1. The ELA Common Core Standards in Your Classroom (6-12)
Lisa M. Plichta
Cardinal Stritch University
June 2, 2012
Session I -- 9:25 a.m.-10:55 a.m.

2. Pre-Assessment
Please respond to the prompts on page 2 of your packet. Be prepared to share some of you responses.
Have I reviewed the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts? YES/NO
As part of a grade level or cross grade level team, have I reviewed the Common core Standards for English Language Arts? YES/NO
 What are two significant differences between the WI Model Academic Standards and the Common Core Academic Standards for English Language Arts?
What is one thing I really hope to learn from this workshop?

3. Background Information
The Common Core Standards Initiative began in with representatives from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia
Led by National Governor’s Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
Focus was on Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) for k-12 students
Link to the DPI page for ELA Common Core Standards

4. Standards Development Process
Developed college and career readiness standards in Summer 2009
Researched international models and research of professional organizations and scholars
Elicited feedback from states, teachers, researchers, higher education, professional organizations, and the public
Final Common Core State Standards were released in June 2010

5. Main Goal of Standards
To Develop Students who are Career and College Ready in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Demonstrate independence
Have strong content knowledge
Respond to varying demands of audience and purpose
Comprehend and critique
Value evidence
Use technology and digital media strategically and capably
Come to understand other perspectives and cultures

6. Read/Pair/Share
Review the Wisconsin Foundations of English Language Arts on page 3 of packet
Discuss with a neighbor what these foundations emphasize

7. Design and Organization of Standards
Four Strands in the ELA standards
Reading (Literature, Informational Text, and Foundational Skills)
Writing (Text types, responding to reading and research)
Speaking and Listening (Communication and collaboration)
Language (Conventions, effective use and vocabulary)
An integrated model of literacy
Media requirements are blended throughout the standards

8. Design and Organization
Three Main Sections
K-5 (cross-disciplinary)
6-12 English Language Arts
6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
Three Appendices
A: Research and evidence; glossary of key terms
B: Reading text exemplars; samples of performance tasks
C: Annotated student writing samples

9. Significant ELA Shifts from “old” ELA Standards—page 4 in Packet
Discuss with a neighbor these emphases
What is the same?
What seems to have changed?
What are your thoughts and/or comments?
--ELA Shifts Document

10. Key Shifts in Reading
According to the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading Framework as cited in Common Core Standards tchingandlrng.html . . .
Grade 4: 50 % literary texts; 50 % informational text
Grade 8: 45 % literary text; 55 % informational text
Grade 12: 30 % literary text: 70 % informational text
This does include all content areas.

11. Key Shifts in Writing
According to the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Communicative Purposes Writing Framework, this should be the breakdown of writing experiences
8th grade:
35% to persuade
35% to explain
30% to convey experience
12th grade:
40% of writing to persuade,
40% to explain
20% to convey experience
 Consider – Do these percentages describe your students’ classroom writing experiences and assignments?

12. Vertical Articulation Activity
It will be helpful to utilize the “Vertical Articulation of Common Core Standards Skills” documents available on the DPI website tchingandlrng.html
These documents will help get an across-grade- level perspective of skills, so that grade levels can focus on the progression of the skill from one grade level to the next.
So let’s take a look at some of these standards . . .

13. Vertical Articulation Activity
Each group of 3-4 will have an envelope of k-12 standards for a specific ELA strand. Your job is to put them in grade-level order to show progression of skills. When you think you have it in the correct order, you may check your answers at tchingandlrng.html Be prepared to share your observations with the whole group when you finish

14. ELA Common Core in my Classroom
“Read like a detective. Write like an investigative reporter.”
David Coleman, one of the lead authors of the common core state standards, describing the approach to the teaching of reading and writing ushered in by the standards.

15. BUT . . .
34 percent of U.S. 8th graders read at or above proficient level and “if we all we do is teach students to deconstruct text, will we remove all desire to read books?” – Douglas Fisher

16. What can I do for my students?
Select a reading that you wish to explore further.
“Adolescent literacy: More than remediation”
“It’s complicated: Common core standards focus on text complexity”
“How we really comprehend nonfiction”
“Taming the wild text”
“The challenge of challenging text”
As you review the short article, consider the following:
What strategy or strategies will my students find most helpful? 
How can I implement this strategy or strategies in my classroom? Where might they fit in?
What more do I need to know in order to implement this strategy or strategies?

17. Review of Resources
DPI Website – tchingandlrng.html
My Weebly for workshop documents --
Common Core APP for Smartphones
-- Website with booklets for implementing standards

18. Post-Assessment
From this workshop, I learned or better understand . . .
One change I plan to make to my curriculum next year based upon the Common Core Standards is
One resource I plan to examine further is . . .