Dynamic Learning Maps is the new buzzword for what has formerly been called the Alternate Assessment. This assessment, of course, is reserved for a small percentage of students who have significant cognitive challenges.

Gearing up for the Common Core is both exciting, yet can be overwhelming.  This Top Ten List of activities are designed as different ways to process the Math Common Core Standards.  They could be used in a whole group setting, small group, professional learning communities, or for individual learners.  The Ten Activities are linked to more detailed information. I hope you find some of these helpful in your district.

Food for thought videos:

As schools struggle to make sense of the new Common Core Standards in Mathematics they are often left overwhelmed and highly anxious.  Change is hard for most everyone.  How does one balance the classroom, dealing with management and current standards while trying to learn the new expectations brought on by CCSS? 

The eight mathematical practices is the bi-product of two very important research products, the five process standards from Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and the five mathematical proficiencies from Adding It Up.  For educators to truly understand the 8 mathematical practices we must go deeper into where the practices originated.

 As schools struggle to make sense of the new Common Core Standards in Mathematics they are often left overwhelmed and highly anxious.  Change is hard for most everyone.  How does one balance the classroom, dealing with management and current standards while trying to learn the new expectations brought on by CCSS? 

I was reading my colleague's post today and she referenced in her writing a question posed to us during a recent Common Core in-service. How much will our classrooms change as we implement the Common Core State Standards?  The answer to this question:  it depends on what you currently do in your classroom.

How is my classroom going to change with the Common Core?  

This was a question that was asked on a recent day my colleague, Marci and I had with high school teachers.  When change occurs, we want to know how it is going to affect us.  We want to know what is going to change, what the expectations will be, and rightly so.  

Marci's answer was perfect.  She said, "That depends on how you are running your classroom now."

So how will my classroom change?  

In order to find out, there are two key components to look at.  Those components are content and practice.

The past couple of weeks I began blogging about the 8 Mathematical Practices from the Common core.  I have finished Mathematical Practice # 1, Mathematical Practice # 2, Mathematical Practice #3, Mathematical Practice #4, Mathematical Practice #5, Mathematical Practice

The past couple of weeks I began blogging about the 8 Mathematical Practices from the Common core.  I have finished Mathematical Practice # 1, Mathematical Practice # 2, Mathematical Practice #3, Mathematical Practice #4, Mathematical Practice #5, and

I recently attended the M4 Conference in Kansas City, where math leaders from Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa met to discuss the Common Core Standards for Mathematics.  I was privileged to hear from Matt Larson the keynote speaker from Lincoln, Nebraska.  After humerously acknowledging that his state was one of the four who had, as of yet, not adopted the common core standards, Larson got right to work convincing us that the Common Core State Standards may be our last opportunity to get math education right!