CCSS-K12

These look like great resources for CCSS P.D. Definitely going to be checking them out in more depth soon.

These two great organizations, BIE and i-Earn, come together in this video to talk about the role of Project Based Learning (PBL) within the Common Core. Good stuff here.

Check out these global collaborative projects shared through iEARN that align to the Common Core.

All of these ideas here are tied to the units created by the folks at commoncore.org (which is NOT the official CCSS website...corestandards.org). However, even if you're not using their curriculum, this offers some interesting ideas about how to integrate art in a more in-depth, standards-based manner.

This site, from the Elk Grove (CA) Unified School District, looks like an exemplary resource. Also demonstrates what I think national standards should be all about--sharing, collaborating, and publicly displaying our work. This site is worth a look.

I think, for elementary ELA teachers, finding non-fiction texts can be challenging. (I say this as an elementary teacher myself.) Lists like this help a lot.

This is the kind of thinking that is going to have to take place as we look at the role of technology in the Common Core standards. I guess that I had always thought of Webquests as very "scavenger hunt-like," but this article proposes the opposite...arguing that they can be used to foster critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis skills. 

Key point here: CCSS is about HOW we teach more so than WHAT we teach. This post about mathematics is a must read if you teach in that subject area.

Non-fiction texts...you aren't the only one who has trouble finding them. That's why blog posts like this are great. A terrific list of non-fiction (including graphic novels) is contained within. (It's past the midway point of the post)

All in one place...and a place you can trust, Edutopia.org. A great starting point for exploring the standards.

Looking forward to more and more sample items becoming available. It will make a huge difference.

This month's edition of the Smarter News, the monthly newsletter from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, one of the two testing consortia. If you're in a Smarter Balanced state, this may be informative.

Answering questions using evidence from the text is one of the biggest points of emphasis in the ELA CCSS. This article explains what text dependent questions are AND how to write them.

This grammar practice site was mentioned in the Huffington Post article above. Looks like a very interesting option. 

What is your school's plan for addressing the Language standards? Interesting article here.

A quote from the article..."Adult literacy in 2012 means being able to synthesize information from multiple online sources to write a blog post or substantive email. It means analyzing which online tools will best serve your communications purpose. It means making smart decisions about what information is useful online, and how to curate and filter the endless stream of data coming in. It means reviewing your digital footprint and learning how to take some control over what information you broadcast to the world, from your tweets, profile pictures, and recommended links. While the common core addresses some of the above skills, its guidance is far too vague, especially for those teachers who are uncomfortable with new technologies." So true.

If I could recommend reading one piece about how to implement the Common Core, it might be this one by Wiggins and McTighe. Their approach has framed a lot of what I'm working on with my own school, and I think other schools could benefit from knowing more about the role UbD can play in the CCSS transition.

This well written article challenges in detail 8 concerns about the  CCSS that were raised in a recent Washington Post article.

The folks at ASCD can always be counted on for great resources. This is definitely true when it comes to the Common Core. You'll definitely want to bookmark & explore this site during the summer.

More on argument...this does a good job of clarifying the critical differences between persuasion and argument.