Interdisciplinary Writing Unit: Narrative Kim Stewart READ 7140

Introduction 3 rd grade Genre of Writing: narrative writing; travel journal Content area connection: Science Students will write a narrative travel journal about the class fieldtrip to the Okefenokee Swamp.

Georgia Writing Test – 3 rd grade Description The writing assessment for grade three consists of teacher evaluation of student writing using an analytic scoring system. The Grade 3 Assessment and Instructional Guide contains the scoring rubric; types of writing required by the GPS (narrative, informational, persuasive and response to literature); good practices for the instruction of writing; sample student papers; and ways to evaluate student writing. Using representative samples of student writing, third-grade teachers are to use the analytic scoring rubrics in the Guide to determine the performance levels in each domain for each child in the classroom. Teachers collect writing samples by providing many opportunities for students to produce the various types of writing throughout the year.

GA Writing Test - Scoring Student writing will be assessed analytically in four domains: Ideas, Organization, Style, and Conventions. Analytic scoring will provide detailed information on student writing including performance levels. For each student in the class, teachers should assemble multiple samples of writing that have been collected from a variety of classroom writing activities. At least one representative writing sample for each of the four types of writing should be collected. The scoring rubrics are to be applied with the same latitude and the same rigor to all four types. Teachers should rate the samples individually to determine the performance level which best represents a student’s usual performance across a variety of writing tasks and types of writing. There are three performance levels represented: Does Not Meet, Meets, and Exceeds.

GA Writing Test – Scoring Domains for Narrative Writing Domain 1: Ideas Sustained focus, purpose, and point of view Relevant examples, facts, anecdotes, and details are used throughout the paper Develops main character(s) through action, dialogue, and/or description Complete information; the plot, setting, and characters are well developed Domain 2: Organization Clear narrative organizational pattern with a strong beginning, middle, and end Chronological sequencing of ideas within and across parts of the paper Transitions are used consistently and effectively throughout the paper

Scoring Domains for Narrative Writing - continued Domain 3: Style Consistent use of descriptive adjectives and verbs Sustained use of interesting language Consistent use of specific sensory details Attention to the audience in the beginning, middle, and end Domain 4: Conventions Consistently clear and correct sentences with some complex or compound sentences A variety of sentence structures Few, if any, agreement mistakes Consistently correct singular, plural, and possessive nouns Consistently correct personal and possessive pronouns Consistently correct use of contractions; may use a variety of contractions Correct capitalization and punctuation in a variety of contexts Consistently correct spelling with few errors; spelling errors occur in words that are above grade level

Pre-assessment Activity Students will write about a trip that they have taken. The teacher and the students will use the pre-assessment writing to compare how much they have learned throughout the writing process.

Grouping Arrangements During Individual Work Pre-assessment –individual (to see what they know) Pre-writing & Drafting –individual (homogeneous grouping to address specific problems) Revising & Editing –homogeneous grouping Publishing – –individual with the option to share completed work

Genre of Narrative Writing Travel Journal Purpose is to entertain Tells the story of something that has happened Written in first person – “I” Holds the readers attention Vivid descriptions to show the reader what is happening Sequencing of events

Prewriting Stage Topic is chosen –My Trip to the Okefenokee Swamp Consideration is given to the purpose, audience, and form of writing. Ideas and reflections are generated. Travel Journal organizer used to organize ideas. –Write simple statements or facts, not sentences. TheTravel journal scoring guide – Prewriting stage 3rd grade is used by each student and the teacher to their work.

Practice Activity Each day that a new stage is introduced, the teacher will lead the class in a discussion about the characteristics of that stage of writing. The teacher will then model that stage using an ongoing collaborative class paper. The topic will not be the same as the students’ topic, but the theme or idea will be. Doing this will allow the students the freedom generate their own ideas, while at the same time, using a idea that is similar to theirs will show them how to form their paper.

Drafting Stage Heading - “rough draft” Use wide ruled, lined paper and skip lines while writing. Use the information written in yourTravel Journal organizer to generate ideas and sentences. Main focus is to get your ideas down on paper without concern for neatness, grammar, or mechanics. Follow the flow of the organizer to help sequence your ideas.

Revising Stage Heading – “revise” Revisions will be made on a copy of the student’s draft. Use a green pen to make corrections so that they will be noticeable. The main focus is on the wording of the paper and bringing the paper together to make sense. In this stage, the author will rearrange, change, add, and/or delete words, sentences, and/or paragraphs. Students will read their papers to other peers and receive from each peer a complement, two questions that they had about the authors writing, and polite suggestion for revising the paper. The author will in turn use the questions and suggestions from the peers to make their paper more understandable. Proofreading/Editing marks will be used where appropriate.

Editing Stage Heading – “edit” Editing will be done on a copy of the student’s revised draft. Use a red pen to make corrections so that they will be noticeable. The author and peer editor will read the paper carefully, word-by-word, to look for errors in spelling, letter formation, capitalization, and punctuation. If needed, small final corrections can be made to the paper at this stage to prepare the paper for publishing. Proofreading/Editing marks will be used where appropriate by the author only.

Publishing Stage Final Stage Clean wide ruled sheet of paper, properly headed with student’s name, date, and title of the story. Students will use their edited, revised draft to write their final paper. At this stage the paper needs to have the proper: –formation of letters, spacing between words, use of margins, spelling, sentence formation, paragraph formation, capitalization, punctuation, neatness, and it must make sense. Students will have the option to read their final paper to the class.

Accommodations and Modifications Accommodations and modifications change with the stage of writing. Some general accommodations and modifications include: Allow for more time. Assign a peer helper. Dictate the information for the student. Read any needed information for them. Give the students a handout of specific, simple instructions which are numbered for them to use as a reference at their desks. Observe mannerisms during group instruction (look for confusion or frustration) and check for understanding before moving on. Encourage students to use their personal word bank and add words as necessary. Words can include small thumbnail sketches for easy identification. Edit the assignment task to allow for different levels of ability.