Instructional Minute

Dear Lansing Educators,

As we continue to make every school day count, it’s important that we stay focused on ensuring our students are learning the essential standards that will set them up for long-term success. Interim benchmark assessments are one of the tools that help us do just that. By aligning instruction with our pacing and gathering real-time data, we can better identify student needs, celebrate growth, and provide targeted support or extension. Together, we are building strong systems of teaching and learning that reflect our shared mission: to provide a high-quality education that prepares all students for their future.

Beginning in September for K–8 schools and October for high schools, we will conduct monthly interim benchmark assessments in grades 3–8 (Math and ELA) and in ELA 9, ELA 10, ELA 11, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2. These assessments target the essential standards taught each month and provide valuable data to:

• Develop intentional Tier 1 differentiated support for small-group instruction for students who have not yet mastered grade level standards.
• Monitor progress in the next benchmark window.

K–8

The September assessment will measure students’ current knowledge of the top 21 essential standards (3 per month) for both Math and ELA.

In subsequent months, assessments will cover:

• Previously taught standards (yellow)
• Current month’s standards (green)
• Next month’s standards (blue)

The questions are sequenced in the order the essential standards are taught in the curricular tool. For example:

• Questions 1–3: September’s essential standards
• Questions 4–6: October’s essential standards
• and so on.

Why are we doing this?

Interim benchmark assessments provide formative classroom data that helps guide and refine instruction. This data supports meaningful professional learning through PLC practices, grade-level collaborations, and other professional conversations.

When will they happen?

• Grades 3–8: Monthly assessments in ELA and Math from September through April, each testing window lasting one week. Schools will receive a math-specific assessment based on the curricular tool adopted (IM or Reveal).

• High School: Monthly common assessments in ELA 9–11 and Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 from October through April, aligned with pacing guides.

• Once the assessment window has concluded, classroom and school data reports will be shared with each school.

September Assessment Window: September 29 – October 3

Classroom data will be available by October 13th.

How will they work?

Assessments will be accessed digitally through Clever. When students log in, they will see an Assessment section at the top with two tiles: Math and ELA for 3rd – 8th grade. More information will be coming on the high school assessments.

Together, these assessments are not just about data points, but about creating clearer pathways for student success. Thank you for your commitment to making every day of instruction meaningful and for leaning into the tools and practices that help all students grow. I’m excited to see the impact of your hard work as we continue building momentum this year.

Sincerely,

Paden Stalter, Ed. D.

Senior Director of Student Success

Did you know? Amplify ELA has a Science of Reading podcast! Each episode is packed with practical tips, expert insights, and classroom-ready strategies—all in a quick, easy-to-listen format. It’s a great way to keep growing your literacy knowledge on the go!

Make sure to catch the latest episode here!

Did you miss our program webinars last month? Watch the recordings to learn program essentials or refresh your knowledge.

Where can I find resources to learn more about three-dimensional learning?

Download the free three-dimensional learning bundle—featuring an on-demand webinar, study and how-to guides, and a set of printable posters that will enhance your instruction with Amplify Science.

All Students Can Achieve at High Levels in Mathematics

For generations, many students (and adults) have believed they are simply “not a math person.” The truth is that research shows this is a myth—there is no such thing as a “math gene.” While genetics may play a small role in how we learn, true success in mathematics (and other subjects) is shaped far more by the beliefs and mindsets of both teachers and students.

To bring Belief #1—All Students Can Achieve at High Levels in Mathematics—to life in classrooms, here are a few key practices:

1. Normalize Mistakes – Mistakes are a natural and essential part of learning.

When you type "mistake making in mathematics" into the Google search engine, it suggests the most searched-for related entries include: "how to avoid making mistakes in mathematics" and "how to stop making mistakes in mathematics". Why would people want to stop or avoid making mistakes in mathematics? Instead, they should celebrate mathematical mistakes because these are at the heart of grappling with a problem, inventing strategies, and exploring curiosity. Without mistakes, people would be unable to fully do mathematics. Thus, we need to normalize mathematical mistakes by celebrating them rather than avoiding them.

Furthermore, celebrating mathematical mistakes humanize mathematics since mistakes are an inherent part of life. Therefore, mistakes are part of mathematics too. In fact, mathematical mistakes should be "expected, inspected, and respected" (Seely, 2016, p. 26) in the classroom.

Exploring the C3 Framework in Social Studies

This week, we begin our journey into the C3 Framework for Social Studies, which puts inquiry at the center of teaching and learning. The framework helps us guide students to ask meaningful questions, think critically, and make connections that matter.

At its heart is the Arc of Inquiry, made up of four dimensions we’ll explore together over the coming weeks:

1. Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries

2. Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools

3. Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

4. Communicating Conclusions

Our goal is to bring these ideas to life in K–8 classrooms, making social studies more engaging, relevant, and connected to the real world.

💡 Teacher Reflection Prompt:
What kinds of questions do your students already ask in class—and how might those be the starting point for deeper inquiry?

“The aim of all instruction is to alter long-term memory. If nothing has changed in long term memory, nothing has been learned”. (Clark, Kirschner, Sweller, 2006)

Problem-solving tasks without guidance work best for experts, who can draw on their background knowledge to make accurate connections. Novice learners, however, lack this foundation and often focus on the wrong things or overload their working memory. For them, clear and guided instruction is much more effective.

• As soon as you learn something, you begin forgetting it almost immediately.

• The rate of forgetting is often shockingly high; a few hours after learning something, people routinely remember only a small fraction of it.

• Retrieving something back into working memory slows the rate of forgetting.

• Each time you practice recalling what you know, the rate and amount of forgetting is reduced somewhat.

• Make students write before discussions to reduce the strain on working memory or having to remember what they want to say, leaving them free to listen to another’s comments.

• Yes, use exit tickets at the end of class, but barring further review, this technique will give a false gauge of what students know. Use exit ticket data to determine what to go over in a new way (concepts students missed) and what to review moving forward (concepts students understood).

• Research indicates the ideal number of interactions with essential content is three to four times before it is encoded into long-term memory.

• Roll out new content in manageable chunks and constantly embed short sequences of practice and retrieval.

• Students remember what they think about, so build habits of attention and focus and engage them with the content in non-passive ways.

Lemov, D. (2021). Teach like a champion 3.0: 63 techniques that put students on the path to college. Wiley.

Build Student Ownership

• Goal setting: Dedicate time for students to set personal academic or behavioral goals. Students should revisit and adjust these goals regularly.

• Student-led conferences: Replace or supplement traditional parent-teacher conferences with sessions where students showcase their progress.

• Classroom jobs: To promote responsibility, assign roles (such as technology helper, materials manager, or discussion leader).

For more strategies for a student-centered classroom, check out our brand new Lansing School District educator's Guide located here on the district's staff forms page!

The fundamental purpose of a school should be "Learning" rather than "Teaching", aiming "to ensure all students learn at high levels".

These guidelines are in place to ensure that all students have access to a guaranteed and viable curriculum—one where every learner receives the essential content and skills needed for success.

Intention to daily instructional minutes supports learning retention, builds routines, and ensures equity across classrooms and schools.

By adhering to the daily instructional minutes, we create:

• Consistency – Students know what to expect and can build stronger learning habits.

• Equity – Every child has access to the same high-quality learning opportunities.

• Progression – Skills and content build in a logical, intentional sequence.

Your commitment to this practice ensures that our students benefit fully from the curriculum we’ve adopted and are better prepared for future success. Thank you for your dedication to maintaining this consistency for all learners.

The documents attached outline K-8 curricular resources, standards and pacing. This can also be found by clicking here on the LSD website. *Please note that pacing for Illustrative Math powered by Kiddom and Reveal Math will become available as the year progresses.

The document attached outlines 9-12 curricular resources, standards and pacing. This can also be found by clicking here on the LSD website.

A resource to use as you see fit.

The newsletter is created each week by the Instructional Division: