WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM HOW CAN I MAKE IT WORK IN MY CLASSROOM?

THE POWER OF WORDS

To write is to think, to learn, to discover, to create, to express. To write is to participate in the world-- locally and globally. St. Norbert College (2012)

WHAT IS WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM? Educational movement or strategy that advocates the incorporation of writing into all classes and disciplines, to help students improve their writing and use writing as a learning tool.

Writing-to-learn fosters critical thinking and learning; short writings that occur as students are learning a concept

Writing -to-demonstrate knowledge students show what they have learned by explaining their understanding of concepts and ideas

Is there already writing embedded throughout the curriculum?

SCIENCE SKCS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly. a. Describe and compare things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, and motion. b. Begin to draw pictures that portray features of the thing being described. S3CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly. a. Write instructions that others can follow in carrying out a scientific procedure. b. Make sketches to aid in explaining scientific procedures or ideas. c. Use numerical data in describing and comparing objects and events. d. Locate scientific information in reference books, back issues of newspapers and magazines, CD-ROMs, and computer databases.

WHAT ABOUT SOCIAL STUDIES? SS1H1 The student will read about and describe the life of historical figures in American history. a. Identify the contributions made by these figures: Benjamin Franklin (inventor/author/ statesman),Thomas Jefferson (Declaration of Independence), Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with Sacagawea (exploration), Harriet Tubman (Underground Railroad), Theodore Roosevelt (National Parks and the environment), George Washington Carver (science). b. Describe how everyday life of these historical figures is similar to and different from everyday life in the present (food, clothing, homes, transportation, communication, recreation). SS4H4 The student will explain the causes, events, and results of the American Revolution. b. Explain the writing of the Declaration of Independence; include who wrote it, how it was written, why it was necessary, and how it was a response to tyranny and the abuse of power. c. Describe the major events of the American Revolution and explain the factors leading to American victory and British defeat; include the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, and Yorktown. d. Describe key individuals in the American Revolution with emphasis on King George III, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, Patrick Henry, and John Adams.

AND YES, EVEN MATH 3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Mathematically proficient students start by explaining to themselves the meaning of a problem and looking for entry points to its solution. They analyze givens, constraints, relationships, and goals. They make conjectures about the form and meaning of the solution and plan a solution pathway rather than simply jumping into a solution attempt. 6 Attend to precision. Mathematically proficient students try to communicate precisely to others.

What do these standards look like in my classroom?

WHEN WRITING A TASK, WHAT SHOULD I THINK ABOUT? 1.How exactly does this assignment fit with the objectives/standards of the subject? 2.What do you want the students to learn or experience from this writing assignment? 3. Should this assignment relate only to the class and the texts for the class, or should it also relate to the world beyond the classroom? 4.Does the task meet the needs of all of my learners? 5. What do you want students to show you in this assignment? To demonstrate mastery of concepts or texts? To demonstrate logical and critical thinking? To develop an original idea? To learn and demonstrate the procedures, practices, and tools of the subject? MIT (Retrieved 2012) MIT (retrieved 2012)

IT’S TIME TO WRITE Choose one upcoming standard from Math, Social Studies, or Science. Create a writing assignment that is either “writing to learn” or “writing to demonstrate learning”. On the chart paper, write your standard and task. Post it in the designated areas.

GALLERY WALK  Did the task match the standard?  Are there any tasks that you can adapt to meet the needs of your students? If so, how?  Post any comments, questions, or suggestions to the task writers.  Record any tasks that you liked in the back of your pamphlet.

To write is to think, to learn, to discover, to create, to express. To write is to participate in the world-- locally and globally. St. Norbert College (2012)

QUESTIONS