Teach Children Well: Prep 2013-2014 School Year: Details

There's lots to do in the spring, summer, and early fall to prep for a wonderful year. Making a list of those efforts will help you to stay on track in a timely fashion. Hence, this is the list I'll use. I'll most likely revise the list as the weeks move forward, but this makes a good starting point, one that I am able to share with colleagues if to use as a guide if interested.

Do you chart the course for classroom prep and efforts? If so, does your list look similar to mine? What additions would you make? How do you effectively collaborate so that summer study and school year prep is reasonable for every member of the faculty?

Take a look at the items below. Make your own list if interested. And, make sure you make time for summer fun and family too.

2013-2014 School Year Start Checklist

Task	Check
Professional Learning
Self Reflection: MA Teacher Evaluation Rubric Daily Blog Post	X
Math and ELA Scope and Sequence Review and Revision: add details, links.	X
Learning Design Research/Template Creation Lesson Plan Template	X
Wayland ELA Institutes Coursework	X
Wayland Math Institute Course Work week of 8/11	X
NBPTS Renewal Work - Start Sept.	X
Prep MTA Summer Conference Presentation - Week of July 29	X
Prep “Learning to Learn” School Year Unit - Week of August 11 (or before) Continue to read Summer Study links, apply to curriculum templates, efforts.	X
Prep MassCUE “The 24-7 Classroom” Unit - Prep September	X
MassCUE conference form	X
Special Education Access Work re MD and school - July	X
US Tour Project Creation	still working
Room, Classroom Routine, Schedule, Class Culture Prep - Week of 8/27
Curriculum Night Preparation	X
Draft Scheduling, Weekly Pattern, and Communication Protocols.	X
Ordering: Check orders, put away all supplies. 8/27	X
Supply Purchases (keep receipts!)	need to submit receipts
Room Set Up: clean, organize child friendly learning space. * 8/27	X
First Weeks of School
Scheduling and Communication Protocols with Learning Community**	X
PLC Start: Norms, Protocols, Focus	X
Set up Class Data Chart and Individual Student Coaching Chart	X
Curriculum Night: Establishing the Learning Community	X
Early Year Assessments/Goal Setting: Reading, Writing, Math, Students’ Interests and Attitudes	X
Early Year Family Meetings (optional)	X
System-Wide and School Committees Sign Up and Start	X
Evaluation Professional Learning and Practice Goals: Writing Fluency (#of pieces, type, focus), NBPTS Recertification	X
Writer’s Workshop Establish Routines Create offline writer’s notebooks, use and practice Create online’s writer’s notebooks, use and practice Establish daily writing routines, regular conference routines Initial Assessment	X
Reader’s Workshop Establish Routines Create schedule for reading response online and offline in writer’s notebooks. Conference with each child Choosing just-right books for each child w/child. First read aloud: Gold Threaded Dress Time for reading in school and at home every day--establish positive patterns, troubleshoot where necessary	X
Math Workshop Establish Routines Use SMP Unit roll-out for first unit: Measurement Initial Assessments Begin Computation Thread w/daily attention, individualized student efforts.	X
Social Competency/Learning to Learn Start of Year Unit (This is start of year PBL block) Teach children what it means to be a successful learner. Establish classroom protocols, norms, routines w/students. Establish classroom community patterns, expectations.	still needs work
Read and Apply PARCC Models and Standards to ongoing units.	ongoing

Spring Prep
Move-Up Letter	X
Summer Study Lists	X
Ordering	X
Review of Scope and Sequence	X
Summer Study List Created	X
Summer 2014 Professional Study Possibilities
Background Information, Reading: Yardsticks, Math Info Text

*Classroom Set-Up

**Daily Routine (rough schedule that includes focus lessons, but does not include specific times since I haven’t received my school schedule yet)

Day/ Subject	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.
8:30	check-in keyboard (outside lab)	check-in keyboard (outside lab)	check-in keyboard (outside lab)	check-in keyboard (outside lab)	check-in keyboard (outside lab)
8:50	writing wkshp	writing wkshp	writing wkshp	writing wkshp	writing wkshp
9:50	reading wkshp	reading wkshp	reading wkshp	reading wkshp	reading wkshp
10:50	recess	recess	recess	recess	recess
11:00	math comp	math comp	math comp	math comp	math comp
11:30	math workshop	math workshop	math workshop	math workshop	math workshop
12:30	lunch	lunch	lunch	lunch	lunch
1:20	Lexia	Lexia	Lexia	Lexia	Lexia
1:45	PBL/spec	PBL/spec	PBL/spec	PBL/spec	PBL/spec
2:40	read aloud	read aloud	read aloud	read aloud	read aloud

Content Structure and Goals

Subject	Content/Structure	Goals
Online Skills	Structure varies dependent upon tech and staffing access: Keyboarding Math Facts Lexia (reading)/SumDog Symphony (math concept)	Keyboarding: Reach or exceed 30-45 wpm. Facts: 100 facts accuracy 5 min or less, all operations. Lexia: 3-5 times a week until complete/SumDog English/Writing when done. Symphony: 3-5 times per week until completion, SumDog when done.
Writer’s Workshop	Start with Warm-Up (get computers/or writer’s notebook) Focus Lesson Write Share	Write fluently-easily write/type 2-4 pages. Write with craft. Write with voice and focus on audience. Write with organization.
Reader’s Workshop	Start with focus lesson (before rti) reading/RTI share	Read independently for 45-60 minutes. Choose “just right” books. Analyze and discuss reading with specific evidence aloud and in writing. Read with fluency and expression.
Math Workshop	start with warm-up active math learning share	Meet all grade-level math standards. Meet SMPs. Enjoy Math.
Math Computation	Review skill or emphasis, practice!	Compute with speed, accuracy, and understanding across all operations.
PBL/STEAM	Interdisciplinary project/problem base learning w/social studies and science focus that embeds standards, skills, and knowledge from all curriculum areas.	State problem/project objective. Create and follow steps. Assess and revise regularly. Present. Assess and create next steps.
Specials	Phys. Ed., Art, Music, Instrumental, Library, Tech, New(?)
Read Aloud	Class read aloud. Genre usually matches reading/writing emphasis.	Model reading comprehension strategies, fluency, and expression. Discuss genre, craft, organization, intent.
Home Study	15 minutes online math practice 15 minutes journal writing - online or off 15 minutes reading book of choice	Regular check-ins to assess work. Parent/Student meetings to supportt.

Curriculum Map

Curriculum Map: 2013-2014

Subject / Month	Reading	Writing	Math	PBL/Special Events
September	Establish RW structure and routine Review all Comp. Strategies Review Story Elements Reading Response Intro	Establish WW structure and routines Create Writers’ Books: online and off. Opinion: Class Community scholars project?	Measurement Line Plots Add/Subtract Place Value Estimation	“I AM” Poems Collaborative Class Map: Google Maps US Tour Starts Landforms trip Culture Flags
October	Review Strategies: Schema Monitor for Meaning Summarizing Sensory Imagining Reading Response	Opinion/Essay	Factors, Multiples Multiplication Facts	Culture Project Writing paragraphs about culture. Creating culture posters Culture Museum.
November	Strategies: Asking Questions Determining Importance Reading Response Genre: Informational Text	Opinion/Essay	Area/Perimeter Multiplication w/large numbers	Culture Project (cont.) NA Culture Trip Promised Lands Immigration Present.
December	Strategies: Inferring Reading Response Genre: Poetry	Poetry Writing	Patterns/Algebra Long Division	Gifts of Poetry “Self Portrait Poetry Anthology”?”
January	Strategies: Inferring Reading Response Genre: Realistic Fiction Focus on Character	Personal Narrative	Fractions/Decimals Computation Review Problem Solving	Digital Story
February	Strategies: Determining Importance MCAS Prep Examples across genre Reading Response	Fictional Narrative MCAS Prep for Writing genre review each week independent test trial	Fractions/Decimals Computation Review Problem Solving	Digital Story
March	Reading Strategy: Synthesizing Determining Importance	Informational Text Project/Research: ES Drama/script as part of study/ presentation	Fractions/Decimals Computation Review Problem Solving Geometry Open Response Problem Solving Computation Review	Biomes Animal Adaptation Animal Adaptation Presentation
April	Reading Strategy: Synthesizing Determining Importance		Geometry Open Response Problem Solving Computation Review MCAS Prep	ES Research
May	Reading Strategy: Synthesizing Determining Importance	Explain it: writing matched w/math, science study	Open Response Problem Solving Computation Review MCAS Prep STEAM	zoo trip Multimedia ES presentations Plate Tectonics with Dr. Sheffels (6 lessons)
June	Genre Study: review genre through summer reading emphases.	Writing Across Genre Summer journal start w/genre writing -online or off.	STEAM Continued Computation and Problem Solving Review	Wolf Hollow STEAM Share

September Specific

Subject /

Month

Reading

Writing

Math

PBL/Special Events

September

Establish RW

structure and routine

Review all Comp. Strategies
Review Story Elements
Reading Response Intro

Read Gold Threaded Dress twice first w/reading comprehension strategies in mind, next with “read like an author” in mind.
Meet with every child to read together, discuss reading, set goals.
GRADE Assessment.
Fluency assessments.

Establish WW structure and routines
Create Writers’ Books: online and off.
Opinion: Class Community Project
scholars project?
Assessment: Letter to the teacher that tells about yourself.
Conferences: Meet with every child to read and discuss their letter, writer’s books, goals.