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Meeting the Common Core State Standards with
Conversations in American Literature
The Common Core State Standards are academic guidelines that “provide a consistent, clear
understanding of what [K-12] students are expected to learn.”1 These standards are currently adopted
by 45 states as a measuring tool for student success. Conversations in American Literature, by Robin
Dissin Aufses, Renée H. Shea, Lawrence Scanlon, and Kate Aufses features an anthology with a mix of
media and genres, carefully selected to familiarize students with the complexity and range of texts
recommended by the English Language Arts standards. Scaffolded instruction demonstrates, then guides
students as they practice, then master, analyzing and synthesizing this diverse material. This chart lists
the ELA Anchor Standards and shows how the textbook supports students as they work toward
achieving each standard.
PART I. READING
Common Core Standard

Coverage in Conversations in American
Literature
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to
determine what the text says explicitly and to
make logical inferences from it; cite specific
textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text.
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Chapter 2, “Close Reading: The Art and Craft
of Analysis” provides instruction in and
concrete strategies for close reading.
The section “Writing a Close-Analysis Essay”
(Ch. 2) walks students through questioning a
text and developing a thesis statement
supported by textual evidence.
In anthology chapters (5-10), “Exploring the
Text” questions ask students to make
inferences from specific phrases or images.
1
Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association, Common Core State
Standards Initiative. 2012. Web. corestandards.org.
Conversations in American Literature, Common Core Correlation 2/2014
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
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2 Determine central
ideas or themes of a text and analyze their
development; summarize the key supporting
details and ideas.

Chapter 2 helps students question texts,
annotate them, and use graphic organizers to
determine main ideas and delineate key
supporting details.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.3 Analyze how and
why individuals, events, or ideas develop and
interact over the course of a text.

Chapter 1 teaches students to use a text’s
rhetorical situation to track how and why the
various parts of the text develop and
interact.
For long readings in the anthology, “Exploring
the Text” questions (Chs. 5-10) focus on how
characters, ideas, and events develop.
Chapter 2 demonstrates analysis of diction
and syntax to determine how writers shape
their meaning and tone.
Activities (Chs. 1-4) and “Exploring the Text”
questions (Chs. 5-10) draw students’
attention to impactful technical and
figurative language.
Chapter 3 provides explicit instruction in
identifying the function of small- and largescale rhetorical and stylistic elements within
a text.
“Grammar as Rhetoric and Style” lessons
(Chs. 5-10) use examples from the anthology
to demonstrate how particular kinds of
sentences function within a longer text.
Chapter 1 begins by defining various texts’
rhetorical situations, including how they’re
shaped by the writer/speaker’s purpose and
point of view.
Chapter 2 on “Close Reading” grounds
analysis of texts’ content and style in
understanding their rhetorical situations.
Chapters 1-3 teach and demonstrate methods
for analyzing multiple types of texts.
Chapter 4 covers synthesis, or integrating
texts into an essay or argument.
Throughout, the text maintains a mix of
media and formats in readings and examples,
including: literature, official documents,
journalism, speeches, advertisements, visual
art, cartoons, charts, and graphs.
“Exploring the Text” questions in Chapters 510 draw attention to formal conventions.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.4 Interpret words
and phrases as they are used in a text,
including determining technical, connotative,
and figurative meanings, and analyze how
specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.5 Analyze the
structure of texts, including how specific
sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of
the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or
stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.6 Assess how point
of view or purpose shapes the content and
style of a text.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and
evaluate content presented in diverse media
and formats, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.
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Conversations in American Literature, Common Core Correlation 2/2014
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.8 Delineate and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in a
text, including the validity of the reasoning as
well as the relevance and sufficiency of the
evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.9 Analyze how two
or more texts address similar themes or topics
in order to build knowledge or to compare the
approaches the authors take.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10 Read and
comprehend complex literary and
informational texts independently and
proficiently.
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Chapter 3, “Analyzing Arguments” includes
explanation and examples of types of claims,
first- and second-hand evidence, and logical
fallacies.
Annotated passages of argumentative
writing, as well as “Essay in Progress” boxes
(Ch. 3) help students recognize effective use
of evidence.
Each “Culminating Activity” in Chapters 1-4 is
based on thematic groupings of texts.
“TalkBacks” and “Conversations,” pivotal
features of Chs. 5-10, group texts related to
major themes and debates in American
intellectual life.
Questions after each grouping help students
increase their understanding of the topic,
and compare authors’ approaches and
opinions.
Practice with shorter, simpler texts in
Chapters 1-4 equips students with strategies
for reading and understanding more
challenging texts.
Each anthology chapter (5-10) includes texts
of varying lengths and complexity.
PART II. WRITING
Common Core Standard
Coverage in Conversations in American
Literature
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.1 Write arguments

to support claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.

 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.2 Write informative/

explanatory texts to examine and convey
complex ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.

Ch. 3, “Analyzing Arguments,” includes
instruction in forming arguable claims,
recognizing sound reasoning, and choosing
suitable evidence.
“Entering the Conversation” questions (Chs.
5-10) direct students to develop arguments
on meaningful topics, using readings as
evidence.
Sections on classical oration, induction and
deduction (Ch.3), logical appeals, and
concession and refutation (Ch. 1) provide
students with organizing principles to use
when drafting their own informative writing.
Chapters 5-10 feature exemplars of
informative/explanatory texts.
Conversations in American Literature, Common Core Correlation 2/2014
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 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.3 Write narratives to
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develop real or imagined experiences or events
using effective technique, well-chosen details
and well-structured event sequences.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and
coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.5 Develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.6 Use technology,
including the Internet, to produce and publish
writing and to interact and collaborate with
others.
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Instruction on personal experience and
anecdotes (Ch. 3) explains how to use
narrative effectively.
Anthology chapters (5-10) include selections
from highly-regarded fiction and nonfiction
narratives with questions focused on
significant details and sequences.
The “rhetorical situation” is a foundational
concept, introduced by charting the
circumstances of a text’s presentation,
including task, purpose, and audience (Ch. 1).
Activities (Chs. 1-4), post-reading questions,
and “Suggestions for Writing” (Chs. 5-10)
often ask students to practice adapting their
writing to different tasks and audiences.
The “Essay in Progress” boxes in Chapter 3
assist students developing an essay, from
brainstorming to first draft.
“Grammar as Rhetoric and Style” exercises
(Chs. 5-10) ask students to revisit their old
writing to try new techniques.
No coverage.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.7 Conduct short as
well as more sustained research projects
based on focused questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under
investigation.
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Explicit instruction in developing a thesis
statement (Ch. 2 & 3), as well as discussion of
closed, open, and counterargument thesis
statements (Ch. 3) help students develop
focused questions appropriate to short or
long research projects.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.8 Gather relevant
information from multiple print and digital
sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of
each source, and integrate the information
while avoiding plagiarism.
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Chapter 4, “Synthesizing Sources” provides
guidelines for finding reliable sources,
framing and integrating quotations, and citing
sources so as to avoid plagiarism.
Specific guidelines for using the MLA
documentation style are included in the
Appendix.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.9 Draw evidence
from literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
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Chapter 3 includes coverage of how to use
several kinds of informational and literary
texts as evidence, and in what context each
type of evidence is most effective.
Conversations in American Literature, Common Core Correlation 2/2014
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
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.10 Write routinely
over extended time frames (time for research,
reflection, and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a
range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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Essay writing for any purpose—analysis (Ch.
2), argument (Ch. 3), or synthesis (Ch. 4)—is
presented as a multi-stepped process,
beginning with research.
Post-reading questions scale in complexity,
and offer a range of tasks, including writing
for specific imagined audiences or purposes.
PART III. SPEAKING AND
LISTENING
Common Core Standard
Coverage in Conversations in American
Literature

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and
participate effectively in a range of
conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Skills honed while synthesizing sources (Ch.
4), maintaining open-mindedness when
encountering other voices, and clarity when
expressing one’s own opinion, assist in
collaborations with partners.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and
evaluate information presented in diverse
media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
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Checklists (Ch. 3) and guidelines (Ch. 2) for
evaluating and using information from
various formats are helpful preparation for
speaking and listening.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.3 Evaluate a
speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of
evidence and rhetoric.

Instruction in identifying and describing point
of view or bias (Ch. 1), reasoning, and
effective evidence (Ch. 3) applies to spoken
texts.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.4 Present
information, findings, and supporting evidence
such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.

Practice evaluating reasoning (Ch. 3),
organization, development, and style (Ch. 2)
as related to a text’s rhetorical situation
provides students with standards to use in
their own work.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic
use of digital media and visual displays of data
to express information and enhance
understanding of presentations.

Close readings of visual texts (Ch. 2) and
analysis of their use as evidence (Ch. 3) help
students recognize proficient uses of visuals
and replicate these in their presentations.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.6 Adapt speech to a
variety of contexts and communicative tasks,
demonstrating command of formal English
when indicated or appropriate.

When reading famous speeches from diverse
contexts, instruction and questions train
students to recognize effective use of formal
or informal language.
Conversations in American Literature, Common Core Correlation 2/2014
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PART IV. LANGUAGE
Common Core Standard

Coverage in Conversations in American
Literature
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.1 Demonstrate
command of the conventions of Standard
English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.2 Demonstrate
command of the conventions of Standard
English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.3 Apply knowledge
of language to understand how language
functions in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or
listening.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.4 Determine or
clarify the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases by using context
clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and
consulting general and specialized reference
materials, as appropriate.
No coverage.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.5 Demonstrate
understanding of figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.6 Acquire and use
accurately a range of general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases sufficient
for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at
the college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in gathering
vocabulary knowledge when encountering an
unknown term important to comprehension or
expression.
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Lessons in matching diction to one’s audience
(Ch. 1) demonstrate the utility of Standard
English.
Throughout, the text highlights examples of
effective use of Standard English by elite
writers and speakers.
“Grammar as Rhetoric and Style” sections
(Chs. 5-10) help students understand the
effects of complex sentence structure,
providing rationale, rather than just rules, for
punctuation.
In Chapter 1, students practice identifying the
way language aligns with subject, occasion,
audience, and purpose, considering examples
of functional rhetoric in written and spoken
texts.
Diction, including using figurative language
and words with nuanced meanings, is
examined in context as part of instruction in
rhetoric (Ch.1), close-reading (Ch.2), and
argument (Ch. 3).
“Exploring the Text” questions in Chapters 510 frequently call out significant word
choices.
The Glossary contains definitions and
examples of terms used in discussing
academic and formal writing, as well as those
specific to literary studies.
A sample annotated text demonstrates
marking words to look up later (Ch. 2).
Some “Exploring the Text” questions direct
students to look up particular words
independently to better understand their
multiple meanings.
Conversations in American Literature, Common Core Correlation 2/2014
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