Common Core:
What can Parents Do?
Presented by:
Mrs. Montano
Mrs. Triantafilidis
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A Closer Look: ELA/Literacy Shifts
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Read as much non-fiction as
fiction
Learn about the world by
reading
Read more challenging
material closely
Discuss reading using
evidence
Write non-fiction using
evidence
Increase academic
vocabulary
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ELA Shift #1: Read as much non-fiction as fiction
Students MUST
• Read more nonfiction
• Supply non-fiction
texts to read
• Understand how nonfiction is written and
put together
• Read non-fiction books
aloud or with your
child
• Enjoy and discuss the
details of non-fiction
• Have fun with nonfiction in front of your
children
Parents SHOULD
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ELA Shift #2: Learn about the world by reading
Students MUST
• Learn more about
Science and Social
Studies through
reading
• Use “primary source”
documents
• Get smarter through
the use of texts
Parents SHOULD
• Supply texts on topics
that interest your child
• Find books that
explain how things
work and why
• Discuss non-fiction
texts and their ideas
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ELA Shift #3: Read more complex material
carefully
Students MUST
• Re-read
•
• Read books at their
comfort level and more
challenging texts
• Not just read,
comprehend
• Handle frustration and
keep pushing to
improve
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Parents SHOULD
Provide more
challenging texts their
children want to read
in addition to books
they can read easily
Know what is grade
level appropriate
Read challenging
books with your child
Show that challenging
books are worth
reading
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ELA Shift #4: Discuss reading using evidence
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•
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Students MUST
Find evidence to
support their
arguments
Form judgments and
opinions
Become scholars
Discuss what the
author is thinking
Make predictions
Parents SHOULD
• Talk about texts
• Demand evidence in
everyday discussions,
debates and
disagreements
• Read aloud or read the
same book as your
child and discuss with
evidence
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ELA Shift #5: Write from sources
Students MUST
• Make arguments in
writing using evidence
Parents SHOULD
• Encourage writing at
home
• Compare multiple texts
in writing
• Write “books” together
using evidence and
details
• Learn to write well
• Review samples of
student writing:
http://www.corestandards.o
rg/assets/Appendix_C.pdf
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ELA Shift #6: Build an academic vocabulary
Students MUST
• Learn the words they
will need to use in
college and career
• Get smarter at using
the “language of
power”
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Parents SHOULD
Read often and
constantly with young
children
Read multiple books
about the same topic
Let your children see
you reading
Talk to your children,
read to them, listen to
them, sing with them,
make up silly rhymes
and word games
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An Overview of the ELA Test
• The test will take place over 3 days.
• (April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd)
• The test will consist of multiple choice
questions, short answers, and extended
response questions.
• Each Testing Day will be scheduled to allow
70 minutes for completion. However, it is
estimated that it will take most children
50 minutes to complete each section.
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ELA Test Design
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Types of ELA Questions
• On the ELA, students will encounter:
*Text Dependent Questions
*Inferential Questions
*Critical Thinking and Analysis Questions
• Visit http://www.engageny.org/resource/newyork-state-common-core-sample-questions
for sample ELA questions!
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What to Expect from
Multiple Choice Questions
Students will be asked to analyze
different aspects of a given text including
• central idea
• style elements (text structure)
• character and plot development,
• vocabulary.
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Example of a Multiple Choice Question
*What word means the opposite of “core” as it is used in paragraph 3?
*From the passage and the diagram, which planet can the reader
conclude is the coldest planet in the solar system?
Read this sentence from paragraph 6 of the passage.
Please do this experiment on a bare-topped table and cover the top with
old newspapers. It can get (easy-to- clean-up) messy!
Why does the author include the second sentence?
*Air pressure builds up as the plane flies through the air. When the
pressure is released, it makes a loud noise.
Which of the following best describes the text structure of the sentence?
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What to Expect from Short
Answer Questions
• Students will use inference skills or
detail skills to answer a single
question.
• Responses must be supported with text
evidence.
• At least 2 pieces of text evidence must
be used in response.
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Examples of Short Answer
Questions
*Does the author believe that John the Elder understood nature as well
as people do today? Use two details from the article to support your
answer.
*How does the author support the idea that the earwigs look scarier than
they actually are? Use two details from the article to support your answer.
*What is a theme of “Stealing Fire from Zeus”? Use two details from the
myth to support your answer.
*How are the points of view in the two stories different? Use one detail
from each story to support your answer.
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What to Expect from an
Extended Response
• Designed to assess writing from sources.
• Require analysis of either an individual text or paired
texts.
• Paired texts share a related theme, genre, tone, time
period, setting, or other characteristics.
• Students must express a position and support it with
evidence from one (or two texts).
• Students will be expected to synthesize ideas
between and draw evidence from both texts. It allows
students to demonstrate their ability to write a
coherent essay using text evidence to support their
ideas.
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Examples of Extended Response
Questions
These myths came from two different cultures. Both myths
explain how fire was given to those who needed it. How are
the explanations the same, how are they different? Use
details from both myths to support your answer.
In your response, be sure to do the following:
• Explain how the myth “How Beaver Stole Fire” tells how
fire was given to those who needed it
• Explain how the myth “Stealing Fire from Zeus” tells how
fire was given to those who needed it
• Compare and contrast the two explanations
• Include details from both myths to support your answer
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Are You Smarter Than a
4th Grader?
• Now it’s your turn to take answer a few
questions from last year’s 4th grade ELA test!
• After we answer the questions, we will review
the questions and answers. 
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A Closer Look: Mathematics Shifts
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Focus: learn more about
less
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Build skills across grades
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Develop speed and
accuracy
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Really know it, Really do it
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Use it in the real world
•
Think fast AND solve
problems
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Math Shift #1: Focus: Learn more about less
Students MUST
• Spend more time on
fewer concepts
• Go more in-depth on
each one
Parents SHOULD
• Know what the priority
work is for your child at
their grade level
• Spend time with your
child on that work
• Ask your child’s
teacher about his or
her progress on the
priority work
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Math Shift #2: Learn skills across grades
Students MUST
• Keep building on
learning year after year
Parents SHOULD
• Be aware of what your
child struggled with
last year and how that
will affect ongoing
learning
• Advocate for your child
and ensure that
support is given for
“gap” skills: negative
numbers, fractions,
etc.
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Math Shift #3: Develop speed and accuracy
Students MUST
• Spend time practicing
by doing lots of
problems on the same
idea
Parents SHOULD
• Push children to know,
understand and
memorize basic math
facts
• Know all of the
fluencies your child
should have; prioritize
learning of the ones
they still find difficult
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Math Shift #4: Really know it, really do it
Students MUST
• Make the math work,
and understand why it
does
• Talk about why the
math works
• Prove that they know
why and how the math
works
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Parents SHOULD
Notice whether your
child really knows why
the answer is what it is
Advocate for the time
your child needs to
learn key math skills
Provide time for your
child to work at math
skills at home
Get smarter in the
math your child needs
to know
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Math Shift #5: Use it in the real world
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
• Ask your child to do
that math that comes
up in your daily life
• Apply math in real
world situations
• Know which math skills
to use for which
situation
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Math Shift #6: Think fast and solve problems
Students MUST
• Be able to use core
math facts quickly
• Be able to apply math
in the real world
Parents SHOULD
• Notice your child’s
strengths and
weaknesses in math
• Make sure your child
practices the math
facts that prove most
difficult
• Make sure your child
thinks about math in
real life
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Fourth Grade Math Curriculum
Topic 1-Multiplication & Division:
Meaning and Facts
Topic 2- Generate and Analyze Patterns
Topic 3- Place Value
Topic 4- Addition & Subtraction of Whole
Numbers
Topics 5 & 6- Number Sense & Fluency:
Multiplying by 1 Digit number
Topics 7 & 8- Number Sense & Fluency:
Multiplying by 2 digit numbers
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Fourth Grade Math Curriculum
Topics 9 & 10:Number Sense & Developing
Fluency: Dividing by 1 digit divisors
Topic 11: Fraction Equivalence and Ordering
Topic 12- Adding and Subtracting Fractions
and Mixed Numbers with Like Denominators
Topic 13- Extending Fraction Concepts
Topic 14- Measurement Units and Conversions
Topic 15-Solving Measurement Problems
Topic 16- Lines, Angles, and Shapes
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An Overview of the
Fourth Grade Math Test
• The test will take place over 3 days.
(April 30th, May 1st, May 2nd)
• Sessions 1 and 2 will be 60 minutes.
• Session 3 will be 90 minutes.
• The estimated time for sessions 1 and 2
is 40 minutes. The estimated time for
session 3 is 70 minutes.
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Math Test Design
• Day One: 24 multiple choice questions
• Day Two: 25 multiple choice questions
• Day Three: 6 short response questions and
4 extended response questions
For Day 3, students are expected to write a
written explanation of their answers.
**For all three days, most of the
questions are word problems.
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What do the Questions Look Like?
• Multiple Choice: These will assess a skill or
concept. Many will involve multiple steps and
combine concepts or a standard algorithm.
• Short Response: Students will complete a task
and show their work. These will require
multiple steps and knowledge of mathematical
practices and real-world applications.
• Extended Response: Students will complete
multiple step problems. They will be asked to
show all of their work and explain their answer
in written form.
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Examples of Multiple Choice
Questions
Michael earns $27 mowing lawns. He earned $12 less
than that washing windows. He earns 3 times as much
money walking dogs as he earned washing windows.
How much money does Michael earn walking dogs?
A. $5
B. $15
C. $27
D. $45
On Saturday, 9,155 fans attended a baseball game. On
Sunday, 5,097 fans attended the game. To the nearest
hundred, how many fans attended Saturday and
Sunday combined?
A. 14,000
B. 14,200
C. 14,250
D. 14,300
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Examples of Multiple Choice
Questions
A rectangular flowerbed at a city park has an
area of 126 square meters. The width of the
flowerbed is 3 meters. What is the perimeter of
the flowerbed?
A. 42m
B. 84m
C. 90m
D. 96m
Which is another way to show 7 x 1/6?
A. 1/42
B. 7/42
C. 7/6
D. 8/6
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Example of a
Multiple Choice Question
The perimeter of the rectangle below is 54
inches.
7in.
What is the length of the longer side of the
rectangle?
A. 40 in
B. 47 in
C. 20 in
D. 17 in.
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Example of an Extended Response Question
A factory prints 123 baseball cards in a minute. This
number can be written in expanded form, which is the
sum of the place value of its digits. 123 in expanded
form is 100 + 20 +3.
Part A
The factory prints 4,032 football cards in an hour. Explain
how using the expanded form of 4,032 can help you find the
total number of football cards factory prints in 5 hours.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
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Extended Response
Part B
Now write an equation to show how to find
5 x 4,032 using expanded form.
Answer: ____________________
Part C
How many football cards does the factory print in
5 hours? Show your work.
Answer: _______________________
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Are Your Smarter Than a
4th Grader?
• Now it’s your turn to take answer a few
questions from last year’s 4th grade Math test!
• After we answer the questions, we will review
the questions and answers 
EngageNY.org
36
Resources for parents
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Additional resources
• www.achievethecore.org
• www.pta.org/4446.htm
• http://www.cgcs.org/Domain/36
• http://parcconline.org/parcc-content-frameworks
Thank you
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