This is the presentation I did for the staff at my own elementary school (90 minutes). After this presentation, teachers felt they had the tools, strategies and conceptual understanding to move on with teaching "the Common Core way" not to mention motivation and empowerment. This presentation not only covers the anchor standards and strands of the Common Core for ELA, but emphasizes the 3 shifts in the Common Core that are vital for student success in school and life. Here is the hand-out that goes with it: http://goo.gl/gzUny

1. Fifty Shades of
The Common Core
Lake Myra Elementary
September 28, 2012
by Jennifer Jones
K-12 Reading Specialist
Lake Myra Elementary School
Wake County Public School System

3. The Common Core literacy Model
An Operational Representation
6 3
Ela Standard ELA
Strands Practices
Reading Building knowledge
Literature Through content
Rich non-fiction and
Reading Informational text.
Informational
Text Reading, writing and
Speaking grounded in
Speaking & Listening evidence from the text
Language Regular practice with
complex text and
Writing its academic
vocabulary
Foundational
Skills

4. Anchor Standards for Reading
Literary Fiction & Informational Non-Fiction
1 Text-based understanding & comprehension
2 Central message/theme/BIG ideas
3 Characters/individuals across the text
4 Author’s Word Choice (syntax, figurative language use)
5 Close Analysis of Text (structure, features)
6 Point of View/Purpose
7 Content integration – Read & Research
8 Evaluate the Claims & Arguments of the Author (NF only)
9 Text to Text Comparison
10 Text Complexity
Key Ideas & Details Craft & Structure Integration of Ideas

5. Key Ideas for the REST
Writing – 3 Text Types: Personal Narrative, Informative & Argument
Speaking & Listening – Flexible Communication & Collaboration,
Text-Based Discussion Groups
Language – Grammar & Vocabulary: Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs,
Adjectives, Adverbs, Abstract Nouns, Verb Tenses, Simple, Compound
& Complex Sentences, Proper Nouns, Quotation Marks, Spelling
Patterns, Context Clues, & Shades of Meaning
Foundational Skills – Fluency, Phonics & Phonological Awareness
Concepts of Print, The Alphabet, Punctuation Marks, Prefixes &
Suffixes, Multi-Syllabic Words, Roots & Affixes, Rhyme, Blending,
Segmenting, Sound Spelling Patterns, Irregular Words, Sight Words

6. The 3 Common Core Practices
Text Split
Building knowledge through content-rich non-fiction and
informational texts.
Text Based Reading and Responding
Reading, writing, and speaking (orally or written responses)
grounded in evidence from the text including text based
questions, text based answers around text based conversations
with the TEXT as the common denominator.
Text Complexity
Regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary.

7. What the
Standards Do
Value in Reading
comprehension…

8. “close, attentive reading”…”critical
reading”… “reasoning and use of
evidence”… “comprehend, evaluate,
synthesize”… “understand
precisely…question…assess the
veracity” …. “cite specific evidence”
… “evaluate others’ point of view”…
“reading independently and
closely”…

9. What the
Standards DoN’t
Value in Reading
comprehension…

10. These phrases are NOT in the
Common Core…
make text-to-self connections,
access prior knowledge, explore
personal response, relate to
your own life…

11. “In short, the Common
Core standards
deemphasize reading as
a personal act and
emphasizes textual
analysis.”
– Pathways to the Common Core

12. So What
Does this
all mean
for
LMES?

14. Clearly Understanding
Lower vs. Higher Level Thinking
the answer is already known

15. ..and communicating
this language WITH
students…

16. ….

17. Critical Thinking Rubric

19. First
We must be Critical
Thinkers…
Form an opinion
and justify it!
Agree or disagree.
Image: http://www.1vigor.com/brain-power/Clear-Thinking/index.html

22. Justifying Our Opinions
Build
Community

23. Daily Analogies
Analogy Poster
“Mrs. Jones, this is hard!”
“I don’t know.”

24. Schoolwide Vocabulary instruction
Tier 2 & Tier 3 Words

25. Urgency with Word Learning

26. Creating a Sense of Urgency
& the Relationship between Words & Learning

27. Making Inferences with…
Picture of the Day

28. You Tube ***S**Informational Text
I
*

29. First …before
We must be Critical We can be Critical
Thinkers… Readers.
You don’t have to believe
everything you read in a book, you
have the right to question it and
judge for the reasons for yourself.
Image: 10englishcm.wikispaces.com

30. Literary
Text
Or
Informational
Text
So What?

31. Critical Reading…
…is a way of looking at a book and
analyzing what the author is saying and
the methods the author [and
illustrator] are using to communicate a
message or idea. Your analysis is
complete when you have formed your
own interpretations of the
author’s intentions.

32. Text Based Starters…
Text Based Entenders…
Image Sources: www.julieballew.com

33. Text Based Questions
Guided Reading, Shared Reading, Literature Circles
Look at the illustration on page 8, and
explain what the author’s purpose was for
writing “Sometimes [Grace] could get Ma
and Nana to join in, when they weren’t too
busy?”
Why does Grace “keep her hand up” twice,
even though her friends continue to tell her
she can’t be Peter Pan?
When Grace told her mother what
happened at school, what
was Ma so angry about?
What did Nana want Grace
to learn by taking her to
the ballet that day?
Image Sources: Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

34. Gettysburg Address

35. Text Based Answers…w/ TBE
Requires US to read it first…Allyia said…
“I infer that Strength of Blue Horse is blind because….
•He was born “sick & frail”.
•“You were born with a dark
curtain over your eyes.”
•“Will I always have to live in
the dark?”
•“I can feel the morning.”
•“I could not see the rainbow
but I can feel its happiness.”
•“Rainbow is my eyes.”
Image Source: Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin

36. Character Analysis
With Text Based Evidence
Images: www.julieballew.com

37. Text-Based
Responses

38. Tackle Text
Complexity with
Read-Alouds
Image: Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry

39. Text Based Reading Response

41. Teaching Multiple strategies through
One piece of Text

42. Non-fiction Reading
Shift Our Thinking from… “What do want kids to KNOW?” to
“What do I want kids to get out of it?”
www.metro.co.uk
www.julieballew.com
Pre-read
cwf-fcf.org BIG

43. Evaluating Non-Fiction Text
with Two-Column Notes…all strategies at once

44. Opinionated Students Blogging
blogs.wcpss.net/ourclassreads

46. Planning & Assessing Critical Thinking

47. www.julieballew.com

48. Group Learning
Cooperative Independent Book Clubs & Literature Circle

49. Higher Level Thinking
Independent Projects

50. Schoolwide Research Model for LMES – remixed by Leigh Pittman from the AGOPE & WISE research models

52. Are we
communicating
With
Students
What it is
We expect
them to know,
do and
understand?

53. The Take-Aways

54. Thank You!
This presentation was well received by the staff. Here’s what they had to say:
“I’ve thought about your presentation all weekend. You did a great job. You are an awesome
presenter.” - Kim Womble, Title 1 Teacher
“Thank you for challenging me to “get in the know” and empowering me to become a better
educator. Your presentation made things so clear about the Common Core! Thank you. Thank
you.” –Jane Ferguson, ESL Teacher
“You’re a rock star.” – Dr. Jim Argent, Principal
“You did a great job. Teachers were looking at you shaking their heads YES.” – Tina Zarzecki,
Assistant Principal
“Jen, I was engaged as I’ve ever been in an Early Release. Unbelievable for a track-out day!
Thanks for a great presentation!” – Leigh Pittman, Technology & Media Teacher J Jen, I was as
engaged as I've ever been in an early release. Unbelievable for track out
I am presenting this again on October 31, 2012 for Knightdale Elementary School. If your
school or a school you know of, is interested in or could use some help with this, I'd be more
then willing to travel and present to the faculty and staff. Please contact me and we can
figure out transportation and time compensation expenses. I can be contacted at
helloliteracy@gmail.com.