PA Core Standards: What Parents Need to Know PAGE Meeting Monday, April 14, 2014

Agenda Tonight The PA Core Standards –What are they and how are they different from the old academic standards? –Shifts from PA Academic to PA Core Webb’s Depth of Knowledge –What is Webb’s DOK? Instructional Tasks Assessment Tasks Changes to State Testing –PSSA Math and ELA Resources

PA Core Standards vs. Academic English Language Arts ( Replace old Academic Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening ) Math ( Replace old Academic Math ) Additions to Current Academic Standards in Science, Technical Subjects, History and Social Studies ( grades 6-12 ) –Reading & Writing for Science & Technical Subjects –Reading & Writing for History & Social Studies

Major Shifts: ELA Balancing Informational & Literary Text (Informational text becomes more prevalent) Elem: 50% Informational Middle: 55% Informational HS: 70% Informational Knowledge in the Disciplines Staircase of Complexity Text-based Answers Writing from Sources –Elem: 30% argument/35% explain/35% narrative –MS: 35% argument/35% explain/30% narrative –HS: 40% argument/40% explain/20% narrative Academic Vocabulary

Major Shifts: Math Focus Coherence Fluency Deep Understanding Application Dual Intensity W8ucAI&list=PLD7F4C7DE7CB3D2E6

Webb’s Depth of Knowledge The standards alone will not bring rigor into the classroom. Norman Webb’s Depth-of-Knowledge (DOK) schema has become one of the key tools educators can employ to analyze the cognitive demand (complexity) intended by the standards, curricular activities, and assessment tasks. Rigor=Emphasis on Levels 3 & 4

What comes after the verb is more important than the verb itself.

Same Verb—Three Different DOK Levels DOK 1- Describe three characteristics of metamorphic rocks. (Requires simple recall) DOK 2- Describe the difference between metamorphic and igneous rocks. (Requires cognitive processing to determine the differences in the two rock types) DOK 3- Describe a model that you might use to represent the relationships that exist within the rock cycle. (Requires deep understanding of rock cycle and a determination of how best to represent it)

DOK in the ELA in Science Classroom Curriculum Focus (Grade 3 Example) –Gathering Evidence and Speaking to Others: The Role of Freshwater around the World This module focuses on the importance of clean freshwater around the world. Students continue to build their geography and map reading skills by studying where water is found on earth. They examine the water cycle and watersheds, comparing how different texts present similar information. Then students research challenges facing the earth’s clean water supply: pollution, access, and the demand for water. Students develop opinions (supported with text evidence) about what they can do to conserve, protect, or provide access to clean water, and then create a public service announcement. Assessment Task –VoiceThread Public Service Announcement/Scaffolded Speech (DOK Level 4)

DOK in the ELA Classroom Curriculum Focus (Grade 7 Example) –Understanding Perspectives This module focuses on the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, with specific attention to understanding how he uses language in powerful ways and how he tells his story in order to serve his purpose of working to abolish slavery. Students begin by building background knowledge about Douglass and his historical context. They then read closely key excerpts from his Narrative, as well as other text, focusing on his message as well as the author’s craft. Assessment Task –Analyzing Stories: Comparing Written and Oral Stories, and Analyzing Purpose and Craft in Douglass’s Narrative (DOK Level 4)

DOK in the Math Classroom

Changes to State Testing Next School Year English Language Arts for Grades 3-8 One test will combine reading and writing and will replace PSSA Reading (grades 3-8) and PSSA Writing (grades 5 & 8). Test content aligned to PA Core Math Grades 3-8 Test content aligned to PA Core

Resources National Association for Gifted Children – s.aspxhttp:// s.aspx PDE Standards Aligned System – Webb’s Depth of Knowledge – ore/overview/overview_depth_of_knowledge.ht mhttp:// ore/overview/overview_depth_of_knowledge.ht m