3 Scheduling Options .......................................................................................... 19

4-4 Electives .......................................................................................................... 20

4-5 LET Training Units and Chapters ..................................................................... 21

Appendix A: Core Lessons by LET ............................................................................... 22

Appendix B: Health Lessons Recommended Sequence ............................................... 28

Appendix C: PE Lessons Recommended Sequence .................................................... 29

Appendix D: Contact Information for Table C ................................................................ 30

Appendix E: Teen CERT Lessons ................................................................................. 31

Appendix F: McREL Standards by LET ......................................................................... 34Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program5

LET 1 Core Lessons - Outcome Summary ............................................................ 34

LET 2 Core Lessons - Outcome Summary ............................................................ 35

LET 3 Core Lessons - Outcome Summary ............................................................ 37

LET 4 Core Lessons - Outcome Summary ............................................................ 39

Appendix G: JROTC Traditional and A/B Block Schedule ............................................. 40

Appendix H: JROTC Accelerated Block Schedule ........................................................ 41Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program6

Preface

Status:Directorate Approved

Training Location(s):Three- or four-year high schools

Chapter One: Introduction

1-1 Purpose

The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps/National Defense Cadet Corps (JROTC/NDCC) is a program that is offered at the high school level and teaches high school students the value of citizenship, leadership, service to the community, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment, while instilling in them self-esteem, teamwork, and self-discipline. Though this POI refers to JROTC, all provisions of this document are applicable to NDCC. The mission statement reflects the overall meaning and purpose of JROTC, which is "To Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens" by preparing high school students for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities, and privileges as American citizens. The program promotes graduation from high school by providing curriculum, Leadership Education and Training (LET), and rewarding opportunities that will benefit the student, community, and nation in the present and future.Though JROTC is an acronym it has transcended its original name; therefore, it will henceforth be referred to as JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program.

1-2 Collaboration

Development of good citizenship, team building skills, effective oral and written communication, global awareness, wellness, and physical fitness is accomplished through a multi-faceted, blended curriculum. Professional instructional designers and serious gaming experts integrated their custom development with state of the art commercial programs to provide a world class, multi-media, student-centered product aligned with standards in all fifty states. This collaboration of leading edge development and commercial products allows for teaching success using the latest educational, brain based research. The following commercial programs and materials support the JROTC curriculum:

The Worldwide Instructional Design System (WIDS) Team, an educational group operating under the Wisconsin Technical College System Foundation, Inc, provided the model, methodology, and software used to develop core abilities, competencies, performance standards, and learning plans. The WIDS Team also updated lesson plans and linked content to each state’s standards.

The lesson format was provided by Dr. Steven Dunn, author ofBrain Compatible Learning for the Block. Dr. Dunn provided training to curriculum work groups and writers and assisted with the review of the lessons during production.

The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) provided theHigh School Financial Planning Program(HSFPP)®, which also used the WIDS process and Dr. Dunn’s four phase lesson format.Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program7

Written Communication for Sergeants, developed by Susan Hughes is an excellent resource for students to learn writing skills and to prepare for the written portion of the SAT.

Winning Colors(WC)®by Stefan Nielson of Aeon Communications, Inc. is used in schools and corporations as a readily understandable present time behavioral observation indicator.

The Success Profiler®,designed to measure and improve emotional intelligence, is a product of the Conover Company.

Components of theYou the People(YTP)®curriculum are incorporated into the program and Charles Heberle, the author, has worked with the writers to integrate the process into the lessons.

We the People(WTP)®developed by the Center for Civic Education to promote civic responsibility in students, is integrated into the Citizenship in American History and Government lessons.

Will Interactive, Inc.®, a leader in interactive training, behavior modification, and performance improvement, developed several virtual experiences that help cadets make better choices. Examples include:Interactive Nights Out 2(drug abuse prevention),Hate Comes HomeandJust 2 Days(conflict resolution, diversity, responsibility),Saving SGT Pabletti,(developed for the Army to create an awareness of sexual harassment in a unit is available for use by Senior and Junior ROTC cadets emphasizes the importance of Army values),

Challenge I and Challenge II(highly effective when used with Unit 2 lessons on leadership.Challenge Iaddresses basic principles of leadership for LET 1 (core) or LET 2 leadership lessons.Challenge IIaddresses leading oneself as well as leading teams and integrates core leadership principles found in Franklin-Covey’s7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens).

In Real Life: Sexual Harassment in Schools®, by Concentrics, Inc., provides insight into how to recognize and resolve incidents of sexual harassment.

Lions-Quest®is a comprehensive, values based program that focuses on a positive prevention approach and a broad range of life skills that can be consistently taught and reinforced. Lions-Quest Service Learning is a teaching strategy that facilitates skills-based classes and the successful execution of a service-learning program.

Thinking Maps®by Innovative Learning Group create a common visual language that promotes integrated thinking and interdisciplinary learning. Eight graphic organizer-like maps are used to teach specific thought processes across disciplines and LET levels.Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program8

Classroom Performance System(CPS)®by e-Instruction is a technology based productivity tool used for direct instruction, assessment, evaluation and management. It promotes active learning with full student engagement and participation.

Beating the Odds Foundation(BTO)/Quarterbacks of Life(QBOL)®provides students with the opportunity to experience a proven and time-tested pathway to success for use in school and in life.

Chapter Two: Course Scope

2-1 Course Goals

This POI focuses on the development of better citizens by building skills in leadership, citizenship, life success, geography, cultural awareness, wellness, and fitness in a structured interactive environment. The JROTC program is a cooperative effort on the part of the Army and the host institution to provide high school students with opportunities to become well rounded citizens. The flexibility of the program allows it to bear the scrutiny of professional educators and to meet the needs of the community. Satisfactory completion of the program can lead to advanced placement credit in the Senior ROTC program at participating colleges or advanced rank in the Armed Forces. Several components of the course have been identified for college credit that is awarded to cadets upon successful completion of the specified requirements. In addition, several components have been identified to meet high school graduation requirements while gaining leadership skills through the program.

The JROTC program is one of the Army’s contributions to motivate America’s youth to become better citizens. The program produces successful students and productive adults, while fostering in each school a more constructive and disciplined learning environment. This program makes substantial contributions to many communities and ultimately to the nation’s future. It is the centerpiece of the Department of Defense’s commitment to America’s Promise for Youth through its emphasis on service learning, community service, and teen anti-drug efforts.

2-2 Program and Learning Outcomes

These program outcomes describe what JROTC cadets will know and be able to do upon successful completion of the JROTC program. These outcomes also provide documentation for growth and development of the student and program for re-accreditation purposes, school visitors, parents, and the community. This program intends to teach cadets to:

1. Maximize potential for success through learning and self-management

2. Develop leadership skills

3. Incorporate principles of mental and physical wellness into behaviors and decisions

4. Build effective relationships with peers, co-workers, and the community

5. Apply physical and political geography to building global awareness

6. Correlate the rights and responsibilities of citizenship to the purposes of U.S. governmentCourse Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program9

7. Relate events in U.S. history to choices and responsibilities Americans have today

8. Characterize the role of the military and other national service organizations in building a constitutional republic and maintaining peace in our society

9. Develop and pursue a plan for postsecondary success

2-3 Core Abilities

The JROTC Core Abilities describe the broad, life-long skills that every cadet needs for success in future life and career endeavors. The core abilities are a result of the goals and values that drive the JROTC program and are built upon over the program’s four years through integrating various lesson competencies and skills throughout the JROTC curriculum. The JROTC Core Abilities are:

1. Build your capacity for life-long learning

2. Communicate using verbal, non-verbal, visual, and written techniques

3. Take responsibility for your actions and choices

4. Do your share as a good citizen in your school, community, country, and the world

5. Treat self and others with respect

6. Apply critical thinking techniques

With each lesson the instructors explicitly introduce, teach, reinforce, and assess the core abilities that relate to the core competency being introduced. The core abilities will be displayed prominently in JROTC classrooms so that cadets will know, recite, and view them as essential components of their lessons.

2-4 Competencies

A competency is a major skill or ability needed to perform a task effectively and efficiently. Performance assessment is driven by competencies. Each JROTC lesson addresses a competency that is the intended learning result of the lesson. Competencies describe discipline-specific measurable and observable skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Performance standards (criteria and conditions) provide the specifications for assessing mastery of a competency. Cadets show they have learned competencies by applying them in the completion of assessment tasks that require them to do one or more of the following:

• Make a decision

• Perform a skill

• Perform a service

• Solve a problem

• Create a product

Instructors explicitly introduce, teach, reinforce, and assess the competency as the learning target for every lesson. They help cadets take responsibility for their own learning by directing them to review the competency and its performance standards (criteria and conditions) at the beginning of the lesson and by pointing out that informing themselves about the performance expectations is the cadets’ first step toward learning success. Instructors use the competency as the target for all assessments and theCourse Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program10

performance standards as the guidelines for evaluating and providing feedback about cadet performance in relation to that competency.

2-5 National Standards

The JROTC curriculum fully or partially addresses a number of the McREL academic standards:

Citizenship Health Self Regulation

Civics Language Arts Thinking and Reasoning

Economics Life Skills U.S. History

Geography Life Work Working with Others

© 2003 McREL

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning

2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500

Aurora, CO 80014

(303) 337-0990

www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks

The Army JROTC curriculum is linked to McREL K-12 content standards entitledContent Knowledge: Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education. McREL is a nationally recognized, private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education for all through applied research, product development, and service. The purpose of McREL standards is "to address the major issues surrounding content standards, provide a model for their identification, and apply this model in order to identify standards and benchmarks in the subject areas".

2-6 Course Prerequisites

• LET 1 – completion of the eighth grade

• LET 2 & LET 3 – completion of LET 1

• LET 4 – completion of LET 1, LET 2, & LET 3

Schools must provide at least two classrooms or schedule students so that all LET levels are not in one classroom. When LET 2s and LET 3s are scheduled together, LET 3 material may be sequenced before LET 2.

Materials are provided for the Traditional and A/B Block (LET 1-4) and Accelerated Block (LET 1a/b-4a/b) JROTC programs. Each LET level must total 180 academic hours (or the required number of hours for academic courses equaling 1.0 credits) to include core and elective requirements. Host institutions are required to award credit toward graduation for each year of the JROTC program and requested to award credit for embedded subjects such as health, wellness, fitness, personal finance, character development, freshman orientation, civics, etc.

2-7 Course Length and Size

High schools are required to provide a minimum of three years of JROTC on a traditional schedule (45-50 minutes daily) or may provide 90-100 minutes every otherCourse Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program11

day, as in an A/B block schedule. Some schools provide 90-100 minutes daily on a 4x4 block schedule, utilizing the LET 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, through 4b sequence; referred to as the Accelerated Block Schedule, providing up to eight years of JROTC curriculum instruction. The same core content is required in both Traditional and Accelerated Block scheduling and is modified to meet time constraints for the lessons. Though schools have the option to conduct a three-year program, instructors are encouraged to use parts of the LET 4 curriculum in order to provide leadership application opportunities. Military institutes require a four-year program.

Spring/Summer JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC) is an additional component of the three- and four-year programs and supplements the JROTC curriculum. For those attending, additional focus is placed on developing cadets’ character, leadership skills, and abilities. Lessons from Foundations for Success; leadership; wellness/fitness; geography; and math and science awareness are expanded on during JCLC.

Normal Course Length- Weeks: 104 at 26 per year.

Hours: 720 at 180 per year.

Academic Hours: Traditional (LET 1-4) Accelerated (LET 1a/b-4a/b)

Core Curriculum: 520 520

Electives: 200 200

Total: 720 720

Class Sizes: Optimum – 20, Maximum – 30

Instructor Student Ratio: Optimum – 1:20, Maximum – 1:30

2-8 Substitution of Credit

Instructors are encouraged to work with their Brigades to pursue equivalency or substitution credit for JROTC. Coursework such as Health/PE can be substituted without the instructor having to be certified as a Health/PE teacher (See Appendix B and C, respectively). Upon completion of the approved JROTC course, cadets receive credit toward graduation in the equivalent required area. However, cadets do not normally receive an extra course credit toward graduation, just the assurance that the graduation requirement was fulfilled and the course credit (or Carnegie unit) awarded for those JROTC courses. Transcripts need to indicate the requirements were met. See the table below for other courses and their equivalent substitution to meet graduation requirements.

Instructors can teach alone or on teams with teachers licensed in the appropriate areas to gain credit other than elective. JROTC units, in cooperation with host institutions, may also allow credit for college level, honors, international baccalaureate, and advanced placement courses in subject areas commensurate with this POI.

JROTC leaders have selected several curriculum products that have been developed nationally and are recognized as being of exceptional quality and relevance to today’sCourse Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program12

high school students. Because these products align so well with the JROTC target learning outcomes, the designers have incorporated them into the curriculum. Prime examples are the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program and We the People.

If a host school already offers one of more of these curricula, JROTC instructors have a number of options:

• Determine whether the duplication is actual or perceived. If differences are more a matter of perception and the JROTC curriculum will add significant enhancement and extension of learning; continue to teach the course.

• Collaborate with the local teacher who uses the curriculum to maximize the learning results with additional practice and application opportunities, promote social experiences and the JROTC program.

• The instructor can inquire with the schools administration if graduation credit can be obtained by the JROTC instructor versus a traditional teacher for specific topics such as the NEFE program. This would allow the JROTC instructor to meet their programs requirements, reduce ratios for the school’s teacher, and allow the cadet to gain graduation credit for completion of the topic.

• Substitute approved electives for the duplicated curriculum and count on the other course to do the job. Share assessment tasks, lesson and learning plans when collaborating with other teachers in order to confirm mastery of the competencies with open ended questions. This is excellent evidence for inspections and accreditation of the school and the JROTC program.

Course

Equivalency

Required Course Student Outcomes

JROTC Program Student Outcomes

Equivalency Credit for JROTC Courses

Each school district has its own approval process; therefore JROTC personnel should follow local procedures to achieve a positive outcome. For example, in some schools in Florida, Army JROTC cadets are allowed to earn equivalent required graduation credit in life management skills for completing LET 1 and LET 2. Many other states, such as Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, California, South Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, etc., also allow equivalency credit if locally approved. The POI provides the flexibility to link the standards for elective credit, and additional credit in subject areas such as Physical Education, Health, Wellness, Life Management Skills, Freshman Orientation, Government, Civics, Practical and Performing Arts, Careers, etc. Gain the support of local school administrators such as principals and superintendents by showing them that the National Standards align with JROTC curriculum.

Increasingly, high schools and school districts are recognizing alternative pathways to graduation, which should include JROTC cadets. Distance learning courses may substitute for the JROTC academic class if at a minimum:Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program13

• the student is a LET 3 or LET 4 cadet

• the cadet fully participates on teams

• the cadet holds a leadership position

• the cadet participates fully in service learning activities

• the principal allows transcripted credit for each semester

• the cadet only substitutes distance learning for one LET level

2-9 Training Start Date

Training is conducted on a school-year basis. In year-round schools, JROTC will follow the school policy in establishing the start of a new school year.

2-10 Proponent

Design and Development: U.S. Army Cadet Command (USACC) DCS, Army JROTC

Course Proponent: USACC DCS, Army JROTC/Host High Schools

Instructor Provided Support: USACC DCS, Army JROTC, Brigades and Host

Schools

Training Evaluation Proponent: USACC DCS, Army JROTC, Brigades, and JROTC

Unit/Host Schools

2-11 Instructor Requirements/ Course Remarks

The JROTC web portal serves as a valuable resource for all JROTC instructors and must be accessed a minimum of 3 times weekly. Curriculum enhancements, student texts and instructor materials are available for downloading from the school, home or library. Updates to the curriculum are posted to the web portal monthly. It is the instructor’s responsibility to acquire and implement the updates.

The web portal also provides access for worldwide threaded discussion groups to enable JROTC instructors to share best practices, lessons learned and successful classroom strategies or activities (www.usarmyjrotc.com).

JROTC units may elect to conduct a technical program (tailored to support programs such as Cisco Academies and other skills-based career programs), an academic (traditional) program, or a combination of both programs.

JROTC units may also elect to form a band and/or drum and bugle corps at the discretion/approval of the Senior Army Instructor/Director of Army Instruction/Commandant, host institution, and Cadet Command as integrated curricular activities.

The Army Publishing Directorate (APD) now allows instructors to order JROTC publications using their AKO login (No CAC required). Curriculum inventory items and ordering procedures can be found on the JROTC web portal under Curriculum > Forms and Publications.Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program14

Chapter Three: Curriculum Information

3-1 Basis of the Curriculum

Cadet success is the main goal of all JROTC learning experiences. The JROTC curriculum is based on the principles of performance-based, learner-centered education. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe identified the stages where desired results could be achieved and then planned instruction and learning experiences that would mirror those results. Learner-centered, performance-based learning specifies desired results (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) in advance of instruction; explicitly states standards used to measure performance, requires learners to perform the competency as evidence of achievement, and provides learners with opportunities to develop each competency. As a result, cadets:

• Learn skills they can use; not outlines of information or isolated facts

• Know the performance expectations up front

• Engage as active partners in the learning process

• Document accomplishments and competence

• Learn how to learn

3-2 Assessments and Tasks

The JROTC curriculum is performance-based. Cadets demonstrate the skills, apply the knowledge, and model or exhibit behaviors representing the desired attitudes; thus, assessment tasks serve as tools for verifying and documenting that cadets have mastered the competencies. To help instructors and cadets determine when cadets have reached proficiency, each competency is defined by a set of performance standards that are compared against assessment tasks or scoring guides (rubrics). These tools not only allow cadets to determine their strengths and weaknesses; they show cadets’ growth over time; and validate their grades against the competencies. Instructors benefit from the scoring guides with grading consistency; feedback on their teaching techniques when there are high successes or failures; and providing documentation for JROTC and school inspection and accreditation processes.

The JROTC curriculum uses a balanced assessment approach to assessing learning. Three different types of assessments are used:

Traditional assessments focus on fundamental curriculum knowledge through the use of classroom assessments, assignments, tests, quizzes, and standardized tests. These assessments can be completed and maintained through the CPS program.

Cadet portfolios focus on process, product, and growth. Key features are reflection, goals setting, emotional intelligence, academic growth over time, and self evaluation. Instructors have the responsibility to ensure that each cadet maintains a portfolio beginning in LET 1 upon entry into the JROTC program throughout their JROTC career. Instructors are required to review portfolios with cadets annually and, if possible, more often.Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program15

Portfolios can be used as informal assessments that provide insight to the cadets’ achievements and growth over time and are a collection of work based on accomplishments, personality, goals, and aspirations. Cadets maintain scores for specific competencies for each LET and cadets reflect on their experiences. Over the course of the four years, cadets and instructors have documentation of growth. This record is a required component of the program and will be reviewed during inspections and accreditation processes.

Required content in the portfolios is outlined in CCR 145-2. Inspection evaluation criteria of cadet portfolios include the following:

• Contains all the baseline requirements (LET 1)

• Is legible and well organized (can be organized by topic, chapter, or LET level as long as organization of all unit portfolios is consistent)

• Is created and put together by the cadet

• Tracks changes on cadet self-assessment and goal setting; highlighting growth from year to year

• Shows evidence of cadet reflection on learning and growth

Performance assessments focus on standards, competencies, application, and transfer of knowledge. Cadets document mastery of the competencies by completing performance assessment tasks included in the Student Learning Plans, or by completing an adaptation of the assessment task developed by the instructor.

Though formal assessments such as multiple-choice, paper-pencil exams may be useful in providing feedback to cadets about their initial grasp of knowledge and ability to remember facts and information, they are not adequate for the task of assessing cadets’ mastery of the competencies. Combining informal assessments such as completing performance assessment tasks included in the curriculum or by completing an adaptation of the assessment tasks are required to demonstrate mastery of the competencies. Adaptations should be rated using a scoring guide such as a rubric that includes the criteria for the target competency.

3-3 Cadet Learning

The JROTC program is intended to engage cadets in active learning. Learner-centered activities dominate the cadet learning experience and allow cadets to continuously engage in all learning stages (inquire, gather, process, and apply) of the learning process. Peer collaboration and teaching, group discussions and interaction, hands-on activities, and other activities allow for active learning in contrast to listening to Power Point lectures. Following the cues provided in the curriculum managed lessons will enable instructors to facilitate the learning process for the cadets.

Each unit provides mentally and physically challenging integrated or co-curricular activities that include some or all of the following: service learning/community service, JCLC, Raider Team activities, JROTC Leadership Symposium and Academic BowlCourse Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program16

(JLAB), drill and ceremony, and safety and civilian marksmanship. The objective of these activities is to:

• Provide cadets with the opportunity to practice leadership skills

• Allow cadets a chance to participate in citizenship building exercises

• Help cadets develop team spirit and unit sprit

• Develop in cadets the skills to demonstrate individual mental and physical fitness

3-4 Instructor and Cadet Teaching

Peer teaching allows learners to be active participants in their learning and the class. Instructors act as supporters or facilitators of students who are peer teaching by creating an inviting and productive learning environment with encouragement, coaching, direction, and feedback.

JROTC curriculum designers developed learning activities that actively engage cadets by incorporating varied learning styles and multiple intelligences. Instructor presentations, are brief and are never the dominant teaching strategy.

3-5 Lesson Plans

JROTC lesson plans provide a guide for facilitating cadet learning described in student learning plans. Each lesson plan identifies a target competency, linked core abilities, and learning objectives. Lesson plans provide detailed guidelines for facilitating cadet learning activities and information about the learning materials, supplies, and resources required to support student learning.

Instructors are required to use lesson plans in conjunction with learning plans as tools for planning, facilitating, and assessing learning. Lesson plan cover sheets describe learning principles (e.g. multiple intelligences, thinking processes, reflection, Bloom’s taxonomy, and authentic assessment) present in the lessons and indicate how the lesson addresses McREL Standards, JROTC program outcomes, and core abilities. Not only does incorporating these learning principles into lessons meet diverse learning needs of the students, but they are important documentation for inspection and accreditation purposes for the school and JROTC program.

3-6 Learning Plans

JROTC learning plans are designed to support cadet learning. Learning plans answer questions cadets need to know about what they will learn; guide cadets through the four-phase lesson; help cadets take responsibility for their own learning; and support cadets’ ability to manage and adjust their own thinking and learning processes (metacognition).

Instructors need to ensure cadets have and review learning plans throughout each lesson. Instructors or Cadet Leaders will:

• Highlight the target competency and other information provided

• Explain why that information is important (ex. criteria/conditions – tells cadets how they will be evaluated on their performance)

Course Name:JROTC, A Character and Leadership Development Program17

• Show cadets how learning plans can help them

• Guide cadets to refer to and use the learning plan throughout the learning process

3-7 Learning Materials

The JROTC curriculum provides a rich assortment of learning materials keyed to learning outcomes. Student textbooks are provided in two formats. The hardbound textbooks for Units 1-6 contain the entire JROTC curriculum (required core and elective lessons). The required curriculum for cadets is pulled from those texts and organized in Core LET Textbooks (softbound). Both the instructor lesson and student learning plans identify suggested learning materials. The JROTC program provides the recommended learning materials on the curriculum manager and in textbooks. Additional recommended materials are available online or from other sources at little or no cost. JROTC cadets and instructors are encouraged to enrich and expand learning by seeking out additional learning materials that align with the JROTC program outcomes, core abilities, and competencies.

3-8 Beating the Odds Foundation and Quarterbacks of Life