Guided Notes and Tool Kits – Access to the Curriculum for All Students

Elizabeth Johnson

Chico Unified School District

Math Teacher and ELD/Sheltered Core Program Coordinator

Electronic access to view and download CUSD made Tool Kits is available at:

http://tinyurl.com/GuidedNotesA1-2017

http://tinyurl.com/GuidedNotesG2-2017

All materials herein (except Talking Points) are adapted from CPM Core Connections Integrated Math 1 and CPM Core Connections Integrated Math 2.

Topics Covered

✓  Introduction and Rationale

✓  Benefits and Beneficiaries

✓  Tool Kits vs Math Notes

✓  Tips for Making Tool Kits

✓  Talking Points Discussion

(Materials adapted from by Elizabeth Statemore and can be found at exploratorytalk.weebly.com)

Tool Kits vs. Math Notes

Area of a Sector and Arc Length
The area of a sector is a ______of the area of a circle with the same radius.
The ______of the sector determines the fraction.
The arc length is a ______of the circumference of a circle with the same radius.
The ______of the arc determines the fraction.
Area of the circle =
50° is what fraction of a circle?
Area of the sector =
/ Circumference of the circle =
104° is what fraction of a circle?
Arc length =

How to Build Tool Kits

✓  Best first step is to try and find some tool kits already done, by someone with reasonably competent formatting skills, and modify them to meet your needs.

✓  Decide what to include.

–  I start with Math Notes and Checkpoints.

–  I preview the chapter looking for prerequisite skills/concepts. I look for review/preview topics that are not explicitly taught in any lessons.

✓  I use as much text and diagrams from the text materials as I can to keep the process relatively quick.

✓  Diagrams:

–  Snip-it or comparable program/app.

–  Copy image-Liberally use ‘Format’ and ‘text wrap’ to make moving images easy.

–  A good equation editor

✓  Copy and paste text and/or rephrase text more succinctly.

–  Leave blanks and enough space if you can

–  Use example problems that are in Math Notes if you can.

✓  Choose a color (yellow). All TK’s are that color and nothing else is.

Talking Points:

i.  Students should be required or allowed to use tool kits on assessments.

ii.  Tool kits are an example of direct teaching and defeat the guided discovery model of teaching math.

iii. 

iv.  The benefits of Guided Tool Kits outweigh the costs.

v.  Only some students should use tool kits.

Talking Point Rounds:

•  Round 1: Someone reads a Talking Point statement. Provide think time as needed. Then the reader responds with, “I agree/disagree/am unsure about this because…”

•  Each team member responds with the same sentence starter. Everyone, even if they are unsure MUST say WHY!

•  NO COMMENT!

•  Round 2: Go around the group again. Each person says whether they agree/disagree/are unsure of their own original statement or someone else’s statement. Everyone MUST say WHY!

•  You are free to and it is expected that some people will change their minds after thoughtful reflection on what they heard their teammates say.

•  NO COMMENT!

•  Round 3: Go around the group one last time. Each person says their final answer, agree, disagree, or still unsure.

•  NO COMMENT!

•  Time permitting; go on to the next Talking Point.