Guide Entry to 25.04.01
The goal of the Touchstone Atlas is an aim to put a means of connection and learning transfer in reach for all students despite their incoming placement level, previewing and grounding the major work of the 7th grade curriculum. To experience the level of transfer required to perform on assessments which require them to apply multiple skills and concepts, students must be provided with multiple opportunities to uncover how concepts interplay. This unit will highlight opportunities for students to make connections through consistent implementation of Mathematical Language Routines (MLRs) as students see their portfolio as a recurring artifact and unpack it as they learn new concepts. Students will discover and demonstrate knowledge of scale, proportionality, and rational numbers by building a touchstone atlas. They are encouraged to reflect on their learning in writing and to self-assess their strengths and growth areas in their writing. In creating a physical portfolio, students will connect their bodies and experiences to make sense of and improve their discourse around new content. Students are supported in organizing new information and expanding their schema as they are given regular opportunities to contribute to their atlas while 7th grade units build upon one another. Encouraging students to reflect on work they have created to make sense of new problems promotes transfer. Learning transfer requires students to remain engaged and connected with content in order to do the work of sense-making. When the goal shifts from conquering step-by-step procedures to connecting with and remaining curious about how to approach new content, students develop critical thinking skills that transfer.
(Developed for Mathematics, grade 7; recommended for Accelerated Mathematics, grade 6, and Mathematics, grade 7)
Comments: