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“Stop asking me if we’re almost there!We’re nomads, for crying out loud!”

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NYS Common Core Learning Standards

Understanding the ChangeBeing the Change

How to Change

http://engageny.org/

Western Suffolk BOCES

August 23, 2011

Overarching goals for today… To become familiar with New York State P-12

Common Core Learning Standards for English Language Arts & Literacyand Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CCLS)

To understand how implementing the CCLS in the classroom will impact teaching, learning, curriculum and materials

Caution! Before continuing…

• The Common Core Learning standards are not just a new set of performance indicators….

• They are a whole new way of teaching and learning…. Common Core in ELA/ Literacy:

Getting Started

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Why Standards? Why Common Core Standards?

Standards provide a shared vision of what students should know and be able to do.

Standards provide a shared vision for teachers and administrators

Common Core State Standards establish consistency across the states

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Areas of focus

Reading Writing Speaking and Listening Language Media and Technology - Research & Media

skills built into the Standards as a whole

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What is included in the Common Core Standards document?

P-12 Anchor Standards for English Language Arts Reading Literature, Informational Texts Writing Listening and Speaking Language Progressive Skills Charts for Language Arts

Conventions P-12 Grade Level Standards (We used to call these

performance indicators.)

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What is included in the Common Core Standards document?

Foundational Skills in reading (P-5)

Illustrative texts

Reading Standards in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Writing Standards in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

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What does the Research Document Contain? (Appendix A)

Research on text complexity including exemplar texts (stories and literature, poetry, and informational texts) that illustrate appropriate level of complexity by grade

Research on reading foundational skills Research on forms of writing:

Argument Informational Narrative

Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands

Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity

Reader and Task – background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned

Text complexity is defined by:

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What Does the Text Exemplar Document Contain? (Appendix B)

Grade level text exemplars for English Language Arts Grade level sample performance tasks for English

Language Arts Grade level text exemplars for Social Studies/History,

Science, Math and Technical Subjects Grade level sample performance tasks for Social

Studies/History, Science, Math and Technical Subjects

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What Does The Document of Writing Exemplars Contain? (Appendix C)

Grade level samples of student writing of Narrative Argument Informative/Explanatory

Six Shifts in ELA Literacy

Balancing Informational and Literary Text

Building Knowledge in the Disciplines

Staircase of Complexity Text-based Answers Writing from Sources Academic Vocabulary

Balancing information and Literacy Texts: PK-5 Students read a true balance of

informational and literary texts. Elementary school classrooms are, therefore, places where students access the world – science, social studies, the arts and literature – through text. At least 50% of what students read is informational.

Building Knowledge in the Disciplines: 6-12

Content area teachers outside of the ELA classroom emphasize literacy experiences in their planning and instruction. Students learn through domain-specific texts in science and social studies classrooms – rather than referring to the text, they are expected to learn from what they read.

Staircase of Complexity

In order to prepare students for the complexity of college and career ready texts, each grade level requires a “step” of growth on the “staircase.”

Students read the central, grade appropriate text around which instruction is centered.

Teachers are patient, create more time and space in the curriculum for this close and careful reading, and provide appropriate and necessary scaffolding and supports so that it is possible for students reading below grade level.

Text-Based Answers

Students have rich and rigorous conversations which are dependent on a common text.

Teachers insist that classroom experiences stay deeply connected to the text on the page and that students develop habits for making evidentiary arguments both in conversation, as well as in writing to assess comprehension of a text.

Writing From Sources Writing needs to emphasize use of evidence

to inform or make an argument rather than the personal narrative and other forms of decontextualized prompts.

While the narrative still has an important role, students develop skills through written arguments that respond to the ideas, events, facts, and arguments presented in the texts they read.

Academic Vocabulary Students constantly build the vocabulary they

need to access grade level complex texts. By focusing strategically on comprehension

of pivotal and commonly found words (such as “discourse,” “generation,” “theory,” and “principled”) and less on esoteric literary terms (such as “onomatopoeia” or “homonym”), teachers constantly build students’ ability to access more complex texts across the content areas.

theory

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What Does an Anchor Standard in Reading Look Like?

Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

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What Do Grade Level Standards Look Like For Reading? Grade 4

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.

Grade 7 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Grade 10Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Example of Grade-Level Progression in ReadingStandard 3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Grade 3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Grade 7: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot)

Grades 11-12: Evaluate various explanations for characters’ actions or for events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Text Dependent Questions What is (and isn’t) the meaning of “popular

sovereignty”? Why does Monk claim that this is the form of government in America?

Is Lucy Stone confused when she asks “Which ‘We the People’?” Why does Monk say this question has “troubled the nation”?

What does the phrase “founding fathers” mean? Why does Marshall think the founding fathers could not have imagined a female or black Supreme Court Justice?

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What Does a Grade Level Standard Look Like for Writing?

Grade 4

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Grade 7

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

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What Does a Grade Level Standard Look Like for Language?

Grade 4

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. . . . . . .

c. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.

Grade 7 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.a. Explain the function of phrases and clauses in generaland their function in specific sentences. . . . .

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Overview of Writing Strand for Teachers Students compose arguments and opinions, informative,

explanatory, and narrative texts

Focus on reason and evidence to substantiate an argument or claim

Students conduct research – short projects and sustained inquiry

Students incorporate technology as they create, refine, and collaborate on writing (writing process)

Students explore writing illustrating the criteria required to meet the standards (See standards’ appendices for writing samples)

Text dependent questions After reading Little Red Riding Hood, present

an argument, based on the text, explaining why everything is not as it seems.

After reading Little Red Riding Hood, present an argument that expresses the author’s purpose and use specific lines from the text to support your response.

Overview of Standards for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Reading Standards Knowledge of domain-specific vocabulary Analyze, evaluate, and differentiate primary and secondary

sources Synthesize quantitative and technical information, including

facts presented in maps, timelines, flowcharts, or diagramsWriting Standards

Write arguments on discipline-specific content and informative/explanatory texts

Use data, evidence and reason to support arguments and claims

Use of domain-specific vocabulary

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What do grade level standards in literacy in social studies, science, and technical subjects look like?

Social Studies Grade 9-10 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

Science Grade 9-10 Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the author seeks to address.

Technical Subjects Grade 9-10 Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form and in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.

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Some Goals . . .

Review rigor, relevance, coherence of our curricular units and interventions

Develop instruction that is clear and focused Celebrate and share what we do well Revisit areas that need attention Put in place interim assessments that are standards based, and

focus on literacy, not curriculum content Address knowledge and skills necessary for college and careers Integrate students’ literacy development in all areas

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What We Need to Do . . .

Understand and unpack the anchor standards Understand and unpack the grade level standards Develop and align curriculum with the CCLS

standards in all subjects Create units that include

Text based questions that promote close reading Writing that is inquiry based, using evidence to

support argument

What Do We Need To Do? By September 15, 2011, create awareness, foster fluency,

and develop a common language supporting Common Core implementation.

By October 1, 2011, collaboratively diagnose school capacity for implementing The Common Core and create action plan to ensure Phase I execution: 1 Common Core Aligned Unit in every classroom, each semester.

By October 1, 2011, Introduce Common Core aligned curriculum model modules/units and unpack the qualities of a model unit.

By October 31, 2011, build capacity and foster accountability so that every teacher delivers at least one Common Core aligned unit in every classroom each semester.

Building as we go along http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWE5-KQYGl8

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The Challenge: Linking the CCLS to Curriculum/Instruction in All Areas

Curriculum & Instruction Need to focus on areas of inquiry - not specific

standards in isolation Content area teachers and language arts/literacy

teachers will need to plan and work together to help students meet the standards

Teachers must place an emphasis on thinking with/about texts in all forms, including digital formats

Develop Units that recognize that less is more

Instead of going a mile wide and an inch deep… Go an inch wide and a mile deep

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Data Driven Instruction Collect baseline data (student work from the classroom,

more student work, standardized tests, anecdotal information)

Analyze/Discuss data with students, parents and colleagues

Determine what skills students need Determine an action plan to include instruction,

lessons, units, essential questions, projects, etc. that address the skills necessary to improve student outcomes

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Three Questions Regarding Data

How has the student progressed? (value-added growth)

How is the student doing compared to the class? (Differentiated Instruction)

How is the class doing with the curriculum? (Teacher Reflection)

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Sound Instruction Includes: Cognitive Engagement, Constructivist Learning & 21st Century Skills

Creativity and innovation

Critical thinking and problem solving

Communication and collaboration

Information and media literacy

The Bigger Picture

Literacy tasks across the curriculum must address application of literacy standards in History/Social Studies, Science, Math, and Technical Subjects in all areas of study.

First, a short video…. http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?

next_url=http%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DPOi4rvN_Yts

Planning Today: Choose one of the following Activities1. Choose a text from Appendix B, do a close reading and

create text based questions2. Create an action plan for your department, or grade level

group, or school to implement the ELA Common Core3. Create a plan for developing literacy based interim

assessments 4. Go to Appendix C, choose a grade level exemplar for

writing an argument. Read the annotation of the piece and determine how you would create such an assignment in your classroom

5. Work on what you need to do in your school to implement or create understanding around the ELA Common Core Learning Standards

Contact

Victor Jaccarino vicjaccarino@gmail.com