1. District PLC Meeting Elementary
December 3, 2013
2:30 – 3:45pm
Welcome to the third District PLC Meeting. So glad to have you here today! 

2. Agenda – Kindergarten 2:30pm Welcome, Reminders, and Logistics
2:35pm Mathematical Practice Standard #1
“I am excited about the practice standards!”
“It was challenging because we did not have enough time to dig deeper.”
3:15pm Science: Weather and Seasons
3:40pm Wrap-Up and Exit Slip
3:45pm Dismissal
Let’s briefly review our agenda for today.
We are going to start off by sharing some successes you have had in your classroom over the last month.
We appreciate your feedback from the last session. We have taken that feedback into consideration when planning this session.

3. Reminders and Logistics
Just a few reminders and meeting logistics

4. The Purpose of the District PLCs
Support the implementation of our common district initiatives
Provide teachers with an opportunity to share ideas and collaborate with colleagues from around the district
I wanted to remind you the our purpose is to support the implementation of the common district initiatives. And to provide all of you an opportunity to share and collaborate with colleagues around the district.
We are all here collectively to see how we can work as a district to move forward with all initiatives to increase student achievement.

5. Questions?
We want to make an effort to deliver deep, meaningful professional development to you each and every session.
Time is limited and we want to make good use of the 75 minutes.
Today – If you have questions about what is presented – please write them on a notecard. If you would like a personal response – please write down your name and school.
Today – we have a very tight schedule – please have the group refrain from asking whole group questions. This will allow us to move forward quicker and not get caught anywhere. If they have questions – ask them not to address the whole group but rather write it on a notecard.

6. Norms Be on time – every time
Be prepared – bring back requested materials
Be present
No side conversations
Avoid using your computer or cell phone
Avoid working on other tasks – stay focused on the topic at hand
Be respectful of your peers and the facilitator
Participate!
A quick reminder of our norms (Stay positive)

7. mathematical practice standard #1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
Today we are going to focus on problem solving – with a strong look into Mathematical Practice Standard #1: Making sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

8. Problem Solving Feedback: “I would like more information on solving open-ended problems.”
Problem solving is not an algorithm to be practiced or a fact to be memorized.
Effective problem solvers decide…
What is the problem asking?
How should I begin?
Where is the necessary data?
What should I do with the data?
Did my plan work?
Does my answer make sense?
Do I need to go back and try a different strategy?
Last time we talked a little bit about wanting to move our students beyond an algorithm and into being able to solve problems.
Effective problem solvers are able to decide
CLICK
What is the problem asking?
How should I begin?
Where is the necessary data?
What should I do with the data?
Did my plan work?
Does my answer make sense?
Do I need to go back and try a different strategy?

9. Practice with Problem Solving – Kindergarten Feedback: “I would like more information on how to match MPS with our current unit.”
Trimester 2 The number shows how many basketballs in all. The Red Team has 10 basketballs. How many basketballs does the blue team have?
2 min. – Independent Work
5 min. – Group Discussion
*Attempt to solve multiple times using different strategies.
Solve the way your students would solve this problem.
What is the problem asking?
How should I begin?
Where is the necessary data?
What should I do with the data?
Did my plan work?
Does my answer make sense?
Do I need to go back and try a different strategy?
Some feedback last time was how can we apply the Mathematical Practice Standards to our current lessons we are teaching.
We are going to take a few minutes to do a little problem solving of our own with the content of our current grade level units.
I am going to put up a problem and I want you to try to solve it independently for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes you will discuss it with the people at your table. Try to develop as many strategies as you possibly can for solving this one problem.
Here is your problem click
Read problem
Click
So you will have 2 minutes for independent quiet work and 5 minutes for a group discussion – attempting to solve multiple times using different strategies.
Keep in mind how we want our students to be good problem solvers -

10. Problem Solving – Strategies
To support our students: we identify, we discuss, and we move toward making the process automatic.
Choose an operation
Draw a picture
Find a pattern
Make a table
Use manipulatives
Guess and Check
Make an Organized List
Use Logical Reasoning
Work Backward
Use a Formula
Eliminate Possibilities
Use a number line
Write an equation
Students need strategies in their back pockets.
We need to be able so support our students by helping them identify strategies, discuss strategies and move them towards making problem solving an automatic.
Click
Students need strategies in their back pockets.
Take a look at the list of strategies we want to introduce to our students. Students need to be familiar and comfortable with many strategy types so they can be ready to solve any problem.

11. Video: Persistence in Problem Solving
Problem Solving – Strategies “I would like more information on how to align my teaching with problem solving.”
Choose an operation
Draw a picture
Find a pattern
Make a table
Use manipulatives
Guess and Check
Make an Organized List
Use Logical Reasoning
Work Backward
Use a Formula
Eliminate Possibilities
Use a number line
Write an equation
Strategy teaching is a blend of student exploration and direct teaching.
Highlight and discuss students’ approaches at every opportunity.
It is also okay to introduce students strategies.
Students need ongoing experience in applying strategies.
Video: Persistence in Problem Solving
- The Teaching Channel
Questions to consider:
How does the graphic organizer help scaffold problem solving for students?
Why does Ms. Saul choose to have students work alone without help?
How do “Heads Together Butts Up” and “Student-led Solutions” contribute to the class culture around problem solving?
Do you do similar/different problem solving techniques in your classroom?
Something you are interested in trying might be…
Strategy teaching is a blend of letting the students explore and directly teaching the strategies.
Click
Ways to do this includes:
Highlighting and discussing students’ approaches at every opportunity.
It is also okay to introduce students to new strategies and allow them to practice.
Students need ongoing experiences in applying the strategies.
We are going to watch a five minute video of a teacher who has been working with her students on persisting through problem solving. You will see in the video that the students are expected to solve the problem using 3 different strategies.
While you are watching the video – There are few questions on your handout to consider. Jot down some notes and then you will have some time to talk with an elbow partner after the video.
SHOW VIDEO – CLICK FOR HYPERLINK
Watch Video beforehand – make sure all technology is ready to go including speakers.
Make sure screen is visible to all in the room.
After video…
Now you will have 5 minutes chat with an elbow partner about the questions to consider…
How does the graphic organizer help scaffold problem solving for students?
Why does Ms. Saul choose to have students work alone without help?
How do “Heads Together Butts Up” and “Student-led Solutions” contribute to the class culture around problem solving?
Do you do similar/different problem solving techniques in your classroom?
Something you are interested in trying might be…
Give them 5 minutes to chat – circulate the room to answer any questions they may have. All resources are posted on the website for this video. There will be a slide at the end of the math section outlining this.

12. Building a Problem-Solving Disposition
Many students become easily frustrated with solving math problems.
Am I able to do this?
What if I get stuck?
What if it takes me too long to get the answer?
What if my idea doesn’t work?
What if my answer is wrong?
Believing it is possible to solve a problem, recognizing that confusion is part of the process, and discovering that persistence pays off and are components of the positive problem-solving disposition.
Math Practice Standard #1:
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Many of us have had the word “IDK” written on a piece of homework or an assessment following a word problem.
That is because problem solving is hard!
Many students become easily frustrated with solving math problems.
They ask themselves:
Am I able to do this?
What if I get stuck?
What if it takes me too long to get the answer?
What if my idea doesn’t work?
What if my answer is wrong?
CLICK
Believing it is possible to solve a problem, recognizing that confusion is part of the process, and discovering that persistence pays off and are components of the positive problem-solving disposition.
That leads us to Math Practice Standard #1Click
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Click

13. Building a Problem-Solving Disposition Feedback: “It is fun talking to and learning from people from other schools.”
Independently – read this article about Math Practice Standard #1 (3 minutes)
Make notes
Underline
Highlight
Next you are going to read a very short blurb about Math Practice Standard #1 and what it looks like an elementary classroom. ClickPlease circle, underline, make notes, highlight… Also note at the bottom is a graphic organizer – please fill in one Aha from this article – 1 question you may have and 1 application you could make in your classroom.
Give them 3 minutes or less to read.
After the 3 minutes (watch for cues that they are done reading)…
Now we are going to do a little stretch and you are going to get up and find someone who you do not know – share your Aha, your question and your application. You will have 4 minutes to get up, find someone, share and return back to your chair.
Give them a 30 second warning at the end of the 4 minutes for them to return to their places.

14. Making Sense of Problems and Persevere in Solving Them
Feedback: “The wording in the math standards can be confusing!”
We understand last time that you spent a lot of time mulling over the practice standards to write I Can Statements. The objective of that activity was to gain awareness of the standards and how they are written.
What we would like to provide you with today is an easier way to think of Practice Standard #1.
As a teacher you will shape mathematically proficient students in the area of MPS 1 by…
(List a few off of the list)
Some questions that you may want to start incorporating into your language when students are working with problems could be (List a few).

15. I Can Statement Posters
Feedback: “I am excited about getting I Can Statements and not having to create them by myself!”
Feedback: “I enjoyed writing I Can Statements.”
Feedback: “I am excited about access to the MPS posters.”
That being said… we said last time that posters would be available for the I Can Statements that were created. Please go onto the website and print of the I Can Statements for your grade level and post them in your classroom!
They are located under PD Resources – Early Out District PLC Meetings – I Can Statements Practice Standards
Facilitators: There is currently (11/18) nothing posted under I Can Statements on the website – but I will have them posted by the 4th so do not fear if you do not see them yet.

16. Summing It Up
Teaching problem solving is more than assigning problems to our students. It is a balance of guided experiences in which we support the development of our students’ thinking skills, as well as investigate experiences in which our students develop skills through trial-and error experiences.
Next Time We Will…
Take a self-assessment about problem solving in our individual classrooms.
Make a list with a partner of what problem solving looks like and sounds like.
Collaborate with multiple teachers outside of my school on how they engage their students in solving problems.
Write a personal goal for implementing MPS #1 into my classroom.
Today we…
Practiced solving a problem collaboratively for our current grade level unit.
Watched a video of elementary students working through the problem-solving process and discussed with an elbow partner how this was similar or different from the problem solving in your classroom.
Read an article about Practice Standard #1 and collaborated with a teacher from another school around your Aha’s and questions.
Were provided with teacher action steps and probing questions to ask our students during the problem solving process.
To sum up our work today: Teaching problem solving is more than assigning problems to our students. It is a balance of guided experiences in which we support the development of our students’ thinking skills, as well as investigate experiences in which our students develop skills through trial-and error experiences.
We accomplished a lot today! WE….
Click
Practiced solving a problem collaboratively for our current grade level unit.
Watched a video of elementary students working through the problem-solving process and discussed with an elbow partner how this was similar or different from the problem solving in your classroom.
Read an article about Practice Standard #1 and collaborated with a teacher from another school around your Aha’s and questions.
Were provided with teacher action steps and probing questions to ask our students during the problem solving process.
This is great groundwork for our work at personalizing MPS 1 to your classroom which we will continue with next time
So next time we will…
Take a self-assessment about problem solving in our individual classrooms.
Make a list with a partner of what problem solving looks like and sounds like.
Collaborate with multiple teachers outside of my school on how they engage their students in solving problems.
Write a personal goal for implementing MPS #1 into my classroom.

17. Elementary Math: Frequently Asked Questions
Are we receiving new math materials next school year?
Currently, there is a 19-member committee with teachers and coaches from 17 schools around the district evaluating math materials that are highly aligned with the Iowa Core, rich in technology, supportive of an RTI structure, organized, and strong in problem solving strategies.
If you would like more information about this process please visit the math website to view committee members and evaluation rubrics.
PD Resources > Instructional Materials Upgrade.
Our current two finalists include:
Go Math – Houghton Mifflin
My Math – McGraw-Hill
Before starting this slide – please remind them if they have further questions to WRITE THEM ON A POSTCARD AND NOT ADDRESS THE WHOLE GROUP. ;)
Tell them (nicely) you are not going to spend a lot of time on this but if they would like more information to write it on their exit slip.
Just briefly go over each point.
Feedback: “I would like more information about the new math materials for next year.”

18. Elementary Math: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smarter Balanced Assessment and when do our students take this new assessment?
Smarter Balance Assessment is an assessment that the state has informally began evaluating to replace the Iowa Assessment.
It is a balanced, high-quality assessment system to which includes formative, interim, and summative components that are aligned to the Common Core.
SBA is computerized and therefore schools, students, parents will receive results in weeks, rather than months.
Smarter Balance assessments include:
Multiple Choice
Short Constructed Response
Extended Constructed Response
Performance Tasks
Before starting this slide – please remind them if they have further questions to WRITE THEM ON A POSTCARD AND NOT ADDRESS THE WHOLE GROUP. ;)
Tell them (nicely) you are not going to spend a lot of time on this but if they would like more information to write it on their exit slip.
Just briefly go over each point.
Feedback: “Smarter Balance is vague.”

19. Elementary Math: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smarter Balanced Assessment and when do our students take this new assessment?
It is not official that Iowa will be implementing this assessment. The very earliest we would be using this assessment is the school year. We will keep you informed.
We will continue to discuss performance tasks and problem-based instruction through our District PLC time in order to support our students in the area of problem solving.
If you would like more information and/or to view sample items and tasks for grades 3 – 5, please visit the elementary math website.
PD Resources > Early Out PLC > Smarter Balanced Assessment
Before starting this slide – please remind them if they have further questions to WRITE THEM ON A POSTCARD AND NOT ADDRESS THE WHOLE GROUP. ;)
If someone gets excited/upset about anything on here – please let them know to write down their question or visit the website.
Let them know we need to continue on with science/ss content.
Facilitators: If you look for Smarter Balance Resources on the website as of 11/19 you will not see them. I will have them posted before the 4th. Thanks!
Feedback: “I would like more information on how we are preparing for Smarter Balance.”

20. KINDERGARTEN Science Weather and Seasons Unit

21. Unit Outline
6 weeks in length to correspond with literacy unit 3 (120 minutes/week)
I Can Statements (student outcomes for the unit)
I can name the 4 seasons. 
I can identify the changes in weather from season to season in Iowa.
I can use various tools to gather data about the weather.
I can recognize the sun as the source of heat and light for the Earth.
I can identify seasons, day and night as events that are repeated in regular patterns.
I can explain that the sun can only be seen during our daylight hours. (We are unable to see the sun at night because of the rotation of the Earth)

22. Resources
Foss Trees Kit, Observing Weather section (in the front of the manual) only
Lots of other resources listed on the curriculum guide and online.
Science website
Contact Kim O’Donnell if you need any support

23. Other Ideas For Teaching Weather and Seasons
Record student generated weather vocabulary on an ABC framework and uses those words to create a matching game for students to learn weather vocabulary.
Students explore correlations between dress and weather. They write weather dress codes to be adopted by the elementary grades.
Invite a meteorologist from a local television station to speak to your students about weather.
Make your own weather instruments (barometer, anemometer, thermometer and vane) to collect weather data as a class:

24. Collaboration Time!
Form small groups (3-4) and discuss how you plan to teach weather and seasons with your students, and integrate science concepts with literacy and math.
Add your lesson ideas to the weather and seasons page on the elementary science wiki! (you’ll need to become a member to add to the page.) Your facilitator has the directions!

25. Wrap Up & Exit Slip

26. Exit Slip
Use a notecard on your table to complete one of the following sentence starters:
I am excited about…
Something I find challenging…
I would like more information about…
I really enjoyed…