Created by Brian Magnuson and Laura Kraft

 To improve our students MEAP writing scores. - our students are not performing well with the Social Studies constructed response. - The students are not connecting a core democratic value to themselves in their writing.

 1. We introduced the CDV and definition.  2. Students did a lesson/worksheet on the CDV.  3.Then daily 3-5 minute review of the CDV.  4. Approximately 2 weeks later students plan for their writing piece for 5 minutes then have 20 minutes to write.

  9/28/07  Nov. 5 th Intro of Patriotism CDV  Nov. 15 th Writing day  Nov. 20 th Intro of Common Good CDV  Nov. 29 th Writing Day  Dec. 4 th Intro of Justice CDV  Dec. 13 th Writing Day  Jan. 7 th Intro of Individual Rights CDV  Jan. 17 th Writing Day  Jan. 21 st Intro of Truth CDV  Jan. 31 st Writing Day  Feb. 4 th Intro of Diversity CDV  Feb. 14 th Writing Day  Feb. 18 th Intro of Equality CDV  Feb. 28 th Writing Day  March 3 rd Intro of Popular Sovereignty CDV  March 13 th Writing Day

 On the first constructed response we graded what the students wrote using the District Writing Rubric.  When that is completed we did a teacher lead review of a 4 (great) and 2(not passing) constructed response on the overhead.  Students were given a copy to review and mark up to better understand editing, and what was good and not good about the papers.

 When the core democratic value is one that the students take to heart and understand, they are able to focus and write a clear constructed response.