In this article the authors illustrate an instructional unit based on a Common Core grades 9-10 illustrative text--Amy Tan's "Two Kinds" from "The Joy Luck Club." They demonstrate how teachers can meet the new standards "and" respond to students' 21st-century needs by using this modern classic along with other traditional and new media resources. Their unit could be easily adapted to other texts and grade levels. Their design is informed by research about using students' experiences and prior knowledge, popular cultures, media, and digital technologies in daily instruction. (Contains 1 figure.)