Freezer Meals

I made 30 freezer meals in preparation for the birth of my twins, and it worked SO much better than I ever could have anticipated.  Most of the meals were unqualified successes, and only one was gross.  I wanted to share my methods and recipes for anyone interested.

I used recipes that my family loves.  I found that soups and casseroles worked really well.  Pasta casseroles weren't so great, and I avoided anything that needs crisp texture.  Instead of making a bunch of meals at once, I made 2nd batches as I cooked dinner for my family.  From the time I found out I was having twins at 11 weeks, I aimed to make 2 freezer meals a week.  I found that making a 2nd batch of a meal takes WAY less than twice the work.  Some meals took as little as 5 extra minutes and 1 extra dish.  It was so easy, in fact, that I am now planning to keep a steady rotation of meals in my my freezer all the time and stock up every summer for the beginning of school/canning season.

Because some of my meals needed to last 6 months, I used my Food Saver to vacuum pack them.  The Food Saver bags are slightly narrower than a 9x13, so I found a casserole dish that was narrow enough.  I made all my casseroles in that dish lined with heavy duty aluminum foil.  After I froze the casserole, I would pop it out of the pan and freeze it in the foil.  Then, I knew which pan to get when reheating the meals and just popped it back in.  It worked great.  The foil also made cleanup easier.  For soups, I put the Food Saver bag in a cereal-sized Tupperware container to freeze.

(Excuse the dirtiness: we had a freezer meal last night)

After the meals were frozen, I sealed them in the Food Saver bags and labeled them with the name of the meal and the date made.  I also kept a spreadsheet of what meals I made, the date made, any other ingredients it needed, and instructions.

I kept the meals in an upright deep freezer.  For reference, the 30 meals filled up my bottom basket shelf and one normal shelf.

Now, this is saving my life.  We have delicious homemade dinners with very few dishes every night.  When my colicky twin is screaming, all I have to do is grab a bag, open it, and pop the food into a pan.  I figure out which meal I'm using at about 4 o'clock each afternoon.  The casseroles take about 2 hours to reheat at 350 degrees.  Covered with foil, they don't seem to burn.  I microwave the soup bags long enough to get the bag off, then dump the frozen block straight into a pot. They take about 1 hour. I could probably do them in the microwave as well, but I haven't tried it.  

Here are the recipes we enjoyed with any extra instructions noted.

Chicken Apple Curry

No. Servings: 8

Prep: 15 min Cook: 3 hrs

4 chicken breasts

2-3 cups apples

1 onion

1-2 C chicken boullion

1 large can cream of chicken soup

2 tsp. curry

10 cups cooked rice (5 dry)

1. Cut chicken into strips 1x1x2 in.  Chop apples and onion.
2. Put all ingredients except rice into crockpot.  Cook on high three hours or until chicken is cooked and onions are soft.
3. Serve over rice.
4. Freezer: Make rice at time of eating.

Chicken Pot Pie

No. Servings: 8

2 quarts chicken stock

3 cups chicken

3 cups carrots, chopped

3 cups potatoes, chopped

2 cups green peas

Flour & milk, mixed

2 recipes double pie crust

1. Cook chicken in stock for one hour or until cooked through.
2. Break chicken into chunks and return to pot.  Add carrots and potatoes.  
3. When both are tender, add peas and thickening (flour & milk).
4. Place in pie crust.  Cook at 350° until crust is brown and mixture is bubbling.

Chicken Enchiladas

No. Servings: 6

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min

4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped OR 2 cans cooked chicken

1.5 cup sour cream

3 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can green chiles OR ¼ cup green onions, chopped and sautéed

8 tortillas

Milk

Cheese, shredded

1. Combine chicken, sour cream, soup, and vegetables.  Add milk until the mixture is spreadable.  
2. Cover bottom of pan with sauce, then fill tortillas with sauce, leaving ½ cup out.  Place tortillas in pan, then cover with remaining sauce and cheese.  
3. Cook in microwave or oven until warmed.
4. Freezer: Sticks to foil; use a disposable pan.  Top with cheese once nearly reheated.

Green Chicken Enchiladas
No. Servings: 8
Prep: 15 min Cook 30 min

4 chicken breasts OR 2 cans chicken

2 cans black beans

14 oz or more salsa

1 cup cooked rice

Shredded cheese

Pepper

8 tortillas

1 can green enchilada sauce

1. Mix first six ingredients.
2. Fill tortillas with mixture and place in 9x13 pan.  Cover with sauce, covering all edges of tortillas.  Top with more cheese.
3. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Meatloaf

No. Servings: 1 pan

Prep: 20 min Cook: 1 1/2 hr

2 beaten eggs

3/4 C milk

2/3 C dry bread crumbs

1/4 C finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp fresh parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sage, basil, or oregano

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 lb ground beef, lamb or pork

1/4 C ketchup

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1. Combine eggs and milk in bowl.  Stir in bread, onion, salt, and spices.
2. Add meat; mix well.  Lightly pat into a greased loaf pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature registers 160°.
4. In a bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard.  Spread over meat.  Bake 10 minutes more and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
5. Freezer: Make sauce when serving.

Sloppy Joes

No. Servings: 6

1 lb ground beef

Salt & pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

2 stalks celery

1 onion

5-6 Tbsp brown sugar

¼ tsp dry mustard

1 Tb lemon juice

1 Tbsp vinegar

Ketchup until red, 1 ½-2 cups

Buns

Cheese

1. Brown hamburger and top with spices.    
2. Meanwhile, chop celery and mince onion.  Boil until tender.  Drain and add to hamburger.
3. Add brown sugar, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and ketchup and simmer until slightly thick.  
4. Serve with cheese on buns.

Shepherd’s Pie

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, minced

1 green pepper, minced

1 ½ C carrots, chopped

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ C beef broth

1 C green peas

2 cans whole corn, drained

Salt & pepper to taste

8 cups prepared instant mashed potatoes

Shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400°.  Brown ground beef, onion and green pepper.
2. Meanwhile, boil carrots separately until tender.
3. Add Worcestershire, beef broth, peas, corn, and salt & pepper to the beef.  Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid is mostly gone.
4. Pour into greased 9x13 pan.  Cover completely with mashed potatoes, sprinkle with cheese.  
5. Cook 30 minutes or until bubbling and brown.
6. Freezer: Top with cheese once nearly reheated.

Stroganoff

No. Servings: 6 

by: Jill Day

1 lb stew meat OR ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 large can cream of mushroom soup

Salt & pepper to taste

6 cups cooked noodles OR 6 baked potatoes

1. Brown meat and onion.  
2. Add sour cream, mushroom soup, and salt & pepper.  
3. Heat through and serve over noodles or potatoes.

Taco Joes
No. Servings: 6

1 lb hamburger

1 onion, chopped

Taco Seasoning

2 large cans pork and beans

2 bags Fritos

Cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, lettuce

1. Fry hamburger and onion.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning.
2. Add pork and beans.  Heat through.
3. Serve over Fritos and top with other ingredients.

Sukiyaki*

by: Joy Lundberg

1/4 C oil 

1 lb round steak, cut into strips

1 large onion

4 carrots, cut into strips 

3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally

10-15 mushrooms

Sauce

1/4 C brown sugar

1 dash garlic salt

1/8 C soy sauce

1 bullion cube

1/2 C hot water

1 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 C water

Hot cooked rice

1. Brown meat in oil in wok.  Add onion and stir fry 3 minutes.
2. Add carrots and stir fry 5 minutes.
3. Add celery and mushroom and stir fry 5 minutes.
4. Mix sugar, garlic salt, soy sauce, bullion and water, and oil in separate bowl.  Add to meat and vegetables.
5. Thicken with mixture of cornstarch and water.
6. Stir until glossy.  Serve over rice.
7. Freezer: Substitute vegetables for Costco stir fry mix.  Stir fry vegetables, add cooked meat & sauce, and cook until thick.

Breakfast Casserole

Cook: 1 ½ hr

Day Before:

8 slices bread, broken

1 ½ C cheese, grated

1 lb. ham, sausage, or bacon, chopped

3 green onions, diced

½ green pepper, chopped

8 eggs

1 ½ C milk

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp dry mustard

1. Grease 9x13 pan.  In order, fill with bread, cheese, meat, and onions and peppers.
2. Beat eggs, mix with milk, salt and mustard.  Pour over casserole, thoroughly covering.  Let sit over night.

Just Before Baking:

¼ C milk

1 can mushrooms

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1. Mix and pour over casserole.  Bake at 350° for 1 ½ hours.

Crab Enchiladas

1 lb crab meat

1 pint half and half

16 oz salsa

16 corn tortillas

1 lb mozzarella cheese

1. Mix crab, half and half, and salsa.
2. Pour a little sauce on the bottom of the pan to coat it.
3. Rip up tortillas into 2 inch pieces.  Put a layer on the bottom of 9x13 pan.
4. Spoon a layer of meat and sauce onto the tortillas.
5. Add a layer of mozzarella cheese.
6. Repeat until pan is full.
7. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Beef & Bacon Chowder

No. Servings: 6 

4 slices bacon cut (optional)

1 lb hamburger

2/3 C chopped celery

½ C chopped onion

1 C sliced carrots

2 cans cream of potato soup

4 C milk

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1. Cook bacon and brown hamburger.
2. In a separate pot, cook carrots in a little bit of water.
3. Add celery and onion.  Cook until vegetables are tender.
4. Add meat, potato soup, milk, salt and pepper to vegetables.  Mix and heat well.

Chicken Noodle Soup

No. Servings: 12 

4 chicken breasts

3 bay leaves

1 onion, quartered

3 celery stalks

6 cubes boullion

Water to fill pot

3 cups carrots, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups green peas

3 cups egg noodles

1. Simmer chicken, bay leaves, onion, celery, boullion and water for 1-1 ½ hours or until chicken is cooked and soft.  
2. Remove bay leaves, onion, and celery.  Break apart chicken.  
3. Add boullion to taste.  Add carrots; simmer 5-10 minutes, then add celery and noodles.  
4. When nearly done, add peas and heat through.
5. Freezer: Add noodles once cooled; add peas after reheating.

Taco Soup*

No. Servings: 8

1 lb hamburger

1 onion

1 can tomato soup

1 can water

3, 8 oz cans tomato sauce

½ pckg taco seasoning

1 32 oz can kidney beans, undrained

1. Brown hamburger & onion.  
2. Meanwhile, heat other ingredients in pot, then add hamburger and onion.  
3. Serve over chips and top with cheese & sour cream.

No Recipe Needed

Breakfast Burritos

Kale and Cabbage Salad

Dressing:

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove, finely minced

1/4 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

1 large bunch kale

1 small head cabbage

1/2 small onion

1/2 C shaved Parmesan

1/2 C pine nuts OR sunflower seeds, roasted

1. In a pint jar, combine all dressing ingredients and shake well.  Set aside to develop flavors.
2. Discard kale center stem.  Shred kale and cabbage finely.  Slice onion thinly.
3. Toss all salad ingredients.  Add dressing 10 minutes before serving and toss.

Cowboy Quinoa Salad

by: Cris Day and Marilee Bassett

1 pckg (16 oz) frozen corn, thawed

1 can (15 oz) black beans

1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas

½ red onion, diced

2 avocados, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 tomatoes, diced

½ bunch cilantro, shredded

Italian dressing to taste (roughly 1/3 bottle)

Pepper to taste

1 1/2 C dry quinoa, cooked (optional)

1. Combine ingredients.
2. Let sit for best results.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Spinach Beef Spaghetti Pie

No. Servings: 8 by: Carol Hicks

12 oz uncooked angel hair pasta

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 C parmesan cheese

1 lb ground beef

½ C chopped onion

¼ C chopped green pepper

1 jar (14 oz) spaghetti sauce

½ tsp basil

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp dried oregano

1 pckg (16 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 

1 pckg cream cheese, softened

½ C shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cook and drain pasta.
2. Add eggs and parmesan.  Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook beef, onion, and pepper until meat is cooked through and veggies are tender.  
4. Drain grease.  Stir spaghetti sauce, seasonings and spinach into the meat.
5. Drop dollops of cream cheese into casserole dish, covering as completely as possible.  Top with spinach and meat sauce, then cheese.  
6. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Common Core Introduction

I had a brief conversation with a friend the other day about common core. She mentioned that she hadn't heard anything good about it, and I realized that I needed to share my knowledge. I am a public school teacher in Utah: I have taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grades for 6 years.  I taught before Common Core for several years, and I have now taught with Common Core for several years.  The opponents of common core are many and vocal, but there are a lot of good things about it that aren't being mentioned. I'm going to try to highlight some of those over the next few days. I welcome dialogue, but I ask that you be kind. I hope that, maybe, I can convince some of you to look for a compromise to deal with some of the issues of common core without losing the benefits.

Addressing this fully takes me several, very long posts.  I know it's long, but addressing an issue in an informative way takes more than a few catch phrases.

Point #1: NOT Obamacore
Common core is NOT Obamacore and is not federal control. In response to some of the problems of our nation's education system, the National Governor's Association convened a group to develop the standards. The governors of this nation recognized that we needed to better prepare students for college and careers, and that working together would be for the benefit of students. Common core was not a federal mandate: 6 states have not adopted it. The 44 who have have done so because they recognized the benefits. Utah did not adopt common core because our arm was twisted: we were one of the leaders in the movement, developing the assessments that the whole nation would use.

President Obama and the Department of Education did offer additional federal funding through the Race to the Top program.  In order to enter that program, you had to have college and career ready standards.  Common Core counts, but Virginia and Texas chose to write their own college and career ready standards.  It does not affect current funding.   I understand why many people are concerned about the federal involvement, but you can see it's not a mandate. I also understand that many people feel that we will have to accept any future changes whether we like them or not. We will not: in fact, in response to some of the issues with common core, Utah has sort of unadopted it and readopted it under the title Utah Core Standards. That may seem like semantics, but what it means is that any change to the Common Core doesn't change the Utah Core until we say so.

My first compromise suggestion: Instead of trying to get rid of common core completely, I propose that we fight for what we want from the department of education. From what I have heard, most people agree that we need the federal money, so what terms do we find acceptable to get that money? Let's try to fight for the Department of Education to change their requirements instead of getting rid of something that is the best thing to happen to education in 20 years.

Point #2: Design
Common core is very nicely aligned vertically and horizontally. It is designed start to finish with the same goal in mind. In other words, kindergarteners are on a track to accomplish 12th grader skills. In first grade, it adds a little bit to the skill, in second grade a bit more, etc. This is good teaching practice and makes it easy to build on students' previous knowledge. It's also nicely aligned horizontally. So, I'm supposed to be teaching my students to support their reading claims with evidence, and then that ties right in to argumentative writing, where they need to back up their claims with evidence. In fact, after teaching argumentative writing for several months, I saw my students DRA reading scores jump because they knew how to back up their opinions. The first time I saw common core, I literally thought, "Our previous state core was written by monkeys." It's THAT much better. (If you are one of the writers of the previous Utah core, I apologize.)

Common Core Benefits

Point #7: Benefits of a Shared Core
There are some major benefits to having the same Core standards as 43 other states.

One of those benefits is that textbook manufacturers are now catering to us! Now, it is true that the textbooks aren't great right now, but they will improve. In the past, it was impossible for textbook manufacturers to cater textbooks to each state's core. So, they made two books: one for Texas's core and one for California's. That was it. The rest of us had to look at the textbooks, find one that kinda sorta fit our core, and then create all kinds of lessons and worksheets to supplement it. It was a pain.

Another benefit is that teachers in all of those states are creating resources for the Common Core. So, I can go online, put in the exact standard I'm looking to teach, and get resources from teachers all over the country. When you realize that 90% of teachers never upload a single lesson online, it's pretty hard to find lessons from Utah teachers for every single standard you teach. However, now, there are a wealth of incredible resources wherever you look. This has basically allowed me to collaborate with teachers all over the country, and it has improved my instruction dramatically.

Another benefit is that all the educational resource companies are now catering to us. I'm not sure if you've heard, but lack of funding tends to be a problem in education. Even entire states can't afford to commission some of the great resources they would like to have. However, when a company can make one product for the entire nation, the cost becomes reasonable because everyone pitches in. This has allowed us to have great resources like adaptive testing (a single test question can cost $100 to develop) and all kinds of apps.

Another benefit is a direct benefit to the students. For the first time, a child can move from one state to another and get the same instruction. In the past, one state would teach Order of Operations in 6th grade and another in 5th. The kid moved from the first state to the second between 5th and 6th grade and was never taught Order of Operations.

This is the end of my Common Core series.  However, I would love to answer any questions you have. Several people have approached me about sharing my posts: please feel free. I really don't have access to a wide base of readers, but I would love for more people to hear another side of the Common Core debate.

Common Core Problems and Myths

Point #6: Problems
Some of the problems that have been coming up either aren't because of Common Core or are only related indirectly.

For example, some parents have been frustrated by homework problems given since Common Core. Yes, Common Core does push students to think about things in new ways, so it is going to be different. However, the really frustrating things aren't because of Common Core. Some are due to teachers: we're mostly good, but we all make mistakes. I accidentally gave a homework assignment earlier this year that had NOTHING to do with what we had learned. I apologized to the kids, emailed the parents, and we moved on, but they were annoyed with me that day.

Some of the other problems are due to textbooks. Because everything went down so fast with Common Core, the textbook companies had to rush to get books out. Because of that, they're not as great as we'd like them to be. They are getting better, and some school districts have contracts that allow them to get the latest version each year (consumable books), but the books aren't really awesome yet.

When people complain about Common Core being rushed, that is one complaint that I actually think has some validity. It probably would have been best to slow things down a bit, but it's too late now. Trying to go back would be far worse than just forging ahead. Also, I think the reason they did push such a fast timetable was that they recognized the immediate value to the students, even if things weren't totally smooth for a few years. And it has been valuable to the students. Have things been perfect? No. I really didn't know what to expect on our end of year tests this year, and so I couldn't prepare my kids as well as I wanted to. They were frustrated with the tests. I don't love my textbook. It's taking me time to feel like I'm teaching the Core as well as I want to (though that's always true: I'm always trying to perfect things).

However, even with all that, my kids have been better off since Day 1 of Common Core implementation. They are better writers, they are better readers, and they are better mathematicians. I was able to calm them down about the tests, we worked through the textbook problems together, and they learned that everyone is wrong sometimes.

It might be helpful for parents to know that we have been told we have several years to fully implement Common Core. We aren't expected to have it all perfect immediately, and we aren't expecting the students to either. If you are frustrated with something, talk to your child's teacher. She might be able to explain things better to you, and she might be able to make some changes. And know that, at least in this teacher's opinion, even with the rocky road, your kids are better off now than ever before. If I had a child in school right now, I would want that child learning Common Core.

Finally, again, remember that just because this is a big buzzword right now, that doesn't mean every problem in education is caused by it. Before Common Core, there were teachers who gave too much homework, and there still are. Before Common Core, there were bad textbooks, and there still are. Before Common Core, kids had trouble adjusting to new teachers or grades, and they still do. But there are also good teachers, good textbooks, good growth opportunities for kids, and Common Core adds improved instruction to the good of public schools.

Point #7: Myths
There are a lot of myths out there. I haven't heard them all, but I would like to address a few.

Myth 1: Obamacore/ Federal Control. I addressed this in my first post. Short version: Common Core is a state-developed initiative. The federal department of education liked it and joined the party, but it is not a federal mandate.

Myth 2: Data Mining. I am going to try really hard to refrain from making negative comments about Glenn Beck...but suffice it to say that I think many of his statements are motivated by selling books/ air time. I can't speak for the details for other states, but in Utah, there is not one shred of truth to the rumor that the federal government is going to data mine our test scores. We are giving the federal government exactly the same amount of information on end of year test scores as we have for more than a decade. In fact, Utah recently passed a law clarifying this. So, it would require action by the legislature to give the federal government any more information than we give now. The feds get only one piece of information on individual students. If a child fails a test, the federal government is told that a 5th grade boy received a score of X. That's it. No names.

Another interesting point on this one: many parents have been opting their students out of end of year testing because they disapprove of the data mining. However, there is no option to just excuse a kid from a test. If you opt your child out, their score is reported...as failing. So, by opting your child out, you ensure that data about your child is sent to the federal government (just what I mentioned above). Now, it is still a parent's choice to do that, but you should be aware that if too many students opt out of testing, the school gets penalized.

Myth 3: The passages on the tests are riddled with climate change, gay marriage support, atheism, and promiscuity. The parents aren't allowed to see the tests, and neither are the teachers. Now, again, I can only speak for Utah on this. Originally, we were supposed to be part of the testing with everyone else. In fact, we were going to be the ones writing the tests for nearly the whole nation, ensuring that we had control over what was included. However, in the first wave of Common Core backlash, Utah pulled out of the testing group. So, we are no longer writing the tests, and we had to start over at the 11th hour to completely create our own tests. That's part of the reason we had testing issues this year.

However, teachers can see those tests, and I can pretty much promise you that we always will be able to. At least in Utah, the teachers proctor the tests, so we have to go around monitoring students' progress. The reason I can promise you that will never change is that changing it would cost money and give teachers extra prep time. Our legislators would die before allowing that to happen.

I watched the test passages very carefully this year. I can honestly say that I would have no problem using all but 2 of them in my classroom. (The 2 weren't inappropriate, they just would have produced waves of 6th-grader giggles. I can't give details because of testing ethics, but a comparable example would be a passage on Uranus.) You have to remember: as teachers, we take our job as guardians of the children seriously. This is our community too. Our children go to these schools. If we saw something inappropriate, we would do something about it.

Also, not to negate the importance of protecting your children, but I have serious doubts that a single passage on an end of year test could turn a child into a Communist. I probably tell students to capitalize the first word in a sentence 100 times in a year, and they still can't seem to internalize that.

Most parents are not allowed to see the tests for the purposes of test validity and security. However, in Utah, there is a panel of 30 parents who review every test item. If they have objections to a test item, they write what their objections are. All parents can see those objections, even though they can't see the items. I'm not sure where this information is, but if someone would like it, I know who to email.

Myth 4: Common Core is a curriculum. This is a difference that I didn't know about until recently. Standards just state what a student should learn. A curriculum is how they learn it. So, the standard would be, "Make predictions with evidence." The curriculum would be a unit on the Westing Game. Common Core is NOT a curriculum, and people really need to understand that. When I hear people talking about their fears with having local control pulled from education, they mostly fear having content dictated to them. They don't want their children being forced to read books that contradict their values or do math problems involving how many years it will be until global warming destroys the planet. I understand that: some of the things that are taught in Southern California are not okay with me, and I don't want them coming to Utah. However, Common Core doesn't change anything in this respect.

Curriculum is one of the few places where there is local control in education. Many decisions are made at a state level (where I feel like my pleas fall on deaf ears), but curriculum is chosen by individual school districts, and sometimes even schools or teachers. That means that parents can have a very direct and powerful say in the curriculum used with their children. So, if you hate your child's math book, instead of trying to take down Common Core, call your local school board and tell them you hate it. Go to the meetings. This is something you can actually change.

Common Core does list text exemplars for each level. Those are examples, NOT suggested reading, and most definitely NOT required reading. It is not an attempt to dictate which books are used. "Why are the books listed then?" you ask. The reason they list examples is because it is pretty much impossible to develop a purely objective system for leveling texts. The Lexile system measures the difficulty of vocabulary and sentence structure, but it doesn't measure the complexity of the actual ideas. Case in point: Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a 950 Lexile, or 6th grade level book. That does not mean that it's a high quality sixth grade text I should use in reading groups. There is no automated system to measure figurative language, character development, foreshadowing, etc. So, they have to have text exemplars to help us, as teachers, have an idea of what we're shooting for.

Myth 5: Common Core isn't based on research. I totally bought into this one for awhile, but it's not true. This claim is based on the fact that Common Core was rolled out really quickly without small scale implementation. However, the following quote from corestandards.org explains that it is based on many, many studies pulled from various sources:
"The standards have made careful use of a large and growing body of evidence. The evidence base includes scholarly research, surveys on what skills are required of students entering college and workforce training programs, assessment data identifying college‐ and career‐ready performance, and comparisons to standards from high‐performing states and nations.
In English language arts, the standards build on the firm foundation of the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) frameworks in reading and writing, which draw on extensive scholarly research and evidence.
In mathematics, the standards draw on conclusions from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and other studies of high‐performing countries that found the traditional U.S. mathematics curriculum needed to become substantially more coherent and focused in order to improve student achievement, addressing the problem of a curriculum that is 'a mile wide and an inch deep.'"

Myth 6: Common Core increases federal control of education. The only bit of truth to this is that some federal funding is tied to the acceptance of Common Core. However, the idea that "this is just the beginning!" of increased federal control is false. Again, from corestandards.org:
"The federal government will not govern the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core was and will remain a state-led effort. The NGA Center and CCSSO are committed to developing a long-term governance structure with leadership from governors, chief state school officers, and other state policymakers to ensure the quality of the Common Core and that teachers and principals have a strong voice in the future of the standards. States and local school districts will drive implementation of the Common Core."

Also, Common Core has played an part in rolling back federal control. Within the last few years, 33 states have opted out of No Child Left Behind. They have been allowed to do this after demonstrating that they have a plan for school accountability including "'college- and career-ready' standards and grading teachers, using, in part, students' standardized test scores." (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/19/no-child-left-behind-waiver_n_1684504.html) Under this system, each state can decide what works for them instead of having a blanket mandate from the federal government. The federal government is still doing their job by ensuring that students receive a quality education, but states can say what works for them. Utah received one of these waivers, based in part on our acceptance of Common Core, and I cannot even begin to tell you how much better the new accountability system is than NCLB.

Myth 7: Common Core is "one-size-fits-all." This one is based on the misconception that Common Core is a curriculum. Again, it is just standards. All it says is what a child should know at the end of each grade. It doesn't say what strategies teachers should use to get there. It doesn't say anything about gifted students or struggling students because that's NOT WHAT IT IS. Believe me, our old state standards didn't say a word about gifted or struggling students either. That's not the point of standards. Deciding how to teach and how to individualize for students is a local decision, so Common Core is staying out of it.