Working together to prepare Common Core materials for Maryland — an overview and an invitation

Walch Education is very happy to be collaborating with math educators in Frederick, Howard, and Baltimore Counties, preparing a collection of problem-solving tasks to support the transition to the Maryland Common Core State Curriculum. The tasks are designed to address two of the major challenges of CCSS implementation.

1. The new standards identify rigorous mathematics content that often exceeds previous expectations.



2. The vision for the Common Core encompasses a series of Mathematical Practices that include skills, processes, and attitudes that can only be developed through extensive experience with skillfully facilitated problem solving and effective discourse.

The Maryland Common Core Stem Tasks target the new content and embody the new practices. They help teachers to infuse existing curriculum with both the content and the practices of the Common Core and support problem-based teaching and learning. Each task is designed to take 20 and 30 minutes for students to complete with another 10–20 minute debrief to enhance reasoning and communication, and to crystallize understanding.

For the teacher:

• background information and implementation suggestions
• links to relevant resources, content, and research
• a series of suggested questions to encourage problem solving, reflection, and discourse, guiding rather than leading students.

For the students:

• a meaningful context that may transcend traditional school subjects
• physical objects, models, or representations that students can use as they work toward a solution

Now being developed and piloted for Grades 6–8. For more information, or to participate in the pilot, please contact Jill Rosenblum at 207-523-2511 or jrosenblum@walch.com

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