1. Why the Common Core Standards? The standards are the result of a national movement to provide an equitable, coherent, focused, and rigorous curriculum. The standards will enable our students to be college and career ready in order to compete globally.

2. Why Grades 1 and 2 in 2012-2013? Maryland adopted the Common Core in 2011 and will begin assessing those standards during the 2014-2015 school year. HCPSS started the transition last year with kindergarten. The transition continues this year in prekindergarten, first and second grades. Next year, the transition will occur in intermediate grades so that all students are prepared for new assessments the following year in 2014-2015.

3. What Will Our Students Learn? Problem Solving Place Value Addition/Subtraction Fact Fluency Measurement Time Shapes and Attributes Problem Solving Place Value Addition/Subtraction (to 1,000) Fact Fluency Time Money Measurement Shapes and Figures Grade 1 Grade 2

4. What Will Our Students Learn? Problem Solving Counting & Cardinality Measurement Shapes and Attributes Sorting & Classifying Making and Breaking Apart Sets Prekindergarten

5. Where Can I Get More Information? HCPSS SMART Pages More information about the Common Core State Standards Specific grade level standards Optional activities you can do at home to support your student http://smart.hcpss.wikispaces.nethttp://smart.hcpss.wikispaces.net