Mathematics Update
www.esc11.net/math
DON'T MISS OUT ON THESE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES!
Mathematics and Science Leaders Meeting Relaunch
TRC 17-18 Informational Meeting - January 23, 2017
Join us at ESC Region 11 or by Zoom to hear about the Texas Regional Collaborative grant application for Math and Science. This meeting is for leaders from districts, charters, and private schools who are interested in having their teachers participate in a yearlong program to improve their mathematics or science content knowledge and explore proven pedagogical strategies in order to increase student achievement. The grant provides funding for math and science classroom teachers to receive 100 hours of research-based professional development, materials for their classroom, and stipends for attending training outside contract hours. To find out more, please plan to attend on January 23, 2017, from 9:00 to 12:00. Let us know you are interested by filling out this form!
TRC Learning Math through the Process Standards Gr 5-8
Join us on January 12, 2017!
The participants of this session will focus on teaching mathematical topics through problem solving and helping students construct conceptual understanding of mathematical ideas and processes by engaging them in doing mathematics. The process standards describe ways in which students are expected to engage in the mathematics content and weave the other knowledge and skills together so that students may be successful problem solvers and use mathematics efficiently and effectively in daily life.Promoting Mathematical Inquiry and Discourse Through Problem Solving, Grades 6-8
Lead4ward
Lead4ward: The Long and Short of Measurement
The Campus/District data not measuring up to the standard? Come lengthen your knowledge of the measurement standards, build capacity within your instructional practices, and weigh in on some new ideas.
Grades K-2
Grades 3-5
Lead4ward - Getting into GEER ...Geometry through Expressions, Equations, and Relationships (Grades 6-8)
Is your campus/district data not clear about how students are doing in Geometry? Is it expressions, equations, or relationships that are causing the problem? What are the knowledge and skills related to Geometry that grades 6-8 teachers and students need to understand thoroughly and apply flexibly for mastering learning?
STAAR Algebra I EOC: New Test, New TEKS
The 2016-17 STAAR Algebra I EOC will be the first test to include all of the new Algebra I TEKS/SEs. This session will help teachers grow by experiencing best practices to teach and ways to differentiate the new student expectations so that students will gain deep understandings of the new algebraic concepts introduced last year. Special education teachers are encouraged to attend since the needs and accommodations of special education students will also be addressed. All materials and resources will be made available through web access.
Be sure to check out the Math TEKS livebinder for Algebra 1 activities!!
Proposed Amendments Foundation High School Program Rules - Public Comment Period
Public Comment Period: December 16, 2016 – January 31, 2017
Earliest Possible Date of Adoption: January/February 2017 SBOE meeting
In November 2016, the State Board of Education (SBOE) approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed amendments to the Foundation High School Program graduation requirements in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements. The proposed amendments would update the rules to include new career and technical education (CTE) course options that will be available for students to satisfy graduation requirements beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. The SBOE is scheduled to consider the proposed amendments for second reading and final adoption at its January/February 2017 meeting.
Please visit http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Laws_and_Rules/SBOE_Rules_(TAC)/Proposed_State_Board_of_Education_Rules/ to view the proposed amendments and submit public comments.
Gateway Resources: Teacher2Teacher videos
ESTAR/MSTAR Winter Windows
The winter windows for the ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screeners and Diagnostic Assessments will open in early January!
ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screener: Jan 9 - Feb 10
The Universal Screener assists teachers in determining if a student is at-risk for algebra readiness. The content in this screener does not cover all of the TEKS for the grade levels. The results of this screener should be used to guide instruction for whole class and interventions where appropriate.
ESTAR/MSTAR Diagnostic Assessments: Jan16 – Feb 17 The Diagnostics Assessments are administered to students identified as being in need of additional support. They are designed to help teachers identify student misconceptions.
These tools can be accessed on the Texas Gateway at http://www.texasgateway.org/. The ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screeners, Diagnostic Assessments, and professional development courses are available at no cost to all Texas public school districts. For account creation assistance, contact mathTX@esc13.net or 1-855-462-8489.
Mathematics Academies
Summer 2017
Math
Kindergarten Mathematics/Grade 1 Mathematics
Reading
Grade 2 Reading
Grade 3 Reading
Grade 4 Reading
Grade 5 Reading
Mathematics and Reading Academies webpage:
http://tea.texas.gov/Curriculum/Academies/
ChelaineMarion, Director of Foundation Education, Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division
Nominations and Applications for the 2017 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)
The 2016-2017 nomination and application windows for grades 7-12 mathematics and science teachers for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program are now open!
The PAEMST awards are the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science. AP Computer Science teachers may apply under the mathematics category. High school teachers who teach a Career and Technical Education (CTE) or a Technology Applications course that can satisfy a mathematics or science graduation credit may apply under the appropriate category.
The 2016-2017 nomination window will close on April 1, 2017, and the application window will close on May 1, 2017. Teachers may be nominated for the award or may apply themselves at www.paemst.org. If you know great teachers, encourage them to join this prestigious network of professionals. In Texas, eligible teachers who submit a completed application by May 1, 2017 will receive 25 CPE hours. For questions, contact Jo Ann Bilderback at tx_paemst@tea.texas.gov or 512-463-9581.
WeTeach_CS Foundations of Computer Science for Teachers
WeTeach_CS Foundations of Computer Science for Teachers online course begins January 16, 2017. This six-week online course, hosted on EdX, is designed to help teachers prepare for the TExES 141 grades 8-12 Computer Science Certification exam. The course provides extensive detailed instruction, examples and practice on everything from introductory programming topics such as variables, functions, loops and logical expressions to more advanced topics such as data structures, recursion, and object oriented programming. Basic enrollment is free of charge. Participants wanting to receive 36 CPE credit hours from The University of Texas at Austin upon completing the course can upgrade their enrollment to a Verified Certificate. Upgraded participants will also have access to weekly quizzes and the comprehensive final, which mimics the actual 100 question CS certification exam.
More information / Registration: https://www.edx.org/course/foundations-computer-science-teachers-utaustinx-ut-wtcs-15-01x
Opportunity for Students to Launch Experiments into Space!
idoodledu, inc., in partnership with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Wallops Flight Facility, the Colorado Space Grant Consortium, and Langley Research Center, is offering Cubes in Space™, a program that provides students 11-18 years of age an opportunity to design and compete to launch an experiment into space at no cost. By participating in this program, students and educators are provided with engaging content and activities in preparation for the design and development of an experiment to be integrated into a small cube.
This year, experiments will be launched into space via sounding rocket from NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia in late June 2017 or on a high altitude balloon launched from the NASA Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Fort Sumner, New Mexico in August 2017.
The deadline for program registration is January 6, 2017! For more information, visit www.cubesinspace.com. Questions about this program may be directed to info@cubesinspace.com.
8 free T³™ webinars
Technology skills, pedagogy and content knowledge enrichment
Deepen your instructional practices by taking advantage of free Teachers Teaching with Technology™ (T³™) webinars this winter. Learn from experienced professional development instructors with track records of classroom success, addressing a variety of math, science and STEM* topics. Join us most Tuesday evenings to share ideas and master strategies for using TI technology and resources to improve student understanding. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided at the end of each webinar.
T³™ winter 2017 webinar schedule:
Jan. 10 – “Balancing the Equation” – Book Study Kick-off with NCTM President Matt Larson
Jan. 17 – Distribution and Simulation: Key Ideas in Statistical Reasoning
Jan. 24 – Math Behind the Music: Exploring the Harmony of Mathematics
Jan. 31 – Captivating Review Ideas Students Can't Resist
Feb. 7 – Mathematical Modeling With TI Technology
Feb. 9 – Reaching Your Potential as an Educator and Leader with PLC Expert Tim Kanold
Feb. 21 – Things You Didn’t Know Are STEM
Feb. 28 – Math for the Win: Connecting Sports With Mathematics
Personal Financial Literacy Presented by Fidelity Investments and the Texas Council on Economic Education
Audience: K-12 grade teachers responsible for teaching personal financial literacy through Economics, CTE, Social Studies, and math courses. The training will also provide support for those teaching the new CTE financial mathematics and social studies PFL courses.
Trainers: Fidelity Investment experts, Texas Council on Economic Education Center Directors: Steve Cobb, Ph.D. and Susan Doty, MBA
Location: Fidelity Investments Two Destiny Way Westlake, TX 76262 Time: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Date: January 26, 2017 (Bad weather make up day - 2/09/17)
Registration: $15
Mail-in registration - for checks or purchase orders, click here
To registration and pay online, click here
A prize will be awarded to the:
- car that safely and legally transports the most training attendees to the January 26th training.
- school that has the most teachers in school spirit shirts attending
Workshop Highlights
- Saving and Investing
- Spending and Planning
- K to 12 PFL Lessons
Code.org
Get started by choosing a tutorial from over 100 one hour computer science activities from Code.org and partners. Join 10% of the world's students; it's your turn to try!
Get Fired Up with Ignite!
Engaging Resources for Your Students
Pre-K–Grade 2: Patch Tool
Quilters and other designers sometimes start a project by producing square patches including a pattern. These square patches are then repeated and connected to produce a larger pattern. Create your own patch using the shapes with this interactive tool.
Grades 3–5: Equivalent Fractions
Create equivalent fractions by dividing and shading squares or circles. You can also match each fraction to its location on the number line.
Grades 6–8: Fractal Tool
Play with shapes that grow, shrink, and change over several stages. Explore self-similarity and patterns in fractal measurements. Think about why these shapes are fractals.
Grades 9–12: Soccer Problem
A soccer player is on a breakaway, dribbling the ball downfield, parallel to a sideline. From where should he or she shoot to have the best chance of scoring a goal? At what point will the angle formed by the player and the two goal posts be the greatest?
Get Ready for the Annual Meeting
Which One Doesn't Belong?
Which One Doesn't Belong? is an innovative children's book that uses shapes to get kids of all ages talking about math. An extensive Teacher's Guide explores the mathematical concepts likely to emerge and helps you facilitate meaningful discussions about them. Includes digital formats for classroom projection. Click here for details!
Cipher Solvers: Math and the cryptic missive
A puzzling note and a dusty volume of Edgar Allen Poe poems are the first clues in this STEM Behind Hollywood adventure into cryptography, algebra and geometry.
Students will have fun discovering the secret of the cryptic missive while searching out patterns and exploring, analyzing and understanding:
» Equations of lines through points
» Midpoints of segments
» Equations of perpendicular lines
» Intersections of lines
Where will the clues take them? Find out »
Challenge Students with a K-12 STEM Competition
How are you challenging your STEM students this year?
For 25 years, Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision has encouraged teams of K-12 students and teachers to create future technologies that improve society—all while aligning with the Next Generation Science Standards. Winning teams receive $10,000 U.S. Savings Bonds, an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to present their ideas to scientific leaders and more.
2017 RME Research-to-Practice Conference
Date: February 3, 2017
Location: Hughes-Trigg Student Center
Time: 8 am - 3 pm