Common Core State Standards

Back to School NightAugust 29, 2013

WHY do we need to change?

• To ensure that our students are…–Meeting college and career expectations–Provided a vision for what it means to be an

academically literate person in the 21st century.–Prepared to succeed in our global economy

and society, and–Provided with rigorous content and application

of knowledge through higher order thinking skills

What do the new standards look like?

• Fewer, higher level and clearer• Aligned with college and career expectations,

21st century skills–College and Career Readiness Anchor

Standards• Rigorous content with applications of

knowledge• Internationally benchmarked• Research- and evidence-based

Common Core Standards (CCSS) Basics

English Language Arts (ELA) – Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening (K-12)– Literacy in History, Science and Technical Subjects

(6-12)

Mathematics – Content Skills (domains)– Mathematical Practices (math reasoning)

Shifts in ELA Instruction

ELA/Literacy1. Building knowledge through content-rich

nonfiction2. Reading, writing and speaking grounded in

evidence from text3. Regular practice with complex text and its

academic language4. Narrative, argumentative and

informational/explanatory writing will be emphasized

Shifts in Math Instruction

1. Focus on depth, not breadth2. Coherence: Think across grades, and link to

major topics within grades3. Rigor: In major topics pursue conceptual

understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application with equal intensity

4. Sequence changes (what is taught when)

Mathematical Practices1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving

them.2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning

of others.4. Model with mathematics.5. Use appropriate tools strategically.6. Attend to precision.7. Look for an make use of structure.8. Look for and express regularity and repeated

reasoning.

How will testing change?

• 2013/14 is last year for STAR• Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is

managing the assessment for California• Greater depth of knowledge• Performance tasks• Transition from paper/pencil to computer

based testing

What is needed to be successful?

Students: o develop problem solving stamina/persevereo collaborate with peerso embrace technology as a learning tool o accept multiple solutions to a problemo show literacy and think critically across

content areas

What is needed to be successful?

Parents: • Encourage!

o Teach your child to persevere through challenging problems• Celebrate!

o Promote process, and not simply an end product• Involve!

o Provide opportunities for academic use of technology• Talk!

o Have conversations about books, math problems in the real world

• Write!o journals, letters, etc.

PUSD Three Year Plan for CCSS

CCSS – Year Two (2013-2014)

Major Areas of Focus• Instructional Strategies• Curriculum Mapping• CCSS Benchmark Assessments