English Language Arts Dispatch
March 2015
ELA Promising Practices in Action
Zone 2A: Castle Park High, Eastlake High, Mar Vista High & Options
Zone 4A: Hilltop Middle & Southwest Middle
Zone 3B: Chula Vista Middle, Montgomery Middle & Rancho del Rey
Teaching Resources
Where to Find ELA Resources Online
Using Internet Memes to Teach Literature
Great Debate: Developing Argumentation Skills
ELA Updates
PERFORMANCE TASKS :
Performance Tasks from March 2, 2015 to June 4, 2015. The last day to input scores in Data Director will be June 4, 2015. All Performance Tasks and teacher directions are posted in CANVAS under our course “R&E Performance Tasks.” Please send Research and Evaluation an e-mail to request access to this course if you cannot view it on your CANVAS page.
This semester all the district Performance Tasks have a theme of water issues. Here teachers will find some water-related resources to use before or after they administer the PTs.
Below is the Performance Task Matrix for Semester 2 to upload student’s scores in Data Director:
ELA 7, 39594
ELA 8, 39595
ELA 9, 39596
ELA 10, 39597
ELA 11, 39598
ELA 12, 39601
Read 180 7 Fund, 39603
Read 180 8 Fund, 39604
Read 180 9 Fund, 29605
ELA 10 Fund, 39600
ELA 11 Fund, 39601
ELA 12 Fund, 39602
For the upcoming SBAC ELA Performance Task, there is a classroom activity. Attached is the assigned task list by school and grade. You can download the classroom activities here.
SBAC Practice and Training Tests
To access the SBAC training and practices tests. Click this link and follow the directions below. No login required.
· Disregard data fields and click “Sign in”.
· Select your grade from pull down menu and click “yes”.
· Select “ELA HS Training Test” and click “yes”.
· On the next page “Settings,” select what you desire from pull downs.
· Is this your test? Click “Yes start my test”.
· Testing Instructions: “Begin testing now”.
Avid Summer Institute
• June 17-19th (Town & Country)
• August 3rd – 4th (Downton SD)
Registration cost is $699, if done by May.
http://www.avid.org/2014-summer-institutes-.ashx
Final Exams
A group of teachers has been working on revising this semesters’ final exams. To accommodate early deadlines for seniors and to allow teachers time to score alternate item types, this semester’s final exam window is May 22-June 4. All exams will include one constructed-response, teacher-scored item. This portion of the exam may be given prior to the rest of the exam. This semester’s finals will be scored in Data Director (not Illuminate). We will begin using Illuminate for assessment development and implementation beginning in July, 2015. Seniors will take final exams this year. There will be an opportunity, after spring break, for interested teachers to view final at the district office after school for a week.
ELA Curriculum Team
Contacts
District ELA Curriculum Specialist, Contact for Zones: 1A, 2B, 3B, 4A
Rhea Faldoenea-Walker
District ELA Curriculum Specialist, Contact for Zones: 1B, 2A, 3A, 4B
SpEd ELA and Read180
English Learner Programs Instructional Specialist: SEI/BIL/DL
Rebecca Robinson
ELD Curriculum & Instructional Specialist
Lisa Burgess
Lead Curriculum Specialist
Katrine Czajkowski
Email: gina.vattuone@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: https://sweetwaterschools.instructure.com/courses/1110585
Phone: 619-691-5500