Primary Writing Williamsport Area School District October 13, 2014

Agenda PSSA English Language Arts Test Design Writing Overviews Written Response to Reading –3-Point Short Answer Written Essay WASD Primary Writing Continuum Modes of Writing –Opinion –Informational –Narrative David Matteson

ELA Test Development Design At grade 3, the PCS ‐ ELA core can be described as: 20 core passage MC items 20 points 18 core standalone MC items18 points 2 core 2 pt EBSR items 4points 2 core 3 pt EBSR items 6 points 2 core 3 pt SA items 6 points 1 core 4 pt WP (weighted x2) 8 points Total62 points

ELA Test Development Design At grade 3, the PCS ‐ ELA core can be described as: 20 core passage MC items 20 points 18 core standalone MC items18 points 2 core 2 pt EBSR items 4points 2 core 3 pt EBSR items 6 points 2 core 3 pt SA items 6 points 1 core 4 pt WP (weighted x2) 8 points Total62 points

PRIMARY WRITING OVERVIEWS Students Write for Different Purposes and Audiences

WASD Grade 2 Writing Overview IN EVERY UNIT 3 point short answer Practiced weekly Assessed minimally twice (2) Treasures Weekly Assessment Open-Ended modified to fit PSSA structure Scored using PSSA Rubric *See weekly expectations in Writing Overview Student examples kept in writing portfolio

WASD Grade 2 Writing Overview IN EVERY UNIT Written Essay 1 Essay developed over time Modeled and Refined through Writer’s Workshop 3 paragraph structure: Intro, Body, Conclusion 1 paragraph Essay assessed “on-demand” per unit Unit 1, 2, 3 (1) paragraph structure: Beginning, Middle, End 3 paragraph Essay assessed “on-demand” per unit Units 4,5,6 (3) paragraph: Introduction, Body, Conclusion Student examples kept in writing portfolio

PRIMARY WRITING CONTINUUM

Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

OPINION WRITING

PA Core does not include Persuasive Writing Grades 3-5Opinion Grades 6+Argumentative

Opinion, Persuasive, or Argumentative

Opinion Writing Focus Content Style Organization Conventions of Language

Focus

Content

Style

Organization

Conventions of Language

INFORMATIONAL WRITING

Types of Informational Writing How-To/Procedure Report Cause/Effect Compare/Contrast

Informational Writing… includes only facts, not opinions. tells about events in the order they occurred. answers the questions who? what? when? where? and why? often includes quotes or indirect quotes from people involved.

Unpack the Standard Informational Writing Focus Content Style Organization Conventions of Language

NARRATIVE WRITING

2 TYPES OF NARRATIVE WRITING Personal Narrative Imaginative Fiction

Personal Narrative Personal point of view (I, me, my, mine) Actual event or memory of writer The focus is driven by emotion –writer expresses a strong feeling –writer expresses what he/she learns –writer expresses what he/she accomplishes

Imaginative Fiction Usually first or third person point of view (I, she, it, they, Marie) Fiction, but may be based on actual events or memories The focus is driven by tension of plot

All Narrative Writing Involves Plot Setting Character(s) Passage of time –Uses temporal/transition words Beginning, Middle, End (paragraph) Introduction, Body, Conclusion (3 paragraph) May involve dialogue

DAVID MATTESON Preparing for November In-Service with

Teachers should first score their own classroom narratives, using the PSSA Narrative rubric Co-scoring PLC meeting: –teachers should exchange a sampling (3-5) students responses and co-score with their grade level team Teachers should reserve at least 3 student samples for the in-service with David Matteson.

QUESTIONS