Mathematics Update
www.esc11.net/math
Have you downloaded the ESC Region 11 App?
RECHARGE
Looking for something new in your professional development?
It’s time to REconnect, RElax, REflect and RECHARGE at REGION 11 on April 18-19, 2017!
A Recharge mini conference it is all about you...
Your Choice. Your Learning. Your Experience
This edition of RECHARGE will focus on strands for the following audiences:
Assistant Principals
Administrative Assistants
Teaching Assistants
Attend sessions created especially for you or take advantage of cross-training opportunities by exploring sessions designed for other positions in education. We will feature bursts of learning that are stimulating, motivational, interactive, hands on, and applicable. Sessions offered will include a variety of short engaging experiences along with in-depth learning opportunities over the course of our flexible two-day schedule.
Website: https://www.smore.com/ata01-recharge-update?ref=email-content#w-2037033398
"Zip Line" Challenge Accepted Set for April 20 at 9 AM
Challenge Accepted is a series of free videoconferencing/networking events designed to spark creativity, imagination, and problem solving in your students. This is the last Challenge Accepted for the school year, and it's a great way to build excitement and collaboration among your students and others.
Supplies needed per group for this challenge:
- 15 feet of string or yarn
- 4 pipe cleaners
- 2 paper clips
- masking tape
- a small rubber bouncy ball
- up to three other supplies from the group members (must be okayed by the teacher)
Learn more about Challenge Accepted.
Math4Texas.org Provides Parent-Friendly Help for Math Concepts
Math4Texas.org is a FREE K-8 website that provides parent-friendly explanations, example problems, digital tools, and videos by grade level to help parents understand the math concepts and skills that their children are learning.
The website was created as a component of ESC Region 11's Math Initiative, and developed through the collaborative efforts of the ESC Region 11 Board of DIrectors and Region 11 superintendents. The site was created to help parents understand the content and conceptual changes of the revised Math Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) and their impact on students' everyday learning and thinking.
Please add the Math4Texas.org link to your website and include it in communications to parents.
STEAM PLC Network - April 11, 2017
Face-to-face network collaboration times include:
- Action Time which are integrated SE based hands-on investigations for Grades K-5 and 6-12
- Unconference which is an informal exchange of information, ideas, and solutions by participants of current issues
- Reality Check which are industry connections and trends related to STEAM careers
- Product Development which is an extended collaboration time for planning classroom instruction with colleagues
Canvas network collaboration times include:
- Product Implementation through extended collaboration time for planning classroom instruction utilizing discussion chats about lesson integration
- Unconference Part Deux which are new monthly discussions and follow-up
- STEAMCenter which spotlights campus-based STEAM in Action
8:30 – 3:30 including a sponsored lunch
Real Video Challenge: Win an iPad for Your Classroom or a 30-day Coaching Contract for Your School!
You can win an iPad for your classroom or a 30-day coaching contract for your school by submitting a classroom video that exemplifies effective teaching practices. ESC Region 11 is sponsoring the Real Video Challenge powered by IRIS Connect and is accepting classroom videos until April 15.
Why? ESC Region 11 is committed to creating an extensive database of video examples that come from our very own teachers, authentically showcasing their skills. We’re building a video library that will house real teaching examples of everything from differentiation and objective-driven instruction to classroom management. The completed video library will be offered free of charge to all districts in ESC Region 11.
For each video submission, the campus will be entered into a drawing for a 30-day coaching contract valued at $20,000. You do not need fancy equipment or video editing skills. Just use your phone, your tablet, your computer, or any other device you have to record your classroom and submit the video for an opportunity to win.
More information is available at Real Video Challenge, or you may contact Tracie Cain.
Let's Fold Some Foldables across the Curriculums - June 15, 2017
You're invited! PRIME Digital Learning Experience 2017
Education Service Center Region 11 is excited to host the PRIME Digital Learning Experience 2017 for schools across the North Texas Region 11 area. This exciting event will bring together teachers, librarians, technologists, instructional leaders, and administrators to experience the latest future ready learning strategies, tools, and resources in an impactful, interactive learning environment. Participants will be provided will be provided with powerful networking opportunities with peers and colleagues from across the area as they are PRIMEed to embark on an awesome new school year.
PRIME 2017 will bring together many different elements assembled from the best, most innovative, future ready schools, combining them into a professional learning experience designed to inspire and connect educators across all curriculum areas, grade levels, and educator roles to help prepare and motivate educators to infuse digital learning into classrooms, libraries, teams, campuses, and school districts. The emphasis will be on inspiring and facilitating fierce conversations, networking opportunities, and relevant learning experiences to PRIME educators for an awesome 2017-18 school year.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017 from 8:30am – 3:30pm
Location: ESC Region 11 @ 1451 S. Cherry Lane, White Settlement, TX
Cost: FREE to staff of ESC Region 11 Educational Technology Coop member schools, $100 for non-member school staff (all of our Region 11 area ISD’s and many of our charter and private schools are members– see full list here)
Lunch: Boxed lunches, provided by our vendors
More Information: www.esc11.net/PRIME17
For more information, please visit our conference website at www.esc11.net/PRIME17. Please pass this along to educators across your campus/district – PRIME Digital Learning Experience 2017 offers something for everyone!
2017 Spring STAAR Administration
SUBJECT: 2017 Spring STAAR Administration
I am so thankful for the intensive efforts you and your staff have been engaged in all year, working to teach our next generation so they are equipped with all they need to know at each grade level. I know this can be stressful. I’ve been listening to district feedback and want to do all I can to help make this a positive experience, and to reduce stress for students and district personnel. To that end, I wanted to highlight three recent changes:
Time to Test
I’ve heard concerns voiced about the nature of the test environment, where students are made to sit quietly after they’ve finished their tests, in some cases for over an hour. As previously announced, the STAAR assessments have been shortened so that the vast majority of students will be able to complete the assessment within two hours in grades 3–5 and within three hours in grades 6–8. We have recently changed rules so that districts will only be asked to indicate on the student’s answer document any student in grades 3–5 who takes more than 2 hours to complete the test or any student in grades 6–8 who takes more than 3 hours to complete the test. I want to encourage districts to allow students to leave the testing environment after they complete the test, or perhaps otherwise organize test administration so that only those students who need more time remain in a testing environment.
Medical Exemptions
I’ve also heard concerns voiced in support of our most truly fragile students. In some cases, administrators feel required to deliver the STAAR Alternate 2 assessment even for students who likely should not take any form of assessment. To address this, we have recently attempted to clarify the availability of assessment medical exemptions. For those students who are receiving extensive medical treatment due to a medical emergency or other serious issue, districts are encouraged to call the Student Assessment Division to discuss testing options and to relieve additional undue stress on the student.
Classroom Displays During Testing
Finally, I’ve heard concerns from many about requirements related to covering classroom displays during testing that can seem to transform otherwise vibrant classrooms into very sterile, stressful testing environments. So, we have changed our rules to relax some of these requirements. To assist you next week, my staff has provided examples to clarify information about removing or covering instructional displays prior to testing. Materials that clearly answer questions should be covered. But if in your judgment they won’t provide answers to possible questions, they certainly don’t need to be covered. For example, it’s hard to imagine the visibility of a word wall helping a student answer a question, and so there’s no need to cover them. But a listing of literary terms with their definitions potentially could help a child answer a question. Regardless, we want you to use your judgment, and don’t see a need to err on the side of sterility.
Hopefully these changes are helpful to your students and staff. I want to thank you all for the hard work that you do. I hope next week’s testing administration goes well for each and every one of you. If you need assistance with anything, please call TEA’s Student Assessment Division at (512) 463-9536, and that team will be happy to help you.
Sincerely,
Mike Morath
Commissioner of Education
Resources Update – OnTRACK Lessons
Two OnTRACK lessons for grade 6 have been added to the Texas Gateway. Each is filled with instruction and interactives designed to assist students is sixth grade mathematics. Additional lessons are in development.
Applying the Order of Operations: https://www.texasgateway.org/resource/applying-order-operations
Generating Equivalent Forms of Rational Numbers: https://www.texasgateway.org/resource/generating-equivalent-forms-rational-numbers
Resources Update – Teacher2Teacher Videos
Teacher2Teacher Videos are available on the Texas Gateway. The topics include conversions within a measurement system; solving with one-step, one-variable equations with rational coefficients; and solving equations by combining like terms. These videos include transitioning from various strategies to the standard algorithm. You can access the videos at https://www.texasgateway.org/binder/teacher2teacher-math-video-series. Additional videos are in production.
Resources Update – Supporting Information Documents for High School
Engaging Resources for Your Students
Pre-K–Grade 2
Thinking about numbers using frames of five can be a helpful way to learn basic number facts. The four games that can be played with this applet help to develop counting and addition skills.
Grades 3–5
A tessellation is a repeating pattern of polygons that covers a plane with no gaps or overlaps. What kind of tessellations can you make out of regular polygons?
Grades 6–8
A net is a two-dimensional figure that can be folded into a three-dimensional object. Which of the nets below will form a cube?
Grades 9–12
Analyze data with box plots, bubble graphs, scatter plots, histograms, and stem-and-leaf plots. You can enter multiple rows and columns of data, select which set(s) to display in a graph, and choose the type of representation.
TI Spring Webinar Schedule
Join us this spring for free Teachers Teaching with Technology™ (T³™) webinars. Learn new ways to use Texas Instruments technology to engage students and increase conceptual understanding in math, science and STEM* education. Mark your calendar for Tuesdays this spring at 7 p.m. Central time. A certificate of attendance will be provided at the end of each webinar.
March 21 – Engaging Students in Progressions
March 28 – Essential TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator Skills for Statistics
April 4 – Promoting Science Learning With TI-84 Plus CE Technology
April 11 – STEAM Summer Camp Ideas
April 18 – Path to STEM Projects with the TI-Innovator™ Hub
April 25 – Exciting Coding Activities for STEM Courses and Camps
May 2 – Students Discover Transformational Geometry in 15 Seconds or Less
May 9 – Read, Apply, Learn: Best Practices to Think About Over the Summer
Invite teachers you know whose classrooms would benefit from these industry connections and help impact more students nationwide! Are you ready to connect your class with professionals? Submit a request today so Nepris can connect you with the right professional.
EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service)
The EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) program originated at Purdue University in 1995 and has since been recognized by the National Academy of Engineering, National Society of Professional Engineers, and NSTA as an exemplary STEM education model. There are EPICS programs at 26 universities and the EPICS engineering design model has been adapted to help students in 6-12 learn design as they work on projects for non-profits in their community. This program is growing and we have approximately 100 schools in 14 states using this curriculum and model. The EPICS K-12 model has many different implementations throughout the country such as embedded into a class, a stand-alone class, or after school.
Our program is unique for the following reasons:
- We offer a FREE curriculum and we train your staff along with providing continuous support throughout the school year.
- Our curriculum requires constant communication with various industry partners which long-term will be beneficial to your students.
- Our engineering design model highlights the Service Learning aspect of engineering which allows students to learn the design cycle while being a service to their communities.
- Our program is offered at 36 universities nationwide such as Purdue, Arizona State, and UT Dallas.
If you would like to sample the curriculum you can access www.epicsk12.org and "join" the site. From there you will be able to see a portion of the free resources that we offer our schools if they decide to become a part of the program . Upon completion of the training teachers are then given full access to the high school and middle school curricula. All of the curricula is aligned to NGSS and ELA related to Science and Technical subjects along with Mathematics.
Another resource is our Purdue EPICS webpage where you will be able to see other schools and projects from around the country.