The document provides 50 links to resources for educators implementing Common Core State Standards. It begins with background on Common Core and how 45 states have adopted the standards to better prepare students. The links are then listed and categorized by organization or topic. They include the official Common Core website, tools from publishers, blogs, lesson plans, and reports on implementing the new standards. The resources cover curriculum development, assessing if texts meet grade levels, tracking student progress, and learning about opposing views on Common Core.

1. PHOENIX FLYER
Aug. 6th-10th, 2012
The Week Ahead at DMHS … . The Week Ahead at DMHS … .
WELCOME BACK!!! Thurs. Aug. 9 th :
Mon. Aug. 6 th , 2012:  Teacher Workday
 Required Teacher Workday  3:30pm-6:30pm: 10th-12th Grade Parent night:
 7:30am-3:00pm: registration/sign-in: RCS Floating for parents *if you teach 10th-12th
Educator’s Conference at Morehead HS & graders you are required to attend (I will work
Holmes MS with you to comp your time either on this day
Tues. Aug. 7 th :: or Fri.)
 Required Teacher Workday
 7:30am-2:00pm: RCS Educator’s conference Fri. Aug. 10 th : HAPPY FRIDAY!!!
at Morehead HS & Holmes MS  Teacher Workday
Wed. Aug. 8 th :  7:00pm: Varsity Football Jamboree at RCHS
 Teacher Workday
 8:00-8:40am: Staff Breakfast in Media Upcoming Events:
Aug. 20th: SLT meeting: 3:30-6:00pm
Center
Aug. 27th: Staff Meeting in Media Ctr.: 3:30-4:45pm
 8:45-10:45am: Opening Staff meeting in Aug. 31st: Progress Reports GO HOME
Media Center: REQUIRED Sept. 3rd: Labor Day HOLIDAY
 11:00am-2:30pm: leigh GONE to Jamboree Sept. 5th: PD during planning period
luncheon at Wake Forest University Sept. 19th: PD during planningthperiod
Nov. 7 , 2011
Sept. 21st: Grading period ENDS
 6:00-7:30pm: Freshman Orientation *all Sept. 24th: Grades DUE in NCWISE by 12:00am
staff teaching 9th graders are required to Sept. 28th: Report Cards GO HOME
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson http://bit.ly/NZvDQU

2. 50 IMPORTANT LINKS FOR COMMON CORE EDUCATORS
BY: STAFF WRITERS HTTP://BIT.LY/MRSH3P
Educators across the nation are working hard this summer to begin developing updated curricula that will fit into
the new Common Core State Standards, which will be fully applied in 45 U.S. states (Texas, Alaska, Nebraska,
Virginia, and Minnesota have opted out of statewide participation) by 2015. Yet despite the hubbub about the new
standards, which were created as a means of better equipping students with the knowledge they need to be
competitive in the modern world, many teachers still have a lot of unanswered questions about what Common
Core will mean for them, their students, and their schools. Luckily, the Internet abounds with helpful resources that
can explain the intricacies of Common Core, offer resources for curriculum development, and even let teachers
keep up with the latest news on the subject. We’ve collected just a few of those great resources here, which are
essential reads for any K-12 educator in a Common Core-adopting state.
Common Core State Standards Initiative: This is the official site for the CCSSI, featuring information about the
standards, news, resources, and answers to frequently asked questions.
National Governors Association: The NGA played a major role in the development of Common Core, so their
website is a great place to look for answers about the standards.
Council of Chief State School Officers:The other major group behind Common Core is the CCSSO, an
organization you can learn more about by visiting their site.
CCSSI Wiki: One simple way to learn more about the CCSSI is to visit the program’s Wikipedia page, which is
packed with useful information on the subject.
Common Core 360: Common Core 360 is an educational network that offers webinars, training tools, news, and
more to help teachers adapt to the new Common Core standards.
MasteryConnect: Use the MasteryConnect site to track your students’ progress under the new Common Core
system.
Pearson Education Common Core State Standards: Pearson, a major educational publisher, offers access to
numerous resources on Common Core. Visitors to the site will find everything from basic explanations to
informative webinars.
McGraw Hill Common Core Solutions: Educational publisher McGraw Hill is also reaching out to teachers when
it comes to Common Core, loading up their website with tools for professional and curriculum development.
Common Core Adoptions by State: The ASCD website offers up information on which states are adopting
Common Core, along with links to each Common Core state website.
The Common Core Institute: Teachers who are unsure about their expertise on Common Core should give the
Common Core Institute a try. The organization offers Black Belt certification on Common Core, as well as a wealth
of other conferences and professional development opportunities for teachers.
Common Core Standards App: This iPhone application (it is also available for Android) lets teachers keep essential
information about Common Core at their fingertips.
ASCD Common Core Webinars: ASCD is working on new webinars on Common Core for this fall, but educators
can take a look at their archived resources from earlier this year in the meantime.
Common Core Workbook: Use this workbook from Achieve and the U.S. Education Delivery Institute to help
guide the Common Core implementation process at your school.
CommonCore.org: Here you’ll find an organization dedicated to ensuring that the Common Core is about more
than just reading and math, instead promoting a well-rounded education that includes reading literature, studying
culture, and engaging with the arts.
The Mathematics Common Core Toolbox: Districts and teachers alike can find support for building better math
lessons that fit into new Common Core guidelines through this helpful site.
Khan Academy Common Core Map: Those who’ve been using Khan Academy videos and lessons in the classroom
can see how each relates to new Common Core standards using this map.
Literacy Design Collaborative:The LDC offers templates, modules, and guidebooks for teachers that make it
simple to develop engaging literacy lessons under Common Core.
Illustrative Mathematics: Get some guidance on the mathematics topics covered at every grade level under
Common Core.
Teaching Channel: The Teaching Channel site offers just over 100 videos on Common Core lessons, ideas, and
more.

3. Achieve the Core: This website encourages teachers to steal its tools for curriculum development.
Lexile: Is that text at grade level? Use this handy online tool to measure a text for readability.
AASL Lesson Plan Database: The American Association of School Librarians has loads of lesson plans and
checklists for teachers that fall under Common Core standards.
Surveys of Enacted Curriculum: Use reliable data to develop, plan, and compare your curriculum when you visit
this site’s archive of PDF reports.
Common Core: Head to this blog to read updates about Common Core news and other educational topics on a
regular basis.
Pearson Common Core Blog: Part of the Common Core resources offered by Pearson is a blog, full of articles on a
range of educational topics.
Tools for the Common Core Standards: This blog is an excellent resource for learning about new tools that help
support Common Core implementation in schools.
Common Core Blog: Offering links to Common Core tools, news, articles, and more, this blog is a great resource
for learning about Common Core.
The Core Knowledge Blog: Find a wealth of high-quality articles on teaching topics (especially Common Core)
on this blog on the Core Knowledge Foundation’s site.
Core Commons: Follow this blog to read more about emerging strategies and issues in implementing the
Common Core standards.
The Learning Network: The Learning Network blog, part of the New York Times‘ website, regularly publishes
articles on Common Core.
Common Core Facts: Get an opposing view on Common Core by reading this blog.
All Things Common Core: Educators can learn from fellow teachers about the challenges of applying Common
Core in their district from this blog.
Resources for Implementing the Common Core State Standards: The Indiana Department of Education offers a
number of CCSS resources on their website, including a number of informative articles and videos.
NC Common Core Support Tools: North Carolina is making it easier for teachers in the state (and in others) to
apply Common Core by collecting this incredibly useful set of tools.
NYC Common Core Library: Any lingering questions you have about Common Core will undoubtedly be
answered by this comprehensive site from the NYC Department of Education.
TNCore: Tennessee has built an entire website to help teachers with Common Core, with resources on Math,
English, and other disciplines.
CDE Implementation Toolkit: Here, the Colorado Department of Education has a number of design tools
teachers can use to move into the new standards.
Engage NY: From a Common Core toolkit to curriculum exemplars, the New York Common Core website has
loads of great resources teachers can use.
ODE Model Curriculum: Head to this Ohio Department of Education site to find model curriculum resources for
all Common Core subjects.
A First Look at the Common Core and College and Career Readiness: In this report, ACT takes a look at how
Common Core standards will help to better prepare students for college and the working world.
Common Core standards drive wedge in education circles: Not all teachers support Common Core, and as this
article from USA Today points out, it’s creating a rift between some educators.
Embracing the Common Core: Helping Students Thrive: Download this presentation by Stan Heffner and
Michael Cohen on what Common Core means for today’s students.
Putting a Price Tag on the Common Core: How Much Will Smart Implementation Cost?: With school districts
already strapped for cash, it makes sense to consider the financial impact of Common Core, which you can learn
more about from this Fordham Institute read.
Why Common Core standards will fail: Well-known Washington Post education columnist Jay Matthews doesn’t
think Common Core is the answer. Check out this editorial to see why.
Research Finds 97% of Teachers are Now Favorable Towards Common Core Standards: Are you among the
97% of teachers who support Common Core? Learn about the battle to get teachers on board, here.
For CCSS Math Education Some Problems are Elementary: Stuart Singer brings up some pretty important
points when it comes to how Common Core will affect math education.

4. Common Core won’t likely boost student achievement, analysis says: The Brookings Institution believes that
Common Core won’t help students improve their achievement. Their study is discussed in detail here by Valerie
Strauss.
No Need to Fear the Common Core Standards: This New York Times article assures teachers that Common Core
standards are nothing to fear, and are actually already having benefits in schools.
Primer on Common Core State Standards: Head to this site for a helpful primer on the basics of Common Core
Standards.
The Impact of Common Core State Standards on Your Student: Have you had parents asking you about
Common Core? Not sure what to tell them? This article can help, by explaining the new system in an easily
understandable way.