Nov.+2011


 * Curriculum Council Minutes **
 * Nov. 2, 2011 **

Nancy Alibrandi, Val Aubry, Bill Carozza, Steve Chamberlin, Sally Codd, Mark Dickson, Chris Kelley, Dave Tilley, Trish Walton
 * Members Present:**
 * Place and Time**: MSS 3:18 - 4:15
 * Minutes submitted by:** Nancy Alibrandi


 * Items discussed: **
 * Science 7-12** - Mark Dickson
 * Each science course developed course competencies using a common template to outline the following: Competency, Indicator (of learning), Formative Assessment, Summative Assessment
 * In science, students demonstrate competency in regard to the application of the Enduring Understanding
 * Each course has a document showing the major units; each unit has 1-2 Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions, and 1-6 objectives
 * The Indicators are 2-3 high priority objectives based on the Enduring Understandings
 * Common assessments are what they use for their summative assessments; summative assessments have both a written and performance component
 * If you have teachers teaching the same course they use the same documents; do the same projects; do the same major labs; goal is to also use the same major unit tests, and same mid term and final
 * In Physics, there are 6 major units; they teach all 6 units, then go back and teach all 6 again, so spiraling; now they are teaching it 3 times -going deeper each time; cover a few objectives the first time, then go back, review, and teach a few more
 * Integrated Science 7, 8, 9 designed using Understanding By Design from square one because they are relatively new courses; each course is assigned themes - depth is in the content area, with theme as the background
 * Models is a theme all the way through; in grade 7, system and models; grade 8, scale and models; grade 9, change and models
 * Grade 7 the Food Web and the Human Body
 * Grade 9 The Chemistry and Physics behind the Earth Science
 * They included dates with their units so they can stay within the time frame; if time is running out, they teach the major points, and cut some of the details; as opposed to extending the unit and not getting to everything
 * One or two objectives are skill objectives - the lab
 * Steve suggested that they include a technology piece to add to digital portfolio
 * Are the Science Dept. and Project Lead the Way comparing notes? because Common Core is requiring engineering down the line
 * Project Lead the Way is experiental learning design and problem solving; it is about application more than content
 * Are we pushing science for employment, or how you learn, or college prep?
 * Is there a basic level of competency, or a mid level and high level? The competency should be the floor; AP courses should not have competencies because those kids have already met the minimum competencies; There is an honors contract; We offer the practical level course in the science courses; divided between dept. and teachers
 * In 9th & 10 grade, they have a practical, a homogeneous course, and honors; Is it the same competency for all kids? - the competency is the floor for all three, but they demonstrate the competency differently; they can apply it in very concrete ways; for a few kids science might not be about science, it may be a social goal - follow scientific method and labs; In English, student might demonstrate a competency by writing a social story about getting lunch in the lunch room or about issues in personal life rather than analyzing literature; Is it the floor or what every kid needs to reach?
 * Specialized diploma is given for 1% of the student population or less - the bigger population of special ed. does not receive that;
 * Competencies are not trying to hit the high stuff because the floor is enriched every day (fear kids will meet the competency in 3 weeks); in order to get credit for the course you have to demonstrate competency by NH state statute
 * You could hit the core things in one year, and when you spiral around hit the higher level while some kids might attain the competency the second time around

Report from PD committee
 * Common core discussions worthwhile; gaps at some grade levels because teachers attended NEA conference

Action Required:
 * Mark Dickson will send Nancy Alibrandi links to the Science Google docs
 * Steve Chamberlin will take the math information from the Common Core PD day and put it on the math wiki
 * Nancy Alibrandi will create an English Language Arts wiki for the Reading Task Force and post the English Language Arts information from the Common Core PD day


 * Next meeting December 7, 2011**

__Proposed Agenda Items:__ Next Steps for Common Core Budget Items