Transition to PA Common Core
Writing
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PA
Common
Core
Toolbox
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Let’s get acquainted!
• Connect to the Internet
• Navigate to: http://www.pdesas.org
– If a registered user, sign-in.
– If not a registered user, join now.
• Place your name and school
district/organization on your name tent
Your School District/Organization
Your Name
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Essential Questions
• How are the PA Common Core Writing standards
structured?
• How does the focus for writing instruction progress
from grade to grade as reflected in the PA Common
Core Writing Standards?
• How does student writing look when it meets a
grade level’s PA Common Core standards?
• What changes are needed in the current curriculum
to meet the level of expectations required by PA
Common Core Standards?
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Read, Respond, Reflect
Read and respond to the “Note on Range and
Content of Student Writing.”
Turn and Talk: What resonated with you?
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Old versus New
Out with the “old”…
in with the “new”
How does this compare to the philosophy of our
previous PA Academic Standards?
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Organizational Structure
Types of Writing
Informative/Explanatory
Opinion/Argument
Narrative
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Organizational Structure
Quality of Writing
Focus
Content
Organization
Style
Conventions
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Organizational Structure
Response to Literature
Production and Distribution of Writing
Technology and Publication
Conducting Research
Credibility, Reliability, Validity of Sources
Range of Writing
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Learning Progressions
Students advancing through the grades are
expected to meet each year’s grade-specific
standards and retain or further develop skills
and understandings mastered in preceding
grades.
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Digging Deeper
What do students need to know and be able to do
to gain adequate mastery of the range of skills and
applications as demonstrated in the student writing
samples?
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Know and Do
Standards
What Student Knows
Evidence
What Student Does
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Reflection
• What do you notice about this work?
• What are its qualities?
• What differences did you notice about student
learning as compared to student work in your
classroom/school/district?
• What do you think the teacher did differently
to push student to produce this kind of work?
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Similarities and Differences
How do the similarities and differences impact
writing instruction?
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Group Activity
• Read assigned remaining writing standard.
• Create a graphic representation of the
group’s thinking related to the
implementation of the standard.
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A Deeper Look At
Shift 5 Writing from Sources
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Shift 5
What are the challenges and benefits of
putting a renewed emphasis on writing from
sources rather than keeping the current focus
on personal narrative?
http://vimeo.com/27076961
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Reflect on Shift 5
What prompts, materials, and supports need
to be provided so that students become
curious and precise investigative reporters
who uncover facts, draw conclusions, make
arguments, and analyze the work of others?
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A Deeper Look at
Shift 4 Text Based Answers
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Shift 4 Text Based Answers
• What does it take to create opportunities for
students to have deep evidence-based conversations
about text?
• What change in practice must occur?
• What are the implications for teaching planning
time?
• What questions will take the student deeper into text
and cause them to pay careful attention to it?
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Reflect on Shift 4
• What change in practice must occur?
• What are the implications for teaching
planning time?
• What questions will take the student deeper
into text and cause them to pay careful
attention to it?
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Comparing PSSA/Keystone
• This is an example from the 11th grade PSSA from 2009 – Explain how the author attempts to convince the reader
that native species should be protected. Use at least 2
examples from the passage to support your explanation.
• This is an example from the Keystone Exam
– Analyze how the author constructs the argument in the
passage. Use examples from the passage to support your
analysis.
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Interpretations from
Tim Shanahan
Handout:
2011 IRA Webinar: Transition to the Common Core
Implications as presented by Tim Shanahan
On a blank piece of paper, make the “T” chart:
Evidence:
What do I see, notice?
Interpretation:
How can I fit this in?
How can I do this?
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Essential Questions
• How are the PA Common Core Writing standards
structured?
• How does the focus for writing instruction progress
from grade to grade as reflected in the PA Common
Core Writing Standards?
• How does student writing look when it meets a
grade level’s PA Common Core standards?
• What changes are needed in the current curriculum
to meet the level of expectations required by PA
Common Core Standards?
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Any Questions?
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