Tag Archives: Content Knowledge

Caughlin Ranch Elementary CK Overview Materials

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Aaron Grossman

Staff at Caughlin Ranch Elementary learned more about the Core Knowledge curricular materials and about sites currently working with the resource. The session included some learning on why you would build a coherent body of knowledge followed by teachers hearing … Continue reading →

Posted in Instructional Shifts | Tagged 4th grade slump, Content Knowledge, core knowlege, nclb | Leave a comment

Dr. Catherine Snow’s Video Presentation on Vocabulary and Content Knowledge

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

In a video linked here (start at minute 38:46) Harvard Professor and Validation Team Member of the Common Core State Standards Dr. Catherine Snow makes the case that the vocabulary deficit that plagues highly impacted students is as much a … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Vocabulary | Tagged academic vocabulary, Common Core, Content Knowledge, Dr. Catherine Snow, Harvard | Leave a comment

Literacy Unit Project, Session 3

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

Third through fifth grade teachers continued to make progress on developing literacy units, mapped to essential understandings, that stretch across all three grades. Those EUs have been finalized and include: How does conflict and compromise shape culture? How does setting … Continue reading →

Posted in Professional Development | Tagged 3rd, 4th, 5th, Basal Alignment Project, Content Knowledge, Literacy Units, Professional Development, Robert Pondiscio, template | Leave a comment

Broad Knowledge Drives Literacy

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Aaron Grossman

In a piece (here) included in the The Herff Jones Achievement Series, the case is made for how a “broad academic knowledge base” leads to strong literacy development. To make the point, the following example is shared: If a hunter … Continue reading →

Posted in Content Knowledge | Tagged CCSS, Common Core, Content Knowledge, pondscio, shift 1, The Herff Jones Achievement Series, Willingham | Leave a comment

Free Resources to Build Foundational Skills and Content Knowledge

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

Finding materials that are free, vetted, and well-matched to the Common Core is a popular request. One set of free resources, that build content knowledge (shift 1) while simultaneously addressing foundational skills are the Beginning Reads, from http://www.textproject.org. There are … Continue reading →

Posted in Content Knowledge | Tagged books, CCSS, Common Core, Content Knowledge, fluency, Foundational Skills, free, informational text, phonemic awareness, phonics, printable, shift 1 | Leave a comment

Why Knowledge Matters

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Aaron Grossman

In a piece for the Washington Post, cognitive scientist Dan Willingham explains why knowledge matters. He writes, “a knowledge-based curriculum… is most likely to meliorate achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students.” You can read the entire article here.

Posted in Common Core State Standards, Content Knowledge | Tagged CCSS, Common Core State Standards, Content Knowledge, Dan Willingham, shift 1 | Leave a comment

Materials used in Shift 1 Presentation September 12, 2012

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Aaron Grossman

A number of Washoe educators gathered to explore Shift 1—the importance of building general content knowledge. The discussions focused on a presentation by Robert Pondiscio, Vice President of Core Knowledge (Part I & Part II), and a review of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Content Knowledge, Instructional Shifts, Text-Dependent Questions | Tagged CCSS, Content Knowledge, Core Knowledge, Robert Pondiscio, shift 1, text-dependent questions | Leave a comment