PA Core Instructional Framework
How and Why the Frameworks Were Developed
Purpose and Process
In the spring of 2013, approximately 100 educators: teachers, administrators, Intermediate Unit
Curriculum Coordinators, PDE content experts and OCDEL representatives gathered at PATTAN
Harrisburg to work on an English Language Arts and Mathematics PA Core Standards Curriculum project.
The overarching goal of the project was to create PA Core Standards Instructional Framework for grades
PK through grade 12 in both English Language Arts and Mathematics to be used by districts however
they choose to use it.
Goal
To create a PA Core Standards Instructional Framework for grades PK-12 in both ELA and Mathematics
to be used by Pennsylvania districts in the manner in which they choose to utilize it.
LEAs can choose to:
Adopt instructional framework as is
Adapt their current curriculum to align with the instructional framework
Audit their current curriculum
Or Ignore it.
Grade Band Overviews, Grand Band Summaries and Grade Level Summaries
Participants were required to work in Grade Band Groups. Collectively, as an English Language Arts
Team and Mathematics Team, the grade bands pulled together to create a multi-paragraph Pre – K to
Grade 12 overview of the focus of instruction. The Grade Band groups discussed the key concepts of the
grades in their band and centered their focus around ensuring that the standards are addressed in a
progressive, logical manner. Special attention was focused on vertical articulation. The conversation
centered around standards that appeared very similar from grade to grade and whether or not they
truly focused across multiple grades.
Grade Band groups determined that key concepts at each grade level would be listed as Focus Standards
and color coded green.
Important Standards were identified as those that served as connections and supports to the Focus
Standards and were color coded yellow.
The next step in the process was for each grade band to create Grade Band summaries based upon the
Focus standards within the grade bands. The Grade Band summaries illustrate the articulated
instructional focus continuum.
Finally, grade bands were delineated into grade levels and grade level summaries were developed.
Framing the Modules
Using the Focus Standards and the Grade Level Summaries as a guide the team began to frame out the
modules. As the modules were framed the following items were considered:
• How many modules (units) will there be? (range of 4 to 6)
• Clustering the Focus Standards and ensuring connectivity.
• What are the Curriculum Framework (Long term transfer goals, Big Ideas, Concepts and
Competencies, Vocabulary) elements taught in the module?
• What is the title – overarching descriptive name – of the module?
• Are the important standards addressed? How many times?
• Timeframe?
• For ELA, does each unit contain informational and literary text, writing, and the foundational
skills of ELA (e.g., speaking and listening, research, grammar)?
• For ELA: Does the module integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening?
• For Math: Are both mathematical standards and practices addressed?
• Are the instructional shifts addressed?
• Is there targeted instruction that is understandable and employs technology and media where
appropriate?
Assessments
The following questions were considered as the assessments for each module were designed:
• Is there an aligned summative assessment that includes a rubric?
• Is the assessment directly related to the chosen Focus Standards? (Typically there is only one
sample assessment for the module and it may or may not include the entire module’s
standards).
• Does the assessment offer a project orientation/application rather than simply multiple choice?
• Is the DOK reflective of the standards?
• Are there formative assessments to guide ongoing instructional practice?
Populating the Template
Next, the template was populated. As the template was populated, they focused on the following
questions:
 Does the instruction provide enough detail for a teacher to be able to create lesson plans?
 For ELA, are the text selections explained as to why they were chosen and what types of texts
may be substituted?
 Are the texts in the lexile band or reading level for the grade level?
 What are the supports that may be employed for differentiation?
 Are the connections between each piece clear?
Important Notes
 The PA Core standards that were selected to be focus standards were deemed to have the
biggest shift (different from year to year-“shifting standards.”)
 The PA Core standards that were selected to be important standards were deemed to be the
supporting standards or continuing standards (not much shift from year to year).
 The titles of the secondary modules were originally designed as essential questions. They are
not written as questions. They are the reconfiguration of the essential questions. They are
topical and not skills based.
 The Module Overview ties back to the topic and the standards that are addressed in the
module.
 Grade level summaries were derived from the Focus Standards
 Most of the Vocabulary that is listed in each of the modules is taken from the Focus Standards.
 Text chosen for assessments is appropriate for the grade level but challenging. Lexile levels ARE
NOT identified in the template but were used when selecting text for each module. The text
aligns back to the topic (essential question).
 LDC tasks (Open ended responses that you find in the module) are included in the assessments
and are aligned to the topic (essential question).
 The multiple choice questions that are provided align with the text provided and the Focus
Standards. The writers attempted to provide DOK levels 2 and 3 multiple choice questions.
 The sections for Reading Literature contain novel suggestions.