Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, 2010) aims to develop students who are college and career ready in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language. The standards also emphasize students' need "to understand other perspectives and cultures" (p. 7). Appendix B of the document includes lists of exemplar texts (stories, read-aloud stories, poetry, and information texts) to help educators choose texts that meet the recommended qualities of complexity, quality, and range. This study examines the Appendix B stories and read-aloud stories at the K-5 levels for diversity in regard to publication year, genre, setting, and protagonist characteristics, including gender and racial and ethnic diversity. Inclusion of diverse texts enables the development of critical literacy skills so that students can consider multiple points of view and other's' differences.
Original Publication Citation
Burns, E., Kimmel, S., & Garrison, K. L. (2013). How common is common? Teacher Librarian, 41(1), 23-27.
Burns, Elizabeth; Kimmel, Sue; and Garrison, Kasey L., "How Common is Common?" (2013). STEMPS Faculty Publications. 89.