Donna Vincent, Muhlenberg County Schools On-Demand Writing The Process of Writing Whole Pieces on the CATS Test

Donna Vincent, Muhlenberg County Schools

On-Demand Writing

The Process of Writing Whole Pieces on the CATS Test


In each prompt, Look for SPAMSPAM.

Situation—The event that causes you to need to write. (On the test, you have to pretend.)

Purpose—The reason you’re writing: to persuade, to narrate an event, to respond to a text/graphic/chart

Audience—The person (or people) you’re pretending to write to

Mode—The type of writing you are to do: letter, feature article, editorial, speech


Situation

• The situation is labeled for you.

• It’s always the first part of the prompt.

• It’s a make-believe situation that hasn’t really happened to you. You have to pretend.

• It creates a need to write.


Purpose

Look for one of these in the writing task:• Respond to a text/graphic/or chart (Organize information

by using main ideas and supporting details.)• Persuade (Consider the needs/feelings of the audience as

you solve problems and/or convince them. Use main ideas and supporting details.)

• Narrate an event (Share what you saw, heard, smelled, tasted, touched, said, thought, did… to make a point.)


Audience

• Look in the writing task for the audience.• It might be an individual or a group.• You write to this pretend audience for

reasons stated in the prompt.• Consider what they need to know, want to

know, already know…• Imagine what questions they would have

for you. Answer them.


Mode: What Kind of Writing You’re to Do

• Look in the writing task for the mode: letter, feature article, editorial, speech.

• Follow the format. • Letters have the date, a greeting, a body, a

closing, a signature.• Feature articles and editorials have titles,

headings, columns, leads, closings.• Speeches have titles, leads, bodies, closings.


On-Demand Writing Gives you Less of the Following:

• Time (90 minutes +)

• Feedback (none—you’re on your own)

• Ownership (two choices)


Prewrite: Draw and Fill In Your Own Graphic Organizers

• Train Cars• Tabletops and Supporting Legs• Picture Frames • Goggle Guy pages• Once you’ve drawn your graphic organizers, fill

them in with the supporting details you’ll use in your draft.

• Organize them by numbering or lettering each detail.


Planning your Elaboration

• State your main idea(s).• Details for responding and persuading tell

why and how, give examples, answer anticipated questions, etc.

• Details for narrating an event are sensory (see, hear, smell, taste, touch). They show, not tell about the event by including dialogue, thoughts, and actions.


Lead

• Get the reader’s attention.• Get the reader on the right track by

indicating the focus. Put important words from the situation in your lead.

• Use a question, quote, comparison, command, list… Use onomatopoeia, dialogue, action…

• Write more than one and choose your best.


Drafting the Body

• Follow your prewriting.• Revise as you go.• Revise when you think you’re finished.• For persuading and responding, keep telling why

and how. Tell stories. Give examples. Answer questions the audience might have.

• For narrative writing, show what happened by sharing sensory details, dialogue, thoughts, and action.

• Connect your ideas with transitions.


Drafting the Closing

• Make the piece feel finished.

• Give the reader something to think about, laugh at, remember.

• You might tie back to something you said in your title or lead.

• Be brief. Closings are short.


Edit for Correctness: Check the following:

• Capitalization

• Usage (We was)

• Punctuation

• Spelling

• Complete Sentences

• Letters or Words Left Out

• Repetition


Final Copy

• Use your best handwriting.• Make it LOOK like a letter, a feature article (or

an editorial).• Watch your margins and indent for paragraphs.• Revise as you go, when needed.• Be correct and neat. If they can’t read it, they

can’t score it.• Don’t give up. Keep working hard. It won’t last

forever.

Documents

Donna Vincent, Muhlenberg County Schools On-Demand Writing The Process of Writing Whole Pieces on the CATS Test