Descriptions of how the FACTs promote learning and inform teaching, including illustrative examples, support the inextricable link between instruction and learning. Instead of a one-size fits all approach, this one-of-a-kind resource will help teachers build a bridge between students' initial ideas and correct mathematical thinking. The authors also provide important guidance with each technique, including usage tips and caveats, implementation examples and suggested modifications.

'This book addresses the needs of teachers at every level in their teaching careers, as well as those who support and work with teachers. The processes can be used individually to guide professional learning and teaching, or within almost any professional development structure for facilitating group learning' - Katherine E. Stiles, Senior Program Associate, WestEd 'This resource supports continual professional growth of both content and pedagogical knowledge and will help teachers focus on the appropriate research. What a time saver this is!' - Rhonda Naylor, National Board Certified Mathematics Teacher Campus Middle School, Englewood, CO Becoming an accomplished mathematics teacher requires not only a thorough understanding of content, but also a familiarity with mathematics standards and research. However, a strategy for translating standards and research into instructional practice has been lacking since the advent of standards-based education reform. Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study provides a systematic professional development strategy that links mathematics standards and research to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Developed by authors Page Keeley and Cheryl M. Rose of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, the Curriculum Topic Study (CTS) process can help educators align their practice with research-based concepts and skills. Successfully field-tested with hundreds of teachers, maths advisors and teacher trainers, this book contains 92 ready-to-use CTS guides arranged in seven categories. Designed to work in a variety of contexts, the CTS process will help teachers: o Increase their content and pedagogical knowledge o Better understand and access mathematics research o Translate standards to the classroom in a conscious, scholarly way o Learn to recognize and address learning difficulties o Increase opportunities for all students to achieve mathematical literacy An essential investment toward improving student achievement in mathematics for primary and secondary maths teachers, teacher trainers, department heads and maths advisors, this innovative resource is also appropriate for trainee teachers and higher education lecturers.

In this essential resource, science educator Page Keeley provides teachers with guidance, suggestions and techniques for using formative assessment to improve teaching and learning in the science classroom. Based on the knowledge that good assessment practices are integral to measuring and documenting student achievement as well as informing teaching and learning, the author addresses the need to balance opportunity to learn, which includes assessment for learning, with assessment of learning. She then identifies and describes a rich and varied repertoire of purposeful strategies that weave assessment throughout instruction and learning. These techniques will help teachers become more aware of the different ideas students bring to their learning, see the connections between students' thinking and the specific ideas included in standards, and provide learning experiences that build a bridge between their students' thinking and accepted scientific ideas.

There is a substantive body of research that indicates formative assessment can significantly improve student learning. Yet, this same research shows that the features of formative assessment that impact student achievement are sadly missing from many classrooms (Black, et al., 2003). This book provides teachers with guidance and suggestions for using formative assessment to improve teaching and learning in the mathematics classroom, and identifies and describes practical techniques teachers can use to build a rich repertoire of formative assessment strategies. The acronym, FACT, is used to label the techniques included in this book. FACT stands for Formative Assessment Classroom Technique. Through the varied use of FACTs, explicitly tied to a purpose for gathering information about or promoting students' thinking and learning, teachers can focus on what works best for learning and design or modify lessons to fit the needs of the students.

This book shows readers how to use assessment to inform instruction and learning in the science classroom. In the bestselling first volume, Page Keeley shared 75 techniques that help K-12 science teachers determine students' understanding of key concepts and design learning opportunities that will deepend students' mastery of content and standards. Volume 2 will present 50 new strategies linked to the Next Generation Science Standards. These flexible assessments can be used with any science curriculum.

The assessments include:

- a description of how each technique promotes student learning

- considerations for design and implementation, such as required materials, timing, modeling the technique, and grouping students

- modifications for different types of students or purposes

- caveats for using each technique

- ways the techniques can be used in other content areas

'This book addresses the needs of teachers at every level in their teaching careers, as well as those who support and work with teachers. The processes can be used individually to guide professional learning and teaching, or within almost any professional development structure for facilitating group learning' - Katherine E. Stiles, Senior Program Associate, WestEd 'This resource supports continual professional growth of both content and pedagogical knowledge and will help teachers focus on the appropriate research. What a time saver this is!' - Rhonda Naylor, National Board Certified Mathematics Teacher Campus Middle School, Englewood, CO Becoming an accomplished mathematics teacher requires not only a thorough understanding of content, but also a familiarity with mathematics standards and research. However, a strategy for translating standards and research into instructional practice has been lacking since the advent of standards-based education reform. Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study provides a systematic professional development strategy that links mathematics standards and research to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Developed by authors Page Keeley and Cheryl M. Rose of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, the Curriculum Topic Study (CTS) process can help educators align their practice with research-based concepts and skills. Successfully field-tested with hundreds of teachers, maths advisors and teacher trainers, this book contains 92 ready-to-use CTS guides arranged in seven categories. Designed to work in a variety of contexts, the CTS process will help teachers: o Increase their content and pedagogical knowledge o Better understand and access mathematics research o Translate standards to the classroom in a conscious, scholarly way o Learn to recognize and address learning difficulties o Increase opportunities for all students to achieve mathematical literacy An essential investment toward improving student achievement in mathematics for primary and secondary maths teachers, teacher trainers, department heads and maths advisors, this innovative resource is also appropriate for trainee teachers and higher education lecturers.