2. Common Core State Standards Learning for the Future

3. What is Common Core?  The building blocks for a successful classroom  Common Core is the first step in providing our young people with a high-quality education  It is a clear way to tell every student, parent, and teacher what the standards of success are in every school

4. Common Core  The Common Core provides a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn  This helps teachers and parents know what they need to help them  The standards are designed to be relevant to the real world  Providing knowledge and skills that our students need for success in college and careers

5. Language Arts  Reading  The standards tell what students must be able to read so that they are ready for the demands of college- and career-level reading  The students gain more from what they read  Through reading classic and contemporary literature as well as challenging informational texts in a range of subjects, students build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective  Common Core mandates certain critical types of content for all students, including classic myths and stories from around the world, foundational U.S. documents, seminal works of American literature, and the writings of Shakespeare

6. Language Arts  Writing  The ability to write logical arguments based on claims, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence is a large part of common core  Research is emphasized throughout the standards but most prominently in the writing strand  Samples of student writing accompany the standards and help establish adequate performance levels in writing arguments, informational/explanatory texts, and narratives in the various grades

7. Language Arts  Speaking and Listening  The standards require that students gain, evaluate, and present complex information, ideas, and evidence through listening and speaking as well as through media  An important focus is discussion in one-on-one, small- group, and whole-class settings.  Formal presentations are important, but so is the more informal discussion when students collaborate to answer questions, build understanding, and solve problems  Media and Technology  Skills related to media use are integrated throughout the standards

8. Language Arts  Language  The students will grow their vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct instruction, and reading  The standards will help students determine word meanings, appreciate the words, and expand their knowledge of words and phrases  The students must be able to use formal English in their writing and speaking

9. Mathematics  The K-5 standards provide students with a solid foundation in whole numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and decimals  This helps students build the foundation to apply more demanding math concepts and procedures, and move into applications  The K-5 standards provide detailed guidance to teachers on how to navigate their way through topics such as fractions, negative numbers, and geometry, to maintain a continuous progression from grade to grade  The standards stress not only procedural skill but also understanding, so students are learning and absorbing the critical information they need to succeed at higher levels

10. Mathematics  The middle school standards provide a coherent and rich preparation for high school mathematics  The high school standards have students practice applying mathematical ways of thinking to real world issues and challenges  They prepare students to think and reason mathematically

11. Examples  4 th Grade Math  CCSS.Math.Content.4.NF.A.1 Explain why a fraction a/b is equivalent to a fraction (n × a)/(n × b) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions.  4 th Grade Writing  CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

12. Science and Social Studies  Coming Soon  The Science and Social Studies standards are in the process of being created  They should be released in 2014

13. References  The Common Core State Standards The Common Core State Standards  Common Core Arkansas Common Core Arkansas  Learn About Arkansas Common Core Learn About Arkansas Common Core  Arkansas Department of Education Arkansas Department of Education