Curriculum Times
October 2015: Volume 2, Issue 2
Committees specifically for Science will be held on November 16th-19th and December 8th-11th. Educators will be asked to commit to one of the committees either in November or December, but not both. Educators must be able to attend all four days in order to be considered. Science educator’s currently teaching 5th grade, 8th grade, Biology, ELL or special education is preferred. Nominees that are asked to participate on committees will receive a communication from the OCCT Program Management Team providing them with more information.
We are excited to share a new assessment rubric included in the 2015 Big Day version on your Big Day Teacher Space. It is a wonderful tool for assessing the social-emotional growth in your Pre-Kindergarten students.
You have started your school year engaging students in important conversations about working and learning together in the Pre-Kindergarten classroom. This rubric will help guide the language and expectations for routines, interactions, respect, cooperative play, problem-solving, caring, and empathy. This tool creates a standard for social-emotional development in our youngest students as they become a part of their first TPS community of learners!
The Social-Emotional Development rubric includes 4 sections: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Social Competence and Social Awareness.
The Rubric utilizes the same scale of Pre-Emergent, Beginning, Emerging, and Developed used with the ECI online reports to identify where children are in their Social –Emotional development. The first quarter conferences in October would be a great time to share information about this tool with parents.
Click here to find the Big Day Social-Emotional Development Assessment Record.
We encourage you to visit the Big Day Teacher Space and review other assessment tools provide through your Big Day curriculum.
Unit planning sessions for each grade level/course in secondary mathematics will continue each month. On October 20th, Algebra I teachers can come to Wilson from 4:30 – 6:00 to plan their third unit of study, and on October 26th, Algebra II teachers from 4:30 – 6:00 to plan their second unit. These sessions will continue throughout the school year for each unit. Please sign up on My Learning Plan if you will be attending.
October 13th is the next department chair meeting. We will continue to work our way through the Mathematical Teaching Practices with our discussion upon practice 2. The supporting materials have been sent to the department chairs. Please have the reading completed and be prepared to discuss the impact of the practice upon our practice.
Wednesday, October 28th is the MATHx event at the University of Tulsa’s Mary Kay Chapman Great Hall from 4:30 – 7:30. This is a joint venture between DirecTV and Teach for America. Tulsa was selected as one of only three national locations to host this event. A Math Exploration Fair will take place beginning at 4:30 followed at 6:00 by a series of inspiring talks from community leaders, experts, teachers and students in a TED talk format. Speakers include Dr. Deborah Gist and Scott Flansburg, the human calculator. Go to www.mathxtulsa.com to register for the event.
The University of Tulsa is looking for teachers to join the Tulsa Math Teachers’ Circle. The next session is Thursday, November 5th, with dinner provided and a problem solving session. RSVP, dates, and locations can be found here.
The University of Tulsa is also accepting middle school girls for their Tulsa Girls’ Math Circle. This is an opportunity for girls in grades 6-8 to experience working with other girls and mathematicians in an effort to build their interest in mathematics. This is not tutoring - it is discussing and applying problem solving strategies. RSVP, dates, and locations can be found here.
If you have taught longer than 3 years, the cost of membership varies from $10 to $50 depending on the length and type of membership that fits you best. If you're interested in joining, use the form linked above.
Sumdog's first Tulsa City Math contest starts Friday October 2, 2015 and will run until the following Thursday. It's free to take part and there are prizes to be won! The contests are aimed at grades K - 8 but if a teacher feels this is an appropriate level for other students, they are also welcome to join in. Students can play online either at school or at home using the website or the App. In order to join in the fun, teachers can enter their class here. For any questions, contact info@sumdog.com.
Reading List Forums
Reading lists are available now in draft form, and our team awaits feedback from teachers. Please fill out the feedback form as you view the draft or attend the Reading List Forums being held the rest of this semester: September 30, October 29, and November 30. Forums are at Wilson, and you can choose to attend at 3:30 for elementary grades or 4:30 for secondary grades. Please sign up for the session(s) of your choice on My Learning Plan.
Reading Strategy: Paired Reading
"Paired (or Partner) Reading." Reading Rockets. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
Paired reading is a research-based fluency strategy used with readers who lack fluency. In this strategy, students read aloud to each other. When using partners, more fluent readers can be paired with less fluent readers, or children who read at the same level can be paired to reread a story they have already read. Paired reading can be used with any book, taking turns reading by sentence, paragraph, page or chapter.
Implementing this strategy:
1. Introduce the students to the Paired Reading strategy. This includes:
- Establishing a routine for students to adopt so that they know the step-by-step requirements for engaging in paired reading (i.e. Will they read out loud, simultaneously? Will they take turns with each person reading a paragraph? a page? Or will one person read while the other person listens?).
- Teaching students an error-correction procedure to use when supporting each other's reading (i.e. re-reading misread words; signals for difficulty).
- Modeling the procedure to ensure that students understand how to use the strategy.
2. Ask students to begin reading in pairs and adjust reading speed if reading simultaneously so they stay together.
3. Have students offer feedback and praise frequently for correct reading.
4. Monitor and support students as they work.
For more information and resources on Buddy or Partner reading, check out Reading Rockets.
Writing the Introduction
Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to start the paper. Staring at the wide-open, pristine, blank page, many writers falter. They might know what they want to write, but choosing the first few words is daunting. Here are a few ideas to helps students with the beginning.Share student leads. In small groups, have students share just the lead, just the opening sentence or two, from their papers. The group can decide on the lead that is most effective or most unusual or most memorable. Then they will present that lead to the larger class, to create a pool for students to draw from. Each student has to choose one from the pool to imitate. In this way, each student gets some practice at writing a new kind of opening.
Share examples from literature. Share short excerpts from a variety of sources: fantasy, realistic fiction, science fiction, biography, technical writing, essay, and others. Have students study what choices an author makes to start the piece—intense description as in this excerpt from Tuck Everlasting, an unusual voice and a long list as in this opening to “Eleven,” a familiarity that draws us in immediately as in Walk Two Moons, or a little sarcasm and odd sentence structures as in this opening to The Indian in the Cupboard.
Use the other traits to help get started.
-Sentence Fluency: Construct sentences in surprising ways.-Voice: Make a personal connection. Start with an anecdote.
-Word Choice: Use literary techniques such as alliteration, internal rhyme, simile, or metaphor.
-Ideas: List many ideas and zoom in on the most important ones.
-Conventions: Play with punctuation and capitalization and break a few rules to create an unusual look, feel, or sound about the text.
Don’t start it. Some writers find great success by starting with paragraph 2. If you know what you want to write in the rest of the paper, then go ahead and start writing it. By the time you’ve written three or four of your body paragraphs, you’ll have a better idea of how to introduce them.
6 Traits Writing Information on TPS C & I website
Expanding the View of Giftedness
Gifted education was recently highlighted in School Administrator (September 2015). A discussion with M. René Islas and Jane Clarenbach gives a sneak-peek preview of the article in School Administrator. The article Expanding the View of Giftedness addresses challenges most districts face identifying gifted and talented students and outlines effective strategies that are currently part of our program in TPS. The article showcases several exemplary programs which implement interesting strategies to develop talent and potential in the early grades.
There are three elements to a strong gifted program: multiple identification criteria, a willing, trained staff, and a committed leadership. Similar to districts with diverse populations, we assess with verbal and non-verbal tests of intellectual ability to identify students from traditionally underrepresented populations (culturally diverse, economically disadvantaged) as part of the process to identify students for intellectual ability (Top 3%). Our district also uses a multi-criteria assessment process to identify talent in specific strength areas using additional quantitative data such as achievement assessments, portfolios, and qualitative data (parent and teacher observational checklists) to capture the top 10% of our district’s population. We continue to move the program forward, strengthening an enthusiastic gifted staff committed to gifted education and collaborating with supportive, committed leadership.
Connecting Gifted Education to Other School Practices
Please contact the gifted department for resources, training, any questions you may have and suggestions for improvement. Linnea Van Eman, PhD
Project Based Learning
We often discuss higher-order thinking, inquiry-based learning, authentic teaching and other strategies to deepen student learning. One very popular pedagogical method that is gaining support across the nation is project-based learning (PBL).
Joseph S. Krajcik and Phyllis C. Blumenfeld (2006) state:
In project-based learning, students engage in real, meaningful problems that are
important to them and that are similar to what scientists, mathematicians, writers,
and historians do. A project-based classroom allows students to investigate questions, propose hypotheses and explanations, discuss their ideas, challenge the ideas of others, and try out new ideas. Research has demonstrated that students in project-based learning classrooms get higher scores than students in traditional classrooms (Marx et al., 2004; Rivet & Krajcik, 2004; William & Linn, 2003).
Teachers in a number of Tulsa schools are introducing project-based learning through STEM activities, LDC and MDC seminars, and a number of other innovative programs. Below are a few resources to assist teachers in trying out project-based learning.
- The Buck Institute for Education provides hundreds of resources for project-based learning at all grade levels and in all subject areas.
- QuckRubric A new website allows teachers to make custom rubrics to evaluate student work in projects and other authentic activities.
- Edutopia offers a number of videos, articles, and teacher blogs about PBL, including what NOT to do.
- Global School Net allows students to work with others of the same age group in classrooms around the world to complete projects and expand learning.
- The PBL Lab at Stanford University offers a wealth of resources for teachers.
TPS featured Database of the month: Pebble Go - the Emergent Reader Research Solution
Tulsa students have 24/7 access to one of the best early childhood databases. With four modules to choose from, early readers will have plenty to research. TPS has access to Animals, Science, Biographies and Social Studies.
Each Module includes these features:
- Easy to Read Text
- Highlighted vocabulary with built-in glossary
- Videos and Images
- Optional recording that reads the article aloud
- Citation assistance
- Related Articles
- Print Options
TPS Databases are located here.
User Name: start
Password: library
Social Studies Tech Resources
Crash Course provides educational videos aimed at secondary students. Playlists for past courses include Geography, Astronomy, World History, Biology, Literature, Ecology, Chemistry, Psychology and US History.
Interactive Constitution features a range of perspectives on the legal issues that animate today’s political landscape. It allows readers to sift through various interpretations of each amendment by top legal scholars — both liberal and conservative.Fine Arts Assessments
Standard One will be the focus for the Fine Arts Assessment this school year. Teachers must assess all students in grades 3-8. Assessment forms are located here and are housed on the TPS Fine Arts website. Also available are PowerPoints to use in the classroom for assessment purposes. Assessments may begin in October and are on-going throughout the fall and winter quarters. Reports are due March 11, 2016.
Fine Arts October Deadlines for Teachers
1. First Mariachi Honor Ensemble rehearsal on October 6 at Hale HS
2. Assistance League of Tulsa grants due on October 9 to the Assistance League Office
3. Honor Orchestra Auditions (all students in grades 6-12 orchestra classes) - October 9 at Edison HS
4. Honor Choir Auditions (all students in grades 6-12 choir classes) – October 13 at Rogers HS
5. Clay Orders due October 30 to Ann Tomlins
6. Bond Orders for Secondary requests due October 30 to Ann Tomlins & Lea Ann Macomber
7. Kaiser Classroom Grant due October 30 to Ann Tomlins
8. Center of the Universe Classroom Grant due October 30 to Lea Ann Macomber
School Board Mini-Performances
Come and enjoy mini-performances at our School Board Meetings. Rogers HS Band will perform at the October 5th meeting. Each month two ensembles will take the stage. Stay tuned for more details on future performances.
Arts Integration Institute Update
Kennedy Center Artist Lenore Blank Kellner presented Laying a Foundation: Defining Arts Integration to the 20 selected K-8 TPS teachers, from across the district, who are participating in an in-depth, ten-month arts integration institute developed in accordance with the Kennedy Center’s definition of arts integration. The goal: to give teachers the skills to integrate the arts into their classrooms on an ongoing basis and to become arts integration leaders in the district.
Any Given Child Field Study Trips
Experiences scheduled in October include:
- 1st Grade Pre-Visit at your school and visits to Gilcrease Museum.
- 3rd grade visits to Philbrook Museum of Art
- 5th grade visits to Tulsa Ballet
- 6th grade visits to AHHA
- 7th grade visits to Sherwin Miller.
Tough Turkey in the Big City is a Tulsa Symphony Family Concert featuring Bruce Adolphe from NPR’s The Piano Puzzler. Follow the comic blunders of Tom Turkey as he leaves the farm to try his luck in the big city — a tussle at the Turkey Club, a romance with a Park Avenue pigeon, and a mix-up at the Thanksgiving Day Parade! Event takes place Sunday, November 15, 3:00pm, at the Lorton Performance Center.
The Oklahoma Envirothon, a state wide competition, is a qualifier for the North American Envirothon. These programs are a fun, hands-on way for students to learn about natural resources and the issues they face. Students can learn both through classroom curriculum (if applicable) and from in-field experiences. A list of resources and study guides are available on the website for teams to help them prepare for the competition. This year’s competition will be held on Friday, April 1st. Noble Academy will sponsor the winners of OK’s competition to go to the North American Envirothon in Ontario, Canada next summer. Please check it out and pass this along to any you feel can benefit from the opportunity.
- 7 Days of AWE-STEM at the Tulsa State Fair: Visit STEM booths at the River Spirit Expo Center at the Tulsa State Fair on Monday, October 5 – Sunday, October 11th to participate in hands-on STEM experiences.
- Seaperch Training for Teachers: Learn how to engage your middle and high school students in building underwater robots! Monday, October 26th in the evening and Tuesday, October 27th full day at the University of Tulsa. For questions, contact Michelle Moore.
- The Engineer Games: High school students compete to design, build, and solve engineering challenges in fun, and competitive environment. Themed along the lines of the popular Hunger Games, students will work alongside STEM professionals who will help guide and mentor them through the challenges. Friday, October 30th, 9 am-2pm, Tulsa Community College Northeast Campus. For questions, contact Michelle Moore.
- Tulsa Research Kids: K-12 students are invited to create a research poster on this year’s theme of Health. Friday, November 6, Founders Hall, OU-Tulsa. For questions, contact Michelle Moore.
- Scale Model Gingerbread Building Competition: A citywide scale model gingerbread contest for K-12 with Amateur and Professional Architect Divisions. Saturday, December 12th. For questions, contact Michelle Moore.
- Tulsa Region Wins National STEM Recognition: The STEM Funders Network has chosen Tulsa to be part of the inaugural cohort of communities comprising the nation’s first STEM Ecosystem Community of Practice! This will lead to Tulsa being used as a model for other communities while also receiving mentorship to take our STEM programs further!
- Engineer Girl Essay Contest: The National Academy of Engineering invites students (both boys and girls) in grades 3-12 to submit an essay about how they would protect the environment and the safety, health, and well-being of the public as a responsible engineer. Cash prizes of $500, $250, and $100 are available for the best essays in each of 3 age categories. Submit your essay by February 1, 2016 at 6:00 pm EST.
Bringing Artifacts to Life - Making History Personal
Artifacts—the objects we make and use—are part of American history. If we know how to look at them, they can be sources for better understanding our history. While textbooks focus on the the important events, artifacts can show us another kind of history, another way of approaching the past. The Smithsonian’s IdeaLabs on Artifacts and Analysis website explains how to look closely at artifacts and how to think about the ways they shape and reflect our history.
There are five ways to think about artifacts in history:
Artifacts tell their own stories.
Artifacts connect people.
Artifacts mean many things.
Artifacts capture moments.
Artifacts reflect changes.
Described below is an example of: Artifacts mean many things.
Artifacts are more than just material things. They communicate ideas, symbolize values, and convey emotions. When we consider meaning, value, and significance, we are in the domain of cultural history. Different artifacts mean different things to different people, and those meanings change over time.
Consider a baseball (pictured below) from the Negro League's 1937 East-West All-Star game. It tells a story of changing value in use, as a memento, as a collectible:
A Personal Triumph. For first baseman Buck Leonard, this baseball was a souvenir of a winning game, a symbol of his skill and success, and a reminder of how far he had come. Leonard saved this ball for nearly 45 years before finally donating it to the Smithsonian in 1981.
An Unequal Playing Field. Although the Negro Leagues easily matched the majors in skill and talent, racial and economic barriers kept black and white ballplayers on separate and unequal playing fields. For black teams, baseballs like this one represented the professional equipment they deserved, but did not always get. To save money during the lean Depression years, the Negro League often bought inferior Wilson 150cc balls, which cost fifty cents less per dozen than major-league balls. Only on special occasions, such as All-Star games, could players expect to use official league baseballs like this one.
The Fans' Favorite Game. This baseball is from the 1937 East-West All-Star game, when the East beat the West, 7 to 2. For Negro League fans, this baseball represented the most important game of the year. The East-West All-Star Classic, held annually from 1933 to 1950, attracted thousands to Comiskey Park in Chicago to see the best play the best.
"For the Loyalty of the Race." For the African American community, this baseball was a weapon against the injustices of Jim Crow. At the turn of the twentieth century, the "unwritten rule" that barred black men from playing major league baseball was part of a system of racial segregation that kept white and black Americans in separate and unequal worlds. Founded in 1920 by Andrew "Rube" Foster, the Negro Leagues was one of many African American institutions built behind this color barrier. It became one of the most successful black-owned businesses of its time. Foster hoped his Negro Leagues would promote self-respect and self-help among African Americans and "do something concrete for the loyalty of the race."
A Collector's Item. In 1972, this baseball became a collector's item when its owner, Buck Leonard, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Not until 1969 did the major-league establishment begin to recognize the achievements of Leonard, Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston, and other Negro League stars who, in the words of white Hall of Famer Ted Williams, did not make it into the majors "only because they weren't given the chance." Since the 1970s, sports fans and museums have actively collected memorabilia of the Negro Leagues.
You can look at any object in any or all of these ways. As you consider artifacts on websites, in museums, or in your daily life—think like a historian. Use the artifacts to understand, explain, and present history.
The Smithsonian’s IdeaLabs on Artifacts and Analysis: website presents a strategy for incorporating historical artifacts and documents into the teaching of US history. Although it was designed as a companion to the Advanced Placement US History course, it is also effective in any instructional setting that emphasizes analytical thinking and writing. Teachers in every subject and at every grade level can benefit from reviewing this site and information...because all students think and all students should be writing. Elementary and Middle School teachers might not be able to use the examples provided on the website, but it should provide you with some background knowledge on how to incorporate the use of artifacts and analysis in your classroom.
Visit the National Archives for a simple artifact analysis tool that can be used with any object. Other sites you might consider for sample lessons or artifacts to analyze in addition to museums are:
Using Artifacts to Analyze Ancient Civilizations
Analyzing Artifacts from Colonial America
Personal Artifacts Lesson Plan
Personal Artifacts Lesson Plan #2
You can find additional primary source analysis tools at the National Archives or Library of Congress.
For more information and/or ideas, contact Mary Jane Snedeker.
SOS Children’s VIllages gives information and lessons ideas designed to introduce children and young people to the issue of Syrian child refugees.
UNC World View contains a compiled list of resources about the crisis. Resources include background information, videos, interactive modules, lesson plans and avenues for taking action.
Refugee Stories - Mapping a Crisis offers a sample lesson created by the Choices Program at Brown University; opportunity to study the human geography of the crisis, analyze data, and read personal stories.
Upcoming Social Studies Dates
Nov 11: Veteran's Day
Nov 16 - 20: National Geography Awareness Week
Enrollment is open for the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Early enrollment cost per school is $136 until October 15, 2015. After October 15th, the cost per school is $211 before the December 11, 2015 deadline. The Green Country Regional Spelling Bee will be held in March, 2016 in Tulsa. For more information, watch this video.
For those of you who are teaching the Solar System, here is a great video about the scale of the solar system.
- We asked for "feedforward" from teachers who signed up for the September elementary Just In Time training and used the responses to guide our planning for those sessions.
- Teachers at the first elementary Just in Time Trainings let us know that being here by 3:30 was not an easy feat. So for the remainder of the year, we will begin our sessions at 3:45 and continue until 5:15.
Academic Coordinator of the Month
Sharon joined TPS as an Instructional Facilitator in 2010. She then served in the role of Staff Development Teacher for three years, transitioning into the role of Instructional Coach and currently as Academic Coordinator – Elementary Curriculum Integration. Her responsibilities include Any Given Child, STEM, and the Diverse Learner.
Sharon earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. She is a Reading Specialist and certified in Early Childhood.
Having over 28 years of experience in education Sharon has worked in private and public schools, in urban, suburban, and rural settings. She has collaborated as a curriculum writer, Faculty Advisor for Teach for America, district as well as statewide professional development presenter and Grade Level Team Leader. Previous to her service to Tulsa Public School, Sharon taught in Illinois, Oklahoma, Georgia, Ohio, and Connecticut grades Pre-K through middle school.
Email: dautesh@tulsaschools.org
Website: bit.ly/TPS-AGC
Location: 2710 East 11th Street, Tulsa, OK, United States
Phone: 918-925-1135
Twitter: @dautesh
About Us
Cindy Barber, Academic Coordinator for Instructional Materials
Ayn Grubb, Academic Coordinator for Secondary ELA
Julie Hasfjord, Academic Coordinator for STEM
Gary Horner, Academic Coordinator for Secondary Math
Natalie Hutto, Academic Coordinator for Elementary ELA
LeeAnne Jimenez, Academic Coordinator for Science
Lea Ann Macomber, Music Coordinator
Andy McKenzie, Director of Early Childhood Services
LeeAnne Pepper, Academic Coordinator for Elementary Math
Mary Jane Snedeker, Academic Coordinator for Social Studies
Dr. Ann Tomlins, Director of Fine Arts
Dr. Linnea Van Eman, Coordinator of Gifted & Talented
Cathy Walton, Administrative Secretary
Danielle Neves, Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Email: curriculum@tulsaschools.org
Website: academics.tulsaschools.org
Location: 2710 East 11th Street, Tulsa, OK 74104, United States
Phone: (918) 925-1130
Twitter: @TPSCurriculum
Running Record Training for Teachers
Tuesday, Oct 6, 2015, 03:45 PM
Wilson Teaching & Learning Academy
Guided Reading: Anatomy of a Lesson
Wednesday, Oct 7, 2015, 03:45 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
Department Chair Meetings
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2015, 04:30 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
Guided Reading: Anatomy of a Lesson
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2015, 03:45 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
Running Record Training for Teachers
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2015, 03:45 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
Algebra I - Unit 3 Planning
Tuesday, Oct 20, 2015, 04:30 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
State Social Studies Conference
Friday, Oct 23, 2015, 12:30 PM
Moore Norman Technology Center, South Pennsylvania Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
Algebra II - Unit 2 Planning
Monday, Oct 26, 2015, 04:30 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
Get to Know the ELA Units Training
We will learn how to approach the standards listed in each unit plan.
A new one is available for each unit—Oct. 27, Dec. 1, Jan. 26, and March 22.
Tuesday, Oct 27, 2015, 04:30 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
Social Studies Collaborative Planning, grades 6 - 12
Tuesday, Oct 27, 2015, 04:30 PM
Wilson Middle School, Tulsa, OK, United States
Reading List Forums
secondary 4:30 - 5:30