Taking a

Closer Look
at the
Anchor Standards
Carol H. Bush
Professional Development Specialist
Orleans/Niagara BOCES

Intended Outcomes
To understand the different layers of the CCLS
To identify the key aspects of the anchor
standards for reading and writing
To understand how learning progresses
throughout the grade levels to address each
anchor standard (specifically reading)
To explore student learning experiences
consistent with the expectations of the CCLS

Which layer is which?

College and Career Readiness (CCR Capacities)
Anchor Standards (CCR Standards)
Grade-Specific Standards
6 shifts

Anchor Standards
(College & Career Readiness Standards)
What are the anchor standards?
How are anchor standards organized?
What do anchor standards mean to me?
What are the implications of the anchor
standards on planning and instruction?

What are the anchor

standards?
Cognitively demanding skills
Long term goals for students based on college
and career readiness
The College and Career standards anchor the
[Common Core] document and define general,
cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that
must be met for students to be prepared to
enter college and workforce training programs
ready to succeed (p.4)

How are the anchor

standards organized?
4 categories
Reading
Writing
Speaking & Listening
Language

Support development of CCR Capacities

Are supported by grade-level standards

What do anchor standards

mean to me?
Heightened awareness of literacy instruction
for ALL teachers
Power Words Activity
Thoughtfully read through the CCR Reading
Standards
Identify approximately 5 power words that capture
the essence of the standards
Confer with your group and decide on a final list of
words
Record the words on chart paper
Repeat this process for the writing standards

A few things to consider

Were there any patterns between different types
of standards?
How would you characterize most of the Power
Words?
Are any of the Power Words skills or procedures
essential to a successful life?
How cognitively demanding were your Power
Words?
How could this activity be adapted to your
classroom?

Lets dig a little deeper

Each table is assigned an anchor standard
Analyze the grade level standards that correspond
to that anchor standard for K-12
Underline skills that stay the same from year to year
Circle skills that are new in each year
How do the skills progress across the grade levels in
terms of achieving the anchor standards?
Develop three statements about your assigned
standard.

What are the implications

of the anchor standards on
planning and instruction?
Important instructional shifts for our classroom
teaching and learning
Increased level of rigor necessary in each
grade
Standards-based planning and instruction (vs.
standards-referenced)
Bundling standards working smarter not
harder

Bundling Standards
Using the sentence strips from earlier, re-sort the
standards into categories other than their original
strands
Must have 2 standards in a group but no more than
5 (You can also create subgroups if youd like!)
Place each group of standards on a blank sheet of
paper and label the group

Intended Outcomes
To understand the different layers of the CCLS
To identify the key aspects of the anchor
standards for reading and writing
To understand how learning progresses
throughout the grade levels to address each
anchor standard (specifically reading)
To explore student learning experiences
consistent with the expectations of the CCLS

Any questions?
Carol H. Bush
Professional Development Specialist
Center for School Improvement and Professional
Development
(716) 731-6800 x3755
cbush@onboces.org