1. August 20, 2013

2. Report Cards, Portfolios, Data Collection, Math Trailblazers, Read to Achieve, Cursive, Fountas & Pinnell Kits

3. K-2 Standards Based Minor changes Shading based on pacing Second grade will pilot using report cards with PowerSchool as soon as logistically possible 3-5 Will remain the same Committee looking into Standards-Based

4. Yellow Card is no more! PowerSchool data Data spreadsheet is no longer a district requirement Data sheet/sticker will be printed for portfolio

5. Third grade will be using Handwriting Without Tears to teach cursive. For grades 4-12, it is the expectation that students complete at least one assignment in cursive each grading period. 3-5 Benchmarks will be through School Net (a part of PowerTeacher). There will only be two benchmarks this year (Nov & March). If there is a Fountas and Pinnell kit in your classroom, please don’t discard it. These can be used for students who read at level U or above or for progress monitoring.

6. http://maccss.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/Elementary http://www.mymathtrailblazers.com/

7. Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication

8. www.p21.org

9. 21 st Century Themes Global Awareness Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy Civic Literacy Health Literacy Environmental Literacy http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/97673

10. Becoming a more critical thinker is not easy. It takes time and effort. Kindergartener’s are 98% divergent thinkers. By the time they reach 3 rd grade, they are 40% divergent thinkers

11. Critical thinking occurs when students construct meaning by interpreting, analyzing, and manipulating information in response to a problem or question that requires more than a direct, one-right-answer application of previously learned knowledge Adams

12. The rubric for our teacher evaluation lists these specific skills: Think creatively and critically Develop and test innovative ideas Synthesize knowledge Draw conclusions Exercise and communicate sound reasoning Understand connections Make complex choices Frame, analyze and solve problems

13. An essential requirement of critical thinking is the ability to think about thinking, to engage in what is sometimes called "metacognition". The art of thinking about your thinking while you're thinking in order to make your thinking better: more clear, more accurate, more fair

14. Critical thinkers strive to treat similar things similarly and different things differently. Uncritical thinkers often don't see significant similarities and differences. Things superficially similar are often significantly different. Things superficially different are often essentially the same. Only through practice can we become sensitized to significant similarities and differences.

15. Teach important vocabulary Use thinking maps/graphic organizers Model (read alouds discussing similarities/differences) Practice, practice, practice

16. Critical thinkers must be creative thinkers as well, generating possible solutions in order to find the best one Very often a problem persists, not because we can't tell which available solution is best, but because the best solution has not yet been made available-no one has thought of it yet.

17. Sample of the Critical Thinking rubric for grades 3-4.

19. Development Focus Purpose Sharing Acselementary.wikispaces.com