GENERAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR CONTENT AREAS: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Civil War Resources

South Carolina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_in_the_American_Civil_War
South Carolina Military History
Did you know more Revolutionary War battles and conflicts were fought in South Carolina than any other state? Or that the first shots of the Civil War were fired by South Carolinians on Morris Island near Fort Sumter?

From South Carolina Civil War plantations, battlefields and forts to the Military Heritage Trail, war museums and memorials, discover the rich history of South Carolina’s military history.

The Revolutionary War

As one of the original 13 colonies, South Carolina played a crucial role in the struggle for American independence. In fact, the first British Invasion (and hence, the first American defense) occurred at Charleston in 1776. From that time to the end of the war, more than 214 battles and skirmishes were fought throughout the state.

Today, this Revolutionary War history comes to life in South Carolina's intriguing collection of museums, battlefield memorials, historic sites and living history events.
Travel the trail of Colonial life and revolutionary resistance. Learn about famed partisan fighters such as Francis Marions, a.ka. "the Swamp Fox," whose guerilla tactics exhausted British troops. Find out how the Palmetto tree helped save Charleston, and visit the battlefields where armies fought and America's independence was won.

The Civil War

As the site where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, and as the first Southern state to succeed from the Union, South Carolina was a major player in the Civil War.

Tour South Carolina Civil War plantations where contending armies once took refuge. Take a Civil War walking tour of historic Charleston, the site of the first British invasion. Visit Fort Sumter National Monument, where Confederate troops fired the first shots of the Civil War. And explore the battleground where Confederate and Union troops clashed during Sherman’s march through the state.

Military Heritage Trail

South Carolina’s Military Heritage Trail commemorates the role of the Palmetto State and its citizens in all of the United States’ military conflicts. From the shores of Charleston to the Upcountry mountains, visitors can learn more about the important roles South Carolinians had in many of America's major battles.

The new Military Heritage Trail spans 14 counties, has more than 20 sites and covers history from the founding of the colony of Carolina to WWII. The trail celebrates the bravery of South Carolinians who risked their lives to defend their state and union.

Scroll through the listings below to locate South Carolina Revolutionary and Civil War sites, museums, plantation homes, battlefields and more. Click on the name of an attraction for even more detailed information.
South Carolina – Civil War – 1861-1865 http://www.sciway.net/hist/periods/civilwar.html
The Civil War in South Carolina: State Museum http://www.museum.state.sc.us/exhibits/civilwar.aspx
http://library.sc.edu/blogs/academy/files/2011/08/South-Carolina-after-the-Civil-War-3-4.6.pdf
http://sc150civilwar.palmettohistory.org/edu/historicsites.htm

Civil War Battles:

http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/bycampgn.htm

Monday, January 21, 2013

The best prompts are the ones that spark a personal connection between the writer and his or her ideas. Provided here are some generic writing prompts to get you started; you will also find some tips on how to write your own prompts. Such self-written prompts will offer better starting blocks than the generic ones because they spring from the immediacy of your students’ lives.

Another source for writing prompts is Blowing Away the State Writing Assessment by Jane Bell Keister.

Prompt Tips

When you set out to create workable prompts, keep in mind the following suggestions:

Let the writer draw on experience

Avoid prompts that require specialized knowledge

Allow choice

Use open-ended prompts with room for divergent responses
Allow for choice of topics within a prompt or provide a choice between two similar prompts

Offer a prompt that will spark the writer's imagination

Sometimes the only way to learn whether a prompt will fly is to try it out

Don't do the thinking for the writer

Too many suggestions within a prompt can be overwhelming
Highly creative or clever prompts sometimes backfire

Avoid built-in positives and negatives

Leave students room to go in their own directions

Don't be nosy

Some students (and parents) may resent prompts that require sharing personal details
Thoughtful wording can spark insight–even passionate beliefs–without putting a student in the hot seat

Make the purpose clear

Good writing is good writing, but if you want student responses to fit a particular purpose, make sure that all expectations and criteria are explicit

The following are prompts teachers and others have shared with us over the years. They have not necessarily been field-tested, which we highly recommend before they are used for large-scale assessment. Please continue to send us your recommendations.

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Narrative

It is 20 years from now. Your name has just been called and you are about to receive an award. Tell the story of how you came to be so successful and win this award. (Grades 6–12)
Rewrite a fairy tale from a different point of view. For instance,
- The Three Pigs as the wolf would tell it
- Hansel & Gretel as the witch would tell it
OR, use any example you like. (Grades 5–8)
Write a story based on one of the following:
- Where is it?
- Breaking loose
- If I had my way ...
- Suddenly, in the headlights ...
- That noise!
- Don't even remind me
- The biggest nuisance
- Annoying!
- At last! (Grades 5–12)
Think of your best or worst day in school. Tell the story of what happened. (Grades 4 & up)
Write a story based on ONE of the following:
- Little brothers (or sisters)
- Older sisters (or brothers)
- A narrow escape
- My first memory
- I'd like to go back
- You won't believe it, but ... (Grades 4 & up)
Think of a friend you have, in or out of school. Tell one story that comes to mind when you think of this friend. (All grades)
Think of an event you will want to remember when you are older. Tell about what happened in a way that's so clear that if you read this story again when you are 80, every detail will come flooding back as if it happened yesterday. (Grades 6–12)
You won't believe it, but here's what happened ... (All grades)
Think of a place that's so special to you that you just love thinking about it.
- It might be as big as a city, or as small as one corner of a room. Tell one story that comes to mind when you think of this place. (All grades)
- Describe this place so clearly that your reader will know just what it's like to be there. (All grades)
Write a letter that your grandchildren will open in 50 years telling them what the world is like today. (Grades 8–12)
Think of something you have done that brought you satisfaction, pleasure, or a sense of accomplishment. Write about that activity or event and tell why it sticks in your mind. (Grades 6–12)
Think of a teacher or friend you have had that you will remember for a long, long time. Describe this person so clearly that your reader will know just what made you remember him or her. (All grades)
Think of a person you have known who has been important to you. Describe why he or she made such an impression on you or made a difference in your life. (All grades)

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Expository

Think of something you made with your own hands. How did you do it? What might you do differently next time? Write an explanation so clear and complete that someone with little or no experience could follow your directions and make the same thing. (Grades 6–12)
Write a clear explanation of ONE of the following:
- How to change a tire
- How to train an athlete for any sport
- How to prepare for a vacation
- How to drive on a busy freeway
- How to write an essay someone will enjoy reading (Grades 7–12)
Many parents worry about helping their students be successful in school. Create a piece of writing that could become a how-to brochure for parents: How to Help Your Child Succeed in School. (Grades 4–8)
Not all drivers pass their driver's test the first time. Many require two, or even three tries. Create a piece of writing that could become a how-to brochure for new drivers: How to Pass Your Driver's Test. (Grades 9–12)
Inventions are all around us. Think of an invention that has been especially helpful or harmful to people, and write a paper that explains why. (Grades 5 & up)
Pretend your class is putting together a time capsule. It might not be opened by anyone for 100 years or more. This time capsule will tell people in the future what life on earth was like in the 2000s. You can choose one thing to go inside. Explain what you will choose and why. (All grades)
Think of the most valuable thing you own that was not bought in a store. Explain why it is important to you. (All grades)
Write about your name. (All grades)
Write about what you would bring for show and tell and explain why you chose this item. (Primary only)

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Persuasive

Choose one film or book review that you have recently seen or read. (It's all right to have a copy of the review in front of you as you write, if you wish) Briefly, summarize the review, giving the name of the book or film. Then, state whether you agree or disagree with the review and why. Give enough information and detail to convince a reader to agree with you. (Hint: Do NOT summarize the book or film; instead, tell whether you think it is worth reading/seeing and why.) (Grades 6–12)
Write an essay in which you strongly and clearly AGREE OR DISAGREE (but NOT both) with ONE of the following:
- Fads never really go out of style
- Life in the 21st century will be better than ever
- People are happier than they used to be
- Americans are too concerned with material goods
- You can tell a lot about people by what they eat
- You can tell a lot about people by what they read
- You can tell a lot about people by what they wear
- The Internet is the best thing to ever happen to education (Grades 7–12)
People worry too much about __________. Fill in the blank with any topic you like. Then, write a paper that supports your statement. Convince others to agree with you. (Grades 5 & up)
Write a paper in which you AGREE OR DISAGREE with this statement:
"It's more fun to be a child than to be an adult." (Grades 4 & up)
Pick something you're wearing or something in your desk or pocket. Write an advertisement for this thing that would convince someone to buy it. (All grades)
Think of ONE thing about television advertising you would like to see changed. Then, write a letter to the Advertising Council explaining the change you want and the reasons you think this change is important. (All grades)
"The most important quality any person can have is a sense of humor." Do you agree or disagree? Write a paper in which you take a clear stand, agreeing or disagreeing with this statement, and explain your position so the reader can understand fully why you feel the way you do. (Grades 6 & up)
Would you rather be an only child or have many brothers and sisters? Why? (Grades 6 & up)
Write a convincing paper in which you agree or disagree with this statement: "Life was easier for teenagers 50 years ago than it is for teenagers today." (Grades 8–12)
Write an essay proposing a new national holiday. You anticipate that there might be people who don't agree with your idea, so defend your reasoning by explaining the meaning and background of the event/person and why a national holiday is justified. You could also describe how the holiday should be observed or celebrated. (Grades 6–12)
Many famous people, both real and fictional, have been honored by having their faces on postage stamps. Choose a real or fictional person who you feel deserves this honor. Write a paper that would persuade others your choice is good. (Grades 6–12)

Saturday, January 19, 2013

DOL QUIZLET

DOL PLUS SAMPLER

Find more ebook at www.docbig.com

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

CCSS Math Resources found online

Math Resources

The Common Core State Standards for Math

SCDE's Resources for CCSSM

Visit the page for STEM resources from the state department's site

CCSSM Placemat Format - This format has condensed all the CCSS math standards onto ONE page for each grade K-8.

Vertical Articulation of K-8 Operations
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

Archived Live Events - The SCDE is placing documentation from trainings on this page. You can find PowerPoints, links to Streamline videos, and handouts here. Be sure to click on a month to view those trainings' resources.

Mathematics Connection Documents - These documents present connections and highlights differences between CCSS and the South Carolina standards documents mentioned above. Click below on your grade level or HS content area.

Number and Quantity, Algebra, and Functions

Geometry

Probability and Statistics

Domains-Standards Grade Band Format

Gr. K-2

Gr. 3-5

Gr. 6-8

Standards-Clusters Grade Band Format

Data

Geometry

Measurement

Teaching Sequence - Grouping of Common Core State Standards

Concepts-Terminal Objectives-Actions

It can be helpful to better understand the CCSSM by breaking them into Concepts - Terminal Objectives - and then into Actions. The terminal objectives are what the student is expected to learn and the actions are how they will reach those objectives. Listed below are the terminal objectives for K-8 that were created by the SCDE. Use these as guides when creating your own short or long range plans. You can also view the SCDE's PowerPoint from a training on CCSSM Terminal Objectives.

CCSSM Concepts-Terminal Objectives-Actions template

LES CCSSM Planning Document

LES PPT 3.22.12

Additional Math Resources

Achieve.org - Achieve has developed a set of materials to help states and others interested in better understanding the CCSS.

SEDL's Support Videos for the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. These are YouTube videos.

Pearson's FACT SHEET on the Common Core State Standards for Literacy and Mathematics

List of CCSS resources for Math

Additional Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Mathematics Resources (pgs 8-9)

Transitioning from Awareness to Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (PPT)

Standards for Mathematical Practice (PPT) from The University of Arizona

Hyperlinked version of the math standards - This version of the math standards has hyperlinks within the document so the reader can electronically navigate the standards with fluidity. Creator/Lead Author: Bill McCallum.

EDC's Think Math! CCSS Mathematical Practices explanations and illustrations

Fractions

Doing What Works - Fractions

Doing What Works - Developing Effective Fractions Instruction for K-8

SERVECenter - Developing Effective Fractions Instruction for K-8

S²TEM Centers SC

S²TEM Centers SC Support Page for Common Core State Standards Implementation - The S²TEM Centers SC CCSSM Implementation Team provides quality professional learning experiences and support resources for educators preparing for implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics.

The S²TEM Centers SC At-a-Glance Transition Documents were created in Spring 2011 in response to a request by district leaders for a quick overview of the magnitude of the changes as South Carolina moves from the 2007 SC Academic Standards for Mathematics to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM).

S²TEM Centers SC At-a-Glance Transition Documents are currently available for K-8 mathematics. You can click on the grade level listed below to view the transition document for that grade.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

SC Mathematics standards

Mathematics

Mathematics is a core content area and is taught at all grade levels. Students are tested in grades 3-8 and are required to taken an end of course examination in Algebra before the end the the 10th grade year. Specific high school courses are described in the South Carolina Academic Standards for Mathematics.