Instructional Videos for Common Core Instruction

Some great videos on Common Core instruction. Not just math! Click here to go to the site.

Thanks to Denise Harvey for sharing!

Additional Technology Enhanced sites

These are from Kelly's e-mail.

http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/#

Be sure to click on the "Sample Items" tab, then choose 6-8 ELa or Math set.

http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/

Click on "Student Interface Practice and Training Tests," then enter the grade level you desire, then choose which test you want to try.

It is critical that we give our students as much exposure to this format of questions as possible. Consider using computer lab time as well as using your Smartboard to do these types of questions.

Don't forget about the other site (CTB) that can be found here.

Don't Lose this Site! CCRA Preview.

As we all know, things are changing for this years ISTEP assessment. Even the format of the test is changing. In order to prepare your students for these changes, this site has been provided. It will expose your students to all of the new question formats that ISTEP will be using. And that is something you definitely want to do. And more than once!

Here is the link to the site.

As you can see below, this site include BOTH Math and ELa.

 This would be a great Bell Ringer activity if you have a Smart Board. But students need to practice this on a computer in the labs as well.

A few more of the changes that were mentioned at the DOE Meeting...

• Students will still have tools, but no more icons telling them when to use them. They will have to know they are there and decide which tool they need for a given question. (This change was implemented because of SMP 5,  "Use appropriate tools strategically.")
• Fluency items added for Mathematics (takes place in Part 2 window)
• In equations and expressions, students will have to define the variables ON THEIR OWN

Online Communites of Practice

Looking for some great ideas for your content area? Have a question you want to throw out about a standard? These and many other issues can be addressed using the Online Communities of Practice provided by the Indiana DOE. And since it is Indiana, it is specific to our state standards.

Here is the link to the site.

You have to join with Google+ to have access. If you have not already joined Google+ you can use your ACS e-mail account to join.

Formative Assessment - Stop Light method

Hey, the video is only about 50 seconds long, but could change the way you teach. Take a look.

Using Talk Moves

This video is about using Talk Moves to help students stay on task. So often, students check out when someone talks or goes to the board because they will not be held accountable for the information. But what if they were? Simple things, like asking students to restate what was said, to explain their understanding, etc. helps students feel accountable and can increase participation (and therefore retention).

New Whiteboard App - Show Me

Now that Educreations has decided to charge for its services (to the tune of about $100/year), I am switching to Show Me. Show me is similar to Educreations, and is a free app with unlimited storage. Educreations still has a free version, but many of the previously free features (such as unlimited storage) are now only available in the paid version.

Below is a first attempt at using Show Me. As you can see, it looks similar to Educreations.


While Show Me does not have as many features as Educreations, it appears to be a solid app. I like that I can import PDFs or other formats as a background, and can have several pages set up ahead and scroll through them as needed. I also like that I can explore topics and find things that I might be able to use in the classroom.

Here is an example of a video found on their site that teaches about solving 1 and 2 step equations. These can be embedded on a site as below, or you can link to them.


Thanks, Show Me!

Math Resources - Share My Lesson

Order of Operations - Good reviews and comments. Everything from Special Ed to 8th grade teachers.

Quadratic Equations - 8th Grade might want to save for end of the year.

Common Core index

Learning Style Inventory

Click here to go to a site where you can find a Learning Style Inventory.

Whole Brain Videos - Middle School

Here are some Whole Brain videos for a Middle School setting.









Whole Brain Teaching - Chris Biffle's You-Tube page for more videos.