the Alabama

College and Career Ready

Standards

Unpacking

Presented by:Jennifer Dunnagan and Cara Whitehead, NBCT

Rainbow Middle School, Rainbow City, ALOctober 2013

• Review Dr. Bice’s Plan2020 and Absolutes.

Practice unpacking the CCSS using the Insight Tool.

Determine strategies to implement the CCSS into daily instruction.

Discuss monitoring implementation using formative and summative assessments.

Collaborate with content area teachers.

Agenda

STANDARDDefine the word “standard” using only one word. Think outside of the educational field.

Write your one word on a sticky note.

Alabama’s Vision StatementEvery Child a Graduate – Every Graduate Prepared

forCollege/Work/Adulthood in the 21st Century

Dr. Bice’s Plan2020 Improve student growth and achievement. Close the achievement gap. Increase the graduation rate. Increase the number of students that are

college- and career-ready.

Absolutes During the Transition 

Teach to the standards for each of the required subjects (Alabama College- and Career-Ready Standards - Courses of Study)

 Through a clearly articulated and locally aligned K-12 curriculum (Sample curricula 

found on ALEX and Alabama Insight) Supported by aligned resources, support, and professional development (Sample 

lesson plans and supporting resources found on ALEX, differentiated support through ALSDE Regional Support Teams and ALSDE Initiatives, etc.)

 Monitored regularly through formative, interim/benchmark assessments to inform 

the effectiveness of the instruction and continued learning needs of individuals and groups of students (GlobalScholar, QualityCore Benchmarks, and other locally determined assessments)

 With a goal that each student graduates from high school with the knowledge and 

skills to succeed in post-high school education and the workforce without the need for remediation as evidenced by multiple measures achieved through multiple pathways to meet the graduation requirements set for students in Alabama.  (Alabama High School Graduation Requirements/Diploma)

6

College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS)Ability to draw

inferences/conclusions from text

Analyzing conflicting source documents

Supporting arguments with evidence

Solving complex problems with no obvious answer

7

CCSS – Middle School Video

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/common-core-state-standards-middle-

school

CCRS Math• Standards for Mathematical

Practice PLUS Content Standards• Increased rigor in the standards• Content shifts in all grade levels• New expectations for classrooms

CCRS English/Language Arts Greater emphasis on non-fiction texts

Focus on evidence

Regular practice with complex text

4. Speaking and listening

5. Literacy in the Content Areas

Implementing the CCRS requires… Unpacking the standards and understanding what is contained within

each one.

Identifying “essential” standards.

Developing clear learning goals or objectives.

Shifting students’ focus from “answer getting” to solving problems and critical thinking.

Exposing students to a large variety of complex texts in ALL subject areas.

Connecting the standard topics to the prior knowledge of students.

Establishing the classroom environment as a community of learners.

Unpacking

the CCRS

Math Classrooms

..\Rainbow Middle School\Math\Math-Practices-posters.pdf