WrITING WORKSHOP

1. WrITING WORKSHOP PLOT SUMMARY, SUPPORTING DETAILS, COMMENTARY AU AND ASSOCIATES, AMY SCHOLL, JULY 2016 (ADAPTED FROM NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AND RACHEL COOKE OISE UOFT)es Education Solutions/Lindsay McWaters/July 2016

2. Learning goals • To review the minds on, action, consolidate structure • To review strategies that make writing less intimidating for students • To review the concept that talk reinforces and helps generate ideas • To develop a framework for academic writing – plot summary, supporting details, commentary • To develop success criteria for literature-based writing (a mathematical breakdown) Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

3. Minds On: Short Burst of Writing: 5 MINUTES In the story “The Stolen Party”, the author describes a birthday party that makes a strong impression on the main character, Rosaura. Think about what happens to Rosaura and how she feels about the incident. How does it affect the way she feels about herself? Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

4. Talking about the text: 5 MINUTES • In a THINK, PAIR, SHARE (OR SQUARE) exercise, share and compare your answers with a partner and then a team • Some students like to talk before they write while others prefer to think on their own, write about it, and then share their ideas; it’s a good idea to allow opportunities for both kinds of learners in your classroom • Using a THINK, PAIR, SHARE activity will allow students to further expand their ideas before writing about them more formally. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

5. Revising ideas: 5 miNUTES TO FURTHER REVISE YOUR IDEAS, CONSIDER THE EXPANDED QUESTION BELOW. ADD TEXTUAL EVIDENCE TO YOUR RESPONSE. • Explain how you think Rosaura views herself at the party. Consider why she sees herself as she does, what affected her view, and if her feelings about herself change as a result of her experience. • Use specific details from the text to support your position. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

6. Learning from student exemplars • Using student samples of writing is an effective teaching practice. • It can make your expectations for an assignment clear – especially if you review what went well and what to improve. • Try to review more than one example and examples that are at different levels. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

7. Learning from student exemplars • I prefer to use examples from the previous year so that students don’t feel badly if their work isn’t great. Sometimes I have to make up examples if I want to really focus on one aspect. • Always take away the students’ names. • I also often have students work in groups to generate writing – a thesis statement, a paragraph, an introduction. I have the group share their writing on the blackboard and revise or mark it in front of them to make my expectations clear to all students. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

8. Learning from student exemplars: 10 minutes • Read the two responses, 22115 and 50142. • How would you grade each response? • Justify your analysis, giving reasons for your grade. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

9. How to break Down the writing: 5 minutes To analyse the writing as a writer, let’s break it down into three categories. Plot Summary • what we know from reading the story – underline with a solid line Supporting Details • quotations – underline with a dotted line _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Commentary - inferences, analysis, explanation, opinion, interpretation • what the reader brings to the story – use a circle or thought bubble Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

10. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

11. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. • PLOT SUMMARY Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

12. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

13. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Supporting Details & Plot Summary Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

14. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

15. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. Plot Summary Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

16. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

17. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Commentary Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

18. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Senora Ines has treated Rosaura like the hired help instead of like a guest. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

19. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Senora Ines has treated Rosaura like the hired help instead of like a guest. Commentary Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

20. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Senora Ines has treated Rosaura like the hired help instead of like a guest. To make matters worse, Senora Ines says, “Thank you for all your help, my pet.” Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

21. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Senora Ines has treated Rosaura like the hired help instead of like a guest. To make matters worse, Senora Ines says, “Thank you for all your help, my pet.” Commentary & Supporting Details Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

22. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Senora Ines has treated Rosaura like the hired help instead of like a guest. To make matters worse, Senora Ines says, “Thank you for all your help, my pet.” This is a second slap which adds insult to injury. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

23. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. In fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Instead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. This is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Senora Ines has treated Rosaura like the hired help instead of like a guest. To make matters worse, Senora Ines says, “Thank you for all your help, my pet.” This is a second slap which adds insult to injury. Commentary Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

24. Let’s Try these!Plot summary, supporting details, commentary At the end of the party, Rosaura is expecting to receive a present of either a yo-yo or a bracelet, like all the other party guests. Plot summaryIn fact, because she was the most helpful and “the best behaved at the party” serving the cake and performing with the magician, Rosaura secretly believes she will be given both presents. Supporting detail &Plot summaryInstead, Senora Ines hands her two dollar bills. Plot SummaryThis is a slap in the face of Rosaura. Commentary Senora Ines has treated Rosaura like the hired help instead of like a guest. Commentary To make matters worse, Senora Ines says, “Thank you for all your help, my pet.” Commentary & Supporting DetailThis is a second slap which adds insult to injury.CommentaryRosaura is no better than the trained monkey who performs at the party. Commentary Senora Ines treats her like she is less than human. Commentary What a devastating blow! Commentary Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

25. Now YOU try it: 10 minutes • Look back at the student exemplars and underline, colour code or code the work. Plot Summary • what we know from reading the story – underline with a solid line Supporting Details • quotations – underline with a dotted line _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Commentary - inferences, analysis, explanation, opinion, interpretation • what the reader brings to the story – use a circle or thought bubble Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

26. Building Success Criteria Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

27. Building Success Criteria • It’s important to generate success criteria with your students. So let’s try it together! Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

28. Writing with clear expectations: 10 Minutes • Keeping in mind the success criteria, with a small group, on chart paper, write a paragraph that begins with the sentence: • Although Rosaura thinks she is going to get both a bracelet and a yo-yo, Senora Inez hands her two bills instead. Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

29. Building this into your assignments Extensions • When peer editing, colour code your peer’s writing. Talk to them about how they could improve any of the three areas. • Before handing in an essay, colour code your own work and analyse it for plot summary, commentary, supporting details. Other suggestions? Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016

30. THANK YOU & QUESTIONS • I hope you find this helps with your students’ writing! Au and Associates, Amy Scholl, July 2016