STRATEGIES FOR WRITING IN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM K-5 Writing from Sources and the Common Core State Standards

Essential Questions  To what extent does our curriculum reflect higher order thinking?  To what extent does our curriculum engage a diversity of learners in a culturally proficient learning community? 2

Objectives Analyze and discuss the format of PARCC Prose Constructed Responses. Develop writing prompts that elicit evidence from texts and require writing to sources. Plan mini-lessons to support students’ completion of writing response tasks.

Agenda Types of PCRs and how it is different Sample PCR prompts Using FAP and RAPP Mini-lessons to teach PCRs

PCRs Prose Constructed Responses Allow students to elicit evidence demonstrating that they. Allow students to demonstrate that they can communicate that understanding well both in terms of written expression and knowledge of language and conventions.

Three Kinds of PCRs Literature TaskNarrative TaskResearch Simulation Task This task will ask students to carefully consider literature worthy of close study and compose an analytic essay. In this task, students may be asked to write a story (or the next part of a story), detail a scientific process, write a historical account of important figures, or to describe an account of events, scenes or objects, for example. In this task, students will analyze an informational topic presented through articles or multimedia, the first text being an anchor text that introduces the topic. Students will engage with the texts by answering a series of questions and synthesizing information from multiple sources in order to write an analytic essay.

Performance-Based Assessment Structure SessionFocus Could IncludeDetails Literary Analysis Influence of Narrator’s Point of View Central Idea/Lesson Comparison of Characters, settings, or events Comparison of themes/Topics 2 texts (extended literary text, additional text) 1 Constructed Response 6 Selected Response Total Items-7 Research Simulation Analyze: Relationship between series of concepts Role of illustrations Multiple accounts Author’s use of evidence 2 texts (1 extended informational, 2 additional texts) 1 Constructed Response 9 additional items Total Items-10 NarrativeNarrative story Narrative description 1 text (short literary text) 1 Constructed Response 5 additional items Total Items-6

Grade LevelBefore Common CoreCommon Core Kindergarten Sample Each one of us is different. What makes you “amazing” and why Use My Amazing Body to draw, tell or write about why the author thinks our bodies are amazing. 1 st Grade SampleWe have read about how our bodies area amazing. In what special ways are you amazing? Use facts from the text to describe how your body uses the food you eat.

2 nd & 3 rd Grade Sample Why do you think it is important to eat healthy foods? Why does the author think it is important to eat healthy foods? Use reasons from the text to support your answer. 4 th & 5 th Grade Sample Why is it important to maintain a healthy diet? Examine and describe the relationship between proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Use facts, concrete details, quotations, and other evidence from the text to explain how this information contributes to an understanding of overall health.

Three Text Types Argument/Opinion Informative/Explanatory Narrative

Three Types of Writing NarrativeExplain/ Inform Opinion/ Argumentative Elementary 35% 30% Middle School 30%35% High School20%40%

What is FAP? FAP stands for FORM, AUDIENCE, and PURPOSE.  FAP can be used to organize the information that you will see in the prompts.  FAP is found in the writing task of the prompts. FAP is an acronym that helps you identify what you are being asked to do

F is for FORM WHAT are you writing? The two FORMS are letter and article.

A is for AUDIENCE To WHOM are you writing? You will be able to find the AUDIENCE in the writing task of the prompts, such as  parents  friend  principal  teacher  site-based council  author  student(s)  neighbor(s)  board of education, and others

P is for PURPOSE WHY are you writing? You will be able to find the PURPOSE in the writing task of the prompts. You will write for one of three purposes:  inform  persuade, or  narrate an event for a specific purpose (inform or persuade)

Let’s FAP! Write an article for the school newspaper informing readers about an upcoming event Write a letter to your teacher persuading him or her to allow you to have a class pet Write a letter to a new student about the importance of school rules. Support your idea by writing about a time when knowing the rules was really important form audience purpose

estate the question nswer the question rove it with evidence roofread and edit Let’s break this down!

Writing Strategies Use Authentic Writing As Models Using documents, newspapers, children’s books, magazines, how-to books, etc…. Use Visuals As Springboards to Writing Paintings, drawings, and photos can be excellent springboards to writing.