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Saturday, July 20, 2013

A couple resources to help understand the CCSS

I have to admit that upon first look into the CCSS I did not understand them.  I read through them and just couldn't quite figure out what exactly I was supposed to be teaching.  Each one was a couple of vague sentences that was not at all specific and I wasn't sure what they would actually look like in a classroom.

I saw these flipbooks all over twitter and blogs and pinterest and it only took me a glance through to understand why.  For me, these babies have been the most helpful things ever.  

Just in case there's anyone that hasn't already seen them, for every standard they give:
  • a more complete explanation of what the standard means, this has been really helpful
  • example problem(s) for every single standard
  • instructional strategies with tips on good ways to go about teaching the standard, often including what students have learned before that you can expand upon
  • common misconceptions surrounding the topic that may arise
There is also a really useful page on the mathematical practices and some easy to use question starters to help you start incorporating the practices.


I got excited about these within the last two weeks or so of school and wanted to share them so I sent a link to my principal and supervisor.  Well after looking through them they agreed and my supervisor said to just let her know what I want and she would have them made up for all the math teachers in the district...on colored cardstock of my choosing.  When I went in last week to start working they were all there done- printed, tabs cut out, and bound.  How awesome is that??  In September all the other teachers should be getting theirs.

What we ended up doing was making three different ones for algebra 1, geometry, and algebra 2.  The cover sheets I just typed up myself.  Each one only contains the standards that are covered in that course.  Each strand (number and quantity algebra, geometry, functions, statistics and probability) is printed on a different colored paper.



Another resource that I'm LOVING is shmoop and I am just disappointed that I didn't stumble upon this sooner.  Has anyone else seen this??

If anyone that is like me and is having difficulty wrapping their head around exactly what we're supposed to be teaching with each standard then you need to go check this out like right now.

At the top of the page is a super easy to use drop down menu to get you to exactly which standard you need.  And then they offer explanations of each one that is so easy to understand.  And if that wasn't enough, for every single standard they also offer either a worksheet or quiz with practice problems.

For me, the problems have been so valuable.  Formal language is great and all, but ultimately I just want to know what the kids need to be able to do.  It helps me understand what's really going on.

You can also tell that whoever is writing for them is having fun with it, while still providing great content.  Their explanations are often funny.  I found one that relates functions to Justin Beiber and Megan Fox.  At the bottom of every worksheet they write:
Shmoop will make you a better lover (of literature, math, life...)
So yeah..you should go check that out right now.

13 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this post! I found out on Thursday that our district is going to be implementing CCSS this year instead of waiting until 2014-2015 like the rest of our state. I have been frantically searching for materials ever since. I loved the flip book idea so much that I already made one for myself, but I am definitely going to be showing this to our curriculum coordinator to see if she will get one made for all of our math teachers. I am geometry teacher and my biggest concern is figuring out the order in which the standards should be taught. Should I use the order that I have currently been using? Any thoughts or suggestions?

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  2. How incredibly awesome it is that your administration got these done for all the math teachers?! With our most recent budget cuts, I doubt we'll be able to do this. I printed these for 7th and 8th grade last week and got them bound at Office Depot for $6. I still have to do the Geometry and and Algebra 1 set soon. I'm NOT looking forward to it. By the time I was done with the 7th and 8th grade ones, my printer (which is barely functional) was about to die. Thanks for sharing Schmoop! I wish I had seen this last year! What a struggle I had, but I guess I'm better for it, right? At least that's what I keep telling myself. :-)

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  3. Hi! Love your blog! Can you tell me where you bought the flip charts for CCSS? They sound indispensable. Thanks for sharing such great tips! :-)

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  4. Never mind! I just realized that if you click the word flip charts, the link will take me straight to them. Thanks!!!!

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  5. Oh wait. Do you know if there is a link for something like this for ELA? Thanks!

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  6. Thanks so much for the links! Your blog is great! I nominated you for a Liebster Award: http://msmathmadness.blogspot.com/2013/07/liebster-award.html

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  7. thanks for the resources. I will be using these this year!

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  8. Thanks for all the info you share on your blog...looks like I will be jumping from 8th grade math to Algebra 2 and Discrete. Do you have any suggestions on higher level blogs that shares anything like you do? I am going to be a little out of my element for a while since I have spent the entire summer on 8th grade Math and Algebra 1. Thanks for all you do!

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  9. Khan Academy is great resource for CC activities for flipped classroom lessons.

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  10. The flipbook hyperlink does not work. Any other way to find them?

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. You can find the flipbook at: http://community.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=5646

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