MRVED Business

MRVED Mussel's Field Day with CURE with Bernard Sietman
Today is the last day to register!

About Bernard Sietman

You will be hard pressed to find anyone as passionate and as knowledgeable about mussels as this transplanted Missourian. Since 2002, he has worked across Minnesota surveying mussels. One of the more exciting aspects of his job is the potential discovery of a new species in the Minnesota River Basin, the Mapleleaf.

Bernard received his Master of Science degree in Biology from the Emporia State University where he studied the ecology and genetics of freshwater mussels in two local rivers. After graduation he worked as a Natural History Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation surveying freshwater mussels, conducting landowner interviews and assisting with stream fish surveys. Sietman spent time as an Aquatic Ecologist and Assistant Technical Scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Here he assisted with overseeing of a nationally renowned mollusk and fish collections.

When: October 9, 2015 from 9:00 - 2:30

Where: Meet at Yellow Medicine East High School Board Room at 9:00 for an introduction and presentation by Bernard.

Who: All K-12 Teachers. There will be many applications to science and history.

Lunch: Provided

Transportation to the River from Granite Falls: Provided

What to bring: dress for water, bring boots or water shoes and an extra set of dry clothes. Other things to consider are a walking stick to support you while walking in the water, sun screen and bug spray. There is an outdoor bathroom facility available on site.

Cost: Free - Funds provided by CURE and MRVED

(Nonmembers of MRVED $10 per person - covers lunch and transportation)

Registration: Register by September 25. Space is limited. Click here to register.

MRVED UPCOMING MEETINGS
October 1, 2015  Agriculture - CANCELLED - WILL BE RESCHEDULED
October 2, 2015  Title III Paraprofessionals
October 7, 2015  Music
October 9, 2015  CURE Event - Mussels in the River

15-16 MDE Math Leaders Networking Meetings

MN Math Leaders Networking Meetings
MN Math Leaders Networking Meetings are sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and MN Math Leaders, an affiliate of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM). The overarching theme for this year is Leading and Coaching to Support Math Pedagogy and Content. This work will be framed through the use of “Math Talks.” The resources we will be using are:

• Making Number Talks Matter: Developing Mathematical Practices and Deepening Understanding, Grades 4-10 by Cathy Humphreys and Ruth Parker
• How Children Learn Number Concepts: A Guide to the Critical Learning Phases by Kathy Richardson

Though you are not required to purchase these books, they are highly recommended and will be referred to in the networking meetings.

Target Audience: Administrators and teacher leaders who are passionate about leading change in mathematics education for all students. The Networking Meetings are open to anyone who is in a department or team, school, or district leadership position. These meetings are designed for leaders to give and receive support.

The goals of these networking sessions include:

• Build capacity for leadership by sharing ideas and collaborating with other MN Math Leaders;
• Receive updates about mathematics education policy and assessment;
• Learn about resources available to support your work.

Dates: (All Networking Meetings will be held at MDE. The room number is on the registration form.)

• October 22, 2015 - Topic: What are Math Talks and Why are They so Important? Terry Wyberg
• December 17, 2015 - Topic: Guiding Principles for Enacting Math Talks in the Classroom
• February 18, 2016 - Topic: Math Talks: Intentional Connections to Standards and Benchmarks
• May 19, 2016 - Topic: Moving Forward: Managing Bumps in the Road

Time: 8:30-11:30

Networking time includes:

• Opportunities to share and celebrate what is working well
• Structures to work in role-a-like and/or grade band groups
• Time for participants to provide their expertise
• Hot topics

Networking meeting agenda:

• Opening and Overview
• Community Building
• Leading and Coaching to Support Math Pedagogy and Content
• Hot Topics
• Closing and Feedback

Fee: No Charge

Registration is required. Visit the MDE calendar to register for each session (http://goo.gl/JUaKFR)

Questions? Please contact: Terry Alvarado 651-582-8749.

5 Week Series on SAMR

SAMR

Today we start our 5 week series on Dr. Ruben Puentedura's SAMR model.  SAMR stands for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition.  We will examine a level a week, starting next week with Substitution.  

The SAMR model can be a lens we use when integrating technology in the classroom.  As more and more tech is being added to the classroom, and the pressures become greater to implement technology, we need to examine exactly how the technology is being used in the classroom.  It is a great model to use when planning and reflecting on your lessons.  The model is also a way in which to create a common language around tech integration.

To get started on the SAMR model, here are a couple videos talking about the model.  The first video is 7 minutes long, and the 2nd video is 120 seconds.

Ruben Puentedura on Applying the SAMR Model

SAMR in 120 Seconds

Next week we will look at the first level of the SAMR model, substitution.

Tech Tip - IFTTT

IFTTT
IFTTT stands for IF This Then That.  If you have never heard of IFTTT or have heard about it, but don't know how to use it, check out About page on the IFTTT website.  IFTTT allows you to connect multiple online services to seamlessly do things for you.  For example:

There are tons of pre-made recipes on IFTTT for you to use.  You can setup weather reminders, post to multiple social media accounts at once, save emails to Google spreadsheets, etc...  The list is really endless.  IFTTT is an awesome tool to help you do many things online.

Resources and Articles on IFTTT
Fractus Learning - Connect and Automate Your Digital Classroom using IFTTT
Cool Mom Tech - 15 IFTTT Recipes For Parents
5 Min Librarian - 15 IFTTT Recipes to Save you Time

Levels of Understanding: Learning That Fits All - Edutopia

Levels of Understanding
Last week I came across this great article on differentiation and learning for all from Edutopia and had to share it.  The article offers some great tips and strategies on how to effectively differentiate in your classroom.  It is well worth your time to read the article.

Levels of Understanding: Learning That Fits All - Edutopia

MRVED Business

MRVED Mussel's Field Day with CURE with Bernard Sietman
There is still time to register!

About Bernard Sietman

You will be hard pressed to find anyone as passionate and as knowledgeable about mussels as this transplanted Missourian. Since 2002, he has worked across Minnesota surveying mussels. One of the more exciting aspects of his job is the potential discovery of a new species in the Minnesota River Basin, the Mapleleaf.

Bernard received his Master of Science degree in Biology from the Emporia State University where he studied the ecology and genetics of freshwater mussels in two local rivers. After graduation he worked as a Natural History Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation surveying freshwater mussels, conducting landowner interviews and assisting with stream fish surveys. Sietman spent time as an Aquatic Ecologist and Assistant Technical Scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Here he assisted with overseeing of a nationally renowned mollusk and fish collections.

When: October 9, 2015 from 9:00 - 2:30

Where: Meet at Yellow Medicine East High School Board Room at 9:00 for an introduction and presentation by Bernard.

Who: All K-12 Teachers. There will be many applications to science and history.

Lunch: Provided

Transportation to the River from Granite Falls: Provided

What to bring: dress for water, bring boots or water shoes and an extra set of dry clothes. Other things to consider are a walking stick to support you while walking in the water, sun screen and bug spray. There is an outdoor bathroom facility available on site.

Cost: Free - Funds provided by CURE and MRVED

(Nonmembers of MRVED $10 per person - covers lunch and transportation)

Registration: Register by September 25. Space is limited. Click here to register.

MRVED UPCOMING MEETINGS:
September 22, 2015  Teachers' Advisory Council
September 23, 2015  Superintendents' Council

October 1, 2015  Agriculture
October 2, 2015  Title III Paraprofessionals
October 7, 2015  Music
October 9, 2015  CURE Event (all day) - Mussels in the River

Opportunities for Teachers

GIS Educator Day: Oct. 7th

The organization of statewide GIS professionals invites all teachers to an Educators day at the at
the Duluth Convention Center 9 am – 4:30 pm. on October 7th. Teachers will learn about online
mapping resource (ArcGIS Online), available free to all schools. This FREE event (including lunch
and snacks) will include sessions presented by teachers and professionals for both beginning and
advanced users as well as specific sessions for science and social studies. The schedule provides
opportunities to collaborate with other teachers and GIS professions on projects for the classroom.
CEUs will be available for teachers and administrators. Visit the teacher registration page.

EdCamp Math and Science MN: Oct. 16th

Edcamp is a form of unconference for teachers. Unlike traditional conferences which have
schedules set by the people running the conference, Edcamp’s agenda is created by the participants.
Instead of a presentation, people are encouraged to have discussion and hands-on sessions. This
free event will be held at Eden Prairie High School and is sponsored by the Minnesota Science
Teachers' Association, and the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics. For information and
registration visit the Edcamp website.

Tech Tip: Google Classroom Updates

Google Classroom
When Google Classroom was introduced a year ago, it was minimalistic.  Over the summer, Google updated Classroom with a variety of updates.  The interface is still minimalistic, which is a good thing, but the features that were added will create a much better user experience.  Check out the blog post from Google on the updates to see what is new.  If you looked at Google Classroom last year, now is a good time to jump in and try again.  If you are using Google Classroom, you may not be aware of some of the updates, so I suggest a quick glance through the post.

MCIS Training Sites Around the State

MCIS Training
Last year the MRVED was one of only a handful of MCIS training sites around the state.  This year the Minnesota Department of Education has really ramped up their trainings.  Below is a list of dates and locations for this Fall.  Note:  There is NOT a MCIS training this year at the MRVED.

MCIS Workshop List – Fall 2015 Workshops will be a full day 8:00 am – 3:30 pm Mon, Sept 21-Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-Roseville MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SSY62MP Tues, Sept 22-Byron High School-Byron MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SSFLJMJ Wed, Sept 23-John Marshall High School-Rochester MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SR9VZNZ Thurs, Sept 24-Maple Lake High School-Maple Lake MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SRMKL9N Fri, Sept 25-Brainerd High School (South Campus)-Brainerd MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SR5CXQT Mon, Sept 28-Murray County Central High School-Slayton MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S3HT2VQ Tues, Sept 29-Northeast Metro 916 Career & Technical Center (Century College - East Campus)-White Bear Lake MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SGV95LY Wed, Sept 30-Tri-City United High School-Montgomery MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SGRDTHJ Thurs, Oct 1-Red Wing High School-Red Wing MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SGPG362 Mon, Oct 5-Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (ACGC) High School-Grove City MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SBJ9WL2 Tues, Oct 6-Lincoln High School-Thief River Falls MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DL7QZ68 PLEASE NOTE FOR THIS WORKSHOP ONLY, YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP COMPUTER. THIS IS A WIRELESS LAB WITH NO COMPUTERS. Wed, Oct 7-Laporte High School-Laporte MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DVZM2MQ Thurs, Oct 8-Blue Sky Charter School-West St. Paul MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D7XVV85 Mon, Oct 12-Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-Roseville MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D9DHTQM Tues, Oct 13-Pine Island High School-Pine Island MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D9G8M3T Wed, Oct 14-Lake Superior College-Duluth MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DDRGHG5 THIS WORKSHOP ONLY IS FOR MCIS – ADULT VERSION; TIME: 1:00 – 4:00 PM Mon, Oct 19-Buffalo High School-Buffalo MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DYBPXJG Tues, Oct 20-Apollo High School-St. Cloud MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D2GPW57 PLEASE NOTE FOR THIS WORKSHOP ONLY, THIS IS A WIRELESS LAB WITH NO COMPUTERS. YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP COMPUTER. CHROMEBOOKS AVAILABLE – PLEASE NOTE IN COMMENTS WHEN REGISTERING IF NEEDED. Wed, Oct 21-Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-Roseville MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DJCZH5M Mon, Oct 26-Duluth PS Central Administration Building-Duluth MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DJ59PNK PLEASE NOTE FOR THIS WORKSHOP ONLY, YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP COMPUTER. THIS IS A WIRELESS LAB WITH NO COMPUTERS. Tues, Oct 27-Virginia High School-Virginia MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DQH73PZ Wed, Oct 28-Lakeville South High School-Lakeville MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DS7T22P PLEASE NOTE FOR THIS WORKSHOP ONLY, THIS IS A WIRELESS LAB WITH NO COMPUTERS. YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP COMPUTER. CHROMEBOOKS AVAILABLE – PLEASE NOTE IN COMMENTS WHEN REGISTERING IF NEEDED. Thurs, Oct 29-Blue Earth High School-Blue Earth MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DS5JH58 Fri, Oct 30-Voyageurs Expeditionary School-Bemidji MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DRTRMK3 Mon, Nov 2-Kimball High School-Kimball MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DTKV68G Tues, Nov 3-New London-Spicer High School-New London MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DMV2KMJ Tues, Nov 10-Marshall High School-Marshall MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DMNZ2ZP Mon, Nov 16-Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-Roseville MN https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DXC2ND8

Mindset and Testing Tips

Mindset Works
Here is a great resource to not only use during standardized testing, but regular classroom testing.  It comes from the Mindset Works website.  If you don't know what mindset is, you should read Carol Dweck's book Mindset.  It will change the way you approach your job.

Mindset and Testing Resource

Mindset Works

MRVED Business

Welcome Back

Some schools have been in session for a couple of weeks already!  Welcome back to the 2015-16 school year.  We hope your summer was rejuvenating and you are ready for another great year of learning.  As always, the MRVED is here to help you meet your educational goals for your classroom and school.  If you ever need any help meeting your goals, please give the MRVED a call.  We are here to serve our member schools.

MRVED Mussel's Field Day with CURE with Bernard Sietman

About Bernard Sietman

You will be hard pressed to find anyone as passionate and as knowledgeable about mussels as this transplanted Missourian. Since 2002, he has worked across Minnesota surveying mussels. One of the more exciting aspects of his job is the potential discovery of a new species in the Minnesota River Basin, the Mapleleaf.

Bernard received his Master of Science degree in Biology from the Emporia State University where he studied the ecology and genetics of freshwater mussels in two local rivers. After graduation he worked as a Natural History Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation surveying freshwater mussels, conducting landowner interviews and assisting with stream fish surveys. Sietman spent time as an Aquatic Ecologist and Assistant Technical Scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Here he assisted with overseeing of a nationally renowned mollusk and fish collections.

When: October 9, 2015 from 9:00 - 2:30

Where: Meet at Yellow Medicine East High School Board Room at 9:00 for an introduction and presentation by Bernard.

Who: All K-12 Teachers. There will be many applications to science and history.

Lunch: Provided

Transportation to the River from Granite Falls: Provided

What to bring: dress for water, bring boots or water shoes and an extra set of dry clothes. Other things to consider are a walking stick to support you while walking in the water, sunscreen and bug spray. There is an outdoor bathroom facility available on site.

Cost: Free - Funds provided by CURE and MRVED

(Nonmembers of MRVED $10 per person - covers lunch and transportation)

Registration: Register by September 25. Space is limited. Click here to register.

MRVED UPCOMING MEETINGS:
September 16, 2015 MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
September 18, 2015  Principals' Council (11:30 a.m.)
September 22, 2015 Teachers' Advisory Council
September 23, 2015  Superintendents' Council

Cohort Opportunities for Secondary Social Studies Teachers

Pop Culture and American Indian History Cohorts

The Minnesota Historical Society is taking applications until October 9 for 20 teachers to be a part of each of the cohorts.  These cohorts are a great way to meet other teachers from around the state to learn and share ideas.

US Pop Culture Cohort Information

American Indian History Cohort Information

Tech Tip - 9/11 Television Archive

9/11 Television Archive
Most of our students today were not alive on Septemeber 11, 2001.  To help students understand what that day was like, head over to the National Archives website devoted specifically to 9/11.  This collection has the actual newscasts from September 11 and the days following.  It's an awesome collection to be able to show students what people were thinking, saying, and doing on a day in history most of us will never forget.

Summer Learning Loss - Know the Facts

As we start the new school year, we need to be reminded that summer learning loss is real.  According to the National Summer Learning Association,

• All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004). 
• Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Low-income students also lose more than two months in reading achievement, despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains (Cooper, 1996). 
• More than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college (Alexander et al, 2007). 
• Children lose more than academic knowledge over the summer. Most children—particularly children at high risk of obesity—gain weight more rapidly when they are out of school during summer break (Von Hippel et al, 2007). 
• Parents consistently cite summer as the most difficult time to ensure that their children have productive things to do (Duffett et al, 2004).

This research is critical in how teachers start the year off.  We are all anxious to get into the curriculum and standards of the grade level we are teaching, but don't forget to add in a quick review of the previous years material.  Get kids back to where they were at the end of last year, and then move forward.  It will make for a much easier transition to the current curriculum.

Information taken from http://www.summerlearning.org/?page=know_the_facts