Books in Exceeding the Common Core State Standards series

Because everything is an argument "In this book, we'll argue that you can teach the writing of argument so that students will not only exceed the Common Core State Standards, but also be prepared for a future as students and citizens." Michael Smith, Jeffrey Wilhelm, and James Fredricksen The Common Core State Standards are an argument that "students' ability to write sound arguments on substantive topics and issues . . . is critical to college and career readiness." This book is an argument. Oh, Yeah?! will persuade you that it is an ideal resource for helping you teach argument writing to adolescents. And not just any arguments, but the kinds of substantive ones the real-world demands. "We believe," write Michael Smith, Jeffrey Wilhelm, and James Fredricksen, "that instruction directed to improve student performance on standards-based assessments MUST be the most powerful and engaging instruction we can possibly offer." To that end they fill Oh, Yeah?! with proven lessons for writing, reading, and discussing arguments that you can use right now. In addition, they provide ideas for how to create instructional contexts that maximize the power of those lessons through a compelling framework that will help you create your own lessons and units in the future. Life may be a series of arguments, but your decision about how to teach argument writing needn't be complicated. Trust Smith, Wilhelm, and Fredricksen, use Oh, Yeah?! in your classroom, and give students an argument for meeting-and exceeding-the Common Core standards.

Informational texts aren't just for school "Even if the CCSS are not adopted in your state, the theory and instruction we present is devoted to developing not only competence in literacy, but competence in life." Jeffrey Wilhelm, Michael Smith, and James Fredricksen Informational texts aren't just for school. They are a real-world tool for making things happen. Similarly, the Common Core State Standards for writing are designed to help adolescents be prepared for the world outside the classroom. That's why Jeffrey Wilhelm, Michael Smith, and James Fredricksen wrote Get It Done! So that once kids leave school, they'll have the skills, know-how, and agency to do work that matters by composing nonfiction texts-and so that their teachers have a clear-cut set of strategies for instruction in informational genres. Naming and listing, summarizing, describing, defining, comparing and contrasting, classifying, identifying cause-effect relationships, exploring problem-solution situations-Get It Done! will both help you teach all these types of informational texts engagingly and effectively, while explicitly connecting your work to the Common Core State Standards. Help your students Get It Done! "We think that through effective instruction, the goals of the CCSS and much more can be met," write Wilhelm, Smith, and Fredricksen. "More important we want the work we and our students do to matter."

Get the whole story on teaching narrative writing "Narrative can foster a new understanding of self and others, and help people solve real problems together. In short narrative empowers people. This makes it vitally important to helping students become 'college and career ready.'" James Fredricksen, Michael Smith, and Jeffrey Wilhelm While Common Core standards on argument and nonfiction have gotten the lion's share of attention, the anchor standard for narrative writing has been overlooked. Not anymore, thanks to So, What's the Story? "Write narratives," states the Common Core, "to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences." In So, What's the Story? James Fredricksen, Michael Smith, and Jeffrey Wilhelm share lessons and unit frameworks on narrative writing that help students not only meet the standards, but do important real-world work. "Narrative is about much more than the form of a story, identifying a protagonist, or naming its climax," they write, "it's about doing functional work not only in the classroom and school, but in the community and the world." With ideas for teaching autobiography, narrative nonfiction, imaginary narratives, and narratives that employ both words and images, So, What's the Story? provides practitioners with ways to help students make the leap from composing stories to understanding how stories and narrative concepts can help them to identify, critique, and change how their world works. "Narrative writing empowers individuals as they negotiate the day-to-day experience of their lives," write Fredricksen, Smith, and Wilhelm, "but an understanding of narrative is essential for people in a whole host of careers and professions." Use So, What's the Story? and ensure that the story of your writers doesn't end with meeting the standard, but with a lifetime of problem solving with story.

PARCC® Assessments: ELA Literacy - Grades 6-8 Study GuideTake Control of the Common Core with REA's Study Guide!The educational landscape is changing and REA is at the forefront of the PARCC® (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers®) assessments that millions of students face. This targeted study guide is designed for teachers and students in PARCC® states, and is fully-aligned with the Common Core standards.Covers Must-Know PARCC® ELA Topics: Our PARCC® Assessments: English Language Arts/ Literacy Study Guide covers all the must-know PARCC® ELA Grade 6-8 material. Each chapter includes step-by-step instruction and practice for every topic tested on the PARCC® English Language Arts/Literacy exam: interactive reading, literary analysis, narrative, and research simulation tasks. Written in an-easy-to-understand style, the book also offers step-by-step procedures and tips on writing great essays.Written by an Expert: Our author is a curriculum expert and former English teacher who has studied the format and content of the PARCC® standards and the ELA exams. Each lesson is based on actual PARCC® ELA guidelines and follows the Common Core standards.A Handy Guide for Teachers: This book brings the common core down to the classroom level, deciphering what it all means to the way students are taught. Our author gives teachers practical guidance on how the ELA/Literary assessment should shape teaching methods and lesson plans. Easy-to-understand explanations of PARCC® standards take the confusion out of the PARCC® ELA exams.This study guide is a must-have for students and teachers who are facing the PARCC® and the Common Core State Standards!What Are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)?The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The standards provide teachers and parents with an understanding of what students are expected to learn. Consistent standards provide appropriate benchmarks for all students, regardless of where they live. These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education so they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn. Aligning each lesson in these six Common Core titles to the CCSS ensures that students are being taught and assessed on what they are expected to learn and know. The alignment helps educators think critically about their curriculum, instruction, and assessments as they work to ensure that their students meet the rigorous new standards. Beginning with foundational skills, the activities teach students what they need to learn. The alignments offer a progressive development of reading comprehension skills so that students advancing through the levels are able to gain more from whatever they read. Each title includes a table of contents, a CCSS alignment chart, 130 reproducible lessons individually aligned to the CCSS (each lesson contains a discrete alignment at the bottom of the page), a scope and sequence chart, and an answer key.