Common Core is Coming!

No doubt, if you're in one of the 45 states (or DC) that has adopted the Common Core Curriculum, you're waist-deep in trying to figure out what you need to do in your classroom to satisfy the standards and ensure your students' success.

With that in mind, I first want to tell you about a few ways that I've changed my store and products to make your job a little easier:

• Nearly all of my product descriptions have been updated to show which CCSS standards in Langauge Arts, Writing, or Math they satisfy
• I have updated many of the products themselves so that each page is marked in small type with the standard it satisfies

One thing I did in my classroom this past year was to give students math writing prompts that required them to solve a problem and explain a concept or their thinking process. It is a great chance for students to practice their writing and using their academic language. I designed the prompts to be aligned with Common Core Math and Writing Standards, as well as WIDA ELD standards so that stuents could be successful on both the ACCESS ELD test and the state standardized tests.

Throughout the year, as we finished each set, I added them to my store as Common Core Math Writing Prompts Set 1 and Common Core Math Writing Prompts Set 2. With the ending of school, I finally put the finishing touches on Common Core Math Writing Prompts Set 3, and posted it to my store. I also bundled all three sets together and posted them as my Common Core Math Writing Prompts Complete Bundle (includes all 56 prompts). 

Throughout the summer, I plan to continue adding differentiated CCSS and WIDA resources to help your mainsream and ELLs soar in 2013-14!