Common Core State Standards (CCSS) English/Language Arts

1. Career and College Standards Common Core State Standards (CCSS) English/Language Arts Dr. Lisa Rivard, Consultant, MISD Dr. Elaine Weber, Consultant, MISD Carrie Wozniak, Consultant, MISD Barbara Reed-Nelson, Independent Consultant Macomb Intermediate School District

2. Why Are We Here? • In table groups, the participants will share: • Who they are and where they work. • Their purpose and plan for attending today’s workshop on Common Core State Standards • Then as a group: • Determine common theme from purposes shared at your table. • Determine a spokesperson to share common theme with the large group.

3. Activity # 1 • Setting the Stage: Portrait of a Literate Individual Video: Turn, Turn, Turn Use the placement in front of you to record your thinking. Discuss and list examples of each student characteristic.

4. Agenda • Welcome, Introductions, and Agenda • History and Background of the Common Core State Standards • Break • Exploring the Standards • Assessment and the SMARTER Balanced Consortium • Lunch • Breakout Sessions • K-5 Common Core State Standards Session • 6-12 Common Core State Standards Session • Close and SB-CEU’s

5. The Common Core State Standards Initiative Beginning in the spring of 2009, Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia committed to developing a common core of state K-12 English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics standards. The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The Michigan State Board of Education formally adopted the Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English language arts on June 15, 2010. www.corestandards.org These standards are NOT intended to be new names for old ways of doing business. They are a call to take the next step.

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7. Why Common Standards? • Focus as a nation on College and Career Readiness (CCR) • Need a common definition of CCR and K-12 Progression to CCR • Variation in achievement levels on NAEP vs. State Assessments (Inflated proficiency levels) • Next step in a progression for Michigan (NCLB, GLCE, HSCE, MMC, ACT, MEAP/MME)

8. Common Core State Standards • Standards, NOT Curriculum • Will need to be supported by coherent, content-rich curriculum • Do NOT define everything that should be taught or assessed at the classroom or district levels • Align well with HSCE and MMC CCE

9. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/ Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

10. CCSS Opportunity • To define literacy as everyone’s responsibility • To examine current literacy practices in content area classes (ELA, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies) • To revisit ACT’s Reading Between the Lines • Characteristics of Complex Text Flipbook • To learn more about close and critical reading

11. CCSS Opportunity • To review the rigor, relevance, coherence of our curricular units and interventions • To develop assessments that help us focus on meeting critical targets • To celebrate what is working well • To revisit areas that still need attention

12. Common Core State Standards forEnglish Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects • College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards • Overarching standards for each strand that are further defined by grade-specific standards • Grade-Level Standards in English Language Arts • K-8, grade-by-grade • 9-10 and 11-12 grade bands for high school • Four strands: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language • Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects • Standards are embedded at grades K-5 • Content-specific literacy standards are provided for grades 6-8, 9-10, and 11-12

13. Activity # 2 A Treasure Hunt through the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy In History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Studies

14. Overview of Reading Strand Progressive development of reading comprehension; students gain more from what they read • Emphasize the importance of grade-level texts that are of appropriate difficulty and are increasingly sophisticated • Standards for Reading Foundational Skills (K-5) • Reading Standards for Literature (K-12) • Reading Standards for Informational Text (K-12) • Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies (6-12) • Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects (6-12)

15. Complex Text • Performance on complex texts is the clearest differentiator in reading between students who are likely to be ready for college and those who are not. • And this is true for both genders, all racial/ethnic groups, and all annual family income levels. - ACT Reading Between the Lines

16. Overview of Text Complexity Appendix A (p. 4-6) Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity Quantitative Qualitative Reader and Task – background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned Reader and Task • Reading Standards include exemplar texts (stories and literature, poetry, and informational texts) that illustrate appropriate level of complexity by grade (Appendix B) • Text complexity is defined by

17. From Reading Between the Lines http://act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/reading_summary.pdf

18. Activity # 3 • Everyone should have a copy of Appendix A and Participant Worksheet. • Reflect upon a challenging college class or subject and discuss what made the class or subject difficult. • Everyone reviews Appendix A pages 1-9 which explains the research and the issue of text complexity. Focus the discussion on the question below. • Discussion question: What are the three most important ideas for colleagues to know and why?

19. Activity # 3 • Jigsaw activity for the other ELA standards in Appendix A. • At each table, assign responsibility for reading the sections below. (Make sure all sections are read.) • Foundational Skills (pp. 17-22) • Writing (pp. 23-25) • Speaking & Listening (pp. 26-27) • Language (pp. 28-31) • Vocabulary (pp. 32-35)

20. Activity # 3 • All group members should first read their strand silently and then discuss and reach a consensus on what the big ideas (refer to the discussion question above). • Each group should present they think are important things to know about the assigned literacy strand. (When presenting, remember no other groups will have read the section you have just read.) • Further discussion: What are the implications of this information for curriculum, instruction, and assessment?

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

22. Grade-Level Progression Format highlights progression of standards across grades 22

23. Activity # 4 • Read the To Kill a Mockingbird excerpt p. 107, Appendix B. • Read the Text Complexity Analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird. • What do you notice about the three levels of text complexity? How will this influence your selection of linking texts?

24. Activity # 4

25. Use the Literary Text Rubric for Qualitative Analysis Note you might use OKAPI for a Quantitative Analysis Reader and Task Consideration Handout

26. Quantitative Measure OKAPI Website

29. Activity # 5 Read the passage The Tipping Point (p.179, Appendix B). Use the Text Complexity Bookmark to record your analysis. Use the Informational Rubric to determine the Qualitative Measure and the Reader to Task Reflection Questions for Reader Task Considerations. Complete the bookmark with your analysis and recommendations.

30. OKAPI Qualitative Measures Rubric Reader Task Reflection Questions

31. Quantitative Measure OKAPI Website

32. Activity # 5

34. Appendix B – Performance Task Note: There are examples of performance tasks for various exemplars.

35. Activity # 6 Overview of Writing Strand • Expect students to compose arguments and opinions, informative/explanatory pieces, and narrative texts • Focus on the use of reason and evidence to substantiate an argument or claim • Emphasize ability to conduct research – short projects and sustained inquiry • Require students to incorporate technology as they create, refine, and collaborate on writing • Include student writing samples that illustrate the criteria required to meet the standards (See Appendix C for writing samples)

36. Argument vs. Persuasion (A p. 24) Persuasive Strategies • credibility, character, or authority of the writer • audience’s self-interest, sense of identity, emotions Logical Argument • perceived merit and reasonableness of the claims and proofs offered • CCSS place a special emphasis on writing logical arguments (CCR requires “argument literacy”)

37. W1Argument K-12 Progression K Compose opinion pieces; state an opinion or preference 1 – 2 Write opinion pieces • Introduce topic, opinion, reason, closure 3 – 5 Write opinion pieces on topics • Support point of view with reasons and information 6 – 8 Write arguments to support claims • Clear reasons and relevant evidence 9 – 12 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts • Valid reasoning, relevant and sufficient evidence

38. Overview of Speaking and Listening Strand (A p.26-7) • Develop oral language as a goal in its own right; use as a mechanism for developing comprehension • Require interpretation and analysis of message as presented through oral, visual, or multimodal formats • Promote conversations to compare, contrast, analyze, and synthesize ideas • Focus on speaking and listening in a range of settings, both formal and informal – academic, small-group, whole-class discussions • Emphasize effective communication practices 38

39. Overview of Language Strand Language (A p. 28 - 31) • Include conventions for writing and speaking • To be addressed in context of reading, writing, speaking and listening • Progressive language skills (grades 3-10) Vocabulary (A p.32 - 35) • Highlight the importance of vocabulary acquisition through a mix of conversation, direct instruction, and reading • Focus on academic vocabulary – access to complex text • Introduction of domain-specific vocabulary words in context Media and Technology are integrated throughout the standards. 39

40. Overview of Standards for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Reading Standards for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects • 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 diagrams Writing Standards for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects • Write arguments on discipline-specific content and informative/explanatory texts • Use of data, evidence, and reason to support arguments and claims • Use of domain-specific vocabulary

41. Assessment Activity # 7 • The latest information on upcoming assessments on these standards will be provided by SMARTER Balance. • www.k12.wa.us/smarter/default.aspx

42. These standards should be looked at by teachers and administrators as a floor and not a ceiling for students’ achievement. Reeves, 2011

43. Toolkit Resources • Available online at: • www.missionliteracy.com