Common Core Assessment Packs now K-3 & Big Brother

I finally finished the 3rd Grade version of my Common Core Assessment pack. Geesh, there were a lot! You can pick up a copy in my TpT store by clicking on the picture.

The thumbnail generator seems to be down at TpT but you can download the preview.

Just like the K, 1, & 2 versions, it includes all the ELA & Math standards. You can read more about how I plan to use these {here} if you missed my previous post. Thanks so much to everyone who has bought them. I am so glad you think they will be helpful!

I am not sure I have as many 3rd grade followers so to try to reach more people I am going to run a promotion giveaway. To enter to win your choice of a K, 1, 2, or 3rd grade Assessment Pack, please spread the word about them with a link back to me on your blog, facebook. twitter, or pinterest. If you don't partake in any of that, you can still enter by telling someone the old-fashioned way. :-)
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Okay, on to Big Brother...

This group is kinda BORING so far! I'm sure part of the problem is that with the coaches, things got strategic right away. Instead of naturally making alliances by friendship the groups were formed for them right away. Plus Big Brother has restricted the alcohol a lot more since that one year they were kinda crazy. I'm not sure why when it would be a sure way to get more interesting t.v.

I had to laugh last night (Showtime) when Janelle, Ian, and Ashley were trying to figure out how many days were in July and couldn't. Seriously?? Too bad Danielle the supposed Kindergarten teacher wasn't in the room. I would have liked to see if they thought to ask her.

Boogie just bugs me. He seems like such a slimeball! Shane weirdly gets little camera time. They say he works out a lot and doesn't drink or smoke.

Listening FREEBIE & 2nd grade CCSS Pack

Hi, my name is Jenn and I am addicting to teaching. 

 {"Hi, Jenn," the rest of the meeting intones.}

I am trying to relax, I am, but I find that difficult. Instead of disconnecting from teaching like I probably should, I find myself spending many hours planning, creating, and organizing because I finally have more time to do it.  Most of my teacher friends think I am nuts and have no problem leaving their classroom behind. Anyone else feeling me? I am thinking I know some bloggers who should be commenting below in a similar AA format. :-)

A lot of my brain is consumed by this Common Core leadership thing I have gotten myself into.  I am feeling kind of stressed that I am the only one at my site (20ish in the whole district) to pilot this.  I keep looking over my yearly plan at what I will need to change.  I am still not 100% clear if somethings are still mine to teach or not. For example, I am not seeing contractions or compound words as a first grade standard. Anyone who is teaching/learning common core want to chime in and tell me if I am correct on that? What are the other changes you have noticed? I bet a conversation on this would help a lot of us.

One of the things I am trying to do is tweak what I already do to make it fit the standards better. I adjusted my listening center response sheets. These are FREE in my TpT store.

1st grade:  I filled this one in as an example.

 Kindergarten

2nd grade: they would have to be taught to include the info like above with a conclusion. {This could also be used later in the year for first.}

I also added the requested 2nd Grade version of my Common Core Assessment Pack to my store along with the Kinder & 1st. {Click the picture to visit my store}

 I'd love to hear from you if you download my listening center freebie, want to talk about what standards you notice are different, or want to come up with a name for our Anonymous meetings? :-)

Shift Happens & CCSS Kindergarten Pack

Many comments on my last post asked me to share anything I could about my Common Core training so I thought I might devote a few posts. Here goes...

At first, I thought that the Common Core wasn't that big a change from our California state standards. I figured, "Okay, so I lose coins and pick up a little fractions, no biggie."  BUT, what I learned is there are some MAJOR SHIFTS in the WAY we are to teach and students are to learn.

I loved this video! So what does this mean? Clearly we need to focus on teaching our students how to be good thinkers and be able to sift through information and decide what to do with it.  Isn't this opposite of how it is now? Don't students wait to be told the "right" way and then try to copy it exactly to get the correct answer? Isn't that sad? Is there only one right way? Wouldn't it be amazing to have a classroom full of students who think of their own, independent answers, feel comfortable and confident in explaining how they got there, and respect others points of view? Can you imagine how this would better our future workforce?

One of the major shifts in the Common Core standards is the emphasis on students explaining (orally and written) HOW they got their answer and providing evidence.

What will this look like?  This means less filling in bubbles, and more free-response tests or PBAs (Performance Based Assessments.)  It also means providing more opportunities for students to orally explain their thinking. This likely means more formative assessments, hence my idea to make checklists to keep myself on track. 

As requested, I made a Kindergarten version of my Common Core Assessment Pack.

Click on the pic to take you to my TpT store.

If you don't know what I am talking about you can read my original post by clicking here.

I will pick one winner tomorrow to receive a FREE copy of this pack. To be eligible, comment below on the video, this post, tell me you pinned it, your thoughts or questions,  a book recommendation now that I am done with 50 Shades?

And yes, I am working on 2nd and 3rd grade packs for those of you who asked. I think I am getting carpal tunnel from all this typing!

Common Core Assessment

I am dreaming Common Core. That is just wrong on so many levels. Especially since I read Fifty Shades of Grey recently. WOW, that was an eye opener. BIG mistake to read an erotic book while my husband was out of town. HUGE. I was super happy to see him when he got home. :-) Am I over-sharing? My cheeks are pink just typing this.  

Anyway, what kind of lame brain focuses on the Common Core over a Red Room fantasy??  One that has sat through 8 days of training, perhaps?

One of the shifts in the Common Core is the idea that learning will be proven through student explanation. It seems to me that many of these standards will best be assessed through observation. To keep myself organized, I made checklists for each strand (ELA) and domain (math.) 

One set has each standard listed across the top. 

The second set has the cluster headings and space to write in the activity, skill, etc. Many districts break their report card down into similar headings so I thought this would be helpful.

I plan to put one set on a clipboard for me to jot down quick formative assessments. My district uses 3=at grade level standard, 2=approaching standard, and 1=below standard but you could easily use +, ✓, − or your own system.

I plan to hole-punch another set for my grade book to record summative assessments.

I was also thinking these checklists would help me form intervention groups.  As I observe students struggling, I can quickly highlight the standard on their names and voila, small group formed!

 
     As I familiarize myself with these new standards, I thought it also might help to check off each standard as I teach it. This will ensure I hit all of them throughout the year and will illustrate which standards need more attention.

 If you think this might be helpful, click {HERE} to visit my TpT store. 

Would you like to win a FREE copy? Just leave a comment below about anything {Common Core, the kinky book, let me know that you pinned this, a question you have for me, something else you'd like to see me make,  ANYTHING just talk to me peeps} and I'll pick a winner as I sit attentively in day 9 of training tomorrow. ;-)

Anyone interested in me making one of these packs for a different grade level?

Common Core App

My district is getting on board the CCSS train. Are you on the train? Our train is slow moving. A select group of K-1 will explore the standards and make a curriculum map. Then, we will try it out this next year and help train everyone else the following year. I am part of this "Leadership Team" and learned about an app I thought I would share. Maybe you already know about if your train is more of speeding bullet rather than a locomotive?

This is a free CCSS app for smartphones or ipad. Just search your app store for Common Core Mastery Connect to find it. I think it will be helpful to have the new standards at my fingertips.

I also added a widget to my sidebar here on my blog. Do you see it over on the right? If you click on it, it will expand to look like the above picture. Cool, huh?

Common Core Question

So I have been hearing a lot about Common Core from all my blog friends but not one word from my district. My district is very large and not very progressive.  We are currently standards-based but with our own state standards.

I see on the Common Core website that my state, California, has adopted them. I just sent an email to our curriculum director asking where our district stands on implementing these.

I noticed 2 big differences in the math from my state standards:
1. NO MONEY??? Did I miss it?
2. Fractions -we currently don't do these. I have no problem with it although I am realizing our math curriculum (Envisions) doesn't support it.

So my questions to you are:
1. Are/have you implemented Common Core? ( I am curious how behind my district is.)
2. Is it your belief that having common standards throughout the country IS going to happen, it is just a matter of time?

I personally like the idea and I am thinking it will help when I create math games, etc to keep these in mind.