1. delving Deeper into the Common core state standards for english-language arts Janice Mesolello Reading Specialist, Johnston Jayne Berghorn Reading Specialist, Johnston
Time 10 seconds
Gr. K -- 1

2. Introductions Introduce yourself.
At your table, write one expectation that you have for this session on a sticky note. Save for discussion later.
Time– 5 minutes
Directions will change according to participants. 2

3. 4 Corners Activity Questioners Observers Participants Practitioners
Select a corner of the room that best reflects your knowledge of and experience with the Common Core State Standards.
Questioners Observers
What are you still wondering What have you recently heard or about the CCSS? read about the CCSS?
Participants Practitioners
What CCSS out of district PD How are you currently
have you attended? using the CCSS?
Small Group Discussion: With regard to your knowledge of the CCSS, what are the distinguishing characteristics of your corner? List these characteristics on the chart paper there. Choose someone to share out.
Time– 20 minutes
Need chart paper (labeled with “Questioners”, “Observer”, “Participants”, and “Practitioners”) and a marker at each corner.
Participants have a conversation and come up with characteristics that describe themselves. Write characteristics on the chart.
After participants have recorded thoughts, have one participant stay at the poster to report out. Depending on time, you can address concerns or just acknowledge them and move on. 3

4. Session Objectives Teachers will:
increase their understanding of the purpose and key design features of the CCSS in ELA
increase their understanding of the shifts of instructional focus within their grade level
Recognize the progression of the CCSS from grade to grade
begin to apply the shifts of the instructional implications of the CCSS in ELA

5. What are the Major Shifts to Transition to the CCSS?
Increase in Informational Text
Text Dependent Questioning using Evidence
Text Complexity and Academic Vocabulary Instruction
Time – 10 minutes

6. Processing the Shifts ELA/ Literacy Shifts
What are the classroom implications?
What are some opportunities to apply this shift?
What are the challenges in application?
1. Building knowledge through informational text
2. Reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text
3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic language
Time--5 minutes
At each table, discuss and record responses

7. Let’s Take a Closer Look
Examine the Foundational Skills Standards
Each table will examine one topic p. 16.
Read vertically within the topic to examine the scope of each grade level, K-2.
Select a Standard Statement. Read horizontally to see the progression across grade levels, K-2.
What do you see that is familiar? What’s new?
What are the implications for your instruction?
Complete the Analysis worksheet.
Time—30 minutes
Working in Table Groups, choose a strand and follow the directions on the slide.
Think holistically/globally about what you read and then fill out graphic organizer handout.
Be prepared to report out: What surprised you? What excited you? 7

8. Standards Analysis Topic: Familiar New
Implications for Your Instruction
Concerns
Standard #

9. Let’s Take a Closer Look
Examine the Reading Standards for Informational Text
Each table will examine one topic p.13.
Read vertically to examine the scope within the topic of each grade level, K-2.
Select a Standard Statement. Read horizontally to see the progression across grade levels, K-2.
What do you see that is familiar? What’s new?
What are the implications for your instruction?
Complete an Analysis Worksheet.
Time—30 minutes
Working in Table Groups, choose a strand and follow the directions on the slide.
Think holistically/globally about what you read and then fill out graphic organizer handout.
Be prepared to report out: What surprised you? What excited you? 9

10. Standards Analysis Topic: Familiar New Implications for Instruction
Concerns
Standard #

11. Intentional Design Limitations
What CCSS do NOT define:
How teachers should teach
All that can or should be taught
Nature of advanced work beyond core
Interventions needed for students well below grade level
Full range of support for English language learners and students with special needs
– Common Core Presentation 2010
The CCSS are the “what.” Educators have many choices in deciding the “how” ( how to make the “what” accessible, acceptable, and exciting to ALL students.) 11

12. What materials work with the CCSS?
Literature and Information Text
Key Ideas and Details
Craft and Structure
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Range of Reading
Foundational Skills (K-5)
Print Concepts (K-1)
Phonological Awareness (K-1)
Phonics and Word Recognition (K-5)
Fluency (K-5)
There are 3 sub-stands – Reading for Literature, Reading for Informational Text, and Reading Foundational Skills (in K-5 only) in the Reading Strand. The RL and RI strands share the same Topics.
In the CCSS, textual evidence is key! The focus for students is to be able to closely read literary and informational text and then to reread for evidence to support conclusions drawn from the text.
*Range of Reading – which encompasses Standard 10 – ensures that students are exposed to grade level text complexity regardless of their reading ability. It also ensures that we expose students to a wide range of text types – variety of genres – including informational text.
The Reading Foundational Skills for K-5 are to be explicitly and systematically taught. Phonics and Word Recognition extend to include morphological analysis. 12

13. Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric LITERARY TEXTS
Text Title___________________________________________ Text Author_____________________________________
Exceedingly Complex
Very Complex
Moderately Complex
Slightly Complex
MEANING
Meaning: Several levels and competing elements of meaning that are difficult to identify, separate, and interpret; theme is implicit or subtle, often ambiguous and revealed over the entirety of the text
Meaning: Several levels of meaning that may be difficult to identify or separate; theme is implicit or subtle and may be revealed over the entirety of the text
Meaning: More than one level of meaning with levels clearly distinguished from each other; theme is clear but may be conveyed with some subtlety
Meaning: One level of meaning; theme is obvious and revealed early in the text.
TEXT STRUCTURE
Organization: Organization is intricate with regard to elements such as narrative viewpoint, time shifts, multiple characters, storylines and detail
Use of Graphics: If used, minimal illustrations that support the text
Organization: Organization may include subplots, time shifts and more complex characters
Use of Graphics: If used, a few illustrations that support the text
Organization: Organization may have two or more storylines and occasionally difficult to predict
Use of Graphics: If used, a range of illustrations that support selected parts of the text
Organization: Organization of text is clear, chronological or easy to predict
Use of Graphics: If used, extensive illustrations that directly support and assist in interpreting the written text
LANGUAGE FEATURES
Conventionality: Dense and complex; contains abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language
Vocabulary: Generally unfamiliar, archaic, subject-specific, or overly academic language; may be ambiguous or purposefully misleading
Sentence Structure: Mainly complex sentences often containing multiple concepts
Conventionality: Complex; contains some abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language
Vocabulary: Somewhat complex language that is sometimes unfamiliar, archaic, subject-specific, or overly academic
Sentence Structure: Many complex sentences with several subordinate phrases or clauses and transition words
Conventionality: Largely explicit and easy to understand with some occasions for more complex meaning
Vocabulary: Mostly contemporary, familiar, conversational; rarely unfamiliar or overly academic
Sentence Structure: Simple and compound sentences, with some more complex constructions
Conventionality: Explicit, literal, straightforward, easy to understand
Vocabulary: Contemporary, familiar, conversational language
Sentence Structure: Mainly simple sentences
KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS
Life Experiences: Explores complex, sophisticated themes; experiences are distinctly different from the common reader
Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge: Many references or allusions to other texts or cultural elements
Life Experiences: Explores themes of varying levels of complexity; experiences portrayed are uncommon to most readers
Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge: Some references or allusions to other texts or cultural elements
Life Experiences: Explores a single theme; experiences portrayed are common to many readers
Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge: A few references or allusions to other texts or cultural elements
Life Experiences: Explores a single theme; experiences portrayed are everyday and common to most readers
Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge: No references or allusions to other texts or cultural elements
Intro information about text complexity in general
Review each category as a general area
A copy of page 13 and 14 are needed for each participant for next activity.

14. Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
Text Title___________________________________________ Text Author_____________________________________
Exceedingly Complex
Very Complex
Moderately Complex
Slightly Complex
PURPOSE
Purpose: Subtle, implied, difficult to determine; intricate, theoretical elements
Purpose: Implied, but fairly easy to infer; more theoretical than concrete
Purpose: Implied, but easy to identify based upon context or source
Purpose: Explicitly stated; clear, concrete with a narrow focus
TEXT STRUCTURE
Organization of Main Ideas: Connections between an extensive range of ideas or events are deep, intricate and often implicit or subtle; organization of the text is intricate or specialized for a particular discipline
Text Features: If used, are essential in understanding content
Use of Graphics: If used, extensive, intricate, essential integrated graphics, tables, charts, etc., necessary to make meaning of text; also may provide information not otherwise conveyed in the text
Organization of Main Ideas: Connections between an expanded range ideas, processes or events are deeper and often implicit or subtle; organization may contain multiple pathways and may exhibit traits common to a specific discipline
Text Features: If used, greatly enhance the reader’s understanding of content
Use of Graphics: If used, essential integrated graphics, tables, charts, etc.; may occasionally be essential to understanding the text
Organization of Main Ideas: Connections between some ideas or events are implicit or subtle; organization is evident and generally sequential
Text Features: If used, enhance the reader’s understanding of content
Use of Graphics: If used, graphics mostly supplementary to understanding of the text, such as indexes, glossaries; graphs, pictures, tables, and charts directly support the text
Organization of Main Ideas: Connections between ideas, processes or events are explicit and clear; organization of text is clear or chronological or easy to predict
Text Features: If used, help the reader navigate and understand content but are not essential
Use of Graphics: If used, simple graphics, unnecessary to understanding the text but directly support and assist in interpreting the written text
LANGUAGE FEATURES
Conventionality: Dense and complex; contains abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language
Vocabulary: Generally unfamiliar, archaic, subject-specific, or overly academic language; may be ambiguous or purposefully misleading
Sentence Structure: Mainly complex sentences often containing multiple concepts
Conventionality: Complex; contains some abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language
Vocabulary: Somewhat complex language that is sometimes unfamiliar, archaic, subject-specific, or overly academic
Sentence Structure: Many complex sentences with several subordinate phrases or clauses and transition words
Conventionality: Largely explicit and easy to understand with some occasions for more complex meaning
Vocabulary: Mostly contemporary, familiar, conversational; rarely unfamiliar or overly academic
Sentence Structure: Simple and compound sentences, with some more complex constructions
Conventionality: Explicit, literal, straightforward, easy to understand
Vocabulary: Contemporary, familiar, conversational language
Sentence Structure: Mainly simple sentences
KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS
Subject Matter Knowledge: Extensive, perhaps specialized or even theoretical discipline-specific content knowledge; range of challenging abstract and theoretical concepts
Intertextuality: Many references or allusions to other texts or outside ideas, theories, etc.
Subject Matter Knowledge: Moderate levels of discipline-specific content knowledge; some theoretical knowledge may enhance understanding; range of recognizable ideas and challenging abstract concepts
Intertextuality: Some references or allusions to other texts or outside ideas, theories, etc.
Subject Matter Knowledge: Everyday practical knowledge and some discipline-specific content knowledge; both simple and more complicated, abstract ideas
Intertextuality: A few references or allusions to other texts or outside ideas, theories, etc.
Subject Matter Knowledge: Everyday, practical knowledge; simple, concrete ideas
Intertextuality: No references or allusions to other texts, or outside ideas, theories, etc.

15. Qualitative Dimensions of Text Complexity Chart K – 1st Grade Band
 Name of Text: ___________
Type of Text (Narrative/Poetry/Hybrid/Informational, etc.): ____________
Category
Notes and comments on text, support for placement in this band
Where to place within the band?
Beginning of K
End of K
Beginning of 1
End of 1
NOT suited to band
Structure (both story structure or form of piece)
Language Clarity and Conventions (including vocabulary load)
Knowledge Demands (life, content, cultural/literary)
Levels of Meaning/ Purpose
Overall placement:
Justification:
Using material you have brought, review and rate it according to the rubric

16. Web Sources for CCSS for ELA
(tools for teachers)
(examples of informational text and text dependent questions)
(video)
(articles like "A Primer on Close Reading of Text“)
(articles like "The Challenge of Challenging Text“ and EduCore) 16

17. Thank You! Any questions or concerns, contact: Janice Mesolello
Jayne Berghorn