Lead Lit Topic: Common Core
Many teachers and school leaders have a sense of urgency in understanding and implementing the Common Core. Our features focus on the authentic experiences of teachers as they wrestle with new definitions of writing text types and text complexity in the Common Core, work with evidence and build their informational libraries. We include many resources from literacy coaches and school leaders as they bring together teachers to discuss and experiment with new standards in their classrooms. Whether it's one teacher working with a few students, or a district looking to coordinate resources across hundreds of classrooms, we've got the materials you need to learn more about how the Common Core is being tested and tried throughout the country.
Results
Defining Standards Before a Demonstration Lesson
In this video from a third-grade lesson study, Jason DiCarlo works with teachers and specialists to define standards before a demonstration lesson.
Rethinking Retelling
First . . . Next . . . Then . . . Last. These popular sequential words are plastered on anchor charts in elementary classrooms and within retelling bookmarks in...
Making Standards Work for You
Like anything adopted wholesale in education, I approach the Common Core State Standards with trepidation. Yes, the expectations for what is to be learned at the end of each grade...
Teaching Students at Their Own Level
My husband and I both play tennis. He is better than I am. In fact, the first time we ever played, we played a set, and I did not win...
Meeting Snapshot: Selecting a Standard for Lesson Study
Jason DiCarlo works with a first-grade team to select a standard before designing a lesson. The group explores connections between reading and writing, and has an honest discussion of where...
Meeting Snapshot: Examining Standards for Vertical Alignment
In this excerpt from a first-grade lesson study, Principal Jason DiCarlo and the team look at the standard they are tackling compared with what is expected in kindergarten and second...
A Complicated Relationship with Standards
I have a complicated relationship with the Common Core State Standards. As our district’s writing specialist, I have come to terms with them for the most part, and I think...
The Common Core and Parents: Building Bridges, Not Walls
One of our challenges at our school is parent involvement. We are paying particular attention to the feel and tone of our parent conferences. Holding up the mirror is not...
Meeting Snapshot: Exploring Terms in Standards
Jason DiCarlo pauses for a minute with a team of first-grade teachers to examine a standard together, projected with an LCD to ensure everyone has the same understanding of terms...
Creating Flash Continuums
It is part of my work to guide teams of teachers to create standards-based learning continuums. A continuum is a way to generate a common understanding of a selected standard...
Hosting a Family Writing Night
Our district holds a Literacy Night each school year. In the past, we have hosted family read-ins, author visits, and make-and-take nights. However, with the implementation of the Common Core...
Is the Pain Worth the Gain?
As any teacher knows, the way to internalize standards is to use them in the classroom. We can read, unpack, dig into, compare, and “essentialize” the new Common Core standards...
Texts to Teachers
As we deepen our understanding of the Common Core, we are realizing more than ever that the texts we use matter. Finding just the right text or set of texts...
Small-Group Demonstration Lesson: Writing Details in Kindergarten
In this demonstration small group with kindergartners, Tammy Mulligan uses student texts to show children the value of adding details to their pictures and texts in writing workshop. ...
Cultivating Teacher Leadership
The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership. Harvey S. Firestone For the past year I have been entrenched in curriculum development with grade-level teams...
Demonstration Lesson: Deeper Reading with Advanced Third Graders
Clare Landrigan works with a third-grade teacher and two of her students to help two advanced students read deeply and look for evidence in texts in this demonstration lesson. The...
Helping Teachers Learn to Love the Common Core Standards
Loving something or someone involves knowing that thing or person very well . . . Chris Lehman and Kate Roberts (Falling in Love with Close Reading) I have been...
Building Foundations
“Hurry up! Faster! You’re almost out of time!” These are the words heard in a recent professional development with K-8 teachers from across my school district. Teachers are building with...
Picture It: Just in Time Writing Resources
An Outlook appointment pops up to remind Heather Sisson that the spring writing assessment is approaching in three weeks for her K-6 colleagues. She uses clear plastic tubs to display...
The Power of the Spoken Word
I am exploring the new Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts (ELA). I flip to a new section and read Speaking and Listening, Comprehension and Collaboration. My eyes...
Exploring Themes in the Intermediate Grades
At a recent third-grade team meeting we unpacked Common Core Standard #2. We looked at the standard, asking ourselves what it means and how might we teach it: R.L....
