This is one in a series of posts examining the Common Core State Standards and the conversation surrounding their impact on teaching and learning.

This is a bit of an oldie (from last October), but definitely still a goodie. And especially relevant for teachers going back to school who are thinking about what books to add to their classroom libraries this year.

One of Scholastic’s teacher bloggers, Mary Blow, wrote this post last fall about the ‘Common Core Canon’ and what the Common Core says (and how SHE chooses) books for use in the classroom. She explains the purpose of the Common Core’s (much-discussed) “exemplar text” list (a.k.a. Appendix B), the meaning of “text complexity” and “informational text,” and gives great examples of how to incorporate it all into a classroom setting.

And if you’re anxious about new expectations this year with the arrival of the Common Core, she leaves you with some reassurance:

Find comfort in the wording of the Common Core Reading Strand, Standard 10, of the CCSS in Literacy and English Language Arts: “By the end of the year, students . . . ” This phrase suggests that we are not expected start the year out with complex texts. Our goal is to get the students reading complex texts by the end of the year, either with scaffolding or independently. So, for those of us who thought we had to change the world in the first ten weeks of school, take a deep breath. I think a lot of good comes from so many of us working together to improve the education system. The key is sharing and supporting each other through the journey.

Have you added any books to your classroom library this year in response to the Common Core? If so, which ones?