This document provides an overview of how to integrate technology into teaching the Common Core State Standards. It begins with introducing Edmodo as a platform for discussion and sharing resources. It then discusses three elements of the teaching process: 1) Locating texts and pairing fiction with nonfiction, 2) Close reading and critical thinking using tools like Wallwisher and Diigo, and 3) Assessing knowledge through digital products created with tools like Smore, Glogster and Animoto. Throughout are examples of specific tools that can be used at different grade levels to meet the goals of the Common Core.

1. Tech the Common Core!
By Angie Johnson
ajohnson@lakeshoreps.org
Twitter: @angkjohns

2. Are you an ipadder?
If so, download the CCSS app from itunes!

3. Let’s Get Set Up!
Go to
Edmodo.com. If
you don’t already
have an account,
sign up. If you
have an account,
under Groups
(left sidebar)
click JOIN & type
in this code:
y6xdz0

4. Once on Edmodo . . .
2. Click on the Wallwisher
1. Take the poll. link to post an answer.
When my students post on
Edmodo, they are to use
capital letters, correct
punctuation, and correct
spelling! This is where we
talk about purpose and
audience in writing. 

5. Common Core State Standards for ELA & Literacy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmLElb7yHDU

6. Important Themes
(i.e. stuff teacher needs to get kids to do)
Main focus today is on
these.
Made at bubbl.us

7. How to plug tech into the CCSS?
Start by integrating digital tools into these three
sequential elements of the teaching process:
Locating texts for Teaching and Assessing
study, practicing close knowledge
emphasizing reading, analysis, through digital
nonfiction in a and attention to products with
variety of styles, evidence. attention to
genres, mediums. audience,
purpose.
Let’s consider each of these three elements separately . . .

8. 1. Locating Texts for Study
IDEAS of things you may want to do to SOURCES or TOOLS to do them . . .
meet goals of the CCSS . . . (E, M, H = Elem, Middle, High)
Pair pro/con texts—Compare/contrast opposing Middle School Public Debate Program (M)
sides of the same issue http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.ht
m#tvbad
*Note: I recommend giving students the TEXTS,
Debatepedia (Use their sources)
not sending them to the page summarizing
(H)http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Welcome_to
arguments. THEY need to do the work! _Debatepedia!
Pair primary and secondary texts—Compare a The Primary Source Librarian (M, H)
secondary report to the primary source; site http://www.maryjjohnson.com/primarysourcelibrarian/?p=76
0
provides analysis methods, links to sources.
Pair nonfiction with fiction—To provide Informational Texts (E, M,
historical context or prior knowledge. H)http://www.jogtheweb.com/run/iwx1s5yz5KFi/Informatio
nal-Texts-Common-Core-Resource
Primary Source and Informational Text
Websites
http://2011commoncore.pbworks.com/w/page/47145470/Pri
mary%20Source%20and%20Informational%20Text%20Websi
tes
Pair news reports of same story—to show bias Sources for Informational Text (E, M, H)
or slant (for example Fox vs. NPR). http://helloliteracy.blogspot.com/2011/02/sources-of-short-
web-based-text.html

9. 1. Locating Texts for Study (Cont.)
IDEAS of things you may want to do SOURCES or TOOLS to do them . . .
to meet goals of the CCSS. . . (E, M, H = Elem, Middle, High)
Check readability—to determine if an Readability Test Tool (E, M, H)
Internet text is appropriate. http://www.read-able.com/
Make a clean pdf of web site text—to Joliprint (E, M, H)
copy and distribute OR to insert into a http://joliprint.com/
digital presentation.
Tools in BOLD are highlighted
later in this presentation.

10. 2. Close Reading and Critical Thinking
IDEAS of things you may want to do to SOURCES or TOOLS to do them . . .
meet goals of the CCSS. . . (E, M, H = Elem, Middle, High)
Introduce close reading—Shows close How To Do A Close Reading (M, H)
reading of Dr. Seuss excerpt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adXdTXEzmzE
Extend class discussion after class OR Edmodo.com (upper E, M, H)
during class—Assign some students to post http://www.edmodo.com/
observations, reflections on content or
process OR Have small groups post in class.
Post thoughts, questions while reading a Wallwisher (upper E, M, H)
text together, in small groups, individually. http://wallwisher.com
Annotate Internet texts with highlighting Diigo (M, H)
and sticky notes, and save those to a http://www.diigo.com
collection.
If there’s an app symbol in the box, there’s an
ipad app for that tool! 

11. 2. Close Reading & Critical Thinking Cont.
IDEAS of things you may want to do SOURCES or TOOLS to do them . . .
to meet goals of the CCSS. . . (E, M, H = Elem, Middle, High)
Small groups find evidence for themes Each group has a page for posting
or ideas in a text, post these to a space evidence.
where they are accesssed later to be Wikispaces, Googledocs—Post evidence
used as evidence in writing. on single page in chart format. Could also
Ex: Keep track of evidence for theme of do this using Stixy (upper E, M,H).
“fate” in Romeo and Juliet and record in http://www.stixy.com/
your section of shared chart.
Incorporate in writing final essays on
R&J. (Thanks to April Niemela for that
great idea!)
Teach critical evaluation of Internet Screencast-o-matic (upper E, M, H)
sources by providing an example video http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
Have students watch video online and TED.ed (Youtube videos only; E, M, H)
answer questions during or after http://ed.ted.com/videos
watching. Use for “class-flipping.” Grockit Answers (Any videos; M, H)
https://grockit.com/answers/

12. 3. Create final products digitally
IDEAS of things you may want to do to SOURCES or TOOLS to do them . . .
meet goals of the CCSS. . . (E, M, H = Elem, Middle, High)
Make presentations with embedded Smore (M, H) http://www.smore.com/
graphics, video, audio, and text. Glogster (E, M, H) http://www.glogster.com/
Prezi (M, H) http://prezi.com/
Summarize, review, or persuade through Animoto (upper E, M, H)
video. http://animoto.com/
Organize, synthesize, and share Bubbl.us (M, H) https://bubbl.us/
information in a graphic organizer. Stixy (upper E, M, H)http://www.stixy.com/
Create an infographic that synthesizes the Easel.ly (M, H)
most important ideas of the text(s). http://www.easel.ly/
Display knowledge by teaching others how Screencast-o-matic (upper E, M, H)
to do something online: search, evaluate http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
sources, accomplish a technical goal.
Create a comic to share ideas via short MakeBeliefsComix.com (E, M, H)
dialogue. http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/
Create a list of sources in proper format for Easybib (M, H) http://www.easybib.com/
a bibliography.

14. -Emphasis on “complex texts”
Readability Test Tool -Ensure appropriate level
-Input by web address or
http://www.read-able.com/ copy/paste text onto site.

15. Joliprint
http://joliprint.com/
-Print copies for highlighting and
annotating the old way
-PDF format for embedding in digital
presentations
-LOVE this!

16. TED.ed http://ed.ted.com/videos
-Assign video followed by questions and other
links; students submit answers online.
-Play back Youtube vids w/o access to YT.
-Get link and save! You can’t return to this later!
My ex: http://ed.ted.com/on/aKZeKhap

17. Grockit https://grockit.com/answers/
Answers
-Students answer questions while
they watch video.
-Like TED, students need to log in.
-Conversations are either public or
private, can be moderated.
-GREAT video intro for teachers:
TEACHER link at bottom of home
page. Watch it!
-Not just for Youtube vids! Add
applet for toolbar and Grock any
video. Details in teacher intro.
-Be sure to make make video
private so you can moderate
student posts.
-MyHERE for a blog post with
Go ex:
specific tips and instructions!
https://grockit.com/answers/v/yt.
adXdTXEzmzE.public

18. Wallwisher
http://wallwis
her.com
-Brainstorm as a class, in groups, or individually as you read/process text.
-Could include reactions to text, questioning, predicting, listing
vocabulary/word choices, and so on, but max of 160 characters per note.

19. Screencast-o-matic http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
-Make instructional videos for students.
-Have students demonstrate to you and each
other their mastery of a digital activity—search,
site evaluation, technical know-how.
-Free version allows up to 15 min. recording
time and you can save in several formats.
-Doesn’t require a download! 
-Set volume here but also make sure
your computer’s volume is turned up,
or you’ll get no audio!
-Super quick and easy!
-Upgrade only $15/yr, allows
unlimited length; class acct. $20/mo
-Lame web site, but great service if
you email them.

20. Diigo
www.diigo.com
-Must have the Diigolet—
under TOOLS.
-Students log in; collect web
pages, sort by tags.
-Highlight pages, sticky note
pages and save those.
-Best for HS research.
Looks like this on my Firefox toolbar.

21. Stixy http://www.stixy.com/
-Use as collaboration space,
bookmarking, or presenting.
-Quick share w/web address.
-Can add notes, photos, docs.
-Can tag Stixyboards by topic for
later search.
-No style options, but very simple
and efficient.
-My
ex:http://www.stixy.com/guest/
213465

22. Smore
http://www.
smore.com/a
pp/users/log
in
-Essentially a quick web page maker.
-Choose from several formats; I chose
newsletter format for example to left.
-Some choice of background, colors,
themes; even a box at bottom of page for
you/students to post responses.
-Quick share with anyone via address.
Here’s mine: http://smore.com/16r5

23. Easel.ly http://www.easel.ly/
Watch vid on
home page!
-Students must synthesize info
to present it graphically.
-Several styles to choose from.
-Log in and save to your acct.
-Share through a link, embed,
or download.
-My ex:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/eas
el.ly/all_easels/19623/Fox_vs_
NPR/image.jpg

24. Make
Beliefs
Comix
http://www.
makebeliefsc
omix.com/
-Choose from many people, elements,
background settings, etc.
-Click the function button on the left FIRST, and
then manipulate the element in frame.
-Up to three frames only.
-Few different color options for background,
rest is black and white.
-No saving to site, so print comic or have link
sent to your email for download.
-Create comics in Sp, Fr, Ger, It, Port, Lat!!
-I think screenshot is just as easy!

25. Now to plan . . .
1. First, pick a lesson, unit or subject you already
teach. What texts could you pair with non-fiction?
For what topics could you add non-fiction?
2. Find non-fiction texts to pair or add to your
curriculum.
3. Consider how you’ll help students read closely for
comprehension, possibly incorporating tech tools.
4. Consider how you can get students to show their
understanding by creating digital products.
5. Don’t be afraid to take a chance!
6. Relax and have fun.  Thanks for watching.

26. About the Presenter
Angie Johnson began teaching in 1990
when she singlehandedly became the
high school English and French
departments of a K-12 school in
northern Michigan. In 1995 she joined
the staff of Lakeshore High School and in
2002 earned a National Board
Certification. In 2004 she became the
library media specialist at Lakeshore
Middle School, where she currently
teaches eighth grade language arts and
runs the media center. In the summer of
2012 she began her third year in
Michigan State University’s Ph.D.
program in Educational Psychology and
Educational Technology. Reach her on
Twitter @angkjohns.