AMHS Math Department Newsletter

DSCD has rolled out it's new curriculum for ALL teachers to follow. To instructions to access our curriculum are below:

1. Click on the VERGE icon
   
2. From the top menu, select "Courses"
3. From the drop down menu, select "Curriculum Community"
4. From the top menu, select "Resources"
5. On the side menu, you will see several folders. The ones that are most important to you are the "DCSD Grading Protocol"; "Lesson Plan Template"; "Syllabus Template"; "Professional Learning Updates"; and "Math". Each of these will be explained below.

This document explains how grades are weighted in all classes and what assignments fall under each category. Please print and keep handy. You should be well versed on grading protocols!

This is the template that should be used when planning with your subject team members. Yes, the Curriculum Planner has all the needed information and it is rather redundant. However, complete the document, add any activities that you all plan to do, and include all team members' names on the document. Mrs. Mason has provided information on how she wants it posted.

Use your lesson plans to post weekly assignments/due dates on your webpage for students and parents.

Lesson Plans are due on Monday morning.

Everyone should be using this template for their syllabus. If not, it is strongly suggested that you do. Please post your syllabus on your webpage and have students/parents acknowelege it using a Google Form. There is no need to print a syllabi for each student. SAVE PAPER!!

All of us should be life long learners. I will inform you of mandatory professional development opportunities. However, you should desire to become better teachers for your students by attending some of these courses. Peruse at your convenience!

This is the most important folder for us! On the landing page is NCTM's definition of math literacy. This is what we strive to do in our courses ...create mathematically literate students. The county has provided several techniques to help us create mathematically literate students; one is presented in video form. I have used the close reading technique and I find it very beneficial to student comprehension.

Additional information can be found by reading the "Mathematics Non-Negotiables". This is a very important document and while planning your lessons, those non-negotiables should be kept in mind. (Print and keep close to you!) More on this at a later date!

Scroll down to your course folder. Each folder has the "Curriculum at a Glance" (CAG) and the units. Look at the CAG and with your team, develop a timeline for AMHS. I have created a timeline for Acc PreCal and AP Statistics. If you would like to see it, contact me and I will end it to you.

Click on the "Unit 1" folder. three folders: Assessments, Resources, and Unit Plan.

• Assessments: Houses pre-tests (all courses) and post tests (Non EOC courses only). EOC courses will administer county benchmarks which are located in Illuminate. All teachers must administer the county pretest during the first week of school. Test security is important: make a class set, provide students with an answer document to record answers (no cell phones and students can not keep a copy of the test); grade pretests and input in the "PreAssessment" category (0%). You can administer your own diagnostic tests but you MUST do the county pre-test. The test should be tagged "U1 - name of assignment". Benchmarks and Post tests are graded and input in the Summative Category.
• Resources: Houses tasks (usually 3) that are to incorporated into your lessons. As a team, you are to work through the task prior to assigning the task. Please keep your work in a folder! Use this information to better teach your students. The tasks are to be graded using the 4-3-2-1 system and input into the "PreAssessment" category. These tasks can also be put in the Assessment During Learning" category, however, AMHS leadership needs to determine the numerical grade to be used for all tasks in all courses. So just be patient until this occurs! If you don't see your tasks in this folder, they are embedded in the Unit plans.
• Unit Plan: Houses the unit plans. Use this to complete your lesson plans. These document have just about everything you need. USE THEM!! You can add additional activities to your lesson plans. Please make a sincere effort to follow our curriculum!! THANKS!!