Common Core Primer

The "Common Core" are a set of standards that have been adopted nationally for high school students. They lay out in precise detail what skills students will need to be ready for college. In our case we'll be looking at the English standards.

You can see the full standards here. They are broken down into Reading, Writing, Speaking/Listening, and Language, among others.

Because the standards are rather elaborate and involved, I've created a boiled-down version. We'll start with just two areas, ones we're focusing on now in class: Reading Literature and Writing Narrative.  

The Primer

Reading Literature:

Use evidence to back up what a text says, including what’s inferred. Determine where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Find two or more themes and show how they’re developed and interact.

Analyze an author’s choices in developing a story.

Determine figurative and connotative word meaning, the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, multiple meanings. Be aware of powerful/beautiful language.

Analyze author’s choices regarding structure (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution).

Analyze satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement.

Writing Narratives (stories)

Write effective real or imagined narratives that use significant details and are well sequenced.

Set out a problem or situation, show its significance, establish point(s) of view, use narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of events.

Use dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines.

Build events toward a particular outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).

Use precise language, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid experience.

Write a conclusion that follows from the narrative.