1. Enrich Exit Project Writing with Technology Collecting Ideas for Writing a Report of Information Using a Mentor Text Literacy 8.1

2. Focusing Questions How can we use a mentor text to identify the elements of a “report of information”? How can we use Word to begin a checklist of criteria to refer back to during the process?

3. Instruction

4. Framing The Session In the collecting phase of writing it is often helpful to look for ideas in a wide variety of ways. Even before gathering ideas for their own research, it is important to look at a mentor text in order to understand the elements of the genre.

5. Teaching Setting up an electronic writer’s notebook is just like setting up a writer’s notebook. Doing this in Microsoft Word makes it easier to take pieces through different phases of writing. Now, let’s take a look at our “Horizons of Opportunities” mentor text linked from the Participant Agenda.

6. Teaching Read the title, thinking aloud the criteria being noticed: “The first thing I notice is that there’s a title. Beneath the title there is a smaller title, which I know is called a subtitle. I notice that the subtitle gives us additional information that tells us a little something more about what the article will cover.”

7. Teaching Put the date at the top of the document “Report of Information Criteria” that was opened in Step 1. It is important to have organized structure on a notebook page. Some teachers have students date or title the page.

8. Guided Practice Read the first paragraph of the mentor text. Turn and talk with another participant about the mentor text. What do you notice about the elements of this genre? Share out some elements, e.g., quotation, strong lead, picture hyperlink, purpose of the feature.

9. Work Time

10. Getting Started You will now spend time looking at mentor text and adding to your features list.

11. Work Time Look closely at the mentor text and determine all possible elements of the genre that you would later assess for with a rubric, when the final draft is completed. Download the “Sample Rubric” document from the Participants Agenda. Using the checklist, begin filling in the blank rubric, in order to organize and set expectations for this writing unit.

12. Work Time When you are done completing the rubric, share with others around you. Don’t forget to save the rubric in your “Collecting” folder.This is something you and your students should come back to at least once a week during the unit, to revise to it and use it as a guide to inform instruction.

13. Share

14. How is this digital report of information more engaging than a written report? Where else can we get sample rubrics? Share

15. How does this work address the questions that began the session?

16. For more information Office of Instructional Technology oittc@schools.nyc.gov www.nyc.gov/schools