You want me to write what!?! Everyday writing for the everyday teacher

YOU WANT ME TO YOU WANT ME TO WRITE WRITE

WHAT!?!WHAT!?!

EVERYDAY WRITING FOR THE EVERYDAY TEACHER

Presenter: Jennifer Nehl for TIE

Session Objective:

We will focus on strategies that cause students to think reflectively and analytically as they deepen their understanding of content materials and express themselves through writing.

The strategies selected are ones that both teachers and students can bring into their daily routines. Although some of the strategies can be building blocks for long-term projects, many of them stand alone as ways for students to access prior knowledge or reflect on their learning.

Wait! So, Now I Have to Teach Writing, Too?

Still need convincing? Steve Peha, president of Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc., lists the following reasons why writing must appear in all content areas:

1. Written output is a great way to assess student knowledge.

• Writing is a simple, efficient, cost-effective way for students to show their knowledge of a topic or lesson.

• Writing is also the simplest way for teachers to get a glimpse of student thinking and processing.

2. Writing is the essential skill students need as they enter adult life.

• When students are taught to write well, they are better able to sort through the complicated ideas and concepts that they will need to master as they mature.

• Writing is a tool that helps students make sense of their education and their lives.

3. Helping students learn to confidently express themselves in all content areas can contribute to improved behavior and self-esteem.

• When teenagers are unable to express themselves, they risk losing a sense of well-being.

Writing provides an outlet for self-expression.

4. Students who write clearly, think clearly.

• Students who think clearly are better able to navigate through the obstacles of adolescence.

5. Writing is power.• Peha explains that writing is a powerful

tool that allows students to “control their lives, shape their futures, and define their dreams.”

How many golf balls has Tiger Woods hit?

4-14 repetitions to learn something new

Students with disabilities need 250-350 repetitions over the years

Student MUST practice, teachers must be consistent!

How do we write in the content area?

Current Events. Book Reports. Lab Reports. Word Problems. Summary of the day in Kindergarten. Notes for Social Studies in Fourth grade. Ect. Ect. Ect.

Brainstorming: Graphic Organizers

The Whatnhow

What How

(What you know) (How you know about it)



Flora and Fauna of South Dakota

What How

(What you know) (How you know about it)



Turn to your elbow partner and discuss one way you can implement this strategy into your classroom this week.

Writing Expository Summaries

1. A summary is a shortened, condensed version.

2. The purpose of a summary is to share the main ideas.

3. Summaries keep the same tone as the original piece and do not contain opinion.

4. Summaries do not require a formal conclusion, however, pieces which contain summaries are more pleasing to a reader and will score (on an average) higher on standardized tests.

Mom

Yikes! Gang

Movies

Gangs

Bunch of People

Bad Gang Songs

I wouldn’t

joinStay Away

What if m

y friends

joined?

Cause Problems

Gangs are just a bunch of people with nothing better to do. Gangs cause problems. I would not join a gang. Well, maybe if I was with my friends but probably not. My mom is against gangs. The movies are filled with gangs and there are a lot of songs about gangs. Stay away from gangs they are bad for you.

Mom

Yikes! Gang

Movies

Gangs

Bunch of People

Bad Gang Songs

I wouldn’t

joinStay Away

What if m

y friends

joined?

Cause Problems

What’s missing?

ORGANIZATION

How do we get started?!?!?!?!?!?!

?

Writing an Effective Topic/Thesis Sentence

Write a topic sentence using the three-part topic sentence method (the burrito fold).

Identify the item Select a verb Finish your thought

3.5




3.5

Chapter 2 of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

describes how Tom got others to do his work.

Chapter two of The Adventures of Tom

Sawyer by Mark Twain describes how

Tom got others to do his work for him.

Verb Reference List for Summaries

Acknowledges

Evaluates Classifies Adds

Defends Asserts Features Depicts

Identifies Entertains Confirms Names

Considers Offers Judges Contrasts

Praises Demonstrates

Provides Recommends

Endorses Asks Suggests Entices

3.6

“Things Trap”

Weak:As I read about Ben Franklin, I learned two things.

Better: As I read about Ben Franklin, I learned that

his life was filled with challenges.

2.38

Better Word Choices

Actions Benefits Features Reasons Improvements

Ideas Items Choices Qualities Thoughts

2.38


Now your turn!!!

3.5

Stork Service Makes New Kind of DeliveryNo More Babies: We've got Tacos

Written by: Princess Poole

After centuries of delivering babies Stork Inc. has decided to call it quits. "We just can't stay in the baby business any longer," says spokesbird Sam Stork, "Hopefully the new product will be more profitable."

Sam is convinced there are two reasons for the decline in the use of stork delivery. Firstly, he believes many families are simply having fewer children because of the exponential increase in the price of insurance and education. Second many families are refusing to use stork services because of cable TV. Sam maintains watching actual hospital deliveries, screened every week day morning, has influenced parents to drop the stork story and just let the kid watch it on TV.

Sam hopes the new service to will be successful, he and his mate, Sally, are incubating three new eggs. "Yeah, I think the taco thing will work out great, everybody loves tacos. Since they get cold easy we'll just wrap them up in the baby blankets."




3.5




Stork Service Makes describes how a long time family business

New Kind of Delivery must make adjustments with the

by Princess Poole changing times.

3.5


Reasons Outline

Counted by 5

Smokey the Bear

counted up to 100

used beans

from Forest Servicelearned how to put

out firesgot our picture

taken

Topic= Today was a great day in Kindergarten

2.15

Differentiation Idea ExampleSame assignment: Give students with disabilities a frame

outline asking for 1 yellow and 2 red Give students who need a challenge 3

yellow and 7 red To begin, tell students how many yellow

and red you want. Or you could have a minimum number. Later, they may decide.

TOPIC : Today was a great day in Kindergarten.

REASON/DETAIL/FACT: First, we learned to count by fives.

2.8

REASON/DETAIL/FACT: Next, we got to meet Smokey the Bear!

Reasons Outline and T-Chart

Counted by 5

Smokey the Bear

counted up to 100

used beans

from Forest Service

learned how to put out fires

got our picture taken

Topic = Today was a great day in Kindergarten

2.15

TOPIC : Today was a great day in Kindergarten.

REASON/DETAIL/FACT: First, we learned to count by fives.

EXPLAIN, EVIDENCE: We counted to 100 and got to use beans.ELABORATION:

2.8

REASON/DETAIL/FACT: Next, we got to meet Smokey the Bear!

EXPLAIN, EVIDENCE: Smokey is from the Forest Service. ELABORATION:

CONCLUSION: RESTATE TOPIC/THESIS: We learned some valuable lessons today.

EXPLAIN, EVIDENCE: We learned how to put out fires and gotELABORATION: our picture taken with him.

Details Outline – Current Events

Obama favored

Huckabee leads over Romney

Third of likely caucus-goers could change mind

Clinton, second and Edwards last Romney and Huckabee have traded places in the lead on the GOP side.Three way race between Clinton, Obama and Edwards

Topic= Evening Before Iowa Caucuses

2.15




The Evening demonstrates the unpredictability of

Before the Iowa America’s electionCaucus, by AP season.

3.5

REASON/DETAIL/FACT:

EXPLAIN, EVIDENCE:ELABORATION:

2.8

REASON/DETAIL/FACT


CONCLUSION: RESTATE TOPIC/THESIS:


TOPIC: The Evening Before the Iowa Caucus, by AP demonstrates the unpredictability America’s election season.

Differentiation Idea ExampleSame assignment: Give students with disabilities a frame

outline asking for 1 yellow and 2 red Give students who need a challenge 3

yellow and 7 red To begin, tell students how many yellow

and red you want. Or you could have a minimum number. Later, they may decide.

Facts Outline – Lab Report

taste of an apple

strong vanilla smell

taste changed

chew slowconcentrate

impactnear nose

strangethought differently

Topic= Smell and Taste

2.15

Learning About Smell and Taste As we completed the lab with our apples

and vanilla extract, we made several observations. First, we both agreed that we usually do not really stop to think about the taste of an apple. Chewing slowly made a difference. We also noticed that the vanilla smell was pretty strong but it did no impact the taste of the apples until we put it neat our noses. Finally, we were surprised by how much the taste of the apple changed. We thought that it would change a little bit, but we both felt like we were eating a very strange kind of fruit. We are not sure that vanilla apples would sell very well.


Math – Using Framed Paragraphs

The Perimeter of a Rectangle

These steps make it easy to find the perimeter of rectangle. To begin, __________ _____________. I do this because ________ _________________. Next, ____________ ______________________________. This is an important step because _____________ _____________________________. Finally, __________________________________________________________________.

The Perimeter of a Rectangle

These steps make it easy to find the perimeter of rectangle. To begin, I measure the length and width of the rectangle. I do this because I need to know both the length and width to find the perimeter. Next, I multiply the length by 2 and the width by 2. This is an important step because to find the perimeter I need to find the total length of all 4 sides, which is the same as 2 lengths and 2 widths. Finally, I add the results together to find the total length of all four sides, which is the perimeter.

The Surface Area of a Rectangle

I realized that it would be easy to find the surface area of a rectangle if I just follow2ed these steps. To begin, ___________________. Next, ________ ________________________. After that_____ _____________________________________ __________________________. Finally, _____ _____________________________________ ___________________________.

The Surface Area of a Rectangle

I realized that it would be easy to find the surface area of a rectangle if I just follow2ed these steps. To begin, I measured the length of the rectangle. Next, I measured the width of the rectangle. After that, I multiplied the length by the width. Finally, I labeled my answer with the correct unit of measurement.

Note: The paragraph on the left is longer because it includes explanations: “I do this because...” and “This is important…” In general, math students should include more, not less, explanation.

Narrative Outline

Beginning

Middle

End

Topic= Narrative

2.15

Setting

•Time

•Place

Meet Characters

Glimpse of problem

Learn more about problem

Conflict developed

Solve problem

Conflict resolution

What I thought you taught…

Expectations:1. Write the prompt at the top of your page.2. Write a list of words you will need to write

a complete and accurate entry of what you were taught.

3. As you write your entry, use each word and to explain and enhance your thoughts.

4. Let a peer read your entry. He/she will circle the world you have used form the list.


Expectations:Write a list of words you will need to write a

complete and accurate entry of what you were taught.

List of words: Expository, organization, communication,

user-friendly, student achievement, teacher expectations, formative assessment, age appropriate, etc. Please list at least six (6) words. You may use some of these or some of your own.


Prompt: Describe how you will be able to implement writing into your content/classroom.

You might write: What I thought you taught about writing in the content/ classroom was/is…


How can I use this?

Science reports Book reports Current events Summary paragraphs Expository papers Math word problems Use your imagination!!

Whether you use SUTW, Writing in the Content Area, 6+1 Traits, Writing Across the Curriculum, it must be meaningful and user friendly to your and your staff!

On my wiki I will have examples for: Getting the story rolling… Moving the story along… Ending/wrapping up our story… Full verb reference list Story maps

Other resources…

Revise, Edit, and Proofread

Improving Sentence Quality

Who How Action Where

My uncle quickly drove to the grocery store

6-19

Revise, Edit, and Proofread

Improving Sentence Quality

6-19

When Who Action What

Yesterday two good friends

rode their bicycles

Elementary: Charlotte’s Web

WHO ACTION FINISH


WHO ACTION FINISH

Charlotte helps Wilber

Templeton eats leftovers

Wilber sleeps in the straw

WHO ACTION FINISH

Charlotte helps Wilbera brilliant

spider,enables, rescues,

befriendscomforts,

encourages

to have hope.

Templeton eats leftoversa fat, greedy

ratconsumes,

devoursat the fair.

Wilber sleeps in the straw

an innocent pig,

slumbers, snoozes

all day long.


Read a story or piece of text

Do together:T=_________________________Brainstorm the details in random order.Create an outline with a title and color

coded items.Write about the main ideas of narrative

or expository writing.

It is imperative to make meaning though your teaching and your learning!! Can you use what you have learned?

Jennifer NehlEducation [email protected]

(307) 290-0930(605) 394-1876

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You want me to write what!?! Everyday writing for the everyday teacher