PLC Quick Notes 3

* The instructional shift of evidence based reading, thinking and discussing has a focus of using evidence from text instead of relying on prior knowledge.  It levels the playing field for those without strong background knowledge or relevant experience.

* LEADER IN ME MOMENTS:
"We need citizens and leaders across every level of community, business, and government who SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND issues from multiple perspectives, listening to and analyzing evidence presented by stakeholders with diverse experiences and backgrounds."
"Knowing [the standards] deeply is the first step in walking students up the ladder of complexity from kindergarten to college, career, and civic readiness.  This understanding of where students are heading underpins the design of curriculum and instruction for reading and writing grounded in evidence." (BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND)

* Become "a student of the standards":

     -In this standard, what cognitive skills are called out?

     -Which specific words in the standard seem particularly important in terms of what is required of students? Why?

     -Are there any key words such as and and or that convey what it means to fully master this standard at a given grade level?

     -In the phrasing of the standard, what is unique to this grade level?

GOOD IDEAS:
* Four Ts- Topic, Task, Targets, Text
   Topic- the compelling topic that brings the content to life
   Task- the culminating assignment
   Targets- the learning targets
   Text- the complex texts that students will read closely and additional texts that ensure students experience a volume of reading at their independent reading level
* Read-Think-Talk-Write
* SNAP- Summary of the text, New learning, Already known information, Picture that represents important aspect of the text
* Frequent short writing opportunities
* Rubrics for descriptive feedback