Aligning the BVSD Curriculum with the new Colorado Academic Standards

At the national level… 2009 National Common Core State Standards (CCSS) published for Language Arts and Mathematics

At the national level… 2009 National Common Core State Standards (CCSS) published for Language Arts and Mathematics Adopted by the Colorado State Board of Education

Colorado adopted the new Colorado Academic Standards (CAS)

CDE’s advice for districts: In Review local standards by December 2011 and make needed revisions, pursuant to SB Design/redesign curriculum based on CAS Professional development on the standards-based teaching and learning cycle

BVSD Timeline Summer 2011 – BVSD Standards and curriculum revised by teacher teams to align with new state standards Sept-Oct 2011 – feedback and revision October 14 – Teacher collaboration about Curriculum Essentials Documents November 2011 – present standards and overview of revised curriculum to BVSD Board of Education December 2011 – Board of Education asked to approve standards Jan-May 2012 – present details of curriculum documents in each content area to the Board of Education

The new Colorado Academic Standards… are designed with the end in mind, postsecondary and workforce readiness, articulated through prepared graduates competencies. include 21st century skills: critical thinking, invention, information literacy, collaboration and self direction. are based on powerful connections within and across content areas. define mastery by grade level, requiring application and transfer of concepts and skills. focus on students acquiring concepts and skills through content for higher order thinking

Prepared Graduate Competencies The preschool through twelfth-grade concepts and skills that all students who complete the Colorado education system must master to ensure their success in a postsecondary and workforce setting. Standards Standards are the topical organization of an academic content area. Grade Level Expectations Expectations articulate, at each grade level, the knowledge and skills of a standard that indicates a student is making progress toward high school. What do students need to know?. Evidence Outcomes Evidence outcomes are the indication that a student is meeting an expectation at the mastery level. How do we know that a student can do it? 21st Century and PWR Skills Inquiry Questions: Sample questions intended to promote deeper thinking Relevance and Application: Examples of how the grade level expectation is applied in a real-world, relevant context. Nature of the Discipline: The characteristics and viewpoint one keeps as a result of mastering the grade level expectation.

Key Changes by Content Visual Arts Four standards instead of six Reference to expressive features and characteristics of art include elements and principles of design. Impact of standards articulation by grade level Articulation of high school standards Integration of P-2 Council’s recommendations

Key Changes by Content Visual Arts Standards are written for mastery Intentional integration of technology use, most notably at the high school level Intentional opportunities for multiple ways to combine visual literacy skills with the making of art

Key Changes by Content Music Four standards instead of six Two explicit standards for the expression of music and the theory of music have been identified Levels of difficulty have been identified Western notation skills are found throughout the theory of music and creation of music standards Connection of music has been expanded

Key Changes by Content Music Improvisation is more prominent in all levels Standards have been articulated Standards are written for mastery Integration of P-2 Council’s recommendations Intentional integration of technology use, most notably at the high school level

Key Changes by Content Health and Physical Education Expansion of the physical education standards to include health education Intentional opportunities for integration of health and physical education concepts and skills Intentional differentiation of health and physical education specific concepts and skills Use of national standards for health and physical education varies in how they were incorporated into the standards template

Key Changes by Content Language Arts – now called Reading, Writing, and Communicating Four standards instead of six Concepts and skills are more clearly defined across the foundational years of PreK – 2nd grade Lexile Reading Levels have been raised More emphasis on reading and writing expository and argument/ persuasive texts at every grade level 14

Key Changes by Content Mathematics Move from 6 standards to 4 Emphasis on Personal Financial Literacy 8 Mathematical Practice Standards Specific grade level expectations More specific evidence outcomes Approximately 30% “shift” in topics in each grade level High School is not divided into courses at the state level. BVSD used recommendations from the CCSS to create Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 and 4 th year courses.

Key Changes by Content Science Three standards instead of five Inquiry and process skills embedded in evidence outcomes Grade-level articulation at pK-8 BVSD will follow state sequence at pK-5, but retain our own sequence at 6-8 (all grade level expectations and evidence outcomes will still be addressed by the end of 8 th grade)

Key Changes by Content Social Studies The Four Standards of Social Studies: History, Geography, Economics and Civics; they are paired with two Grade Level Expectations for each Standard. Personal Financial Literacy now incorporated PK-12. At Elementary, key changes are the move of Colorado History from 3 rd to 4 th grade and the move of post revolutionary war history from 5 th to high school. At Secondary, much more emphasis on defining, describing and explaining at middle level and defending, analyzing and justifying at the high school level.

Key Changes by Content World Languages Foreign Language was renamed World Languages. – World Languages is a term that connotes an international, focus encouraging students to become competitive citizens of the world. Grade-band standards (K-4, 5-8, and 9-12) was replaced with range level expectations. – Articulating standards by range level from novice-low to intermediate- mid in each area affords greater specificity of skill development Standards emphasize communication, connections, comparisons, and understanding of culture

Common Changes Across Content Areas Intentional integration of technology Standards are written for mastery. – Mastery means that a student has facility with a skill or concept in multiple contexts. Intentional integration of 21st century skills and readiness competencies.

Common Core Connections Common Core State Standards offer literacy expectations for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. These expectations, beginning in grade 6 through grade 12, are intended to assist teachers in “use(ing) their content area expertise to help students meet the particular challenges of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language in their respective fields.” These expectations are NOT meant to supplant academic standards in other content areas, but to be used as a literacy supplement