Curriculum Corner

We hope you had a wonderful and restful summer, but also hope you found some time to reflect on last school year and set some professional goals for this year. We also hope the beginning of your school year has allowed you to find positives through the challenges and changes.

Throughout the school year, we look forward to being able to share ideas, resources, and strategies through our newsletter.

Last year, our students in grades K-8 mastered 47,745 skills in Exact Path. Study Island was introduced in the second semester last year for students in grades 3-8. In Study Island, our students earned 20,006 Blue Ribbons (earned for demonstrating mastery on a Study Island, Indiana Academic Standards based topic).

Exact Path can be a tool to meet students right where they are. Driven by NWEA MAP Growth goal data, the program creates an individual path for each student to address and close skill gaps. Exact Path focuses on growth from the student's present level. Study Island allows teachers to reinforce and practice grade level standards and increase student proficiency. A combination of these two tools can help meet students where they are, monitor growth, achieve grade-level expectations, and support student success.

Students and teachers will need to access Study Island through Clever this year. Exact Path will be accessible via Clever at a later date. For login details for both programs, please see the video chat or PDF instructions from Erin Stallings that was sent to you by your principal.

Study Island is available for students in grades 3-8 and Exact Path is for students in grades K-8. Both resources are accessible for our virtual and in-person learners.

According to Robert Marzano, “Positive relationships between teachers and students are among the most commonly cited variables associated with effective instruction. If the relationship is strong, instructional strategies are more effective.” Focusing on our relationships with students in the beginning (and throughout the year) will result in higher engagement. At the beginning of each year, we model and explicitly teach procedures and expectations for our students. Let's take a moment to ask our students what their expectations are of us as their teacher. What do they need from us to support their success? What kind of feedback do they prefer?

Flipgrid is a free video discussion platform that allows teachers to see and hear from every student in the class while fostering a supportive learning community. Teachers post discussion prompts and students respond with short videos. Flipgrid shares easily on a Google Classroom platform and students can post from any device with the ability to record video. The teacher controls the privacy settings and the way students join, respond, and interact with peers.

How can teachers and students use Flipgrid?

• digital reading response
• debate
• book talk
• virtual vocab
• alternative to classroom presentation
• exit ticket
• personal reflection
• number talks
• speaking skills assessment
• assessment in vocal and instrumental music
• physical education - demonstrate form, present workout
• explanation and justification of reasoning when problem solving

The sky is the limit!

Want to experience Flipgrid as a student? Check out the link below and submit your response.

WCSC Flipgrid for Teachers

More information COMING SOON!

Email: estallings@warrick.k12.in.us
Website: www.warrick.k12.in.us
Location: 300 East Gum Street, Boonville, IN, USA
Phone: (812)897-6037