How do we evaluate the quality of existing and newly created text-based lessons and units of study???? Please refer to the Tri-State Review Rubric for Lessons & Units: ELA (Grades 3-5).

Elements of Exemplary CCLS Aligned Lessons & Units of Study I.Alignment to the Rigors of the CCLS II.Key Areas of Focus in the CCLS III.Instructional Supports IV.Assessment

As we read the elements of the rubric for “Alignment to Rigor” and “Areas of CCLS Focus”, notice their coherence to the 6 Instructional Shifts…

I.Alignment to the Rigors CCLS  Teaching and learning is focused on a targeted set of grade- level CCLS ELA Standards - Shift 3  Close reading of texts is the central focus of instruction and includes sequences of text-dependent questions - Shift 4  Grade-level texts are selected for an explicit purpose - Shift 3  Units integrate reading, writing, speaking and listening - Shift 4  Units build content knowledge of the New York State Standards – Shifts 1 & 2

II. Key Areas of Focus in the CCLS  Text-Based Evidence: Questions both for discussion and written tasks require students to draw evidence from texts, illustrations, charts, diagrams, and media – Shift 4  Writing from Sources: Students routinely draw evidence from texts to inform, explain and/or state an opinion in the form of notes, summaries, short responses, or formal essays – Shift 5  Academic Vocabulary: Throughout instruction, the unit builds students’ academic vocabulary – Shift 6  Balance of Writing: The unit includes a balance of on-demand and process writing including short, focused research projects

III. Instructional Supports All lessons within the unit are responsive to students’ learning needs  Motivation: Cultivate student interest and engagement in reading, writing and speaking about texts  Provide opportunities for all students to engage with texts of appropriate complexity for the grade level with scaffolding so that all students experience the complexity of the text  Focus on sections of texts that present the greatest challenges (deconstruction and reconstruction of text)  Integrate into the lesson/unit scaffolds for ELLS, SWDs, and struggling readers (UDL principle that all students will benefit)  Provides extensions and /or more advanced texts for students reading well above the grade level text band  Integrate targeted instruction in grammar, conventions, writing strategies, fluency, and all aspects of foundational reading  Integrate independent reading

IV. Assessment  Lessons/units elicit direct, observable evidence that students can independently demonstrate mastery of the targeted CCLS standards with appropriately complex texts  Includes aligned rubrics/checklists that provide guidance for interpreting performance  Uses varied modes of assessment including pre, formative, summative and self-assessment measures  Marsha suggests… Questions and short responses that align and use the language of State Assessments are included for each selected text (“…infuse test readiness into…lessons…”)

How do we document our evaluations? Please refer to the Reviewer’s Observations, Comments, and Suggestions.

Sample Evaluation of an ELA Curriculum Exemplar (8th Grade) Please find below an ELA exemplar and a sample rubric with ratings and rationale/commentary for each of the major categories. The literary piece, along with the rubric ratings, can be used in training educators to evaluate the alignment of ELA/Literacy materials with the Common Core State Standards. ELA Exemplar: “The Long Night of the Little Boats” Sample Rubric: “The Long Night of the Little Boats”ELA Exemplar: “The Long Night of the Little Boats”Sample Rubric: “The Long Night of the Little Boats” Tri-State Quality Review Rubric And Rating Process

 How do we ensure that our lessons and units are meeting the criteria for the CCLS in English Language Arts and Literacy? With your table group…  Review selected excerpts from the Revised Publisher’s Criteria  Discuss how you school will meet the selected criteria of focus  Whole group share

Revised Publishers’ Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Literacy, Grades K–2 David Coleman Susan Pimentel “ At the heart of these criteria is the belief that reading — in this case, learning to read, vocabulary development and the knowledge gained in these early years — is central to all other academic learning. “ Revised Publishers’ Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Literacy, Grades 3–12 David Coleman Susan Pimentel “The standards and these criteria sharpen the focus on the close connection between comprehension of text and acquisition of knowledge. While the link between comprehension and knowledge in reading science and history texts is clear, the same principle applies to all reading. The criteria make plain that developing students’ prowess at drawing knowledge from the text itself is the point of reading; reading well means gaining the maximum insight or knowledge possible from each source. Student knowledge drawn from the text is demonstrated when the student uses evidence from the text to support a claim about the text. Hence evidence and knowledge link directly to the text. “