GHSWT: Passing with Flying "Colors" - Questions and Answers!

1. GHSWT Passing with flying “Colors”

2. GHSWT • Most Frequent Questions? • and Answers!

3. Questions? and Answers! 1. Do I have to write in Ink? • Yes, the final draft must be written in blue or black ink; however, the first draft may be written in pencil. 2. What if I make a mistake using ink? • Draw a line through what you want to change and rewrite it neatly. 3. May I use a dictionary. • No. No dictionaries, electronic devices or anything other than standard pencils and pens (unless stated by an IEP) may be used during testing.

4. 4. How will my paper by graded? • Papers are scored using a range of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) for each of four grading domains: • Ideas--40 % of the total score--This has to with the controlling idea and supporting ideas. • Organization--20% of the total score—This has to do with the essay’s focus, sequence of ideas, and transitions. • Style--20% of the total score—This has to do with word choice, audience awareness, voice, descriptive language, figurative language, and writing variety. • Conventions--20% of the total score—This is sentence formation, usage, and mechanics

5. 5. Will spelling errors hurt my score? • Frequent misspellings of common words or words in the writing prompt can prevent the reader from understanding your ideas and therefore could lower your score in the Conventions domain. Precise word choice is highly valued in the Style Domain, and precise words help develop the topic, which is evaluated in the Ideas and Organization domains. Therefore, it is sometimes better to risk misspelling a more precise word than to repeat simple, vague words. For example, instead of the word walk, paceis a better choice to show stress and worry, while saunter is a better choice to show a slow leisurely walk.

6. 6. Will my handwriting hurt my score? • If your writing can be read, it will not hurt your score. If it cannot be read, it cannot be scored. 7. Do I have to write in cursive? • No. You may write in print or cursive. If you print, use lower and upper case letters to show the rules of Capitalization. 8. If I write in rap, poetry or music, can I pass? • No, essays are written in prose (sentences and paragraphs). 9. What score will I receive if I don’t like the topic and write about something else? • A Failing score. You must write on the assigned topic!

7. 10.What if I don’t think the topic applies to me? • Many of the writing topics require you to assume a hypothetical or “what if” role. For example, you might be asked to propose a new school safety plan when, in reality, your school is safe without one. In order to demonstrate your writing ability, simply set your actual situation aside, use your imagination, and write about what you would propose and why if your school were in need of such a plan.

8. 11. What if I think I know little or nothing about the topic? • Your paper is not evaluated for depth of academic knowledge about a topic or how accurate your facts are. You may make up facts or situations, as long as your presentation is logical, coherent, and effective. 12. May I use “I” in my paper? • Yes, if the first person point of view best addresses your topic. This is particularly true if you include a personal narrative. 13. May I use “you” in my paper? • Yes, but ? avoid using vague references.

9. 14. How Long should my paper be? • There is no set length. However, you have only two (2) pages to write (fit) your final draft. Remember, 40% of your score depends on how thoroughly you develop your response to the topic. Several paragraphs will probably be necessary for enough supporting ideas. 15. How long do I have to complete the test? • Approximately 90 minutes (Suggested Times outlined on next slides)

10. Recommended Times • Step 1: Planning/Prewriting--15 minutes • Read the entire topic carefully. Make sure you understand whether your purpose is to persuade, present solution to a problem, or analyze the different sides of an issue. Plan your paper before you begin writing. • Step 2: Drafting--30 minutes • Organize ideas from your prewriting and begin writing you first draft. Re-read the topic to be sure you are writing about the required topic. Finish your first draft.

11. Recommended Times • Step 3:Revising and Editing—25 minutes • Re-read the topic. Read and revise your first draft. Be sure to include enough support for your ideas. • Step 4:Final Draft—15 Minutes • Copy your revised paper into the response booklet. • Step 5:Proofreading—5 minutes • Final proofread (It is still okay to mark through changes and make corrections on the final!)

12. What are the Scoring Domains and how much do they count? • Ideas 40% • Organization 20% • Style 20% • Conventions 20%

13. Ideas 40% Description: • Controlling idea is focused and fully developed. • Relevant, logical supporting ideas are appropriate to the assigned genre of writing. • Supporting ideas are fully elaborated with appropriate examples and details. • Response contains, complete full information. • Response anticipates and addresses reader concerns and perspectives.

14. Organization 20% • Description: • Composition has a sustained focus • Composition includes appropriate and logical progression of ideas. • Related ideas are grouped in a logical manner within paragraphs. • Organizing strategy is appropriate to the assigned genre or writing and facilitates the communication of ideas. • Varied transitional elements effectively link ideas and parts of the paper.

15. Conventions 20% • Writer demonstrates correct sentence formation in a variety of contexts: simple, complex, and compound sentences formed correctly; few sentence fragments and run-ons; functional fragments included for effect; correct end punctuation; and consistent clarity of meaning at the sentence level.

16. 4 basic sentence patterns • Simple sentence—Subject and Predicate (verb) • Example: Bob went to the store. • Big, burly, Bob, after washing his face, raced quickly and quietly, downtown to the big red clothing store. • Compound Sentence. Two simple sentences combined with a comma and conjunction. • Subj.-verb (,) conj. Subj.-verb • Bob quickly raced to the big red clothing store, and the clerk sold him the last blue striped shirt.

17. 4 basic sentence patterns • Complex Sentence—A simple sentence with a dependent clause attached. • Subj.-Verb (,) or a conj. (not both) dependent clause • Bob quickly raced to the big red clothing store and bought the blue striped shirt. • Compound-Complex-- Two simple sentences combined with a comma and conjunction, and has a dependent clause attached. • Bob quickly raced to the big red clothing store, and the clerk sold him the last blue striped shirt that they had in stock.

18. Conventions 20%(Continued) • Writer demonstrates consistently correct usage in a variety of contexts: subject-verb agreement, word forms (nouns, adjectives, adverbs), pronoun-antecedent agreement, verb tense, and commonly confused homonyms. • Writer demonstrates consistently correct mechanics in a variety of contexts; punctuation within sentences, spelling, capitalization, and paragraph indentation.

19. Style 20 % • Description: • Writer employs appropriate, precise, and engaging language. • Writer employs a variety of genre-specific strategies (e.g. rhetorical questions, emotional appeals) to engage the reader. • Writer’s voice is sustained throughout • Writer uses an effective variety of sentence beginnings, structures, and lengths. • **For extra points**Writer uses both descriptive and figurative language to create more “colorful,” vivid images that are both precise and engaging.

20. Practice Sentences • I got up this morning. • I slowly and defiantly crawled from my warm, comfy bed as my mother screamed, “GET UP! THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING, MISTER!” • “Good morning sleepy head,” my mother said, as I slowly eased myself from my warm comfy bed to the smells of fresh brewed coffee, hot buttered toast, and griddle fried bacon.

21. More sentences • The alarm clock screamed its terrible shrill voice and I almost touched the ceiling as I jumped from my warm bed to start my usual frantic day. • The sun gently opened its eyes and peeked in my window as I quietly and slowly eased myself from my warm, comfy bed to the smell of fresh brewed coffee, hot buttered toast, griddle fried bacon, and mom’s gentle greeting of, “Good morning sleepy head.”

22. Persuasive Sentences—Topic: Write a letter defending a parent’s right to have a book banned or oppose such a ban. • I don’t think that there is any reason why books should be banned. (improve this sentence) • “Freedom of Speech,” is this just an empty expression or a fundamental truth? In our school, it seems an empty phrase that is ignored… • Who should decide which books are morally objectionable, politicians or religious leaders? Legally, States control schools, but values and morals have long been the responsibility parents and the community.

23. More Sentences • Do they have “…stars upon Thars, or are they just Plain-belly Sneetches”? Like Dr. Seuss’ superior Sneetches who only thought themselves better than their brethren, before I defend any self-righteous parent’s “right” to ban a book in a public school, I want to know more about the book and the individual’s or group’s real or imagined reasons for banning the work.

24. More sentences • “HARRY POTTER is the DEVIL’S WORK!” Preacher Fundamentalist cried! I can hear it now, every “squeaky wheel” with all their “issues” and agendas, like soap box politicians in an election year October they scream, Ban this book! Ban that book! This is what happens when individual groups are given authority over the school to approve what books are selected for our libraries, the epicenter of knowledge for our school, our community, and ultimately, our way of life.

25. With STYLE! Show them everything you Know! • Action Verbs • Adverbs • Adjectives • Concrete language • Prepositional phrases • Quotations • Metaphors and Similes • Personification • Hyperbole • Irony • Earn Extra Points!

26. Audience Brainstorm Development Well developed Fully developed Rough draft Final draft Edit Jot list Organize Pre-write Prompt Purpose Revise Support levels of supporting ideas Generalizations Specifics Relevance Task Topic Voice Vocab to Know!Writing Process

27. Advantages Disadvantages Agree Disagree Argument Benefit Convince Convincing Development of writer’s position explain Issue Opinion Point of View Viewpoint position Personal Narrative Persuasion Persuasive positive negative Problem Propose Proposal Recommendations Solution Vocab to Know! Persuasive Writing