30+ Common Core Resources For Teachers

Groups and Organizations

These links will take you to essential reading materials from the institutions and organizations behind Common Core.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Useful Resources

Read up on Common Core, find out more about what it will mean for your classes, and get some help from educational providers and groups by following these links.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. MasteryConnect: Use the MasteryConnect site to track your students’ progress under the new Common Core system.
  4. 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.
  5. Common Core Standards App: This iPhone application (it is also available for Android) lets teachers keep essential information about Common Core at their fingertips.
  6. 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.

Curriculum Development

These sites offer a wealth of resources for helping you develop curricula that meets Common Core standards.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Literacy Design Collaborative: The LDC offers templates, modules, and guidebooks for teachers that make it simple to develop engaging literacy lessons under Common Core.
  4. Illustrative Mathematics: Get some guidance on the mathematics topics covered at every grade level under Common Core.
  5. Teaching Channel: The Teaching Channel site offers just over 100 videos on Common Core lessons, ideas, and more.
  6. Achieve the Core: This website encourages teachers to steal its tools for curriculum development.
  7. Lexile: Is that text at grade level? Use this handy online tool to measure a text for readability.
  8. Surveys of Enacted Curriculum: Use reliable data to develop, plan, and compare your curriculum when you visit this site’s archive of PDF reports.

Blogs

You can get regular reading material on the subject of CCSS by following any or all of these blogs.

  1. Common Core Blog: Offering links to Common Core tools, news, articles, and more, this blog is a great resource for learning about Common Core.
  2. 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.
  3. The Learning Network: The Learning Network blog, part of the New York Times‘ website, regularly publishes articles on Common Core.
  4. Common Core Facts: Get an opposing view on Common Core by reading this blog.
  5. All Things Common Core: Educators can learn from fellow teachers about the challenges of applying Common Core in their district from this blog.

State Tools

Some states have created helpful websites for teachers all about Common Core. Here, we share a few that can be useful to teachers all over the United States.

  1. 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. Find innovative online colleges in Indiana here.
  2. 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. See how some students are pursuing higher education through online colleges in North Carolina.
  3. TNCore: Tennessee has built an entire website to help teachers with Common Core, with resources on Math, English, and other disciplines.
  4. CDE Implementation Toolkit: Here, the Colorado Department of Education has a number of design tools teachers can use to move into the new standards. And it’s used in higher education, as well. See the many offerings of online colleges in Colorado.
  5. Engage NY: From a Common Core toolkit to curriculum exemplars, the New York Common Core website has loads of great resources teachers can use.
  6. ODE Model Curriculum: Head to this Ohio Department of Education site to find model curriculum resources for all Common Core subjects. Or, search online colleges in Ohio.

Articles and Presentations 

These articles and videos offer different perspectives on Common Core, some supporting it while others doubt it, essential reading for any educator looking for a well-rounded perspective on the matter.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.