Welcome
Welcome to the CSSD11 Mathematics Department. This year begins a new
structure with three coordinators serving the elementary, middle, and
high schools in District 11. We pledge to work together in leadership,
support, and professional development to assist teachers in providing the highest quality
of mathematical thinking and process. We have a common goal of increased
achievement and mathematical understanding for all students in District 11.
We look forward to our shared work and vision and our contact with you
during the 2008 - 2009 school year.
~Dave Sawtelle, High School
~Stacy Brisben, Middle School
~Julie Shaw, Elementary School
sawteda@d11.org
brisbsj@d11.org
shawj@d11.org
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"Natural numbers are
better for your health."
"Decimals have a point."
"Calculus has its limits."
"Geometry is just plane fun."
"All the effects of nature are only
mathematical results of a small
number of immutable laws."
~ La Place
"The mathematical rules of the universe
are visible to men in the
form of beauty."
~ John Michel
"In the past, simply advancing
in computation was good enough. In the world today, colleges and
employers are looking for thinking, reasoning and problem
solving skills, not just arithmetic skills. Assessing students
throughout the year using a variety of methods and adjusting
instruction accordingly can help each student reach his or her
potential in mathematics."
~ Carol Ann Tomlinson & Susan Demirsky Allan
Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms
"Number is a rich, many-sided domain whose simplest forms are
comprehended by very young children and whose far reaches are
still being explored by mathematicians. Proficiency with numbers
and numerical operations is an important foundation for further
education in mathematics and in fields that use mathematics."
~ National Research Council, 2001 |
"Music is the
pleasure the human mind experiences from counting without being
aware that it is counting."
~ Leibniz
"Mathematics is a
more powerful instrument
of knowledge
than any other
that has been
bequeathed to us
by human agency."
~ Descartes
Higher Order Mathematics Demands
"In the United States, it is widely accepted that elementary mathematics
is ‘basic,’ superficial, and commonly understood…Elementary mathematics
is not superficial at all, and anyone who teaches it has to study it
hard in order to understand it in a comprehensive way."
~ Dr. Liping Ma,
Renowned math scholar and researcher, University of California,
Berkeley, 1999
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News
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Math News
Middle School Math Curriculum Leaders meet
from 4:15 – 6:15 p.m.
on the second Tuesday of each month (avoiding
holidays), during the 2008-09 school year on the following
dates. All meetings will be held at Galileo, the new
D11 math science middle school.
Elementary Math Curriculum Leaders
meet
from 4:15 – 6:15 p.m.
on the third Tuesday of each month (avoiding
holidays), during the 2008-09 school year on the following
dates. All meetings will be held at Galileo, the new
D11 math science middle school. (Click link for schedule
chart.)
High
School Math Curriculum Leaders meet from 4:15 – 6:15
p.m.
on the fourth Tuesday of each month (avoiding
holidays), during the 2008-09 school year on the following
dates. All meetings will be held at Galileo, the new
D11 math science middle school.
Science curriculum meetings will be held at the same times
and location for ease of travel and attendance. |
District 11 Math & Science Partnership
With Intel Receives National Recognition
Irving Middle School and Mitchell High School's Gateway to
Technology and Project Lead the Way received recognition as models for
other states and districts in the nation. The programs focus on
recruiting students into math, science and technology careers. With
financial and mentoring support from Intel, students in the program
build and race CO2 powered cars, fly bottle rockets, operate robotic
arms and use Auto Desk Inventor, a Computer Assisted Design program. As
part of the program, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Foundation
will offer college scholarships for students in the program.
Read more...
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What We Believe
Vision & Mission: The mission of the Colorado Springs
District 11 mathematics community is to ensure all students
have the opportunity and the support necessary to learn
meaningful mathematics with depth and understanding using
methods of mathematical inquiry and applying concepts and
skills in a variety of contexts where mathematics is a tool
used to understand and interpret our world for the global
economy of the twenty-first century. We support the shared
vision and mission of Colorado Springs School District 11
by:
- collaborating with members of professional learning
communities to develop, implement, and evaluate
standards-based coherent aligned mathematics curriculum to
increase student achievement;
- using research-based and evidence-based best practices
in the teaching of mathematics, K-12.
About Mathematics in District 11: Mathematics
educators teach students the content knowledge, problem-solving skills,
communication skills, and technology skills necessary to understand and
interpret our world in the twenty-first century. The need to understand and be
able to use mathematics in everyday life and in the workplace has never been
greater and will continue to increase in these times of extraordinary and
accelerating change. At all levels, mathematics courses are focused on core
indicators of learning based on the Colorado Model Content Standards and
articulated in the curriculum alignment guides.
The Elementary Curriculum, grades K – 2 focus on building number sense skills
developing the understanding of ten. Grades 3 – 5 continue developing number
sense through 1,000,000 and computation skills focusing on computational fluency.
Students focus not only on computation and number sense, but also, algebraic
concepts of patterns, probability/statistics, geometry and measurement.
Middle School Curriculum,
grades 6 – 8 prepares students for the high school mathematics courses by addressing all
six state standards. High school students focus on developing algebraic
understanding which is the prerequisite for higher level thinking and
understanding of mathematics. High school courses include Advanced Placement
courses of Calculus and Statistics.
Mathematics educators are dedicated to the improvement of classroom
instruction in mathematics at all levels. They also realize new knowledge,
tools, and ways of doing and communicating mathematics continue to emerge and
evolve. They are also aware that in this changing world, those who understand
and can do mathematics will have significantly enhanced opportunities and
options for shaping their futures.
Algebraic Thinking was piloted for 6th and 7th grades during the
2007-2008 school year at Mann, Russell, and Irving Middle Schools. This
innovative, research-based program has proven results in other districts,
and includes the use of technology to help students conceptualize algebraic
formulas. See the
Algebraic Thinking Parents Page for more information. -
The Use of Calculators in Elementary Math - describes how often and for what
purpose calculators are used at the elementary level.
Facts Behind the Video - provides relevant information about a web-based
video criticizing instructional approaches used in Everyday Mathematics. Learn the
true facts behind the misrepresentation.
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Standards-Based Instruction
The Colorado Model Content Standards for Mathematics were developed by Colorado math teachers and adopted by the Colorado State Board of Education on June 8, 1995. Three questions guided the development of these standards:
- What is mathematics?
- What does it mean to know, use, and do mathematics?
- What mathematics should every Colorado student learn?
The Colorado Model Content Standards for Mathematics were reviewed by the Colorado Department of Education during the 2004-2005 school year concluding with the report titled The State’s Prime Numbers. No changes to the Colorado Model Content Standards for Mathematics were recommended. For additional information visit
the
Colorado Department of Education
Math Standards and Assessment website.
The Colorado Model Content Standards were based on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards. For additional information visit:
http://www.nctm.org/
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Curriculum
K-5 Math
Curriculum - An overview
of the suggested curriculum and emphasized
standards, resources, and teaching strategies are
provided for each month within each grade level on
the chart below. Details for each monthly unit will
be posted prior to the beginning of each month.
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Yearly
Overviews |
Curriculum Standards, Resources, and
Instructional Supports |
Middle School Courses -
Highlighted courses include
online curriculum. For more
information on course requirements and Frequently
Asked Questions, visit the
Middle School Math Virtual Counselor.
High School Courses - For more
information on course requirements and Frequently
Asked Questions, visit the
High School Math
Virtual Counselor.
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Assessment
D11 Quarterly Assessments - also called benchmark tests, these district-created assessments measure student achievement against a norm.
The assessments are designed to have a high correlation with the State CSAP and are used to measure student preparedness for CSAP in quarterly stages.
Short-Cycle Assessments - These tests are created at the school or district level and are designed to give quick feedback on students' mastery of
skills over a one to two week period.
CSAP - The Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) is a standards-based assessment designed to provide a picture of student performance
on state academic content standards and to provide a context for improving public education. Every student in grades 3-10 will be evaluated in reading
and writing. Additional testing will be given in math for grades 5-10 and in science for the 8th grade.
End of Course Exams - High school subjects not tested by the CSAP are tested via end of course exams.
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Parent Resources
Elementary Math Resources
High School Math Resources
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Teacher Resources
Password Protected For Teacher pages - type cssd11\
before your computer login. The password is your computer password.
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