Core Ready Lesson Sets for Grades K-2: A Staircase to Standards Success for English Language Arts, The Shape of Story: Yesterday and Today

by Pam Allyn

This book is part of Pam Allyn's highly popular "Core Ready" series, a dynamic series of books that gives educators critical tools for navigating the Common Core Standards effectively, fluidly, and successfully. Using the information presented in the series, educators see how to take complex concepts related to the standards and turn them into practical, specific, everyday lessons. The books address the needs of all learners, including ELL and special needs diverse learners, and cover the uses of technology and new media. "The Shape of Story: Yesterday and Today" helps develop students who approach reading with the experience that allows them to know what to expect in a variety of genres and apply appropriate strategies to each with purpose and flexibility. With this book as a guide students:
Read closely to explore the elements of various types of contemporary and classical stories;
Discover new details about characters and settings.
Follow how plots develop and consider how it all comes together to suggest a theme or message.
Have opportunities to read closely, retell, draw, and dramatize stories.
Use literature from a variety of genres as models for their own writing.
Compose original stories through drawing and writing incorporating story elements and techniques of strong writers
Learn what it means to revise and edit and make critical choices about how to publish their work for others
Share their writing and thinking with others orally and in writing.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

PAM ALLYN is the author of an inspirational and practical book for parents, teachers, and caregivers entitled What to Read When , which was published by Penguin in April 2009.

Her first professional book, The Complete 4: How to Teach Reading and Writing Through Daily Lessons, Monthly Units and Yearlong Calendars , was published by Scholastic in November 2007. This groundbreaking book was recently followed by Pam’s series of grade level books chock-full with day to day lessons called The Complete Year published by Scholastic in 2008 and co-authored with her LitLife colleagues.

Pam is the Executive Director of LitLife, a nationally recognized organization specializing in transformative school improvement through literacy education. She is also the Executive Director of LitWorld, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing quality education to the world’s most vulnerable children.

She is the Founding Director of Books for Boys. For nine years, this program has been acclaimed for its innovative efforts on behalf of at-risk boys, and its work is replicated in other foster care agencies. Pam also spearheads an initiative called “The Family Story Power Project” which brings literacy rich curriculum to families and children.

Pam is the recipient of the James Patterson Page Turner Award for excellence in bringing literacy to underserved populations. She has also received a Disney Points of Light Foundation Award for her work bringing books and literacy to children. In May 2007 The Children's Village, the nation’s largest residential treatment center for foster care children presented Pam with its Legacy of Service Award for her tireless efforts to bring the magic of books and reading to children.

She is a motivational speaker for audiences of teachers, administrators, librarians and parents. She has been featured on The Today Show. Prior to founding LitLife, she was the Director of Funded Projects at the Columbia University Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.

Pam is on the Advisory Board of the Dream Charter School in Harlem, the Leadership Council of Global Action for Children, the Advisory Board of the Amherst College Center for Community Engagement and the English Language Arts Scope and Sequence Advisory Group for the New York City Department of Education.