Author Archives: Aaron Grossman

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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

What is Close Reading?

What is Close Reading? Answer here.

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Jessie Beck and Bud Beasley Train on the BAP

Today, Jessie Beck and Bud Beasley Elementary trained on the Basal Alignment Project. Listed below are the resources used for the training as well as other materials referenced during the session. Training Materials BAP Training PowerPoint updated Pictorial Guide to accessing … Continue reading

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The Brain on Close Reading

Those of you who are employing the close reading strategy in your classroom may find this Standford news article interesting (here).  Researches are demonstrating that close reading increases neural activity and “how cognition is shaped not just by what we … Continue reading

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Core Shift Blast September 25, 2012

The Core Shift Blast was sent today and it includes an excellent overview of the Basal Alignment Project and the Core Task Project. Corrin Cathcart, a fifth grade teacher at Brown Elementary, describes her experience with the BAP rewrites and … Continue reading

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Common Core in the Classroom

Education Nation is in full swing on NBC. A panel was convened and a lengthy discussion on “Common Core in the Classroom” was shared. Panelists included Monica Sims with America Achieves, Dr. John Deasey, superintendent of LA Unified, and David … Continue reading

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“Instructional Shifts for Making ‘Fewer, Clearer, and Higher’ A Reality”

Susan Gendron from the International Center for Leadership in Education has posted the following PowerPoint describing the “instructional shifts” and some context, useful links, and helpful qualifiers for these moves. Gendron currently serves as the Policy Coordinator for the SMARTER … Continue reading

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Communications Leaders Meeting September 18, 2012

Washoe’s K-6 Communication Leaders attended their first ELA meeting and learned what efforts are being supported to align literacy instruction to the Common Core State Standards. Areas of emphasis included the Basal Alignment Project, the Core Task Project, and the Close … Continue reading

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School Librarians Work with the CCSS, September 17 2012

Librarians, at the WCSD Library Services K-12 Meeting, reviewed the “instructional shifts,” the importance of text complexity, and brainstormed non-fiction titles worth reading. Below are the resources used in the presentation. ELA ‘Shifts’ and the School Librarian PowerPoint Notetaker for … Continue reading

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Assistant Principals and Deans A&S Meeting, September 17 2012

District Assistant Principals and Deans gathered Monday to learn more about specific initiatives. Included was a short K-6 session on “Aligning “Literacy Instruction to the CCSS.” A&S Aligning Literacy Instruction PowerPoint Aligning Literacy Instruction to the CCSS Handout Messaging and … Continue reading

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Parenting Magazine and the CCSS

Parenting Magazine weighs in on how caregivers can bring the Common Core into the home with these tips. Read books to children that are ‘worth reading’ Ask children text-based questions and encourage them to cite evidence in their responses Push … Continue reading

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