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Meeting the Needs of All Learners

enVision as the chosen math resource, is just that, a “resource”. The rigor of the resource is determined by the teacher’s use of it. Some of the concern with the resource may come from the limited experience of teaching with it being newly adopted. Considering where teachers are this journey, they have asked themselves the following questions to address rigor and appropriate challenge:

How can I open up and extend the activities?

How can I extend the questions provided within the topics/lessons to make it a broader

investigation?

What activities could I use to supplement?

What are some strategies used to meet the varying needs from struggling to advanced students?

Differentiation strategies support meeting the needs of all learners:

• Guided math is a structure that lends itself well to differentiating learning:

• Within enVision, the Ready-Made Centers offers advanced center activities. Some teachers use the guided math approach and use the on-topic and advanced center activities;

• Use the enVision resource and go beyond to create additional activities. One format is the 9 square or Tic-Tac-Toe board and fill in with activities from Illuminations, games, logical-reasoning puzzle, remainder of 1 riddle, etc;

• Find strategies to connect literacy and mathematics within the content to enrich;

• Additional resources:

o Illuminations

o NCTM

o stemtc

o guided-

o Literature

▪ NCTM Journal for Elementary

▪ Greg Tang (mostly about number)

▪ Cindy Neuschwander (Geometry)

▪ Elinor Pinczes - Remainder of 1

▪ John Scieszka – Math Curse

▪ Marilyn Burns

• Teachers have participated in district-led professional development in:

o Gifted/Talented

o The River™

Is anyone else using lower grade level materials for low level learners?

Because there are so many new components of the new curriculum, some teachers are finding that the previous grade level materials can serve as an appropriate tool for scaffolding content to current grade level.  When students take online assessments, students are assigned content to bridge gaps in understanding. This also includes content from previous grade levels. 

enVision also offers other components to address the varying needs of students; these components include the Math Diagnosis and Intervention System and leveled homework in addition to the access to prior grade levels for content that addresses standards that students have not mastered.

How do I determine if students should be accelerated to the next grade level content in math?

The district is working to provide a formal answer to this question.  Please consider how this option translates to the students’ math work in current and next grade level. For example, if you are using 4th grade materials in 3rd grade, be certain there is a plan for what to do next year in 4th grade. More information will be provided regarding the district acceleration process.

How do I meet the needs for showing vocabulary and processes of MAP vocabulary for higher achievers?

There are many components of a solid mathematics program including problem solving, communication, and mathematical modeling. We need to be aware that MAP ranges are defined by concepts acquired and that by addressing these other components, students are still able to show growth. Remember the RIT score generally represents the level a student answered questions correctly approximately 50% of the time.  It is important for students to learn how to use vocabulary and symbols to represent and communicate mathematically.  There is not a grade-level ceiling to the MAP test, so even though 253 is considered the score needed to predict proficiency on the Grade 11 MCA test covering generally the same strands as the 3-8 MCA math test, it is important to consider the concepts and whether students learn how to communicate using mathematical terminology. You can help students solidify their understanding of math terms by pre-teaching the vocabulary students need to be successful on each topic that they are learning in your classroom.  Help them build connections.  Teach math vocabulary in context and help students understand how to connect what they learn to what they already know.

How do I address the literacy-heavy text within enVision for K-1?

Work with your literacy coaches to identify strategies for students. Modeling and teaching specific vocabulary are tools that can help.

What components are students assumed to know from 3rd grade that they do not learn in 4th?

The 3rd grade content is defined by the MN Academic Standards for 3rd Grade. The enVision curriculum is spiral in nature, so in 4th grade new concepts are often started by revisiting and reviewing 3rd grade concepts. For example: students in 3rd grade learn about fractions using models and the idea of a fraction as dividing into equal parts. In 4th grade, students begin with that understanding, then extend to the 4th grade standards. The content in 4th grade includes: comparing and ordering fractions, understanding of fractions through a process of equal division, equivalent fractions and ordering fractions on a number line.  You will see the alignment across grade levels in both the MN Academic Standards as well as the enVision curriculum.

Logistics

How do I manage this with the time I have to work with students?

There are many models of instruction used across the district. In grade 5, teachers generally have math scheduled for somewhere between 55-90 minutes per day. Within this timeframe, teachers are using a variety of lesson structures. Those with 55 minute are doing some whole class instruction, guided practice and individual practice. Those with more time are also using group instruction and center activities to differentiate and provide adequate practice with skills.

How do you use manipulatives effectively?

The most important component of using manipulatives is to establish routines and procedures for how to use manipulatives in your classroom.  Once those routines are established, teach your students the expectations about how manipulatives are used—including handing out manipulatives and collecting them. Determine the primary use of the manipulatives:  Are they going to be used by individuals during whole class instruction or are they going to be used by small groups or at centers? Many teachers have found that for manipulatives used by individual students during whole class work, student sets work best that have some standard manipulatives (like base 10 blocks or counters) so you avoid having to take class time to count and then hand out materials. Teachers also have center boxes or sets with multiple student manipulatives ready to go. Students help take responsibility in the classroom for getting the materials to use as well as collecting them.

Technology

Why can't I minimize the online lesson to supplement with blank SMART page

I’m not sure why you can’t minimize, it is something built into how the video component functions. There is a way around it. You can create a link from a Smart Notebook Page to the Pearson lesson. This will allow you to click on the Smart Notebook Page to bring it to the front—and the video window will be in the background.

Why doesn't the Create Your Own Test have open ended questions as an option?

The items in the online test bank are only multiple choice.  In order to create open ended questions, try ExamView.

We are looking at training options for this spring on technology components, including ExamView.

How do I incorporate the etools?  I need more training on how to set it up and use it efficiently in my classroom.

There is a training document available inside of your online Teacher’s Edition that will provide directions on how to use each of the tools. That document is also available in the eTools folder in Sharepoint. Go to Sharepoint ⋄ Curriculum Drives ⋄ Elementary Math ⋄ eTools ⋄ Start Here.

In addition, we are going to be planning some additional training sessions for this spring.

How can we view reports after online tests?

See SuccessNet Help Sheet Viewing Assessment Results in Sharepoint. Go to Sharepoint ⋄ Curriculum Drives ⋄ Elementary Math ⋄ SuccessNet ⋄ “Pearson SuccessNet Viewing Assessment Results”

Can we get into science and social studies online....if so, how and how much do we have access to?

Yes, follow the adding product to teacher account directions posted in SuccessNet folder. Go to Sharepoint ⋄ Curriculum Drives ⋄ Elementary Math ⋄ SuccessNet ⋄ “Adding Product to Teacher Account”, note that to add access for students to these materials and NOT just the teacher you will need to look inside that same SuccessNet folder for the document called “Add or Remove Product for student access”

How do parents have access to content at home?

A teacher must first have the desired grade level product(s) on their teacher account. The documents you will need to help you assign materials to students are in Sharepoint. It is a two step process where you first need to add the materials to your teacher account, then you can add material to the student account.  Both sets of directions are in Share point.  Go to Sharepoint ⋄ Curriculum Drives ⋄ Elementary Math ⋄ SuccessNet ⋄ “Adding Product to Teacher Account” then follow the directions in “Add or Remove Product for student access”.  

enVision as a Spiral Curriculum

I have heard that enVision is a spiral curriculum what does this mean?

The curriculum is organized by topics (or chapters). In the Topics that deal with computational fluency, you will notice that a concept is addressed over several topics. As the concept is started, you will see review of that concept connecting it to the prior grade level. As you look at the ISD 833 curriculum and pacing guide, you will notice that for every benchmark for the MN Academic Standards, there may be several lessons where that idea is addressed. The pacing guide is a tool that will help you identify a calendar for how to address all content prior to students taking the MCA III.

There may be times within the guided or independent practice that concepts appear that aren’t a component of the lesson instructed. The curriculum does spiral with related topics or concepts that were taught in a previous grade level. As the curriculum is implemented in all grade levels, students will develop stronger skills in the previous grade level topic so there may be less need for instruction specific to these “missing” components.

The Daily Spiral Review provides a topic to topic spiral review to continue to develop and recall concepts learned in during previous topics. It is important for students to work on this spiral review as a strategy for continuing to review and master previously learned concepts.

Does mean, median, and mode really NOT exist in this curriculum?

Mean, median and mode are concepts that are in 4th and 5th grade.  In 4th grade, students are learning conceptually that mean is a leveling process. In 5th grade, the concepts are more developed along with the procedure for calculating mean. This is aligned with the placement of these concepts in the Minnesota Academic Standards.

Diagrams, Strategies and Models

Why are there so many strategies for computation in the curriculum?

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) provides a statement on the term computational fluency as a component of the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.

“Computational fluency--having and using efficient and accurate methods for computing--is essential. Students should be able to perform computations in different ways, including mental calculations, estimation, and paper-and-pencil calculations using mathematically sound algorithms. All students should use calculators at appropriate times, setting the calculator aside when the instructional focus is on developing computational algorithms. Computational fluency should develop in tandem with understanding” (NCTM, 2000, p. 144).

It is important for students to develop their understanding of computation through many sources. Being able to decompose numbers and regroup are important foundational components. Students should also work with partial products along with the standard algorithm to develop stronger understanding of place value.

Math Vocabulary

How can we help students with the vocabulary in the curriculum?

Many teachers are finding it helpful to work with EL resource teachers or Literacy coaches to develop strategies for vocabulary. Some strategies include: Repetition and application;  graphic organizers for student binders; read story problems aloud; math vocabulary bulletin board or world wall, stories and picture books that reinforce vocabulary, math journals for students to record their new vocabulary and having students share their thinking out loud for other students to hear and learn from.

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