Addressing the Common Core Research Standards

Hi friends! I've been thinking a lot lately about the implementation of Common Core, specifically in the ELA subject area. I have been looking closely at my teaching, and analyzing the activities I engage in with my students. Are they meeting their needs while also addressing the standards? Are they developmentally appropriate but also challenging? Are they differentiated to engage all students with rigor without producing rigor mortis? Honestly, I'm not sure, and I think this internal conversation is one that will be ongoing throughout my career as different students come through my classroom and as the standards evolve and change. For now, though, I have to share something I think really works!

Probes

My students have been working in PROBE notebooks this year to meet the research component of the CCSS. I got the idea from a colleague who has been working in PROBE notebooks for years. They are homework projects which are due every two weeks. The premise is simple- they receive a topic to briefly research, and complete a short report on the topic following a basic template in a composition notebook. They must write a fact page (in their own words), draw a border that is relevant to the topic, include 4 illustrations with captions, and sum it up with a sentence or two stating what they have learned.  The kids love it because it involves coloring and decorating, parents love it because it is a predictable assignment, and I love it because I have the opportunity to work with students on their research and report writing skills regularly. As a bonus, the students have a composition notebook full of their writing and they can reflect on at the end of the year. It is so fantastic to see the kids recognize their own growth!

Best of all, they address the research standards, which will teach the students skills that will serve them through middle school, high school, college, and beyond. From the CCSS standards:

“To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and 

extensive range of print and nonprint texts in media forms old and new. The need to conduct research and to produce and consume media is embedded into every aspect of today’s curriculum. In like fashion, research and media skills and understandings are embedded throughout the Standards rather than treated in a separate section.”

-Common Core ELA Standards

 This addresses the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing:

7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each
source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

As well as the CCSS W.7 and W.8 for 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

I put together a PROBE Notebook activity bundle over the past few weeks. It's the complete one-stop shop that you need to set up and start using PROBEs in your classroom! The file contains a a rubric, completion checklist for students, exemplars, research graphic organizer to prevent plagiarism, a poster for your classroom, a sample schedule, and an editable schedule. Colorful and blackline versions are included.

The research notes is my favorite part, I must admit. My fifth graders struggle to avoid plagiarism. I created this document to help them to understand how to combine sources and put things in their own words. The students first identify the question that they are going to answer with their research. I've identified the topic for them, but they must narrow it down a bit. For instance, I chose "The First Thanksgiving" for our last PROBE, but the students needed to decide what aspect of the First Thanksgiving they would be writing about. Then, they complete the research. I ask that they read the information FIRST, then turn away from the computer to take notes. They write down what the big take away was from this site, then go back to the source to add dates, locations, or other info they couldn't remember. Of course, they can use the same source more than once. This ensures that it will be in their own words and note a direct copy from the text. The sample completed research notes page below is from a special education student I scribe for. We completed it together.

The research question will also help students to develop a topic sentence, as they have already focused their research on a specific area. Having the source listed on the graphic organizer also helps students to create their bibliography easily when they are finished! 

I'm totally in love with PROBE notebooks. I used them last year and really enjoyed seeing the student growth throughout the year. This year, I am even happier to be using the PROBEs as we will be taking the PARCC assessment which includes a written research component. Completing PROBEs with my kiddos will prepare them to meet the standard!

So check it out... as a flash freebie! The product will be going back to paid shortly, so grab it for free while you can. If you do download it, please consider rating it.

Integrating technology into ELA instruction

Over the past couple of months, I have been working to increase the amount of technology I integrate into my instruction. I have always loved ed-tech, but I have struggled with ways to incorporate it within levelized reading instruction. Well, I think I've found the answer...

Newsela has been a bit of a hero for me. As a teacher, you sign up for an account. With your account, you then set up a class for your students. Each kiddo gets his own logon information, and you are able to assign articles to your students. Here's where it gets really good.

Each article is available at 5 different lexile levels. The text becomes more or less complex depending on the level you choose! You can assign levels, and the kids can adjust them as needed. If a student is really struggling with a text, he can hit the minus button in the blue task bar to lower the level. If they are zooming through it, they can level up with the plus sign. 

Most articles have a quiz associated with this addressing targeted anchor stardards. You can identify the anchor standards by hovering over the lightbulb icon at the top of the article.

The tests are automatically differentiated depending on the lexile level of the article, while still addressing the same common standard.

Seriously- just going to let that sink in.  Automatically differentiated.

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AUTOMATICALLY DIFFERENTIATED! I love this. I can't get enough of it. The needs of all students are met with similar articles and questions. We can still have class discussions about the topic, because they all learned about the same thing! All of this with really minimal teacher prep.  

You can even annotate the text with (or for) the students.

There is no special tool- just use your cursor to highlight the text, and the colors and annotate field pop up. 

You can track progress through your teacher account. It will show the student progress through quizzes, scores, and article lexile level.

I haven't used mine enough to have significant progress in my students, so this is the generic sample from the website. We definitely are not at 1223 quizzes taken! :)

I've used it a few times with my students and they have really enjoyed it. They get to use the coveted iPads, and I get to track their progress with differentiated material. The articles are non-fiction to address the common core non-fiction requirements, and also based in current events to increase student engagement. Best of all- it's free!  Check it out. 

Don't forget to enter the pencil sharpener giveaway! 

You can enter until Monday, 11/10. The runner up prize is a $10 gift card to the store of your choice!

Flocabulary

Have you heard of Flocabulary? If you haven't, then listen up because it's pretty amazing. It's an online library full of educational hip-hop songs tailored to engage students while teaching them the important concepts. The videos reach into every content area: math, ELA, social studies science, government, history, life skills, and current events.

There is even an entire section called the Word Up Project The videos incorporate music, rhythm, and rhyme in order to address the unique needs of all students. The vocabulary section is broken down by grade, and addresses grades K - 8, and SAT vocabulary.

The Word Up Project targets interdisciplinary tier 2 academic words, which will help to improve reading skills and deepen the understanding of the content. They provide a master word list, a compilation of lesson plans, and several different suggested teaching schedules.

No matter what subject you choose, there are tons of printable activities, including lyrics, fill in the blanks, exercises (which make great homework packets!), and even a test and answer key.

Best of all - the videos address the common core standards. They even have a standards alignment tool that matches videos up with the standards they address! If you are looking to address a specific standard, you can go to the tool find videos to help you.

Seriously, I'm a Flocab addict. I love the depth and quality of the lessons, and the results the kids are giving. My students love the rap and accompanying video. It's a pretty great match. There is a free trial- give it a shot with your kiddos!