Connecting the Dots

CCSS, NWEA, DI… Help!An Overview of cerca

Today

Opportunities and Challenges of Supporting

the Common Core State Standards Implementation AND Staying Focused Growth

Understanding how a set of Common Core

State Standard-Aligned critical literacy

practices can help teachers Differentiate

Instruction for Growth on NWEA

―If you can’t see it the classroom, it’s not there.‖

―There are only three ways to improve student

learning at scale:

• You can raise the level of the content that

students are taught.

• You can increase the skill and knowledge

that teachers bring to the teaching of that

content.

• And you can increase the level of students’

active learning of the content.

That’s it. Everything else is instrumental.‖

—Richard Elmore ―The Instructional Core‖ Gregory R.Anrig Professor of Educational Leadership, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Cell Phones in Schools?

Text Evidence

• Compact

• Can be used to record

sounds and images

• May contain software

applications

Bloom’s Cognitive Process Dimension

―Ya Know‖ vs. Purposeful Academic Language Development

CCSS-Aligned

From Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in

History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards

...the Standards put particular emphasis on students’ ability to write

sound arguments on substantive topics and issues, as this ability is

critical to college and career readiness. English and education

professor Gerald Graff (2003) writes that ―argument literacy‖is

fundamental to being educated.The university is largely an

―argument culture,‖ Graff contends....He claims that because

argument is not standard in most school curricula, only 20 percent

of those who enter college are prepared in this respect....When

teachers ask students to consider two or more perspectives on a

topic or issue, something far beyond surface knowledge is

required: students must think critically and deeply, assess the

validity of their own thinking, and anticipate counterclaims in

opposition to their own assertions.

Real-Life Social Activity

Test or No Test

Debate-oriented discussion is a

favorite, real-life social activity.

Do you ever go a day without one?

What is cerca?

• Education for Thinking

• A school-wide/district-wide common language and core

set of leveled and adaptable tools and practices for

developing critical literacy across all disciplines.

• A streamlined system for coordinating and differentiating

instruction, centered on exploring essential questions

through the common practices of academic discussion and

claim-making in traditional academic writing, as well as in

multimedia formats.

• An approach for debatifying content in service of

developing skills and improving rigor and engagement for

true cognitive growth and college & career readiness.

Research-Based

• The new Common Core State Standards focus on close

reading and evidence-based argumentation as the key to

academic literacy, career readiness, and rigorous thought.

• Using the cerca lens challenges students to read closely

and critically with authentic motivation to move beyond

comprehension into critical analysis, making instruction more

rigorous so all students grow.

• Debate-centered, cerca is naturally social and

participatory.

• Whole faculties can collaborate strategically around skill

development, providing individualized support, regardless of teaching styles.

*See ―Additional Resources‖ on page 25.

• Answers a specific question given in a prompt or asserts an

independent claim generated by the student.

• Claim statement often suggests/addresses an audience.

• Tells readers why the issue is significant*. Providing key

words as part of an essential question unit often helps

students express this significance and their reasoning. For

example, in discussions of Facebook and teens, ―privacy,‖

―freedom,‖ and ―safety‖ are key terms students will need.

*CCSS

claim

• Quotations from the text (Word for Word).

• Summary of text.

• Paraphrased information.

• Facts & statistics.

• Anyone engaged in the argument can find this and use it.

evidence

• The source of the greatest language and cognitive

demands.

• This is thinking spelled out.

• Answers this question: ―How does that evidence help

prove the claim?‖

• Where rigor and learning reside.

reasoning

counter-claim

• Bring it on! The counter-claim challenges students to

consider other viewpoints by asking them to state an

opponent’s argument and to develop a rebuttal from a

shared value.

• A natural and serious game, debate is animated by

counter- argument. Responsiveness to another argument

makes the counter-claim in writing, play, discussion, or

creation the most engaging aspect of cerca.

• Exploring opposing viewpoints is a strong thread

throughout all academic standards, from the College

Readiness Standards to the Common Core Standards. It is

also a skill featured prominently in Advanced Placement

assessments across disciplines.

audience-appropriate language

• Academic Language Learners (ALLs) and English Language

Learners (ELLs) struggle with the power of their own ideas because

they often lack the language or the confidence to express the

abstract concepts and complex ideas that are the basis of reason-

giving in all forms of argumentation.

• Academic terms, discipline-specific sentence frames, and

arguespeak can be provided to scaffold these challenges.

• In reading, students can begin to see arguments with a kind of X-

ray vision when they are given this support, providing more support

and practice for challenging reading.

• Students can be taught about correct usage, punctuation, or

even the aptness of a word choice, when we pay regular

attention to these details within a systematic program.

Skill Development

• Standards and Skills-Aligned Task Templates and

Rubrics

• Color-Coding System and Sentence Template-

supported, systematic academic skill and language

development for ALLs and ELLs

• Authentically Differentiated and Growth-Focused

Personalized Learning Delivered

Multi-Modal, Multi-Media Text/Tasks

Personalized & Collaborative

Differentiation made simple. 4 levels of texts. 4 levels of tasks.

CERCA Centers Samples

• Scorpions by Walter Dean Meyers

• Building a progression of texts

CERCA

Centers

Make-Up

StationBook Club Independent

Reading

Station

Thinking

about

Character

Thinking

about

Text to X

Connections

Persuasive

Writing

Thinking

about

Words

Thinking

with

CERCA

Learning Plan

Centers

Thinking about Connections

Thinking about Words

Thinking about Characters

Thinking about What Happened

Thinking with CERCA

Required Submissions

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4*

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

* Multiple options available.

Group or Individual Name

_______________________________________________________________

Thinking about CERCA

CERCA prompts (con’t)

13 Read from the beginning of the chapter through “Jamal went down to the first floor, then into his homeroom. He went to the closet, got his coat, and left the school.”

Who should be held responsible for Jamal still having a gun later in the book, Jamal or the school?

CERCA

14 Read the whole chapter. Sassy’ s decision to make: Should Sassy tell Mama about Jamal having a gun?

CERCADecision Chart

15 Read from “’We got to talk,’ Jamal said?”

through “Tito gave him his pencil, and Jamal wrote down the telephone number next to the We Deliver sign.”

Jamal’s decision to make: How will Jamal resolve his issues with the Scorpions?

CERCADecision Chart

16 “’Suppose he start something with you?’”

“Remember what you said about being beaten up and then it’s over and not too bad?” “Yeah?” “So that’s what I’m going to do,” Jamal said. If he starts to beat me up, I’m just going to take it like a man. Then I’m going to walk away, and when I get home I’ll just wash up and laugh at him.”

Evaluate Jamal’s decision to allow Indian to beat him up. Was letting Indian this the only or best solution to his problems at this point?

CERCA

17-18 Read pages 182-186 and 195-201 Was Jamal a good friend to Tito? CERCA19-20 Read the last three chapters of the novel. Tito’s decision to make: Should

Tito keep his actions secret?CERCA Decision Chart

Chapter Close Reading Passage Opening and Closing Paragraphs (1st Sentence/Last Sentence)

Prompt CERCA Type

Thinking about Words

NWEA DescartesWord Analysis and Vocabulary Skills

191-200 201-210 211-220 220+

Chooses the

synonym (term not

used) for a given

word

Identifies the

word that is a

synonym (term

defined)

for a given word

Infers the meaning

of a word using

context

clues, then selects

the word that has

the same meaning

Recognizes

multiple

meanings for a

given word

Thinking about Words

Option 1: New Words in the Text

Word that has Same Meaning

Name:_________________

Word that has

Opposite Meaning

Picture or Iconof Vocabulary

Part of Speech Sentence Using the

Vocabulary Word Vocabulary

Word

Thinking about Words Option 4: Key Words and Academic Terms

Key terms I may need for discussing this book.

Name:_________________

Vocabulary Word

Dictionary Definition

Dictionary Definition 2 Synonym Antonym Picture or Icon

that Represents the Word.

Thinking about Characters

NWEA DescartesLiterature: Literary Elements and Techniques

191-200 201-210 211-220 221 - 230

- Analyzes

character traits

(term not used)

in literary text

- Determines a

character's

feelings and/or

emotions

based on the

information

found in literary

texts

- Determines a

character's

feelings and/or

emotions

based on the

information

found in literary

texts

- Infers the

conflict in a

literary text

- Analyzes to

determine the

problem

presented in

literary texts

- Infers the reason

behind a

character's actions

- Infers the qualities

(emotional and/or

physical) of a

character based on

information found in

literary texts

-Infers the reason

behind a

character's

feelings/emotions

- Identifies the

qualities (emotional

and/or physical) of

a

character in literary

texts

- Analyzes

techniques used by

an author to

develop

characters in

literary text

- Evaluates

character

development in

literary text

- Infers the qualities

(emotional and/or

physical) of a

character based

on information

found in literary

texts

Thinking About Characters

Option 2: Understanding Character

Character 1:

Values:

Concerns:

Influences:

Feelings:

Problems:

Name:________________

Character 2::

Values:

Concerns:

Influences:

Feelings:

Problems:

Thinking About Characters

Option 4a: Predicting Character Choice

I predict ________________________________ will... _________________________(Character Name)

______________________________________________________________________

because _______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

I predict this decision will affect their character development in the following ways….

Name:________________

Effect 1 Effect 2 Effect 3

Persuasive Writing

Persuasive Writing Center• Jamal was able to bring a gun into school without being caught. Bringing weapons into

schools has become a problem that schools face. One way to try to prevent weapons from coming into the schools would be through random possession checks. This would give a teacher or principal the right to search through students’ back packs, desks, and lockers. Write a persuasive essay to convince the school board that schools should have the right to randomly search students’ possessions?

• Jamal was bullied by Dwayne to the point that he would do anything to get him to leave him alone. Bullying is another common problem within schools today. Cyber bullying is one form of bullying that has become common in the last few years. Facebook allows an easy way for students to cyber bully. Write a persuasive essay convincing the government that children under 16 should not have a Facebook page.

• Dwayne made fun of Jamal for the clothes that he wore and that made Jamal feel bad about himself. Chicago Public Schools worry that the same mistreatment could happen to their students at school so they have enforced a uniform policy. Write a persuasive essay convincing the government to make uniforms mandatory for all elementary aged students.

• Mr. Davidson only focused on the negative actions of Jamal and hoped that Jamal would do something that would allow him to be kicked out of school. Suspending kids is a common consequence used within schools to punish kids for misbehavior. Write a persuasive essay to convince the school board that suspending kids is not an effective form of punishment.

Progressions of Texts

• Build opportunities for students to

access more complex texts through

background knowledge development.

• Provide opportunities for all students to

engage in rigorous close reading and

argumentation by differentiating text

levels for various levels of readiness.

Pre-K Practice Example

Pre-K Read-Aloud:

What evidence from the picture might make people think that elephants are like people?

Who is the big elephant?

Who might the little elephants be?

2nd Grade: What evidence does the author give us that help us

understand her claim that elephants are social? Use exact words from

the text?Locates information in short passages (1 to 3 sentences) of informational text

containing simple sentence construction (RiT 171-180)

Pre-K Practice Example

CERCA Prompt: What evidence and reasoning does the author provide to support his claim that elephants are smart? Do you agree or disagree with this position?

• ―Identifies the supporting details in short (3 to 8 sentences) passages of informational text.‖ containing one or more compound sentences ‖

• ―Paraphrases information found in complex informational text.‖

• ―Locates and paraphrases information in informational text (5-6 paragraphs)‖

(Norm: Rit199.8 BOY 4th grade 2011)

Assessing Descartes

Grade 4, Standard 2: Determine the main idea of a textand explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

• CERCA Prompt Level 1: What is the main idea of ________, and how does the author support this main idea with key details?

• CERCA Prompt Level 4: What evidence and reasoning does the author provide to support his argument that ________? Do you agree or disagree with this position?

• CERCA Sentence Starter Stem:

The main idea of _______ by _____ is ____. The author supports this claim with key details such as _____, ____, and _____ in order to prove that _____.

Descartes as CCSS

What evidence and reasoning does the

author provide to support his argument

that ________? Do you agree or disagree

with this position?

• Locate important details in

uncomplicated passages

• Make simple inferences about how

details are used in passages

Descartes as College Readiness Standards

(Assessed on EPAS)

NWEA-EXPLORE Correlation

*College readiness EXPLORE

Benchmark in Reading: 15

*RIT Scores: NWEA-ACT Linking Study

*Percentile: 2011 Norm Study

*College readiness EXPLORE

Benchmark in Math: 17

*RIT Scores: NWEA-ACT Linking Study

*Percentile: 2011 Norm Study

RIT Score

(Spring)

Percentile

(Spring)

% Probability of Meeting

College Readiness Benchmark

# Pershing

Students

Minimum 225 57% 45% 217

Minimum 230 70% 64% 191

Minimum 235 80% 82% 102

Minimum 240 88% 96% 67

Minimum 245 93% 100% 30

NWEA-EXPLORE Correlation: Reading

RIT Score

(Spring)

Percentile

(Spring)

% Probability of Meeting

College Readiness Benchmark

# Pershing

Students

Minimum 240 62% 53% 196

Minimum 245 72% 70% 139

Minimum 250 81% 85% 96

Minimum 255 88% 93% 61

Minimum 260 92% 99% 53

Minimum 265 95% 100% 45

NWEA-EXPLORE Correlation: MATH

Total 8th Graders

in Pershing: 1400

School A

School B

Discussion around Data Movement

Principals demand for

grade & classroom data by Spring 12!

Ambitious Instruction in English

Sample (Before)

Grade 4 Reading/ELA Sample: What is the main idea of “Elephants

Cooperate, Proving How Smart They Really Are” by Charles Q. Choi and

what key details does he use to support it?

The main idea of Elephants Cooperate, Proving How Smart They

Really Are is elephants may be smarter than we think.

First off an elephant can see itself in a mirrors, only some animals

can do this (humans apes and dolphins).

Elephants also will help each other. For example, the elephants

work together to get a bucket of corn.

Finally an elephant will stay with their mate, unlike crows, hyenas.

After that I think that elephants are very intelligent.

Sample (After)

Grade 4 Reading/ELA Sample: “Elephants Cooperate, Proving How Smart

They Really Are” by Charles Q. Choi.

The main idea of ―Elephants Cooperate, Proving How Smart

They Really Are,‖ by Charles Q. Choi is that elephants are

pretty smart. The author supports this claim with key details

such as the fact that they can see themselves in mirrors,

work together, the help each other. That only goes for a

couple of other animals, which are dolphins, apes, and

humans. Choi begins the summary of his research telling us

that people used to think that elephants were not as smart

as them. He starts giving us reasons. He gives the test results

to persuade us. The elephants would work together to get

corn. ―They had to coordinate their efforts so that each

could get a tasty bucket of corn.‖ This shows that the

elephants will cooperate to get the corn. Most animals such

as lions will fight each other to get the food, but elephants

will work together to make sure they both get the food.

After (continued)

Some people might argue that other animals work together too, but an elephant will keep going for a very long time, but others don’t. ―Elephant behavior is flexible.‖ If they grew up learning how to do something they will do it, but other animals don’t change. Elephants are smart enough. They can start a community. Some animals can build a structure like a nest. It is a structure. It is built by a living thing. When you build something, it is not like you are just taking over something that is built for you. Choi proves to us that elephants are smart by telling us about the test results, which show that the elephants are not evolved or smart enough to build a structure but they will work together to help themselves. That’s pretty smart because they can learn and change.

Sample Rubric

The writer clearly stated their claim,

explaining the underlying

significance of the issue.

Writer uses sufficient, valid, and relevant evidence from another

source to support claim through

direct quotation (word-for-word)

and summary and paraphrase as

necessary.

Writer effectively explains exactly

how or why the evidence supports

the claim of the paragraph(s).

Writing contains an effective

concluding statement that follows

from and supports the argument

presented, making the significance

of the issue and reasoning behind

the argument clear.

Writing demonstrates skillful use of

words and phrases that would

appeal to the audience to make

an effective argument in which the

claim is explicitly supported by

evidence and sound reasoning.

The paragraph flows like one piece

of writing as opposed to separate

parts stitched together.

Writing contains no errors in X.

Writer states a claim but does not

develop the claim’s significance.

Writer uses some valid or relevant evidence from another source to

support claim through

summary, paraphrase, or direct

quotation (word-for-word), but

evidence is not sufficient to prove

claim.

Writer explains how evidence from

the text supports the claim of the

paragraph but too much of the

thinking behind the argument is left unstated.

Writing contains a concluding

statement that follows from and

supports the argument

presented, but may be mechanical

or simply repetitious.

Choice of words and/or

development of sentences and

phrases make it difficult for the writer

to make an effective argument in

which the claim is explicitly

supported by evidence and sound

reasoning.

Writing contains less than 3 errors in X

Writer states an unclear claim or

does not state a claim at all.

Writer uses insufficient, invalid, and irrelevant

evidence to support claim

through summary, paraphrase, or

direct quotation (word-for- word).

Writer fails to explain or fails to

explain clearly how evidence

from the text supports the claim of

the paragraph.

Writing contains an unclear

concluding statement, one that

does not clearly follow from or

support the argument

presented, or no concluding

statement at all.

Writing is difficult to understand

and ineffective in communicating

the reasoning or the relationships

that link the evidence to the

claim.

Writing contains more than 4

errors in X.

Claim

Evidence

Reasoning

Conclusion

Claim

Appropriate

Language

Conventions

of Usage and

Punctuation

Component 1 2 3 4 5

Sample Rubric

RL.10, RI.10, W.1a 3

W.1 6

W.1 7

W.1 1

L.6,W.1 1

Additional Requirements

2

CCSS Score Earned Weight Revision Priority Level 1-5 Notes and Suggestions

Why Debatify? Why Write?

• Real, timely, trackable, and actionable data.

• Valued across disciplines and pedagogical styles.

• Common & meaningfully repeatable tasks with

differentiated texts and skills focus helps teachers address

the practical challenges of differentiated

instruction/personalized learning.

• Given accessible texts and a good reason to

argue, students can and do get what it says, what it

means, and why it matters.

• Parents can finally understand our language.

What’s In It For Me?

• School LeadersA complete set of tools to help the entire team strategically orchestrate

efforts around student skill development.

• TeachersStudents gain a better understanding of content, produce better

writing, and engage with each other productively.

Collaborative focus allows for shared practices among teachers, making

the whole team’s focus clear to students and mutually reinforcing.

• StudentsActually understand what we mean when we are talking about literacy

skills. Develop intellectual values and refine powerful

thinking, reading, writing, listening and speaking skills that apply to all areas

of their lives. See the explicit connections between real life and school life.

• ParentsShare a vocabulary that gives them a way to understand what students are

supposed to know and be able to do and how teachers are strategically

orchestrating efforts to help them achieve.

Additional Resources

Anderson, Lorin W., David R. Krathwohl, Benjamin Samuel Bloom, and Benjamin Samuel Bloom. A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: a Revision of Bloom’s

Taxonomy of Educational Objectives : Complete Edition. New York: Longman, 2001. Print.

―Common Core State Standards Initiative | The Standards | English Language Arts Standards.‖ Common Core State Standards Initiative | Home. Web. 02 July 2011. <http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards>.

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein.―A Progressive Case for Educational Standardization.‖

Academe 94.3 (2008): 16–20.

Hillocks, George. Teaching Argument Writing, Grades 6-12: Supporting Claims with Relevant Evidence and Clear Reasoning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2011. Print

Kozulin, Alex. Vygotsky’s Educational Theory in Cultural Context. UK: Cambridge UP, 2003. Print.

Kuhn, Deanna. Education for Thinking. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2008. Print. Reeves,

Douglas B. ―The 90/90/90 Schools Study | The Leadership and LearningCenter.‖ http://www.leadandlearn.com/90-90-90

Wormeli, Rick. Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing & Grading in the Differentiated

Classroom. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse, 2006. Print.

Connect With Us

• Register at www.thinkcerca.com to begin using online

cerca System for personalizing CCSS Literacy Instruction this

fall.

• Contact Us for District Implementation Planning &

Professional Development!

www.thinkcerca.com

Eileen Murphy Buckley

773-255-1928

info@thinkcerca.com

@thinkcerca

Additional Data of Interest

K-8 Educators may be interested in seeing additional slides based on ACT.org research findings.

MATHEMATICS SCIENCE

ENGLISH READING

Relative Magnitude of Effect in Predicting Eleventh/Twelfth-

Grade College and Career Readiness (All Students)

Increases in ACT College Readiness Benchmark Attainment

Associated with Various Academic Interventions

Increases in ACT College Readiness Benchmark Attainment

Associated with Various Academic Interventions (All Students)

Increases in ACT College Readiness Benchmark Attainment

Associated with Various Academic Interventions (All Students)

Increases in ACT College Readiness Benchmark Attainment

Associated with Various Academic Interventions (All Students)

Impact of Reading Achievement

& Achievement in Other Areas