1. Georgia Writing Assessment Training
Introductions: Briefly introduce yourself and ask participants to introduce themselves, including their school and grade taught (if the group is not too large).
Explain purpose of program:
To introduce the new Georgia Grade 5 Writing Assessment
To deepen understanding of the scoring standards and rubrics for grade 5 writing by applying them to actual student papers
Explain that these materials are available for download on the Georgia Department of Education Website and can be downloaded as a whole or in smaller sections.

2. 2013 Grade 5 Writing Assessment Administration
Main Administration: March 6, 2013
Make-up Administration: March 7, 2013
Session Length: 120 minutes
2 sessions of 60 minutes each
Session Length: No extra time will be allowed except as specified in a student’s IEP, Section 504 Plan, or Test Participation Plan.
Session length does not include distributing or collecting test materials.
Session length for previous Grade 5 Writing assessment was 90 minutes.
Students who take the makeup test will receive a different writing topic from the main administration.
For additional information, see the Georgia Grade 5 Writing Assessment Examiner’s Manual

3. How the Grade 5 Writing Assessment is Scored
ANALYTIC Scoring
Four domain of writing are scored
Ideas
Organization
Style
Conventions
Papers receive a score of 1-5 in each domain.
Domains scores are weighted and added together to determine the raw score.
The raw score is converted to a scale score which is reported to the school/student.
A domain is an aspect of writing.
Each domain itself is scored holistically. The score assigned indicates the writer’s command of the components.
Ideas and Organization domains correspond to “topic development” in the previous assessment.
Style corresponds to “personal expression” in the previous assessment.
Conventions corresponds to “surface features” in the previous assessment.
*2011 and 2012 – Most papers will receive only 1 rating

4. Scoring Grade 3 Writing Samples
Each assessment sample (one per genre) is assessed in four domains:
Ideas
Organization
Style
Conventions
A performance level is assigned for each domain:
Does Not Meet
Meets
Exceeds
Teacher makes four scoring decisions about each of the four assessment samples.
There is no overall score for an individual paper or the assessment portfolio.

5. Vertically Aligned Genres and Domains
Genres/Domains
Third
Fifth
Eighth
Eleventh
Narrative X
Informational/Expository
Persuasive
Scoring Rubrics
Ideas – (Most Important) X*
40%
Organization
20%
Style
Conventions

6. Weighting of Domain Scores Weighting means that the scores in some writing domains will be given more weight than others in determining the total score that a student receives.
Scoring Domain
Domain Weight
% of total score
Ideas
2 x raters’ scores
40%
Organization
1 x raters’ scores
20%
Style
Conventions
*2011 and 2012 – Most papers will receive only 1 rating
10% of randomly selected papers receive 2 ratings. If a score is just shy of meets or exceeds- 2 raters score paper.

7. Domain Score to Total Weighted Raw Score Conversion
The following table indicates the total weighted raw scores for several domain score combinations. Two raters score each student paper, assigning a score of 1-5 in each of the four domains. The range of total weighted raw scores is 10 – 50.
Domain Scores
Total
Weighted
Raw Score
Ideas
(x 2)
Org.
(x 1)
Style
Conv.
Rater 1
Rater 2 1 10 2 20 3 30 4 40 5 50
The total weighted raw scores range from 10 (1’s in all four domains) to 50 (5’s in all four domains).
The total raw scores are scaled to adjust for small differences in prompt difficulty.
By converting raw scores to scaled scores, adjustments may be made for small differences between the various test editions, making it possible to equate scores from different versions of the test.
*2011 and 2012 – Most papers will receive only 1 rating

8. Mock Scoring Rater Ideas Org. Style Conv. Total R1 3 (*2) 3 2
=13 R2
=12
13+12=25
*2011 and 2012 – Most papers will receive only 1 rating

9. Raw Score and Scale Score Ranges
Raw Scores
Scale Scores 10
100 50
350

10. Raw Score and Scale Score Ranges
Raw Scores
Scale Scores 10
100
199 X
200
249
250 50
350
Does Not
Meet
Meets the
Standard
Exceeds the
Standard

11. Scoring Combinations Ideas Domain is KEY!
Rater
Ideas
Org.
Style
Conv.
Total R1
5 (*2) 3 4
=20 R2
=21
20+21=41
Rater
Ideas
Org.
Style
Conv.
Total R1
4(*2) 4
=20 R2
=20
20+20=40
Rater
Ideas
Org.
Style
Conv.
Total R1
3(*2) 4 5
=19 R2
=19
18+19=38

13. The Writing Process

14. 3 Things Writers Do: Think Sketch Write
No more I’m done! “When you are done, you’ve just begun” (Calkins and Mermelstein 2003) Mini lessons on what to do when you’ve finished writing. –See Troup County writing lessons for specific mini lessons

16. “We don’t want to teach students the writing process; rather, we want each one of them to find a process that works for him or her. The process will inevitibly differ from student to student”

17. Prewriting (Rehearsal)
Finding Topics (What to Write?)
Developing Topics (Growing a seed into an idea)
Organizing Topics (graphic organizers, webs, writers notebook, talking about ideas)

18. Writing Process: Pre-Writing Techniques (not a one size fits all!)
Brainstorming
Discussing
Free Writing
Looping
Listing
Outlining
Charting
Mapping
Look for Pre-Writing mini lessons on the P5 Website. Link to Writing Lessons by Traits and check out lessons for Ideas.

19. Brainstorming
“Brainstorming” - thinking of as many ideas as possible in a short amount of time.
Jot down your ideas so that you don’t forget them.
Write down all your ideas - don’t worry about sorting out “good” and “bad” ideas.
Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.

20. Show Example: What would I do if I won the lottery?
Travel – Beach, France
Pay parents bills, buy a house
Share with friends, donate to charities
Buy a lot of games!
Save and let money grow

21. Practice Take a few minutes to brainstorm ideas about questions:
What are some of the most best times of your life?

22. Discussing
Similar to brainstorming, but you do it with a partner or group.
Assign one person to write down the ideas.
Write down everything that members say related to the topic; don’t worry about sorting out “bad” and “good” ideas.
Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.

23. Practice
Take a few minutes to discuss the a question with a partner or group:
Who do you think are the most important people in a person’s life? (parents, siblings, teachers, friends, etc.) Why are they important?

24. Free Writing (Building Writing Stamina)
Pouring all of your thoughts onto paper.
Don’t take your pen off the page; keep writing for the entire time.
If you don’t know what to write, write “I don’t know what to write” until you do.
Don’t try to sort “good” and “bad” ideas.
Don’t worry about spelling and grammar.

25. Example of Free Writing
Topic: Describe your favorite season and why you like it. Spring is roses blooming bright and daisies bursting with yellow sunshine in their petals they make me want to jump with joy. The grass is green and thick and I love walking barefeeted feeling each blade against my skin. Pine cones hurt without shoes. The sky is blue with soft white cotton clouds, I like to lay on my back and see pictures in them, you can see elephants or dinos, not feeling hurried or rushed but relaxaded. Bugs buzz and bite.

26. Looping
“Looping” begins with “free writing.” It can help you narrow a topic.
Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what you wrote; underline or circle it.
Take that idea and begin free writing again.
Repeat the process at least one more time.
Follow all the rules for free writing.

27. Example of Free Writing
Topic: Describe your favorite season and why you like it. Spring is roses blooming bright and daisies bursting with yellow sunshine in their petals they make me want to jump with joy. The grass is green and thick and I love walking barefeeted feeling each blade against my skin. Pine cones hurt without shoes. The sky is blue with soft white cotton clouds, I like to lay on my back and see pictures in them, you can see elephants or dinos, not feelin hurried or rushed not strast but relaxd Bugs buzz and bite.

28. Example of Looping (from circled part on previous slide)
I love to take my time in spring, not to worry about due dates or tests or problems, just wandering at the beauty of the nature. I love to lie on my back in the grass and just soak in everything around me, the sky, the sun, the smell of the flowers, the warm of the air. I felt very free to spend time enjoying the spring, feeling the joy of new life busting through. I remember feeling realy happy, turning my eyes to heaven and wandering if I was already there.

29. Topics for Practice
Look at what you wrote for your warm-up writing. Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what you wrote. Write about this for 5 more minutes.
Repeat this step one more time.

30. Listing
Similar to “brainstorming.” The idea is to write down as many things as possible.
Use single words or phrases, not sentences.
Listing works well for descriptive-type writing.
Don’t worry about spelling or sorting out “good” and “bad” ideas.

31. Example List
Topic: Describe your favorite room in the house/apartment where you live.
Kitchen/Dining Area
White tile, walls, countertops
Flood of sunlight
Healthy plants
Sturdy pine furniture
Glass door--view of lawn and trees
*ideas for development in draft

32. Topics for Practice
Take 5 minutes to practice listing in response to the following topic:
Describe your bedroom.

33. Outlining
“Outlining” is a more organized form of pre-writing than the others we discussed.
It can be used after you have generated ideas through brainstorming, free writing, or other pre-writing techniques.
It works well for structured types of writing such as essays.
You can use complete sentences, but you don’t have to.

34. Example Outline
I. Introduction: Internet “friends” have advantages and disadvantages.
II. Advantages
a) meet people around the world
b) not based on appearance/age
III. Disadvantages
a) can you trust them?
b) may be too far away to meet in person
IV. Conclusion: Sometimes good, but too risky

35. Topics for Practice
Spend about 5 minutes creating an outline based on the following topic:
Do you agree with the dress code? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this policy?

36. Charting
Sometimes you will want to organize your ideas for writing in a chart.
Charting works very well for comparison/ contrast writing or examining advantages and disadvantages.
You can use many different kinds of charts, depending on your topic and the kind of writing you are doing.

37. Example Chart

38. Topics for Practice
Draw a chart to organize your ideas about the following topic:
Compare the similarities and differences between the city and the country.

39. Mapping
“Mapping,” sometimes called “semantic/ idea mapping” or “webbing,” is another way to organize your ideas.
Start with your topic in the center, and branch out from there with related ideas.
Use words and phrases, not complete sentences.

40. Example Map Instill a love of education in my children
Never stop learning
education
Eventually get a PhD
Learn to love whatever work I am doing
My future
Make them a priority
work
family
Use the skills I have learned in as many ways as possible
Raise healthy, happy children
Stay close to spouse

41. Topics for Practice
Draw a map to organize your ideas about the following topic:
What are some things that you have learned about your new grade level so far?

42. A Final Note on Prewriting
The more time spent on the “thinking stage” of the process, the stronger their writing will be.
“The more we get students to do this before they write, the better their drafts will be and the less time they will need on revision.”
Literacy Institute at Regis University, 6/2005

43. Writing Process: Drafting
Drafting is Exploratory…revision and editing come later

44. Sloppy Copy - Drafting
Children put their ideas on paper. At this time, they write without major attention to punctuation, grammar, or neatness.
Some teachers may refer to this as a sloppy copy or rough draft. The purpose of the rough draft is for the student to focus on his/her ideas and get them on paper without the distraction or fear of making mistakes in grammar,capitalization, punctuation, or paragraph structure.

45. Writing Process: Revision
The children use the suggestions from classmates to make additions or clarify details. Children try to improve their writing on their own. The teacher steps in at this stage and gives feedback.

46. Revision
Children think what they have written is good. They assume that something is wrong when they are asked to revise. It may take a lot of practice for students to see the rewards of revision.
“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” - Mark Twain

47. Revision is Burger Making (it’s better with bacon and cheese!)
First you put the burger on the bun. Then you go back and add all the things that make it really good!
Add: Pickles (details)
Mayo (strong verbs)
Mustard (voice)
etc. (Maybe you add even more meat!)
THEN your burger (writing) is ready!

48. Revision Teach as part of the process not something done at the end
Have students revise shorter pieces (long ones can be daunting)

49. Peer Review
After being trained in giving helpful feedback classmates share their rough drafts and make suggestions to each other for improvement. They help each other understand the story by asking who, what, when, where, why, and how questions. They look for better words to express ideas and discuss among themselves how to make the writing clearer.

50. Check This Out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBuq4qgRhCc
4th and 5th graders show how NOT to conduct a peer review. Show this video to your class to help them make better use of peer review opportunities.

51. REVISING FOR STRONG VERBS Maybe this is the Mustard!
With younger students, you should circle three to four weak verbs such as go, cook, and make. Older students can choose and circle the verbs they want to improve. These verbs are weak because they don’t create an image in the reader’s mind. Organize students into pairs so partners can help one another. Ask students to write, in the margin of their paper, several other verbs that are specific and relate to the context and meaning of the sentence and text. So go might become trudge; cook might transform into poach; and make into compel. Have students choose the best verb from their brainstormed list in the margin and write it above the weak verb.
Maybe a Class Word Wall!
Look for Revision mini lessons on the P5 Website. Link to Writing Lessons by Standards and check out lessons for standards 4 and 5.

52. REVISING FOR SPECIFIC NOUNS
(Add the Pickles!)
In first drafts, students writers tend to use general nouns such as things, stuff, time, games. These wide-open words create different images in readers minds--images based on readers’ personal experiences.
For example, if i write tree, readers might see an oak, maple, cherry, and all during different seasons. If the writer wants to communicate an exact image, specific nouns help.
Follow the process I suggested for improving verbs, only circle three to four general nouns on students’ work. Once students jot down alternatives, ask them to choose the specific noun that best fits the meaning of the sentence and piece. So, stuff, might become balloons, time might be dawn, and games might be kick-the-can.

53. Revision Dice!
Here is a fun way to engage students as they come up with revision strategies for their rough drafts. Fold the templates into dice, and let your students roll all four. Whatever four suggestions come up they need to try adding to their rough drafts.
© 2005 Corbett Harrison. All rights reserved. This resource was featured in the NNWP’s Secondary Writing Guide.

63. Writing Process: Editing
Students should understand editing is about CLARITY (Revision is content)
Look for Editing mini lessons on the P5 Website. Link to Writing Lessons by Standards and check out lessons for standards 4 and 5.

65. Publishing
The writing process is finally at its end. Children publish their writing by making a copy in their neatest handwriting or using a word processor. This is a time for students to celebrate. They may share their pieces with the class during story time, make a class book or a personal portfolio, or send their work to local newspapers or children’s magazines for publication!
* Lucy Calkins recommends that from second grade on, students publish at least one piece a month.