These courses are on-demand and self-paced. Participants will receive a certificate of completion once all assignments are successfully completed, and a quiz is passed with at least 80%.

K through 12th grade math classroom that supports literacy development is one in which students and teachers demonstrate understanding of the learning and thinking process. Teachers can model metacognition skills and evaluate how students think through think-alouds, problem-solving, role-playing and hands-on exercises that teach students how to articulate their process verbally and in writing. The Common Core process shifts will be examined closely in this e-course to help participants fully understand the new K-12 applications behind them. Participants will finish the course with a repertoire of strategies with which to move forward in teaching students how to articulate the process that brought them to their end product.

Course objectives:

  • Understanding of the new K-12 Common Core shifts in math as they work into new teaching applications. 
  • Learn and apply the steps and strategies involved in teaching students how to articulate mathematical processes. 
  • Learn and practice with grouping scenarios that lend themselves to real life skills applications and mathematical solutions. 
  • Enhance mathematical understanding of process and product in how students think about math through the close examination of the models used to effectively problem solve.

This course is 20 hours

After an overall introduction to the an example of Common Core curriculum using the ELA curriculum, participants will understand which modification strategies are appropriate for maintaining CCSS integrity and fidelity, and which are not. Differentiated and cognitive-friendly scaffolding strategies for target skills in the modules will be proposed through examples offered in grades 3, 7 and 10. After being guided through a modification process using a self-selected skill within a module, participants will practice modifying self-selected module lessons using a Modification Template for Reading and Writing. A final comprehensive lesson will culminate all assignments. Instructor feedback will be provided for all practice and final assignments.

Course Outcomes:

  • Locate which reading and writing modification strategies are appropriate for maintaining module integrity and fidelity with a focus on the targeted standards, and which are not.
  • Manipulate resources and strategies that aid in modifying modules using research-based methods, materials, and strategies.
  • Organize proposed changes in assessments and/or strategies with grade level standards to adjust for time and maintain focus on students’ work toward mastery of the same standards.
  • Organize proposed changes within challenging text.
  • Analyze a replacement text for complexity, content and vocabulary in order to align another complex text to the standard a module is designed to address.
  • Devise working familiarity with examples of high quality text-dependent questions for replacement texts in order to incorporate question design into module adaptations.

This course is 20 hours

Acclimating adolescents into effective vocabulary understanding and use is one challenge of the Common Core. Using curriculum modules of choice, participants will analyze the vocabulary components within them. In order to review aligned instructional and experiential practices, participants will discuss and practice with the vocabulary instructional components housed within curriculum, how to modify and align them. Sound, research-based vocabulary practices will serve as catalysts to effective implementation of vocabulary module components to improve teaching and learning.

Course Objectives:

  • Develop understanding and working knowledge of the vocabulary instructional challenges within the Common Core.
  • Plan and implement with vocabulary instructional components applied to module instructional units. 
  • Develop working knowledge of, and practice with, sound, research-based vocabulary practices to effectively implement modules while supporting relevant vocabulary components. 
  • Analyze the assessment features of the curriculum modules that support vocabulary in order to effectively support expectations of the Common Core.

This course is 20 hours

Students must find evidence before they can cite it. Participants will learn strategies that work students into text in order to wrap them around it. Common Core Standards require students to have "discipline literacy" with close reading, answer text-dependent questions, and write arguably within short, sustained research projects. All facets of these big shifts will be analyzed closely to understand the new pedagogies behind them.

Course Outcomes:

  • Discuss the impact of informational text on reading comprehension.
  • Outline and instruct students how to read informational text with increased rigor and understanding.

Develop and modify strategies to teach close reading that leads to evidence finding. Interpret the nature and purpose of text-dependent questioning.

This course is 20 hours

Students must find evidence before they can cite it, and the sooner they learn the easier it will be for them. Participants will learn strategies that work students into text in order to wrap them around it. All facets of these Common Core big shifts will be analyzed closely to understand the new K-5 applications for behind them.

Course Outcomes:

  • Examine and apply new strategies that teach students how to read informational text with increased understanding. 
  • Develop a strategy to teach close reading and evidence finding. 
  • Summarize the nature and purpose of early literacy text-dependent questioning.

This course is 20 hours

From key idea and details to integration of knowledge and understanding, there will be no shortage of questioning strategies or the thinking stuff behind them in teaching students how to learn for the Common Core across all content areas, including science, technology, ELA and history. Participants will learn and practice with metacognitive questioning through reading and writing strategies as they foster literacy growth in support of the Common Core State Standards. 

Course Outcomes:

  • Translate and practice questioning strategies in order to teach to the rigorous expectations of the Common Core State Standards.

This course is 20 hours

Understanding the key concepts of the Common Core Standards will aid participants in developing facility with the curriculum it aligns to. Participants will become familiar with the key CCSS concepts specific to their content areas, and then link them to relevant aspects of discipline-specific curriculum. Participants will be introduced to a host of other resources to aid in future curriculum alignment.

Course Outcomes:

  • Illustrate familiarity with content-specific key CCSS concepts through development of lessons for job-embedded classroom application.
  • Locate the resources available to aid in alignment and how to access them.
  • Match tools and resources to develop facility and skill with the process of CCSS curriculum alignment.

This course is 20 hours