A Map for Our Transition Year

1. A Map for Our Transition Year Grade 8 LA Common CoreUnit Plan& Lessons

2. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Curmudgeons • Make your face into a curmudgeon’s face. • As a curmudgeon, think about the Common Core Standards. • Now turn, and as a curmudgeon, whine and complain about them. From Pathways to the Common Core: Accelerating Achievement (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman, 2012)

3. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Your Choice… From Pathways to the Common Core: Accelerating Achievement (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman, 2012)

4. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Common Core Gold • Urgently needed wake-up call. • Emphasizes higher level comprehension skills. • Places equal weight on reading and writing. • Stresses the importance of critical citizenship. • Emphasizes reading complex text. • Clear design, central goals, and high standards.

5. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Common Core Gold • Conveys that intellectual growth occurs through time, across years, and across disciplines. • Call for proficiency, complexity, and independence. • Support cross-curricular literacy teaching. • Emphasizes equal access. • Aims to put every state on the same measuring stick. • Respects the professional judgment of classroom teachers.

6. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Treasure Map • Copies available in every school. • A great professional read. http://www.heinemann.com/products/E04355.aspx

7. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Common Core will be based on these 4 PARCC MODULES http://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/PARCC%20MCF%20for%20ELA%20Literacy_Fall%202011%20Release%20%28rev%29.pdf

8. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold 2012-2013Transition Year • Keeping CRES BCRs & Portfolios • Assessing via MSA • Trying out lessons from one CC Unit • Giving feedback to Sue Ann • Modifying lessons to meet students’ needs • Infusing close reading, text-dependent questions, text complexity, and contextualized and argumentative writing throughout all units

9. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Transition to the Common Core Essential Questions + ELA of Tomorrow + PARCC Framework

10. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Essential Questions • What’s worth the effort? • What’s really normal? • Why do people seek danger? • Who is the real you? • Why are we fascinated by the unknown? • What are the signs of greatness? • Can a dream change the world? • Is survival a matter of chance? • What does a community owe its children? • Does knowledge come at a price? • Is the news always reliable? • When is revenge justified?

11. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold ELA of Tomorrow • HAL/Diverse Learners • UDL • Frequent Assessment • Speaking & Listening • Increase in Literary Non-Fiction • Teacher is Facilitator • Routine Writing • Literature Circles • Essential Questions • Student Inquiry • Research (short and extended) • Cross-Curricular • Close Reading • Emphasis on Argument

12. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Common Core will be based on these 4 PARCC MODULES. http://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/PARCC%20MCF%20for%20ELA%20Literacy_Fall%202011%20Release%20%28rev%29.pdf

13. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold 8th Grade Unit Essential Questions Essential Question: • Can a dream change the world? Weekly Focus Questions: • What are different types of dreams? (week 1) • How do dreams evolve? (week 2) • Are dreams universal? (week 3) • Are obstacles overcome in the pursuit of dreams? (weeks 4-5) • Can a dream change the world? (week 6)

14. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Unit Overview The Unit Overview is a snapshot of what will be covered in this unit. Although the unit is designed to be taught in six weeks, the timing is flexible and may take longer depending on your students’ needs.

15. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Also in the Unit Overview… Suggested Text Resources: These resources are available so that teachers can address the same skills and standards using texts that meet the needs of their students.

16. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Unit Map for EACH WEEK… Grade 8 CC Unit Map

17. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Detailed lesson plans for 2 weeks on the map • Lesson Overview • Teacher Planning & Prep • Essential Question • Applicable CC Standards • Student Outcomes • Materials • Pre-Assessment • Lesson Procedures • Closure

18. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Also in the Unit Overview… This guide will help you create questions that are dependent on student understanding of the text. Your text-dependent questions will help students perform a successful close reading of the text.

19. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold • Use this organizer: • As a laminated sheet for reader’s notebooks • For students to record their analysis of the text • As a guide while students make post-it note annotations • These close reading strategies are also listed in bookmark form. Consider laminating the bookmarks and allowing students to monitor their progress with a dry erase marker. Availablefor Your Use!

20. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Literature Circles • Allow 30 minutes each week for students to discuss novels with group • Use weekly focus questions to guide discussions • Reading should be completed outside of classroom • Suggested novels provided

21. Revised Booklist Grade 8

22. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Elementary School Only ~ Sarah Plain and Tall Sign of Beaver Diary of a Wimpy Kid High School Only ~ Hunger Games Book Thief “Midsummer Night’s Dream” Great Expectations The Good Earth Middle School Only ~ Tex Out of the Dust The Pigman The Giver “Romeo and Juliet”

23. 2012-2013: Finding the Gold Explore New Resources • What questions do you still have? • How will you fit this into your current teaching? • What resources will you need to infuse this Common Core unit and the Common Core teaching strategies into your practice?