4 Search Results for "ccs"

• CCSS Narrative Essays: Going i CCSS Narrative Essays: Going in "Cold" 9th -12th

  • From: Mindy_Keller-Kyriakides
  • Description:

    Analysis of the CCS for 9^th-12^th narrative writing reveals a strong emphasis on structure and reflection. While the majority of students have written a narrative essay, with the understanding of how to “tell a story,” what they haven’t experienced, probably, is creating a purposeful design that expresses a reflective insight.

     

    We can help students reach these goals by emphasizing that the choice of experience for the narrative can be construed as an argument or message to the reader. Thus, the impulsive drive to make the narrative “exciting” (which generally falls flat) is set aside in favor of a more profound, purposeful telling, towards which the standards point.

     

    The prompt for a narrative assignment should call for reflection. Consider something along these lines:

     

    Describe an experience in which you gained new insight into yourself, another person, people, or life.

     

    Students don’t realize that what they consider to be the smallest of experiences can resonate with readers. Often, they’ll say, “Nothing’s happened to me,” or “It’s stupid.” They really don’t get that small things contain very powerful messages.

     

    I once read a freshman comp essay about a young lady recalling the experience of taking care of a cow that she despised. The cow eventually got very sick, and by the end, she’d had a complete turn-around, desperately trying to save it. The poor animal died, but the insight she’d gained from the experience—which I could barely read through my tears—was absolutely wonderful.

     

    Once we help students tap into the emotions under the experience, we find gold, so we must push them “deeper” into that experience to help them find the message or argument. 

     

    The standards are multi-layered with many options, so we can use those options to our advantage by  constructing a more purposeful movement through them. 

     

    Students may find it helpful to work through one experience, changing the approach to that experience each time. By having them stick to that one experience, we'll not only reinforce the standard's goal of purposeful design--same story, different ways--but we'll also reinforce the recursive nature of the writing process.     

     

    Stage I:  First-person p.o.v. focus on progression of a single experience and pacing, description, reflection. Sequence: chronological.

                  

    Stage II: First-person p.o.v with a distinction between narrator and characters in the experience. Incorporation of dialogue. Chronological sequence, incorporating foreshadowing.

     

    Stage III: Third-person limited omniscient, structured in  medias res. 

     

    Stage IV: Third-person omniscient, sequenced in flashback, beginning with conclusion/reflection on the experience.

     

    Stage V (optional):  Imagined experience in the structure of their choosing.

     

    What works nicely with these stages is that you can evenly disperse them throughout a school year (one paper per nine weeks) with the optional final stage for those students who desire the challenge. Or, they could be dispersed by grade.  

     

    The emphasis on the revisions of the work (either by year or grade) would allow for greater mastery of the skills as opposed to assigning several different prompts throughout the year. 

     

    Using this approach, for example, Freshmen would work through one prompt in Stage I, providing several revisions of that same paper. 

     

    Sophomores would work through Stages I and II that year, changing the prompt for 11th and 12th. Juniors would work through Stages I-III on the same prompt, changing the prompt for their senior year.  Seniors, would have it a little more rough, working through all four stages on the same prompt in the same year.

     

    For those students coming into CCS “cold”, this approach might help ease them into the expectations, and I hope that teachers will find the use of stages a bit less intimidating. Let me know what you think! :-)

     

    Here are the CCS, side by side:

     

    Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. 

     

    9th/10th                                                           11th/12th
    

                                                                                                  

    Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.	same
    Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.	same
    Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.	Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
    Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.	same
    Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.	same

    

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  • 1 year ago
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• Everything's an Argument: Comb Everything's an Argument: Combining CCSS Reading/Writing 9th -12th.

  • From: Mindy_Keller-Kyriakides
  • Description:

    One aspect of the CCSS for Reading and Writing that we might consider is how to create a cohesive connection between literary analysis and writing an argument paper. 

    For a literary analysis, the goal should be an arguable thesis, supported by textual evidence from the given short story, poem, drama, or novel. Again, the Reading standards are somewhat similar for lower/upperclassmen, with 11th/12th  moving into greater depth:

    RL.9-10.1.Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.	RL.11-12.1.Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
    RL.9-10.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.	RL.11-12.2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
    RL.9-10.3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.	RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

    To help students make the transition to this level of thinking (and for them to be able to determine a theme(s) on their own eventually) consider scaffolding them by first creating a thematic unit on a larger concept, such as Integrity, Revenge, Beauty, Love, or Evil.
    Before reading the text selection, students marinate on the given theme. You can introduce it in any number of ways, but the goal is to have them convey their thoughts and opinions on the theme. We'll walk through a potential unit on Evil, which students seem to particularly enjoy.
    It’s helpful to have them discuss with each other. Who is evil? What is evil? Why is evil? Where is evil? Then, after they've reached their conclusions, you  throw a wrench into their thinking with an assertion. 
    (You can find any number of possibilities for an assertion searching by topic on a quotation site, such as Thinkexist.) My favorite assertion for Evil is:
    “Evil is unspectacular and always human,
    And shares our bed and eats at our own table ....” 
    ~W.H. Auden
     
    Students have already discussed what they think on the topic, so now, they analyze and argue the validity of Auden’s point about the topic. Aren’t serial killers the most evil of all? How can he be right in saying that Evil is right in our homes? My family isn’t evil. What does he mean?
     
    Students will both agree and disagree, which is fine and should be encouraged. Let them know it’s okay for them to change their minds, too! The goal is the thinking.  
    Most literary texts will incorporate some aspect of your proposed unit concept; it’s up to you how you “clump” them together. 
    For example, in a 12^th grade class, you might consider Othello, "My Last Duchess", Heart of Darkness, A Child Called It, or Frankenstein for Evil, providing a spectrum of texts. In an 11^th grade class, you might consider The Great Gatsby, Trail of Tears, or Of Mice and Men, "Theme for English B", for Integrity. 10^th graders might enjoy Antigone, "Dulce et Decorum Est", Night, or Lord of the Flies for Morality. (I’m sure you get the idea.) 
    Each time the students read a text, they determine that text’s argument for the topic. For example: 
    What argument does Shakespeare make about Evil in Othello?
      
    How does he make this argument (e.g. using symbolism, through the character of Iago, through the innocence of Desdemona)?  
    Why does he make it? 

    
    After students have written on that topic, you take it one step further (either in a separate assignment or tagged onto this one):

         Does Othello support or refute Auden’s assertion about Evil?
         Why do you think so?      
    As they submitted their essays on the individual texts (I considered these informal, rough drafts), I might pinpoint a pattern of punctuation for them to work (such as comma usage), but the onus was on them to correct it once noted. If a pattern of error emerged that warranted a class explanation, we addressed it (such as semi-colon usage or use of second person p.o.v.). I concentrated on the fluency of these drafts, mostly.
    It saved me a great deal of stress having them write only one formal paper. The goal was to help them with their thinking, first, so the emphasis of the preliminary essays was on reasoning, which the CCS emphasize and strive so diligently to accomplish. Then, and only then, did we concern ourselves with correctness on the formal papers. 

    This final paper was typed, in MLA format (all the bells and whistles), and it was their assessment for the unit. They were expected to use at least two, but no more than four, of the texts from the unit to argue the validity of Auden’s assertion. 
    
    Essentially, they answered this question: Based on what you’ve read, why do you support (or refute) Auden’s assertion?

    This is where you’d move back into CCS writing standards for argument, thus satisfying that standard with a purposeful use of the literature. (Of course, we followed a process of first draft, revision, editing, and polishing, the whole nine yards.) 
    By the time students have 1) evaluated their opinions on the topic, 2) analyzed/argued other’s assertions, 3) analyzed a text, and 4) argued whether or not that text supports the general assertion, they’ve come a great distance in their critical thinking skills!  
     
    Students don’t necessarily love reading, but when they have a purpose for doing so, they may be so inclined to actually do the reading. Further, since teenagers love arguing above all else, when they read with the idea that they’re going to make an argument about something, it’s a win for everyone. 
    Let me know what you think!  
    (Next up:  narrative as argument!)

    

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  • 1 year ago
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• Everything’s an Argument: Alig Everything’s an Argument: Aligning to Common Core Standards for Argument essays 11th -12th Grades

  • From: Mindy_Keller-Kyriakides
  • Description:
    Interestingly, the standards for 9^th/10^th and 11^th/12^th differ only slightly, distinguished by depth of response.  That is, the upperclassmen need to do the same thing as the underclassmen, just with a bit more “oomph”.  That makes sense if we are to move students forward systematically.  However, this year’s transitional students will need us to create a sort of combo-pack approach to the expectations for argument.  
    Use an Engaging prompt: The best prompts to begin with are those closest to the student’s experience. (One of the best argument essays I ever read was a teenager arguing to be able to use the family car!) 
    Find out what your students argue about. Consider a homework assignment that has them articulate what their controversies are. 
    Is the class divided on a topic, such as the “best” musical artist or musical genre? Find something in their zone, particularly for the first argument essay.
    Scaffold the components of the essay. Don’t assign the entire essay all at once. You’ll get the usual blasé material and drive yourself crazy in the grading of it! 
    Assign the thesis. Only the thesis.  Have students discuss the reasons they’ve determined. What reasons are convincing, and what ones are not? Let them talk it out with each other. Before they can begin the outline, you’ll approve the thesis. 
    A  model that meets the 9/10 CCS standards might be:
     Although many people dislike Lady Gaga, she takes a position on cultural issues, which makes her a good role model for teenagers. 
    
    
    An 11/12 model might look like this:  
     Although many people find Lady Gaga a media-hungry culture icon, her ability to convey serious messages in her music and her adherence to her messages indicate that she is the best role model for teenagers, today.
     
    To make the thesis reach the necessary level of significance, the student has to “deepen the pot” of his/her original thesis.  Ask them to determine the "reasons why" behind their counter-claims and claims.
    Roughly, this is what you’ll have to do with your upperclassmen. They’re going to hand in a 9^th grade level thesis, which is a good start. Take them to the next step for revision!  
    Helping students revise theses will take a fraction of the time it would take to grade an entire essay. After you approve the thesis revision, the student should be able to form a pretty solid outline. 
    Question Outline:   Instead of having students present a traditional outline, have them work from a question outline.  Help them see that each point in the thesis implies a question that must be “answered” in the essay. It might look like this:
    Discussion 1:  Why do people think Lady Gaga is just media-hype?
     
    Why is their assessment of her invalid?
     
    Discussion 2:   What messages does Gaga convey in her music?  
    Why is her conveyance of messages a reason for her to be considered the best role model for teens, today? 
    
    
     Discussion 3:   What is significant about Gaga's adherence  to her messages? 
    Why is her adherence to messages a reason why she should be considered the best role model for teens, today?
    
    
    Students find this strategy helpful when brainstorming their discussions.  Help them see that they might be able to work through two paragraphs per discussion. Paragraphs work best when they answer one question.
     
    Review outlines for relevance and reasoning of the questions.   If the students have posed the right question, they'll have a better shot at crafting a paragraph that follows through with valid reasoning. 
    In my line of work as an online writing instructor, I've found the use of the question strategy helps students more than any other.
    Thinking like an attorney:  Most students have a good idea about what evidence is and what “proving” a case looks like. Using this analogy will help them understand how to determine the best evidence for each of their claims and counterclaims. 
    Likewise, when they work through their intended audience's thinking, you can use the analogy of a jury. In this case, the “jury” is the class.
     
    Have them look around at their classmates and predict what arguments so-and-so may have. Who is the most difficult person they have to convince? Have them choose their evidence, based on that person.  You’ll want to model the strategy, and let them begin their paragraphs in-class. That way, you’ll be on hand for spot-checks of their reasoning.
    From here, students should work through their rough drafts and revisions. This is familiar territory!  However, you will have given them solid practice for reasoning.
     
     
    Here are the expectations of the two, side-by-side. 
           9^th /10^th CCS                                      11^th/12^th CCS
    
    
    Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
    
    

    Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.	Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
    Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.	Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
    Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.	Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
    Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.	same
    Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.	same

     
     

    

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  • 1 year ago
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• Cure for the Common Core: Tran Cure for the Common Core: Transitions

  • From: Michael_Fisher
  • Description:

    

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    So what’s your plan? What are you doing to start your Common Core transition?  
    
    This is a followup to my previous Blog Post called Common CoreZilla: Shrink The Change
    
    In my work with districts on Common Core integration and implementation, many want to know what they can do right now.  Many changes and opportunities for growth are coming, but to look at it as a complete package is very overwhelming.
    
    The main message is still the same as the last blog post:
    
    First step? Shrink the change!  (Look to the Heath Brothers’ ideas in their book SWITCH and the associated resources they offer here: http://heathbrothers.com/resources/ )
    
    You cannot expect your transition plan to be that tomorrow you will be on board with all of the coming changes.  Just like any journey worth taking, it’s got to be one step at a time.  We may not reach our destinations for several years, but we can’t wait for all the necessary pieces to be set in stone before we decide to start planning.  We need to set an itinerary, laying out the pieces of our path that we can control right now.
    
    Those pieces include the following, which I think are imperative to bringing everyone on board in a manageable way:
    

    1. Establishing Collaborative Cultures
    2. Crosswalks/Comparisons - Examination and analysis of the Core Standards
    3. Curriculum Transformations

    
    
    Establish Collaborative Cultures
    
    If your schools/districts are made up primarily of those with an “island mentality,” then they need to join the continent. Communication and Collaboration are key 21st Century skills that teachers MUST be the model for.  Collegial dialogue and consensus around change and growth are vital for a learning organization to move forward in positive and meaningful ways.  It would also be a good idea to connect with other educators beyond your schools/districts and participate in globally connective opportunities.
    Some resources:

    • Establishing a Professional/Digital Learning Network: http://progrowing.wikispaces.com/
    • Building Your Circle of Wisdom - Page 15 of NYSMSA Journal
    • Aspen Grove Analogy from Janet Hale

    
    
    Crosswalks / Comparisons
    
    There has been some debate among my colleagues about the value of the standards comparison. I understand some who’s perspective is that we should just jump on board with the new standards and get down to business.  There are others that think handing teachers an already completed crosswalk document does little to enhance their professional practice.  I’m on the fence. I believe that engagement and meaning comes from prior knowledge and want this to run as smoothly as possible.  Recently, another colleague, Susan Rothwell from the Erie 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services in West Seneca, New York shared her strategy, which I like as a Common Core Standards comparison activity.  She explains that teachers should take their copies of the Core Standards in their subject area, and highlight those things that are already represented in their practice/current standards.  With another color highlighter, teachers then highlight those items that are both represented in their current standards AND represent a higher level of rigor or higher depths of knowledge. Finally, in another color, highlight those things that are BRAND NEW.  Teachers use this discovery method to start updating curriculum maps, frameworks, unit plans, etc.  If you are interested in seeing what’s being collected around comparative documents and crosswalks, the Curriculum 21 team has put a binder together:

    • Curriculum 21’s LiveBinder of Crosswalk Documents and Web Resources by State

    
    
    Curriculum Transformations
    
    Your starting point might be transforming a known element in your new curriculum in terms of rigor, methodology, technology, or depth of knowledge OR your starting point might be designing curriculum around something brand new in your standards.  Whatever your entry point, this is a good time to re-examine design and practice in terms of 21st Century skills and doing what Heidi Hayes Jacobs asks in Curriculum 21 when she explains to the reader that they need to consider what to cut, what to keep, and what to replace.  The replacement zone is the transformation zone.  In order to get what we’ve never gotten, we need to do what’s never been done before.  I encourage you to visit the binder that Janet Hale and I created for our work with teachers:

    • Curriculum Transformation LiveBinder

    
    
    Additionally, in Appendix B of the Common Core Standards for ELA and Appendix A of the CCS for Math, there is information related to Curriculum Design and Performance Task Suggestions to make the analysis and subsequent design a little more concrete.
    
    In New York State, there are many other issues that are related to Race to the Top and the Common Core Implementation, including new Curriculum Models, Data Systems, a new teacher/principal evaluation, AND the upcoming new assessments.  I suspect that your state, if participating, is having similar roll out plans.  The point here is to deal with what you can in this moment.  Be in the now.  What can you control / do / implement today or very soon?
    
    Other things will fall in place with time.
    
    Shrink the change. Slow and steady (and purposeful) wins this race to the top!

     

    Photo: Boston, Copley Square -  Some rights reserved by wallyg

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  • 2 years ago
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