Cracking the Common Core ─ Choosing and Using Texts in Grades 6-12

This book guides teachers in grades 6-12 to strategically combine a variety of texts--including literature, informational texts, and digital sources--to meet their content-area goals and the demands of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). It presents clear-cut ways to analyze text complexity, design challenging text sets, and help students get the most out of what they read. Provided are practical instructional ideas for building background knowledge, promoting engagement, incorporating discussion and text-based writing, and teaching research skills. Appendices offer sample unit plans for English language arts, history/social studies, and science classrooms. More than 20 reproducible coaching templates and other tools can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.

William E. Lewis, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in content-area literacy, English language arts methods, writing, and young adult literature. Before going to the University of Delaware, he taught secondary English language arts for 20 years in the Pennsylvania public schools. Dr. Lewis has served as a consultant to both the Delaware and Georgia education departments and presents a range of professional development seminars on content-area literacy at the local and state levels. His research interests focus on persuasive writing and argumentation and secondary content-area reading and writing.

Sharon Walpole, PhD, is Professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware. She has extensive school-based experience, including work as a high school history teacher. Dr. Walpole has also been involved in federally funded and other schoolwide reform projects. Her current work involves the design and effects of schoolwide reforms, particularly those involving literacy coaches. She has coauthored or coedited several other books with Michael C. McKenna, includingThe Literacy Coaching Challenge: Models and Methods for Grades K-8 and The Literacy Coach's Handbook, Second Edition, and her articles have appeared in numerous journals. Dr. Walpole is a recipient of the Early Career Award for Significant Contributions to Literacy Research and Education from the National Reading Conference.

Michael C. McKenna, PhD, is Thomas G. Jewell Professor of Reading at the University of Virginia. Before becoming a professor, he taught middle school math and English. He has authored, coauthored, or edited more than 20 books, including Assessment for Reading Instruction, Second Edition, and over 100 articles, chapters, and technical reports on a range of literacy topics. His research has been sponsored by the National Reading Research Center and the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. Dr. McKenna is a corecipient of the Edward B. Fry Book Award from the Literacy Research Association and the Award for Outstanding Academic Books from the American Library Association.