Common Core State Standards - ELA and Mathematics Resources

Parents' Guide to Student Success
This resource from the National PTA was developed in response to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts and mathematics. It includes

• samples of key items that children should be learning in each grade according to the CCSS,
  
• activities that parents can do at home to support their child's learning,
  
• methods for helping parents build stronger relationships with their child's teacher,
  
• and tips for planning for college and career.
  

Derived from the CCSS, the materials are much more accessible for parents without overwhelming them with information. There is also a link to the actual Common Core State Standards if parents choose to access that source. Available in both English and Spanish.

Technology Grants from Vernier

To celebrate its 30th birthday, Vernier is awarding $300,000 in technology grants to 30 schools: ten elementary or middle schools, ten high schools, and ten college or university departments. Apply for a grant by June 1.

The applications will be judeged on three criteria: innovative ideas, concrete plans for implementation, and financial need. Just submit two essays — one fewer than 500 words in length, the second not longer than 250 words.

HURRY! The grant proposal deadline is NEXT week, June 1. Good luck!

Teacher PD for Reasoning and Sense Making in High School Math

New from NCTM—An Interactive Institute on High School Mathematics

Orlando, Florida—July 28-30, 2011

Now more than ever students need the right tools to succeed; still, many students lack the crucial reasoning and sense making skills necessary to apply mathematics to other contexts. NCTM’s Interactive Institute on High School Mathematics, Infusing the Classroom with Reasoning and Sense Making, is a new event designed to provide strategies for creating a high school math classroom in which students are engaged in reasoning and sense making. Learn everything you need to know right here and start planning now.

Space is limited—register by May 20 and save up to 15%. On-site registration will NOT be available. Registration closes July 15th.

Teacher PD for Grades 3-8 Algebra Readiness

NEW from NCTM—Professional Development for the whole year!

Kick things off in Baltimore, August 9–11, 2011!

Experience professional development over the whole school year by participating in NCTM’s new event dedicated to algebra readiness for grades 3-8. Kick off this Institute in Baltimore where you’ll participate in activities and network with peers from across the country, then reinforce what you learn by participating in online interactive workshops and discussion groups over the school year.

A $1,400 value for as LOW as $350. Space is limited; register by July 22. On-site registration will NOT be available.

Attention all high school math teachers!!!!!!

Looking for a structured way to plan for and implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in High School?

• Want to embed the formative assessment process in your daily instructional practice?
• Want to motivate and involve more of your students in their learning process?

Register to attend the six-day series

Formative Assessment Process for High School Mathematics

This six-day series is based on Stiggins’ Five Keys to Quality Formative Assessment.
Participants will apply what they learn between the 2-day sessions and bring products and processes to share and improve. Focus areas/topics are:
June 1-2, 2011: Formative Assessment Process defined, the 5 Keys, CCSS-M and Learning Targets, Sharing Learning Targets with Students
November 10-11, 2011: Assessment Maps, Matching Learning Targets with Assessment Methods, Assessment Resources, Student Engagement I
February 2-3, 2012: Analysis Strategies, Assessment Evaluation and Refinement Strategies, Student Engagement II, Sustainability Strategies and Resources

Outcomes for participants are

• Understand that formative assessment is a process not a product
• Understand the components of a quality formative assessment system
• Use the CCSS-M to refine/develop learning targets
• Use Stiggins’ 5 Keys to build assessment maps for instructional units
• Develop/choose formative assessment strategies that provide quality feedback for the teacher and student
• Create/identify standards-based common summative (final) and formative assessments (interim, benchmark) for a unit of study
• Develop analysis, communication, and student engagement strategies
• Establish collaborative practices for sharing assessment processes, products, and results
• Develop plans for sustainability and growth

NEW Common Core Math resource: Illustrative Math

The Illustrative Mathematics Project will provide guidance to states, assessment consortia, testing companies, and curriculum developers by illustrating the range and types of mathematical work that students will experience in a faithful implementation of the Common Core State Standards, and by publishing other tools that support implementation of the standards.

Upon completion, the Project will provide a process for submitting, discussing, reviewing, and publishing mathematical tasks. Each task will be aligned to individual Common Core standards. The process and the tasks have not yet been posted.

However, the standards themselves are online. You can view both the standards for mathematical content and practice in a dynamic way. And, you can search the standards for mathematical content either by grade level or by Domain/Conceptual Category.

NOTE: This website will only work if you are using one of the following browsers

• Macintosh
  • Firefox 4
  • Chrome 11
  • Safari 5
• Windows
  • Firefox 4
  • Chrome 11

Supporting math learning through true problem solving exercies: Webinar

Register for Carnegie Learning's Webinar:

Supporting Math Learning Through True Problem Solving Exercises

Register for a COMPLEMENTARY math webinar that will focus on how real math problems differ from typical exercises, how to closely 'read' the math standards and ward off typical bad habits of local assessment, and how to design local curriculum to ensure that Standards and local goals are met.

	Designing Math Curricula with True Problem Solving Capabilities for the Common Core State Standards around Mathematics May 4, 2011 at 3:30 P.M. EST Presenter: Grant Wiggins, President of Authentic Education

Please visit the Carnegie Learning website to register
www.carnegielearning.com/webinars

Looking for money...

...to fund mathematics work and/or implement the Common Core for Math in your school? Then check out

The Mathematics Education Trust

Supporting Teachers ... Reaching Students ... Building Futures

The Mathematics Education Trust (MET) channels the generosity of contributors through the creation and funding of grants, awards, honors, and other projects that support the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning.

Apply for grants to support things like:

• in-school inservice (PD) for teaching and learning mathematics
  
• graduate school
• classroom research

and much, much more.

Connections to the Common Core
As schools begin to plan for implementing the Common Core for Math, part of that preparation requires that we identify funding sources. Several of the MET grants will provide the money you need to pay for teachers and administrators to attend PD either through KRESA's math program OR for a math consultant to come to your school to do in-house training.

Hurry! Upcoming deadlines are May 6, June 1, and November 11