1. PREPARING 4 TH GRADE STUDENTS FOR THE FCAT WRITING ASSESSMENT Division of Curriculum

2. State Overview: AYP Information  All students who are enrolled in October FTE (Survey 2) and February FTE (Survey 3) and day of test are part of the writing denominator.  The AYP passing score is a 3.  AYP calculation includes the percent of eligible students scoring 3 or above.  The AYP writing criteria is 90% proficient or at least a 1% increase from the prior year.  Total and each subgroup needs to meet AYP to qualify for Safe Harbor and Growth Model.

3. State Overview: School Grade Information  Standard Curriculum students who are enrolled in October FTE (Survey 2) and February FTE (Survey 3) and the day of the test are part of the denominator.  Standard Curriculum Students - includes ESE students identified as speech impaired, gifted, and/or hospital/homebound.  Standard Curriculum Students - includes ELL students enrolled for more than two years in an ELL program.  The School Grade Accountability number is the percentage of students scoring a 4 or higher.

4. FY11 Scoring Information  There will be only one prompt at all grade levels (4, 8, and 10).  The writing mode of the prompt will be either narrative or expository at grade 4.  Each writing response will have one reader scoring.  The DOE plans to use the percentage of students scoring a 4 and above for the purposes of school grading.

5. FY11FCAT Writing Test Materials  This year, the prompt will NOT be located in the FCAT Writing booklet.  Each student will receive 3 papers: planning sheet, prompt sheet, and a writing booklet.

6. FY09 Palm Beach Writes to FY09 FCAT Writing Dr. Marc Baron Chief of Performance Accountability

7. Palm Beach Writes Summary- EDW Report RTSCW0147

8. Palm Beach Writes – EDW Report RTSCW0146

9. Avoid Template Writing Template writing is an instructional method that imposes a rehearsed or prescribed format for responding to any prompt, regardless of the topic, mode, or intended purpose. In this case, students are taught to memorize and habitually insert the same words, phrases, sentences, settings, organizational structures, creative writing devices, problems, and/or conclusions into the response.

10. Administrative Practices  Check EDW to ensure accuracy of data.  Palm Beach Writes Summary-RTSCW0147  Palm Beach Writes – RTSCW0146  Read a sampling of essays to monitor student progress.  Identify students that need additional support.  Structure and align pull-outs and tutorials that support classroom instruction.  Ensure communication occurs between teachers, coaches, and outside support.  Visit classrooms to monitor writing instructional practices.

11. Focus Expository  Brainstorm for big ideas from a prompt  Organize your thoughts  Develop a thesis statement (make sure it’s broad enough)  Develop points to support the thesis (these are the body paragraphs)  Plan the essay  Develop topic sentences for each paragraph  Include relevant information  Support with facts, anecdotes, quotes, sensory details, etc.  Incorporate a meaningful introduction/lead and ending  Answer the W,W,W,W,W,H questions

12. Focus Narrative  Brainstorm for people, places, and things  Narrow the big topic into a small moment in time  Organize your thoughts  Plan the essay  Start close to the heart of the story  Rehearse before writing (play a movie in your mind)  Create a problem and solution  Answer the W,W,W,W,W,H questions

13. Organization  Beginning- Middle- End  Experiment with different leads and endings  Transition words to make connections between ideas or move the piece through time  Backwards plan

14. Support Narrative  Show don’t tell  Stretch out an important part  Problem and solution  Specific actions  Create tiny scenes with a balance between actions, dialogue, and internal thinking or feeling  External dialogue  Internal thinking  Sensory details  W,W,W,W,W,H questions Expository  Anecdotes/incidents  Sensory details  Explanations  Facts  Examples  Evidence  Outside sources  Quotations

15. GOAL OF SUPPORT Development Use of extension and elaboration to provide clear and sufficient support of the central idea

16. Narrative- Before I was in gym class and we had to climb the rope. I didn’t want to do it because I was scared. It was my turn. The coach said I had to do it. I walked up to the rope and started climbing. When I reached the top I was happy that I made it. I slid down. Summary of Events

17. Layers of Support-Narrative The coach said, “It’s your turn, Suzie.” I don’t want to do this, I thought. I slowly walked across the gym floor. My heart was beating like a drum in my chest, and a look of worry spread across my face as my eyes looked up at the top of the rope on the ceiling. I dipped my hands in chalk and blew off the extra. I placed one hand on the rope and then the other. I just stood there. I felt like everyone was watching. “Hook your legs around the rope,” coach said. I pulled on the rope and swung my legs around. I let go with one hand and grabbed higher as I gripped the rope with my knees. Over and over I pulled my body up and gripped the rope with my arms as I slid my legs up, swinging wildly. I moved higher and higher. ”I’m doing it!” I thought. Step by step, inch by inch. “Suzie, touch the ceiling!” my friend Jane yelled. I looked up. Sure enough there was the ceiling right above my head. I reached out my hand and touched the ceiling. When I looked down all my classmates looked like little ants. A grin spread out on my face and I pumped a fist in the air in celebration. “Yes, I did it!” I screamed. DialogueShow Don’t Tell Tiny Actions Internal Thoughts Similes

18. Expository - Before I like to go to school because it’s fun. I have a great time at school. At school we do a lot of very awesome and fun things. The teacher always teaches us good things. I also have a fun time at recess. School is a very fun place to be. Limited Support

19. Bare Extended I like to go to school because it is fun, especially when the teacher lets us play games at recess. We play kickball, tag, and hula hoops. We run and jump and talk with our friends and get to know them. We usually go out for recess after lunch, but sometimes in the morning after math. (anecdote) Yesterday, we played Mrs. Jones class in kickball and I scored the run that would give us a 6-4 victory. (Fact) It’s a known fact that students need exercise to stay focused in school. reason explanation evidence Layered Support Strategies ReasonExplanationEvidenceAnecdotesFactsListsStatistics/ Data Outside Sources Quotes

20. Conventions  Reread  Check for flow  Check for meaning and clarity  Check for spelling of high frequency words and phonetic spelling of higher level vocabulary  Prioritize focus, organization, and support

21. What if it’s an unfamiliar topic or they can’t manage their time?

22. Unfamiliar Topics  Borrow another person’s experience  Use an experience seen on TV or in a movie  Use an experience from a book

23. Tracking Time 10 min. Colored Clock Online Clock -http://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown-timer/

24. Instructional Practices  Students write EVERY DAY (Weekly timed and daily untimed).  Teachers read students’ writing EVERY DAY.  Determine areas of individual needs  Look for trends or patterns across the class  Teach strategic minilessons based on needs.  Utilize anchor papers (scoring/examples and non-examples).  Pull children together for small group with one teaching point.  Confer with individual students.  Provide prescriptive feedback, document, and monitor progress.

25. Class - Identify Trends and Patterns  Regularly read student writing to document and monitor progress  Use the notes for future planning and instruction

26. Individual - Conference Notes  Document the feedback:  Teaching point  Compliment  Next steps  Use the notes for future planning and instruction  Provide students with a written reminder of the compliment and teaching point

27. Prescriptive Feedback: Characteristics  Provides SPECIFIC feedback about students’ writing, focusing on:  Areas of strength  Areas which need improvement  Allows students to know exactly what needs to be improved and how they can improve it  Is an essential part of the writing process

29. TUTORIAL SUPPORT LINKS FOR: Focus Organization Support Conventions Prompts Motivation Websites

30. RESOURCE GUIDE RESOURCES FOR: Writing Process Writing Prompts Scoring Minilessons Teacher and Student Tools Available on the Division of Curriculum Elementary Literacy Webpage

31. TEST-TAKING UNIT STRUCTURE OF LESSONS: Warm-Up Lesson Connection Teach Active Engagement Link Mid-Workshop Share After-the-Workshop Share Homework Additional Resources

32. TEST-TAKING UNIT - NARRATIVE Planning and Drafting Drafting Leads and Introductions Drafting the Events/Scenes in the Story Slow Down and Stretch Out the Action Characters Come to Life Endings Vivid Word Choice Adding Sensory Details and Figurative Language Show, Don’t Tell

33. TEST-TAKING UNIT - EXPOSITORY Planning and Drafting Leads and Introductions Developing Support Endings Adding Sensory Details Facts and Anecdotes Specific Word Choice

34. Contact Information Nikki Jones K-5 Writing Program Planner Jonesni@palmbeach.k12.fl.us PX: 86399