3OA1

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Lesson Planning:

Here's a graphic I made to use with lesson planning for 3OA.

Lesson Planning Checklist (Click the graphic to view larger.)

• I like the IXL unpacked standards and skills to use as reference also.
• NCDPI Unpacking Standards

3.OA.1 Misconception Diagnostic Questions

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My journey today: Where can I find a list of misconceptions and matching diagnostic questions for multiplication and division errors?

It seems that to teach in a way that avoid pupils creating any misconceptions … is not possible, and that we have to accept that pupils will make some generalisations that are not correct and many of these misconceptions will remain hidden unless the teacher makes specific efforts to uncover them. - (Askew, M and Wiliam, D 1995)

Note: If you Google search for math misconceptions, you'll see Askew and William repeatedly!)

The following are the BEST of found resources:

• Misconceptions with Key Objectives - assessment questions and activity suggestions
• Explanations of Misconceptions with Performance/Diagnostic Tasks
• This table matched my search exactly! Tables of Assessment Questions aligned with Misconceptions; Tasks
• Which led me to - Supporting Children with Gaps in Their Mathematical Understanding! I downloaded the zip file and when opened, found specific lessons with scripted questions for each misconception or error. Also, tracking charts and program instructions. See the sample below. Several activities are included for each error.

New York Question Samples included reasons and described errors.

LearnZillion

Pin It Consistency is one of the bright spots of Common Core! The wording of standards from state to state in the past created a segmented alignment of skills. It's refreshing to see standard reference numbers and wording synced. Teachers across the nation can use Common Core specific language included in lesson plans and support materials.

Today, I previewed LearnZillion linked to the engageNY teacher resource site. The format of lessons sorted by topic and labeled with the appropriate grade level might be a template to follow when creating a lesson bank.

Some of the links within the site, including teacher sign-up, didn't work. Here's the REGISTRATION page.

I'll check back on this resource at a later date.



Math Journals - Prompts and Vocabulary

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Pinterest is an absolute treasure box of great ideas for teaching. Today, I found fantastic examples of Math Journal entries on Runde's Room to use with upper elementary students. Her ideas branched off of A Teacher's Treasures Interactive Student Notebook sold on Teachers Pay Teachers.

I've used math journals before, but not like these jewels. Their use in the lesson structure follows Common Core standards to the T!

Journals are a great place to focus on vocabulary. Students can explore meaning, use, and examples while taking ownership of new words. Here is a link for visual vocabulary cards that could be adapted to student notebooks.

Ladybug's Teacher Files offers sets of visual vocabulary cars for use on word walls. These could be adapted to journal entries as well.



Dr. Deborah Wahlstrom has several ideas for using visual vocabulary -link doodling that would also be useful with journals. To use link doodles with students, simply call out the math vocabulary word. Have students doodle, draw or write the picture of the word until you call out the next word. Students connect the doodle path with a link line. After all the words in the set have been called out, have student go back and label each of the drawings. This is the time to check for spelling also.



Update: 7/26/2012
Found a site with a listing of exemplars suitable for math journals and groups discussion.

Update 8/3/2012
Even 1st graders can use interactive journals. Visit this site to download pdf files suitable for primary LAPBOOKS!

And Ashleigh offers a FREE download "Draw a Story Problem." The activity is designed to be used as a center activity. However, this would be a wonderful ongoing addition to student interactive journals.

Common Core Exemplar Texts - Higher Expectations

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How do I help low-level readers overcome the meltdowns of defeated attitudes when they are expected to read complex texts?

Where do I find passages that will motivate students to read demanding texts and match CC standards?

What tech tools will help me validate my chosen material?

As I begin to plan reading lessons to align with Common Core State Standards (CCSS), I find myself struggling to understand the new level of text complexity demanded by higher expectations. My work with a Title I population and low-level readers prompts my hesitation to thrust the reality of CCSS upon deficient students. Varied reasons place these children far below grade level. Most of them stumble with every line of my current instructional text.

My first response after throwing out my Accelerated Reader tub labels, was to look for a grade level title list within the new "complex reading" formula that would facilitate my lesson planning. While there are suggested book and poetry selections available, the choices of material according to the CCSS "are best made by teachers employing their professional judgment, experience, and knowledge of their students and the subject." (Appendix A/4)

Mary Brow's blog, "What Is the Common Core Canon?", gives explanations and advice to help teachers determine literature to choose in Common Core lessons. She breaks down the three criteria of QUALITATIVE, READER TASK CONSIDERATIONS, and QUANTITATIVE texts.

Here's a sample chart showing the change in some Lexile levels.

Her comforting words and suggestions leading to the use of shorter pieces of complex passages including magazaine articles, reminded me of my love for Highlights magazine. I've collected past issues

through Ebay for several years. Usually, I find they are cheapest in large lots. I'm always impressed with each issue's material that matches passages on standardized tests. However, the articles are not labeled with Lexile levels.

To find the Lexile, first go to the Lexile Analyzer site. Registration is required (FREE). After you have logged-in, you will see a list of steps on the left of the screen. Your document MUST follow the generator's list of requirements. The most important factors: eliminate any non-sentence text features, and convert the document to a .TXT format. I use Notepad to prepare documents for uploading.

Also, I was unsure regarding copyright issues. How can I distribute the lesson both to students and other teachers? The FAIR USE GUIDELINES allow for a copy per student of a magazine article, yet limit the number of such uses to nine per class term. The copy of the article couldn't be included in a shared lesson plan, but could be referenced.

I'm still debating exactly how to incorporate the magazine material consistently. Possibly, I could use parts of the passage in SmartBoard lessons. If you have ideas on the topic of copyright and FAIR USE, please add your comments.

This process was complicated and time-consuming for me. Because I used magazine articles without image to text software, the first step was typing . . . no, it was choosing an appropriate passage for my lesson. Then, the typing of the article in the required format. (There are scanners available to convert the printed article to a .txt document! I haven't used the FREE OCR software. And, the Epson text converting scanner is very expensive.) Please comment if you have had success with converting column print to text.

I made the most of my typing time to become familiar with the material and start the process of creating questions and products to use in the lesson.

Link Additions:

For examples of proposed testing item samples . . . here's an assessments of Common Core guide.

Achievethecore.org has a listing of sample close reading exemplars.

It's not so common . . . the reality of the CORE!

Pin It OK! So, we finally admitted feeling secure in preparing our students for standardized testing. And, we understood recoding all the book labels in the classroom from Accelerated Reader levels to Lexiles. We've grown to expect the higher ups of educational change to buy into a new philosophy or product that will stamp its effects promising higher student achievement each school year. But, this one is a wowzer. The newly adopted Common Core incorporates many pieces of the best practice puzzle in one big, complicated package! It seems so overwhelming and morale crushing for teachers that are already struggling with classrooms bulging at the seams with students, years without a raise, loss of assistants, and increased teacher accountability evaluations. This is not the "regular" method of preparing for a new year. The Common Core in reality takes every classroom back to ground zero. Newbies and Veterans alike are learning how to teach from a fresh start.

I'm not saying that all the previous materials, books, and lesson plans need to be scraped. A major decluttering will be required though. This purging will incorporate huge piles. Reminds me of the organization shows on HGTV! You know the scene. There are three sections designated on the driveway in front of the garage. There's the THROW OUT pile, the KEEP pile and the DONATE pile. Homeowners and teachers alike have a hard time eliminating the clutter. My main fear is that I'll have to buy the same things again next year --- wasting all my hard earned money!

I think this system (and it is a SYSTEM!) is gonna' be hanging around for awhile, not a "here today, gone next year" scenario. It will take years to determine the effects on our children. So strap on that seat belt. We're in for a bumpy ride.

BEGINNING STEPS:

• I'm really impressed with the attitude of the state of Georgia. The website offers audio podcast and sample lesson plans to help teachers understand the complexity of new math requirements in Common Core. (Here's another one for language arts!) One of the facilitators stated, "We know that you are the client!" I love that! The dialogue was very supportive.

• My plan is to match easy to follow lesson units with the NCDPI curriculum standards. "I'm off . . . on a new journey!"

• How about an APP designed to find Common Core standards quickly? Go to Mastery Connect for a FREE download. (Note: Full access requires subscription payment!)

Write the Plan - Give it to Them!

Pin It I've spent most of my waking hours during the past 15 years honing my expertise in technology and task analyzing student deficiencies.  My effort's payback was multiplied with every student success.  Victory or failure both fueled my continued desire to combine everything I knew about teaching into an efficient, progressive package.  If my students succeeded, I studied and developed new plans.  If my students flopped (on the big test), then I studied and developed new plans.  The exhaustive, constant organization and reorganization of materials and supplies weighed heavy on the given hours of a day.  If I only had eight arms and eight brains!   

All of my spent energy was justified with statements such as, "I'll be ready next year," or "Next year, I'm going to be so organized," or even "This activity is really going to work!"  As the tide of Common Core washes over me, I'm busy once again settling into the learning curve of a new format.  But this time around, Blogs may save the day!  Seriously! 

For instance, while searching for available lesson plans for common core standards, I found a blog by Paul Bogden.  His concept of Student Centered Learning describes a format to teach Common Core standards where,  "the plan guides the students to learn vocabulary, copy and learn examples, and do examples on their own."  After reading his examples, memories of some of my favorite successful strategies jumped up and saluted.  (Look for my adapted lesson plan to follow!)  It will be DFU ( Done For You.).

The following are Bogden's lesson plan strategies.  I applaud this simple approach.

• Strategy One: Write detailed lesson plans and give them to the students to execute.
• Strategy Two: Teach good note-taking skills.
• Strategy Three: Keep students motivated.
• Strategy Four: Make tests a real-time learning experience.
• Strategy Five: Grade for learning.

Read his article and additional blogs to learn more.


How do his strategies apply to those I've already used with success in my classroom?  I've attached my FOUR STEP LESSON PLAN learner statements as applied.



What's in it for me? (Essential Question)
Strategy One:  Write detailed lesson plans.  Include the "script" using the SMARTBOARD or WIKI.  Provide assistance via the lesson plans.  Technology can provide audio support and reach multiple learning styles.   PROS:  Easily shared.  Easily updated.  No copies required.  CONS:  Power supply or tech gremlin weakness. 

Give me the facts!  (Vocabulary, steps, text material)
Strategy Two:  My fourth grade students became very good note takers.  However, I used mapping and cartooning to add interest to their math journals.  I allowed them to use the journals on tests and homework.  I also made I CAN stickers to adorn their journals after they succeeded on assessments.  Here's a sample. 


Let me practice! (Rotating groups at stations, time for reading, math games, etc.)
Strategy Three: 
I understand completely that some students have perfected skills to avoid work.  However, Brogden's activities shined light on opportunities to give individual remediation or help students that need it the most.  My facilitating time during this stage of the lesson would be flexible.  The climate of the classroom would dictate the level of teacher involvement.  (Low performing students need MORE of ME.)  If PLC's are working correctly, powerful groups of misbehavior could be disbanded. 

During section of the lesson, I could update my individual student I CAN checklists.  I keep these in a large ringbinder tabbed with each name.  The skills or standards are given to students each month as a guide for learning.  Here's a sample.  (Note:  Students can earn stickers for mastering or completing assignments.)


Let me teach you!
Strategies Four and Five:  (Project Based Learning and Ongoing Assessments)  
For me, this is truly the exciting part of Common Core.  We've had student portfolios in the past.  I found fault with them because the material was not provided or monitored by the administration.  Regular worksheets were the standard.  The waste of file drawer space was almost laughable.  Hopefully, exemplars and rubrics will finally be understood and used. 

I'm so excited about this strategy and student-oriented format.  Now, let's see where it takes me.

What is the difference between Core Knowledge and Common Core?

Pin It I watched this 10 minute video report to understand basics between basal reading programs and the new common core philosophy.  (Boosting Reading Skill with Common Core).  If you have time, it explains the programs used by three different schools and connects their process in adopting the new standards.  Content/Non-fiction reading will increase for sure.  However, the push to more expository text instruction has been stumbling around in the back room for the past five years.  Now that it's finally taking a sprint to the classrooms, I'm looking forward to including more "facts" in everyday lessons.





Which reminds me . . . . years ago during my time as a 4-H leader, I came across a handbook that described components of a good nature lesson. In my own words, it went something like this:

(These are learner statements!)
Step 1: What's in it for me? (The Essential Question)
Step 2: Give me the facts! (Whoa! There it is! In reality, facts and process steps require drill and memorization. The number of times a fact or word must be repeated, depends on the student. A good teacher has a wealth of information to share with students through direct, explicit instruction.)
Step 3: Let me practice! (O.K. So, you could use a game here! Or, maybe an interactive, technology component.)
Step 4: Let me teach you! (Now, we could tag this with product-based learning, writing exemplars, etc.)

Even though I can write the fanciest, complicated lesson plan filled with "hot-topic" buzz words and gilded expectations, my "Big Picture" planning thought process  has always been more basic and "common sensed."  Those simple four statements became the stepping stones for everything that I taught.


Why does everything have to be so complicated?