Common Core Standards for Middle School English Language Arts: A Quick-Start Guide

by Susan Ryan, Dana Frazee, John Kendall (Editor)

This succinct look at the content, structure, terminology, and emphases of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts at the middle school level provides the information teachers need to begin adapting their practices and planning lessons to help students master the new and challenging material the standards present.

Genres: Education, School

120 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 2012

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource for high school Language Arts Teachers. If I were teaching in the high school it would be one of those books I keep in my backpack at all times. Ryan and Frazee do several things very well. First of all they paint a clear picture of how the ELA standards support each other. For instance in the section of the book covering writing standards the authors make a point of the connection between Reading Literature Standards 4-6 and Writing standard 3. The authors also make clear connections between language, reading, and writing standards as well. Secondly the book lays 9-10 and 11-12 standards out side by side. This allows the reader to grasp a clear picture of the progressions. Finally, the sample lessons and guidance for lesson planning give teachers a great place to dive right in. I wish the authors would have emphasized the importance of knowing the standards k-12 and recognizing the learning progressions from grade to grade. Another great resource from ASCD.

[Zacarias Rivera, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful addition to any ELA teacher who wants to get a clear and thorough overview of the Common Core State Standards for ELA. It covers all the standards. The authors also give sample lesson plans focused on literature and informational text. Furthermore, there are a number of graphic organizers that can be modified for the various texts one wants to teach, and suggested resources.