Many of us are digging into Common Core Standards. We are spending time reading the standards, figuring out what they mean, and noticing how they grow from grade to grade. Indiana (my state) adopted Common Core State Standards several years ago, so I’m familiar with the standards. What I’m realizing now is the usefulness of the appendices.
There are no experts when it comes to Common Core. It is new for us all. I’m finding the appendices are helping me understand the intent of Common Core. Here is a link to the Core Standards website. On the left you will find a menu with links to the appendices.
Another exceptional resource to understanding Common Core is Pathways to the Common Core by Lucy Calkins, Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Columbia University, Mary Ehrenworth, Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Columbia University, and Christopher Lehman.
I think it is important to remember that this is all new for all of us. I’m trying to merge my understanding of Common Core with my deep beliefs of best practice in literacy instruction. In addition, I’m weaving my learning of 21st century skills into this tapestry. It takes time. It is messy. I find myself thinking and rethinking and learning to be content in the mess.
This is why I love being a lifelong learner…the journey never ends.
TWO WRITING TEACHERS 
Our Math coach recently shared a page from the appendix. It showed six types of addition problems we need to cover. Information we could have used, but at least we have it now 🙂
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I have carried my California State Standards to two different countries and four different schools. It has been a real help to me in creating curriculum over the past 13 years.
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I appreciate you noting the Appendices. I haven’t used it that much, so I’m sure I’ll find it helpful. The book is a great resource.
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The appendices have been tremendous tools for deepening my understanding of the Core, and the teachers that I am supporting value them so much as well. Appendix B, in particular, has been a lot of fun to dig into and play with in different ways. We’re using to guide the pairing of passages for unit design in some places, and it’s validated some of our previous text choices for shared reading while pushing our thinking about others. Lots to chew on there.
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Those appendices are invaluable – so glad that Lucy thought to include them. They have formed the basis of many of my ideas about teaching the Common Core. Thanks for highlighting them, Ruth.
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love her book…thanks for giving a shout out….I absolutely love that we can help each other, across states with this multilayered project. xo
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Thank you for pointing out the appendices. I like that you are “learning to be content with the mess.” I think I will give that a try!
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The Writing Projects are working with the Gates Foundation to create writing units that incorporate Writers’ Workshop and the Core Content Standards. Have you seen this work?
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Amen! We’re doing a lot of work around close reading right now and it can get messy. There are so many levels of understanding to access and get to know deeply. Mary Ehrenworth’s session from the National Reading Recovery Conference this winter has helped immensely. And, “Pathways to the Common Core” of course :). But, still, you’re right — we all need to get to the place where we’re content in the mess because learning is messy!
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