Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy

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Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Introduction to Common Core
                  Standards: Elementary Literacy

             Administered for the California Department of Education (C.D.E.)

Welcome to the Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
training. Made possible with funding from the California Department of Education
After School Division, this training focuses on how to support the literacy standards
for grades kindergarten through five in expanded learning programs. It will take
about 30 minutes to complete, so let's get started!

                                                                                        1
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Objectives
                   •   Understand the purpose and the
                       organization of the English Language Arts
                       Common Core State Standards (E.L.A.
                       C.C.S.S.) for grades kindergarten through
                       five.
                   •   Connect the Learning in Afterschool and
                       Summer (L.I.A.S.) Principles to the Common
                       Core Habits of Mind.
                   •   Examine the E.L.A. shifts in practice.
                   •   Access high-quality resources from the
                       California After School Resource Center library
                       to support the E.L.A. C.C.S.S.

By the end of this training, you will be able to:
    •   Understand the purpose and the organization of the English Language Arts
        Common Core State Standards (E.L.A. C.C.S.S.) for grades kindergarten
        through five;
    •   Connect the Learning in Afterschool and Summer (L.I.A.S.) Principles to the
        Common Core Habits of Mind;
    •   Examine the E.L.A. shifts in practice; and
    •   Access high-quality resources from the California After School Resource
        Center.
This is an introductory training intended to provide you with a basic overview and
resources to support elementary students with literacy in expanded learning
programs. More in-depth training addressing specific literacy skills and teaching
strategies may be useful after completing this module.

                                                                                      2
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
C.C.S.S. Background Information
                 Created by a group of stakeholders in education, the
                 C.C.S.S. provide a consistent, clear understanding
                 of what students are expected to learn, so that
                 teachers and parents know what they need to help
                 them. The standards connect learning to the real
                 world and prepare students for college and careers.

                                             http://www.corestandards.org/

According to the Common Core Standards Web site, the mission of the C.C.S.S. is
to provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn
so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards
are designed to connect learning to the real world and to promote the knowledge
and skills students need to succeed in college and careers. The standards were
developed by the nation’s governors and education commissioners, through the
National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.
Teachers, parents, school administrators, and experts from across the nation, in
collaboration with state leaders, also provided input into the process. To date, 45
states and the District of Columbia have adopted the standards. In brief, the
C.C.S.S. were based on previously adopted state standards, and will help to ensure
that students learn the same rigorous content and skills, regardless of where they
live.

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Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Foundations for C.C.S.S.
                    COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ANCHOR STANDARDS

                         CAPACITIES OF A LITERATE INDIVIDUAL
                         (HABITS OF MIND)

                   • Demonstrate independence.
                   • Build strong content knowledge.
                   • Respond to the varying demands of audience, task,
                     purpose, and discipline.
                   • Comprehend as well as critique.
                   • Value evidence.
                   • Use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
                   • Come to understand other perspectives and cultures.

                   READING     WRITING    SPEAKING & LISTENING      LANGUAGE

The E.L.A. standards are based on the college and career readiness anchor
standards, which were written first to describe the content knowledge and twenty-
first century skills to be gained by students. The Capacities of a Literate Individual,
also known as the Habits of Mind, reflect the abilities that students are supposed to
master as they build reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language skills.
Together they offer a portrait of students who will graduate as socially aware, civic-
minded, and literate citizens who are ready for college, career, and life in
the twenty-first century. Literate individuals must:
   •   Demonstrate independence;
   •   Build strong content knowledge;
   •   Respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline;
   •   Comprehend as well as critique;
   •   Value evidence;
   •   Use technology and digital media strategically and capably; and
   •   Come to understand other perspectives and cultures.

                                                                                          4
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Learning in Afterschool (L.I.A.S.)
                  Principles

Are you wondering about if and how the C.C.S.S. connect to the learning that
occurs in expanded learning programs? The L.I.A.S. Project identified five principles
they believe describe the type of learning that should occur in quality out-of-school
time programs. The L.I.A.S. Principles are pictured on this slide: active, meaningful,
collaborative learning that supports mastery and expands horizons. In addition,
learning that is complementary of the school day is implied across the principles. As
we continue with this training, you will see how these principles clearly connect to
the E.L.A. Habits of Mind and also provide students with essential twenty-first
century skills.

                                                                                         5
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
L.I.A.S. Principles
                     Learning                     Description                  Examples
                   Characteristic
                      Active         Multisensory—hands-on and minds-on

                   Collaborative       Socially-centered, based on group
                                                      goals
                    Meaningful             Relevant, student-centered

                   Conducive to              Skill-based, sequenced
                     Mastery
                     Expands          Connects to real world, promotes civic
                     Horizons                        values
                  Complementary        Reinforces classroom learning and
                   of School Day                   objectives

                                    http://www.learninginafterschool.org/

The chart on this slide describes key characteristics of each L.I.A.S. Principle.
Active learning is multisensory—it requires students to use their hands and their
minds. This is particularly important because many brain researchers and
educational reformers suggest that education has been largely focused on building
mental capacity, rather than creativity and physical dexterity needed for many jobs,
including technical occupations. Collaborative learning is socially-centered or based
on groups sharing common goals. This type of learning is critical in helping students
build teamwork and leadership skills needed on the job. Meaningful learning is
relevant or student-centered, which means that it’s based on the students’ interests
and experiences. Learning that is conducive to mastery is skill-based and
sequenced, while learning that expands horizons connects to the real world and
promotes civic values. Learning that complements the school day reinforces
classroom objectives. It does not replicate, but expands on the learning students
experience during the school day to add continuity and cohesion to their educational
experiences.

                                                                                          6
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Connections Between Habits of
                  Mind and L.I.A.S. Principles
                  Habit of Mind                    L.I.A.S. Principle
                  Demonstrate
                                                  Meaningful learning
                  independence.
                  Build strong                       Learning that
                  content knowledge.               supports mastery
                  Come to understand
                                                     Learning that
                  other perspectives
                                                   expands horizons
                  and cultures.
                  Use technology and
                  digital media                     Active learning
                  strategically and capably.

There are some seamless connections between the Habits of Mind and the L.I.A.S.
Principles. For example, students who create a science or art project on a self-
selected topic engage in meaningful learning and take more ownership of their
educational experiences, which helps them to build independence. As they acquire
content knowledge in certain areas, such as history or mathematics, they move
toward mastery. Through multicultural literature or history, they may come to
understand other perspectives and cultures, and simultaneously engage in learning
that expands their horizons. Students who use technology and digital media
strategically and capably as they work on a research project, for instance,
experience multisensory learning as they view educational videos or practice a new
software program.
There are many ways to intentionally integrate the L.I.A.S. Principles and the Habits
of Mind into your expanded learning program. You may even be surprised to find
that you may already be doing this through daily projects and activities that promote
critical twenty-first century skills. You may access the Capacities of a Literate
Individual L.I.A.S. Principles handout by selecting the link. The handout can help
you to plan activities that establish the connections intentionally.

                                                                                        7
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Checking for Understanding
                  Which of the following early literacy student activities
                  support the Habits of Mind and L.I.A.S. Principles
                  most effectively?
                     A. Sustained silent reading for 20 minutes
                     B. Discussing a picture book as a group
                     C. Acting out a story in small groups
                     D. Both B and C

Let’s take a moment to check your understanding so far. Which of the following
early literacy student activities support the C.C.S.S. and L.I.A.S. Principles most
effectively?
    A. Sustained silent reading for 20 minutes;
    B. Discussing a picture book as a group;
    C. Acting out a story in small groups; or
    D. Both B and C.

                                                                                      8
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Answer
                 A. Sustained silent reading for 20 minutes
                    May be relaxing and helpful, but not very active
                    or conducive to mastery.
                 B. Discussing a picture book as a group
                    Somewhat interactive and collaborative—may
                    also support mastery or understanding.
                 C. Acting out a story in small groups
                    Highly interactive, meaningful, and collaborative.
                 D. Both B and C
                    This seems to be the best choice!

Let’s go through our choices. A, sustained silent reading for 20 minutes, may be
relaxing and helpful, but not very active or conducive to mastery. This may be a
great home activity. B, discussing a picture book as a group, is somewhat
interactive and collaborative. It may also support mastery or understanding as
students listen to each other and articulate their own thoughts about the story. C,
acting out a story in small groups, seems highly interactive, meaningful, and
collaborative. Students will need to comprehend the story and be creative to do this
effectively. D, both B and C, seems to be the best choice.

                                                                                       9
Introduction to Common Core Standards: Elementary Literacy
Supporting the E.L.A. Shifts
                                   SHIFT IN                      RATIONALE
                                  PRACTICE
                             Complex text and          Ensures that students comprehend
                             academic vocabulary       appropriate texts and build on
                                                       academic vocabulary.

                             Text-based evidence       Ensures that students rely on text
                                                       for analysis and logical claims.

                             Knowledge through         Ensures that students gain
                             content-rich nonfiction   knowledge from literary and
                                                       informational reading.

Expanded learning professionals may benefit from recognizing key changes
involved in C.C.S.S. implementation. This slide summarizes three E.L.A. C.C.S.S.
shifts in practice: 1. Complex text and academic language, which ensures that
students comprehend texts at their reading level and build an academic vocabulary;
2. Text-based evidence, which ensures that students rely on text for analysis and to
make logical claims; and 3. Knowledge through content-rich nonfiction, which
ensures that students gain knowledge from literary and informational reading.

                                                                                            10
Shift 1: Complex Text and
                 Academic Language

                                               • Careful matching of
                                                 reading material to
                                                 students.
                                               • Deliberate effort to
                                                 build academic and
                                                 domain-specific
                                                 vocabulary.

Text complexity entails assigning appropriate reading material based on students’
reading and grade levels, using professional teacher judgment. It may be
inappropriate to ask middle school students to read an elementary picture book or
to read a high school novel without a specific instructional purpose, for instance.
The E.L.A. C.C.S.S. provide some guidance for choosing books within appropriate
reading levels and to match grade-level themes or topics.
Academic vocabulary includes recognizing how words are used across subjects, as
well as using more sophisticated terms and understanding multiple meanings. A
simple word like period can have various definitions depending on the topic at hand.
For instance, a period is a punctuation mark indicating a full stop in language arts,
and it can also mean a time interval in history-social science, a set of digits
separated by a comma in mathematics, a group of two or more phrases in a musical
composition, or a sequence of chemical elements in science.
Domain-specific vocabulary, on the other hand, refers to associating groups of
words to specific topics. For example, when studying conservation, students must
know the meaning of endangered, extinct, preservation, habitat, and species,
because all of these may be associated with conservation.

                                                                                        11
Shift 2: Text-Based Evidence
                     • Rely on text to find evidence to verify
                       or refute claims.
                     • Analyze reading.

                    Support                Page          Main Idea                     Refute            Page
          (confirm the main idea in the            (factual or inaccurate)   (correct the main idea in
                 middle column)                                                the middle column)
          Scientists recognize many         45    Mammals include
          different types of mammals,             carnivores, rodents,
          including carnivores, rodents,          and marsupials.
          marsupials, and bats.
                                                  Mammals have two           Mammals are tetrapods, a     47
                                                  limbs although some        group of animals with
                                                  have lost some over        four limbs. Whales and
                                                  time and due to            manatees have lost their
                                                  accidents.                 hind limbs through
                                                                             evolution.

Students also need to rely on text-based evidence to verify or disprove claims, and
to analyze what they have read. This slide shows an excerpt from a study guide in
which students are asked to find evidence to support or refute main ideas by
reading. Students then take notes in the appropriate column and write down the
page numbers where they found the evidence in the text. If you are interested in
trying out this strategy, you may access the Clue Finders Study Guide template
handout by selecting the link. A training tool like this can be helpful early on, but
students should gradually be able to cite evidence from text on their own, especially
as they begin to read and write more extensively.

                                                                                                                12
Shift 3: Knowledge Through
                  Content-Rich Nonfiction

                  Expose students to a variety of literature
                  that will broaden their understanding of
                  science, history, mathematics, etc.

                  Balance fiction
                  and nonfiction.

The E.L.A. C.C.S.S. require students to continue reading fiction, but a heavy
emphasis on informational or nonfiction reading is aimed at helping them to
increase their knowledge across the curriculum. Nonfiction reading in science,
history, and other subjects will be increasingly used in school-day classrooms from
an early age. A logical way to support students with this change is to encourage
wider reading across the subjects and across genres. Exposing students to
literature in expanded learning programs may deepen their understanding of
concepts they encounter in the school day, and help to create the balance between
fiction and nonfiction. Reading in conjunction with interactive games and activities
integrates the L.I.A.S. Principles and the Habits of Mind.
A picture book like Hibernation by Tori Kosara, can help younger elementary
students to understand the steps taken by a variety of wild animals to survive the
harsh winter months. While students may learn about hibernation from a science
textbook or a chart, the book presents the concept through full-color photos and
interesting facts to capture their attention.
A clever way to support upper-elementary students with history is to use historical
novels, such as By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman. Even though this is a
work of fiction, it is based on the California gold rush. Students who are learning
about this important chapter in history may find the textbook facts somewhat
uninteresting, however reading about the adventures of gold prospectors in 1849
helps to bring history to life.
The Content Reading Kit accessible at the end of this training includes these books
and other high-interest reads to complement students’ understanding of elementary
themes or topics.

                                                                                       13
Get to Know Your Students

A great way to help support the E.L.A. shifts is to get to know your students well.
This slide shows an excerpt of the Literacy Interest Inventory handout, a tool that
can help educators understand students’ reading and writing preferences, abilities,
and needs. You may access the handout by selecting the link. This inventory should
be administered early in the school year or when new students enter the extended
learning program. Keep in mind that students change over time, so re-administering
the inventory halfway through the year could yield useful information to guide
literacy activities. Educators can review the responses carefully and use the
information to plan appropriate activities or provide useful resources based on the
students’ assets and areas of potential growth. Collectively, the information
gathered from students can contribute to a literacy- and youth-focused environment,
which is a cornerstone of a high-quality extended learning program.

                                                                                      14
Four E.L.A. Strands

                 Reading
                  Foundational Skills  Literature  Informational Text

                 Writing (process applies throughout)
                  Narratives Arguments  Expository

                 Speaking and Listening
                  Discussion  Listening  Presentations

                 Language
                  English conventions  Contextual language  Vocabulary

Now let’s turn our attention to the organization of the E.L.A. C.C.S.S. First and
foremost, the standards describe the specific literacy skills and concepts students
are supposed to learn by grade level. They are further organized by four strands:
reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. The strands focus on certain
concepts and abilities that build on each other over time. Through the reading
strand, students learn the foundational building blocks, and build the capacity to
read various types of literature, including informational or nonfiction text. While the
standards recognize that the writing process applies to many writing forms, they
emphasize narratives (story-telling), arguments (writing based on logic and a strong
point of view), and expository compositions, such as summaries or research papers,
although research is infused throughout the standards due to its academic
importance. Speaking and listening standards focus on discussion, listening, and
presentation skills. Language standards stress English conventions, proper use of
language in various contexts, and vocabulary.

                                                                                          15
Reading Strand—
                  Foundation Skills
                  Phonemic Awareness  Language is made up of
                  sounds.
                  Phonics  Sounds are represented by letters.
                  Fluency  Good pace, accuracy, and expression
                  when reading.
                  Vocabulary  Words have meaning(s).
                  Comprehension  Making sense/understanding
                  reading.

This slide shows the foundational skills emphasized in grades kindergarten through
five. Phonemic awareness involves the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate
sounds in words. This is a strong predictor of a student’s ability to read well, so it is
critical for kindergarten, first-graders, and English learners. Print concepts relate to
knowing the parts of a book, understanding how print is read from left to right and
top to bottom, and recognizing alphabet letters and sounds, among other basic
skills. Phonics and word recognition have to do with understanding that sounds are
represented by certain letters and letter combinations. Fluency is reading aloud at a
good pace with accuracy and expression. A rule of thumb for elementary students is
to read ten times the number of words as their age per minute. For example, a six-
year-old should be reading approximately 60 words per minute with few errors.
Fluency is the gateway to comprehension. These building blocks are key to
acquiring more advanced literacy skills.

                                                                                            16
Reading Strand—
                  Literature & Informational Text
                  •   Key Ideas & Details
                  •   Craft and Structure
                  •   Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
                  •   Range of Reading & Text Complexity

The reading strand also includes standards for literature and informational text,
which is nonfiction text. Informational text, sometimes referred to as expository text,
is emphasized because this is the kind of reading that is most widely encountered in
college and in the work world. The standards are designed to help students to
recognize key ideas and details in print, examine the craft and structure in reading,
integrate knowledge and ideas, engage in a wide range of reading, and manage text
complexity. Students will benefit from reading books in a variety of subjects. The
E.L.A. C.C.S.S. stress the development of academic and domain-specific
vocabulary across the curriculum. Literacy standards for history/social studies and
science are integrated for grades kindergarten through five. Specific literacy
standards in those subjects have been developed for grades six through twelve.
The resources shown on this slide represent a small sample of many high-quality
materials available from the California After School Resource Center library. These
resources integrate literacy with history/social studies and science. Their library
numbers vary so you may visit the California After School Resource Center Web
site to find specific content or grade levels.

                                                                                          17
Text structure helps students to …

                                                 • Understand how and
                                                   why writing is
                                                   organized a certain
                                                   way.
                                                 • Organize their own
                                                   ideas when writing.
                                                 • Be more strategic
                                                   when communicating
                                                   orally or in writing.

Text structure is another important concept when it comes to adolescent literacy.
While students will learn about this early on, it will become more important as they
enter the upper-elementary grades, middle, and high school. As students increase
interaction with nonfiction texts, especially in history and science, they will need to
be familiar and comfortable with how print is presented. In a nutshell, text structure
refers to the organization used by authors to provide writing. For instance, many
history books offer information in chronological or sequential order. They may
contain chapters or lessons in which they compare and contrast concepts or events.
Science books may offer information using descriptive order, which includes
providing definitions, examples, or characteristics. Other times, they may pose
cause-and-effect relationships or problem-solution scenarios. Authors use a variety
of these text structures to cue the reader to recognize a pattern of organization or
understand the flow of information with ease. When students are familiar with the
various ways of organizing information in writing, they are better able to
comprehend what they read, organize their own ideas when writing, and be more
strategic when communicating orally or in writing. For more information, including
specific purposes and signal words for each text structure, you may access the Text
Structure handout by selecting the link.

                                                                                          18
Writing Strand
                  Three Types of Writing:
                  1. Opinion pieces (argumentation)
                  2. Informative/explanatory text (expository)
                  3. Stories (narratives)
                  Grouped Under Four Headings:
                  1. Text types and purposes
                  2. Production and distribution of writing
                  3. Research to build and present
                     knowledge
                  4. Range of writing

Writing standards stress logic and the ability to respond to varied perspectives. The
three types of writing emphasized through the C.C.S.S. are opinion pieces (writing
that presents an argument), informative or explanatory compositions (also known as
expository text), and stories (otherwise known as narratives). Writing is organized
under four headings: text types and purposes; production and distribution of writing;
research to build and present knowledge; and range of writing. Remember that you
may access the resources on this slide from the California After School Resource
Center library to find many fun and easy-to-implement writing ideas for after school
programs.

                                                                                        19
Writing Through Interactive
                   Storytelling

                   Writing:
                   • Is putting thoughts on paper.
                   • Can be fun and interesting.
                   • Requires ample practice and feedback.

With Common Core Standards, students will be writing to inform or persuade, as
well as to entertain an audience. A fun activity that is appropriate for expanded
learning program time is interactive storytelling. This involves forming a circle and
taking turns crafting a story as a group. The first person starts the story off by
stating the scene or setting, and the next adds to the story by introducing characters
and actions. The story continues around the circle with each participant contributing
one or two sentences until the story is complete. Reluctant students are given the
option to contribute by providing sound effects to set the ambiance, using dialogue,
or acting as narrators rather than passing. All are invited to add humor, suspense,
and story twists.
A variation can be to simply start the story, allow students to write their own endings
independently, and then share them with their peers so they can see their creativity
at work. This activity is open-ended. It is flexible, and can continue or stop
according to how well it is working. In fact, once students have successfully
engaged in it, they can probably initiate it on their own with a few ground rules, such
as being respectful, helping their peers as needed, or setting a time limit. The
interactive format allows students to see that writing consists of putting thoughts on
paper, and that it can be fun and interesting. Writing can improve with ample
practice and feedback. As students feel more comfortable with narrative writing,
they will likely improve their ability to write the information or opinion pieces required
by E.L.A. C.C.S.S.

                                                                                             20
Speaking and Listening Strand
                  •   Comprehension and collaboration--discussion
                  •   Comprehension and collaboration--listening
                  •   Presentation of knowledge and ideas

Speaking and listening standards target comprehension and collaboration through
discussion, listening, and presentation of knowledge and ideas. The goal is to help
students build oral and written communication and interpersonal skills. They must
learn to work cooperatively, listen actively, express themselves effectively, and use
information from various sources. This domain connects closely to L.I.A.S.
Principles of learning, that is, active, collaborative, meaningful, and conducive to
mastery. Whether a project involves crafting a presentation on a topic of interest to
students, building a school garden, or engaging in a community service endeavor in
after school, it is helpful for them to practice these standards. The Projects &
Presentations, Project-Based Learning, and I Can Communicate resources shown
on this slide provide step-by-step guidance and fun ideas for helping students build
speaking and listening skills.

                                                                                        21
Language Strand
                  • Conventions of Standard English
                        Grammar usage and mechanics
                  • Capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
                  • Knowledge of Language
                        Language functions and styles in various
                         contexts
                  • Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
                        Unknown and multiple-meaning words
                        Context clues, word parts, and
                         relationships between words
                        Academic and domain-specific
                         words and phrases

The language strand is designed to help students understand and apply the rules
for written and spoken English. These standards signal that language has a purpose
depending on the situation, and that word choice is important, especially with regard
to vocabulary that is specific to certain situations or subjects. Academic vocabulary,
and vocabulary that is unique to certain topics, is greatly emphasized in the
language standards. Fortunately, the California After School Resource Center
library has several high-quality resources that contain interactive games and
activities to build language skills in after school, as shown on this slide. For
example, the Grammar for Children DVDs teach essential parts of speech and
punctuation rules in a kid-friendly format, while the Word Up! Project resource uses
hip-hop music to teach academic vocabulary.

                                                                                         22
Reflection
                  Take a moment to respond to these
                  important questions:

                    1. How do the literacy building blocks relate to the
                       E.L.A. standards?

                    2. What is an important shift in the E.L.A.
                       standards?

                                 (Note: Answers will vary)

Before we continue, let’s pause to reflect on what you have learned so far. Think
about these important questions. 1. How do the literacy building blocks relate to the
E.L.A. standards? and 2. What is an important shift in the E.L.A. standards? When
you are ready, move to the next slide to see some sample responses.

                                                                                        23
Sample Responses
                                              One shift is building
                                              content knowledge
                                              through nonfiction.
                  The foundational skills
                  are the building blocks
                  for literacy.
                                                      Another shift is citing
                                                      text-based evidence.

                    Students need the
                    foundational skills
                   to master the E.L.A.         A shift involves reading
                       standards.               complex text and building
                                                academic vocabulary.

Sample responses to the first question include: the foundational skills are the
building blocks for literacy or that students need these foundational skills to master
the E.L.A. standards. Sample responses to the second question include: one shift is
building content knowledge through nonfiction, another shift is citing text-based
evidence, and a shift involves reading complex text and building academic
vocabulary.

                                                                                         24
Sample Standards K-2
                      Reading Informational Text
                  Standards 1-3: Key Ideas and Details
                    Kinder         Grade 1        Grade 2
                  K.2 With       1.2 Identify   2.2 Identify
                  prompting      the main       the main
                  and            topic and      topic of a
                  support,       retell key     multi-
                  identify the   details of a   paragraph
                  main topic     text.          text as well
                  and retell                    as the
                  key details                   focus of
                  of a text.                    specific
                                                paragraphs
                                                within a
                                                text.

Now let’s examine how some of the standards are supposed to change to help
students build literacy skills over time. The standards usually begin in kindergarten
with support from the teacher, and get more challenging with each grade. This slide
shows how while in kindergarten, students get prompting and support to identify the
main topic and retell key details of a text. As first-graders, they are supposed to do
the same independently. By grade two, they are expected to apply the same skill to
a multi-paragraph text. This sample standard in key ideas and details is one of
many. It is important for after school staff to have a general awareness of the
standards students are learning in each grade level to build realistic expectations
and design appropriate activities for them. Remembering the Habits of Mind and
L.I.A.S. Principles will help to support the C.C.S.S. in after school programs.
Constantly reading and discussing illustrated books with students is an excellent
way to support these standards. The California After School Resource Center online
training, Connecting with Students Through Read-Alouds, provides guidance for
reading with students effectively. The California After School Resource Center
library resource shown on this slide, Interactive Think-Aloud Lessons, contains
lessons and video demonstrations.

                                                                                         25
Sample Standards Grades 3-5
                   Language Standards 3-5: Vocabulary
                          Acquisition and Use
                    Grade 3                Grade 4                  Grade 5
                3.6 Acquire and use    4.6 Acquire and use      5.6 Acquire and use
                accurately grade-      accurately grade-        accurately grade-
                appropriate            appropriate general      appropriate general
                conversational,        academic and             academic and
                general academic,      domain-specific          domain-specific
                and domain-            words and                words and
                specific words and     phrases, including       phrases, including
                phrases, including     those that signal        those that signal
                those that signal      precise actions,         contrast, addition,
                spatial and            emotions, or             and other logical
                temporal               states of being          relationships (e.g.,
                relationships (e.g.,   (e.g., quizzed,          however, although,
                After dinner that      whined, stammered)       nevertheless,
                night we went          and that are basic       similarly, moreover,
                looking for them).     to a particular          in addition).
                                       topic (e.g., wildlife,
                                       conservation, and
                                       endangered when
                                       discussing animal
                                       preservation).

Here’s an example of the language standards in vocabulary acquisition and use for
grades three through five. Notice how the standards call out specific categories of
vocabulary terms and provide examples of the words students need to learn at each
grade. In third grade, students learn words that signal spatial and temporal
relationships, such as after, before, and so on. In grade four, students learn words
that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being, including quizzed, shined,
and stammered, and words that are basic to a topic, such as wildlife and
conservation. By grade five, students are supposed to learn words that signal
contrast, addition, and other logical relationships. Examples of such words include
however, although, nevertheless, and moreover.
To help you conduct a fun, interactive activity to support this standard, you may
access the Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt handout by selecting the link. One of the
perks of working in an after school program is that students often interact with
younger and older peers, and can help one another to learn and reinforce concepts.
Take advantage of the unique composition of your program to help students expand
their vocabulary.

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#9726

                  Wrap-Up
                  Today you have learned:
                  • That the purpose of the E.L.A. C.C.S.S. is to prepare
                    students to be literate individuals ready for college
                    and careers in the twenty-first century.
                  • How the E.L.A. standards are organized by grade
                    level, strand, and skill to help students build literacy.
                  • About the Common Core Habits of Mind, the E.L.A.
                    shifts in practice, and the L.I.A.S. Principles.
                  • How to access resources from the California After
                    School Resource Center library to support students with
                    E.L.A. C.C.S.S.

Let’s wrap up! Today you have learned:
   •   That the purpose of the E.L.A. C.C.S.S. is to prepare students to be literate
       individuals ready for college and careers in the twenty-first century;
   •   How the E.L.A. standards are organized by grade level, strand, and skill to
       help students build literacy.
   •   About the Common Core Habits of Mind, the E.L.A. shifts in practice, and the
       L.I.A.S. Principles; and
   •   How to access resources from the California After School Resource Center
       library to support students, such as the Common Core Standards books
       shown on this slide.

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Thank You

Congratulations! You have reached the end of the Introduction to Common Core
Standards: Elementary Literacy training.
You will now have the opportunity to take a quiz to test the knowledge you have
acquired in this training. If you receive a passing score, a completion certificate will
be e-mailed to you at the e-mail address you provided. If you don’t receive a
passing score, you will have the opportunity to take the quiz again at any time.
Following the quiz, you will be asked to complete a brief feedback survey. After you
complete the survey, you will be able to access sample California After School
Resource Center library resources and additional information about E.L.A. C.C.S.S.
You may start the quiz by selecting the quiz link. Thank you for your participation!

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