Elementary Teaching & Learning

Newsletter
May 12, 2016, Volume 34
Click here for a Complete List of Research-based Best Practices

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in the upper bar to enlarge the text and

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Robbinsdale Unified District Vision

Strategic Priorities by 2020

Kindergarten Readiness: Provide high-quality early learning programs to ensure all students are kindergarten ready.

Third Grade Proficiency: Provide differentiated learning experiences to ensure all third grade students achieve grade level literacy.

Measures: Formative Assessment Systems for Teachers ( F.A.S.T.)

Measures: M.C.A.

High School Graduation: Ensure every student graduates from high school career and college ready.

Measures: High School Graduation Rate

Standards All staff will teach the state standards K-12

Central Office Capacity: Build central office capacity to deliver services in a timely manner to influence student academic
achievement.

Measures Customer Service Survey

Middle School Re-Design Completed

Measures Student Survey, Staff Survey, Administration Survey and Parent Surveys

Robbinsdale Summer Professional Learning Institute

What: All licensed staff are invited to participate in Robbinsdale Area Schools' district wide Summer Professional Learning Institute
When: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 15-18, 2016
Where: Robbinsdale Cooper High School
This date replaces the previously scheduled June Elementary Summer Institute in order to expand to include all licensed staff.

Participation in this institute will empower you and your team to teach the academic standards, as well as enrich your skills in
differentiated learning.
Topics to be covered include:

Standards

Assessment

Technology and Integration

Vertical teaming
Participants will be paid at the professional learning rate.

Amplifying Student Voice

Why do we amplify student voice?

Learning is social
Language promotes thinking
and reasoning
To activate strengths
To emphasize each students
value to the group
Build connections and
relationships
Supports culturally responsive
teaching and learning
Promotes multiperspectivity

ighe
m Jay McT

Adapted fro

Pause

Purposes

To provide opportunity for students to discuss and reflect on concepts and ideas
introduced in a text.

To make connections to prior knowledge and seek clarification.

Set up:
Write two sets of questions on chart paper--one set to help students connect the reading to
their prior knowledge and one set to clarify their thinking about the reading.
Connection Questions: What connections can you make to what you already know or have
done? What does this text remind you of? What can you add?
Clarification Questions: What is not clear about this topic yet? What is confusing? Where
are you struggling to connect this article or articles?
Directions
1.
Have students read the text.
2.
As students to form groups of 3-4 people to discuss the main ideas/concepts from
the reading.
3.
Ask students to discuss & answer the Connection Questions as a group, then move
on to the Clarification Questions.
4.
Have students pause and reflect in writing about what they read and their group
discussion.
5.
Have students share out with the whole group.

Reading/Language Arts
Question Stems for Creating Common Formative Assessments for
Anchor Standard #4
Spotlight on
Priority Standards

Reading Anchor Standard #4:

Interpret words and phrases

as they are used in a text,
including determining
technical, connotative, and
figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word
choices shape meaning or
tone.

The word ________ in the text

is used to describe (individual,
setting, event). What does this
word likely mean?

The underlined part of the

sentence is comparing
____________ and __________.

Circle the clues that tell you

that the meaning of the word
_______ is _______.

What does the word ________

mean, according to the clues
in paragraph/line (#)?

Click here to view the PreK-5 vertical skill progression for Anchor Standard #4.

Kindergarten Corner
Here

are the links to Ann St. Clairs blog posts!

Kinder Independence Lessons
Kindergarten Learning Line Lessons
3 Ways to Read a Book
Launching Lessons for Read to Self
Strategy Lesson 1: Point at the Words & Look at the Picture
Strategy Lesson 2: Get My Mouth Ready
Strategy Lesson 3: Read Feather Words or Read Sight Words
Strategy Lesson 4: Five Finger Retell
Strategy Lesson 5: Five Finger Retell w/Beginning, Middle, & End
Strategy Lesson 6: Look for a Pattern
Launching Work on Writing in Kindergarten
Launching Read to Someone in Kindergarten
Strategy Lesson 7: Turtle Talk
Strategy Lesson 8: Use Punctuation to Read with Expression
Strategy Lesson 9: Read H-Brother Words, or Digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh)
Strategy Lesson 10: Check for Understanding
Launching Word Work in Kindergarten--NEW!!

If you have any questions, Anns email is ann_stclair@rdale.org.

Writing
Recommendations for Teaching Elementary Students to Be Effective
Writers Part 3
Source: What Works Clearinghouse
Recommendation #3: Teach students to become fluent with handwriting, spelling, sentence
construction, typing, and word processing.
1. Teach very young writers how to hold a pencil correctly and form letters fluently and
efficiently. Do this in multiple short sessions with students practicing a specific letter only 58 times before moving to another activity.
2. Teach students to spell commonly used words correctly in the context of their writing, as
opposed to in isolation.
3. Teach students to construct sentences for fluency, meaning, and style. Explicitly model how
sentence construction and sentence mechanics, such as punctuation and capitalization,
interact to form strong sentences.
4. Teach students to type fluently in short, focused lessons.

Implement Tasks That Promote

Reasoning and Problem Solving
These tasks encourage
reasoning and access to the
mathematics through
multiple entry points,
including the use of different
representations and tools,
and they foster the solving of
problems through varied
solution strategies.

Source:
:
to Actions
Principles
al
athematic
Ensuring M ll
rA
Success fo
ouncil of
National C
of
Teachers
ics, 2014
Mathemat

Higher-level Demands
(procedures with connections)

Higher level Demands

(doing mathematics)

Focus students attention on the use of procedures for the purpose of developing deeper
levels of understanding of mathematical concepts and ideas

Suggest explicitly or implicitly pathways to follow that are broad general procedures
that have close connection to underlying conceptual ideas as opposed to narrow
algorithms that are opaque with respect to underlying concepts

Usually are represented in multiple ways, such as visual diagrams, manipulatives,

symbols, and problem situations. Making connection among multiple representations
helps develop meaning.
Require some degree of cognitive effort. Although general procedures may be followed,
they cannot be followed mindlessly. Student's need to engage with conceptual ideas
that underlie the procedures to complete the task successfully and that develop
understanding.

Require complex and nonalgorithmic thinking - a predictable, well-rehearsed approach

or pathway is not explicitly suggested by the task, task instructions, or a worked-out
example.

Require students to explore and understand the nature of mathematical concepts,

processes, or relationships

Demand self-monitoring or self-regulation of ones own cognitive processes

Require students to access relevant knowledge and experiences and make appropriate
use of them in working through the task

Require students to analyze the task and actively examine task constraints that may
limit possible solution strategies and solutions

More

Lower-level Demands
(procedures without connections)

Require considerable cognitive effort and may involve some level of anxiety for the
student because of the unpredictable nature of the solution process required

Lower-level Demands
(memorization)

Less

Are algorithmic. Use of the procedure either is specifically called for or is evident from
prior instruction, experience, or placement of the task.

Involve either reproducing previously learned facts, rules, formulas, or definitions or

committing facts, rules, formulas to memory.

Require limited cognitive demand for successful completion. Little ambiguity exists
about what needs to be done and how to do it.

Cannot be solved using procedures because a procedure does not exist or because the
time frame in which the task is being completed is too short to use a procedure.

Have no connection to the concepts or meaning that underlie the procedure being used

Are focused on predicting correct answers instead of on developing mathematical

understanding

Are not ambiguous. Such tasks involve the exact reproduction of previously seen
material, and what is to be reproduced is clearly and directly stated.

Have no connection to the concepts or meaning that underlie the facts, rules, formulas,
or definitions being learned or reproduced.

Require no explanations or explanations that focus solely on describing the procedure

that was used

Source:
Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2014

Standards Based
Instruction

Draft of Math Benchmark Alignment

Tool

Draft of 2016 - 2017 Math

Pacing Guide

Kindergarten

Kindergarten Math Benchmark

Alignments

Kindergarten Pacing Guide

First Grade

1st Grade Math Benchmark

Alignments

1st Grade Pacing Guide

Second Grade

2nd Grade Math Benchmark

Alignments

2nd Grade Pacing Guide

Third Grade

3rd Grade Math Benchmark

Alignments

3rd Grade Pacing Guide

Fourth Grade

4th Grade Math Benchmark

Alignments

4th Grade Pacing Guide

Fifth Grade

5th Grade Math Benchmark

Alignments

5th Grade Pacing Guide

Click for More Info

Click for More Info
Click here for
information
on School
Garden
Grants

Science and STEM

Click for More Info

Click for More Info

The C3 Framework

National Social Studies Standards

Why do we have national standards for Social Studies?

Marginalization of the Social Studies The loss of instructional time at the elementary level and the narrowing of instruction
in response to multiple-choice, high-stakes testing has significantly impacted time, resources, and support for the social
studies. The introduction of the Common Core provided an opportunity for social studies educators to re-frame instruction
to promote disciplinary literacy in social studies in such a way as to allow social studies to regain a more balanced and
elevated role in the K-12 curriculum.
Motivation of Students Children and adolescents are naturally curious about the complex and multifaceted world they
inhabit. But they quickly become disengaged when instruction is limited to reading textbooks to answer end-of-chapter
questions and taking multiple-choice tests that may measure content knowledge but do little to measure how knowledge is
meaningful and applicable in the real world. The C3 Framework addresses this issue in fundamental ways.
The Future of Our Democracy Abundant research bears out the sad reality that fewer and fewer young people,
particularly students of color and students in poverty, are receiving a high quality social studies education, despite the
central role of social studies in preparing students for the responsibilities of citizenship. Active and responsible citizens are
able to identify and analyze public problems, deliberate with other people about how to define and address issues, take
constructive action together, reflect on their actions, create and sustain groups, and influence institutions both large and
small. They vote, serve on juries when called, follow the news and current events, and participate in voluntary groups and
efforts. Implementing the C3 Framework to teach students to be able to act in these waysas citizenssignificantly
enhances preparation for college and career.

Social Studies

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The C3 Framework
How is the C3 Framework organized?

Social Studies

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The C3 Framework
What are the guiding principles of the C3 Framework?

Social studies prepares the nations young people for college, careers, and civic life.
Inquiry is at the heart of social studies.
Social studies involves interdisciplinary applications and welcomes integration of the arts
and humanities.
Social studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts, and skills from
the disciplines. Social studies emphasizes skills and practices as preparation for democratic
decision-making.
Social studies education should have direct and explicit connections to the Common Core
State Standards for English Language Arts.

Social Studies

Sour
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Gifted Resource
What is Destination Imagination?
Destination Imagination, or DI, is a creativity competition where student teams
respond to challenges and perform presentations at tournaments.
If you are interested in starting a team at your school, please contact Sarah
Prindiville, sarah_prindiville@rdale.org, x8072 for more information!

2015-16 Lakeview DI Team

Teaching With Technology

Books created in Minnesota
http://tinyurl.com/Minnesota-eBooks

That explore the

Students can locate Minnesota ebooks through the

We Want Your Feedback!

Please click here to provide us with valuable feedback that we can use to better support you this year.
T&L Contact Name

Assignment(s)

Contact Info

Stephanie Skelly

Director of Teaching & Learning

Elementary Health

stephanie_skelly@rdale.org
763-504-8032

Mary Jane Adams

Elementary Math
Elementary Science

maryjane_adams@rdale.org
763-504-8109

Melissa Kivi

Elementary Literacy
Elementary Social Studies
Kindergarten

melissa_kivi@rdale.org
763-504-8147

Carla Reeck

Title I

carla_reeck@rdale.org
763-504-8149

Sarah Prindiville

Fine Arts
Gifted & Talented

sarah_prindiville@rdale.org
763-504-8072

Anh Tran

Multilingual Services Coordinator

anh_tran@rdale.org
763-504-8078

Melissa Scott

EL Coach

melissa_scott@rdale.org
763-504-8076

Kelly Underwood

EL Coach

kelly_underwood@rdale.org
763-504-8073

Kris Haagenson

Technology Integration Specialist

kris_haagenson@rdale.org
763-504-4924