Building Writing Fluency through

Power Writing and Generative Writing

February 16, 20099:55 – 11:20

Power Writing Session GoalsBy the end of this session you

will know :Two instructional strategies

to build writing fluency How to implement the

strategies quickly and improve sentence structure and syntax.

Power Writing Session GoalsBy the end of this session you

will know how to:Assess whether students can

produce meaningful units that are grammatically correct.

Implement the strategies across content areas to increase content, language, grammar, and vocabulary knowledge.

Power WritingScaffolded Writing

Instruction: Teaching with a Gradual-

Release Framework

by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey

Why Teach Power Writing?

build writing fluency

encourage students to get thoughts down on paper quickly

generate self-created material for students to revise

write on demand

District Curriculum MapsUse information and ideas from

other subject areas and personal experiences to form and express opinions and judgments

Recognize and use the standard rules of English as appropriate in formal and informal writing.

Construct effective paragraphs and texts

Apply appropriate parts of speech in written composition

Iowa Core CurriculumUses an effective writing processUses writing as a tool for learningEngages in the information

literacy process: accesses, evaluates, and communicates information and ideas

Is able to write on demand

Power Writing Objective: To build writing

fluencyActivity: Students participate in

quick, daily timed writing practice, which is repeated three times.

Level of Support: Moderate at the beginning working to small group and then independent activities.

Format: Whole class, small group, or individual student.

Power Writing Procedures

1) State a topic related to classroom activities.

2) Set timer for one minute.3) Instruct class to write as much as

they can on the topic in one minute.

4) When the timer rings, students count number of words written and circle any misspelled or grammatical errors.

Power Writing Procedures

5) Repeat these steps two more times.

6) After three cycles, students graph their best result of the day.

7) Students write personal goals i.e. By March 15, I would like to write at least 30 words per minute.

Power Writing

Let’s Try It!

Topic One

computer

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Topic Two

technology

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Topic Three

professionaldevelopment

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Power Writing

Student Work Samples

Video

Power Writing Small Group

Students need to be ready for less teacher support.

Container with topics prepared.TimerEasy access to graphsStudent leader to read topic and

set timer Follow up activity (if time

permits).

Power Writing ExtensionsPartners revise power writing.

Select one power write weekly to extend.

Revision for homework

Use as a story or picture book starter.

Power Writing Extensions

Students review for key words and create an open-verse poem – “found poem”.

Power Write Found Poem Happiness is walking

home with my mom. We spend it talking, talking, talking. I see my friends outside. All my sisters and brothers are inside the house. My mom and I are still talking. I’m happy because they care about me.

My MomWalking home

Talking, talking, talking

Friends outsideTalking, talking,

talkingSisters and brothers

insideTalking, talking, talkingThey all care about me

Power Writing in Your Classroom

Pair Share Activity◦Think of how you could implement

this into your classroom setting. (How often, how much time needed, preparation, would this work for you?)

◦Share with 1 -2 people at your table.◦Volunteers to share with whole

group.

Power Writing

Questions?

Generative Writing Session Goals

By the end of this session you will know :

An instructional strategies to build writing fluency

How to implement the strategy quickly to eliminate errors in sentence structure, subject/verb agreement, verb tense, and plurals.

Generative Writing Session Goals

By the end of this session you will know to :

Assess content, language, grammar, and vocabulary knowledge.

Implement the strategy across content areas to increase content, language, grammar, and vocabulary knowledge.

Why Teach Generative Writing?

Build sentence fluencyBuild word choiceDeepen understanding of

contentDeepen understanding of

vocabularyUse writing as a tool for

learningWrite in a variety of genres

District Curriculum Maps

Use information and ideas from other subject areas and personal experiences to form and express opinions and judgments

Recognize and use the standard rules of English as appropriate in formal and informal writing.

Construct effective paragraphs and texts

Apply appropriate parts of speech in written composition

Iowa Core CurriculumAdheres to conventions generally

established in spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, syntax, and style

Uses writing as a tool for learningEngages in the information

literacy process: accesses, evaluates, and communicates information and ideas

Is able to write on demandCommunicates in a variety of

genres .

Generative WritingObjective: To compose written

messages based on given words.Activity: Given specific parameters,

students use their understanding of syntax and sentence structure to construct meaningful texts.

Level of Support: Moderate at the beginning working to small group and then independent activities.

Format: Whole class, small group, or individual student.

Generative Writing Procedures

Word Level – Sentence Level1) Teacher chooses words to

support curriculum.2) Students write words and

sentences following directions. 3) Words and sentences vary with

teacher chosen objective.4) Repeat new directions or extend

the writing.

Generative Writing Word Level

Providing a letter to create a word Sentence Level

Providing a word to be used Defining the word’s position in the

sentence Specifying the number of words in

a sentence Limiting the number of words in a

sentence Stating the sentence

pattern(syntax)

Generative Writing

Paragraph LevelSentence combiningTeach students to combine

sentences using conjunctions, phrase modifiers, or compound verbs and subjects.

Generative Writing

Let’s Try It!

Generative Writing Letter PlacingGenerative SentencesWord LimitingSentence Patterning

◦Parts of Speech◦Punctuation◦Elements of Style

Generative Writing

Student Work Samples

Video

Generative Writing Extensions

Syntax Surgery◦Developed by Adrienne Herrel ◦Students find and correct the

grammatical errors in their generative sentences.

◦Use small group or independently◦Write sentence on a strip of paper,

cutting apart the words, and reassembling the sentence in the correct order.

Word Pyramids◦Students expand writing vocabulary.

◦Students are given a theme or topic and asked to generate a list of related words.

◦Write words in pyramid style, beginning with a two letter word, and expanding by one additional letter in length until the student cannot generated anymore.

◦LET’S TRY IT!

Generative Writing Extensions

Small Group Explicit Instruction◦Use generative sentences in small

groups to work on missing skills in writing for your students.

◦Tape record instructions of generative sentences for students to complete in small group with a leader in charge of the recording.

◦Revise and expand generative sentences during Writer’s Workshop.

Generative Writing in Your Classroom

Pair Share Activity◦Think of how you could implement

this into your classroom setting. (How often, how much time needed, preparation, would this work for you?)

◦Share with 1 -2 people at your table.◦Volunteers to share with whole

group.

Generative Writing

Questions?