This document provides an overview of how to access and participate in an iTunesU course on investigating the Common Core English Language Arts standards. It outlines how to download the iTunesU app and search for the course. The course objectives are then summarized as exploring how one anchor standard is manifested at different grade levels and exploring how to measure text complexity. Finally, it discusses forming discussion groups to deepen understanding of the Common Core standards.

1. Common Core Standards and
iTunesU
Investigating ELA Standards for
College and Career Readiness
August 23, 2012

2. If you brought an iOS device
(iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad)…
• Please download the FREE iTunesU app
from the app store.
• Open the app, and select “Catalog” in
upper left-hand corner.
• In SEARCH box in upper right corner, type
“New Milford School District.”
• Select: Investigating the Common Core in
Literacy” course by choosing “Subscribe.”
• Course will appear on shelves of app.

3. Workshop Objectives
• Explore the vertical alignment of one anchor
standard and how the concepts and skills
included in that anchor standard manifest at my
grade level and within a student’s elementary
reading repertoire.
• Explore how text complexity is defined and
measured, so that I can create a list of mentor
texts for my reading instruction with appropriate
text complexity as I move forward.
• Plan for deepening my understanding of the
common core through on-demand professional
development.

4. Anchor Standards for Reading
KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS CRAFT AND STRUCTURE
1. Read closely to determine what the text says 4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used
explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; in a text, including determining technical,
cite specific textual evidence when writing or connotative, and figurative meanings, and
speaking to support conclusions drawn from the analyze how specific word choices shape
text. meaning or tone.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text 5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how
and analyze their development; summarize the specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger
key supporting details and ideas. portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter,
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the
ideas develop and interact over the course of a whole.
text.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the
INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS content and style of a text.
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in
TEXT COMPLEXITY
diverse media and formats, including visually
and quantitatively, as well as in words. 10. Read and comprehend complex literary and
informational texts independently and proficiently.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, including the validity of
the reasoning as well as the relevance and
sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address
similar
themes or topics in order to build knowledge or
to compare the approaches the authors take.

5. Unpacking the Standards
• CONCEPTS--What • SKILLS—What will
will my students my students BE ABLE
KNOW? TO DO?
Underline the NOUNS • Circle the VERBS in
in the standard. the standard.

6. CAUTION!
• Much of the rigor required by the common
core is outlined in the ancillary materials,
not the standards themselves.
• Beware of discreet lists of skills and
concepts, and instead look at the
progression of these skills and the
deepening of these concepts across
grades.

7. Reading Literature Standard 5
Craft and Structure:
Analyze the structure of texts, including
how specific sentences, paragraphs,
and larger portions of the text (e.g., a
section, chapter, scene, or stanza)
relate to each other and the whole.

8. Reading Literature Standard 5
• RL 1.5: Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books
that give information, drawing on a wide range of text types.
• RL 2.5: Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the
beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
• RL 3.5: Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about
a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each
successive part builds on earlier sections.
• RL 4.5: Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer ot the
structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of
characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or
speaking about a text.
• RL 5.5: Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide
the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
• RL 6.5: Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the
overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or
plot.
• RL 7.5: Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet)
contributes to its meaning.

9. In mixed grade level groups of 3-4:
Discuss:
1. What does this standard mean?
2. What has to happen in the grade before
for my students to reach mastery?
3. What lessons would lead students to
mastery of this standard?
4. What types of texts/authors would make
sense to read within this standard?

10. Next Steps…
• We will analyze the instructional design for
RL Standard 5 in units of study in grade
level/collab. meetings:
– Grade 2: Growing a Sense of Story
– Grade 3: Traditional Literature
– Grade 4: Reading Poetry
– Grade 5: The Complexities and Themes of
Fantasy Fiction
– Grade 6: Questioning Narrative Texts

11. Take 5!

12. Overview of Text Complexity
Overview of Text Complexity
Text complexity is defined by:
1. Quantitative measures – readability and
other scores of text complexity often best
measured by computer software.
2. Qualitative measures – levels of meaning,
Qu
ive
structure, language conventionality and
an
tat
clarity, and knowledge demands often best
ti
ali
tat
measured by an attentive human reader.
Qu
ive
3. Reader and Task considerations –
background knowledge of reader, motivation, Reader and Task
interests, and complexity generated by tasks
assigned often best made by educators
employing their professional judgment.
Source: 12

13. Determining Text
Complexity
• A Four-step Process:
1. Determine the quantitative
measures of the text.
Qu
ive
an
tat
ti
2. Analyze the qualitative measures
ali
tat
Qu
ive
of the text.
3. Reflect upon the reader and task Reader and Task
considerations.
4. Recommend placement in the
appropriate text complexity band.
13

14. Kansas Common Core Standards
Quantitative Measures Ranges for
Text Complexity Grade Bands
Text Complexity Suggested Suggested ATOS
Grade Bands Lexile Range Book Level Range**
K-1 100L – 500L* 1.0 – 2.5
2-3 450L – 790L 2.0 – 4.0
4-5 770L – 980L 3.0 – 5.7
6-8 955L – 1155L 4.0 – 8.0
9-10 1080L – 1305L 4.6 – 10.0
11-CCR 1215L – 1355L 4.8 – 12.0
* The K-1 suggested Lexile range was not identified by the Common Core State Standards and was added by Kansas.
** Taken from Accelerated Reader and the Common Core State Standards, available at the following URL:
http://doc.renlearn.com/KMNet/R004572117GKC46B.pdf

15. Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Measures such as:
• Word length
• Word frequency
• Word difficulty
• Sentence length
• Text length
• Text cohesion
15

16. Step 1: Quantitative
Measures
The Quantitative Measures
Ranges for Text Complexity:
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=4605
This document outlines the
suggested ranges for each of the
text complexity bands using:
1. Lexile Text Measures
---or---
2. ATOS Book Levels
(Accelerated Reader)
16

17. Step 1: Quantitative
Measures
Let’s imagine we want to see where a text falls on the quantitative
measures “leg” of the text complexity triangle, using either the
Lexile text measures or the ATOS book level (or both).
For illustrative purposes, let’s
choose Harper Lee’s 1960
novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
17

18. Step 1: Quantitative
Measures
For texts not in the Lexile database, consider using the Lexile Analyzer:
http://www.lexile.com/analyzer/
• Registration is required (free)
http://www.lexile.com/account/register/
• Allows user to receive an
“estimated” Lexile score
• Accommodates texts up to 1000
words in length
• Texts of any length can be
evaluated using the Professional
Lexile Analyzer—educators can
upgrade to this tool for free by
requesting access
http://www.lexile.com/account/profile/access/
18

19. Step 1: Quantitative
Measures
Finding a ATOS Book Level for Text: http://www.arbookfind.com/
19

20. Step 1: Quantitative
Measures
20

21. Step 1: Quantitative
Measures
Lexile Text 870L
Measure:
ATOS Book 5.6
Level:
In which of the text complexity bands would this novel fall?
21

22. Kansas Common Core Standards
Quantitative Measures Ranges for
Text Complexity Grade Bands
Text Complexity Suggested Suggested ATOS
Grade Bands Lexile Range Book Level Range**
K-1 100L – 500L* 1.0 – 2.5
2-3 450L – 790L 2.0 – 4.0
4-5 770L – 980L 3.0 – 5.7
6-8 955L – 1155L 4.0 – 8.0
9-10 1080L – 1305L 4.6 – 10.0
11-CCR 1215L – 1355L 4.8 – 12.0
* The K-1 suggested Lexile range was not identified by the Common Core State Standards and was added by Kansas.
** Taken from Accelerated Reader and the Common Core State Standards, available at the following URL:
http://doc.renlearn.com/KMNet/R004572117GKC46B.pdf

23. Step 1: Quantitative
Measures
Remember, however, that the quantitative measures is only the
first of three “legs” of the text complexity triangle.
Our final recommendation
may be validated, influenced,
or even over-ruled by our
examination of qualitative
measures and the reader
and task considerations.
23

24. Step 2: Qualitative Measures
Measures such as:
• Levels of meaning
• Levels of purpose
• Structure
• Organization
• Language conventionality
• Language clarity
• Prior knowledge demands
24

25. Step 2: Qualitative
Measures
The Qualitative Measures Rubrics
for Literary and Informational Text: http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?
tabid=4605
The rubric for literary text and the rubric for informational text allow
educators to evaluate the important elements of text that are often
missed by computer software that tends to focus on more easily
measured factors.
25

26. Step 2: Qualitative
Measures
Because the factors for literary texts
are different from information texts,
these two rubrics contain different
content. However, the formatting of
each document is exactly the same.
And because these factors represent
continua rather than discrete stages
or levels, numeric values are not
associated with these rubrics.
Instead, four points along each
continuum are identified: high, middle
high, middle low, and low.
26

27. Step 2: Qualitative
Measures
27

28. Step 2: Qualitative
Measures knew:
From examining the quantitative measures, we
Lexile Text 870L
Measure:
ATOS Book 5.6
Level:
But after reflecting upon the qualitative measures, we believed:
28

29. Step 2: Qualitative
Measures
Our initial placement of To Kill a Mockingbird into a text complexity
band changed when we examined the qualitative measures.
Remember, however, that we have
completed only the first two legs of the
Qu
ive
text complexity triangle.
an
tat
ti
ali
tat
Qu
The reader and task considerations
ive
still remain.
Reader and Task
29

30. Step 3: Reader and Task
Considerations such as:
•Motivation
•Knowledge and experience
•Purpose for reading
•Complexity of task assigned
regarding text
•Complexity of questions asked
regarding text
30

31. Step 3:Reader and Task
Considerations
The questions included here are
largely open-ended questions
without single, correct answers, but
help educators to think through the
implications of using a particular text
in the classroom.
31

32. Step 3: Reader and Task
Considerations
Based upon our examination of the
Reader and Task Considerations,
we have completed the third leg of
the text complexity model and are
now ready to recommend a final
placement within a text complexity
band.
32

33. Step 4: Recommended
Placement
Lexile Text 870L
Measure:
ATOS Book 5.6
Level:
33

34. Step 4: Recommended
Placement
Based upon all the information—all three legs
of the model—the final recommendation for To
Kill a Mockingbird is….
34

35. Step 4: Recommended
Placement
Step 4: Recommended Placement
After reflecting upon all three legs of
the text complexity model we can
make a final recommendation of
placement within a text and begin to
document our thinking for future
reference.
35

36. Step 4: Recommended
Placement
36

38. Next Steps…
• Introducing the ELA
Common Core
Course for iTunesU…
• Do you have an iOS
device: iPad, iPhone,
iPod?
• Discussion groups
• Collab. meetings

39. No iOS device?
• You can progress independently at your
own pace through the iTunes Store OR
• I will be offering the course as a
collaborative discussion group. It will
meet in half hour sessions after school.
Watch your E-mail for more information…

40. Consider Deepening your
Understanding of the Common
Core for Your APGP…
• Vertical alignment of the standards
• Text complexity
• Writing in the Common Core
• Speaking and Listening in the Common
Core
• Grammar in the Common Core
• Preparing for Assessment Shifts from
SBAC