Back to School 2014 – 2015 Intensive Math – Pat Reed Welcome

Intensive Math This math class is designed for those struggling students who need a little extra time to improve their skills.

Common Core …schools must prepare students for "jobs that do not yet exist, creating ideas and solutions for products and problems that have not yet been identified, using technologies that have not yet been invented." The CCSS emphasizes the skills that students will need both today and in the future to be successful. Linda Darling Hammond, Stanford University

Common Core This class will emphasize the concepts outlined by the Common Core Standards. This class will emphasize the concepts outlined by the Common Core Standards. Common Core is not a new idea. It simply means teaching critical thinking and analysis, using facts to lead to algorithms, so that our students will graduate from our schools with the ability to evaluate and make use of new information. Common Core is not a new idea. It simply means teaching critical thinking and analysis, using facts to lead to algorithms, so that our students will graduate from our schools with the ability to evaluate and make use of new information.

Common Core Students will be expected to think critically about the math concepts we are learning, rather than memorizing rote procedures for a solution. Students will be expected to think critically about the math concepts we are learning, rather than memorizing rote procedures for a solution. Students will be writing every day to explain their thinking. Students will be writing every day to explain their thinking.

Common Core We will be working with partners much of the time using hands- on manipulatives to model the mathematical concepts we are studying. We will be working with partners much of the time using hands- on manipulatives to model the mathematical concepts we are studying.

Common Core There is no one “right way to do the work” in Common Core. Students will be exploring different ways to think mathematically, justifying their conclusions, and writing persuasively, using evidence, to prove their understanding and convince the reader that their solution works. There is no one “right way to do the work” in Common Core. Students will be exploring different ways to think mathematically, justifying their conclusions, and writing persuasively, using evidence, to prove their understanding and convince the reader that their solution works.

Resources Your best resource for keeping track of what we are doing, handouts from class and assignments is my Altimira Middle School website. Your best resource for keeping track of what we are doing, handouts from class and assignments is my Altimira Middle School website.

Using Technology as a Communication Tool This year I would like to use more technology as a tool for keeping you informed. I will be using Remind (formerly known as Remind101) for parents and students to send reminders about due dates and projects. This year I would like to use more technology as a tool for keeping you informed. I will be using Remind (formerly known as Remind101) for parents and students to send reminders about due dates and projects. I will also be using Edmodo with the students to share ideas and have them comment on an assigned topic. I will also be using Edmodo with the students to share ideas and have them comment on an assigned topic.

Student Work We will be keeping all student worksheets, notes, and printouts of their scoring rubrics, in their composition notebooks. We will be keeping all student worksheets, notes, and printouts of their scoring rubrics, in their composition notebooks.