1. Items needed for our lesson: Paper Pencil Eraser
Welcome to Class
Items needed for our lesson:
Paper
Pencil
Eraser

2. Elluminate Etiquette During the presentation please listen carefully.
Jot down your questions and save them until the end.
Do not raise your hand during the presentation.
Do not write in the text box during the presentation.

3. PSSA Writing Fifth grade students will have to:
Answer multiple choice questions 20
Write to prompts (more info to follow)
2 of the three modes

4. PSSA Writing
5th grade students will have to write two of the three (any two):
Narrative
Persuasive
Informational

5. What Is Writing to a Prompt?

6. A PROMPT is a topic you are asked to write about.
Narrative Essay-tells a story
Informational Essay-gives information or explains something
(Also called Expository Prompt)
Persuasive Essay- try to get someone to agree with you

7. Narrative Narrate Tell a story about… Write about a time… What happened when…
Informational
Explain…
Tell why…
Talk about…
Write why…
WHY?

8. Persuasive Should there be… Convince others to… Support your view that… Persuade your readers that…

9. Features of Narrative essay
A single narrator’s voice and point of view (usually that of the writer)
A single event or series of events being recreated in chronological order
Details (which may or may not be facts) of setting, action, speech, and thought that make up that one event
Words, sentence structures, and literary devices that create a tone and mood appropriate to the event
A “So what?” for the reader to understand.
The purpose of a narrative piece is to tell a story in chronological order that is interesting, provides good deatil and description, clearly expresses the writer’s voice, is imaginative, and dos not contain side stories that are not related to the topic. This essay must contain a definite beginning, middle, and end.

10. Rubrics Focus- Content Development- Organization- Style- RUBRIC
4 categories for scoring
Focus-
sticking with the topic in the whole essay, mentioning the same thing in the intro and conclusion
Content Development-
using details, descriptions, examples
Organization-
separating into paragraphs that each have a topic
Style-
using different ways to begin your sentences

12. The Steps of Writing to a Prompt

13. Steps for Writing
Decide what kind of writing the prompt is asking for.
Prewrite to help think of what you want to say and plan your writing.
Write a first draft.
Revise your writing.
Check your grammar, punctuation, and spelling to correct any mistakes you have made.

14. Tips and Hints Be sure to include vivid details and descriptive words.
*Use your 5 senses.*
For example, if you are writing a story, describe how characters look or what the setting is like.
Personalize your writing. Link the writing to your own experiences.
Give examples of descriptive words and vivid details.

15. Here is your assignment…
Think about a time when you were given the opportunity to care for something. Write a story that tells what you had to do and how it made you feel.
Prompt comes directly from PSSA Writing Item and Scoring Sampler for Grade 5

16. Steps to Writing to a Prompt
Before you write:
Read the prompt carefully so you understand exactly what you are being asked to do.
Consider topic, task, and audience.
Think about what you want to write.
Use scratch paper to organize your thoughts. Use strategies like mapping or outlining.
Break down these steps and relate them directly to the prompt. Remind students that their style and content will vary based on their “audience”.

17. Now you try to free write
Now you try to free write. Take 1-2 minutes to write down all your ideas on a piece of paper.

18. Free Writing Ideas
Allow students to share their ideas by posting them on the whiteboard.

19. Example of mapping ideas
Extreme heat, very busy, dry dead flowers.

20. Suggest to students 5 paragraphs, an intro, conclusion and three events that happen in the story.

21. Step 2 As you write: Maintain a clear and consistent point of view.
Clearly tell a story that includes descriptive details. Include dialogue, if appropriate.
Use a variety of well-constructed, complete sentences.
Use a logical organization with an obvious beginning, middle, and end.

22. Start Writing Now
You will have 5-10 minutes now to write your thoughts in paragraph form to answer your essay question.
Raise your hand if you have a question.

23. Step 3
After you write:
Did you support your ideas with specific details?
Do the point of view and tone of the story remain consistent?
Check for capitalization, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, and usage errors.

24. So, in a Narrative, what are we looking for???
Dialogue
A Story
Good descriptions using your senses
Interesting word choices
Logical order(usually chronological first, second, finally

26. Example A
Ask students to read sample and poll their scores for the piece.

27. Score: A. 4 B. 3 C. 2 1 Composition Score 4
Composition Score 4
The writer establishes a distinct controlling theme and story line by concentrating
on the events leading up to the acquisition of a new pet (a time when the writer
was given the opportunity to care for a rabbit). Awareness of narrative mode is
demonstrated through the use of dialogue and descriptive details. There is a strong,
sequential story line (“Then, on a day that was going exceptionally well” and “Over
a time period of about three days”). Setting is embedded in efficient phrases (“while
I was playing hopscotch”) and helps to create a tone for the scenes that follow. Other
details, such as “had fish for the past 12 years” and the rabbit having a “chewing
problem,” provide humor to assist the strong narration.
The writer demonstrates precise control of language and cleverly weaves descriptors
into the essay: “noble qualities,” “non-stuffed, loving rabbit,” “mournful day,”
and “my mom said plainly.” Similes (“my words ran together like paint in water”)
strengthen the writer’s style.
The essay exemplifies strong and consistent control of composition skills in the
narrative mode.

29. Score:
A. 4
B. 3
C. 2 1
Composition Score: 3 The writer maintains a clear controlling theme (caring for “a kitten named Stella”)
and demonstrates a general awareness of the narrative mode. The essay is not
organized in a strict chronological pattern but examines experiences involved in
caring for Stella over time. It employs a beginning period (“Once a couple of years
ago”), a middle period (“I had many responsibilities”), and an ending period (“I had
alot of fun”), making a final reference to the desire to have another cat in the future.
Details are often elaborated. For example, instead of simply stating “The cat slept
in my mom’s bed,” the writer adds “because it was the biggest and warmest.” The
personal detail of fighting with his/her brother over where the cat slept helps to
maintain the narrative tone.
The essay exemplifies adequate control of composition skills in the narrative mode.

31. Score: A. 4 B. 3 C. 2 1 Composition Score 2
Composition Score 2
The composition is written from a personal point of view, but an inconsistent
sequencing of events is evidenced by the shift in tense from past (“One time I had
to”) to present (“And she likes to ”). There is not a clear conclusion to the story.
The composition reverts to a list of things the writer does with his/her cousin—“I
fed her,” “likes to play video games with me,” and “help her learn ABC’s”—none
of which is developed enough to give the reader more than a vague impression of
the speaker, the cousin, or the events being described. The abundant use of “I” and
“she” interferes with the development of a successful narrative tone.
The essay exemplifies limited control of composition skills in the narrative mode.

33. Score: A. 4 B. 3 C. 2 1 Composition Score 1
Composition Score 1
There is little evidence that the writer responded to the prompt. The brief story line
visits the experience of selecting a dog or a cat and being disappointed by the results.
The writer shows minimal awareness of the narrative task. There are no details,
reasons, or examples to expand the experience.
The essay exemplifies little or no control of composition skills in the narrative mode.

34. So what did you learn about Narrative essays???

35. Your hard work has paid off!
Congratulations!
Your hard work has paid off!

36. Link for more information on Prompts
Pennsylvania Department of Education Writing Sampler
Examples of Narrative and Informational prompts and sample essays with scoring

37. PSSA test windows