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Know Your Math Standards and Vertical

Alignment Lesson
Overview:
This lesson focuses on helping the teachers see coherence of the math
standards within and across the grades. The goal is to help them see the
progression of the standards so they can better meet their individual
students needs and understand more clearly where they might be on the
learning trajectory.
Learning Targets:

Understand the progression of the math standards and the coherence


within and across grade levels.
Learn about tools that will help them with the learning progression
when planning.

Materials:
Zimba Chart (See Appendix D)
The importance of Coherence in Mathematics video
Coherence cards (See Appendix E)
Poster paper
Copy of the standards for each group
Copy of the progression documents for each teacher (See Appendix F)
Computer or laptops for each teachers
Coherence map on achievethecore.org (See Appendix G)
Time needed: 45 minutes
Procedure:
Lesson 8 Know Your Math Standards and Vertical Alignment

1. Discuss the idea of coherence and why it might be important with their table
groups.
2. Then watch the video on the importance of Coherence in Mathematics. How
does this go along with what they discussed in their groups?
3. Show the Zimba Chart and how the different standards connect to other
standards of the grade level as well as the connection to other grade levels.
4. Participants should be divided into small groups of mixed grade levels that
will work as a team.
5. Explain that they will have a set of cards. Their job is to sort the cards and
place them under the appropriate grade level on their poster paper (without
using their standards book).
6. Let them know that no more than one of a given color per grade level and not
all grade levels will have each color.
7. They should try to figure out the theme for each color.
8. As they begin their discussion, you should walk around and observe the
different groups. Have them look at the individual words choices written in
the standards to help them understand why one standard is before another
one.
9. Once they have come to an agreement, let them look at their standards book
and check their work.
10.As a whole group, discuss what they think the themes for each color might
be.
11.Next assign each group one of the progression documents. Have each
member read their own grade ready to discuss with the group.
12.As a group, they should create a poster to show the progression across the
grades.
13.Put posters up around the room and have a gallery walk.
14.If times allows, have teachers look at the coherence map on
achievethecore.org and look up one of their upcoming standards. They can
use this to see which standards come before and after in the learning
progression.

Lesson 8 Know Your Math Standards and Vertical Alignment

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