Ways in which librarians can support the implementation of the Montana Common Core Standards

1. By Lisa Keyes
May, 2013
ROLE OF MONTANA’S
LIBRARY MEDIA
SPECIALISTS IN
IMPLEMENTING THE
MONTANA COMMON
CORE STANDARDS

3. TEXT COMPLEXITY: QUALITATIVE MEASURES RUBRIC LITERARY TEXT
TEXT COMPLEXITY: QUALITATIVE MEASURES RUBRIC
LITERARY TEXT
Text Title: Text Author:
MEANING
High Middle High Middle Low Low
Multiple levels/layers of complex meaning Multiple levels/layers of meaning Single level/layer of complex meaning Single level/layer of simple meaning
STRUCTURE
High Middle High Middle Low Low
Narrative Structure: complex, implicit, and
unconventional
Narrative Structure: some complexities,
more implicit than explicit, some
unconventionality
Narrative Structure: largely simple
structure, more explicit than implicit,
largely conventional
Narrative Structure: simple, explicit,
conventional
Narration: many shifts in point of view Narration: occasional shifts in point of
view
Narration: few, if any, shifts in point of
view
Narration: no shifts in point of view
Order of Events: frequent manipulations
of time and sequence (not in chronological
order)
Order of Events: several major shifts in
time, use of flashback
Order of Events: occasional use of
flashback, no major shifts in time
Order of Events: chronological
LANGUAGE
High Middle High Middle Low Low
Conventionality: heavy use of abstract
and/or figurative language or irony
Conventionality: contains abstract and/or
figurative language or irony
Conventionality: subtle use of figurative
language or irony
Conventionality: little or no use of
figurative language or irony
Clarity: generally unfamiliar, archaic,
domain-specific, and/or academic
language; dense and complex; may be
ambiguous or purposefully misleading
Clarity: somewhat complex language that
is occasionally unfamiliar, archaic, domain-
specific, or overly academic
Clarity: largely contemporary, familiar,
conversational language that is explicit and
literal; rarely unfamiliar, archaic, domain-
specific, or overly academic
Clarity: contemporary, familiar,
conversational language that is explicit
and literal; easy-to-understand
KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS
High Middle High Middle Low Low
Life Experiences: explores multiple
complex, sophisticated themes; multiple
perspectives presented; experiences
portrayed are not fantasy but are distinctly
different to the common reader
Life Experiences: explores multiple
themes of varying levels of complexity;
experiences portrayed are not fantasy but
are uncommon to most readers
Life Experiences: explores a single complex
theme; experiences portrayed are common
to many readers or are clearly fantasy
Life Experiences: explores a single theme;
single perspective presented and everyday
experiences are portrayed that are
common to most readers or experiences
are clearly fantasy
Cultural/Literary Knowledge: requires an
extensive depth of literary/cultural
knowledge; many references/allusions to
other texts and/or cultural elements
Cultural/Literary Knowledge: requires
moderate levels of cultural/literary
knowledge; some references/allusions to
other texts and/or cultural elements
Cultural/Literary Knowledge: requires
some cultural/literary knowledge; few
references/allusions to other texts and/or
cultural elements
Cultural/Literary Knowledge: requires
only common, everyday cultural/literary
knowledge; no references/allusions to
other texts and/or cultural elements

4. Does the adoption of Common Core standards
sound like a DAUNTING task for school
librarians?
Librarians already implement many of them!
The new standards and the already existing AASL
standards for the 21st-Century Learner are very similar!

5. Common Core will require teacher librarians and
classroom teachers to engage students with
informational texts

6. Common Core aligns with AASL’s Inquiry-Based Process
of seeking knowledge in curricular subjects and making the
real world connection for using this process in own life.
But more specifically, under Common Core, students
will use
comparison/contrast, cause/effect, classification, and
definition strategies to explain ideas on how to
formulate research projects.

7. Introducing quality non-fiction texts is something librarians do well.
Now we must consistently take this to another level by bridging the
gap between inquiry and reading comprehension.
How do we do this?
Model for kids and help them learn how to make connections, ask
questions, create meaning, summarize…..

8. Technology in the Classroom
Students need to be taught online reading comprehension.
Navigating Search Engines
Evaluating connected texts
Using interactive media
Librarians will ask questions that demonstrate true understanding of
websites that are being used and teach regular lessons on how to
evaluate websites. What is the best way to teach website
evaluation? Do it together with students until it’s understood.

9. Literacy is
the underlying goal of Common Core for
Language Arts, Social Studies and Science!
It’s very important for school libraries to have high-
quality resources in these areas since literacy will be
taught through regular books, not textbooks!

10. Textbooks are going by the wayside!
Educators will be using shorter, well-written texts that students can
think about on a deeper level than when using the traditional
textbook. Periodicals are a great source of terrific shorter texts that
students will dive into head first!
Goodbye old textbooks! Hello Periodicals!

11. Librarians will boost up the Nonfiction
Collection
with
first-class informational books – those that are well-
written and packed with information such as:

12. More award-winning informational books that
should be in all libraries to support
Common Core:

13. Works Cited
• All Aboard!: Implementing Common Core offers school librarians an
opportunity to take the lead. Retrieved at
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/893928-
312/all_aboard_implementing_common_core.html.csp.
• AASL Common Core Crosswalk. Retrieved at
http://www.ala.org/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/commoncorecrosswalk/
englishlanguagearts1.
• YALSA -Young Adult Library Services Association. Retreived at
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/nonfiction-award.
• http://programs.ccsso.org/projects/common%20core%20resources/docu
ments/Literary%20Text%20Qualitative%20Rubric.pdf