ACT and the Common Core

Understand the connection between the College Readiness Benchmarks and the expectations of Common Core Understand how to determine the complexity of a text Understand the skills students need to move closer to meeting the benchmark standards.

Too few students are able to understand complex text. Increased focus is needed on some key aspects of language. Content-area reading needs strengthening

Literal vs. inferential question types Questions focusing on textual elements Degree of text complexity

Literal vs. inferential question types Questions focusing on textual elements Degree of text complexity “critical thinking does not distinguish those who are college and career ready from those who are not; facility with reading complex text does”

Find the debatable issues in your content area Use essential questions to drive instruction Choose text deliberately and strategically Allow students to learn the content of the Essential Standards through strategically crafted reading and writing opportunities grounded in the Common Core State Standards.

ArticleFlesch- Kincaid Main Highway13 Define Fair9.4 Play by the Same Rules12.1 Opening the Door13.4

Look for vocabulary that may be difficult or challenging Consider text structures that may impede students ability to comprehend the text. Create text-dependent questions- questions that require students to look back to the text for answers. Have the student activity focused on specific Common Core Standards for Reading and Writing

1.Read and annotate your article. 2.In one sentence, define the claim in the article you read. 3.As a group, generate a list of facts, language that creates a bias, and ‘need to knows’ from the article. 4.Use available devices to locate the answers to the ‘need to knows’ from the articles. 5.Create a list of perspectives from which the issue can be viewed 6.Determine how each fact impacts the issue as it relates to the different perspectives. 7.Take a stand and create a new claim

SAS Curriculum Pathways Use the format as a means for gathering formative assessment information Analyze reading selections for their complexity WCPSS ACT Wiki

ReadingEnglishMathematicsScience What distinguishes the levels of the Panther Creek school average from the next level? Match those skills to the Common Core Anchor Standards

Read each question and determine the complexity of the question in terms of score range. What evidence would you use to place it in that score range? Think about the science knowledge students need and the scientific reasoning students need.