DELAC Meeting
February 19, 2014
CA Common Core Standards
English Language Arts
What are the Common Core Standards?
1. Specify learning expectations for
students in grades K-12
2. Consists of two sets of standards
a. English Language Arts
b. Mathematics
3. Focus on college and career readiness
4. Adopted in 45 states in the US
5. Implemented in 2014-2015 school year
2
Shifts in ELA/Literacy
3
Shift
1
Balancing Informational
& Literary Text
Students read a true balance of informational and literary texts.
Shift
2
Knowledge in the Disciplines
Students build knowledge about the world (domains/ content
areas) through TEXT rather than the teacher or activities
Shift
3
Staircase of Complexity
Students read the central, grade appropriate text around which
instruction is centered. Teachers are patient, create more time
and space and support in the curriculum for close reading.
Shift
4
Text-based Answers
Students engage in rich and rigorous evidence based
conversations about text.
Shift
5
Writing from Sources
Writing emphasizes use of evidence from sources to inform or
make an argument.
Shift
6
Academic Vocabulary
Students constantly build the transferable vocabulary they need to
access grade level complex texts. This can be done effectively by
spiraling like content in increasingly complex texts.
English Language Arts Standards
– Organized into 5 strands in K-12
•
•
•
•
•
Reading: Literature
Reading: Informational Text
Writing
Listening and Speaking
Language
– In grades K-5 only: Reading Foundations
– In grades 6-12 only: Literacy in History/Social
Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
English Language Arts Standards
•
•
•
•
•
Reading Literature (10)
Reading Informational Texts (10)
Writing (10)
Speaking and Listening (6)
Language (6)
5
A Closer Look at the ELA Standards
• Reading: Literature and Informational Texts
– Key Ideas and Details (3)
– Craft and Structure (3)
– Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (3)
– Range of Reading and Text Complexity (1)
6
Key ideas and Details
OLD
In the story “The Captive”
the author shows that
Bessie is:
NEW
After Reading “The
Captive,”students respond
to this question in writing:
a) Mean
b) Caring
c) Selfish
d) Understanding
The author shows that
Bessie is a caring person.
Write a paragraph telling
how Bessie is caring. Use
specific details from the
story to support your
answer.
Key Ideas and Details K-8
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second grade
1. With prompting and support, ask and answer 1. Ask and answer questions about key details in 1. Ask and answer such questions as who, what,
where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
questions about key details in a text.
a text.
understanding of key details in a text.
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate 1. Refer to details and examples in a text when
understanding of a text, referring
explaining what the text says explicitly and
explicitly to the text as the basis for the
when drawing inferences from the text.
answers.
1. Quote accurately from a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
Grade 6 Students
Grade 7 Students
Grade 8 Students
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
1.
1.
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
Key Ideas and Details
What is similar and different
from grade level to grade level?
Craft and Structure
“I ask every American to commit to at least one
year or more of higher education or career
training. This can be community college or a fouryear school; vocational training or an
apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be,
every American will need to get more than a high
school diploma.”
--President Barack Obama
Craft and Structure
1) Locate the repeated phrase in President
Obama’s quote. Why did he repeat it? What
effect does it have?
2) The president said: “I ask every American to
commit to at least one year or more …”
How would the speech have changed if the
president had said, “Every American must
commit to at least one year or more…” Why
did he choose to say it the way he did?
Similarities and Differences
How is this type of reading similar or
different from the reading you had to do
in school?
Writing
There are three types of writing in the
CCSS, K-12
1. Opinion/Argument
2. Informational/Explanatory
3. Narrative (Story)
A. Opinion/argument B. Informational/Explanatory
C. Narrative (Story)
Usually, this type of writing …
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Has characters and a problem ___
Works to persuade someone ___
Is what we call “a report” ___
Follows a chronological (time) structure ___
Is the most common writing used at work ___
Provides counter arguments ___
Follows a main idea/detail structure ___
Uses evidence and examples to support ideas __
English Language Arts Standards
– Organized into 5 strands in K-12
•
•
•
•
•
Reading: Literature 
Reading: Informational Text 
Writing 
Listening and Speaking
Language
Listening and Speaking
College
and
Career
Readiness
Anchor
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range
of conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.
Apply knowledge of language to understand how
language functions in different contexts, to make
Standards
effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or
listening.
Language
College
and
Career
Readiness
Anchor
Apply knowledge of language to understand
how language functions in different contexts, to
make effective choices for meaning or style, and
to comprehend more fully when reading or
listening.
Acquire and use accurately a range of general
academic and domain-specific words and
Standards
phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking,
and listening at the college and career readiness
level;
Transition to CCSS: Instruction
• Professional development for teachers and
administrators
• Supplemental materials for the classroom
2014-15
• Revision to the Report Cards (2014-2015)
Transition to CCSS: Testing
New state assessment system: CA Assessment of
Student Performance and Progress (CAASP), which
includes the Smarter Balanced Assessment.
The Smarter Balanced Assessments are:
• For all students Grades 3-8; grades 9-10
• Computerized
• Computer adaptive- Will adjust for students’
levels
• More difficult that the CST- includes
performance (writing) tasks and using several
pieces of text for one task
How You Can Support Your Child
• Read the standards for your children’s grade levels so you know what
to expect in their learning. Helpful web sites to Google:
Parent Roadmaps to the CCSS– CGCS* PTA CCSS*
Achieve the Core
Engage NY
* Spanish available
• Ask specific questions about school, such as What book or story are
you reading in English? What type of writing are you doing? What is
your homework (in math or reading ) tonight?
• Support your child in reading a balance of literary and informational
texts. Sources for books are:
Library (city, school, classroom), Thrift stores, Yard sales
• Keep in contact with the teacher. Make an appointment or send an
email. Ask specific questions, like “Is my child understanding what
s/he reads? Can my child summarize? Can my child provide
evidence for his/her arguments? Specific questions will help you
help your child.
Table Talk
How can you support your child’s
English/Language Arts success?
Questions