COMMON CORE &
PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
Huh? How? Wow!
Huh?
What are the Common Core State Standards?
Common Core State Standards are
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…shared content standards for English language arts,
literacy in the content areas, & math
…designed to help ensure that all students are college and
career ready in literacy and mathematics no later than the
end of high school
…meant to describe what students in our nation should know
and be able to do
…adopted by 45 states
…often referred to as Common Core, CC, or CCSS
http://www.ode.state.or.us/wma/teachlearn/commoncore/common-core-fact-sheet.pdf
Put another way, CCSS
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…represent a coherent progression of learning
expectations in English language arts and math
…are designed to prepare K12 students for college and
career success
…define knowledge & skills students should have
…describe end-of-year expectations
…provide consistency in expectations among states
…emphasize rigor and critical thinking
http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/1158 (very helpful organizational overview)
http://www.ccsso.org/Resources/Digital_Resources/Common_Core_Implementation_Video_Series.html
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/introduction/key-design-consideration
Common Core State Standards are
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… not fully implemented in Oregon yet
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Adopted in Oregon in October 2010
Instruction must align by end of 2012/13 school year
Statewide assessments will reflect CCSS as of 2014/15
… not meant to determine how learning goals should
be achieved
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Districts and educators retain flexibility around lesson plans,
process, activities, end products, etc.
http://www.ode.state.or.us/wma/teachlearn/commoncore/oregon-initiatives-timeline.pdf
ODE Common Core Homepage
http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=2860
 Start
here
 Resources for various audiences
 Toolkits
ODE Resources for CCSS in Math
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/real/newspaper/Newspaper_Section.aspx?subjectcd=MA
http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=3403
 Standards
by grade level for K-8
 Standards by discipline for 9-12
 Additional resources
 We will not address math today.
ODE Resources for CCSS in ELA
Standards for English language arts (ELA) & literacy
in history/social studies, science, and technical
subjects http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=3359
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/real/newspaper/newspaper_section.aspx?subjectcd=ELA
 Standards
by grade level or grade groupings
 Info on text complexity & text exemplars
 Additional resources
 Note: literacy in content areas standards
supplement existing standards for history/
social studies, science, and technology
ODE Tools to Manipulate Standards
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Standards by Design http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/real/standards/
 Select
one or multiple subjects
 Can choose to include support materials
 Generate an Excel spreadsheet or printable PDF
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Searchable Standards
 Search
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/real/standards/searchablestandards.aspx
by keyword within a subject & grade
 For all Oregon ed standards, not just CCSS
Comparison of ELA Standards for
4th, 8th, & 12th Grades
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Reading Literature Anchor Standard 1:
Read closely to determine what the text says
explicitly and to make logical inferences from it;
cite specific textual evidence when writing or
speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Note: Anchor standards are the same across all grades.
Note: RL is for literature & RI is for
informational text.
Comparison of ELA Standards for
4th, 8th, & 12th Grades (continued)
Grade-level specific standards related to
Reading Literature Anchor Standard 1
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4.RL.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the
text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
8.RL.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
11-12.RL.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis
of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Comparison of ELA Standards for
4th, 8th, & 12th Grades (continued)
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Writing Anchor Standard 8:
Gather relevant information from multiple print and
digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate the information while
avoiding plagiarism.
Note: ELA standards are divided into 4 areas:
reading, writing, speaking & listening,
and language.
Comparison of ELA Standards for
4th, 8th, & 12th Grades (continued)
Grade-level specific standards related to
Writing Anchor Standard 8
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4.W.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize
information, and provide a list of sources.
8.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
11-12.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and
digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and
limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate
information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding
plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard
format for citation.
Six Shifts for ELA & Literacy
Informational Text is a Subset of Nonfiction
Six Shifts for ELA & Literacy
Levels of meaning or purpose, structure, language
conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands
Word length or frequency, sentence length, and text
cohesion
(R) motivation, knowledge, and experiences
(T) purpose and complexity; questions posed
Six Shifts for ELA & Literacy
Six Shifts for ELA & Literacy
http://www.ode.state.or.us/wma/teachlearn/commoncore/common-core-shifts-ela.pdf
How?
How can public libraries support schools as they
implement CCSS?
Shift 1a: Teach How to Select NF
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Much informational text = nonfiction
Share your skill for determining what is quality
nonfiction when ordering books
Help educators and school library staff learn
 Go beyond professional reviews to applying criteria when
evaluating texts in hand or what to buy
 Nonfiction for Young Adults: From Delight to Wisdom by
Betty Carter and Richard F. Abrahamson
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http://catalog.willamette.edu/record=b1595022~S2
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From Cover to Cover (Revised Edition) by Kathleen T. Horning
http://catalog.willamette.edu/record=b2268800~S2
Shift 1b: Emphasize Info Text in DBs
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Help folks connect periodicals databases with
informational text & literary nonfiction
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Gale & other per. databases have articles from quality
magazines, journals, newspapers, & reference books
They also have historical documents like primary sources,
letters, diary entries, and political cartoons
Use advanced search to limit by document type
Emphasize the informational text available in online
encyclopedias like World Book & Grolier, esp. those to
which your library subscribes
“Common Core & Informational Text” (blog posting): http://criticalthinkingworks.com/?p=406
“Balancing Fiction and Nonfiction’ (blog posting) http://greecesecondaryela.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/balancing-fiction-and-nonfiction/
Or. K12 Literacy Framework, Reading (“K-5: Foundations” & “K-12 Comprehension): http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=3519
Which K12 Database Do I Use When? (scroll to very bottom of page): http://secondary.educator.oslis.org/find-information
Shift 1c: Include Info Text in Storytimes
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If 50% of elementary students’ reading should be
informational text, include info text in storytimes
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Pair fiction and informational books on same topic
Occasionally have storytimes with only info text books
Point out structure, etc., for children and as model for parents
Informational text book too long? Read selectively
Shift 2a: Understand Lexile Ratings
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Emphasis on reading increasingly complex text =
greater need to identify reading level or difficulty level
of text
Popular system in use is Lexile Framework www.lexile.com
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Students are assigned a Lexile reader measure after taking a
reading test (ex: 880L)
Oregon students receive Lexile score from reading portion of
OAKS test (Oregon’s current statewide test)
Shift 2a: Understand Lexile Ratings
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Books, articles, and text can be analyzed by MetaMetrics and
assigned a Lexile measure
Can search for book’s Lexile rating
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Bark, George = 130L vs. Jumanji = 620L
Tuck Everlasting = 770L vs. Diary of a Wimpy Kid = 1060L
The Scarlet Letter = 1420L vs. Lincoln (Freedman) = 1110L
Goal: “If we know how well a student can read and how hard
a specific book is to comprehend, we can predict how well that
student will likely understand the book.”
http://lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-overview/
Shift 2a: Understand Lexile Ratings
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Caution not to overemphasize Lexiles
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Lifelong reader = self selector of materials, subject matter,
format, & purpose of reading
Educators => Do they make sure that not all student reading is
assigned or restricted to Lexile ranges?
 School library staff => Do checkout limits accommodate both
assigned and self-selected reading?
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Even Lexile reps recognize that the scoring system is not
perfect and is a starting point & not the final word
http://lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-overview/
http://www.lexile.com/tools/lexile-map/
Shift 2b: Advertise Ability to Limit DB Results
by Lexiles
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Lexile ratings appear in different places
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Gale In Context products
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At article level & at some search results levels
Hover over the colored shape for Lexile rating & general reading level
Gale Infotrac products (at search results level; not at article level)
Note: Currently, Lexiles are only found on content from periodicals.
Shift 5a: Teach Information Literacy Skills
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New emphasis on “use of evidence to inform or to make
an argument” and on “short, focused research projects
K12” = greater need for information literacy skills
Currently about 200 FTE licensed librarians in Oregon’s
1250+ public schools
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Library media managers are not supposed to “teach”
Which classroom teachers, if any, teach info lit skills?
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Does the school or district have a research model?
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Ask for “OSLIS & Public Libraries” Handout
Shift 5a: Teach Information Lit Skills
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Lesson idea => Evaluating Websites
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Great lesson in OSLIS
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http://secondary.oslis.org/learn-to-research/research/research-evaluate-sources-wp
Students learn who, what, where, when, why, & how of evaluating web
info
Apply skills to determine which of 2 or 3 sites on the same topic is likely
the best source of information
Shift 5a: Teach Information Lit Skills
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Lesson idea => Developing a topic
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Generally difficult for students to do
Encourage pre-search
Read topic overviews in In Context databases, Wikipedia articles,
etc.
 Will get better idea of how broad/narrow topic is/should be &
where to focus research efforts & will identify keywords
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Share resources like CLIP tutorials
http://www.clipinfolit.org/tutorials/developing-a-topic
Shift 5b: Support Growth in Writing
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Promote grammar, vocabulary, & writing e-books and
courses in LearningExpress Library
Promote ability to receive detailed assistance from Tutor.com
(if have access)
Other existing resources?
*LEL & Tutor.com support math rigors, too
Wow!
How do I get from ideas to results?
Get Input from Educators
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My neighbor = high school English teacher
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Top 3 CC requests from her & some of her coworkers:
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Access to appropriate nonfiction text
What is 'good research' & how to direct students to it?
Books that fit the Lexile score for what we HAVE to have for
CC
Get Input from Educators
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Schools & educators = in various places along transition
timeline
Ask! => What do you need/want from our staff and
our collection when it comes to Common Core?
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Make connection via school library staff
Attend ELA department meeting (or other subjects)
Seek invitation to a school/district inservice about CC to learn
what they are learning
Create short survey to gather feedback from teachers
Offer training (reflect on results, modify, repeat)
(Can be as simple as helping teachers make connection between DB content & informational text)
What Ideas Do You Have?
Questions? Please ask!
Jennifer Maurer
School Library Consultant
Oregon State Library
503.378.5011
jennifer.maurer@state.or.us
Presentation at Cedar Mill Community Library
January 30, 2013
This is an updated version of the presentation given at the Children's Services Division
2012 Fall Workshop.