Download Writing 101

Writing 101
Writing across the curriculum
Improving writing
Write everyday
6+1 Writing Traits
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Organization
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Ideas
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Word Choice
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Sentence Fluency
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Voice
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Conventions
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Presentation
Writing Process
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Planning
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Drafting
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Revising
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Editing
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Publishing
Improving Writing Skills—Essential
Components
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Direct instruction
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Feedback
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Teacher
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Individual and specific
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Variety of tools
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Strengths
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Accessible to all learning styles
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Next steps
Write
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Every day
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All subject areas
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Variety of text structures
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Common language/terminology
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Criteria for feedback clearly stated
Writing connected to reading
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To get better at reading you read
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To get better at writing you write
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Free response as a formative measure of writing
Free response
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Read a selection aloud—stop and ask students to
respond
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Write a sentence or draw a picture (younger
students)
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Responses about content, character, or vocabulary
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Responses may include:
 What do you like or dislike about the text
 Where does the selection take place?
 How does it make you feel?
 What do you predict will happen?
 How does the character remind you of
someone you know?
 How does the text connect to you and your
life?
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Think, pair, share or turn to your neighbor
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Reread your response to yourself
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Group discussion
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Still agree with your response?
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No right or wrong answers
Writing development
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At first it may be summary types of response—that is what students are
used to
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Expands on ideas
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Improves sentence fluency
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Gives voice to writing
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Improves comprehension of reading
Using responses to improve writing:
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Complete sentences
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Makes sense
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Short and choppy or run-on
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Start all sentences the same way
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Simple or more complex sentences (Adjectives, adverbs)
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Strong action verbs
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Take risks with new words or voice
Improving writing at the
sentence level
Basic writing
Building better sentences
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Pictures give kids words—Paint a picture using words
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Write down their responses
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Model conventions—Use word sentence to discuss what you are writing
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Choose action words rather than passive words
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Pattern—who, action, finish the thought (Three box sentences)
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Add descriptors—Adjectives and adverbs
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Add phrases and clauses (four box sentences)
Three block writing
Four block writing
Moving to paragraphs
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Introduction
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Body
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Conclusion
Topic Sentence
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Declarative statement--simple
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Number word included
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Situation/stand (starter words)
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Ask a question—paragraph will answer the question
Beware
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My name is_____ and today I will tell you about….
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In this paper, I will tell you about…..
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I’m going to write about….
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Deadly duo:
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There are
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Here are
Body sentences
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Big ideas
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Transitons
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First, second, third—level one
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Transition words and phrases
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Repetition of word or thought, pattern
Conclusions
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Strong ending
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Summarize
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Repeat of topic sentence with different words
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“clincher”
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Words that signal a conclusion
Examples and non examples of good
conclusion words
Good conclusive words
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Actually
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As a result
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Certainly
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Clearly
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Consequently
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Definitely
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In fact
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Obviously
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Surely/truly
Beware
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All in all
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In conclusion
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That is all
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The end
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I hope you like my paper
Let’s Summarize!
Short and Sweet
Summary or Retell?
Summary>3rd or 4th Grade
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Big ideas
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Written
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Retell< 3rd or 4th Grade
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Main idea and details (Sometimes
all details)
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Oral
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Lengthy, may contain information
not necessarily found in the text
Short, sequential, few details
A Good Summary should….
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Significantly shorter than original text
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Paraphrasing using own words not directly copied from text
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Big ideas in sequential order
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Eliminate most details (especially fluff)
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No personal opinions
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No outside information not found in text.
Writing a good summary—Step 1: Topic
sentence
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Name it (name of article and author)
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Verb it (What it does)
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Big picture (What does it tell me, what does it say?)
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List of verbs: tells, shows, describes, explains, discusses, listts, explores,
illustrates, teaches, compares, contrasts
Write a summary Step 2—Paraphrase big
ideas.
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Jot dots using rule of 5 (five or less words)
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Encourages paraphrasing and chunking
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4-6 jot dots (most of the time)
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Beginning, middle, end. (sequential)
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Main ideas from story.
Write a summary: Step 3 Write out loud
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Turn to a neighbor and orally write you summary from your topic sentence
and jot dots
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Turn each jot dot into a complete sentence
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Practice
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Helps clarify ideas
Write a summary Step 4 and 5
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4: Keep plan close by to refer back to.
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5. Write the summary
Response to Literature—Summary plus
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Short summary
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Personal connections—to self, world, or other text
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Author’s message or lesson, including a personal comment
Questions
Thank you!