Standards Newsletter, Feb. 3, 2021

February 3, 2021

Feedback Sought on Kentucky Academic Standards for Science

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking feedback on the current Kentucky Academic Standards for Science.

KRS 158.6453 calls for KDE to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. The schedule calls for one or two content areas to be reviewed each year, and every six years after that on a rotating basis.

Standards outline what students are expected to learn in each grade to successfully transition to the next level of learning. The curriculum or methods and resources used to teach the standards is a separate issue, and decided at the local level.

Use this survey to provide feedback on the science standards. Due to the amount of text, it is recommended that surveys be completed on a full-size computer or laptop screen. Participants are provided with the opportunity to give feedback on all standards or self-selected areas of interest.

Feedback on the current science standards will be collected by The Region 5 Comprehensive Center through Feb. 22.

Academic Vocabulary Module, Grades 6-8 Now Available! 

“Students will interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including technical, connotative and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.”

- Guiding Principle 4 of the Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing

Through the "Academic Vocabulary Module for Grades 6-8," teachers will build an understanding of why vocabulary instruction is critical for students. Students who know fewer vocabulary words struggle with comprehension and, as a result, often engage in fewer experiences to read grade-level texts with rich vocabulary.

To support students in both a breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge, we must teach vocabulary to enrich students’ understanding of texts. This module provides teachers with opportunities to gain knowledge and skills for teaching academic vocabulary by analyzing units and lessons, creating lessons, rehearsing those lessons and reflecting on videos of classroom practice. Teachers also will apply strategies from this module in their own instruction to examine student progress through formative student work analysis and product-based student performance.

Although this module may be used for self-paced learning, it is designed for professional learning communities to engage in rich learning experiences and instructional conversations

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Teaching and Learning PL Series: Interpreting and Acting on Evidence of Learning

Each professional learning experience will be accompanied by an informational video and will be made available on the Balanced Assessment Professional Learning Modules webpage by the date listed. 

The Teaching and Learning PL Series: Interpreting and Acting on Evidence of Learning schedule is available for download.

Jan. 20: "Interpreting Evidence of Student Learning - Reading & Writing" and "Interpreting Evidence of Student Learning - Social Studies"

Feb. 17: "Interpreting Evidence of Student Learning - Mathematics" and "Interpreting Evidence of Student Learning - Science"

The first content-specific modules are designed to address the unique needs of interpreting evidence of student learning. Participants will learn about strategies for interpreting student evidence, engaging students in the interpretation and analysis of their own evidence, using student learning evidence to guide the formative assessment process, and identifying patterns in student responses that can inform teacher and student learning.

March 17: "Acting on Evidence of Student Learning - Reading & Writing" and "Acting on Evidence of Student Learning - Social Studies"

April 21: "Acting on Evidence of Student Learning - Mathematics" and "Acting on Evidence of Student Learning - Science"

These content-specific modules are designed to address the unique needs of acting on evidence of student. Participants will learn about the characteristics of meaningful teacher, self and peer feedback, strategies to support meaningful feedback, as well as strategies to adjust instruction based on evidence of student learning.

CONTACT INFORMATION

standards@education.ky.gov