Welcome Back

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer break! We are off and running now. If you have questions about staff development please contact me. If you are the grade level representative for the math and/or science/ss workshops please be prepared to share information with your grade level. We will meet twice a week this year including LTMs and grade level meetings. If you are grade chair please be prepared to take notes and send out minutes to all members after grade level meetings. I will email follow-up notes from our LTM meetings each week.

This is going to be a great year. I am excited and ready to explore and learn together!

Curriculum Updates

Updates from Toni Bigham:

Elementary report cards are moving to an electronic format similar to what the middle and high schools are using. There will be a report card for K-2 and one for 3-5.
Math has slipped on EOQ tests. Things to keep in mind:

• How do we reteach skills/concepts that students did understand
• How do we present the information to students?
• Are we using the Math Indicators to make common formative assessments
• Are we using summarizing/note taking at the end of lessons to check if students are understanding what we want them to learn (EQ)? This can be one or two sentences or even a picture for the younger ones.

Assessment Updates:

“We have almost completely neglected classroom assessment in our obsession with standardized testing.”
Dr. Richard Stiggins

Five Myths and Their Consequences

On the teacher evaluation instrument, Standard 4h references using formative assessments to evaluate student progress. CFAs ensure that all students are held to the same level of rigor.

For math, the Week by Week Essentials and Indicators should be the standard for your CFAs.

Math Resources

Formative Assessment Series

NC FALCON is a series of formative assessment professional development online modules that support the implementation of formative assessments in the classroom. This is most beneficial when completed and discussed as a team. WSFCS employees can receive 0.8 credits for completing the modules. See Kim if you are interested in completing the modules.

For more information, check out these sites:

Elementary SCOS (2004)
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/scos/2004/

K-12 2004 Units (caution drafts included)
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/units/

Links to Essential Standards and Updates (highly recommended)
http://science.ncwiseowl.org/

ACRE Updates (curriculum, accountability,etc)
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/

Get Ready 2012-2013!

The Core Standards for ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science will all go into effect with the 2012-2013 school year. The Core Standards focus on expectations, not how students get there!
Common Core Standards – Operational 2012-2013
From NCDPI: “The new standards define the knowledge and skills students should have throughout their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards:
· are aligned with college and work expectations;
· are clear, understandable and consistent;
· include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
· build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
· are informed by other top-performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in a global economy and society; and
· are evidence- and research-based.”

Useful links for learning more about the Core!!

North Carolina Adopts Common Core State Standards
Timeline for Change
Common Core State Standards Initiative

Social Studies Update:
Presented by Patti Grant

Everything in the new Core Standards for Social Studies will revolve around the five themes of geography. With reading, math, and science being assessed social studies sometimes gets “the short end of the stick”. Try to integrate the social studies curriculum within your other content areas when appropriate. Take a look at what your curriculum may be…..

Grades K-2

For more information on the 5 themes of geography, visit…

This is a GREAT video! Your students will love it! 5 Themes Rap
An overview of the 5 themes: Overview
Free presentations and PowerPoint: Presentations

Math Updates:
Presented by Debra Gaither/Kim Wesley

Each school was given a copy of the book, Good Questions for Math Teaching: Why Ask Them and What to Ask by Peter Sullivan and Patti Lilburn. The school copy is in Kendra's office. Some highlights…

The Importance of Good Questions
60% of what a teacher says is in the form of questions and most are not planned. Know where you want your students to go by preparing questions. This also helps with differentiation.
Math questions tend to be closed questions (only one answer).
Questions should encourage more than recall of facts to stimulate thinking and reasoning.
Questions should emphasize problem solving, application, and development of a variety of thinking skills.

What makes a good question?
More than remembering facts/skills
More than one answer
Students learn by answering the questions
Teachers learn from each student’s attempt

Using Good Questions in Your Classroom
Choose or create questions appropriate for your class
Questions are designed to promote higher level thinking, problem solving and communication
Post questions
Students know the question prior to instruction
Provide manipulatives
Monitor the students as they work on questions
Students provide responses as they work to answer the questions.

Two Methods to Create Good Questions (pages 7-9 in book)

Method 1: Working Backward

• Identify a topic: money
• Think of an answer: 35 cents
• Make up a question:
  that includes the answer I bought some things at the grocery and got 35 cents change. What did I buy and how much did each item cost?
  
  
  Method 2: Adapting a Standard Question
• Identify a topic: subtraction
• Think of a standard question: 731-256=
• Adapt it to make a good question: Arrange the digits so that the difference is between 100 and 200.
  
  
  From DPI “MATH AND SCIENCE CROSSWALKS”
  
  Attached you will find initial crosswalk documents that compare the current Standard Course of Study to the newly adopted standards. This document is not intended to answer all questions about the nuance of the new standards versus the old but instead to help schools and teachers get a head start on internalizing and planning to teach the new standards.
  Important Note: The current SCoS will continue to be the taught and tested standards in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years. We expect the new standards to be taught and assessed in schools for the first time in the 2012-13 school year. Please send our science and math sections any thoughts, feedback, questions and ideas about additional resources that would help you start preparing to teach the new standards.
  
  Math and Science Crosswalks

DIBELS Updates:
Presented by Janie Costello

FYI…

Students that score “green” are considered at least average (50th percentile). Teachers need to look closely at the student’s score to see where in the range of green the student scored. If a student is just barely in the green, continued progress monitoring may be needed.
Students who achieve DIBELS benchmarks have a higher probability of becoming readers.
Poor readers at the end of 1st grade are not likely to catch up.
74% of poor readers in 3rd grade remain poor readers in 9th grade.
Poor readers at the end of 1st grade are more likely to need intensive support by 3rd grade.

2008-2009 School Year (WSFCS)
79.92% of second graders were marked proficient on the K-2 Assessment
55.9% of the same students in 3rd grade were proficient on the EOG Test.

Even though these are two very different types of assessments, be aware of what the standards are for proficiency.

Attached is the 2006 Hasbrouck & Tindal Oral Reading Fluency Data chart. The goal is to have students at the 50th percentile or above. Challenge students to exceed the 50th percentile. The Oral Reading Fluency assessment for DIBELS in first and second grade will give teachers this information. As a side note, Janie said that second graders in Charlotte/Mecklenburg Schools aim for 132-142 correct words per minute (CWPM) at the end of the year.

Oral Reading Fluency chart

Science News:
Presented by Benika Thompson

• Refurbishments kits will hopefully arrive in early April.
• K-5 Pacing and Learning Progression Meeting – Please send Benika any input regarding the science curriculum.
• Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Lesson Development will begin in April. Contact Benika if you are interested in helping write or critique items.

December 2010

Science Updates
Presented by Benika Thompson

Why is science important??

Science affects our health, environment, and economy. As elementary teachers, we can spark the interest in science so that students can see how it relates to their world now and in the future.

• Neither U.S. fourth- or eighth-graders showed any detectable change in science achievement in 2007 compared to 1995.
• There was a lower percentage of U.S. 4th graders performing at or above the advanced international benchmark in science in 2007 than in 1995 (15% v. 19%)
• Right now, 62% of current 5th graders are projected to pass the Biology EOC in high school.

Curriculum Reminders:
• Even though we are preparing for the new Essential Standards, the SCOS will be taught and tested through the 2011-2012 school year.
• There will be no transition year, however WSFCS will include gaps in revised pacing guides
• DPI is working to develop a toolkit to help with standards
• 2011-2010 – Field tests with Essential Standards. Teachers will be able to give feedback.
• 2012-2013 – EOG operational

How do we improve our science instruction?
± Teacher efficacy-teach without excuses
± Teach the standards
± Improved ethics
± Focus on student learning

Education Has Hit the Big Screen!
There is more accountability in public schools than ever before. Check out these trailers for movies focused on education in general in the United States.

The Cartel movie trailer

Waiting for Superman movie trailer

For more information, check out these sites:
Elementary SCOS (2004)
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/scos/2004/
K-12 2004 Units (caution drafts included)
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/units/
Links to Essential Standards and Updates (highly recommended)
http://science.ncwiseowl.org/
ACRE Updates (curriculum, accountability, etc)
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/

Get Ready 2012-2013!

The Core Standards for ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science will all go into effect with the 2012-2013 school year. The Core Standards focus on expectations, not how students get there!

Common Core Standards – Operational 2012-2013
From NCDPI: “The new standards define the knowledge and skills students should have throughout their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards:
· are aligned with college and work expectations;
· are clear, understandable and consistent;
· include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
· build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
· are informed by other top-performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in a global economy and society; and
· are evidence- and research-based.”

Useful links for learning more about the Core!!

North Carolina Adopts Common Core State Standards

Timeline for Change

Common Core State Standards Initiative

What’s next?

* DPI’s goal is to have all EOGs online, but there is no timeline for the implementation of this.
* DPI is moving towards having an open-ended component on EOGs.
* Be sure classroom assignments and assessments have different ways of evaluating what students know: multiple choice, open-ended, short answer, etc.

Math Updates
Presented by Velvet Simington

A study was referenced that found a major difference between teachers in the United States versus teachers in other countries was that US teachers do not let their kids struggle and work through problems. When students were asked “What makes you smart in math?”, students in Japan responded that they can work hard and find the right answer. Students in the United States responded that they can do math facts. Hmmmm……is it a time issue, a curriculum issue, etc.

Students need to talk about their learning. “Mathematics: Standards for Mathematical Practice” will be given to all grade chairs, but here are the highlights.

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
Mathematically proficient students find the meaning of the problem and plan a way to find a solution. They check their answers using a different method and ask “Does this make sense?”
Reason abstractly and quantitatively
Students attend to the meaning of the problem and how to solve it, not just computing the numbers.
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Students can justify their conclusions in a logical progression. They can ask questions to clarify or improve their answers.
Model with mathematics.
Students can apply mathematics to solve problems that occur in everyday life.
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Students are familiar with the tools to solve math problems and are able to use them appropriately (paper/pencil, calculator, ruler, computer, etc)
Attend to precision.
Proficient students try to communicate precisely to others. They can give clear explanations to others.
Look for and make use of structure.
Students look closely to find a pattern or structure to problems.
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Students notice if calculations are repeated and look for shortcuts to solve.

There are two pages from the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics that reference different ways addition, subtraction, and multiplication problems can be written. Use these as a reference when developing class assignments and assessments. The entire document is useful, but scroll to pages 88 and 89 for these resources.

CCSS Mathematics

From DPI “MATH AND SCIENCE CROSSWALKS”

Attached you will find initial crosswalk documents that compare the current Standard Course of Study to the newly adopted standards. This document is not intended to answer all questions about the nuance of the new standards versus the old but instead to help schools and teachers get a head start on internalizing and planning to teach the new standards.
Important Note: The current SCoS will continue to be the taught and tested standards in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years. We expect the new standards to be taught and assessed in schools for the first time in the 2012-13 school year.
Math and Science Crosswalks

DIBELS MOY BENCHMARK
January 24-February 4
Schedule to come!

Merry Christmas to all of you!

The holidays are fast approaching and my preparations include choosing the perfect photo Christmas card to send to friends and family. Once a year these special personalized cards give me the opportunity to update others about my family, including my two beautiful daughters. This year is special because it is my daughter Lyla's first Christmas. I plan to personalize this years card with family photos and a special message. The perfect card can be found at http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery. Have you ordered your holiday cards yet? If not check it out because there are tons to choose from and I'm sure you will be pleased with the large variety of options, formats, and great quality. I can't wait to show you the awesome Christmas card I create using the creative ideas and formats available at Shutterfly. This holiday season use your favorite photos to create your very own personalized Christmas card and your friends and family will also enjoy watching your family grow.

ABC Hip Hop with Ah-Choo

Nov. 1 - 5

MATH UPDATES
Presented by Velvet Simington

Intended Curriculum vs. Implemented Curriculum

“The opportunity to learn has the strongest relationship with student achievement.”
What Works in Schools, ASCD

Ø Intended Curriculum – SCOS
Ø Implemented Curriculum – What is delivered by the teacher
Ø Attained Curriculum – What is actually learned by the students

The Intended Curriculum and the Implemented Curriculum need to be correlated to be most effective. Textbooks are usually the barrier between the Intended and Implemented Curriculums.

Things to keep in mind as you are planning your instruction:

We are still using the 2003 SCOS
Be intentional in your classroom activities.
Know your SCOS! Teach your SCOS in depth before you extend into concepts that are not in the SCOS.
Are these “natural extensions” necessary, i.e., taking away time that could be spent going deeper into a concept?
Use Indicators and Descriptors if you have questions about how to use items in instruction. DPI Resources
Has your grade level “unpacked the standards”? Are you aware of what you are actually teaching and what needs to be taught?

Get Ready 2012-2013!

The Core Standards for ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science will all go into effect with the 2012-2013 school year.

Common Core Standards – Operational 2012-2013
From NCDPI: “The new standards define the knowledge and skills students should have throughout their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards:
· are aligned with college and work expectations;
· are clear, understandable and consistent;
· include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
· build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
· are informed by other top-performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in a global economy and society; and
· are evidence- and research-based.”

Useful links for learning more about the Core!!

North Carolina Adopts Common Core State Standards

Timeline for Change

Common Core State Standards Initiative

Reminders

Grants News - November Grants News December Grants News

CogAT Testing for 2nd Grade – November 3-5, 5th Grade on Nov. 5
ITBS Testing for 2nd Grade – Nov. 15-17, 5th Grade on Nov. 16

Social Studies Updates
By: Patty Grant

The social studies standards are being revised. Click here for links:
K-2 Social Studies
3-5 Social Studies

Questions:
How can we integrate social studies into our day?
How do we integrate social studies into our day?

The strands will be Civics & Government, Geography, History, Economics, and Culture. Global Connections are woven through each strand.

K-3 Focus
Ability to demonstrate chronological thinking

Ability to think like a historian by asking questions that historians ask
Grade 3 introduces the five themes of geography.

Grade 4
NC pre-colonial through reconstruction
Draw parallels to contemporary issues and their historical origins.

Grade 5
US history form pre-colonial through reconstruction
Canada and Mexico removed

New Structure

There will be Essential Standards, not goals and objectives
There will be a reduced number of standards
More conceptual thinking
Strands begin with verbs (Explain, Identify, Clarify, etc) to reflect higher order thinking skills

Have an opinion???

Feedback will be accepted at DPI until Nov. 10. Send your feedback to DPI but let Patti Grant know you sent something so that she will have a record that teachers in WSFCS did indeed respond. North Carolina’s State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction will receive public comment and create an operational roll-out plan for the fall of 2012. Comments are being received at commoncore@dpi.state.nc.us.

Oct. 4 - 8

DIBELS Report

The beginning of year benchmark went smoothly, both for WSFCS and Gibson. Thank you to our K-2 teachers and new sweep teams for making this happen!
Data from last year can be accessed through Direct Report Archive. This data can be used for PEPs, parent conferences, SAT, etc. See Kim if you need any of this information.
This week is our first week to progress monitor your red students. Remember...red students are progress monitored every two weeks, yellow students are progress monitored every four weeks.

Fluency Facts..........
Fluency is not just reading fast. It involves automaticity, rate, accuracy and procity. A NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) study found that 44% of a representative sample of the US's fourth graders were low in fluency. The study also found a close relationship between fluency and reading comprehension.
What to do?
Repeated and monitored oral reading improves reading fluency and overall reading achievement. Teachers should model fluent reading and then have students reread the text on their own. Have students repeatedly read passages aloud with guidance. For fluency purposes, students shoudl read texts at their independent level.
Check out this fluency resource:
Fluency Ideas!

Math Updates from Velvet Simington

Students need the opportunities to think, discover and make math their own. Be intentional in the development of math lessons so that students have the opportunity to problem solve......show them there is more than one way to do it!
*We are still using the 2003 Math SCOS and there is no new content for this year.
*Be sure to use indicators when planning. They can be found on Learning Village if needed.

Partners for Mathematics Learning – Year 3
February 21, 2011-RC Day 8:00-3:00

Year 3 focuses on new curriculum guidelines that will include 2009 Essential Standards and Common Core State Standards and Formative Assessments

Common Core Standards – Operational 2012-2013

From NCDPI: “The new standards define the knowledge and skills students should have throughout their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards:
· are aligned with college and work expectations;
· are clear, understandable and consistent;
· include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
· build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
· are informed by other top-performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in a global economy and society; and
· are evidence- and research-based.”
Useful links for learning more about the Core!!
North Carolina Adopts Common Core State Standards
Timeline for Change
Common Core State Standards Initiative

PEPs by Clara Chavez

The PEP is a working document. Be aware of and prioritize the goals selected. What goals will assist students in being successful?

More information on guidelines, instructions, signature page, and a PowerPoint presentation is on the Teacher Webportal>Information for Teachers>PEP K-8

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~William A. Ward
Many thanks to all of you for being great!!!