Writing for Understanding: Common Core Writing in the Primary Grades

Common Core Literacy: What are the key shifts in ELA? 1. Increasingly complex texts 3. Build Knowledge 2. Evidence matters

Foundational Standards Common Core Writing in the Primary Grades Common Core Foundational Standards 1. Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. a. Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page. b. Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters. c. Understand that words are separated by spaces in print. d. Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Standards Common Core Writing Standards 2. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic. 8. With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Complex text What could working with complex text and evidence based writing to build knowledge look like in the Kindergarten classroom?

Unit on Seasonal Changes Focus on how animals survive in winter

Variety of Fiction and Nonfiction Texts Guided Reading, Shared Reading and Read Aloud Some of it complex

What might the process look like? Evidence Elaboration

Focusing Questions and Focus Statements ? Evidence Elaboration

Possible Focusing Question and Focus Statement ? Focusing Question Focus Statement How do animals survive in winter? Some animals hibernate in winter.

Close Read Gather and Record Information ? Evidence Elaboration

Close Reading

Examples of responses that draw students back into the text: "Let's look for that in this picture." "Does anyone remember what word the author used to tell us …?" "Let me see if I can find that part so we can read it again." "How do you know?" "Where did you see that?" "Help me find that part in the book." Examples of responses that draw students back into the text:

Evidence Matters How do animals survive in winter? Evidence What the animals do to survive in winter. Elaboration Where do the animals hibernate? Bears Hibernate log or a lair Snakes hibernate mud Frogs hibernate by a pond Bats hibernate caves

Many Ways to Take Notes

Simple Ways to Take Notes Pictures Objects Evidence Elaboration Drawing Graphic Organizers

Oral Processing ? Evidence Elaboration

To get ready to write: MOVE and TALK! Small and Large Group Discussion Acting, Hand Motions Oral Rehearsal

Practice Turning Notes into Sentences Bears Hibernate log or lair Frogs hibernate pond “Bears hibernate in a log or lair.” “Frogs hibernate in the mud by a pond.”

Write! ? Evidence Elaboration

Group Write

Individual Write Scaffolded “Chunked” Elaboration in pictures

Complex text What could writing with evidence from complex text look like in the Kindergarten?

Student work 8. With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. 2. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

Writing for Understanding Addressing the Common Core Shifts ? Close Read Gather and Record Information Oral Processing Evidence Elaboration Focusing Question Write! Focus Statement

Common Core Common Core Writing Standards

Presenters’ Names www.vermontwritingcollaborative.org Diana Leddy For more information, contact: Diana Leddy Educational Consultant everywritevt@aol.com Joey Hawkins Educational Consultant joeylornell@gmail.com