Third Grade Team PLC

Improve: Number Sense and Operations: Base Ten

Carson Deck, Rosemary Sirmans, & Tasha Stephan

FocusO Historically, 3rd grade (and Pathway

in general) has performed low in Number Sense and Operations on NWEA.

O We chose this as our primary focus for improving a measureable standard, and tracked improvement from fall 2012 testing to winter 2013.

Starting PointO In the fall, the third grade average (mean)

for Number Sense and Operations in Base

Ten was a 187.4 RIT.

O Our goal was to improve this average to

the 191 to 200 strand using Descartes skills.

Skills TargetedO Reading, write, order, and compare whole

numbers.O Create, describe, and extend numerical patterns.

O We also wanted our students to be able to explain the rule using key vocabulary (such as increase, multiples of, etc.)

O Identify and use place value and value to compare numbers.

O Read and write numbers up to 100,000 in standard and expanded form.

O We reviewed highest areas to focus our daily skills practice, including key vocabulary.

Created Assessments O Baseline assessment prior to direct

instruction of skills. O Met as a team to examine student

work and determine trends and strengths and weaknesses.

O Gave the same assessment a second time & evaluated those results as well.

First Assessment

Assessments

O For the 2nd test, we eliminated skills mastered, and added rigor for continued improvement of targeted skills.

Second Assessment

How did we get there? O Daily focus on key vocabulary termsO Math Meeting (daily skills review) O Hands on manipulative activitiesO Workshop: Differentiated by Descartes

levels. O Formative assessments (regular math

lessons and workshop) O Exit ticketsO Collect and evaluate student samples

Best Practices Developed

PLC Process implementedO Team growth in areas of evaluating

student work more intentionally and tracking results.

O Better conversations about determining 4.0 opportunities and levels of rigor.

O Calendarized priorities: tracking our meetings & documenting next steps.

FindingsO By the final assessment for our PLC learning

cycle, results showed significant improvements in all targeted skills:

O Deck: 22/29 students mastered all targeted skills. 27/29 showed improvement on targeted skills (ranges from 0.5 to 2.5)

O Sirmans: 18/29 students mastered all targeted skills. 26/29 showed improvement on targeted skills (ranges from 0.5 to 2.5)

O Deck: 28/29 students mastered all targeted skills. 29/29 showed improvement on targeted skills (ranges from 0.5 to 2.5)

Outcome:

The third grade EXCEEDED our goal and our current mean RIT is 203.7 in

Number Sense and Operations in Base Ten.

Next StepsO Our next PLC will not focus on this

same strand, but we plan to continue to review Descartes, Number Skills and

Operations, focusing on the 201-210 strand of skills.

O NOTE: Grade level is 200—We are aiming high!

O We are confident that our students can continue to grow in Number Sense and Operations by:

O Careful tracking of continued progressO Increasing levels of rigor in key targeted

skills

Update: SpringO During our 1st cycle PLC report out

presentation, Mr. Colbert challenged us to stretch these results even further…

OChallenge accepted.

Outcome: The third grade EXCEEDED even our own expectations with a mean RIT in number sense & operations, base ten

of 211

Entering 4 th

grade level RIT is 204.