CIA Tidbits
SHARING STRATEGIES, HELPFUL TIPS, AND MUCH MORE!
March 2021
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CIA Newsflash!!
6th - 8th Grade Science -
The Middle School Science Pilot committee will be recommending the adoption of Twig Science Elementary for 6th grade and Amplify for 7th and 8th grade. We will do a short presentation to the school board on March 16th and the board will take action at the April 5th meeting.
California Healthy Youth Act Instructional Unit -
7th and 8th grade science teachers will be participating in the Comprehensive Sex Education training for the Rights, Respect, and Responsibility (3Rs) curriculum training using a one hour asynchronous module as well as a live Zoom call on March 10th. A detailed communication to 7th and 8th grade science teachers was sent out earlier this week.
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Lancaster Learning Institute- March Offerings:
You can also access PDExpress through Classlink!
Some Gentle Reminders for Paid Virtual PD Training
- The ONLY way we can verify your attendance for a training and ensure you are paid is through the sign in form we give in every PD. If you want to get paid, you MUST click on that form and sign in during the training time.
- While keeping your camera on is always optional, we all know how hard it is to teach and collaborate to a blank screen. If possible, please keep cameras on to engage and participate in the course.
- We are always trying to build courses that are engaging, relevant, and needed. Please complete the evaluations at the end of each course or email CIA/ITS with requests, affirmations, or needs for PD. :)
Recorded Professional Development and Helpful Resources
New additions include:
- Using iReady Diagnostic Data to Scaffold Instruction
- Using SBAC Resources to Support Writing Instruction
Click HERE to take a look!
The U.S. Constitution: Fulfilling the Vision of Human Freedom Monthly Webinar Series
The Los Angeles County Office of Education
in collaboration with
The National Constitution Center
is proud to announce
The U.S. Constitution: Fulfilling the Vision of Human Freedom
Monthly Webinar Series
presents:
Reconstruction and the Constitution
with Eric Foner
DeWitt Clinton Professor of History at Columbia University
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
In a conversation on slavery in America from the Constitution to Reconstruction Eric Foner will explore the Constitution, the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, and the Reconstruction founders’ vision of a “Second Founding” for our nation.
All teachers in Los Angeles County who attend the webinar will ALSO receive a
FREE copy of Dr. Foner's book, Reconstruction Updated Edition: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877
This "smart book of enormous strengths" (Boston Globe) remains the standard work on the wrenching post-Civil War period—an era whose legacy still reverberates in the United States today.
Register at http://lacoe.k12oms.org/1537-192601
Future Webinars:
Constitutional Rights: Origins and Travels
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Discover the origins and make global comparisons of Bill of Rights. This workshop models ways teachers can use the Center's Writing Rights interactive resource for students to understand the origins of each amendment in the Bill of Rights through primary source analysis.
Register at http://lacoe.k12oms.org/1537-192604
The Second Amendment
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
In this session we will engage in a conversation on the Second Amendment, and its protection of the right to keep and bear arms.
Register at http://lacoe.k12oms.org/1537-192607
All are welcome to register!
Learn more in the flyer here.
Got Math Manipulatives?
Google Slides Manipulatives Masters
Google Slides Algebra Tiles Masters
All of the above resources, and more, are located in the CIA Public Resources drive. Click HERE for easy access!
SBAC Tools For Teachers
Tools for Teachers is an online collection of instructional and professional learning formative assessment resources aligned with the Common Core State Standards. It includes lessons designed to enhance instruction, save teachers time in lesson planning, help boost student learning, and support any curriculum. The content is created by educators and serves as a formative assessment component of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System.
Tools for Teachers Videos:
This four-minute video features how Tools for Teachers supports classroom instruction.
- What is Tools for Teachers? (Video; 1 minute) (May-2020)
- Tools for Teachers: Website Demonstration – California (Video; 7:53) (Jun-2020)
- CDE Tools for Teachers Introduction Webinar for California Educators (Video; 24-minute demo and 27-minute Q & A session) (Jun-2020)
- Tools for Teachers Takes the Guess-Work Out of Assessment (Video; 0:33) (Sep-2020)
- Tools for Teachers Activities Bring Out the Best in Students (Video; 0:44) (Sep-2020)
- Smarter Balanced Tools for Teachers (Video; 7:02) (Jan-2021)
The Formative Assessment Process
Tools for Teachers supports educators with the four attributes of formative assessment: (1) Clarify Intended Learning; (2) Elicit Evidence; (3) Interpret Evidence; and (4) Act on Evidence. A description of each of the four attributes is available in this Formative Assessment Process flyer (PDF).
The Formative Assessment in Action Video Series features California members of the State Network of Educators demonstrating formative assessment techniques in their classrooms.
Formative Assessment and Tools for Teachers Frequently Asked Questions
Other Related Resources:
- Tools for Teachers Fact Sheet(PDF; Updated Dec-2020)
- Tools for Teachers Overview (PDF; Sep-2020)
- Tools for Teachers Interim Assessment Connections Playlists Flyer (PDF; Sep-2020) This flyer describes the Tools for Teachers Interim Connections Playlists of instructional resources that can be used to support teaching and learning with the use of Interim Assessment Blocks.
- Back to School Assessment Playbook (PDF) This document describes how educators can use Smarter Balanced resources, such as Tools for Teachers and interim assessments, to support high-quality instruction using the formative assessment process. (Jul-2020)
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Click HERE to get more information about the best person to contact.
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What's New with Nearpod?
Whiteboards-
When facilitating a Live Nearpod lesson with students, teachers can launch a whiteboard at any time in the lesson & the students will be able to see what the teacher is doing in real-time. This feature is great for teacher modeling, responding to or addressing a misconception, and more.
Note: this feature works when both teachers and students are using Nearpod in a web browser, during a live participation lesson.
Teacher Annotation-
When facilitating a Live Nearpod lesson, teachers can annotate on content slides during the session. Students will then be able to see the annotations on their screen as well.
Note: this feature works when both teachers and students are using Nearpod in a web browser. This feature is not enabled for activities (ie: open-ended questions, matching pairs) or content features (ie: virtual reality, PhET Simulations, video).
Video & Activity Library-
4,000 pre-made videos & activities (Time to Climb, Draw It, and Matching Pairs) that can be launched on their own, or easily embedded into any lesson.
Nearpod First Launch-
Learn how Nearpod works in minutes!
Coming March 8th...
Co-Teaching-
With Co-Teaching, teachers will be able to share the Teacher View of a Live Participation lesson with another teacher, meaning both teachers will:
- See student responses to formative assessment in real time
- Be able to control the pace of the lesson
Scaffolding vs. Differentiated Instruction
There is a lot of talk these days about Scaffolding. You may be wondering how scaffolding is different from differentiated instruction...
To start with, scaffolding is a key component to UDL (Universal Design for Learning). Therefore, learning about scaffolding is often synonymous with UDL.
Scaffolding is a proactive approach used during lesson design to anticipate barriers and provide appropriate supports and accommodations to students to build their knowledge. Yes, it is a type of differentiation. The intent is to provide the most access to the core instruction, reducing the need for additional intervention to learn a standard or skill. Scaffolded instruction allows all students to determine if they need or want to use the scaffolds, supports, etc. provided during the lesson.
Many teachers are already using many preferred methods of scaffolding. The key here is the intentionality of where you place it in the lesson design. Sentence frames, cooperative learning structures, student mentors, exemplars, pictorial representations, choice in access to obtaining and sharing information are a few examples of scaffolding. One of the most effective scaffolds is slowing down the gradual release section of a BLD lesson!
In contrast, Differentiated Instruction is a reactive strategy to provide intervention for students after the fact. Differentiated Instruction is only provided to students that are determined to “need” that extra support. It’s limited! There may be similar types of intervention used, sentence frames, math charts, etc. But these are only offered to the students that the teacher determines needs it. It is not available to all students. The students do not have the ability to make the choice of using what supports are needed in the moment.
If you are interested in learning more about Scaffolding and UDL, watch for the LLI course listings after Spring Break.
In the meantime, check out the following videos and articles:
Scaffolding for Student Success
Universal Design for Learning and Equitable Access with Dr. Katie Novak
The fundamentals of Universal Design for Learning with Allison Posey.
Scaffolding English Language Learners and Struggling Readers in a Universal Literacy Environment with Embedded Strategy Instruction and Vocabulary Support by Patrick Proctor, Bridget Dalton, and Dana Grisham
What is Scaffolding? Your Go-To Tips and Tricks A blog from the University of the People
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2020-21 CREATE Information
We will be collecting your submissions (no application process required), via a Google Slides template. Once we receive your submissions (by May 7th) we will organize a District website, for the public's viewing pleasure, to be launched on May 24th.
Unfortunately, due to our current circumstances, there will be no mini-grants awarded this year. That said, if you are still interested in doing some CREATE-ive projects with your students, Gina Wilson has put together some great presentations that include low cost/no cost ideas for "Distance Learning Engagement through Arts Integration." Take a look below!
Please STAY TUNED for updates and more detailed information COMING VERY SOON!
Also, speaking of tuning in, you can listen to our recently recorded School Buzz podcast where we discuss the CREATE Festival and how we are adapting it for this school year.
6th - 8th
Click HERE to open.
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March EL Newsletter
In this issue:
- Important Dates
- English Learners Data
- ELD Benchmark 2 Information
- ELPAC Testing Window
- California English Learner Roadmap Overview & Self-Assessment
- EL Professional Development Opportunities for Administrators, Coaches, Teachers, Counselors and Bilingual Paraeducators
- Resources for Supporting ELs
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Congratulations to our lucky February gift card winners:
Kym Sacca (JO) & Sara Gifford (AC)
Complete the Google Form below to enter March's drawing!
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Who says you can't go back?
Past CIA Tidbits Newsletters/Highlights:
2019
October- CCSS Anchor Standards, RACE strategy, Number Talks, SBAC Content ExplorerNovember- Reading Foundations, CCSS Staircase of Complexity, Close Reading/Text Dependent Questioning, CCSS Templates/Bookmarks, Growth Mindset
December- Math Coherence Maps, CA Healthy Youth Act, Literacy Points, E+R=O Student Behavior Reflection
2020
January- CAASPP Writing Exemplars, CA Career Zone, AV Community Resource Guide
February- Readworks.org Black History Resources, Remembering Kobe Bryant Through Literacy, 3-Act-Tasks (math), Wonders Tier 2 Intervention, Leap Year Resources
March- DV VAPA Night, Women's History Resources, Verbal De-escalation, Narrative Hooks, Standard Templates/Instructional Clarity, i-Ready Data Trackers, Text Features
April- COVID/Remote Learning Resources/Updates, Digital Curriculum Resources/Help
May- LSD Teacher Care Page, Virtual Arts Resources, CIA/Tech PD offerings (distance learning), McGraw-Hill Initial Program Training
June- Demo Codes, ELA Handbook/Priority Standards, Math Priority Standards, TWIG Implementation Modules
August- Lesson Design Resources, ELA Priority Standards diagram, Digital Curriculum Resources/Help
September- ELA Priority Standards "I Can" one-pagers, District-wide PDs (videos/slides presentations), DESMOS Platform, BPST Skills Assessment in Illuminate, Math e-Assessments (ConnectEd), StudySync Priority Pacing, Sync Blasts, Using Visuals to Inspire Thinking (One Upon a Picture), Digital Whiteboards
October- Connecting Curriculum to the HPS (PD), Nearpod "Draw It" Tool, i-Ready Teacher Toolbox, Deleting Old Classes in ConnectEd, Wonders Priority Pacing/Remote Resources, IMPACT Help/Student View, Addressing Learning Loss, Digital Timer/Name Generator
November- i-Ready Virtual Learning Tips, Monitoring Program Participation, StudySync Remote Resources, Digital Escape Rooms, Kami/Google Classroom, Snipping Tool, Classroom Screen
December- StudySync Updates, i-Ready Teaching and Learning Pack, Recorded PD Folder, UDL Remote Learning Flow Chart, Digital Graphic Organizers
2021
January- Wonders Instructional Routines Handbook/Model Lesson Videos, StudySync HPS Pacing and PD (recording, slideshow), i-Ready New Improvements, i-Ready/Nearpod District Library Lessons, Arts Integration in Distance Learning, Conga Kids Dance Lessons (videos)
February- 2021 Poet Laureate, StudySync Webinar Series/Deleting Students from Roster, Wonders Culturally Responsive Lessons, iReady Standards Mastery, Black History Month Resources, Math Intervention Strategies, Parent Conferences vs. SSTs, Coaches Corner- Building & Maintaining Relationships in a Virtual Environment
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2020-21 Instructional Coaches
We Are CIA!
Krista Thomsen, ext 301 - Director Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Katie Weber, ext 301- CIA Admin Secretary II
Connie Hobson, ext 321 - Induction Administrative Secretary I
Renee Rubio, ext 322 - Induction Facilitator
Michelle Lambeth, ext 323 - Induction Facilitator
Kristi Zenno, ext 311 - District Instructional Coach (ELA, History/Social Science)
Gina Wilson, ext 312 - District Instructional Coach (Reading Intervention, Arts Integration)
Allison Harmon, ext 314 - District Instructional Coach (MTSS and Inclusive Practices)
April Gridler, ext 313- District Instructional Coach (Math, Science/NGSS)
Email: CIA@lancs.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/lancsd.org/lancasterschooldistrict-cia
Location: 44327 Fig Avenue, Lancaster, CA, USA
Phone: (661) 723-0351