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Reaching New Heights
A Framework for Examining Cognitive Complexity in Mathematics
Math Instructional Routines: Creating Opportunities for Students With Disabilities to Grapple with Grade-Level Math
How Routines for Reasoning can support all students to engage with the mathematical practices
Designing and Integrating a Grade 3 Assessment on Fractions
A Q&A With Raven Redmond and Jennifer Ahearn
Developing the Math Language Routines
Foster Student Participation Through Building Math Language, Practices, and Content
Part 1
Most Misunderstood Math Standards in Grade 1
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
Are We Teaching Fractions Correctly?
Exploring evidence-based fraction instruction that supports a strong foundation in future mathematics
Creating Choice Boards to Meet the Needs of Every Student
FAQs about using choice boards
Professional Learning Design 101
How to Craft a Meaningful Professional Learning Experience for a Room Full of Strangers
Professional Learning is Personal
Learning Requires Trust, Especially for Teachers
Part 2
Most Misunderstood Math Standards in Grade 2
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
Quality Instructional Materials or Quality Professional Learning Opportunities for Teachers?
Support for educators serving English Learners
Student Closing Statements
Use this routine to check for understanding and identify misconceptions
Kids Gift Us with Their Time
Increase Achievement, Motivation, and Connection with Students Through Classroom Games
Part 3
Yarn Number Line: A Lever to Develop Fraction Understanding
A routine for developing conceptual understanding of fractions
A Switch to Standards-Based Learning
How the standards can support instruction and feedback
Using Data Binders to Increase Student Independence
A tool for fostering intentional and purposeful learning
Part 2
Choral Counting: A Lever to Develop Fraction Understanding
A model process for using choral counting to build conceptual understanding
Part 1
Using Exit Tickets Strategically
Educators share how they've made exit tickets a powerful tool for supporting students
Part 1
Creating a Model Process for Hands-On Professional Learning
An in-depth look at Fraction Lab, a professional learning model focused on improving content knowledge and instructional practice at the same time
Part 5
Taking the First Step in Designing Mathematics Intervention
As you plan a math intervention strategy, where should you focus first?
Giving Students a Choice with Their Learning
Using academic choice boards to build metacognition
Classroom Strategies, Materials Adaptation, Research and Reflections, Standards-Alignment Information, Tools and Resources
Top Blog Posts of 2018
Here are our top 25 most-visited posts of 2018.
Part 5
Most Misunderstood Math Standards in Grade 5
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
Encouraging a Growth Mindset through Art
Strategies for moving beyond "follow-the-leader" style art projects and developing an art curriculum that supports student learning across subjects
Part 4
Most Misunderstood Math Standards in Grade 4
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
The Connection Between Math Materials and Assessment
What happens when curricula and summative assessments don't match?
Doing Better: Aligned Instructional Practice
An overview of the Instructional Practice Guide suite of tools
Part 3
Most Misunderstood Math Standards in Grade 3
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
Building A Culturally Responsive Classroom
Why building a culturally responsive classroom matters for the success of ALL students
Making the Connection Between Materials and Instruction
Why instructional practice should be at the heart of all instructional materials decisions
Seeing College- and Career-Ready Standards through Instruction
Exploring the updates to the Instructional Practice Guide
Part 8
Most Misunderstood Middle School Mathematics Standards in Grade 8
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
Formative Assessments and Feedback in the Digital Age
How implementing Pear Deck changed my classroom.
Part 7
Most Misunderstood Middle School Mathematics Standards in Grade 7
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
Part 4
Re-Teaching Doesn’t Always Mean Repeating
Consider alternative ways to re-teach when students struggle with new content
Part 6
Most Misunderstood Middle School Mathematics Standards In Grade 6
Are these instructional mistakes happening in your classroom?
enVisionmath 2.0: Focusing the K-5 Mathematics Curriculum
The process and the documents one district designed to support alignment of their curriculum to the standards.
The Role of Educators in Summative Assessment: The Life Cycle of a Question
An inside look at the development of summative assessments
Making enVisionmath 2.0 Work
An Introduction to Adapting enVisionmath 2.0 K-5
Part 2
The 3 R’s + 4 C’s = 7th Heaven (Part 2)
A technology integrationist introduces digital tools to support collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.
Three Ways You Can Improve Your Math Textbook Tomorrow
A mathematics specialist shares quick adaptations you can apply to any textbook to quickly improve it to better serve students.
Part 1
The 3 R’s + 4 C’s = 7th Heaven
A Technology Integrationist’s Guide to 21st Century Learning (Part 1)
5 Concerns about Inquiry-Based Learning–Answered
A high school math teacher addresses concerns about inquiry-based learning and shares how it benefits students.
Part 3
How to Select Math Intervention Content
How do you diagnose the root causes of grade-level math struggles, and design targeted interventions to address them?
The Digital Coaching Menu: Four Reasons Why You Need One
Providing teachers with content-focused options for coaching support
Three APPS to Support Students with Special Needs
Helping All Kids Grapple with Grade-Level Content
The Math Gap Between High School and College
Educators at the high school and college levels aren't talking to each other. Should they be?
Part 2
Addressing unfinished learning in the context of grade-level work
Not all unfinished learning should be treated the same way
Creating Student Empowerment Through Your Garden-Variety Graphic Organizer
How I use graphic organizers in my classroom to promote student independence
Emerging Effects from CCSS
A high school math teacher shares examples of student progress following CCSS implementation
A Five-Course Meal Complete with Strategies for Assessment
Concrete strategies to help classroom educators get involved with assessment design
Part 1
Designing Shifts-Aligned Interventions in the Math Classroom
Avoid common pitfalls when it comes to supporting students with unfinished math learning
Four Best Practices for the Math Classroom
A math teacher shares lessons learned and alternative strategies he's discovered during his teaching career
Designing Effective Homework
Best practices for creating homework that raises student achievement
Instead of…Try This
Avoid common pitfalls in the ELA classroom with these strategies
Materials Adaptation, Research and Reflections, Standards-Alignment Information, Tools and Resources
The Instructional Practice Toolkit: An Introduction
Learn how the Instructional Practice Toolkit can help teachers make connections between planning, instruction, and student outcomes.
Creating a Feedback Culture
Using effective feedback to help students master their learning goals
Unfinished Learning in Math: How Do You Address it?
The role of coherence in ensuring all students stay on grade level
Supporting Excellence: Real Support for Teachers Starts With the District’s Curriculum
A new framework for developing and implementing clear district-wide support for teaching and learning
Piloting the Instructional Practice Toolkit
Two curriculum specialists who piloted the professional learning resource share their experience
Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals as an Educator
See how using this goal-setting structure can help you achieve content-focused goals during the school year
State of Our Classrooms: Instructional Materials
Findings from a 2017 survey about instructional materials usage among educators
Building Teacher Confidence through Content-Infused PD
Working with teachers to improve their understanding and use of curricular materials
Creating Professional Learning for Eureka Math
Approaching year three of implementation, a math interventionist describes how her district has supported teachers in using the curriculum
Part 10
Students JUMP at the Opportunity to Learn
Building confidence with JUMP Math’s guided discovery approach.
Designing content-infused, year-round professional learning in math
A math specialist illustrates the importance of providing ongoing professional development centered on quality programming.
Finding Our Way in Fluency – A School’s Journey to Strengthen Math Fluency Instruction
A personal story of how educators built their knowledge of mathematics fluency from the ground up, and identified creative ways to help their students master fluency expectations
Lessons Learned from a High School Mathematical Modeling Lesson
A high school algebra teacher creates a lesson to engage her struggling students through real-world application
Part 9
Eureka Math – A View from Second Grade
An honest reflection on Eureka Math's strengths and challenges
“We’re the best. Just trust us!”
Finding unbiased information about instructional materials.
The Power of Strong Assessments — The Danger of Bad Ones
Avoid sabotaging the Shifts with standardized testing
Part 8
A Third Grade Teacher’s Perspective on Eureka Math
What does Eureka look like in the classroom?
8 Questions About High School Math and STEM
A high school algebra teacher shares her thoughts on high school math myths and misconceptions
What Really Counts When We Teach?
What should we look for in powerful classrooms?
A Case for High-Quality Instructional Materials
Because we don’t want to confuse the math teachers…and other reasons we need high-quality instructional materials
Demonstrating Conceptual Understanding of Mathematics Using Technology
Using free recording software to capture students’ solution methods and help teachers reflect on their instruction
STEM Integration in Algebra: A Bridge to Opportunity
Relating mathematical thought processes to those in 21st Century careers
Five Places for Trusted Resource Recommendations
Amid the sea of free online materials and digital applications, here are five places we’d start our search.
Part 7
Empowering Primary Math Teachers
How one school moved from contention to ownership of their math curriculum
Forming a United Whole – The Coherence Map
A K-12 STEM District Supervisor Explains How He Used the Coherence Map to Improve His District's Math Curriculum
Lessons Learned after Teaching without a Textbook
A high school teacher explores the lessons learned after moving away from a textbook-based curriculum.
Part 6
Math in Focus: The Search for an Aligned Math Program
One district’s implementation of a new elementary math program
Part 5
Navigating the Spiral in Mathematics Textbooks
A classroom teacher and curriculum coordinator describe how they used the spiral design of their textbook to help them focus on creating coherent instruction.
Part 4
Using an EdReports Review to Improve My Math Curriculum
A 5th grade teacher explains how she made small adjustments to improve the Everyday Math Curriculum after identifying its weaknesses.
Using Mini-Assessments in a Professional Learning Setting
How a math coach used mini-assessments to spark conversations with her teachers
Pinterest: A Useful Tool for the Educator’s Toolbox
Learn how educators can use Pinterest to identify and collect high-quality instructional resources
Part 3
Everyday Math Kindergarten Tips
A kindergarten teacher explains how she adapted some of the Everyday Math Daily Routines to challenge her students more.
Strategies to Support Learners Who Are Below Grade Level
An experienced educator introduces different support methods to allow struggling students to engage with grade-level materials.
Introduction to EdReports
Identifying excellence in instructional materials
Getting to Know Mini-Assessments
Learn about free, high-quality mini-assessments for math and literacy.
Part 2
Everyday Math: Small Routines Build Bigger Understanding
A Kindergarten teacher dives into Everyday Math and finds ways to make minor Routines into Major Work of the Grade practice
Four APPS to Redefine your Math Class
Focusing on building a student-centered classroom through the integration of apps in the math classroom
Putting Focus into Practice: The Case of Word Problems in Grades K–2
Standards co-author Jason Zimba explains how word problems can build understanding of addition and subtraction.
Assessment Item Alignment Modules
Learn how examining assessment items can be a source of professional development and deepen your understanding of the Shifts
The Rectangle Area Formula—How Does Your Curriculum Introduce It?
Standards co-author Jason Zimba unpacks the rectangle area formula and highlights problems with the way textbooks sometimes introduce the formula to students.
Classroom Strategies, Materials Adaptation, Research and Reflections, Standards-Alignment Information
Part 2
Adapting Journeys Common Core
A veteran Journeys user shares recommendations to improve basal lessons and better support teachers and students.
Lessons from the Fordham Assessment Review
One of the reviewers explains how the assessment review was conducted and what the findings mean for educators and students.
Supporting All Learners with Complex Texts
Strategies to scaffold instruction of Standards-aligned, complex texts
Classroom Strategies, Materials Adaptation, Research and Reflections, Standards-Alignment Information, Tools and Resources
Sitting Beside the Learner: The ‘Me’ in Assessments
Common Core-aligned assessments must capitalize on teacher-student relationships
Part 6
Digging Deeper into SMP 4 – Model with Mathematics
Learn the difference between modeling the math and modeling WITH math
Choosing Alignment over Familiarity
How a district made the decision to select a new textbook provider instead of a long-used vendor
Part 5
Putting the Math Practices into Practice
A K-12 math team collaborated in creating tools about the practices to enhance understanding and planning
Part 4
A Recommendation to Fellow Publishers
The President of Core Knowledge challenges fellow publishers to complete an alignment rubric
Part 4
Digging Deeper into SMP 3 – Construct Viable Arguments and Critique the Reasoning of Others
A math teacher explains how to recognize math tasks that help students craft strong mathematical arguments
Part 5
Unlocking the Power of Aligned Materials
How the Louisiana DOE is developing PD and looking for connections to help all districts maximize the impact of standards-aligned materials
Part 3
Reason Abstractly and Quantitatively
A math teacher explains how well-designed materials can help students learn to deal with challenging math problems
Part 3
CCSS-Aligned Materials for ELL Students
Where to Find High-Quality Curricular Materials for ELLs in the Public Domain
Part 2
Criteria for Curricular Materials Labeled as Appropriate for ELLs
How to determine whether instructional materials support ELL's needs
Part 12
Essential Knowledge for Adapting Math Instructional Materials
What do teachers need to know to make decisions about adapting math materials?
Part 11
Supplementing Your Anchor Math Curriculum with Rich Tasks
A New York math specialist explains how he’s enhanced his school’s curriculum with tasks from Illustrative Mathematics.
Part 10
Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching
How building specific mathematical knowledge in teachers can strengthen classroom instruction
Part 9
Creating a Conducive Environment for Teachers to Adapt Materials
An administrator’s guide to promoting teacher innovation
Part 8
A More Powerful Teacher’s Guide
How administrators can help teachers sort through the clutter in today’s math textbooks
Using Flashcards in Math
CCSS author Jason Zimba shares how he uses flashcards with his daughters.
Why We’re Choosing Instructional Materials Blindly
A Brookings Institution report explains how much we DON’T know about instructional materials in use in today’s classrooms.
Decision-Making that Matters: 10 Ways Teachers Can Impact Curricular Decisions
A high school English teacher shares 10 ways classroom teachers can influence curriculum
Top Five Ways to Make the Most of Your Math Materials
If you’re not satisfied with the quality and CCSS-alignment of your existing math materials, here are five tips to improve them.
Training Materials for the Math IMET
New training modules on the IMET’s Non-Negotiables and Alignment Criteria
Part 5
Creating Full-Course Open Educational Resources (OER)
The K-12 OER Collaborative plans to create a year-long open educational resources curriculum.
Part 2
SMP 1: Make Sense of Problems & Persevere in Solving Them
Well-designed materials help students tackle challenging math problems
Part 6
Outcomes of the Adaptation Process
New case studies share a look at the process of adapting math and ELA materials
Creating a Coherent Math Curriculum
The Coherence Map can help you uncover gaps in understanding and find resources to supplement your instructional materials.
Part 1
The Standards for Mathematical Practice & Instructional Materials
What to look for in instructional materials that align to the SMPs
Call for Common Core-Aligned Units
Achieve and SAP are looking for instructional materials aligned to the CCSS to address weaknesses in existing materials
The EQuIP Review Process and Rubric
Achieve created a rubric and review process to facilitate peer reviews
Part 4
K-12 OER Collaborative’s Request for Proposals
Learn how the Collaborative is planning on creating and vetting materials.
Part 3
Working Together to Create Open Educational Resources
The K-12 OER Collaborative is working to create Common Core-aligned resources
Part 4
Collaborative Learning and Updating Materials
Developing a process for teachers to adapt instructional materials in mathematics
Six Instructional Materials Articles You Should Be Reading
Keep up-to-date with the latest media coverage of instructional materials
IMET Evolution: Math
An SAP math specialist explains how small changes to the IMET can have a big impact on users
Part 2
What Needs to Change in Instructional Materials: Math
A panel of experts met to pinpoint the biggest problems with today’s math textbooks: here’s what they found
Part 1
An Introduction to the Adapting Materials Project
The challenging, yet rewarding process of adapting instructional materials
Part 4
Publishing Review Results
Why Louisiana chose to share all its curricular reviews online and where you can see the findings
Traditional Reviews vs. the IMET
What are the differences between a traditional review and an IMET review? A teacher who’s done both explains.
Part 2
Mathematics in the Common Core Classroom
A Kentucky teacher explains what the CCSS Math Shifts mean for classroom materials
Building a Review Team that Represents Students and Supports Teachers
How Milwaukee built a review team that reflected the needs of the teachers and students
Part 2
Open Educational Resources in Action
Washington's work to identify OER and put them to use in classrooms
Part 1
Introduction to Open Educational Resources
What are OER? Where can you find them? How should you use them?
Using What You Have
An introduction to supplementing and adapting instructional materials
Reviewing Is a Journey and the Benefits Aren’t What We’d Expected
Educators from Granite Falls uncovered benefits to reviewing that they hadn’t anticipated
How Reviewing Materials Changed My Classroom Practice
A teacher explains the unexpected connection she uncovered between materials reviews and the classroom
When to Use the IMET
When is the right time to use the IMET? Whether you’re purchasing, supplementing, designing, or simply building capacity, the IMET can help.
Why Not Just Crosswalk?
Reviewing instructional materials for CCSS alignment means looking for evidence of the Standards and the Shifts
Should We Bother with Other People’s Reviews?
As instructional materials reviews are made public, how should states and districts use that information?
Building the Right Review Team
Today’s review teams will function differently than review teams of the past, requiring new skills and experience
Top 5 Tips for Building and Training Your Review Team
Advice on selecting and training strong review teams
What My District Gained From Collaboration
Even when districts approach materials review processes from different perspectives – and with different objectives – collaboration provides important benefits
Part 1
Knowing the Common Core = Knowing the Shifts
The Shifts are a powerful frame to help drive understanding of the Common Core
If You’re Not Purchasing, Should You Still Review?
Even though many districts are not in a position to purchase new materials in the short-term, training reviewers now is a smart long-term investment
Working Toward Alignment
Welcome to Aligned, a publication dedicated to the conversation about Common Core-aligned instructional materials
Searching for Aligned Materials Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely
Breaking district and state lines in the journey toward finding Common Core-aligned materials
Part 1
New Standards, New Approach to Reviews
Details Louisiana's instructional materials review process
Instructional Materials Evaluation Tool (IMET)
Designed by some of the lead writers of the Common Core, the IMET is a free tool that states and districts are using to evaluate the alignment of instructional materials to the Common Core
Why We Chose this Work
One district leader explains how joining the Instructional Materials Task Force offered an opportunity for collaboration, professional development and deeper clarity on the Standards
About Aligned
Achieve the Core’s Aligned, is a publication dedicated to high-quality instructional materials and their use in classrooms.
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