New Courses English Language Arts and Mathematics

Dr. Tracy TuckerThomas Coy

Lana HallmarkAnthony Owen

CCSS Implementation

• July 2010: State Board of Education adopts Common Core State Standards for English and Mathematics

• 2011-2012: Implementation of CCSS begins in Grades K-2

• 2012-2013: Implementation continues with Grades 3-8

• 2013-2014: Implementation is completed with Grades 9-12

Process for Creating New Courses

• Committees of practitioners from across the state

• Diverse committees• Written to reflect change in curriculum due to

CCSS• Written to address evident needs given the

number of course approval submissions

Purposes of the ELA Courses

• Provide a framework for courses that fulfill the ½ unit of Oral Communication required for graduation and for Journalism and ELA Drama courses required in the 38

• Provide career focus courses in ELA• Address the Speaking and Listening skills

emphasized in CCSS• Assist schools in building multi-year Debate,

Forensics, and Journalism programs

Purposes of the Mathematics Courses

• Provide students a bridge course for smooth transition from Arkansas Frameworks to the CCSS

• Provide options for schools and students • Provide curriculum that helps fulfill the Smart

Core Requirement• Extend the content of the CCSS• Provide opportunities for students to

experience the STEM and modeling standards

English Language Arts Courses

• Oral Communication (One-Semester)• Oral Communication (Two-Semesters)• Debate I, II, and III• Forensics I, II, and III• ELA Drama (One-Semester)• Dramatic Literature• Creative Writing• Journalism I, II, III, and IV

Course Descriptions

Oral Communication (One-semester)•Fulfills ½ unit of Oral Communication required for graduation•No prerequisite•Students will gain an understanding of the dynamics of effective communication•Students will develop basic communication competencies

Course Descriptions

Oral Communication (Two-semesters)•Fulfills ½ unit of Oral Communication required for graduation•No prerequisite•Students will express ideas and present information in a wider variety of communication tasks than in Oral Communication (One-semester)•Students will develop basic communication competencies

Course Descriptions

Debate I•Fulfills ½ unit of Oral Communication required for graduation•No prerequisite•Students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of argumentation•Students will develop basic communication competencies

Course Descriptions

Debate II•Prerequisite: Debate I•Emphasis on preparation skills and debate procedures at an intermediate levelDebate III•Prerequisite: Debate II•Focus on the centrality of oral advocacy to the legal system and the democratic process

Course Descriptions

Forensics I•Fulfills ½ unit of Oral Communication required for graduation•No prerequisite•Students will prepare for presentations delivered in a variety of formats, including debate, public address, and oral interpretation of literature•Students will develop basic communication competencies

Course Descriptions

Forensics II•Prerequisite: Forensics I•Students will demonstrate communication skills, including vocal delivery and movement, at an intermediate levelForensics III•Prerequisite: Forensics II•Students will master research, organization, and presentation skills through a variety of public speaking situations

Course Descriptions

ELA Drama•No prerequisite•This one-semester course is required to be offered when a one-semester Oral Communication course is offered•Through the study of written plays, students will become informed, perceptive, and appreciative audience members

Course DescriptionsDramatic Literature•No prerequisite•In this longer version of ELA Drama, students will be engaged in an in-depth study of dramatic literature, becoming informed, perceptive, and appreciative audience members Creative Writing•No prerequisite•Designed to engage students in the writing of poetry, short fiction, and personal narratives with an emphasis on developing and exercising imagination

Course Descriptions

Journalism I•No prerequisite•Designed to introduce students to the world of media and to make them analytical consumers of media and technology.Journalism II•Prerequisite: Journalism I•Provides students with an intermediate study of media applications

Course Descriptions

Journalism III•Prerequisite: Journalism II•Designed to immerse students in the production process through an advanced study of media productionJournalism IV•Prerequisite: Journalism III•Students will use their advanced journalistic knowledge and leadership skills to facilitate all aspects of media production

English Language Arts Licensure Codes and Endorsements

• Oral Communication (One- and Two-semester), Debate I-III, Forensics I-III:

208, 114, 055, 4050• ELA Drama (One-semester), Dramatic Literature 166, 052, 113, 208, 4060• Creative Writing 166, 052• Journalism I-IV 108, 054, 4040

Mathematics Courses

• Bridge to Algebra II• Advanced Topics in Mathematics• Algebra III• Calculus• Linear Systems and Statistics• Mathematical Applications and Algorithms• Pre-Calculus

Mathematics Course Descriptions

Bridge to Algebra II•Prerequisite: Students must have successfully completed coursework for Algebra I (AMCF) or Algebra A & B (AMCF) but not Algebra II. Students may enroll concurrently with Geometry but not concurrently with Algebra II. •Will reinforce linear concepts from Algebra I, develop mastery of quadratics and exponential concepts, and introduce higher order concepts.

Mathematics Course Descriptions

Advanced Topics and Modeling in Mathematics•Prerequisites: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II•Focus on applying appropriate mathematics to practical situationsAlgebra III•Prerequisites: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II•Includes a focus on polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions •Includes a study of matrices and conics

Mathematics Course Descriptions

Calculus•Prerequisite: Students must have successfully completed coursework for Algebra I, Geometry, and either CCSS Algebra II or Pre-Calculus under the 2004, amended 2006, Arkansas Mathematics Curriculum Frameworks.•Really a “survey of calculus” type class•Increased content over Pre-Calculus but not to the level of Calculus AB.

Mathematics Course Descriptions

Linear Systems and Statistics•Prerequisites: Algebra I, Algebra II•Combination of our old Topics in Discrete/Finite Math and Statistics courses– After considering all of the curriculum shifts under

CCSS, the framework committee did not feel that there was enough content left to have an independent Statistics or Discrete/Finite course

Mathematics Course Descriptions

Mathematical Applications and Algorithms•Prerequisite: Algebra I, Algebra II•Very similar to the current Computer Math coursePre-Calculus•Prerequisite: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II•Focus on trigonometric functions and identities

Mathematics Licensure Codes and Endorsements

• All Secondary Mathematics (200 and 110) may teach any of the new courses

• Approval Code 4550 for Pre-Calculus and Calculus

• Approval Code 4560 for Algebra III• Approval Code 4252 for Bridge to Algebra II

Course Codes

• Course codes to be used will be determined and released via Commissioner’s Memo

• Courses currently in existence will use existing codes (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus)

• ADE Approved codes currently in use may change

Mathematics Policy Concerns

• Dr. Kimbrell and the Leadership Team are aware of concerns related to the rigor of the CCSS for Mathematics.

• Discussions are taking place regarding the use of the Bridge to Algebra II Course as well as the current requirements in the Standards for Accreditation.

• The Curriculum and Assessment Unit hopes to provide more information at the January 16th Math CIV.

Contact Information

Lana Hallmarklana.hallmark@arkansas.gov

Thomas Coythomas.coy@arkansas.gov

Anthony Owenanthony.owen@arkansas.gov

501-682-7442