Common Core – Just Another Set of Hoops?

Common Core Purposes

To Provide: o Academic expectations of students o Direction for teachers and parents to assist students o Robust and relevant curriculum application to the real world o Students with knowledge and skills necessary for success in college and careers. o Preparations for students to excel in the future, to compete successfully in the global economy.

Common Core Standards Criteria Aligned with college and work expectations Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards Informed by top-performing countries, to prepare all students to succeed in our global economy and society Evidence and/or researched-based

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards 1-Reading 2-Writing 3-Speaking and Listening 4-Language

Anchor Standard #1 Reading  Key Ideas and Details  Craft and Structure  Integration of Knowledge and Ideas  Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Reading  Literature and informational text  Analyze Text/Reading Skills: identify important info, visualize, ask questions, make predictions, draw conclusions, make connections to self, text, and world, summarize  Text patterns within text: English-storyline/plot map Math-problem/solution History-Chronology Science-Scientific Method

Remember? We used reading skills… “More than 100 students were suspended last month at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Conn. They weren’t bullies. They weren’t cheating. They weren’t caught smoking in the bathrooms. “They had cell phones…”

Anchor Standard #2 Writing  Text Types and Purposes  Production and Distribution of Writing  Research to Build and Present Knowledge  Range of Writing

Argument Who is Toulmin and What Is His Method? HOW WHY

Argument: a series of statements or propositions that support an overall conclusion. “What’s the point of looking at your side of the argument when it’s wrong?”

Argument: A series of statements or propositions that support an overall conclusion. Claim: The overall thesis the writer will argue for. (Types: fact, value, policy) Reasons/Warrants (Bridge): Explanation of why or how the data supports the claim, connects your data to your claim. Evidence: Supports the claim. (Facts, comparisons, statistics, anecdotes, examples, etc.) Concessions (Counterclaims & Rebuttals): A claim that disagrees with or negates the claim. Drawing Conclusions: Overall statement about effectiveness of the claim. Elements of a Good “Toulmin” Argument

Example Claim Data/Evidence 1 Warrant 1 Data/Evidence 2 Warrant 2 Data/Evidence 3 Warrant 3 Counterclaim /Rebuttal of Counterclaim Conclusion: Confirm your claim and call to action

Claim: Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.

Data/Evidence 1: Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity. Warrant 1: Because cars are the largest source of private, as opposed to industry produced, air pollution switching to hybrid cars should have an impact on fighting pollution.

Data/Evidence 2: Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years. Warrant 2: Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a long-term impact on pollution levels.

Data/Evidence 3: Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor. Warrant 3: This combination of technologies means that less pollution is produced. According to ineedtoknow.org, “The hybrid engine of the Prius, made by Toyota, produces 90 percent fewer harmful emissions than a comparable gasoline engine."

Counterclaim: Instead of focusing on cars, which still encourages a culture of driving even if it cuts down on pollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging use of mass transit systems.

Conclusion: Confirm your claim (“Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.”) Call to action (“You should buy a Prius.”) Good websites:

 Comprehension and Collaboration  Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas Anchor Standard #3 Speaking and Listening

Speaking & Listening Extension of reading and writing – Debate – physical argument – Presentations in class

 Conventions of Standard English  Knowledge of Language  Vocabulary Acquisition and Use Anchor Standard #4 Language

Language Tier 1 – Student Speak Tier 2 – School-wide Academic Words Tier 3 – Departments

Tier 1 “Student Speak” (8,000 basic words) Basic, casual, everyday language Words: peace, love, happiness

School-wide Academic Words (7,000 words) High Frequency/Multiple Meaning Found in various subjects Important for direct instruction & reading comprehension Good indicators of a student’s progress through school Examples: Integrate adapt distinguish interpret evaluate analyze argument evidence premise validity Tier 2 “Words, Words, Words” ~ William Shakespeare

BHS Departments (400,000 words – and yes, there’ll be a quiz) Content Specific Low frequency of use Learned when a specific need arises Examples: isotope, equilateral, onomatopoeia, pulmonary, anti-Semitic Tier 3

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards 1-Reading 2-Writing 3-Speaking and Listening 4-Language

Common core - Applying it Read-write-speak/listen, language Walkaways - What do your students know? What is an isotope? What is the process of mitosis? What makes a source reliable? Argumentative writing? Benchmarks - How much have your students progressed over the year? Over the last 3 years? Data-driven curriculum – How do you use student test scores to improve your teaching ?