1. “Writing From Sources” Elementary Module
Delaware
Reading Cadre
Grades K – 5

2. Agenda Overview of Writing Shift Focus Standards
How do we get there from here?
One of the six shifts (Delaware model) deals with writing and we will be looking at that as our main focus today.
Writing has been on the back burner with the change from DSTP and with addition of RTI expectations, at least in some districts.
How research is conducted will look different in these standards than it has in the past. It has a different look in the ccss and is a link between reading and writing standards.

3. 3 Shifts
6 Shifts
1. Building knowledge through content-rich literary nonfiction and informational texts.
PK-5, Balance of informational and literary text
6-12, Building knowledge in the disciplines
2. Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text.
Text-based answers
Writing to/from sources
3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary.
Staircase of complexity
Academic vocabulary
Quick overview of shifts
Delaware – six shifts, in DEL writing from sources is shift 4, in NY, it is shift 5.

4. Shift 5: Writing from Sources
Writing emphasizes use of evidence from sources to inform or make an argument.
Finding evidence is important in the reading standards throughout the grades. This writing from sources standard takes those ideas from reading to writing and to documenting sources.

5. Writing from Sources/Engage NY
Show the video from Engage NY

6. Standards Addressed during Writing from Sources
Anchor Standard for Writing Seven
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Focus on short. This can be something like clarifying a word or idea in a book as your class is reading by using the internet or another resource and asking each child to make a note on a post it and putting it in the book. Or in science class, after several days of observation, students write an exit ticket to summarize what they have learned.

7. Standards Addressed during Writing from Sources
Anchor Standard for Writing Eight
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
K-2 This standard asks students to recall information from shared experiences or gather information from sources in order to answer a question.
3-5 Students are expected to also take notes, categorize information and provide sources.
Grade 3 – access sources independently, notes, sort into categories provided by teacher
Grade 4 – focus on relevant information; create own categories, list sources
Grade 5 – summarize, paraphrase, finished written product or oral presentation

8. Standards Addressed during Writing from Sources
Anchor Standard for Writing Nine
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Begins in grade 4. Use grade level literature to describe a character or setting in depth or use informational text and tell how an author supports particular points.
K-3 teachers should consider these standards as they provide building blocks to the standard in the later grades.

9. Anchor Standard for Writing Ten
Range of Writing
Anchor Standard for Writing Ten
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
The first three writing standards outline the types of writing. Research writing can be done in any of those styles – as a narrative, as an opinion piece, or as an informative piece.

10. How do we get there from here?
Read your grade-specific selection and discuss with your group what this child does well.
One person will share an observation about the piece.
(See Annotations from Appendix C for possible responses.)
Kinder – Frogs; First – My Big Book About Spain; Second – Owl Moon; Third – Horses; Fourth – Zoo Field Trip; Fifth – Roald Dahl
Optional Activity: Use the DOE rubrics to determine strengths of the pieces.
Optional Follow-up Activity: Have participants do a Gallery Walk to see student writing samples across the grades.

11. Topic and Product Choice
Essential Questions:
How do researchers decide on a topic?
How do researchers determine what they want to learn about a topic?
How do researchers decide how to present information to others?
Research can be conducted in two ways: 1) gathering information about a topic of interest and sharing it with classmates and
2) Scientific observations
Typical elementary with science kits… observation log… publish findings? Do we ever do that?
Science Fair: question and evidence of answer Is my dog’s mouth really cleaner than mine?
Our emphasis will be on gathering information and presenting it to others.

12. Anchor Standard 7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Kindergarten
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them).
Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
In K – 2, all is shared research; 3-5 – short research projects are conducted by students more independently.
– Focus on conducting independent research projects;3 – build knowledge, 4 – investigate different aspects of a topic, 5 – use several sources

13. Distribute Gathering Grid to participants
Distribute Gathering Grid to participants. Have them record the topic of Bats and two questions they have about bats.
Tell participants that they will receive a packet of additional graphic organizers (if you have chosen to copy these for them) that were developed by Delaware librarians.

14. Question/Answer Sheet
This grid could be used in K-2

15. Determining Relevant Information
Essential Questions
How do researchers determine which information is relevant?
How do researchers determine which information is credible?
Discuss and share with your grade-level group the definitions of ‘relevant’ and ‘credible’ in relation to research.
Kids can ask themselves-
Relevant: Do I need the information to answer my question?
Credible: Can I trust the source of the information?

16. Bat Resources – Relevant? Credible?
Bats-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (website)
Amazing Bats of Bracken Cave-National Geographic (website)
Ken’s Exotic Fruit Bats for Sale (website)
Bats by Gail Gibbons (picture book)
Talk with your group about which of these sources are relevant, credible, or neither.

17. Bat Resources Bats-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (not credible)
Amazing Bats of Bracken Cave-National Geographic (good)
Ken’s Exotic Fruit Bats for Sale (not relevant)
Bats by Gail Gibbons (good)

18. Note-taking Essential Questions:
How do researchers decide which information to use from sources?
How do researchers take notes in an organized manner?
It is important to teach even very young students how to determine which information they want to use AND how to “take notes” on what they have read.
We need to teach them how to take notes on what they have learned – not just on the book itself.

19. Fact Fragment Frenzy
Show demo lesson from readwritethink which models how to find important facts in what you read

20. Remind participants to use their Gathering Grid for the next activity
Remind participants to use their Gathering Grid for the next activity. They will record their notes in the appropriate column and under the appropriate question.

21. Bats
Use information from the link below to help you complete your Gathering Grid.
Click on link to display bat passage for participants’ use in note taking. Remind participants to use what they have learned from the Fact Fragment Frenzy demo to help them take notes.

22. Organizing Information
Essential Question
How do researchers organize relevant information?
Using the notes on the Gathering Grid, students will look for patterns or similarities to decide how to organize their information.
For example, grouping together facts about a bat’s diet.

23. Citing Sources
Essential Question: How does a researcher give credit to other authors for information he has gathered?
Look at standards for grades K-5. What do you notice about citing sources?
Look into standards for this. Refer to next slide to compare differences between grade levels and look at changes as students progress through elementary school.

24. Anchor Standard 8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
Kindergarten
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
(Only grades 4 & 5 require citing of sources.) That doesn’t mean you can’t begin to teach that earlier.
What is reasonable at each grade level for listing of sources? Discuss.
Record the Bat selection from gale.net in the Sources column of the Gathering Grid.

25. Anchor Standard 9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Kindergarten
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Begins in grade 4.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions]”).
Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text”).
Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]”).
Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]”).
Research doesn’t have to be only from informational sources. Writers research people and how they talk and what they do before writing a novel. Assessed beginning in grade 4 but think about what instruction should take place in grades K-3 to prepare students for work in this standard.

26. Sharing
Essential Question: How does a researcher share information with others?
The writer must determine how his/her information will be shared with others – in a formal or informal setting.
Informal settings: share with classmates in group discussion, present orally in reading group, etc.
Formal settings: publish a brochure, book, digital storybook, etc.

27. Elementary Search Engines
Here are some student-friendly search engines.

28. Follow-up Activities
Develop writing lessons during PLC time to address writing from sources
Share writing lessons across grade levels
Develop a vertical articulation of the research skills and strategies across K-5