Kimbrell's Korner
August 13, 2018
Welcome
So glad you are here!!
Literacy
Handwriting Without Tears:
HWT workbooks for Pre-K and Kindergarten are being ordered for each campus by the curriculum department.
Literacy Assessment Overviews:
A Literacy Assessment Overview has been created for each grade level. This will replace the previous ELAR Assessment Schedule. The Literacy Assessment Overviews can be accessed on the Assessment tab of GPS.
Please note that the Kindergarten instructional reading level expectation has been adjusted slightly. This will allow students sufficient time to progress from a Level A to a Level D by the end of the school year. Kindergarten Literacy Assessment Overviews: English, Spanish.
K-1 Shared Reading:
A selection of big books for Shared Reading has been ordered for each campus.
Math
NEW ITEM: There have been Launching Lessons created and added to GPS. These lesson are aligned to standards within each grade level during cluster 1. Unlike Literacy, the launching is not included on the cluster 1 scope and sequence. These lessons are NOT a requirement, but can be utilized in conjunction with Cluster 1 when setting up the math workshop. There is an overview document that provides more details about each lesson that is available to use while launching the math workshop.
Scope and Sequences have be realigned to allow for deeper understanding of number concepts. Due to the realignment, parent letters are longer available on GPS. This link: https://www.math4texas.org/ can be provided to parents for information about standards. We encourage teachers to continue to include current skills being taught in the classroom in their weekly communication with parents.
Cluster Problem Solving Packets are no longer available. Problem Solving is loaded in GPS by standard. An overview document has been created to align tasks to standards.
Science
Science Store has been moved to Acker. Directions and how to order are located on the GPS/Instructional Resources/ Science/ Science Store. They are taking orders now and will have them ready for pick up on Tuesday, Aug. 14th and Thursday, Aug. 16th.
STEMscopes books for 2nd-5th will be delivered to campuses soon. Fifth grade might not come with the rest of the shipment, but will be here soon.
This year we are hosting one meeting for K-5 New to Science Teachers. It will be held on 9/4/18. All collaboratives are from 3:30 to 5
Social Studies
GPS Updates: Social Studies’ Scope and Sequences now include a document linked within each cluster that includes a list of the grade levels priority readiness standards.
Priority Readiness Standards: For each priority standard, curriculum writers have created a digital source set, assessment menu, and a Talk, Read, Talk Write lesson to support teachers when planning for instruction.