Category: Common Core State Standards
Hacking the Common Core by Michael Fisher is the book on the CCSS that many teachers have been waiting for, says reviewer Rita Platt. The short but powerful text, in ten easy-to-read chapters, is a practical guide to making the standards work for your students.
The activities in Lisa Morris’ book on teaching ELA with the CCSS in grades 2-5 are easily adapted for each level, including middle grades 4&5. Reviewer Linda Biondi also liked the extensive mentor texts and came away with oodles of lesson ideas.
A Non-Freaked Out Guide to Teaching the Common Core is a useful supplement to the primary CCSS document. Teachers will benefit from Dave Stuart, Jr.’s thorough analysis of each anchor standard, says reviewer Susan Schwartz, although she does have one concern.
Common Core Literacy for ELA, History/Social Studies and the Humanities deserves a place on the bookshelf of all educators in the Humanities, says reviewer and rookie SS teacher Michael DiClemente. The book offers detailed strategies and timely tech advice.
“Common Core in the Content Areas” not only makes a convincing case that content-area teachers can be “literacy teachers” when it serves their purposes, says reviewer Sarah Goodis-Orenstein, it also provides “a bunch of teaching and planning tools” and collaborative learning tasks.
Sean Ruday tackles some of the more challenging grades 6-8 ELA standards, giving detailed explanations using mentor texts in mini-lessons to gradually build student understanding, says reviewer Rebecca Crockett. He has also written for grades 3-5.
The authors help teachers assist students in developing a mathematical mindset and becoming active problems solvers, says reviewer Linda Biondi. Included are connections to other practice standards, rubrics, student dialogue and lesson examples, and more.
Even educators who don’t work in successful PLC environments will appreciate Fisher & Frey’s strategies to build students’ CCSS ELA proficiencies, says Joy Kirr.
Teachers will find helpful discussions of CCSS listening & speaking standards & the CALL tool. Reading & writing are missing.
In Big Skills for the Common Core: Literacy Strategies for the 6 -12 Classroom, Amy Benjamin & Michael Hugelmeyer provide Common Core literacy strategies with easy-to-use charts & guides for 6-12 students, say a pair of MiddleWeb reviewers.