How the Features of the Common Core State

Standards for English Language Arts Impact

Content Development at MHP

1.
2.

Overview of Features
How Each Feature Impacts Content
Development

a.
b.
c.

Content-rich nonfiction
Evidence-grounded responses
Academic vocabulary

1. Overview

Features of CCSS for ELA

1) Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction Grounding students in
information about the world around them by incorporating literary nonfiction
into ELA instruction and applying ELA standards in history, social studies, and
science disciplines
2) Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text Moving away from
opinion statements and personal essays; requires focus on the text and a
cultivation of detail-rich writing, starting with narrative techniques and building
to application of those same skills in informational and argumentative writing
3) Regular practice with the syntax and vocabulary of complex texts Building a
solid foundation of cross-discipline academic vocabulary; staircase of
increasingly complex texts to make sure students are not left behind in their
reading abilities

2. How Each Feature Impacts Content Development in General

Features of CCSS for ELA

General Impact

1) Building knowledge through

content-rich nonfiction

Requirement for authentic, relevant texts

means commissioned passages will not
work; adds time and money to passage
research and increases difficulty of
securing permissions

2) Reading and writing grounded in

evidence from text

Personal essay/opinion statement content

should be kept to a minimum, all writing
prompts and performance task scenarios
should emphasize the importance of text
evidence and should provide a studentfriendly rubric specific to genre or
individual task

3) Regular practice with the syntax

and vocabulary of complex texts

Need to incorporate integrated (point of

use) vocabulary instruction/practice
across the disciplines

2a. How Each Feature Impacts Content Development: Content-Rich Nonfiction

Feature of CCSS for ELA

1) Building knowledge through
content-rich nonfiction

Impact
Need to build extra time into passage
research process and adjust
development schedules accordingly
Need to work with PM&L and A/V
groups to identify sources/potentially
obtain master licensing agreements to
reduce costs of using relevant,
authentic content
Must incorporate specified
seminal/foundational U.S. texts in
ELA programs; requires collaboration
with social studies LD to ensure we
have a consistent pedagogical
approach to these texts

2b. How Each Feature Impacts Content Development: Evidence-Grounded Responses

Feature of CCSS for ELA

Impact

2) Reading and writing grounded in

evidence from text

Need closer integration of K-5 and 612 reading programs so that this
element of the pedagogy is consistent
from the beginning
Need to overhaul existing
selection/chapter/module quizzes
and tests to fit this criteria
Invest in expansion of literature closeread app to other disciplines and
programs to guide students in
practicing this skill across the
curriculum
Need icons at point of instruction for
this reading skill/strategy

2c. How Each Feature Impacts Content Development: Academic Vocabulary

Feature of CCSS for ELA

Impact

3) Regular practice with the syntax Need to evaluate/overhaul current

and vocabulary of complex texts
vocabulary strategy to include more
cross-discipline academic vocabulary
Need to collaborate with other
disciplines to implement coherent
academic vocabulary experience in
new programs
Need icons at point of instruction for
this reading skill/strategy