Common Core Alignment

In addition, I began developing my own ideas on how I could use all that I had learned with younger students, particularly my 2nd grade students.  Learn more about my growing ideas below!

As I worked with kids on the variety of activities, several Common Core Learning Standards and College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards came to mind.  Below you will find brief explanations of how I think I might use these activities to address Common Core standards in innovative ways.  These are ideas I will continue to build upon later on as I create lessons and units for the coming school year.  Check back often as the content of this page may change as my ideas grow.

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing (K-5)

Production and Distribution of Writing - CCR4, 5, 6

• What are these standards asking students to do? These sets of anchor standards call for students to produce clear and coherent writing that is developed and organized in a style that is appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.  They also call for students to strengthen their writing by following the writing process and/or trying a new approach.  In addition students are required to use technology, which includes the internet, to produce and publish writing, as well as to interact and collaborate with peers and others.

• My Big Idea:  Students can remix Thimble templates to create websites that allow them to not only produce and publish writing but also to organize and develop their writing; plan, revise, edit, and rewrite as needed through interaction and collaboration with peers.  By using this tool students can explore new approaches for tackling the writing process.  They can also create fun kid-centered websites to share their work with a broader audience. 

I remixed a template for my 2nd grade students to use when developing and distributing their writing during a CCLS Aligned Writing Task.  Click here to see the template I remixed for student use.

Response to Literature - CCR11

• What is this standard asking students to do? This standard calls for students to make and develop personal, cultural, textual, and thematic connections within and across genres as they respond to texts through written, digital and oral presentations, using a variety of media and genres.

• My Big Idea:  Students love watching movies and so I thought it would be fun to create a movie poster by remixing a Thimble template.  Here students can show what they've learned about the book they are reading.  They can list characters, include quotes, show their understanding of setting and/or plot, and add images to depict the story.  It's also a great way for students to present and talk about the stories they read with peers, teachers and parents.  The possibilities are endless!

I remixed a Thimble template to present a book students will be reading in my class.  This is a loose example of what students could create.  I think my movie poster will get students excited about reading this book.

Click here to see the template I remixed as an example.

Check back often... more to come!