How can we plan a unit, when we want students to learn so much, and have so little time?

Responsive teaching requires establishing what is to be taught; only then can students’ learning be assessed. There is far more that we would like students to learn than there is time to teach it; planning requires specifying what we most want students to learn. We can also plan the pedagogical content knowledge which will be useful in teaching: ways to explain and represent ideas, misconceptions students may hold and ways to help students connect ideas within and between units. This approach allows teachers to plan sustainably and share key planning ideas easily.