Over the course of the last three years, as teachers asked for assistance with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, three questions consistently came up:
- What is the research that governs why we are being asked to shift instruction?
- What curricular resources will support our move to the CCSS? and
- What instructional moves are well matched to the CCSS?
The first two questions have answers at the site www.coretaskproject.com and at the parallel space, www.63000resources.com.
The third question, however, was not well addressed and thus the impetus for this Sourcebook. Listed below are 10 moves educators can take into their classrooms. Each move comes with a short description, links to resources and where applicable, video lesson demonstrations.
This document will likely be updated over the next few months so note the version you are using in the footer and check either www.coretaskproject.com or www.63000resources.com for the most current version. The moves include:
- Cold Call
- Keep It Or Junk It
- Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up
- Quiz, Quiz, Trade
- Four Corners
- Teaching Conflict & Characterization
- Close Reading
- You, Y’all, We
- Stop and Jot
- Text at the Center of Instruction
You can find the Sourcebook here.
About Aaron Grossman
I am a 5th grade teacher at Roy Gomm Elementary in Reno, Nevada. I started working with elementary students as part of the Montana Reads program and AmeriCorps. In 2001, after graduating from the University of Montana and moving to Reno, Nevada, I student taught at Rita Cannan Elementary before receiving a 6th grade position at Veterans Elementary. I moved out of the classroom to be a Literacy Coordinator, then an Instructional Coach, and finally a School Improvement Program Coordinator. In 2011, I began working on the Nevada Academic Content Standards in the district’s Curriculum & Instruction Department. I returned to the classroom for the 2015-2016 school year to teach 4th grade at Huffaker Elementary.
Before returning to the classroom, I helped develop the Core Task Project that has been featured by National Public Radio, the Gates Foundation, American Radio Works, Eduwonk, the Fordham Institute, Vox, and the Center for American Progress. In 2014, I received the Leader to Learn From Award for my teacher-centered initiative and work to bring college, career, and civics ready outcomes into Northern Nevada classrooms (here).
In 2015, I was appointed by Governor Sandoval serve on the Statewide RPDP Council. The same year, Nevada’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Steve Canavero placed me on the state’s State Improvement Team. This year I will be part of the National Council on Teacher Quality’s Teacher Advisory Group. I am Google Certified Educator and a Nevada Teacher Ambassador.
I believe strongly that teaching content is teaching reading and I make sure my students have ample opportunities to work with social studies, history, science and art outcomes. I do what I can to blend the learning for my students and this blog is part of that effort. You can contact me at coretaskproject@gmail.com
Core Task Project 