Integrating Fluency and Syntax Instruction with Complex Text

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

In the video linked here, Dr. Timothy Shanahan describes the value of students developing fluency with “hard” text and its syntax. Although the video is short, it is includes a lot of good information including a short lesson demonstration of how to incorporate fluency and syntax instruction with complex text.

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EQuIP Review Process, Reviewed

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

Implementation specialists and district instructional coaches worked through an introduction to the EQuIP Review Process. Educators spent the morning learning about the creation of the rubrics, becoming familiar with the EQuIP quality review process, and applying the first dimension of the rubric to a draft lesson. Materials from the training are listed below.

PowerPoint Presentation

EBC Unit Plan—Aint I a Woman

EQuIP fillable PDF Rubric – 3-12 ELA/Literacy

EQuIP Review Process Discussion Guide

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Lemov’s 4 Imperatives of the Common Core

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

The New Schools Venture Fund hosted a conference on Common Core and included a session titled, Teaching Literacy in the New World of CCSS (video linked here).  At minute 4:11 Doug Lemov, managing director of Uncommon Schools and author of Teach Like a Champion, describes the “4 Common Core Imperatives” that must be addressed to boost reading achievement. They are:

  1. Read harder texts
  2. Read more nonfiction
  3. Do close reading and
  4. Writing directly from text

Harder text is described in detail at 9:56 with Lemov noting that absent opportunities to work with grade level text, students will not be prepared for work in the subsequent grades. He continues that reading has been more focused on the questions we ask rather than the books we choose. “The book matters” Lemov argues.

At minute 16:40, Lemov describes the Uncommon Schools’ emphasis on using more information text and uses a baseball example to prove his point. In short, Lemov concludes, “absorption rates” change based on how much background knowledge a child brings to a text.

Lemov finished his presentation with an overview of the implications of close reading at minute 22:10 and writing at minute 27:00. You can access the entire video here.

Bonus: Robert Pondiscio presents immediately after Lemov.

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CTP at ToPPP Grant Showcase

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

The ToPPP Grant Showcase, a 13-member consortium in Washinton, D.C., is featuring school leaders, partner organizations, teachers, representatives from PARCC and the Core Task Project. They have gathered these educators to spur dialogue around the question: How can collaboration support the implementation of the Common Core State Standards?

The materials that were shared as part of the CTP are linked below.

ToPPP Breakfast PowerPoint

ToPPP Breakout PowerPoint

ToPPP Evening PowerPoint

Core Task Project Packet and Summary Statement

Teacher Resource Packet

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Nevada Students and Educators Describe Common Core

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

In a video posted here, a number of students and educators explain why they support the Common Core. The video was developed by the Nevada Ready! initiative, an effort  by the Nevada Department of Education and the Nevada State Board of Education. Apart from the video, you can also keep track of the Nevada Ready! initiative on the web, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Updated ‘Planning for the Core’ Templates

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

If you are planning for the next academic school year with an eye on the instructional shifts and attention to the Basal Alignment Project, Read Aloud Project, and the close read exemplars, the documents below will help. Each is a tool to assist with your implementation efforts around the Common Core.

Kindergarten Year at a Glance Planning for the Core

1st Grade Year at a Glance Planning for the Core

2nd Grade Year at a Glance Planning for the Core

3rd Grade Year at a Glance Planning for the Core

4th Grade Year at a Glance Planning for the Core

5th Grade Year at a Glance Planning for the Core

6th Grade Year at a Glance Planning for the Core

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Core Task Project Shared on EdWeek Webinar

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

EdWeek generously allowed us to share the Core Task Project (CTP) with their community. During the one-hour webinar, the CTP was described including its history, resources used during implementation, and how it has moved from a three week professional learning frame to an eight month cross-school PLC.

The CTP PowerPoint that was reviewed during the EdWeek webinar can be accessed here. The Core Task Project PowerPoint, replete with video links, is here for Day 1 and here for Day 2.

Additional resources for implementation include:

Brief Guide to Text Dependent Questions

Coleman PARCC Notetaker

Coleman Shift Notetaker

Reflection Notetaker

Shanahan Text Complexity Notetaker

Text Complexity Qualitative Measures Rubric

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WCSD Educators Share the Core Task implementation Project at IRA

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

Educators from Washoe County had the opportunity to present on the Core Task implementation Project (CTiP) at the International Reading Association’s Annual Conference in New Orleans. Their symposium focused on “Embracing the Common Core Shifts: An Inquiry-Driven Model for Sustainable Change.”

The CTiP functions as a cross-school Professional Learning Community, employing the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle.  Using free and vetted resources teachers plan lessons, reflect on student work, engage in professional learning and plan again for lessons to be taught between meetings. The work incorporate the Instructional Shifts required of the Common Core and has proven to be a successful and replicable model for site-based learning.

IRA CTiP PowerPoint

6 = 3 Instructional Shifts Crosswalk

Close Read Discussion Format

Continue reading →

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New Materials Posted at 63000resources

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

Additional resources have been added to www.63000resources.com. As with everything at 63000resources, the items are free and well matched to a highly core aligned classroom. The materials include

A syntax section where you will find an overview of “Juicy Sentences.”

A new Text Talk video with educator Jessie Leidy

Dr. Steven Gerhke’s PowerPoint on Close Reading

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Strickland on Literacy and Early Education

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

Dorothy Strickland, a Validation Team Member, for the Common Core State Standards, testifies to the value of promoting literacy outcomes with young children. Strickland, Distinguished Research Fellow at the National Institute for Early Education Research and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Chair in Education at Rutgers University, argues that

  • Early literacy is linked to later academic success (minute 0:56)
  • Oral language and literacy develop concurrently (1:31)
  • Skill and drill does not promote early literacy (2:07)
  • We need well-conceived standards for early literacy education (3:06)

You can view Strickland’s testimony here.

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