2015 Writing Test TipsWhat type of writing should we expect on the test in February?

What strategy do we KNOW will help our students be successful?

What type of writing should we expect on the State Test?

5th Grade - Be prepared for Opinion, Expository, Narrative

8th Grade – Be prepared for Argument, Expository, Narrative

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Strategy for Success: Don’t lift the text – PARAPHRASE!

One of the main score-dippers in the 2014 State Writing Assessment was “lifting text directly off the page and dropping it in your writing – word for word.”

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Paraphrasing Activity

1. Read the 3rd paragraph of the article about Wikipedia.

2. Choose 1 important word (besides Wikipedia) from the 3rd paragraph and write it on the back of your notecard (or the back of your article).

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Paraphrasing Activity

3. Read the paragraph again.

4.This time choose 2 more important words (besides Wikipedia) from the paragraph and write them on the back of your notecard (or the back of your article).

HINT: THIS IS CLOSE READING!!

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Paraphrasing Activity

IF THE PARAGRAPH IS LENGTHY:

5. Read the paragraph again.

6. This time choose 2 more important words (besides Wikipedia) from the paragraph and write them on the back of your notecard (or the back of the article).

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Paraphrasing Activity

7. Turn the article over (don’t peek)!

8. Write from memory using the 4-5 important words you chose to guide your PARAPHRASING. Plug in the important words to write one or two sentences in your own words.

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Paraphrasing Activity

It is IMPORTANT to PARAPHRASE!!

Practice not looking at the author’s words, and be careful NOT to LIFT the

author’s words when you write.

PARAPHRASE!!8