Students seem to understand that narratives warrant rich, vivid, sensory language. Likewise, students recognize the argumentative nature of opinion writing and associate that with strong details and illustrative examples. When it comes to informative/ explanatory writing, students suddenly seem compelled to write in a sterile fashion. For some reason, the shift to informational writing results in papers filled with lots… Read more →
I love free resources. I particularly love when they are simple to use! I recently discovered ReadWorks and their database of over 100 K-8 passages. While this is not a silver bullet to solve the ongoing quest for leveled informational text, this is a great place to start. So, how can you use these passages? I am not a fan of… Read more →
If you are struggling with Standard 3: Connections & Relationships, consider explicitly introducting the seven major types of relationships independently. I like to start with one person that influences a big event. Students will inevitably have read or heard these types of stories or events. Create an anchor chart based on books that they have read about people who are… Read more →
Free. Say it out loud. I like the sound of it (as all teachers do). When looking for Common Core Informational Text materials that word means even more. One of the standards that I am excited about is Informational Text standard 7. This asks students to look at text as inclusive of audio, video, images, and more! I found a… Read more →
Informational Text Standard 7. Ooh. Am I the only one excited about this? I have dubbed this standard: Beyond Text. This is really a FUN standard that is often overlooked. In middle school in particular, students need this standard increasingly more as they navigate and interpret visual, audio, and multiple forms of written text. Let’s take a look at the… Read more →
Common Core Informational Text Standard RI3 is a unique standard that balances critical thinking with textual evidence. This standard might be my new favorite (do I say that for every one?) standard. This standard really puts the responsibility of making connections in the students’ corner. When you plan an effective Common Core lesson for this standard, you want to be… Read more →
As students move through the standards, they will need to master standard 2: Central Ideas. This standard is about writing! Under many of the past, more traditionally formatted standards this might have been found in the writing strand. This standard demands that students find the central ideas, write about how they were developed, and then summarize what they read. Mastery… Read more →
Analyzing text is a concept that, in the past, has been reserved for advanced students or high school students. With Common Core, this has become the domain of the primary elementary school classroom as well. Reading Standards 5, 6, 7, and 8 demand a close analysis of text. If you are getting ready to tackle this task determining how this… Read more →
