August 2023

New Unit Plans Google Sites!

Our Unit Plans have been updated and redesigned for 2023-24! The same content and general organization remain with cleaner navigation and aesthetics using dropdowns. As a new feature, each content area has its own landing page with content-specific resources for all elementary educators. These new Google Sites serve as one-stop, comprehensive collections of content area resources and curricular support for planning and instruction. The Unit Plans are only accessible through the “Staff Curricular Resources” app in ClassLink, and staff must be logged into their SVVSD Google accounts.

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Savvas Product Assignments

Teachers do not need to make ReadyGEN or enVisionmath2.0 product assignments through Savvas EasyBridge. Grade level digital licenses have automatically been assigned to students and teachers. If you believe the product assignments for your class are incorrect, please submit a DTS ServiceNow Work Ticket.

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Math Updates

First impressions are important, especially with cultivating positive perceptions and student math identities. What first impression will you make with math as you start the year? How will you norm your classroom for all students to thrive and succeed? Consider these ideas, questions, and recommendations.

All enVisionmath2.0 Topics have a revised Topic Assessment linked for use in the corresponding Unit Plan. These revised Topic Assessments have fewer questions, align to the intention of the evidence outcomes, consist of various item types (including mathematical reasoning), and have been peer reviewed by St. Vrain teachers.

Digital forms of these assessments also exist for Grades 3-5 only. Check out how to use Performance Matters for administering these assessments.

The major content Topics also have i-Ready Tools for Instruction PDFs linked for Tier 1 reteaching and intervention. Tools for Instruction activities are intended for small group settings where teachers actively monitor student performance and thinking.

Lastly, continue referring to the enVisionmath2.0 Expectations of Practice, enVisionmath2.0 Daily “Look Fors,” and the Five Strands of Mathematics Instruction on the Elementary Mathematics Unit Plans landing page as a guiding compass for our vision, beliefs, and values around comprehensive math instruction in St. Vrain.

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ELA Updates

As we move into our new school year, we are excited to refine our implementation of ReadyGEN! With this implementation, our emphasis is on strengthening the reciprocity among reading and writing by intentionally connecting these two instructional blocks in our daily schedule.

In addition, updated resources in our Elementary ELA Unit Plans provide guidance on how we strategically and seamlessly move from reading instruction into writing instruction.
Our Module Scope and Sequence documents outline this horizontal progression across a reading and writing lesson by emphasizing key components designed to connect skills in reading and writing. These documents can be found on grade level Module Plans for ELA.

CDE Read Act Teacher Training Requirement: Grades K-3 & Reading Interventionists K-12

As a result of changes to the Colorado READ Act, Colorado school districts are required to ensure all K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction and K-12 reading interventionists complete evidence-based training in teaching reading.

Click Here for updates and important information on this requirement as well as training options available to our St. Vrain teachers.

Fundations

As you set up your classroom for the upcoming year, be sure to establish your routines for materials and classroom learning activities. Consumable workbooks should be delivered to schools by August 25th. If you would like to have the writing grid pages from the student workbook ahead of time, feel free to access those materials on the Wilson Fundations Site.

As of July 2023, our temporary free access to the FUN Hub will end. We understand that while not essential, these online resources have been helpful. Fortunately, our access to the Wilson Academy Fundations site will continue. Further, we are confident that our direct, explicit, and systematic approach to phonics instruction will remain, as core materials used for teaching and learning will continue with your Fundations classroom sets.

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Social Studies Updates

Welcome to the new year with revised social studies standards and unit plans! We all know the importance of teaching social studies in elementary, but there is now research that suggests this! A new study finds that social studies instruction at the elementary level increases students’ reading scores! Here is the study, if you are interested in reading more about it.

Keep in mind the various ways you can incorporate your social studies content into your daily practice. Besides dedicated time for teaching social studies, consider using the texts and content in small group ELA blocks, warm up activities with primary sources and current events, and whole group read alouds and discussions.

Please take a moment to watch two quick videos that address both the revised standards and the revised unit plans.

• Standards Video
• Unit Plans Video

Attention 4th grade teachers! Colorado Story is moving to a new edition digitally for our district. With the new revised standards, the publisher decided it was time for a revision. Our district is getting the new updated revision digitally, but we will continue to use the last edition in print at least until the next budgeted curricular adoption. There are not major changes, but please note the print text does not always match the digital version.

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Professional Development Opportunities

The following classes are available for registration through the Office of Professional Development. All classes are in-person unless otherwise noted.

• OG for Adolescent Learners 4th Grade and Beyond (Session starts Saturday, September 9; 2.5 credits)
• Yoshimoto Orton-Gillingham Basic Training (Session starts Saturday, September 9; 2.5 credits)
• Essentials in Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (Session starts Tuesday, November 7; 2 credits)
• Explicit Literacy Instruction Using Fundations (Session starts Saturday, August 26; 0.5 credit)
• DIBELS 8th mCLASS New User Training (Saturday, September 9; 8:30 AM -3:30 PM; 0.5 credit)
• DIBELS 8th mCLASS Migration Training (Saturday, September 9; 8:30 AM -12:00 PM; 0.25 credit)
• Thinking Maps (Saturday, October 28; 8:30 – 4:00 and Saturday, November 4; 8:30 – 4:00) Registration link coming soon in Wisdomwhere!
• Mathematical Tasks and Classroom Discourse (Saturday, August 26; 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; 0.5 credit)
• What is a Fraction? (Saturday, September 30; 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; 0.5 credit)

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