Cracking the Code: How to Read the Common Core ELA Standards

Breakout Session English Language Arts &

Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Common Core: English Language Arts Standards

ELA: Design & Organization

Three Sections

K-5 (cross-disciplinary) 6-12 English Language Arts 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, &

Technical Subjects Three Appendices

A: Research and evidence; glossary B: Reading text exemplars; sample performance tasks C: Annotated student writing samples

Available at: http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards

"When eating an elephant take

ONE bite at a time."

-Creighton Abrams

How Does How Does Someone Eat Someone Eat An Elephant?An Elephant?

Digging Deeper: Appendix A

In groups of 4, jigsaw excerpted text provided from Appendix A.

Home group: read assigned activity and highlight ideas, phrases, or words most significant to you.

Expert group: locate posterand record key ideas.

Home group: Gallery Walk

ELA: Design & Organization

Three Sections

K-5 (cross-disciplinary) 6-12 English Language Arts 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects

Three Appendices

A: Research and evidence; glossary B: Reading text exemplars; sample performance tasks C: Annotated student writing samples

Available at: http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards

Sample Reading Text

Read the excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Annotate the qualities of text which help you determine appropriate grade level.

What grade level would be appropriate for teaching this text?

Discuss specific reasons why this would be the appropriate grade.

Sample Student Performance Task

Students provide an objective summaryprovide an objective summary of Frederick Douglass’s Narrative. They analyze how the central ideacentral idea regarding the evils of slavery is conveyed through conveyed through supporting ideassupporting ideas and developed over the course of the developed over the course of the texttext. (RI.8.2)

The Standard: Determine a central ideacentral idea of a text and analyzeanalyze its

development over the course of the textdevelopment over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective supporting ideas; provide an objective summarysummary of the text.

Student Sample: K, Argument (Opinion)This opinion piece about a work of literature was produced in class.

AnnotationThe writer of this piece• tells the reader the name of the book (in the title of the paper).o My fabit (favorite) Book is do you Want to be my FRIEND• states an opinion or preference about the book.o . . . my fait (favorite) pot (part) is the hos (horse)

Student Sample: Grade 12, Informative/Explanatory

A high school senior wrote the essay that follows for a career and technical class. The student hadunlimited time to research and write this paper.

Wood JointsHave you ever wondered how to design complex wood

joinery? The types of wood joinery have been around for thousands of years. There are only twelve different main types of joints but there are many that combine more than one for aesthetics or strength. The first step in designing joints is understanding the different types and what their uses are. After you understand the strengths and weaknesses of the different joints you can compare and contrast the joints for aesthetics. This and a lot of practice are what make excellent wood joinery.

ELA: Design & Organization

College and Career Readiness (CCR) ANCHOR Standards

Broad expectations consistent across grades and content areas

Based on evidence about college and workforce training expectations

Anchor Standard Highlighting Activity

Go to page 18 in the ELA CCSS (SS teachers go to page 60)

Select one of the ten writing anchor standards Beginning on page 19, follow your selected

writing standard from Kindergarten to 12th grade (6th-12th grade for SS)

Highlight key words indicating change in complexity across grade levels/bands

Line Up Call Out ActivityReading Anchor Standard 4

Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative and figurative

meanings and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

Anchor Standard Activity

Select one of the four templates provided and highlight key words and/or create a visual representation of each anchor standard.

Group sharing time.

How to “talk” about theELA Standards

The Literacy Common Core Standards as written do not clearly articulate a set of codes with which to refer to.

A code has been developed Aide in distinguishing Anchor Standards from Grade-

Specific Standards Ease of “conversation” about the standards

A KEY is necessary for “decoding” the code

Cracking the Literacy “CODE”

Strand Code KeyReading Standards R Reading Standards for Literature RL Reading Standards for Informational Text RI Reading Standards: Foundational Skills RF Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies RH Reading Standards for Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects RST

Writing Standards W Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, WHST Science, & Technical Subjects

Speaking & Listening Standards SL

Language Standards L

How to read a Common Core ANCHOR Standard

R.CCR.6

Strand

College & Career Readiness Status

Number assigned to Standard

Reading College & Career Readiness Anchor Craft and Structure:6. Assess how point of view on purpose shapes the content & style of a text.

How to read a Common Core Reading Standard (grade-specific standard)

RI.4.3Strand

Grade

Number assigned to Standard

Reading Informational Grade 4

Key Ideas & Details: 3. Explain events, procedures, ideas or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

How to Read a Common Core Writing Standard (grade-specific standard)

W.5.1aStrand

Grade

Number & Letter assigned to Standard

Writing Grade 5

1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.

MDE Alignment Documents

http://glce.wikispaces.com/Common+Core+State+Standards+draft+documents

Next Steps

Yours: further study of the CCSS initiative and each of the documents.

Ours: identifying needs and providing support and professional development.

Others: resources from across the country and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.

Remember, this is a journey and not a destination!