Implementation:

As an initial step in the implementation process, the curriculum department has developed an instructional framework for the course.  Documents created include a pacing guide, alignment to state standards, pacing calendar, objectives document, parent resources, chapter tests, rubrics, and test prompts matched to objectives, vocabulary, and a model unit.  These documents are currently on GlobalScholar and available for viewing. 

Timeline for course development:

Lesson writers are being released from classrooms for three days in May and then will continue their work June right after school has ended for 6 days and in August for 5 days.  Then, they will be sharing the lessons they've written with the Algebra 1 and Geometry teachers in a back to school orientation day at the end of August. 

Lesson Writing Parameters:

The Writing Teams are developing balanced lessons that incorporate universal instructional design – a strategy for making materials accessible to a wider variety of learners without lowering the cognitive demand.  They are getting some help with this from the accommodations experts in the special education department, who will be working alongside our teams.  We will also have Phil Daro, Senior Mathematics Fellow at America’s Choice and one of the authors of the new national Common Core Mathematics Standards, on site part of the time to help our teams connect instructional activities to the central concepts in each chapter.  

Lesson Writing Teams:

Algebra 1	Geometry
Becca Brown	Jedd Danielson
Jami Hoeger	Carol Haid
Kirk Kreiling	Jake Nonis
Jillian Sorensen	Heather Primrose
Nicole Schoeneman	Calista Shelkin
Merrill Tucker	Jana Sparks
	Patrick VanDyke
Gifted Algebra 1 & Geometry
Lilia Kol	Dorothy Ito

The selection criteria for team membership was:

• Having as many schools as possible represented

• Including at least one teacher on each team from a different level (e.g. middle or high school)

• Experience teaching the course (Algebra 1, IMT 3, IAG 1, HIAG 2 and HIAT 3 for Algebra 1 and HIAT 3 for Geometry)

• Specialized training (Summer Institutes etc) in activities and teaching strategies for the course

• Experience with software pertinent to the course (like Geometer’s Sketchpad)

        Curriculum Revision and Professional Development Plans:

Teachers will have opportunities to participate in the revision process and professional development at the end of the summer, immediately next fall, and throughout the 2010-11 school year.  We have a one-day professional development planned for the week before school starts and four follow up sessions during the school year.  There will also be release time for curriculum refinement and assessment calibration and additional curriculum writing if necessary.  This release time will be structured so it will be possible for every Algebra 1 and Geometry teacher to participate in at least one session. 

In the meantime, initial materials are available for review by teachers on Global Scholar.