Word Walls and Power Standards

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I spent yesterday at a training about Power Standards. The idea is simple and something that I think a lot of us overlook--focus on the most important standards, and tie everything else into them. Now, I could sit and easily tell you what standards in the 8th grade curriculum are most important and which are not hit upon as much, but I never took into account the relevancy in the real world or how heavily the standard weighs into other classes (science) or the following courses.

Using a spreadsheet the county prepared for us that had all of the standards in it and coding, we ranked the importance of each standard in the real world, in future grades, and on the state test, whether it is useful in only math, in two subjects, or in multiple subjects, and what level of RBT it is. each response had a certain number of points attached, so the formulas ranked the standards in order of importance according to our responses. It color coded the top ranked in blue, the bottom in red, and everything in between in a shade of purple. From there, we were able to identify the Power Standards, Complementary Standards, and Remaining Standards.

I love this idea. I could have told you months ago that there is no reason for me to spend a month on the real number system. The NC EOG only has 2-3 questions on those standards. My problem is that I'm a perfectionist and I want my kids to master each and every single standard. In reality, I would much rather them master things like systems, linear equations, functions, Line of Best Fit, and the Pythagorean Theorem and have a decent grasp on everything else because that is what is most important in 8th grade, in the real world, in their science classes, and in future math classes. 

Now, I had already mapped out my year, but after doing this, I wanted to do it over. Now my units are centered around the power standards, more time is focused on those standards than things like differentiating between rational and irrational numbers, and I can see my power standards cycle back through different units as complementary standards. I have a nice little flow chart set up for my first semester using sticky notes. Of course,  I color coded--Power Standards in green, complementary in blue, and remaining in pink. If this works out, Systems will be covered before Christmas in a perfect world and definitely by the end of the first semester. I'm fine with moving my scatter plots unit to the second semester if it means having systems done in the first half of the year. I like this because I can pull systems through the rest of my curriculum to keep it fresh for the rest of the year. In a perfect world, the two weeks after Christmas are completely open for reviewing, reteaching, and retesting.

So what does this mean?

Redoing all of my I Can statements and data trackers. In the long run, it will be totally worth it. I just wish that I would have had this training before I got all motivated and decided to start planning my year. Look for new data trackers coming soon in that case. Sigh

The good news is, I haven't started my INB yet, so I don't have to start that over.

New Products!

INB Frayer foldables for all 8th grade vocabulary. Cut them apart, fold each in half, and you can fit 6 to a page in your INB. Alternatively, you can just keep them attached, or cut them and use them as flash cards. There are places for the student's definition, your definition, examples, and counterexamples for each one. There are over 150 words included. This file is available in my TPT store here.

 Word Wall posters to go with the Frayer's. There are a few words or terms in there that I did not include in the Frayer models because they were not things with definitions (for example, I use V/C to teach solving equations rather than the traditional algorithms). Three per page. Cut apart and use on your word wall or agenda board. This is available on my TPT store as well.

You can get both of these files bundled together as well.

Purchase today to get 20% off!

#myfavfriday 2014 Classroom Reveal

Setting up for the year and decorating my classroom is one of my favorite things about teaching, so it seems appropriate to post it for this week's

After spending Tuesday-Friday in my classroom this week, it's finally put together! Since they changed me from Enrichment to 8th grade math, I also had to move classrooms. I'm in a MUCH larger classroom, I have storage, and I'm not out in the boondocks anymore (my old room was in an annex), but I will miss how quiet it was out there and my huge floor-to-ceiling window.

I continued the owl theme from last year, but brought in more of the bright colors. I opted out of the lights around my room because they were a pain to put up and take down when I changed schools. I will miss them and their ambience, but it will be ok.

Panoramic view from my door

Calendar--I like to put up birthdays and obviously holidays etc. I will also post the school calendar and any other pertinent information here as well.

This worked out really well for me last year until supplies started going missing. I decided this year that I will only put supplies out when we need them, and only the supplies we need that day. It will be a little extra work for me, but it will save me $$! Supplies will go in the caddies. The bottom folders are their data notebooks for their data trackers. I had to move all of my bookshelves home to my apartment when I changed counties, and the other three bookshelves from my old classroom are now being occupied by things here, so I decided to only take three to school and some tables will just have to share.

Front of my room. I left the center empty because I am having a SMART Board mounted soon. CUBES posters and TEAM Posters displayed above and SWAG down the side.

SWAG is part of the Fab 5 (found on Pinterest but I can't find the Pin). Our principal always talks about Patriot Swag, so this is fitting :)

My main resources that I use and the homework wheel from Teaching Ninja above. I made it out of washi tape and a lazy susan. I used industrial strength velcro to hold it to the wall and I'm hoping that's enough. I'll add an arrow to the wall, give it a spin, and that's how we will determine how homework is graded that day.

Close up of the homework wheel

Front of my desk. I am in LOVE! I love to have my own corner and had been struggling trying to figure out how to place my desk so I can keep the kids out from behind it (I HATE that!). I forgot about my black table that had also come home from my old county and had been hiding under my guest bed. Yay! I also found this super cute chevron fabric at Hobby Lobby and used it to cover my desk. So cute :)

From behind my desk. Important binders (parent contact, Teacher Binder, Resources) in the crate.

The rest of my corner. I swear, that cart is the best investment I've made for my classroom. LOVE that thing.

This hangs on the cabinet behind my desk. One folder per day per block (left Filetastic and top of the right one) plus one folder for next week. This is how I stay organized. All of the papers for each day go in here so if I'm absent it's easy enough. The other folders are for things to copy, things to file, things to grade, things to put in the grade book, things to deal with later, and a MISC folder.

I've seen this done on Pinterest, but not in person. I put my two filing cabinets back to back, put some fabric and a border up and had an instant Vocab wall :) I'll put words on here for the whole unit then transfer them to the cabinets on the opposite wall to build the big word wall. Above the cabinets are the Properties of Equality and Properties of Real Numbers from The Enlightened Elephant.

Cozy Corner--I use this as a reward for students. The criteria varies depending on the week and my mood. 

Back Wall--I'm not sure what I will use this filetastic for--either extra practice or for workshop resources. Above it is my math mantra canvas. I'm going to really commit to Math Workshop this year, so I"m really excited about that, and I think the board is even cuter on the purple than it was on the brown last year. Above are the mathematical practices. I can't remember where I got them from, but when I figure it out, I will link.

Close-up of the workshop board. The activities spell MATHS--Math Journal, At your seat, Teacher's Choice, Help Desk, and Skill Practice

Data Wall--I know I am going to do a data wall, but I'm not sure how I am going to display the data. I want to do it with the I Can statements and data trackers, but the format has yet to be determined. I'd love to talk data walls and SBG with someone out there!

Above--Respectful Team Talk posters from Mrs. Hester. I wanted them to match, so I made my own, but the questions are all from her. The "Today..." board will be the focus. It will display our I Can statements for the day as well as our standards for the day. Down the right is LEAD. Hobby Lobby still hasn't gotten in an E, so right now it is just LAD. 

I just realized I didn't get a picture of the other canvas. It says "Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you see the world."

We are a 7 Habits school, so here are the 7 Habits posters I made for my room. They are available in my TPT store.

Paperwork station--turn in papers, late work, and absentee binder. Word wall will be on the cabinets above here and down the rest of the wall above the computers. I have made labels for each of my cabinets, but the laser printer at school wasn't working properly today, so I couldn't get them printed.

There you have it! I'm so excited about this room. I just love it! 

New Products

Just a quick update before my classroom reveal tomorrow *squeals of excitement*

I put together a set of I Can statements and vocabulary words to use for a Math Focus Wall or Word Wall. They can both be found in my TPT store.

Vocabulary

I Can statements with Learning Targets 

I Can Statements without Learning Targets

I Can statements directly align with my Data Trackers. There is a set with and without the Learning Target numbers. Vocabulary is color coded by unit to match the I Can statements as well. I'm excited to get these laminated and added to my wall :)

I also put together a chart for my kids to keep track of whether they have mastered something at a glance. This will go in the front of their data notebooks in class.