Writing STrategies

1. Writing STrategies York Middle & High School September 10, 2014 Jill Johnson, ESU 6 @mrsjillj jjohnson@esu6.net esu6craftknowledge.wikispaces.com

2. What are the ground rules for writing? Kids need to know! • What will we use? • capital letters at the beginning of sentences • What won’t we use? • texting shortcuts Write on sticky notes at your table and add them to the poster.

3. Things to consider • six traits • writing process • common language of instruction • writing instruction vs. writing assignments • If you want it, teach it. (You can’t put an essay on a test if you haven’t practiced essay writing.) • I do. We do. You do.

4. AGenda Writing Across the Curriculum Strategies • Short Writing: • Power Sentences • Think Ink Link • Sentence Stems • Longer Writing: • Paragraph Frames • RAFTS • Paragraph Shrinking

5. I’m not a writing teacher, so… How can I add more writing in my class?

6. #1 Power SEntences • Write one power sentence about why were are here today. • Go around the table and share your sentence. • As a group, combine your ideas and rewrite one sentence including all the ideas. • Exit tickets. • Tweets (In <140 characters tell me…include at least one appropriate hashtag) • Six word memoirs (for self or the famous person you are studying: author, mathmatician, etc.) • Prompt with a Sentence stem (The use of ratios….)

7. Idea #2: Think – Ink - Link Think: prompt all and provide time to think. Ink: direct students to write; provide a structure. Link: provide structured opportunities to share 1. Prompt: Should Ray Rice be suspended from the NFL for life? 2. Structure: Ray Rice (should/should not) be suspended from the NFL for life because… 3. Link: Tell your elbow partner. Elbow partner offer an agree or disagree and why.

8. Idea #3: Sentence Stems Create Model Practice Review I learned. . . The main ideas. . . We agreed. . . http://goo.gl/di9Cpp

9. Idea #3: • Timed Writing with • Sentence Stems • What? • brief writing to rehearse, apply, synthesize content • (e.g., 5 or 10 or 30 minutes) • a teacher prompt to use specific academic language or syntax when responding to prompts • Why? • beyond journaling • accurate rehearsal • students using academic language and syntax • provides scaffold to competently discuss topic • Examples: • I predict _____ because _____. • One consequence of the invention was a rise in _____. • Two potential motives behind an author’s use of _____ include _____. • Your response must include the words “function” and “variable” http://goo.gl/di9Cpp

10. Idea #4: Writing Frames Create Model Practice Review

11. Idea #4: Writing Frames Create Model Practice Review I do: Create a paragraph frame for Catching Fire. http://goo.gl/opIY4w We do: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK, create a paragraph frame for the “greatest president.” http://goo.gl/u8YoG2

12. Idea #5: Building R.A.F.T.S. Role Audience Format Topic Strong Verb reporter, observer, eyewitness teacher, students, people who lived during a specific era letter, article, poem, song famous person, event, place explaining, informing, persuading http://goo.gl/RLTL2c Get students involved in the planning!

13. Idea #6: Paragraph Shrinking Take the time to teach this process! I do. We do. We do. We do. We do. We do. You do. • Identify who or what a paragraph is mostly about. • Identify the most important information. • Shrink all the information into one main-idea statement of 10 words or less.

14. challenge: In the next two weeks: • try at least ONE new type of writing in your classroom • tell a colleague how it worked! • plan to bring writing samples to our next meeting for FEEDBACK!

15. Have a fantastic week! Thanks for your work today!