Focus on the Common Core:

Integrating Literacy Skills across Content Areas

Deborah Myers Boyd, Ed.D.
2014 ASCD Conference on Teaching Excellence
June 29, 2014

Key Shifts in CCSS ELA and Literacy

1. ____________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________

Content-rich non-fiction? Lets talk!

Standards?

Strategies!
Social Studies:

Vocabulary- Illustrate! (Drawing It Out!!)

Reading- Text Rendering

Writing- Secret Recipe

Speaking & Listening- Teach Me Again!

What does this look like in

grades K-4?

grades 5-8?

grades 9-12?

Science/CTE

Vocabulary-Shades of meaning

Reading- Be a Detective

Writing- Making a Claim

Speaking & Listening- Conversation Starters

What does this look like in

grades K-4?

grades 5-8?

grades 9-12?

Illustrate! (Drawing It Out!)

The teacher presents one to three Tier 2 words from the text. Students brainstorm either
individually or in pairs or small groups about the meaning of the word. They then
individually draw it out using word drawings or sketching the word. Students can then
think-pair-share the word and illustration.

FADE

GLOW

FADE

FADE

FADE

Text Rendering
Adapted from National School Reform Faculty protocol available at
http://www.nsrfharmony.org/protocol/doc/text_rendering.pdf
Students read text, then go back and underline the sentence, put a box around the phrase, and
circle the word that is most meaningful or significant to them or the author (depending on
instructional purpose).
In small groups, students read what they have marked for individually.

In round one, students take turns reading the sentences.

In round two, they read the phrases.
In round three, they read the words.
Throughout the rendering, students listen to what others choose to read.

The group discusses repetitions and new insights and understandings.

Students are reading, writing, speaking, listening - and making meaning.

Secret Recipe
Using the text assigned, complete the recipe below with specific words from the text.
3 Facts/Data 1. _________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________

3 Details

1. _________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________
OR

3 Examples

1. _________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________

2 Analogies

1. _________________________________________________________

Or Metaphors 2. _________________________________________________________

1 Relationship 1. _________________________________________________________

Stir together and use what you have found to answer these questions:
What is the point of the text? ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What does the author want readers to learn? ____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What big idea is here? ______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Inner Circle
After students have interacted with a text, have them separate into two equal groups and form
two circles, one inside the other. Have the inner circle turn to face the outer circle, matching up
in pairs. (This is similar to the Wagon Wheel Protocol detailed by the National School Reform
Faculty.) Give students cards index cards with numbered questions that explore the text. The
inner circle partner asks the first question, and the outer circle partner answers and defends
his/her response. After a specified time, the outer partner asks the next question, and the
pattern is repeated. When the first two questions have been discussed, the inner circle turns to
the right and moves to the next partner in the outer circle. The process repeats until all
questions have been asked and answered. Pairing this strategy with the Accountable Talk
Language Stems from the Institute for Learning (IFL) ensures that students listen more closely
and respond with productive comments and questions.

Shades of Meaning
This strategy helps students talk and explore the meanings of words and the gradients of
meaning and to organize the words on a continuum- using shades of color as the metaphor.
Students analyze why an author has selected one word over another, what words seem
synonymous and what differences subtle meanings make in the text.
Students use paint chip strips as a metaphor for "shades of meaning" between and among
similar words. The goal is to expand their understanding of the shades of meaning among
similar terms. Most paint stores have paint cards that they will donate for classroom activities, or
these can be created in common computer applications. Using these paint strips, the teacher
models the shades of meaning with a concrete example of something that is obvious continuum
(light, volume, or temperature, for example). Students brainstorm possible terms, and on the
board, the teacher lists words the students brainstorm. The teacher asks students to make
choices about the subtle differences in the words and place them on the continuum on their
chart (paint chip). Students develop sentences next to each block on their paint chips. The
teacher helps students discover that effective writers and speakers understand the subtle
differences in meaning among related words.

Adapted from: Goodman, Laurie. 2004. "Shades of Meaning: Relating and Expanding Word
Knowledge." In Teaching Vocabulary: 50 Creative Strategies, Grades K-12, ed. G.E. Tompkins
and C. Blanchfield, 85-87. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Be a Detective!

Finding the Evidence and Making the Case!!!

What I think..
Whats in the Text?

Name ___________________________________ Date _____________________

(Guiding Question)?

Claim

Argument

Text Evidence to Support It

Melanie Maxwell & Julie Simone | Lipscomb University College of Education | May 2013

Conversation Starters
This is a strategy to encourage students to have meaningful conversation around a text, video
clip, etc. Students will first read a text, view a video clip, review a chart, etc. Students are then
paired and given a prompt by the teacher based in the content they have read or seen. Each
student speaks to the prompt in turn, and the other student summarizes, asks questions to
extend the discussion, or adds to the discussion.
Offering the students sentence stems and possible questions is helpful.

I have a question about .... Then state the question.

What would happen if
I agree with what you said because ...
. is a great point!
I heard you say ...
I like how you said ...
Thats right. Another example I have thought about is ...
Can you explain more about ....?
Im not sure I understand what you said about ...
I see your point, but what about...?
Thats a valid point, but .
Have you thought about...?

Notes

Reference List

Cherry-Paul, S., & Johansen, D. (2014). Teaching interpretation: using text-based evidence.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Ehrenworth, M. (2013). Unlocking the secrets of complex text. Educational Leadership, 71(3),
(16-21).
Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2013). Rigorous reading: 5 access points for comprehending complex
texts. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Goodman, Laurie. 2004. "Shades of meaning: Relating and expanding word knowledge." In
Teaching Vocabulary: 50 Creative Strategies, Grades K-12, ed. G.E. Tompkins and C.
Blanchfield, 85-87. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Linder, R. (2014). Chart sense: Common sense charts to teach 3-8 informational text and
literature. Atlanta, GA: The Literary Initiative, LLC.
McNeill, K. L., & Krajcik, J. J. (2012). Supporting grade 5-8 students in constructing
explanations in science: The claim, evidence, and reasoning framework for talk and
writing. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Shanahan, T. (2013). You want me to read what?! Educational Leadership, 71(3), (10-15).
Sliver, H. F., Dewing, R. T., & Perini, M. J. (2012). The core six: Essential for achieving
excellence with the common core. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
ZembalSaul, C., McNeill, K. L., & Hershberger, K. (2013). Whats your evidence?: Engaging k5 students in constructing explanations in science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education, Inc.