In my quest to unpack Common Core and to develop a deeper understanding of how to teach with the new standards, I have spent many hours researching the nuances within the CCS document, and I am still in the early phases. Common Core focuses on outcomes, but not the teaching process (with the exception of close reading). While resources to support teachers are just beginning to emerge, there are a few great websites and blogs that are already in place. Below are a few that I have stumbled across:
New York State Department of Education
http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/CommonCoreLibrary/default.htm
New York has provided many free resources in relation to Common Core, including sample units, support videos, and descriptions of instructional shifts mandated by the new standards.
Achieve the Core http://www.achievethecore.org
This website maps out specific lessons for doing a close read with your students at a variety of grade levels, examines how to develop text-dependent questions, and a list of websites supporting Common Core.
The Reading and Writing Project http://readingandwritingproject.com
This website is led by Lucy Calkins and provides insights on perspectives about Common Core and resources for teachers, including checklists and text lists.
Burkins & Yaris Blog http://www.burkinsandyaris.com
These two educators, one being a published author and another being a literacy coach, provide insightful thoughts in their exploration of common core.
Read Tennessee http://www.readtennessee.org
This website unpacks reading standards for grades K-3. They go into depth of concepts, ideas, and skills that support the standards, as well as look at the language of the discipline.
North Carolina http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/common-core-tools
North Carolina has set about unpacking all the standards for both reading and math. This is a much more superficial examination compared to Tennessee, but may be a good starting point.
Whether you have begun examining the Common Core State Standards or not, you will need to in the near future. It is a daunting task. I hope that they sites may be a support to you in your learning journey.
Learning is a journey, not an endpoint. 