What is your target?

"Students can hit any target they can see and which stands still for them." 

Rick Stiggins, Educator and assessment expert 

This past week the Assessment teams convened to create the "target that beckons".  Teams reviewed the Draft Performance Level Descriptors and the Evidence Statement tables from PARCC to ensure that our 9th and 10th grade courses are aligned to the expectation of the upcoming exams.  Algebra 1-2, Algebra 1-2 Honors, Geometry 1-2 and Geometry 1-2 Honors created Question-Based Assessment on D2SC that are aligned to the Common Core blueprints.  Click on the course name to view the blueprints.

Algebra1     Algebra2    Algebra1H   Algebra2H (Algebra 2H will be done in the fall)
Geometry1   Geometry2  Geometry1H  Geometry2H (Geometry 2 and Honors will be done soon)

Thank you to the following teachers for the hard work on the assessment team!  They accomplished TONS :)
Becky Angus- Metro Tech
Dina Medina- Metro Tech
Jeanine Aguilar- Carl Hayden
Lisa Quiroga- Camelback
Jens Larson- Metro Tech
Kristine Cunningham- Alhambra
Eira Rodriguez- Carl Hayden
Katherine Privette- Fairfax
Sonia Kapoor- Trevor Browne

As we wrap up the summer curriculum teams, I am very excited for the upcoming school year as we continue our Common Core Journey.  Have a relaxing summer and hope to see on July 29th for the Math Curriculum Day at Metro Tech HS.

Get your Common core groove on...

That is exactly what 14 Geometry teachers and 11 Algebra teachers have done this summer!  Today was the last day for the District Geometry Curriculum Team and we were getting a little "delirious" after staring at a computer screen for eleven days.  However, after eleven days we definitely have a "Common Core Groove".  We started 3 weeks ago reviewing the expectations of Common Core Curriculum and began the enormous task of creating high quality assessments and learning experiences for both Algebra and Geometry.  After 11 days, the Geometry teachers feel that implementing Common Core is attainable!  There are over 540 geometry artifacts posted to SharePoint, 27 geometry assessments added to D2SC, 117 differentiated Algebra resources in D2SC, 24 Algebra unit assessments in D2SC and all of the Algebra learning experiences will be loaded to SharePoint next week.

Below is a screenshot of what each team accomplished so please thank the following Geometry teachers for the dedication over the last three weeks!

Michael Blakely- Alhambra 
Kristine Cunningham- Alhambra 
Licet Herrera - Alhambra 
Chuck Peterson- Alhambra 

Rachell Angell - Camelback 

Lisa Quiroga - Camelback 

Dolores Ramirez - Carl Hayden 

Jessica Tena - Carl Hayden 

Oscar Ramirez - Cesar Chavez

Natalie Meyer- Fairfax 

Dave Richardson - Fairfax 

August McIntosh - Maryvale 
Jens Larson - Metro Tech
Darren Schwartz - North

Geometry Team Accomplishments 

Algebra Team accomplishments 

Take a moment to explore the new resources and the Geometry team will explain the structure and purpose of the materials at the Curriculum Day on July 29th. Register for the event on Career Track.

Week 2 of Curriculum teams...Check!

This week went by incredibly fast as Algebra finished up their revisions to Year 1 implementation artifacts and Geometry finished up Year 1 assessments.  Over and over from both groups, I heard comments like, "this is fun! I am beginning to understand this..." or " Wow, I can't believe how much we have grown in one year."  The curriculum teams this summer have been amazing and I am so proud of the work they have accomplished.  Algebra revised each unit assessment to align with the PARCC PLDs and the PARCC Assessment evidence tables.  They also created/revised student learning experiences to align with the new assessments.  Geometry is almost done with all of the assessments and they began working on lesson design and creating some "very cool" explorations with constructions, proofs and transformational geometry.   

Thanks to the following Algebra teachers for crafting a fabulous Year II CCSS-M learning experience! 

Sergio Arroyos - Alhambra 

Jesus Molina - Alhambra 

Angela Enciso - Camelback

Samantha Lindstrom - Camelback 

Jeanine Aguilar - Carl Hayden 

Diana Roman - Carl Hayden 

Jeanette Scott - Cesar Chavez

Patricia Chittenden - Fairfax 

Josh Wray - Fairfax

Rashawn Gilmer - Franklin 

Becky Angus-Metro Tech 

Dina Medina- Metro Tech

The Curriculum documents are completed for 2013-2014 and have been posted to the Phoenix Union Website and can be found by clicking on the name of the courses below.  

Algebra 1-2 

Algebra 1-2 Honors 

Geometry 1-2 

Geometry 1-2 Honors 

Algebra 3-4 

Algebra 3-4 Honors 

All revisions will be posted in the upcoming weeks so watch for updates..