Louisiana State Standards
Parent Resource
Grades
Where U.S. Students Rank Globally The United States Ranks: n 17th in Reading Literacy n 21st in Science n 26th in Math
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation 2014
17
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IN READING LITERACY
21
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IN SCIENCE
26
Based on 2013 International PISA results |#|
Center for Development and Learning
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IN MATH
Louisiana
Parent Resource Grades K – 2
www.cdl.org
Special thanks to the following partners:
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Center for Development and Learning
Introduction This guide provides an overview of what your child will learn by the end of kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade in English language Arts (ELA). It focuses on key skills that will build a strong basis for success in college, the workplace, and everyday life. These K-12 standards were informed by Louisiana teachers, university professors, and other education experts. If your son or daughter is meeting the expectations outlined in these standards, he or she will be well prepared for the next grade.
Why are high academic standards important?
All parents want their children to be able to pursue their dreams – whatever they may be. A great education starts with high standards. A high-level of academic rigor in our academic standards is necessary to ensure that students are learning up-to-date content that is important for their futures. Understanding what those standards are will help parents to ensure their children are receiving the best education possible. Of course, high standards are not the only things needed for children’s success, but they provide an important first step — a clear, consistent roadmap for learning. They also help your child This Guide Includes: develop real-world critical thinking* skills needed for college and the workforce. n An overview of some
How can I help my child?
You should use this guide in two main ways: (1) as a tool to help students at home, and (2) as a resource to help build a relationship with teachers. Talk to teachers regularly about how your son or daughter is doing so that you can work together to address any issues. Parents are children’s first teachers. At home, you can play a big part in setting high expectations and supporting students in meeting them. *See page 46 for definition
of the key things your child should be learning in ELA from kindergarten through 2nd grade
n Ideas to help your child learn at home n Topics of discussion for talking to your child’s teacher about his or her academic progress
ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2
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About CDL Founded in 1992, the Center for Development and Learning (CDL) is a results-driven Louisianabased 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. CDL’s programs and services fall into three major areas: (1) evidence-based professional learning for educators; (2) direct services to students; and (3) public engagement of stakeholders at all levels. We aim to increase student learning. CDL specializes in providing educators with professional learning that is specific and relevant to the needs of teachers and their students. We have particular expertise in effective leadership practices, evidence-based teaching strategies and tactics, early childhood best practices, literacy, and learning differences. With an on-the-ground, in-the-trenches approach, we tackle real-time issues such as ways to remediate struggling readers and writers, differentiating instruction, structuring collaborative classroom environments, building leadership capacity, and developing and sustaining collective capacity.
Š 2015 The Center for Development and Learning Designed by: Claire Estopinal Edited by: Keisha Dubuclet
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Center for Development and Learning
Table of Contents Common Questions about Louisiana State Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Overview of ELA Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 What your Child Should be Learning Kindergarten. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 First Grade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Second Grade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Progressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Book Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Progressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Writing Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Speaking & Listening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Progressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Special Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 How to Support your Child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Glossary* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 * Definitions of words with an asterick beside them are contained in the glossary.
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2
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Common Questions about Louisiana State Standards Q: A:
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What are the Louisiana State Standards? The Louisiana State Standards are learning goals that are designed to prepare our students for college and career success. Standards are not the same as a curriculum. Teachers can still decide how to get kids to the goal.
Why do we need rigorous standards? Louisiana is 3rd from the bottom in education compared to the rest of the country. More rigorous standards will help give all Louisiana students a higher quality education so they can be successful in today’s economy.
Who developed the standards? Louisiana has always had standards. State law requires a review of academic standards every seven years. In 2010, higher standards were adopted to ensure Louisiana students could compete with those from other states. The standards are informed by Louisiana teachers, university professors, and independent education experts. Parents, business leaders, and other stakeholders have the opportunity to provide feedback.
Center for Development and Learning
Q: A:
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How will high standards affect student grades and school performance scores (SPS)? Some are concerned that school test scores and letter grades will drop. A drop in scores is expected at first because previous standards were not accurate indicators of college and career-readiness. State changes to school and teacher evaluations have been made that will give students and schools time to adjust.
From Failing to Fantastic: Winning the Education Game In football, the goal is to get a touchdown; it’s up to the coach to choose plays that will get the ball in the end zone. Standards set the goal; it’s up to the teacher to choose plays to help kids win.
How higher standards affect me as a parent? As a parent, you may notice your child’s classwork and homework becoming harder. You may also see a slight drop in grades. While it may be uncomfortable and scary, this is normal because schoolwork and tests are more challenging. Keep in mind that now your kids are getting the high quality education they deserve but weren’t getting before.
How higher standards affect students? Having high standards will require students to learn and apply more demanding concepts and procedures, resulting in deeper levels of understanding. Rather than simply memorizing, students will critically think through information and apply what they learn to solve real-world problems and situations. ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2
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Q: A:
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What do the Standards mean for students with disabilities and English Language Learners? Because all children deserve a high quality education, there are no separate or different standards for children with special needs. However, the law requires that students with disabilities be provided a range of supports for classroom learning and testing. More information and resources are included in this book.
Will students still take the LEAP test? Students in grades 3-11 will take a more rigorous test for ELA and Math, with questions aligned to the higher standards. The LEAP will still be given for Social Studies and Science. Students in the 12th grade will take the ACT.
Compared to other states in the country, Louisiana ranks 3rd from the bottom in Reading. Only Mississippi and Washington D.C. are lower than Louisiana.
– NAEP, 2013
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Center for Development and Learning
Why Now? n Student mobility, military families n Too many different standards across states n Global competition n Today’s jobs require different skills
Q: A:
Q: A:
What do the Louisiana State Standards look like in the classroom? The standards are not curriculum. Schools and teachers will still make decisions about how to teach their students and meet their needs.
What are the benefits of high standards? High standards will help ensure that all students, no matter where they live, are prepared for success in college and the workforce. High standards also make sure your child can compete with other students if you decide to move to another city or state. Our students will learn more real-world knowledge and think more critically so that we in Louisiana will be able to compete successfully in the 21st century, allowing our economy to remain strong. ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2
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Overview of ELA Standards The skills developed in English Language Arts (ELA) are used in every day life, making them very important. The language arts include reading, writing, spelling, listening, speaking, handwriting, grammar, storytelling and learning vocabulary. Your children will use their ELA skills in all subject areas, including social studies, science and math, to understand information and organize, develop and express their ideas clearly. A person who can speak well, relate well to others through language, and listen well to what others are saying will have higher chances of success in school and life. The Louisiana State Standards for ELA describe skills that students need to have in the following areas:
ELA Standards
Reading
Writing
Speaking & Listening | 10 # | | Center for Development and Learning
Having strong oral and written language skills provides a foundation for further learning and future job success. Learning new language skills is a hallmark of kindergarten. In 1st grade, your child will become a more independent reader and writer. As they write and speak, 2nd graders will be more attentive to the formal and informal uses of English and will spell most words correctly in their writing.
#| ELA ELA Parent Parent Resource Resource Guide Guide K–2 K–2 | |11
KINDERGARTEN By the end of the school year your child should be: Naming upper- and lowercase letters, matching those letters with their sounds, and printing them.
Comparing the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories, such as fairytales* and folktales*.
Retelling and talking about familiar stories using details from the text*.
Drawing, writing, and speaking to describe an event, including his or her reaction to what happened.
Stating an opinion or preference about a topic or book in writing (“My favorite book is . . .�).
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Participating in classroom conversations and following rules for discussions; learning to listen to others and taking turns when speaking.
Learning to recognize, spell, and use basic language words.
Asking and answering questions about key details in stories or other information read aloud.
Talk to the teacher about how your child is doing in school. Ask questions like: 1. “Is my child on track?” Understanding and using question words in discussions.
Speaking clearly to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas, including descriptions of familiar people, places, things, and events.
2. “In what area is my child doing well?” 3. “Are there areas where my child is struggling?” 4. “What are some resources and tools that I can use to help my child learn outside the classroom?” 5. “Can I see how the lesson is taught in class?”
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FIRST GRADE By the end of the school year your child should be: Using phonics (matching letters and sounds) and breaking down words to figure out unfamiliar words when reading and writing.
Describing characters, settings, and major events in a story using key details.
Writing about a topic, using some facts, and providing some sense of opening and closing.
running Getting facts and information from different writings.
Writing complete simple and compound sentences*, questions, commands, and exclamations.
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Figuring out the difference between meanings of similar words (marching, prancing, strutting, strolling, walking).
Become a partner with your child’s teacher Technology can be a good way to build regular communication with your child’s teacher. Some teachers may respond to email and text message faster and more often than a phone call. Describing people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly and with complete sentences.
Having conversations about topics and texts* and asking and answering questions to clear up any confusion.
Working with others on shared projects and papers.
Identifying the correct meaning for a word with multiple meanings, based on the sentence or paragraph in which the word is used. Deciding, for example, whether the word “bat” means a flying mammal or a club used in baseball.
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SECOND GRADE By the end of the school year your child should be: Paying close attention to details, including pictures and graphics, in books to answer who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.
Determining the lesson, moral*, or theme of stories.
Keep Performance Positive
n Discuss with your child their performance
n Talk about tests with your child and be
in school and what they are learning positive and encouraging
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Using text* features, such as captions, bold print, and indexes, to find key facts or information.
Participating in shared research projects.
Having conversations by connecting his or her comments to others’ comments and asking and answering questions to get more information or deepen understanding of the topic.
Writing stories that include a short series of events with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Writing an opinion about a book he or she has read, and using important details from the book to support that opinion.
Retelling key information or ideas from media or books read aloud.
Determining the meaning of the new word formed when a known prefix* or suffix* is added to a known word (happy/unhappy; power/ powerful/powerless).
Producing, expanding, and rearranging sentences. For example, “The boy watched the movie”; “The little boy watched the movie”; “The action movie was watched by the little boy.” ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 17 |
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Center for Development and Learning
Reading Reading is as important as getting enough to eat or having a place to sleep. Highly literate students are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college. Thus, being able to read well will allow all children to have an opportunity to live healthy, productive lives. The reading standards focus on two main things: (1) the difficulty of what students read and (2) how well they read. Students will read more non-fiction* and informational* text in earlier grades, and have deep and detailed discussions about what they read. For example, instead of only naming parts of a story, such as characters, plot and setting, students will compare* different stories using their understanding of these elements. This section provides an overview of how the reading standards progress from the beginning to the end of the year and from one grade to the next. There are also examples of books that you can read with your child.
Reading is the foundation for all other subjects n All subjects require reading skills. For example,
students must be able to read their textbooks to learn science and social studies.
n Even if a child is really good in math, he or she must
still be able to read the directions and word problems on the test.
ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 19 |
Progressions
Kindergarten With help from the teacher, students will:
Reading Literature
n Retell stories, including key details. n Name the author and artist of a story and explain the role of each in telling the story.
Kindergarten With help from the teacher, students will:
Reading for Information
n Ask and answer questions about key details in a story and identify the main topic. n Point out the front cover, back cover and title page of a book. n Identify what person, place, thing or idea a picture shows.
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First Grade Students will: n Retell stories, including key details, and show that they understand the main message, lesson or moral* of a story. n Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text*.
Second Grade Students will: n Describe how characters in a story react to major events and challenges. n Recognize different points of view for characters, such as by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading aloud. n Use information from pictures and words to show they understand characters, setting or plot.
First Grade Students will: n Ask and answer questions about key details in a story and identify the main topic. n Use the drawings and details in a story to explain key ideas. n Use headings, table of contents, glossary, index, etc., to find information.
Second Grade Students will: n Ask and answer who, what, where, when, why and how questions to show understanding of key details in a book. n Explain how images or drawings, such as a diagram of how a machine works, are helpful. n Compare* and contrast* the most important points in two different books on the same topic. ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2
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Kindergarten Book Examples Nonfiction My Five Senses By: Aliki The five senses come to life in this thoughtful and engaging book celebrating the world and the ways we experience it. How each sound, taste, smell, sight and touch leads to a new discovery. Standard Alignment: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text*.
Fiction Little Bear By: Else Holmelund Minarik Designed for beginning readers, these simple tales tell the story of Little Bear and his loving mother. Standard Alignment: With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (for example, which moment in a story an illustration depicts). | 22 | Center for Development and Learning
TIPS Children build vocabulary and knowledge, everyday, through oral and written language. The more words they know, the easier it is for them to recognize words when reading.
Poetry Pocket Poems By: Bobbi Katz These 50 short poems by a wide selection of poets span a range of kid-centric emotions. Standard Alignment: 1. Recognize common types of texts (storybooks, poems). 2. Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
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First Grade Book Examples Nonfiction Baby Dolphin’s First Day By: Connie & Peter Roop The early adventures of a highly intelligent animal. Standard Alignment: Use the illustrations and details in a text* to describe its key ideas.
Fiction Frog and Toad Together By: Arnold Lobel Frog and Toad learn the give-and-take of friendship in these five tales. Standard Alignment: Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
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TIPS As you read with your child, discuss main ideas and ask questions that encourage her to analyze* texts*. You can ask questions related to the moral* of the story and talk about how it applies to real life. You can also read different versions of the same story, and ask your child to compare* and contrast* them. For example, other versions of the “The Three Little Pigs” are: n The True Story of the Three Little Pigs – a version of the story as told by the Big Bad Wolf.
n The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig – an inverted version of the story where the characters are flipped.
n The Fourth Little Pig – an encouraging follow-up version of the story where the sister of the pigs tries to persuade her brothers to overcome their fears.
Poetry Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin By: Lloyd Moss and Marjorie Priceman Written in elegant, rhyming verse and illustrated with playful and flowing artwork, this counting book is the perfect introduction to musical instruments. Standard Alignment: Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
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Second Grade Book Examples Nonfiction It’s Snowing! By: Gail Gibbons What is snow? How does it form? An explanation of this winter wonder. Standard Alignment: 1. Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text*. 2. Identify the main purpose of a text*, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
Fiction Henry and Mudge: The First Book By: Cynthia Rylant The popular tale of Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge, a friendly pooch ready for adventure. Standard Alignment: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
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TIPS Frequently talk with your child about his or her future. Make the connection between different subject areas and the jobs to which they relate.
Engineer
Artist Author
Poetry Animal Poems By: John Hollander Poems by poets like Blake, Dickinson, Tennyson, Yeats, Wordsworth and Keats are accompanied by captivating paintings that capture the spirit of each poem. Included are footnotes providing definitions of difficult words and a title index. Standard Alignment: Describe how words and phrases supply rhythm and meaning in stories, poems or songs (regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines).
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Writing Writing is one of the main ways that people communicate. It is used in school, all types of work, and everyday activities. While writing is an important part of our daily lives, it can be difficult to learn and master. Many students have trouble organizing their thoughts and writing clearly, which can cause frustration. Encouraging children to develop strong writing skills early and become better writers may make writing easier and more enjoyable for them. This section gives an overview of how writing standards progress from one grade to the next. There are also writing examples showing what students need to be able to do at each grade level.
Progressions
Kindergarten n Using a combination of drawing, speaking and writing, students name what they are writing about, give information on the topic, give an opinion on the topic, or tell about events in the order they happen.
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First Grade n Students name a topic, give some facts about the topic, and state an opinion about the topic with supporting evidence*, facts, or proof. n With some help from adults, students focus on a topic, answer questions and comments from others, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
Second Grade n Students introduce a topic and use facts and definitions to explain points. n Students write stories in which they explain events and use words to show event order, such as “first,” “second” and “last.” n Students write stories in which they give details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings. n Students provide an ending/closing statement. ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 29 |
KINDERGARTEN What’s Great about This Essay: n Uses drawings to show events or parts of the story n States an opinion about the book n Writes letters in correct formation n Spells sight words correctly n Uses spaces between words n Uses letter sounds to spell words. For example, “fabit” for “favorite” n Tells story in logical order
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ore State StandardS for engliSh language artS & literaCy in hiStory/SoCial StudieS, SCienCe, and teChniCal SubjeC
Writing Example
student sample: K, argument (opinion) This opinion piece about a work of literature was produced in class.
annotation The writer of this piece •
tells the reader the name of the book (in the title of the paper).
•
states an opinion or preference about the book.
o My fabit (favorite) Book is do you Want to be my FRIEND o . . . my fait (favorite) pot (part) is the hos (horse)
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mon Core State StandardS for engliSh language artS & literaCy in hiStory/SoCial StudieS, SCienCe, and teChniCal SubjeCtS
FIRST GRADE
student sample: Grade 1, Informative/explanatory This informative report was produced in class.
What’s Great about This Essay: n Names the essay topic n Gives some facts about the topic
n Uses capital letters for proper nouns n Writes in complete sentences
n Uses correct punctuation to end sentences
n Uses details to expand on ideas
n Begins sentences with capital letters
n Provides closure to the essay
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jeCtS
Writing Example
appendix C |
ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 33 |
ore State StandardS for engliSh language artS & literaCy in hiStory/SoCial StudieS, SCienCe, and teChniCal Su
SECOND GRADE
student sample: Grade 2, argument (opinion)
This opinion piece about a work of literature was produced in class.
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Writing Example
What’s Great about This Essay: n Introduces the book topic, title and author in the essay n States an opinion about the book and gives reasons for the opinion n Uses linking words, such as because, to connect opinions and reasons n Provides a concluding statement
n Uses capital letters in the title n Underlines the title n Ends all sentences with correct punctuation n Beginning to use contractions n Uses commas and apostrophes somewhat correctly
n Begins sentences with capital letters ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 35 |
Speaking & Listening Speaking is another major way people communicate. How well children can speak in school affects their ability to participate in class discussions and present in front of the class. If children are good listeners, they will be able to learn from their teachers and classmates more easily. Children need many opportunities to both speak and listen in order to gain the language skills to be able to read and write. The more children talk at home, the more this skill will transfer to school. This section gives an overview of how speaking and listening standards progress from one grade to the next.
Progressions
Kindergarten n Have conversations about kindergarten topics by taking turns speaking about topics and stories. n Ask and answer questions about key details of a story. n Ask questions for help, to get information, or to clarify something. n Describe people, places, things and events, and use drawings and pictures to add more detail.
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First Grade n Have conversations about 1st grade topics by listening to others and speaking one at a time. n Build on conversations by responding to others’ comments and asking questions to get information or to clarify something. n Describe people, places, things and events, and use drawings and pictures to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. n Speak clearly and in complete sentences when expressing thoughts, feelings and ideas.
Second Grade n Have conversations about 2nd grade topics by getting others’ attention in respectful ways, listening to others, and speaking one at a time. n Build on conversations by linking his/her comments to those of others and asking questions to get information, to clarify something, or to expand on the topic. n Tell a story or talk about an experience using facts and details. n Speak clearly and in complete sentences when expressing thoughts, feelings and ideas. n Create audio recordings of stories or poems and add drawings or pictures to clarify ideas.
Special Education Because all children deserve a high quality education, there are no separate or different standards for children with special needs. However, students with disabilities should be provided a range of supports. Children with special needs should receive remediation, accommodations, modifications, assistive technology, and other supports for classroom learning and any tests, all of which can be specified in an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) or 504 Plan.
Some questions to ask include: n What learning goal does each standard address? n What does my child need to have in place to achieve the standards being taught? n What strategies, teaching, technology, or other services will be provided to make sure my child has an equal opportunity to reach the same high level of learning? n How will any changes related to the Standards affect my child’s IEP? n Are there other tests, options, or services available adapted to meet my child’s needs? n Who should I go to for help? Knowing what your child is supposed to be learning in each grade can make it easier for you to ask questions about meeting academic goals and what kind of extra help your child might need. The plan may have both learning and nonacademic goals, such as behavioral goals or goals related to how your child expresses his/her feelings. Only the learning goals need to be based on the grade-level standards.
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Parent
Child
Teacher
Communication
I.E.P.
For more information: Accessibility Features and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in PARCC Assessments - A Parent’s Guide http://www.parcconline.org
Application to Students with Disabilities http://www.corestandards.org
Families Helping Families Centers
http://dhh.louisiana.gov/Index.cfm/page/1564
FAQs on Universal Design for Learning and the Common Core from the National Center on Universal Design for Learning http://www.udlcenter.org
Louisiana Department of Education: Students with Disabilities https://www.louisianabelieves.com
National Center for Learning Disabilities http://www.ncld.org
For direct links to the resources listed above, visit the Educational Resources page at www.cdl.org.
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How to Support your Child For too long, there has been a gap in what students need to know and do in order to be successful in college and the workplace and what they are taught in school. The Louisiana State Standards are meant to be clearer, more rigorous, and based on what research shows will prepare your child for college and career. In order to change what and how our students are learning, there are 6 main changes, also known as “shifts”. This section provides a closer look at the shifts, what they mean for your child, and what you can do to help.
SHIFT 1
Balance Informational & Literary Texts
Students Must… n Read a balance of non-fiction* and fiction* texts*, increasing the amount of non-fiction* as grade level increases.
Parents Can… n Read non-fiction* books with and to your child (see pages 22-27 for suggestions). n Read more informational* texts like newspapers, magazines or online articles. n While reading ask questions like, “What is this book about?” “What point is the author trying to make?” “How does this relate to…?” or “What information from the book tells you that?” | 40 | Center for Development and Learning
The recommended balance of fiction* to non-fiction* books students should read is: elementary level - 50/50; middle level - 45/55; high school level - 30/70.
SHIFT 2
6-12, Literacy in All Content Areas
Students Must… n Learn how to read books for different subject areas, and write using evidence* or proof from texts*. n Use primary and secondary sources* to understand a topic.
Parents Can… n Give your child different types of books, especially on topics in which they are interested – from sports heroes to animals. n Have your child read at least 15 minutes daily. n Have your child write a story, draw a picture, give a presentation, or create a project based on what he/ she read. ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 41 |
SHIFT 3
Text Complexity
Students Must… n Read and “unpack”* more complex* texts at each grade level.
Parents Can… n Have children retell stories, including key details. n Have conversations about characters, lessons, and central themes and ideas. n Ask questions like, “What do you think the author is up to?” “What mood does reading this book put you in?” or “Would you write this book differently if you were the author?”
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What do complex texts* look like? n n n n n n
More words Longer sentences and paragraphs Various sentence types Challenging words More serious or real-life topics Complicated ideas
SHIFT 4
Text-based Answers
Students Must… n Use evidence* from the text* to answer questions, make judgments, and support arguments, beliefs, and opinions.
Parents Can… n Encourage your child to provide evidence* or support in everyday discussions. n Ask questions like, “Why do you think that?” or “What information in the text* helped you come to that conclusion?”
ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 43 |
SHIFT 5
Writing from Sources
Students Must… n Write using evidence* from multiple sources to inform or make an argument about a single topic. n Analyze* and synthesize* ideas, events and facts across many texts* to form an opinion or conclusion.
Parents Can… n Encourage your child to write in a daily journal. n Write “books” together, using evidence* and details to tell stories about everyday activities such as family activities, events, holidays or special occasions. n Have your child choose an article from a newspaper, magazine or website and write a story about it. n Have older kids write a report on a topic using information from many different sources (newspaper, Internet, personal experience, asking/interviewing others, books, etc.).
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SHIFT 6
Academic Vocabulary
Students Must… n Build vocabulary across various subjects and focus on words students will read and use most frequently.
Parents Can… n Read and talk often to young children. n Start a family vocabulary box or jar. Have everyone write down new words they discover, add them to the box, and use the words in conversation. n Pick a “word of the day” starting with a different letter. Have your child write the word and look for other things beginning with the same letter. n Play rhyming and word games. n Have older kids read more complex books, highlight words they don’t know, and find definitions for those words. n Relate new words to words children already know. For example, if a child knows what it means to be mad, that may help her learn the word “frustrated”.
ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 45 |
Glossary Align – making sure information being taught reflects what students should know in each subject area and at each grade level. Analyze – to break something complex into parts or ideas; to look at details; to identify key factors or evidence in a text to support an opinion or thought. Compare – looking at two or more people, things, events, etc. in order to see what is alike or what they have in common. Complex text – text that requires deeper thinking; may include longer and more complicated words and sentences, multiple meanings and points of view, and challenging topics. Compound sentence – two or more simple sentences joined by a conjunction (and, but, or). For example, “Kate likes to eat fruit, and Michael likes to eat candy”. “Kate likes to eat fruit” = simple sentence, “Michael likes to eat candy” = simple sentence. Contrast – looking at two or more people, things, events, etc. in order to see what is different. Critical thinking – ability to use information to solve problems; thinking outside the box; consider other points of view; to figure something out; making reasonable judgments or arguments; learning how to think rather than what to think. Also known as higher-level thinking. Evidence – proof; facts or information used to prove or disprove something. Fairytale – a type of folktale story about magical and imaginary beings and lands. Examples include “Cinderella” and “The Princess and the Frog.” Fiction – based on the imagination; a make-believe story that is not real. Folktale – a story or legend passed down through generations by word of mouth; usually based on traditions, customs, or lessons. Examples include: “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Hansel and Gretel.” | 46 | Center for Development and Learning
Informational text – a type of nonfiction that provides factual information about the world. Examples include books, encyclopedias, atlases, newspapers, magazines, brochures, etc. Moral – a lesson or principle contained in or taught by a story or an event. Non-fiction – based on factual events or true information. Prefix – A letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning (as un- in unhappy). Primary source – original information or information created by someone with a firsthand account (personal experience) of an event or topic. Examples include speeches, letters, interviews, autobiographies, poetry, novels and articles reporting new research or findings. Progression – continuous and connected standards, knowledge, and skills students need to have within a grade level and from one grade level to the next. Rigorous – challenging; learning information faster and at earlier ages. For example, your child may learn in 2nd grade what you learned in 4th grade. Secondary source – information based on interpretation or research of primary sources, rather than personal experience. Examples include textbooks, magazine articles, encyclopedias, and commentaries. Simple sentence – includes the most basic elements of a sentence: a subject and a verb. For example - The bus was late. “bus” = subject, “was” = verb. Suffix – a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning (as -ful in joyful). Synthesize – using information to form one’s own thoughts, ideas, and opinions about a topic or book. Text – any written information used to support an opinion or claim. Examples include: books, magazines, articles, websites, newspapers. Unpack – to break down, figure out, analyze, or understand complex text. ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 47 |
Notes
| 48 | Center for Development and Learning
Notes
ELA Parent Resource Guide K–2 | 49 |
References California Department of Education (May 15, 2014). Common Core Resources for Special Education. Accessed May 23, 2014 at http://www.cde.ca.gov/SP/se/cc/. “Common Core State Standards for ELA & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects.” Accessed March 18, 2014 at http://www.corestandards. org/wp-content/uploads/ELA_Standards.pdf. EngageNY. “Common Core State Standards: Shifts for Students and Parents.” Accessed March 18, 2014 at http://www.engageny.org/sites/default/files/resource/ attachments/shifts-for-students-and-parents.pdf. Louisiana Department of Education. Accessed March 18, 2014 at http://www.louisianabelieves.com. National PTA. “Parents’ guide to Student Success.” Accessed March 18, 2014 at http://www.pta.org/parents/. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation: Education and Workforce. Accessed March 21, 2014 at http://www.businessforcore.org/.
This resource contains excerpts and summaries. For more details, see the Common Core State Standards for ELA & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects for the official set of standards. http://www.corestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/ELA_Standards.pdf See CCSS for ELA Appendix B for a complete list of book examples. http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf See CCSS for ELA Appendix C for more writing samples. http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_C.pdf
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