Module 1: ELA
Shifts
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE: ELA/LITERACY SHIFTS
Common Core Shifts for ELA/Literacy
1. Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction
2. Reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary
and informational
3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic language
The ELA/Literacy Shifts Module is a 1 – 2 hour module designed to provide participants with a deep
understanding of the key shifts required by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English
Language Arts and Literacy.
What’s In This Module?
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Facilitator’s Guide
PowerPoint Presentation (22 slides, with Facilitator’s Notes)
PowerPoint Presentation for share-out (22 slides, does not include Facilitator’s Notes)
1 Hands-On Activity
○ Name the Standards
4 Handouts
○ ELA/Literacy CCSS Key Shifts One Pager
○ Processing the Shifts
○ Name the Standards
○ Name the Standards Answer Document
1 Discussion Topic
Related Reading/Research (5 documents)
○ Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science,
and Technical Subjects (required for the hands-on Activity)
○ Revised Publishers' Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language
Arts and Literacy, Grades K - 2.
○ Revised Publishers' Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language
Arts and Literacy, Grades 3 - 12.
○ Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science,
and Technical Subjects: Appendix A
○ Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science,
and Technical Subjects: Appendix B
Video Resources
Web Resources
www.achievethecore.org
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Module 1: ELA
Shifts
Using This Module
You are encouraged to customize any or all portions of this module to meet the needs of your audience.
These modules are intended to fit into a variety of different professional development settings; below
are suggestions for implementation depending on the time available. All times are suggested and be
expanded to incorporate more discussion as needed. Any portions of this module may be modified,
reproduced and disseminated without prior permission.
If you have 1 hour…
If you have 2 hours…
1. Share the Power Point presentation (30 minutes)
1. Share the Power Point presentation (45 minutes)
2. Lead conversation around Discussion Topic (20
minutes)
2. Lead conversation around Discussion Topic (30
minutes)
3. Utilize remaining module components (Hands-On
Activity, Related Reading, Additional Videos) as time
permits throughout the year (i.e.: in professional
learning communities)
3. Lead the Hand-on Activity (45 minutes)
4. Utilize remaining module components (Related
Reading, Additional Videos) as time permits
throughout the year (i.e.: in professional learning
communities)
Suggested Module Delivery
1. Share the PowerPoint Presentation: “Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
and Content Literacy: The Key Shifts” (30 - 45 mins)
The presentation provides participants with an overview of the key instructional shifts required
by the CCSS for English Language Arts and Literacy. This presentation will explain the 3 literacy
shifts and the research and rationale for each shift. Please allow additional time for questions
and discussion during and after the presentation.
2. Lead conversation around the Discussion Topic: “Processing the Shifts” (20 - 30 mins)
The discussion is designed to provide participants with an opportunity to reflect upon each of
the key shifts, and its implications for instruction. Participants will read the shifts from the
ELA/Literacy CCSS Key Shifts One Pager handout, and record their thoughts on the Processing
the Shifts handout.
3. Lead Participants in the Hands-On Activity: “Name the Standards” (20 – 60 minutes)
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Module 1: ELA
Shifts
Participants will closely read and name the ELA and Literacy Anchor Standards with a 1 -5 word
phrase, thus providing participants with an opportunity to become familiar with the content of
the standards. Participants will record their work on the Name the Standards handout. Begin
with the Reading strand, and continue with the Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language
strands as time permits. Allow 20 – 60 minutes for this activity.
4. Share articles and related documents for post-reading
The documents included in Related Readings/Research can be used in professional learning
communities (PLCs) or as post-reading for this professional development session. The
documents recommended for this module are:
Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and
Technical Subjects (required for the Hands-on Activity)
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf
Revised Publishers' Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and
Literacy, Grades K - 2.
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Publishers_Criteria_for_K-2.pdf
Revised Publishers' Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and
Literacy, Grades 3 - 12.
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Publishers_Criteria_for_3-12.pdf
Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and
Technical Subjects: Appendix A
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf
Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and
Technical Subjects: Appendix B
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf
6. Share Video Resources for post-viewing.
Additional Video Resources
“From the Page to the Classroom: Implementing the Common Core State Standards - English
Language Arts and Literacy” by the Council of Great City Schools (51:49)
http://vimeo.com/44521437
“The English Language Arts Standards: Key Changes and Their Evidence” by the Hunt Institute
(6:25)1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDzTOyxRGLI&list=UUF0pa3nE3aZAfBMT8pqM5PA&index=6
&feature=plcp
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What were formerly 6 shifts, described in this video, are now consolidated to the 3 shifts described in this module.
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Module 1: ELA
Shifts
7. Share Web Resources

www.achievethecore.org
This site is assembled by Student Achievement Partners to provide free, high-quality
resources to educators now doing the hard work of implementing these higher standards.

www.illustrativemathematics.org
Illustrative Mathematics provides guidance to states, assessment consortia, testing
companies, and curriculum developers by illustrating the range and types of
mathematical work that students experience in a faithful implementation of the
Common Core State Standards, and by publishing other tools that support
implementation of the standards.”
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commoncoretools.me
News about tools that are being developed to support implementation of the Common
Core State Standards for Mathematics.
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www.pta.org/4446.htm
The PTA’s Parents’ Guide to Student Success (in English and Spanish) was developed in
response to the Common Core State Standards The Guide includes: key items that children
should be learning and activities that parents can do at home to support their child's
learning.
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http://parcconline.org/parcc-content-frameworks
The Model Content Frameworks are voluntary resources offered by PARCC to help
curriculum developers and teachers as they work to implement the standards in their
states and districts. They are designed to support the implementation of the Common
Core State Standards and inform the development of item specifications and blueprints
for the PARCC assessments in grades 3–8 and high school.
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http://www.smarterbalanced.org/
The website of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.
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www.corestandards.org
The website that hosts the complete CCSS documents as well as a collection of
resources.
www.achievethecore.org
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Module 1: ELA
Shifts
Background on the Modules and the Common Core State Standards
These modules have been designed for educators to use to support the implementation of the Common
Core State Standards. The Common Core State Standards were designed explicitly as a staircase in K-12
to college and career readiness. Many U.S. students—even those who pass their high school courses and
their high school exit exams—still face remediation when they get to college because they are not
prepared for entry-level coursework. A 2008 study by ACT showed that only 1 in 10 8th graders are on
target to be ready for college-level work by the time they graduate from high school, and only 35
percent of U.S. 12th graders scored at or above the “proficient” level on the NAEP reading test in 2005.
Furthermore, research shows that remediation is a trap from which many students don’t escape; the
overwhelming majority of students who take remedial courses never complete college. The Common
Core State Standards form a staircase to prepare students to be successful in college and their chosen
career. If students successfully climb the staircase from kindergarten to 12th grade, they will then be
truly ready for the demands that follow.
Please submit any feedback on this module to pdmodulefeedback@achievethecore.org.
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