Common Core Update for Public Librarians Shirley Fetherolf Shirley Fetherolf Program Advisor Library Media Services Library Media Services

Caution: Big Changes Ahead

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) A state-led effort coordinated by 2 groups: National Governors Association & Council of Chief State School Officers

AR State Board of Education adopted on July 12, 2010 Adopted by 46 States

What is CCSS? K-12 standards K-12 standards English Language Arts English Language Arts Math Math

Reading is at the core of everything in the Common Core Standards 6

Problem: Many of us have weeded out our high Lexile books

Problem Librarians say that it’s fun to read 8

CCSS Reading: Not always fun Vehicle for deeper learning Vehicle for deeper learning Challenging and intellectually edifying activity Challenging and intellectually edifying activity Deserving of students’ time, effort, and persistence Deserving of students’ time, effort, and persistence Carol Jago Carol Jago 9

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In order to reach appropriate levels of rigor, students must grapple with complex texts Challenging texts that may frustrate or confuse students can be extremely effective and important instructional tools 11

If students have not developed the skill, concentration and stamina to read complex texts—they will read less in general CCSS ELA Appendix A, p. 4 CCSS ELA Appendix A, p. 4

What research has discovered about reading 13

5% of children learn to read effortlessly 20-30% learn relatively easily once exposed to reading instruction Harris, Chris. “RTI – The Library Role.” Infomancy. 15 Mar Web. 15 Apr < 14

For 60% of children, learning to read is a much more formidable task 20-30% of children: reading is one of the most difficult tasks ever 5% of students: even with explicit and systematic instruction, reading will continue to be a challenge Harris, Chris. “RTI – The Library Role.” Infomancy. 15 Mar Web. 15 Apr < 15

The reading level of documents, technical manuals, and other materials required by entry level positions in most fields far exceeds the reading level of many students. Meeting the Challenge of Adolescent Literacy, Judith Irvin, et al Meeting the Challenge of Adolescent Literacy, Judith Irvin, et al 16

Free voluntary reading is one of the most powerful tools we have in language instruction More reading results in better reading comprehension, writing style, vocabulary, spelling and grammatical development The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research, Stephan Krashen 17

“Subject-area teachers should not be expected to teach basic reading skills, but they can help students develop critical strategies and skills for reading texts in each subject.” --Includes Librarians Southern Regional Education Board, 2009 Policy Statement, page 5 Southern Regional Education Board, 2009 Policy Statement, page 5 18

Problem: Growing Imbalance Champions at information gathering Champions at information gathering Web surfing, social media, and textingWeb surfing, social media, and texting Not good at processing information Not good at processing information Constructing meaningConstructing meaning Deeper thinking/synthesisDeeper thinking/synthesis Learning to process informationLearning to process information

Baby Steps and CCSS

CCSS Implementation Timetable K Grades Grades Online Common Assessments

New ADE Wiki New ADE Wiki on CCSS New ADE Wiki AETN Videos AETN Videos

CCSS Changes More nonfiction More nonfiction Higher Lexiles Higher Lexiles More research More research More collaboration More collaboration

Bill Gates-Funded Common Core Curriculum Maps 6 thematic units per grade level 6 thematic units per grade level Aligned with Common Core Aligned with Common Core Extensive resource list for each unit Extensive resource list for each unit Revised Fall 2011—not free now Revised Fall 2011—not free now

What are the Curriculum Maps? Vendor product—was free in past Vendor product—was free in past Developed by Bill Gates Foundation Developed by Bill Gates Foundation Used by many Arkansas schools Used by many Arkansas schools Not affiliated with CCSS— Not affiliated with CCSS— Even though their Website is Even though their Website is

Common Core Curriculum Maps Available online, also in book form Available online, also in book form Teacher comment: “Implementation using these maps has been much easier, since we have some suggested texts, activities, and assessments to help us in teaching the new standards.” Teacher comment: “Implementation using these maps has been much easier, since we have some suggested texts, activities, and assessments to help us in teaching the new standards.” 26

Common Core Curriculum Maps Issues Issues Catcher in the Rye in 8 th grade unit Catcher in the Rye in 8 th grade unit House of Spirits in 10 th grade unit House of Spirits in 10 th grade unit Cost $19,500 for K-12 single title set Cost $19,500 for K-12 single title set On average, all books within each unit, after set discount, cost around $ On average, all books within each unit, after set discount, cost around $ Each grade has six units Each grade has six units 27

What will CCSS mean for students? Clear expectations Clear expectations Not zip code dependent Not zip code dependent More consistent exposure to materials and learning experiences More consistent exposure to materials and learning experiences College and career ready College and career ready

English Language Learners Most ELL’s were born in USA Most ELL’s were born in USA 43% of students in Springdale are ELL’s 43% of students in Springdale are ELL’s Over 90% ELL’s in some classes in DeQueen Over 90% ELL’s in some classes in DeQueen

Connecting with Non-Readers Big Challenge:

Our Goal: A Word-Rich Environment Lots of books and other reading material, invitingly displayed, on various topics, at various reading levels Words on a word wall, etc.

Summer Reading Progress in International Reading Literacy Study Progress in International Reading Literacy Study

CCSS for Mathematics Focused on big ideas in grade bands Focused on big ideas in grade bands Grade level standards in K-8 Grade level standards in K-8 High school content divided into blocks of information High school content divided into blocks of information Permanent learning of fewer concepts at each grade level Permanent learning of fewer concepts at each grade level Math formerly taught in middle school will be taught in elementary Math formerly taught in middle school will be taught in elementary

CCSS for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Interdisciplinary/cross-curricular Interdisciplinary/cross-curricular Complex texts, informational and technical texts Complex texts, informational and technical texts Persuasive/ argumentative writing Persuasive/ argumentative writing Deeper learning Deeper learning Increased complexity of texts/tasks Increased complexity of texts/tasks

Text Complexity K

ELA-CCSS Text Issues Students expected to read diverse array of classic and contemporary lit plus challenging nonfiction texts in a range of subject areas Students expected to read diverse array of classic and contemporary lit plus challenging nonfiction texts in a range of subject areas No “required” reading list but exemplar texts to help guide and inform No “required” reading list but exemplar texts to help guide and inform

What Will CCSS Mean for Librarians? More nonfiction More nonfiction More complex texts More complex texts Lexiles for books Lexiles for books Exemplars include much older titles Exemplars include much older titles Rethink newer copyright = better Rethink newer copyright = better Rethink weeding for a few years Rethink weeding for a few years

Exemplar Texts Examples only--not required Problems: Limited multicultural examples Limited multicultural examples No current young adult literature No current young adult literature

What About Research? Short, focused research projects Short, focused research projects Sustained projects--synthesize info Sustained projects--synthesize info Gather relevant information Gather relevant information Variety of print and digital sources Variety of print and digital sources Collect evidence to support an argument or position Collect evidence to support an argument or position

What Will CCSS Mean for Librarians? Focus on reading strategies and technology in library instruction Focus on reading strategies and technology in library instruction Keyboarding needed at third grade Keyboarding needed at third grade Check collection for titles listed as exemplars in CCSS, Appendix A, B, and Curriculum Mapping Project Check collection for titles listed as exemplars in CCSS, Appendix A, B, and Curriculum Mapping Project Need library computer lab Need library computer lab

Text Complexity-then and now

What are Lexiles? “Scientific approach to reading and text measurement” “Scientific approach to reading and text measurement” “Matches reader ability and text difficulty, allowing individualized monitoring of progress.” “Matches reader ability and text difficulty, allowing individualized monitoring of progress.” From MetaMetrics website

How do Lexiles work? Measures how difficult a text is to comprehend: Word frequency Word frequency Sentence length Sentence length Score followed by L (850L) Score followed by L (850L) 200L(beginning-reader material) 200L(beginning-reader material) To above 1700L (advanced text) To above 1700L (advanced text)

Lexile Examples 1400L The Scarlet Letter 1300L Brown vs. Board of Ed. 1200L War and Peace 1100L Pride and Prejudice 1000L Black Beauty 900L Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders 900L Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders 800L The Adventures of Pinocchio 800L The Adventures of Pinocchio 700L Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery 700L Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery 600L A Baby Sister for Frances 600L A Baby Sister for Frances 500L Magic School Bus Inside the Earth 500L Magic School Bus Inside the Earth 400L Frog and Toad are Friends 400L Frog and Toad are Friends 300L Clifford’s Manners 300L Clifford’s Manners

Beware of buying sets for children based on Lexile only Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts Gr. 2-3 (620L) (Steamy Romance!) The Firm by John Grisham Gr. 2-3 (680L) Along Came a Spider, James Patterson Gr. 3 (600L) Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris Gr. 4 (770L)

Middle School Range, but not all age-appropriate Artemis Fowl (Colfer)600L Timeline (Crichton) Adult620L Cirque du Freak series (Shan)710L A Child Called It (Pelzer) YA850L The Da Vinci Code (Brown) Adult850L Stephen King books Adult895

More Lexiles The Hunger Games 810L (Gr.4-5) The Hunger Games 810L (Gr.4-5) Speak 690L (Gr. 2-3)!! Speak 690L (Gr. 2-3)!! Tears of a Tiger 700L (Gr. 2-3)!! Tears of a Tiger 700L (Gr. 2-3)!! Gone with the Wind 1100L (Gr. 9-10) Gone with the Wind 1100L (Gr. 9-10) The Great Gatsby 1070L (Gr. 6-8) The Great Gatsby 1070L (Gr. 6-8)

What Lexile does NOT measure: Quality Quality Complexity of plot/characters Complexity of plot/characters Books for reluctant readers Books for reluctant readers Developmental suitability Developmental suitability Age-appropriatenessAge-appropriateness If prior knowledge requiredIf prior knowledge required

Opportunity Create grade-level lists for students, with titles ranging from lower to higher Lexiles Collaborate with other libraries “Independent Reading” lists: Lexiles plus quality, major authors, and series popularity

Teachers Need New Lists Annotated bibliographies Annotated bibliographies Include public domain eBooks Include public domain eBooks Current resources may need to be supplemented Current resources may need to be supplemented

For More Information Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions ulum/common_core.html ulum/common_core.html My wiki with CCSS links: 772/Common-Core-State-Standards-(CCSS) 772/Common-Core-State-Standards-(CCSS) Crosswalks: Crosswalks:

Shirley Fetherolf