Updates - Curriculum Guides, Grade Weights, Online Assessments

Grade Weights

Math Teachers met 10/21/15 to discuss, and finalize, the weights for our report card categories.  We agreed to the following:

55% - Classwork (Includes workshop, menu, and investigative tasks)
40% - Assessments (Includes mid & end of unit assessments and performance tasks)  
5% - Homework

We were comfortable increasing classwork to 55% because it is comprised of independent tasks completed in math workshop in addition to collaborative tasks (menu & investigations).  This should provide a balance in that category.

Curriculum Guide - Additional Performance Tasks

Math Teachers expressed a need for additional assessments (that can be graded) in the curriculum guides.  We discussed not wanting to spend too much instructional time on these additional assessments.  In response, we will include additional short (15 minute) performance tasks in future curriculum guides.  These will included in place of a number talk at strategic points in the unit (after a concept or skill has been taught for mastery).  We still must complete a minimum of 3 number talks per week.

Online Assessments on Achievement Series

As we continue to transition to administering our unit assessments on Achievement Series, here are a couple of things to remember:

• If you provide a paper copy, please do not have students use this in isolation, and enter their data later.  This will not prepare them for an authentic online testing experience (which they will have with ACT Aspire in the spring).
• If you provide the paper copy, please do that in addition to having them work on the computer. This should be done simultaneously, i.e., they work a problem on the paper copy, then enter the response on the computer; and then, they move on to the next problem.  This provides a better simulation of an online testing experience, and reduces the number of "data entry" errors (that commonly occur when done in isolation).

Once all students in the grade level have taken the online assessment, this data should be briefly analyzed in CAD.  CAD leaders please let me know when all tests have been administered, and I will run the grade level report and send to you.  This is a way for us to analyze the effectiveness of our unit of study.

As always, if you need any help with this please let me know.

Curriculum Guide Training

In August 2015 all math teachers (grades 3-5) participated in Curriculum Guide Training.  

Our learning targets were:

• I can describe the structure of the curriculum guides.
• I can describe the components in the curriculum guides.
• I can reason through key points that will aide me in instruction/using the guides.
• I can explain the integration of Eureka.
• I can utilize the Unit 1 guide.

We discussed how research shows the most effective instructional practices include classroom discourse and small group/one-on-one interaction with the teacher. Our curriculum provides many opportunities for peer collaboration and small group instruction with the teacher.

We discussed how Eureka math will be utilized in the form of Guided Instruction/Mini-Lessons to cement concepts after students develop conceptual knowledge through investigative tasks. 

Our curriculum is based on research-based best instructional practices. The component parts of our curriculum are shown below.  Future blog posts will highlight these components in greater detail.

Summer Flexible Learning Days

Each grade level group of math teachers met for two full days this summer to begin work on designing our curriculum guides.  Our approach to these units is to provide students with problem situations for all new mathematical concepts, allowing them to construct knowledge as they work through these situations.  Each of these constructing tasks is followed by a math congress, where students continue their discoveries and deepen understanding through conversations.  This is followed by carefully crafted mini-lessons to cement these discoveries, where students take notes in their math journals.  We are building in practice/homework opportunities for students on these conccepts and skills.  Finally, for each major unit, we will design a math menu of activities and problems to deepen and extend student learning. 

Each curriculum guide will have an corresponding PowerPoint to guide our instruction and engage our students.  Our curriculum guides are a work in progress; however, we are off to a great start.  We have amazing math teachers that are examining every aspect of CCRS objectives, as well as our philosophy, to design these amazing units!  Thank you in advance to our math teachers for the incredible start and continued work on our curriculum guides!