1. Demystifying the Core

2. Common Core Development The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Initiative is a state led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGS Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators and content experts in English language Arts/Literacy and mathematics to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for the rigors of college and the workforce. Forty-eight states and territories have adopted the Common Core State Standards. Pennsylvania is one of them.

3. Rationale To be effective in improving education and getting all students ready for college, workforce training, and life, the Standards must be partnered with a content-rich curriculum and robust assessments, both aligned to the Standards. Video: http://vimeo.com/51933492

4. Big Ideas of the Common Core Standards Develop independent critical thinking skills Increase in rigor across all grades Focus on literacy across Science, Social Studies, and technical subjects Focus on argumentative writing Focus on informational text Supports effective teaching and new teacher evaluation systems Conceptual understanding and procedural skills interrelated and woven together for deep understanding Focus on key ideas, understandings, and skills as well as a deep learning of concepts is emphasized Learning through the lens of the 8 Standards of Mathematical Properties Apply concepts and skills to new situations

5. PA Core vs. Common Core PA Core and Common Core State Standards are very similar Most standards are exactly the same A few standards have different wording PA added a few standards PA removed a few standards The order of the standards is slightly different

6. Literacy Standards

7. Five Standard Categories for Literacy 1. Foundational Skills (PreK-5) are designed as a comprehensive early reading program to develop proficient readers. 2. Reading Informational Text enables students to read, understand, and respond to informational text. 3. Reading Literature enables students to read, understand, and respond to works of literature. 4. Writing develops the skills of informational, argumentative, and narrative writing as well as the ability to engage in evidence-based analysis of text and research. 5. Speaking and Listening focuses students on communication skills that enable critical listening and effective presentation of ideas. What are the PA Common Core State Standards?

8. Common Core State Standards Foundational Skills (K-5) Reading Literature Reading Informational Writing Speaking and Listening Languag e Media And Technolog y

9. Characteristics of the English Language Arts PA Core A high degree of rigor and student collaboration An emphasis on reading; especially non- fiction Embedded technology Specific speaking and listening skills Daily academic writing Text complexity Text connections

10. What is unique about the CCSS for literacy? Four Major Shifts in Literacy Standards increase in complexity from K-12 and articulate what students need to know at each grade level

11. ICS ELA In reading class, students will read text closely, make logical inferences and cite evidence from the text. They will analyze the structure of text, evaluate arguments and interpret words and phrases to gain a deep understanding of the text. Students are being exposed to a mixed of grade level text and leveled text. Use of Reading Wonders Curriculum in 3 rd and 4 th grade. Incorporation of Achieve3000 in grades 3 rd – 8 th grade. Alignment of 5 th – 8 th grade curriculum to PA Core

12. Meeting Literacy Shift 1 Achieve3000 Time for Kids Reading Wonders Revising M.S. curriculum to add informational text from various sources Teachers College Reading Writing Project

13. Meeting Literacy Shift 2 New Science Curriculums Connected Math for MPS Alignment and Integration of Historical Fiction Revised curriculum to add informational text from various sources such as web, public domain, newspaper, etc.

14. Meeting Literacy Shift 3 Achieve3000 Reading Wonders Curriculum Alignment of Reading Core Books

15. Meeting Literacy Shift 4 Revise curriculum to address argumentative writing (6-8) Revise curriculum to address opinion writing (K-5)

16. Math Standards

17. Four Standard Categories for Math 1. Numbers and Operations relate to making sense of numbers and place value, understanding ratio concepts, developing and analyzing proportional relationships, and applying properties of rational and irrational to solve real world problems. 2. Algebraic Concepts relate to representing and extending problems to find solutions, detecting patterns, generating rules and relationships, writing equations and defining, evaluating, comparing, and interpreting functions. 3. Geometry develops the ability to identify, describe, compare, create, and compose shapes, apply concepts of transformation, symmetry, translation, and partitioning, and develop theorems and formulas for proofs. 4. Data Analysis and Probability develops the ability to describe and compare measurable attributes of objects, tell and write times, represent and interpret data and probability models, and apply statistical properties to justify conclusions based on surveys, experiments, and observational studies. What are the PA Common Core State Standards?

18. Characteristics of the Math PA Core The PA Common Core Standards for Math have a dual focus--what the children need to know and do, and to what extent they can do it. There is a shift away from procedures, to children learning to apply their knowledge in meaningful and multiple ways. These standards are focused, coherent and rigorous. Students need to know and do math more deeply and robustly. The PA Common Core Math Standards also include a set of eight (8) Standards of Practice that will guide teaching and learning. They are: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them Reason abstractly and quantitatively Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others Model with mathematics Use appropriate tools strategically Attend to precision Look for and make use of structure Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

19. What is unique about the CCSS for Mathematics? Three Major Shifts in Math Greater FOCUS on fewer topics Coherence: Linking topics and thinking Clarity and Specificity

20. What is unique about CCSS specific for Mathematics? Coherence  Articulated progressions of topics and performances that are developmental and connected to learning trajectories  Conceptual understanding and procedural skills interrelated and woven together for deep understanding Focus  Key ideas, understandings, and skills are identified  Deep learning of concepts is emphasized That is, time is spent on a topic and on learning as well. This counters the “mile wide, inch deep” criticism leveled at most current US standards.  Deeper understanding of fewer topics Clarity and Specificity  Skills and Concepts are learned through the lens of the 8 Standards of Mathematical Practice  Being able to apply concepts and skills to new situations is expected

21. Meeting Mathematics Shift 1 Curriculum shift to Investigation (K-5) Curriculum Connect Math 3 (6- 8) Hiring Math Specialist iXL.com (K-8) Revised Curriculum Weekly team Math Meetings Greater FOCUS on fewer topics

22. Meeting Mathematics Shift 2 Curriculum shift to Investigation (K-5) Curriculum Connect Math 3 (6- 8) Hiring Math Specialist iXL.com (K-8) Revised Curriculum Weekly team Math Meetings Coherence: Linking topics and thinking

23. Meeting Mathematics Shift 3 Curriculum shift to Investigation (K-5) Curriculum Connect Math 3 (6- 8) Hiring Math Coach iXL.com (K-8) Revised Curriculum Weekly team Math Meetings Common Assessments Clarity and Specificity

24. CCSS Consortiums Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC)  23 Member States  http://www.smarterbalanced.org http://www.smarterbalanced.org Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)  25 Member States  www.parcconline.org www.parcconline.org Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)  Member of both Consortiums

25. Characteristics of the Social Studies PA Core Standards: Based on the new PA Common Core Standards in Social Studies, a link will be created between Reading and Social Studies, and Writing and Social Studies. The purpose is to develop students' knowledge about the world through the use of informational text. Students will be asked to use and interpret text evidence, construct meaning from the text, and support their reasoning with evidence from the text. Additionally, in Social Studies students will write. They will write from sources, write arguments focused on content, and write informative/explanatory pieces. Most importantly, they will read for information, make assertions, and use evidence from the text to support their assertions.

26. Characteristics of the Science PA Common Core Standards: The PA Common Core Standards also generate an important link between Science and Reading, and Science and Writing. Elementary students will engage in focused reading related to science content. They will study text components such as headings, figures, bold words and morphology. The text will get more complex through the grades. They will participate in purposeful reading.

27. Additional Parent Resources Council of the Great City Schools  Parent Roadmaps to Common Core http://www.cgcs.org/domain/36 National PTA  Common Core Parent Guidelines_By Grade http://www.pta.org/parents/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2583 Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)  Eligible Content Review http://paacademicreview.org

28. PSSA

29. Dates ELA (Grades 3-8)  4 days: Tuesday, April 14th – Friday 17th MATH (Grades 3-8)  3 days: Tuesday, April 21st – 23rd SCIENCE (Grades 4 & 8)  2 days: Tuesday, April 28th & Thursday, April 30th

30. What’s New Administration Dates (Format) No Writing ELA (No Reading)  Text Dependent Analysis (4-8)  Writing Prompt (3-8)  MC Language (3-8)  Evidence Based Selected Response Math  Change in Open Ended Structure

31. Sample ELA

32. MATH Sample

33. Parent Resources for PSSA Pennsylvania Department of Education  http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/com munity/state_assessment_system/20965/pennsylv ania_system_of_school_assessment_%28pssa% 29/1190526 http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/com munity/state_assessment_system/20965/pennsylv ania_system_of_school_assessment_%28pssa% 29/1190526 PDE-Standards Aligned System  http://www.pdesas.org/module/assessment/pages /referencematerials/