Creating Meaningful Writing Opportunities for your students

Balance of literature and informational texts Greater focus on text complexity Argumentative and informative/ explanatory writing, using evidence to inform an argument. Reading, writing and literacy across the curriculum Literacy becomes a shared responsibility across educators

 STUDENTS SHOULD…  Assert & defend claims using evidence  Consider audience & purpose when choosing words and format  use technology strategically  Gather, evaluate, and analyze sources  write daily to promote fluency  Produce high quality products over both short & long time frames

Qualitative : Levels of meaning Quantitative : Readability Reader & Task: background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned SO… By assigning meaningful & complex writing tasks you promote text complexity Reader & Task Quantitative Qualitative We will show examples today!

 Plagiarism is a common problem  Why do students plagiarize?  Text too difficult  Limited vocabulary  Lack of motivation  Lack of research skills  Lack of understanding of task  Non-stimulating task  PROMPT REQUIRES REGURGITATION OF INFORMATION Why, What, Who, How… Explain, Summarize, Describe Something to think about

 Give students an audience & a purpose  More creativity = more retention  Engage students in collaborative discussion, debate, and persuasion about text & writing  Use prompts that require analysis and synthesis of information rather than simple regurgitation of information  The following examples are Level 1, single sitting writing activities. They could easily be expanded into Level 2 writing activities  Responding to informational texts This promotes text complexity!

Letter Task  Assign student or groups of students a letter of the alphabet  Students read informational texts about a chosen topic  Task: Students must generate words or phrases about the topic that begin with their assigned letter Benefits  Easy to differentiate based on letter assigned  Forces students to infer & evaluate information  Great collaborative activity to encourage listening & speaking  Encourages use of vocabulary skills

Mystery Task  Assign student or groups of students a topic in your content area  Students research/read text about their topic  Task: Students put together clues telling about the topic without disclosing what the topic is. The class tries what their topic is Benefits  Forces students to infer & evaluate information in order to generate clues about their topic  Gives students an audience & purpose for their writing  Promotes collaboration & discussion

Fact or Fiction?  Students research/read text about their topic  Task: Students generate fact and fiction comments about their topic, other students try to guess which is which.  Following the comment is a written commentary explaining why the comment is fact or fiction with supporting details from their research/reading. Benefits  Forces students to evaluate information to generate fiction comments that seem plausible.  Gives students an audience & purpose for their writing  Requires students to support their claims using evidence from the text

Fortunately…/ Unfortunately…  Find text(s) showing varying viewpoints on a topic  Students read and discuss pros and cons  Task: Students create a graphic organizer and/or write a fortunately/unfortunately essay using data & reasons to support their claims. Benefits  Great way to look at history or Scientific discoveries through multiple perspectives  Forces students to infer and look at both sides of an issue using claims & counterclaims  Encourage collaborative discussion & debate

Classified  Students read/research about a content area topic  Imagine they are trying to sell the item/experience (must be convincing!)  Task: Students try to convince someone to buy an item or engage in an experience using persuasion and logical reasoning. Benefits  Forces students to maintain a formal style  Encourages students to support their claims with good evidence  Gives students an audience & purpose for their writing

Wanted  Students read/research about a content area topic  Task: Students write a wanted Ad describing their topic. Using concise, descriptive, language. Benefits  Great way to synthesis information  Forces students to pick out the most important information

My Attributes  Students read/research about a content area topic  Task: Students use first person point of view to describe the topic.  “I am…” Benefits  Forces students to synthesis & evaluate information in order to change perspectives  Can not simply regurgitate information

Top 10  Students read/ research about a content area topic  Task: Students pick out the top 10 most important facts about their topic.  Or the top 10 best key points to support a claim or counterclaim. Benefits  Students must evaluate information to pick out most important points  Promotes speaking & listening skills  Great collaborative task

Comic  Students read/research about a content area topic  Task: Students put the information into a comic strip. Benefits  Students must use sequencing & inference skills  Students must apply content vocabulary  Combines art with literacy

If… But…  Students read/research about a content area topic  Task: Students identify problem/solution or cause/effect relationships in a text and write If… but… narratives Benefits  Great collaborative task  Students can use data & reasoning to support their claims  Encourages students to look at multiple perspectives

 LITERACY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY  Would you like help finding informational texts that are leveled appropriately for your students?  Your librarian can help!!  Would you like to find sites other than Google that your students can use to research a topic?  Your librarian can help!!  Would you like to collaborate on writing lessons similar to these examples?  Your librarian can help!!  Would you like research lessons taught to your class on evaluating information, citing sources, determining bias, etc…?  Your librarian can help!!

New Utah Core StandardsLibrary Media Desk Standards  Read to Build Knowledge in all subject areas  Evaluate and Synthesis information while reading  read complex informational texts in these fields with independence and confidence  Assess author’s point of view & Interpret meaning  Evaluate content presented in a variety of formats and media  Research topics and cite work correctly  Use a variety of media sources to access and present information  Read for information from a variety of formats and genres.  Define an information problem.  Formulate essential questions to expose problems, explore issues, make inferences and draw conclusions.  Identify information needed to support research.  Locate information in a variety of formats.  Evaluate information for relevancy, accuracy, credibility and bias.  Present research in a variety of formats Compile a proper works cited or bibliography for print and digital sources.  Use parenthetical references correctly  Cite sources  Follow intellectual property rights, copyrights and legal guidelines Let us help you!

 America Diploma Project Network,. "Understanding the Common Core Standards." March Address  Common Core States Standards Initiative,. "Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies,." Common Core State Standards. N.p., Web. 2 Aug  Davis School District,. "Desk Essential Skills & Knowledge." Davis School District. Davis School District, Web. 2 Aug  ISTES, “How to keep Students from Plagiarizing.” ISTES Conference. San Diego California Breakout Session.