Common Core Literacy in Social Studies, History,
Science and Technology
Bristol Tennessee City Schools
Professional Development | June 20, 2012
Kelly Vance
English Teacher, English Core Curriculum Coach THS
Broken Escalator
Sometimes we can become
overwhelmed by tasks that
seem enormous.
The important thing is that we
keep moving forward.
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Common Core:
English Language Arts Standards
CC Anchor Standards Worksheet
Timer
Text Complexity
Qualitative evaluation of the text:
Levels of meaning, structure,
language conventionality and
clarity, and knowledge demands
Quantitative evaluation of the text:
Readability measures and other
scores of text complexity
Matching reader to text and task:
Reader variables (such as
motivation, knowledge, and
experiences) and task variables
(such as purpose and the
complexity generated by the task
assigned and the questions
posed)
Online Clock Countdown
(Common Core State Standards Initiative 2010a, 57)
Why the need to increase the level of text
complexity?
8th grade “school
books” published
after 1963 are
equivalent (in terms
of difficulty) to
books used in the
5th grade from 19421962.
• The wording of 12th
grade text published
after 1963 was
simpler than the 7th
grade texts published
prior to 1963.
Lexile Ranges
Text Complexity
Grade Band in the Old Lexile Ranges
Standards
Lexile Ranges
Aligned to CCR
Expectations
K–1
2–3
4–5
N/A
450–725
645–845
N/A
450–790
770–980
6–8
9–10
11–CCR
860–1010
960–1115
1070–1220
955–1155
1080–1305
1215–1355
(Common Core State Standards Initiative 2010b, 8)
Where can you find Lexile measures?
1. Lexile Look up
2. Accelerated Reader
Lexile Chart Handout
Lexile Literature
1700 - Discourse on the Method…
800 -
The Adventures of
Pinocchio
700 -
Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of
Mystery
1200 - War and Peace
600 -
A Baby Sister for Frances
1100 - Pride and Prejudice
500 - The Magic School Bus
Inside the Earth
1000 - Black Beauty
400 -
Frog and Toad are Friends
900 - Tom Swift in the Land of
Wonders
300 -
Clifford’s Manners
1400 - The Scarlet Letter
1300 - Brown vs. Board of Ed.
Why Lexile Alone Isn’t Enough
These books are typically taught in high
school literature classes …
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Grapes of Wrath – 680 L – 4th grade
Fahrenheit 451 – 451 L – between 2nd & 3rd grade
Fallen Angels – 650 L – 4th grade
A Farewell to Arms – 730 L – between 4th & 5th grade
Lord of the Flies – 770 L – between 4th & 5th grade
Brave New World – 870 L – between 5th and 6th
Text Complexity
Qualitative evaluation of the text:
Levels of meaning, structure,
language conventionality and
clarity, and knowledge demands
Quantitative evaluation of the text:
Readability measures and other
scores of text complexity
Matching reader to text and task:
Reader variables (such as
motivation, knowledge, and
experiences) and task variables
(such as purpose and the
complexity generated by the task
assigned and the questions
posed)
Online Clock Countdown
#7
(Common Core State Standards Initiative 2010a, 57)
Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Measures such as:
• Word length
• Word frequency
• Word difficulty
• Sentence length
• Text length
• Text cohesion
Step 2: Qualitative Measures
Measures such as:
• Levels of meaning
• Levels of purpose
• Structure
• Organization
• Language
conventionality
• Language clarity
• Prior knowledge
demands
Step 3: Reader and Task
Considerations such as:
• Motivation
• Knowledge and experience
• Purpose for reading
• Complexity of task assigned
regarding text
• Complexity of questions
asked regarding text
Appendix B Text Exemplars
Read across exemplars for your grade level span and identify
specific examples that demonstrate complexity, quality, and range.
# 11
Literacy in Social Studies and History
Reading for Informational Text 6
English
Language Arts
Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in
a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his
or her position from that of others.
History/
Social Studies
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s
point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language,
inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
Science and
Technical
Subjects
Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an
explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing
an experiment in a text.
25
2011 © CA County Superintendents Educational Services Association
Literacy in Science and
Technical Subjects
Common Core Reading
Standard for
Informational Text
Anchor Standard
Reading Standards for
Literacy in Science and
Technical Subjects
Grades 9-10
Reading Standards for
Literacy in Science and
Technical Subjects
Grades 11-12
Integration of
Knowledge & Ideas
Integration of
Knowledge & Ideas
Integration of
Knowledge & Ideas
7.Integrate and evaluate
content presented in
diverse formats and
media, including
visually and
quantitatively, as well
as in words.*
7.Translate quantitative
or technical information
expressed in words in a
text into visual form
(e.g., a table or chart)
and translate
information expressed
visually or
mathematically (e.g., in
an equation) into words.
7.Integrate and evaluate
multiple sources of
information presented
in diverse formats and
media (e.g., quantitative
data, video, multimedia)
in order to address a
question or solve a
problem.
Sample Best Practice Strategies
To Increase Reading Comprehension of
Content Area Text
Pre-reading
Build background knowledge/Frontload
Survey the text
Make predictions/Ask questions
Complete vocabulary activity
Reading
Chunk the text
Use a graphic organizer
Post-reading
Write arguments
Summarize
27
Reading Comprehension
Close Reading
Close, strategic reading is one of the most powerful
and enjoyable ways to develop the ability to think
critically and evaluate information—to literally
become smart. Students should therefore have
abundant daily opportunities to carefully read and
reread texts for intellectual purposes—and with a
pen in hand.
Close Reading Interview
Page protectors, highlighting
tape, post it pointers
Comprehension Strategies
Strategies for Developing an Accurate Representation of Text
Say what the text means.
Make ideas cohere.
Strengthen vocabulary.
Focus on purposeful reading through questioning.
Develop genre and text structure knowledge.
Use graphic organizers.
Strategies for Applying Relevant Knowledge
Think aloud
Discussion
Writing
# 17
Synthesis 3-5
Topic:_________________
What the text says:
What I think about that:
My opinion based on details from the text:
Synthesis 6-12
Topic:_________________
What does the text say?
Literal
What does it mean?
interpretive
What does it matter?
reflective
Demonstrating Comprehension
Similarities
Summarizing
Compare and contrast
Determining the meaning of words
Point of view
Literature Only
Focus on determining theme
Figurative language
Point of view
Informational Text Only
Domain-specific words
Explain the relationships between concepts
Analytic Thinking Process
• What are the assumptions the author(s)
made in this information, issue, or source
• What are the implications of this
information?
• What is the main point of view that is
presented?
• Paul,R. and Elder, L. (2003) Analytic
Thinking Foundation for Critical
Thinking Press (page 23)
Analytic Thinking Process
• What is the purpose of this material?
• What is a key question that is addressed
or needs to be addressed?
• What is the most important information?
• What are the main inferences that can be
made?
• What are the key ideas or concepts?
Qualities of an Effective Performance Task
 Students should be active participants.
 Intended outcomes should be clear and measure
something important.
 Students should engage in higher order thinking to
complete the task.
 Task should demonstrate mastery of knowledge.
Sample Performance Task
Students explain how Melvin
Berger uses reasons and
evidence in his book Discovering
Mars: The Amazing Story of the
Red Planet to support particular
points regarding the topology of
the planet.
What grade level is this?
(Common Core State Standards Initiative 2010c, 76)
Innovative English Language Arts Sample
(Dolan et al. 2011, 50)
Sample Item: Performance Event
(SBAC 2010, X-29)
Sample Item: Performance Event (continued)
(SBAC 2010, X-30)
Sample Item: Performance Event (continued)
(SBAC 2010, X-31)
Writing
Writing types/purposes (standards 1−3)
• Writing arguments (Instructional shift in
elementary, increased focus in secondary)
• Writing informative/explanatory texts
• Writing narratives
• Strong and growing across-the-curriculum
emphasis on students writing arguments and
informative/explanatory texts
• Aligned with NAEP Writing framework
• Students will be assessed through writing
• Students learn to write by writing
Balance in the writing curriculum
• In Elementary school – 30% argument, 35 %
writing to inform/explain, and 35% narrative
• In Middle school – 35% argument, 35 % writing
to inform/explain, and 30% narrative
• In High school – 40 % argument, 40% writing to
inform/explain, and 20% narrative
These forms of writing are not strictly independent; for example, arguments and
explanations often include narrative elements, and both informing and
arguing rely on using information or evidence drawn from texts.
Writing
Production and distribution of writing (standards 4−6)
• Developing and strengthening writing
• Using technology to produce and enhance writing
Research (standards 7−9)
• Engaging in research and writing about sources
(embedded in Writing standard – not an individual
standard)
Range of writing (standard 10)
• Writing routinely over various time frames
Example/ Science Technical
• Sample Task A: Evaluating Evidence
• Compare what the latest science tells us about Genetically
Modified food against the arguments for and against
Genetically Modified food. Evaluate the hypotheses, data,
analysis, conclusions of each side, and including determining
the extent to which each side in the debate relied on the
available science, argues from an economical perspective, or
appeals to the political and emotional concerns. Verify the
data and either support or challenge the conclusions with
other sources of information.
• CCSS 11-12 RST.8
• Source: Achieve
Example/ Science Technical
• Sample B – Making a claim
• Read and view different examples of case-making
materials related to GM food. Take a position and cite
specific textual evidence from your sources, attending to
important distinctions each authors makes and to any
gaps or inconsistencies in the account. Defend your
conclusion from counter-claims Create a presentation of
your analysis that highlights key evidence and your
strongest claims.
• CCSS 11-12 RST 1. and RST 9.
• Source: Achieve
Building Analytic Thinking Skills
• Word “analysis” appears 57 times in the
CCSS with 77 mentions of associated
analysis words such as “compare and
contrast”
• Analysis – precursor to high level thinking
» Lin Kuzmich
» Stretch Learning Handbook
5 Things Every Teacher Should be Doing
to Meet the Common Core State Standards
• Lead High-Level, Text-Based
Discussions
• Focus on Process, Not Just Content
• Create Assignments for Real
Audiences and with Real Purpose
• Teach Argument, Not PersuasionPersuasion appeals to emotion- Argument appeals to logic
• Increase Text Complexity
What are some resources beyond text
books? The Times and the Common Core Standards:
Reading Strategies for 'Informational Text' - NYTimes.com
“The primary
aim of
education is
not to enable
students to do
well in school,
but to help
them do well in
the lives they
lead outside of
school.”
Review and Closing
Where will you place your post it
now on the Common Core
Continuum?