Unit 2: Adding State and Common Core Standards

Go To: Shane Devlin's Mini Course

Go To: Kindergarten Math Centers

Learning Objectives for this Unit

Teachers will...

• Express state Math standards.
• Construct centers that are based on state Math standards.

Activities for this Unit

• On a Discussion Board, pull out one state Math standard and brainstorm possible centers to practice skill.

Where to Find State Standards?

There are a variety of ways to find the State Standards that you should be using in your classroom. The state standards are public information that anyone can access online through a quick Google search! There are also apps available on mobile devices to allow for instant access when you're on the run or not next to a computer. Below are links to find Common Core, NYS, and Pennsylvania Standards.

Some of these resources include:

• Common Core Math Standards Website: http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/K/introduction/
• NYS Math Standards (On page 10-12): http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/common_core_standards/pdfdocs/nysp12cclsmath.pdf
• Pennsylvania Math Standards: https://www.pdesas.org/Standard/View#
• Common Core App for iPhones: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/common-core-standards/id439424555?mt=8
• Common Core App for Androids: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.masteryconnect.CommonCore&hl=en

How to Use State Standards

It is important to be using State Standards when creating centers because students are expected to have become familiar with the standards enough so that they can accomplish them when entering first grade in the Fall for the next school year. As Linda Shalaway expressed in her 2016 article The New Teacher's Guide to Setting Up Learning Centers, there are a variety of different skills that Kindergarteners need to work on throughout the year. This means that by using a curriculum in your centers, the learning being done at center time will match that of the curriculum. When using activities that are based on Common Core Standards during centers, students can be introduced to a variety of skills. Shayna Cook explained in Why We Don't Need to Get Rid of Common Core to Have Play in Kindergarten,that students can be introduced to new vocabulary, literacy, problem solving, physical development, and play during centers (Cook,2015) When the students are being introduced to new or old curriculum, students need to have direction as to what and why they are learning. This can be accomplished through having clear objectives. By having objectives in kid-friendly language that are based on Standards, students will have direction as of what to do, especially if there is an example to go along with it (Shalaway, 2016).

When using State Standards to come up with Math centers, it is important to think about all our students, especially those with special needs. For our students that need differentiate to be successful in the classroom, teachers should be flexible with the standards. This means that the objectives for each center based on the standards should be appropriate and even individualized for the learners that need this.

Example of Using a State Standard to Create a Math Center

NYS Common Core Standard: Counting and Cardinality

Standard: K.CC.A.3. Know number names and the count sequence.

Objective: Students can write numbers 0 to 20.

Centers: At Center 1, students will be working on writing numbers between 0 and 20 with magnetic numbers. Students will have index cards with numbers 0 through 20 on them. Once a student pulls an index card, the student will need to find the magnetic numbers that will create that number (i.e 15). After the student find the correct number(s), he/she will place the number on a cookie sheet. To individualize this center for a special need, a student could have numbers 0 through 10 written on an index card. This way they are focusing on less numbers to write.

At Center 2, students will again be working on writing numbers between 0 and 20. Students will walk the room on a scavenger hunt for these specific numbers. With a blank sheet of paper on a clipboard and markers, the students use these supplies to write the numbers they have found around the room. The goal is to hopefully have students write all numbers between 0 and 20. For students that need differentiation, on a piece of paper, the student could have the numbers pre-written on their sheet so they know what numbers they are looking for.

Center Creation Activity

Here is a link to the page that we can share our knowledge on this Unit. Please use a Standard to base a center off of, just like I provided above. It is a Google Drive document. Center Creation Page

References

• Cook, S. (2015). We Don't Need to Get Rid of Common Core to Have Play in Kindergarten. Retrieved May 01, 2016, from http://www.edcentral.org/kinder-commoncore/
• Shalaway, L. (2016). The New Teacher's Guide to Setting Up Learning Centers | Scholastic.com. Retrieved May 01, 2016, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/new-teachers-guide-setting-learning-centers

Links

Let's Move on to Unit 3!