Common Core State Standards
Session 6
English Language Arts
The Promise of the CCSS
These Standards are not intended to be new names for
old ways of doing business. They are a call to take the
next step. It is time for districts to work together to build
on lessons learned from two decades of standards based
reforms. It is time to recognize that standards are not just
promises to our children, but promises we intend to
keep.
Day 1 – Session
OUTCOMES
Participants will increase their knowledge of:
1. the structure of the Common Core State
Standards (CCSS);
2. the implications of the CCSS Anchor
Standards;
3. Text complexity and close reading.
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ANCHOR STANDARDS
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Reading
Key Ideas and Details
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.
2. Determine central idea or themes of a text and
analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas
develop and interact over the course of a text.
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Reading
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in
a text, including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape
meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how
specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger
portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter,
scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the
whole.
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Reading
Craft and Structure
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes
the content and style of a text.
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Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in
words.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a
text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the
relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics
in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the
authors take.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts
independently and proficiently.
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Instructional Shifts
Implementation of the Common Core State Standards
6-12, Knowledge in the Disciplines
Content area teachers outside of the ELA classroom
emphasize literacy experiences in their planning
and instruction. Students learn through domainspecific texts in science and social studies
classrooms – rather than referring to the text, they
are expected to learn from what they read.
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Instructional Shifts
Implementation of the Common Core State Standards
Staircase of Complexity
In order to prepare students for the complexity of
college and career ready texts, each grade level
requires a “step” of growth on the “staircase”.
Students read the central, grade appropriate text
around which instruction is centered. Teachers
are patient, create more time and space in the
curriculum for this close and careful reading, and
provide appropriate and necessary scaffolding and
supports so that it is possible for students reading
below grade level.
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Instructional Shifts
Implementation of the Common Core State Standards
Text-based Answers
Students have rich and rigorous conversations
which are dependent on a common text.
Teachers insist that classroom experiences
stay deeply connected to the text on the page
and that students develop habits for making
evidentiary arguments both in conversation,
as well as in writing to assess comprehension
of a text.
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Instructional Shifts
Implementation of the Common Core State Standards
Writing from Sources
Writing needs to emphasize use of evidence
to inform or make an argument rather than
the personal narrative and other forms of
decontextualized prompts. While the
narrative still has an important role, students
develop skills through written arguments that
respond to the ideas, events, facts, and
arguments presented in the texts they read.
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Instructional Shifts
Implementation of the Common Core State Standards
Academic Vocabulary
Students constantly build the vocabulary they
need to access grade level complex texts. By
focusing strategically on comprehension of pivotal
and commonly found words (such as “discourse,”
“generation,” “theory,” and “principled”) and less
on esoteric literary terms (such as
“onomatopoeia” or “homonym”), teachers
constantly build students’ ability to access more
complex texts across the content areas.
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COGNITIVE DEMAND AND
RIGOR
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Webb’s Depth of Knowledge and
Bloom’s Taxonomy
The CCSS standards
incorporate Webb’s
Depth of Knowledge
and Bloom’s Taxonomy.
The cognitive demand
of the standards rises
across the grades.
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The “Demands” of the Standards
The cognitive demand of the standards
incorporates Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s
Depth of Knowledge.
How is this accomplished?
The standards “ramp up” the demands made
on student thinking.
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Kdg.
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
2. With
prompting
and
support,
retell
familiar
stories,
including
key
details.
2. Retell
stories,
including key
details, and
demonstrate
understanding
of their central
message or
lesson.
2. Recount
stories,
including fables
and folktales
from diverse
cultures, and
determine
their central
message,
lesson, or
moral.
2. Recount stories,
including fables,
folktales, and
myths from
diverse cultures;
determine the
central message,
lesson, or moral
and explain how it
is conveyed
through key details
in the text.
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3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
2. Recount
stories, including
fables, folktales,
and
myths from
diverse cultures;
determine the
central message,
lesson, or moral
and explain how
it is conveyed
through key
details in the text.
2. Determine
a theme of a
story, drama,
or poem
from details in
the text;
summarize
the text.
2. Determine a
theme of a story,
drama, or poem
from details in
the text,
including how
characters in a
story or drama
respond to
challenges or
how the speaker
in a poem
reflects upon a
topic; summarize
the text.
2. Determine a
theme or
central idea of a
text and how it
is conveyed
through
particular
details;
provide a
summary of the
text distinct
from personal
opinions or
judgments.
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7th Grade
8th Grade
9-10th Grade
11-12th
Grade
2. Determine
a theme or
central idea
of a text and
analyze its
development
over the
course of the
text; provide
an objective
summary of
the text.
2. Determine a
theme or central
idea of a text and
analyze its
development
over the course
of the text,
including its
relationship to
the characters,
setting,
and plot;
provide an
objective
summary of the
2. Determine a
theme or central
idea of a text and
analyze in detail
its
development
over the course
of the text,
including how it
emerges and is
shaped and
refined by specific
details; provide
an objective
summary of the
2. Determine two
or more central
ideas of a text
and analyze their
development
over the course
of the text,
including how
they interact and
build on one
another
to provide a
complex analysis;
provide an
objective
TEXT COMPLEXITY
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One hot summer's day a
famished fox was strolling
through an orchard until he
came to clusters of grapes
just ripening on a trellised
vine. "Just the thing to
quench my thirst," quoth
he. Drawing back a few
paces, he took a run and a
jump, and just missed the
bunch. His mouth was
watering and he could feel
gnawing hunger pains.
Again and again he tried
after the tempting morsel,
but at last had to give up.
Once a fox walked through
the woods. He came
upon a grape orchard.
There he found beautiful
grapes hanging from a
high branch. “Boy those
sure would be tasty,” he
thought to himself. He
backed up and took a
running start and
jumped. He did not get
high enough.
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Simplified to Complex Text
One hot summer’s day….
Once (1 word)
Strolling…………………
Walked
(less precise language/less
powerful verb).
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Let every nation
know, whether it
wishes us well or ill,
that we shall pay any
price, bear any
burden, meet any
hardship, support
any friend, oppose
any foe to assure the
survival and the
success of liberty.
We want every
country in the world,
whether it is our
friend or our enemy,
to know that we will
do whatever is
necessary to make
sure that freedom
survives in the United
States and around the
world.
What is right with “simplified” text?
• Provides for scaffolding for ELL students,
students with disabilities
• They can become a foundation for
understanding complex text as long as students
have the opportunity to read complex texts as
well.
• Gradated Text Collection – a collection of texts
on a topic that advance in degrees of
complexity. Some students may read simpler
texts first, then move on to complex text (a
form of instructional support).
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What’s wrong with the simplified
text approach?
• Simplified usually means limited, restricted,
and thin in meaning.
• Academic vocabulary can only be learned
from complex texts––by noticing how it works
in texts, engaging with, thinking about, and
discussing their more complex meanings with
others.
• Mature language skills needed for success in
school and life can only be gained by working
with demanding materials.
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Gradated Texts
Article: Breathing and Its
True Role in Our Life,
Health and Longevity
A collection of texts that
increase in difficulty from
simple to moderate to
complex, around a common
topic.
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WHY TEXT COMPLEXITY
MATTERS
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Text Complexity - ACT Study
• Purpose: Determine what distinguished the
reading performance of students likely to
succeed in college and not.
• Process:
• Set benchmark score on the reading test
shown to be predictive of success in college
(“21” on ACT composite score).
• Looked at results from a half million
students.
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Performance on the ACT Reading Test
by Comprehension Level
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Performance on the ACT Reading Test
by Textual Element
(Averaged across Seven Forms)
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Text Complexity Matters
Texts used in the ACT Reading Test
reflect three degrees of complexity:
uncomplicated, more challenging,
and complex.
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Performance on the ACT Reading Test
by Degree of Text Complexity
(Averaged across Seven Forms)
In this figure, performance on questions associated with uncomplicated and more
challenging texts both above and below the ACT College Readiness Benchmark for
Reading follows a pattern similar to those in the previous analyses.
Improvement on each of the two kinds of questions is gradual and fairly uniform.
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Text Complexity
Text complexity is defined by:
Qualitative measures – levels of
meaning, structure, language
conventionality and clarity, and
knowledge demands often best
measured by an attentive human
reader.
Quantitative measures – readability and
other scores of text complexity often
best measured by computer software.
Reader and Task
Reader and Task considerations – background
knowledge of reader, motivation, interests,
and complexity generated by tasks assigned
often best made by educators employing
their professional judgment.
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Recap of ACT Findings
Question type and level (main idea, word meanings,
details) is NOT the chief differentiator between student
scoring above and below the benchmark.
The degree of text complexity in the passages acted as
the “sorters” within ACT. The findings held true for
both males and females, all racial groups and was
steady regardless of family income level.
What students could read, in terms of its complexity rather than what they could do with what they read is greatest predictor of success. FCAT has complex
passages and highly cognitive demanding questions.
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The Common Core Standards' three equally important
components of text complexity
Quantitative measures – readability and
other scores of text complexity often best
measured by computer software.
Qualitative measures – levels of meaning,
structure, language conventionality and
clarity, and knowledge demands often best
measured by an attentive human reader.
Reader and Task considerations –
background knowledge of reader,
motivation, interests, and complexity
generated by tasks assigned often best
made by educators employing their
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professional judgment.
Where do we find texts in the appropriate text
complexity band?
We could….
Choose an excerpt of text
from Appendix B as a
starting place:
Use available resources to
determine the text complexity of
other materials on our own.
or…
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Determining Text Complexity
A Four-step Process:
1. Determine the quantitative
measures of the text.
2. Analyze the qualitative
measures of the text.
3. Reflect upon the reader and
task considerations.
Reader and Task
4. Recommend placement in
the appropriate text
complexity band.
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Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Quantitative Measures
Measures such as:
• Word length
• Word frequency
• Word difficulty
• Sentence length
• Text length
• Text cohesion
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Step 2: Qualitative Measures
Measures such as:
• Structure
• Language Demands
and Conventions
• Knowledge Demands
• Levels of
Meaning/Purpose
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Common Core Standards
Qualitative Features of Text Complexity
Structure
 Simple  Complex
 Explicit  Implicit
 Conventional Unconventional
 Events related in chronological order  Events related out
of chronological order (chiefly literary texts)
 Traits of a common genre or subgenre  Traits specific to a
particular discipline (chiefly informational texts)
 Simple graphics  Sophisticated graphics
 Graphics unnecessary or merely supplemental to
understanding the text  Graphics essential to
understanding the text and may provide information not
elsewhere provided
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Types of Text Structure
• Definition/description:
Frequently in textbook reading an entire paragraph is
devoted to defining a complex term or idea. The concept
is initially defined and then further expanded with
examples and restatements.
• Sequence (Chronological order):
The main idea’s supporting details are written in a
specific order. Changing the order would change the
meaning.
• Cause-Effect:
Shows a relationship between the cause of something
and the effect that follows as a result.
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Types of Text Structure
• Cause-Effect:
Shows a relationship between the cause of
something and the effect that follows as a result.
• Comparison-Contrast:
Points out similarities and differences between
two or more topics.
• Problem-Solution:
The text states a problem and then suggests one
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or more solutions.
Common Core Standards
Qualitative Features of Text Complexity
Language Demands: Conventionality and Clarity
 Literal  Figurative or ironic
 Clear  Ambiguous or purposefully misleading
 Contemporary, familiar  Archaic or otherwise
unfamiliar
 Conversational  General Academic and domain
specific
 Light vocabulary load: few unfamiliar or academic
words Many words unfamiliar and high academic
vocabulary present
 Sentence structure straightforward Complex and
varied sentence structures
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Common Core Standards
Qualitative Features of Text Complexity
Knowledge Demands: Life Experience
• Simple theme  Complex or sophisticated themes
• Single theme  Multiple themes
• Common everyday experiences or clearly fantastical situations 
Experiences distinctly different from one’s own
• Single perspective  Multiple perspectives
• Perspective(s) like one’s own  Perspective(s) unlike or in opposition
to one’s own
• Everyday knowledge  Cultural and literary knowledge
• Few allusions to other texts  Many allusions to other texts
• Low intertextuality (few or no references to other texts) 
High intertextuality (many references or citations to other texts)
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Common Core Standards
Qualitative Features of Text Complexity
Levels of Meaning (chiefly literary texts) or
purpose (chiefly informational texts)
• Single level of meaning Multiple levels of
meaning
• Explicitly stated purpose  Implicit purpose,
may be hidden or obscure
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Step 2: Qualitative Measures
Qualitative factors are represented on a continua
rather than discrete stages or levels, so numeric
values are not associated with these rubric.
Instead, six points along each continuum is
identified: not suited to the band, early-mid
grade level, mid-end grade level, early-mid grade
level, mid-end grade level, not suited to band.
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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
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Vocabulary and Syntax
The educational implications of the measures of text
difficulty include:
• Single biggest predictor of student achievement is vocabulary and
syntax.
• Need to be addressed throughout schooling (kindergarten through
12th grade). Schools and districts should plan a coherent, intensive
and systematic program for vocabulary and syntax.
• Syntax is one of the most powerful predictors of difficulty.
• Some features of text are more important than others—syntax and
vocabulary are an example of two essential text features to pay
particular attention to during instruction.
What Complex Text Demands of Readers
• A Willingness to Pause and Probe
• Students must be patient as they read complex texts
and be willing to devote time to contemplation of the
text
• The Capacity for Uninterrupted Thinking
• Time devoted to the text and thinking about the text
exclusively - single-tasking rather than multi-tasking
• A Receptivity to Deep Thinking
• Contemplation of the meaning of the text and not a
quick response voicing an opinion based on a shallow
interpretation
(Mark Bauerlein, 2011)
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Shorter, Challenging Texts
• The study of short texts is useful to enable students at a
wide range of reading levels to participate in the close
analysis of more demanding text.
• Place a high priority on the close, sustained reading of
complex text. Such reading emphasizes the particular over
the general and strives to focus on what lies within the four
corners of the text.
• Close reading often requires compact, short, self-contained
texts that students can read and re-read deliberately and
slowly to probe and ponder the meanings of individual
words, the order in which sentences unfold, and the
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development of ideas over the course of the text.
Supreme Court down
through the Years for
Monk’s Words We Live By
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Text Dependent Questions
1. What is (and isn’t) the meaning of “popular sovereignty”?
2.
Why does Monk claim that this is the form of government in
America?
3. Is Lucy Stone confused when she asks “Which ‘We the People’?”
4. Why does Monk say this question has “troubled the nation”?
5. What does the phrase “founding fathers” mean? Why does
Marshall think the founding fathers could not have imagined a
female or black Supreme Court Justice?
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Text Dependent Questions (continued)
• Please put Marshall’s quote into your own
words in a brief two or three sentence
paraphrase; be prepared to be called on to
share your writing.
• What evidence is there in the final paragraph
regarding Marshall’s claim about the “evolving
nature of the constitution”?
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Preamble to the Constitution
We the People of the United States, in Order to
form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the
common defence, promote the general
Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United
States of America.
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Multi-Text dependent Question
• Using the text written by Monk, and the
Preamble, discuss:
• What arguments can be made that there is a
changing definition of the term “people”;
refer to Monk’s writing and the Preamble.
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Fuller Court, 1890
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Taft Court, 1930
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Burger Court, 1980s
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Roberts Court, 2010
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