MVMMSProgrammatic

ShiftsProviding standards based curriculum and rigorous learning opportunities to

all students

Foundation for Shifts• All students must receive instruction that meets

the mandatory standards outlined in State Curriculum Frameworks in all required subjects.

• We must use our schedule and staffing to structure all these opportunities, while also finding the flexibility to support students to meet these standards and for those who are exceeding the standards.

• Advance instructional practices that are effective at differentiating instruction and student learning opportunities.

Technology and Engineering Classes

• Part of the curriculum frameworks associated with Science.• We have developed 6 classes to meet these standards – 3

Tech Engineering (1 per grade) and 3 Design (1 per grade)• Courses will be sequenced to build from previous

experience• Both courses meet the standards but through different

approaches, allowing students to participate in both in any given year, or just one

• Engineering Design Process (EDP) – is at the base of both classes

• Tech. Engineering will focus on Problem Solving for EDP• Design will focus on programming and computer

applications to the EDP

Health and Phys. Ed.• Must ensure all students have access to Health

instruction. • 8th grade has had limited participation because of

full year Global language and year long fine arts classes.

• 8th Grade will have a “Wellness” Class that will combine Phys. Ed. and Health instruction

• Class will meet all year, 3 days out of the cycle• Will essentially be 2 days in gym and 1 day in

health class

ICE Block Changes• ICE block will become known as “A Block” and will

remain as the only fixed block first period of the day

• Intervention classes in Math, Reading, Writing will continue based on student performance on assessments.

• Organizational Intervention will be added as a cross team class

• Intervention classes are a critical part of our ability to support any student.

Challenge classes• When students are not placed in an Intervention class,

they will be enrolled in a Challenge class.• Challenge classes are intended to provide a rigorous

learning opportunity while supplementing our curriculum• Will utilize problem solving, critical thinking and

collaborative approaches in a variety of content areas.• Focuses on Speaking and Listening Standards and

domains of research• Will all be trimester classes . Some previous Exploratory

classes will be shifted to Challenge classes and increase the expectations for student participation

• Students identified as Gifted will be clustered together in specific sequence of Challenge classes.

Challenge Classes• Examples of Challenge classes

o 8th Grade - Civics class for all 8th Graderso 8th Grade – Genetics and Forensicso 8th Grade – Mystery genre of Literature o 7th Grade - Botanyo 7th Grade – Gathering and Using Data for Statisticso 7th Grade - Poets and Poetryo 6th Grade – Principles of Physicso 6th Grade – America in 1950’s and 60’s – Civil Rights Movemento 6th Grade – The Geography of North America

Challenge classes will require students to tackle difficult questions and problems, work collaboratively in a low stakes environment.

Wide use of Literature Circle Model for ELA

• Literature circle model allows teachers to differentiate learning opportunities for students by providing varied texts to small groups of students

• Use technology such as Google Apps for Ed for students to collaborate

• Increase the amount of student centered instruction• We will be implementing independent reading

expectations of all students• Both changes will vastly increase the total amount of

reading all students will be doing• Creates a model for more effective differentiation with

flexible groups so 7th Gr. Advanced ELA will be eliminated.

Create Math Lab & Organize Other Support Classes

• A class that would be taught 3x per cycle to support grade level standards from classroom

• For ALL students who need additional time to learn current content being delivered.

• Academic Support Classes for special education students would then focus on Literacy skills from classroom

• Learning Strategies Classes for special education students would focus on organizational and study skills, along with transitional academic skills

Making Decisions About Course

Sequences in Math

High School Math in Middle School, Challenging all Students &

Accelerated Pathways through High School

Our Guiding Questions

• What impact has the revised MA frameworks had on expectations and rigor in math classes?

• How do we ensure Middle School students are provided with a solid foundation in math skills so they are successful with High School level courses, such as Algebra 1 and Algebra 2?

• When is it appropriate to provide accelerated options for students?

• How do we create accelerated pathways for students who wish to pursue those options?

Increased Rigor of Gr. 8 and Algebra I

Standards• The 2011 Gr. 8 standards are of significantly

higher rigor than former 2000 Gr. 8 standardso Include geometry that relates to graphing of algebrao More sophisticated study of statistics o More algebra topics than previous Gr. 8 standards

• Model Algebra I course builds on Gr. 8 and is more advanced than the 2000 Algebra I courseo This is a HS level math course that requires a solid foundation of Gr. 8

contento In depth work with linear functions, exponential functions and

relationshipso Introduces quadratic relationshipso Goes beyond previous HS standards in statistics

Assessing What Is Taught

• PARCC offers 2 testing options for 8th graders in matho Grade 8 Math Assessments oro Algebra I Math Assessments

• Students should be assessed according to the curriculum and standards they have been studying:o Most 8th grade students, while currently taking Algebra 1 in 8th Grade,

would not be prepared to take the Algebra 1 PARCC assessmentso Yet, offering the 8th Grade Math Assessment, when most have been

studying Algebra 1, does not align either.

New assessments 

• Computer-based and paper-based versions of the PARCC Performance Based Assessments (PBA) and End of the Year (EOY) exams are available online by course.

• Grade 6 Math• Grade 7 Math• Grade 8 Math• Algebra 1• Geometry• Algebra 2

Link to PARCC sample tests http://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/

What You Will Notice• The new progression is more rigorous. There is a greater

focus on conceptual understanding, modeling, and application.

• The state tests are now course based assessments.

• The former Algebra 1 course and the new 2011 MA Algebra 1 course cover different concepts, but the name has not changed.

• By the end of Algebra 2, students will have learned most of what was covered by the end of the former Pre-Calculus and additional topics, especially ones in statistics and probability.

• All students are required to complete Algebra 2 which means that the new progression gives all students a more enhanced math education.

Increased Rigor – Grade 8

• Interpret the slope and y-intercept of a line in context.

• Compare properties of functions algebraically, graphically, numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions.

• Know the formulas for the volume of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real world problems.

• Describe the effect of dilations, translations, rotations and reflections on two-dimensional figures using coordinates.

• Explain slope using similar triangles. Solve everyday problems using linear relationships.

• Assess the model of a best fit line.

Increased Rigor – Algebra 1

• Summarize categorical data for two categories in two-way frequency tables.

• Describe the effects of approximate error in measurement and rounding.

• Create and solve quadratic and exponential equations and inequalities in one variable.

• Interpret complicated expressions by viewing one or more of their parts as a single entity.

• Compare linear, quadratic, and exponential models.

Courses and State Exams

  Previous ProgressionCourse

Former Algebra 1 Former Algebra 2 Former Pre-Calculus

State exam

Grade 8 MCAS assesses Grade 8 math content

Grade 10 MCAS assesses Algebra 1 and Geo content

 

Grade 8 9 or 10 11

  New ProgressionCourse

MA 2011 Grade 8 Math

MA 2011 Algebra 1 MA 2011 Algebra 2

State exam

Grade 8 Math state exam assessesGrade 8 content

Algebra 1 state examassesses Algebra 1 content

Algebra 2 state exam assessesAlgebra 2 content

Grade 8 9 or 10 11

Previous ProgressionFormer Algebra 1 Former Algebra 2 Former Pre-Calculus

Multistep EquationsSystems of Equations Write Linear EquationsGraph Linear EquationsFind SlopeLinear functionsPositive Integer ExponentsOperations with polynomialsFactoring binomialsQuadratic functions

Applications of Linear FunctionsSystems of non-linear equationsAbsolute value functionsExponential FunctionsQuadratic equationsQuadratic functions with imaginary rootsFactoring polynomialsPolynomial Functions Sequences and series

Piecewise functionsTransformation of FunctionsOperations with complex numbersRational Equations and FunctionsRadical Equations and FunctionsLogarithmic FunctionsInverse FunctionsTrig functionsTrig Identities

New ProgressionMA 2011 Grade 8 MA 2011 Algebra

1MA 2011 Algebra 2

Positive integer exponentsMultistep EquationsSystems of Equations Write Linear EquationsGraph Linear EquationsFind slopeLinear Functions 

Operations with polynomialsFactoring binomialsQuadratic FunctionsQuadratic equationsExponential functionsAbsolute value functions Systems of non-linear equationsPiece-wise functionsInverse functionsOperations with complex numbers 

Quadratic functions with imaginary rootsPolynomial Equations and FunctionsSequences and seriesRational Equations and FunctionsRadical Equations and FunctionsLogarithmic FunctionsTrig functions 

Conclusions• The new progression is more rigorous. There is a greater

focus on conceptual understanding, modeling, and application.

• The state tests are now course based assessments.

• The former Algebra 1 course and the new 2011 MA Algebra 1 course cover different concepts, but the name has not changed.

• By the end of Algebra 2, students will have learned most of what was covered by the end of the former Pre-Calculus and additional topics, especially ones in statistics and probability.

• All students are required to complete Algebra 2 which means that the new progression gives all students a more enhanced math education.

What we currently do• 8th Grade currently has three levels of math

• Our current Algebra I classes do not meet the new standards

• Accelerated classes are offered at grade 6 and 7 for students meeting criteriao 1 class per team with similar numbers as in grade 8

Class Students

Structure

Accelerated Algebra 1 27% 1 class per team (3 sections total)

Algebra 1 46% 2 classes per team (6 sections total)

Math 8 24% 1 class per team (3 sections total)

What we need to do• The vast majority of 8th Grade students should be

studying Grade 8 math all year• A small number of 8th Grade students would be

able to take an Accelerated and Compacted Algebra I class in 8th Grade

• A similar number of students would be able to take an Accelerated and Compacted Pathway for a Grade 7 Math class that includes content from Grade 8, thus preparing them for the Algebra 1 class in Grade 8

• There would be no Accelerated class in Grade 6 making the decision point between Gr. 6 & 7

The Breakdown – based on data projections

• Grade 8

• Accelerated & Compacted Gr. 7/8 math classo Small number of students meeting highly rigorous criteriao Opportunity for students to join pathway in Grade 8 who did not meet criteria

at the end of Grade 6.

• MA DESE states “The selection and placement of students into accelerated opportunities must be done carefully in order to ensure success.”

Class Students Structure

Accelerated & Compacted Algebra 1

appr. 6-10% 1 class taught “Cross Team”

Math 8 appr. 90% 3-4 Classes per team

Placement Decisions – for 8th Gr. Algebra I

• MA DESE recommends that placement decisions for Algebra 1 or any compacted/accelerated classes are made based on a common assessment to be reviewed by a team of stakeholders that includes teachers and instructional leadership.

• Must meet Placement/Readiness Exam score and at least 2 of the other 3 criteria.o A score indicating mastery of the Readiness/Placement exam (90)o An avg. score of mastery on district wide 6th Gr. EOY & 7th Gr. MY (90)o Advanced score on 6th and/or 7th Gr. State standardized assessmento Average overall grade in current class of a 90

o Through a review team (Teacher, Principal and Dept. Head) Consideration will be given to students who meet Exam score, but miss other criteria

Placement Decisions for Compacted 7th Gr. class

• MA DESE recommends that placement decisions for Algebra 1 or any compacted/accelerated classes are made based on a common assessment to be reviewed by a team of stakeholders that includes teachers and instructional leadership.

• Must meet Placement/Readiness Exam score and at least 2 of the other 3 criteria.o A score indicating mastery of the Readiness/Placement exam (90)o An avg. score of mastery on district wide 5th Gr. EOY & 6th Gr. MY (90)o Advanced score on 5th and/or 6th Gr. State standardized assessmento Average overall grade in current class of a 90

o Through a review team (Teacher, Principal and Dept. Head) Consideration will be given to students who meet Exam score, but miss other criteria

Compacting in the Middle School

Grade 6Grade 7 +Part of Grade 8

Part of Grade 8

+ Algebra I

Geometry in HS

Algebra II Precalc Calculus

Acceleration Decision

Point

Compacted PreCalc Options in HS as a Pathway to

Calculus

Grade 6 math

Grade 7 math

Grade 8 math

Algebra I

Algebra II

PreCalc

Calculus

Geometry

Doubling Up in HS as a Pathway to Calculus

Grade 6 math

Grade 7 math

Grade 8 math

Algebra I

Algebra II Precalc Calculu

s

Acceleration Decision Point

Geometry

Geometry

OR

Instructional Strategy & Practice Shifts

• Ask more open questions that allow for different approaches and a variety of responses.

• Create flexible groups which can be in-class or cross teams based on students’ proficiency with the current math content.

• Give parallel tasks that are on the same big idea, but designed to meet the needs of students at different developmental levels.

• Use activities that allow for self-check and extension.• Provide blended learning options by creating a

virtual library of lessons and use technology to track and assess student progress.

Instructional Strategy & Practice Shifts

• Implement the practice of Flexible Groups for In-Class and Cross Team work in all three grades.

• Students demonstrating quick mastery, will have more challenging work opportunities with other students across the grade level

• Use Google Apps for Ed. for collaborative work among peers

• Provide blended learning options for a students in grade 6 needing more accelerated curriculum opportunities.

• Will continue to use cross grade placements in isolated cases.

Considerations Moving Forward

• Adding a Math Teacher to the Middle School to teach the 8th Gr. Accelerated Math classes & Math Lab support classes. It can be done with existing staff but would be best implemented with this model

• Utilizing E book in 8th grade for Math with added curriculum developed in a blended format.

• All Math Classes will see increase in expectations and demands as we continue to work towards full implementation of newer standards and realize the impact of PARCC like performance assessments

Next Steps• Questions and Answers tonight• Return to School Committee with update on Math

Curriculum changes – Late February• Complete Challenge Course outlines for 15-16• Finalize first ever Program of Studies and present

to School Committee – March• Analyze data to make course placements

decisions – March and April• Begin Scheduling Process – April• Finalize student schedules - July