Module 3: In the Classroom
Topic-specific support for implementing the standards.
Resources listed in Module 3 are intended to help fill the gaps educators might encounter as they transition to the CCSS. As needs are identified and materials are developed, Maine Department of Education ELA specialists will post information about webinars, workshops, and other materials in this section.
Maine Department of Education’s CCSS for English Language Arts Instructional Resource Evaluation Tool
This tool is designed to help educators evaluate instructional resources that support implementation of the Common Core State Standards for ELA. The tool can be used to review instructional resources currently used in your school or classroom, or to examine tools you may be considering adding to your collection. The tool is not designed to evaluate entire instructional programs, such as a core reading program, reading intervention, or a published writing curriculum, but instead provides questions to guide examination of supplemental instructional materials, like instructional guides, lesson plans, and professional texts. A glossary of terms is provided to help clarify terms used in the tool.
- Tool to Evaluate Resources - MS Word
- Glossary for Evaluation Tool - PDF
Guidance for using the Resource Evaluation Tool
Prior to using the tool, it may be helpful to review the Publisher’s Criteria for the CCSS in ELA. These criteria were written specifically for publishers to help them better understand the foundational goals of the CCSS for ELA, as well as the instructional shifts required by the standards. These criteria are equally helpful to educators as they enable them to better understand the shifts, and ultimately be better consumers of instructional materials.
- Publisher’s Criteria for the CCSS for ELA, K-2 - PDF
- Publisher’s Criteria for the CCSS for ELA, 3-12 - PDF
Reading Like a Writer
A guide for helping students evaluate and annotate text. This document provides a model with notes for teachers and a student template for reading short articles and passages. It may work for any grade with appropriate modification. PDF | MS Word
Peer Edit Protocol (MS Word)
A model for helping students learn how to edit a partner’s paper. Modify as necessary according to your needs. This instructional tool can also be used as formative assessment.
The Synthesis Question
At the Spring 2008 MCELA conference, Cindy Allen of Camden Hills Regional High School and Beth Allen of Kennebunk High School presented a workshop about teaching the skills necessary to create a strong response to the AP synthesis essay prompt. These instructional strategies are applicable to anyone providing opportunity to learn how to analyze text, extract information, and use it effectively. View the PowerPoint presentation of The Synthesis Question (PPT)
New York Times: pairing poetry with a news article.
Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High School (PDF)
What comes after Reading First? Writing Next. This report includes 11 Key Elements of Writing Instruction.
Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading (PDF)
While reading and writing are closely connected, writing is an often overlooked tool for improving reading skills and content learning. This study identifies three core instructional practices that have been show to be effective in improving student reading.
readwritethink.org
NCTE and the International Reading Association host a great website with a plethora of resources for the English classroom. You will find lesson plans, professional learning, and more. Click here to visit the site.
P21 Common Core Toolkit
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) is a national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student by supporting local, state and federal policies that support this approach for every school. The Framework for 21st Century Learning is an effort to provide a holistic approach to readiness for every student. P21 recently released the P21 Common Core Toolkit: A Guide to Aligning the Common Core State Standards with the Framework for 21st Century Skills. This toolkit includes lesson starters which are aligned to CCSS standards at grades 4, 8, and 12.
Click here to download (PDF)
Literacy Micro-courses
The Literacy Micro-course collection is a professional learning tool developed as a resource to K-5 educators. The courses are designed specifically for teachers seeking to further their knowledge of research-based, literacy-related content and explore methods for applying that knowledge to their classroom practice. The Micro- courses combine online reading with opportunities for discussion, video viewing, and exploration of additional web-based resources and tools.
Click here to access the micro-courses.
Webinars
Common Core State Standards for Reading, Grades 6-12 (Originally presented 11/9/11)
Beginning in grade 6, the reading standards include Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Understanding the reading strand necessary involves understanding the relationship between and among the reading standards for literature, informational text, and the content areas. In this presentation, Patsy Dunton and Lee Anne Larsen explore the standards and offer suggestions for aligning curriculum and practice.
Click here to view the recorded presentation. (Flash* / Approximately 58 minutes)
Documents:
Common Core State Standards for Writing, Grades K-5 (Originally presented 11/1/11)
The writing standards are rigorous and developmentally incremental. Participants in this session will understand the learning targets and explore some instructional strategies for implementation. Transition resources are also shared.
Click here to view the recorded presentation. (Flash* / Approximately 65 minutes)
Documents:
CCSS - Vocabulary (Originally presented 1/19/11)
This presentation, for educators at grade levels 6-12, discusses the philosophy of vocabulary instruction, demonstrates some strategies, and explores a few resources including the two books presented in the September workshops.
Click here to view the recorded presentation. (Flash* / Approximately 47 minutes)
View or download a printable version of the presentation. (PDF)
Amy Benjamin: Vocabulary at the Center (Originally presented 5/17/11)
The Common Core State Standards includes
significant expectations about vocabulary learning: no less than three
of the 35 standards address vocabulary development. Research suggests
that achievement in the workplace and strong content area learning
require that an individual be skillful in making meaning of new words
and concepts. There is certainly a connection to rapidly changing
technology which is profoundly altering the workplace.
In an effort to fill the gap, the Maine Department of Education is pleased to present Amy Benjamin: Vocabulary at the Center. This webinar features Amy Benjamin, author of Vocabulary at the Center, offering ideas about vocabulary instruction in middle and high school.
Amy Benjamin is a nationally recognized consultant
specializing in improving student performance through literacy in all
subject areas. An advisor to major educational publishers including
Holt McDougal, McGraw Hill, and the College Board, she is also a member
of the professional development network of the National Council of
Teachers of English. As a classroom teacher, Amy received honors and
recognition for excellence from Tufts University, Union College, and
the New York State English Council. Her classroom work was used as a
model of Standards-based teaching by the New York State Education
Department.
Find Amy’s book, Vocabulary at the Center, online: http://www.eyeoneducation.com/bookstore/productdetails.cfm?sku=7124-9&title=vocabulary-at-the-center.
Click here to view a recording of the presentation. (Flash* / Approximately 90 minutes)
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