The Writing Standards in Action Project

1. The Writing Standards in Action Project What does The Writing Standards in Action Project mean for teaching and learning? Michele Sodergren, Writing Coordinator K- 12, Chelsea Public Schools sodergrenm@chelseaschools.com

2. How do we use The Writing Standards in Action Project in classrooms? Teaching with the end in mind – unit planning Unpacking standards with students What do students need to know and be able to do? Unveil the mystery – show students what the work they are expected to do looks like.

3. Unit of Study Established Goals (StandardsW5.1, W5.4, RI5.5, L5.1, L5.2, L5.6) Understandings Essential Questions Students will know… Students will be able to do… How will students demonstrate their knowledge and skill? What will the teaching and learning look like to meet the established goals?

4. Instructional FrameworkStudy Driven by Katie Wood Ray Gathering Texts Setting the Stage Immersion Close Study Writing Under the Influence

5. Instructional FrameworkStudy Driven by Katie Wood Ray Gathering Texts -The teacher, sometimes along with students, gathers examples of the kind of writing students will do. Choose anchor texts for whole class to read closely together that are good models of the opinion piece you want students to write. Mix published author texts with grade level strong student texts (i.e., Be Careful When You Let Your Dog Off Leash) Your own writing even in draft form can serve as an anchor text for the class. Gather several opinion pieces on the same topic by different authors Gather one author’s opinion writing on different topics

6. Instructional FrameworkStudy Driven by Katie Wood Ray Setting the Stage – Students are told they will be expected to finish a piece(s) of writing that shows the influence of the study. Provide an overview of opinion writing. Provide students with a handout of formal requirements and due dates for the work in the study. Read aloud one or two of the texts so students will know what good writing of this kind sounds like. Use quick writes to generate possible topics for writing.

7. Instructional FrameworkStudy Driven by Katie Wood Ray Immersion – During immersion the teacher and the students spend time reading and getting to know the texts they’ll study. They make notes of things they notice about how texts are written. They think about the process writers use to craft texts like the ones they are studying. Read a lot of what it is you want students to write. Chart what you notice about the writing.

8. Instructional FrameworkStudy Driven by Katie Wood Ray • Close Study – the class revisits and frames their talk with the question, “What did we notice about how these texts are written?” The teacher and the students work together to use specific language to say what they know about writing from this close study, developing curriculum as they go. The teacher, through modeling, takes a strong lead in helping students envision using what they are learning in their own writing. • Read Like a Writer • Notice something about the craft of the text. • Talk about it and make a theory about why a writer might use this craft. • Give the craft a name. • Think of other texts you know. Have you seen this craft before? • Try and envision using this crafting in your own writing.

9. Instructional FrameworkStudy Driven by Katie Wood Ray Writing Under the Influence – students (and often the teacher) finish pieces of writing that show (in specific ways) the influence of the study. • Minilessons on both process and product • Structure • Openings and closings • Development of idea • Use of evidence • Transition phrases and sentences • Sentence imitation • Conferring with writers • Meeting individual students where they are and moving them along the continuum of writing.

10. How do we use The Writing Standards in Action Project in districts/schools? Grade level teams looking at student work (LASW) Vertical teams of teachers unpacking standards and looking at student work (Professional Learning Communities – PLC) Administrative teams in analyzing student data to inform professional development Setting goals for Standard I of the Teacher Evaluation Rubric

11. How do we use the Writing Standards in Action Project with families? Sharing the year end expectations of students Setting goals with students and families to meet grade level expectations Communicating the progress towards the standards throughout the school year

12. Reflection What does The Writing Standards in Action Project mean for me in my teaching? For my school? Or for my district? What does The Writing Standards in Action Project mean for my students?

13. Resources for Performance Level Work We can refer to the standards. http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html We can refer to The Writing Standards in Action Project to see high quality student writing samples that illustrate what performance to grade level standards looks like − in action. www.doe.mass.edu/candi/wsa We can refer to Appendix C of the Common Core State Standards http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards

14. Resources for Teaching Writing Anderson, Carl. Assessing Writers, Heinemann, 2005; How’s It Going, Heinemann, 2000 Anderson, Jeff. Mechanically Inclined, Stenhouse, 2005 Fletcher, Ralph. What a Writer Needs, Heinemann, 1993 Fletcher, Ralph and Portalupi, JoAnn. Writing Workshop, The Essential Guide, Heinemann, 2001 Giacobbe, Maryellen and Horn, Martha. Talking, Drawing, Writing, Stenhouse, 2007 Kittle, Penny. Write Beside Them, Heinemann, 2008 Tovani, Cris. So What Do They Really Know, Stenhouse, 2011 Wood Ray, Katie. Wondrous Words, National Council Teachers of English, 1999; Study Driven, Heinemann, 2006