Common Core State Standards and Assessments

1. Common Core State Standardsand Assessments English / Language Arts K-2 Training of the Trainers Follow-Up April 2012

2. Are We There Yet? The Jenkins went out for a ride. “How much longer?” the children cried. “A while!” their dad said with regret. “We haven’t left the driveway yet!” Poem from Jeff Foxworthy’s book, Dirt on My Shirt

3. A Shift in Thinking Writing From Sources—EngageNY • Locate Handout #1. • Complete the Viewing Guide in the “Handouts” section of your booklet. (Handout 1) • Discussion: • Compare your responses with others at your table. • What else did you find to be valuable or important? • What are the implications for instruction? Adapted from Public Schools of North Carolina

4. A Shift in Thinking Image from http://englishtechtools.wiki.nhvweb.net/Wordle

5. Writing Standard Cluster: Text Types and Purposes • Standard 1—Argument/Opinion • Standard 2—Informational/Explanatory Writing • Standard 3—Narrative Writing (Handout 2) Taken from CCSS, page 18

6. Think/Pair/Share • Review the definition for each text type (Handout 3) • Think about the following questions— • What are your general thoughts for including the three types in the standards? • How will the purposes of each text type impact your instruction? • What are the implications for your students? • Partner with someone at your table and discuss your answers to each question. • Discuss with your table and be prepared to share with the entire group.

7. Special Place of Argument • Particular emphasis on students’ ability to write sound arguments (“argument literacy”) • Important to college and career success Taken from CCSS, Appendix A, pages 24-25

8. Persuasion versus Argument Persuasion appeals to: • Emotion • Audience self-interest and sense of identity • Character, credentials, and authority of the writer or speaker Argument relies on: • Merit and reasonableness of claim • Logic and validity • Legitimacy of evidence and proof Taken from CCSS, Appendix A, page 24

9. Developing Argument • In the elementary grades, argument takes the form of opinion. • Younger students are emerging writers who learn to develop logical arguments by: • Providing examples • Offering reasons for assertions • Explaining cause and effect

10. Underlying Foundations for Writing Standards Integration Across CCSS Strands • Language • Vocabulary (word choice) • Conventions (mechanics, grammar, usage) • Reading • Writing to comprehend (constructed response) • Foundational skills (spelling) • Listening and Speaking • Foundation to writing/composing • Providing feedback about writing to others

11. Standards Progression Writing Anchor Standard #1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (Handout 4)

12. Work Session #1: Standards Progression • Locate and complete Work Session #1. • Discussion Questions • How does reviewing standards progression influence classroom instruction? • What other ways can you use the information gained during a standards progression review? • How does standards progression review help teachers understand where scaffolding might be needed?

13. AssessingStudent Writing Samples • Consider the essential skills students must have in order to master the standard. (Handout 2) • Consider the underlying foundations for the writing standards. • Handwriting • Spacing • Capitalization • Punctuation • Using complete sentences • Spelling • Grammar (Handout 5)

14. AssessingStudent Writing Samples Why rubrics? • Serve as formative assessments • Clarify goal • Provide feedback to students • Signal strengths and weaknesses • Provide possibility of self-assessment • Serve as scaffold • Define expectations • Provide data to inform instruction Varlas, 2012; Overmeyer, 2007/2008; Saddler & Andrade, 2004

15. AssessingStudent Writing Samples Kindergarten Standard 1 Sample W.K.1- Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is . . .). • Does the student’s writing sample successfully meet Kindergarten Writing Standard 1? (Handouts 6 & 7)

16. AssessingStudent Writing Samples Kindergarten Standard 1 Rubric Sample 1

17. AssessingStudent Writing Samples Kindergarten Standard 1 Sample W.K.1- Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is . . .). • Does the student’s writing sample successfully meet Kindergarten Writing Standard 1? (Handouts 6 & 8)

18. AssessingStudent Writing Samples Kindergarten Standard 1 Rubric Sample 2

19. AssessingStudent Writing Samples Kindergarten Standard 1 Sample W.K.1- Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is . . .). • Does the student’s writing sample successfully meet Kindergarten Writing Standard 1? (Handouts 6 & 9)

20. AssessingStudent Writing Samples Kindergarten Standard 1 Rubric Sample 3

21. Work Session #2: Assessing Student Writing Samples for Standard 2 Locate and complete Work Session #2. Directions: Follow the steps in the process listed below to assess sample student writing for Standard 2 (Informative/Explanatory) • With a partner, decide which grade level writing sample to assess, using the K-2 Writing Standard 2 Rubrics (Informative/Explanatory) located in Work Session #2. • Independently analyze the student writing sample located in Work Session #2, using the appropriate grade level rubric. • Discuss the results (total score on rubric) with your partner. Come to a consensus as to the level of the writing sample. • At the bottom of the rubric, make note of what the writer could improve upon.

22. How do we define RIGOR? Sally Hampton • Chair, ELA College and Career Readiness Standards Work Group • Member, ELA K-12 Common Core State Standards Committee Video taken from http://www.americaschoice.org/uploads/Common_Core_Standards_Resources/SallyHampton_Rigor/SallyHampton_Rigor.html

23. Planning For Writing Instruction • “To maximize students’ academic growth, one of the best tools available to educators is explicit instruction, a structured, systematic, and effective methodology for teaching academic skills.”(pg 1) • “Effective and explicit instruction can be viewed as providing a series of instructional supports or scaffolds.”(pg 3) • Logical selection and sequencing of content • Breaking down content into manageable instructional units based on students’ cognitive capabilities Archer, A.L., & Hughes C.A. (2011). Explicit Instruction: Effective and efficient teaching. Guilford Press: New York, NY.

24. Planning For Writing Instruction • We MUST remember… How well we teach = How well they learn

25. Model Writing Lesson Standard/Objective: 2.W.1- Write opinion pieces in which students introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

26. Model Writing Lesson OREO Graphic Organizer • Opinion • Reasons/Explanations • Opinion Revisited Adapted from http://firstgradecce.wikispaces.com/Writing+-+Persuasive

27. Model Writing Lesson My favorite season is spring. Linking Word- because Flowers are blooming - smelling flowers Linking Word- another thing It is not too cold or too hot - Feels so good outside Spring is the best season of the year! Adapted from http://firstgradecce.wikispaces.com/Writing+-+Persuasive

28. Model Writing Lesson My favorite season is spring. I like spring the most because flowers are blooming everywhere. I love the sweet smell of the flowers. Another thing I like about spring is it is not too cold and not too hot outside. It feels so good that I could stay outside all day long. Spring is the best season of the year! Image from http://www.gifmania.co.uk/flowers/daisy/

29. Model Writing Lesson John, Paul, George, and Ben By Lane Smith (Handouts 10 & 11)

30. Model Writing Lesson • OREO Graphic Organizer • Opinion • Reasons/Explanations (Linking Words) • Opinion Revisited • Stem Sentence for Opinion • ________ is the most interesting character in the book John, Paul George, and Ben. (Handouts 10 & 11)

31. Model Writing Lesson • Share your writing! (Handout 11) Image from Google Images

32. Work Session #3: Planning For Writing • Locate and complete Work Session #3.  • Share writing tasks with participants at your table. • Reflection: • How did the tasks change across the grade levels? • How did the tasks change from standard 1 to standard 2?

33. Follow-Up Topics • Rate the following topics 1-5 • Unit of study planning • Reading in the Common Core (text complexity and close reading) • Reading Standards: Foundational Skills • Speaking and Listening • Writing (even more) and Language • Note: This will be used to guide the next training. “1” will be your most preferred. “5” will be your least preferred.