K-5 Curriculum Newsletter
December 2019
#HTSDPride
WIDA CAN DO Descriptors
All English Language Learners in grades K-12 are required to take the WIDA ACCESS test annually to measure English Language proficiency in the Spring of each school year. The ACCESS test is a standardized, summative assessment that gives feedback on academic language achievement in each of the four domains of language acquisition: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. This test is used to help identify English Language Learners that are ready to exit an ESL program as well as students that need to continue in the program. New Jersey has set the standard level of achievement for students eligible to exit an ESL program to be a composite score of 4.5.
Another way the scores from Access are used is via WIDA’s Can Do Descriptors. These descriptors highlight what an English Language learner can do in each of the four domains assessed through ACCESS. These tools can help classroom teachers make modifications based on what the descriptors state each of the child can do within each domain. They can also be used to help make modifications for grading and are listed as one considerations in New Jersey’s “Sample District English as a Second Langauge (ESL) Student Grading Recommendations Grades K-12” chart.
Math “Rules” That Expire- Part 2
The November article outlined the top 5 math “rules” that expire. Below you will find a few of the remaining “rules” that do not hold true throughout a student’s mathematical career.
6. You always divide the larger number by the smaller number. This rule is may be true when students first begin learning to divide whole numbers. When students are introduced to fraction concepts this rule expires fairly quickly. Consider the example, Jonny shares three granola bars equally among six friends. This type of division problem requires students to divide 2 by 6 and get ½ of a granola bar goes to each friend. In addition, when students are introduced to the division of a fraction by a whole number, the rule does not hold true. Expiration date: Grade 5 (5.NF.3 and 5.NF.7)
7. Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. This phrase is often taught when students are exploring the order of operations. There are three issues that arise with teaching students this acronym. First, this phrase indicates that multiplication should always be computed before division and addition before subtraction. This is, however, false. The when multiplication and division are present in the expression, whichever comes first when reading left to right is the correct order of computation. This is also true for addition and subtraction. Second, the order is not as strict as students are initially taught. Consider the expression 32 - 4(2 + 7) + 8 4. There are many places a student can begin. They may begin by solving 2 + 7, however, they may choose to start with simplifying 32. There are multiple entry points for solving this expression. The third issue that arises is that the P indicates that parenthesis always comes first rather than any grouping symbols. When students are not taught to see parenthesis as a grouping symbol, they lose the meaning of them, making finding solutions more difficult. Expiration date: Grade 6 (6.EE.2)
8. The equal sign means Find the answer or Write the answer. Many students are taught that the equal sign means the answer comes next. This is taught from a very young age (even Kindergarten). This can cause a lot of trouble for students especially as thay advance into algebraic concepts. The equal sign indicates that the two quantities on either side are the same value. When students have a solid understanding of the meaning of the equal sign, students are more easily able to solve missing term equations. Expiration date: Grade 1 (1.OA.7)
9. The “Butterfly Method” for comparing fractions. Students are often taught the “butterfly method” for comparing fractions. This method requires students to cross multiply the two fractions to determine which fraction is greater. This rule causes many issues for students as they advance their mathematical careers. First, it does not require students to have a conceptual understanding of the comparison of fractions. Students should be taught to reason about the fraction size before making a determination about which fraction is greater. Second, students begin to overgeneralize and, therefore, misuse this strategy. They begin to use this strategy for adding, subtraction, multiplying, or dividing fractions. Expiration date: Grade 7 (7.RP.2)
In addition to helping students avoid the “rules” that expire, it is also important to pay close attention to the mathematical language we use with students. The language teachers use to discuss mathematical concepts can also carry misconceptions or misuses by students. The table below outlines some additional phrases and language to avoid and some suggested alternatives.
August 2014 • teaching children mathematics | Vol. 21, No. 1
Making and Using a Reader’s Notebook
When we ask students to write about what they are reading or to provide evidence of their thinking we are able to “see” their personal interactions with a text. The reader’s notebooks are where students can reflect on their reading in a variety of ways. It is in this notebook that students build their reading lives over the course of the year. The teacher is better able to get a complete picture of how students grow as readers and writers over the course of the year. The main reason for a reader’s notebook is to deepen students’ ability to think, talk, and write about their reading.
Here are some tips to make setting up and using a reader’s notebook more manageable:
Let Students Personalize Their Notebooks- Have students decorate the cover, both front and back. They can use pictures from magazines or photos printed on regular computer paper. You can have students bring in pictures to decorate or assign it as homework over the course of a few days. These pictures can provide students with great ideas of what to write about when they get stuck!
Include a Table of Contents - Save the first couple of pages at the front of each notebook. As the year progresses and your students add pages to their notebooks, they can add titles in the table of contents. This will help them find page more easily when the book starts getting pretty full!
Include Page Numbers - Each time your students add a page to their notebooks, have them write the page number in the bottom corner. They will be able to write page numbers next to each title in their table of contents, which will be helpful when they are looking for a particular page.
Display a Model for Your Class - When your students are working on a new project or assignment, try to display a model for your students to refer to. This will avoid many questions and will give you more time to concentrate on helping kids with the skill or concept, rather than the layout of the page.
Use the Notebooks Throughout Readers Workshop - During the mini-lesson: Students copy mini-lesson statement and one example into the “Mini-Lessons” section. During independent reading: Students can spend a few minutes responding to their reading in written form. They can use a graphic organizer and glue it into their notebooks or write a response in the “Reading Responses” section.
New Ideas for the New Year
The New Year is around the corner! Rather than listing resolutions, why not motivations? Think of at least one new thing you want to try in the coming year, for yourself as a teacher or for your students/class. Most of the time, one will affect the other. To get your wheels turning, consider these suggestions from Edutopia readers. There are ideas from technology tools, classroom strategies, to recommendations for self-care.
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen
Look to promote student collaboration at least once a week (ie- “Team Up Tuesdays”, “Work Together Wednesdays,” you get the point). Check out this handy guide to Google Classroom and other Google for Education tools for collaboration in this post, Google for Educators.
Flex It Up
Change your room around! It’s a nice reset for you and your students. Have some fun and move furniture to create new classroom procedures for the betterment of your lessons. Many teachers have been giving students more ownership of their learning environment by creating flexible classrooms. Check out this post on Flexible Environment: Providing the Learning Environment That Kids Need. Many of these ideas can promote peer
conversations and active participation. If making over your entire classroom isn't an option, try dedicating a corner with alternative seating.
Make Mindfulness a Part of Your Day
Mindfulness is not just yoga and it’s not added time to your day. It is a skill that we all need, teachers and
students. Mindfulness education assists students in coping with stress and focusing their attention. Erin Sharaf explains why in her popular post, Teach Mindfulness, Invite Happiness. If mindfulness is on your todo list for the New Year, start by practicing these techniques yourself. Try out Headspace- Free for Educators!!!!- Your Guide to Health and Happiness.
Dear Data Guy
Can I see how my students from last year are doing this year? I'd like to see if they are continuing to grow and performing well on their benchmarks and performance tasks.
Great question! Yes, you have the ability to see any assessments your students took this school year and prior years on the Linkit! Platform. Under the dashboard explorer, select last year’s class (18-19), then select any current or prior year tests. Make sure the restrict tests taken in the class button is unchecked.
For any Linkit! Help questions, click on the Help button in Linkit!. There are helpful resources and tech support.
Curricular Resources
P.E.: Classroom Snowstorm
Math/Science: Rules that Expire in Middle School
English: 3 Steps to Creating a Reader's Notebook
ESL: Let's Go a Step Further with Can Do Descriptors
Data/Assessment: Linkit! Data Tips
Notes from Mr. Scotto
Now that we have a few months into the 19/20 SY, it's time to examine our curricular and instructional practices. Here are a few questions to assist with reflection (after winter recess):
- Are you "on target" with what needs to be covered during the school year?
- Have there been any factors that have impacted your pace?
- Do you need to adjust your instructional approach after winter recess?
- Are your assessments similar in format to the state assessment (if applicable)?
- Will your students benefit from differentiation or centers-based instruction (regardless of grade level)?
- Have you further researched student data this year?
- Do you need to reach out to an administrator for further guidance?
Enjoy your winter break; see you in January!
PS
Don't forget.....registration for after-school PD opens on 1/3.
HTSD Curriculum Department
Anthony Scotto, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Supervisors of K-5 Staff
Alejandro Batlle, Health/PE and World Language
Kevin Bobetich, Testing/Assessment
Sandra Jacome, ESL K-12, Title I Pre-K, & Family Engagement
Heather Lieberman, K-5 ELA and Social Studies
Katie Mallon, K-5 Math and Science
Email: curriculum@hamilton.k12.nj.us
Website: https://www.hamilton.k12.nj.us/
Location: 90 Park Avenue, Hamilton Township, NJ, United States
Phone: 6096314100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreHTSD/
Twitter: @HTSDCurriculum