1. Florida Council for the Social Studies 2011 Conference
Writing in Social Studies Made Simple:
Engaging Strategies for Student Success
Kathleen Kopp
Teacher on Special Assignment, Citrus County Schools
Author and Presenter: Maupin House Publishing

2. Today’s Objectives
Review of CCSS ELA writing standards as they apply to social studies
Fabulous vocabulary writing strategies to engage students’ thinking
Quick and easy learning strategies that require students to think about and respond to learning through writing
Fun, creative, motivating writing projects that allow students to demonstrate their understanding of content while simultaneously addressing the CCSS Writing Standards for Literacy in Social Studies

3. Comparisons
Complete this thought: Writing in Social Studies is like _____________________ because_________________________________________.
Word Bank: storming a castle jet skiing munching an apple
shopping NASCAR a day at the beach

4. Analogies Complete this thought:
Writing is to Social Studies as ___________________ is to ________________________________________.

5. Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, gr. 6-8
Description
Text Types and Purposes 1
Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. 2
Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events. 3 NA
Production and Distribution of Writing 4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 5
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. 6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and
efficiently.

6. Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, gr. 6-8
Description
Research to Build and Extend Knowledge 7
Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. 8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. 9
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and research.
Range of Writing 10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for 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.

7. Writing Strategies to Develop Social Studies Vocabulary
Mine, Ours, Theirs
Frayer model
Graphic organizers from
Student-generated cloze (story, paragraph, or sentence)

8. My Neighbor’s Definition
Mine, Ours, Theirs
PROCLAMATION
To prevent any more fighting with American Indians, Britain made a proclamation. The Proclamation of 1763 said that colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.
My Definition
My Neighbor’s Definition
Glossary Definition
How these definitions compare______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

9. My Neighbor’s Definition
Mine, Ours, Theirs
OBFUSCATION
The senator’s continuous, disorganized, and irrelevant prattle left his fellow elected leaders in a state of obfuscation.
My Definition
My Neighbor’s Definition
Glossary Definition
How these definitions compare______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Total confusion or opaqueness so as to be difficult to perceive or understand

10. Frayer Model
OBFUSCATION
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
Total confusion or opaqueness so as to be difficult to perceive or understand
Confusion
Lost
In a fog
Ignorant
TESOL Conference
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Wise old owl
My dad

12. Using Graphic Organizers to Build Vocabulary

13. Vocabulary Cards Graphic Organizer

14. Vocabulary Word Cluster Graphic Organizer

15. Vocabulary Sketch Graphic Organizer

16. “Cognitive Dictionary” Graphic Organizer

17. Student-generated Cloze
Have students write sentences, paragraphs, or stories using all their vocabulary words.
Collect the students’ work.
Select the best sentences, paragraph, or story.
Type them using a word processing program.
Insert blank lines (_____________) for each vocabulary term.
Provide copies of the cloze student activity sheet and terms.
Have students complete this activity to assess their understanding of the vocabulary presented in the reading selection.

18. Try it! appointment concurrent powers delegated powers impeach
Choose one word. Write a sentence. Insert a blank line for your word.
appointment
concurrent powers
delegated powers
impeach
obfuscation
representative democracy
reserved powers
veto

19. Sample Cloze
Jeff, the Jamestown historian, began his tour. “The ____________ of Jamestown was established in The people who came here were some of the first ____________. The original colonists were mostly ____________ and ____________. They were searching for the freedom to live out what they believed to be the ____________ they shared with their God. The ____________ began to thrive when rules were changed. New rules allowed some colonists to grow ____________. One example is corn. Wheat is another. Other colonists could be ____________. Early shopkeepers were blacksmiths, coopers, and tailors. As you can see, life in Colonial America was very different from today.” Then, the tour ended.
colonist Puritan proprietor
cash crop settlement pilgrim covenant

20. Writing in Social Studies Resources
Try it a la carte!
New Resource!

21. Writing Strategies to Develop Concepts and Skills
PMI (Plusses, Minuses, and Interesting)
Frayer model
Graphic organizers from
Comprehension skills: main idea/details, compare/contrast, sequencing, cause/effect, etc.
Comprehension connections
Sticky Notes (anchor charts)
Give One, Get One (review strategy)
Concept map acrostic (review strategy)
Writing Projects

22. “Should we amend the Constitution to make flag desecration a crime?”
PMI
YES _____ NO _____
“Should we amend the Constitution to make flag desecration a crime?”
PLUSSES
MINUSES
INTERESTING

23. Civic Responsibilities
Frayer Model
Civic Responsibilities
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples

24. Historical Significance
Frayer Model
Early Explorers
Historical Significance
Spanish
Italian
British

25. Main Idea and Details Graphic Organizer

26. Tree Diagram (main idea/details) Graphic Organizer

27. Compare/contrast Graphic Organizer

28. Triple Venn

29. 8 Events Sequencing Chart

30. “Chain of Events” Graphic Organizer

31. Cause-effect Graphic Organizer

32. Note Taker Graphic Organizer

33. “Open Mind” Making Connections Graphic Organizer
Thinking Stems:
I wonder…
This makes me think about…
This reminds me of…
This relates to…
I imagine
I predict…
I remember when…

34. Guest Speaker Notebook Entry
Issue: Should Parson City develop land in a protected wetland?
Notes
Personal Reflection/connection
“I think…”

39. Review Strategy: Give One, Get One
Fold paper twice vertically and horizontally (nine squares)
Write three facts about a topic in any three squares.
See six friends (maybe more). You “give” them one of your facts, and in exchange, you “get” one of theirs.
No facts can repeat on the page.
Use this as a concept or topic review.

40. What It Looks Like Topic: Latitude and Longitude
Latitude lines are shown every 10 degrees.
Longitude lines are shown every 15 degrees.
Latitude lines run parallel to the equator.

41. Review Strategy: Concept Map Acrostic
Use chart paper. Make enough charts so that no more than six students are in a group.
Write one essential term or concept vertically on each paper.
Give each group a marker.
Each student, in turn, writes one sentence related to the concept using the letter of the concept as the first word of his sentence.
Every student writes a sentence. Encourage collaboration.
Students can use notes, text, or other resources to write their facts.
Use this as a concept or topic review.

44. Project-based Learning in Social Studies
An opportunity for students to show what they learned through authentic, novel, and creative writing projects

45. Writing Project Resources
Lots of great authentic writing project ideas in the Learning through Writing Series (Maupin House Publishing, Inc.)
Award-winning Series!

46. Why Learning Projects? Dynamic Authentic Interdisciplinary
Emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving, and communication: 21st century skills
Students explore real-world problems and challenges
Active learning
Engaging
Motivate students to find out more about a given topic
Give students a reason to learn and apply learned skills and information

47. What would you rather do?
Your principal has assigned your team to read an article related to homework practices. She asks for some evidence of learning. This will be part of your overall year-end appraisal.
Would you rather…
Write a summary of the article
Create a Power Point of key points from the article
Write a narrative which includes examples of best homework practices described in the text
Create a poster to explain best practices with regard to homework with meaningful examples of homework assignments
Interview other teachers regarding their homework practices and compare their ideas with those in the article
Keep a journal of your own homework assignments throughout the year and analyze how they are aligned with the ideas in the article
Other

48. Jazzed-up Reports “States”
Write an acceptance speech as if you have just been elected Governor of your state. Tell what you plan to do to improve life in this state. Include ideas related to the economy, agriculture, and historic or ecological preservation.
“Historic People”
The “People Channel” wants to do a show about this famous person. Develop three or more scenes or segments for the show. Each scene should highlight an important event in this person’s life.
“Government”
Write a script between a former politician and a present-day politician. Develop a possible dialogue between them as they discuss a past or current issue of interest.

49. Student Stories Mad Libs RAFTS Anecdotes Articles Biographies
Book jackets
Book reviews
Diaries
Folktales
Ghost stories
Interviews
Legends
Letters
Mysteries
Plays
Postcards
Proposals
Reviews
Science fiction
Speech
Summaries
Tall tales
Travelogues
Tributes

50. TERMS Try This! colonist Puritan proprietors cash crop settlement
Begin a graphic novel about the Colonial period. Include all seven vocabulary words in your narrative.
Write a ghost story that takes place during Colonial times. Include all seven vocabulary words in your narrative.
Write a Colonial town tour script as if you were a tour guide leading visitors through a living history museum. Use all seven words in your description of the town.
ON MY OWN
TERMS
colonist
Puritan
proprietors
cash crop
settlement
pilgrim
covenant

51. Don’t forget the assessment tool!
Criteria
Points Possible
Points Earned
Effective and appropriate use of seven terms 35
Format is appropriate for purpose 20
Accuracy of facts and information related to the Colonial period
Appropriate and effective text structure 10
Correctness of grammar, spelling, and punctuation
Attention to audience 5
TOTAL
100

52. Write Now! Writing allows students to internalize their learning.
Writing about reading helps students build needed vocabulary.
Writing about reading allows students to organize the content they are learning.
Writing strategies can be done before, during, and after learning.
Writing is a great formative assessment strategy.
Writing can be used to assess student learning of any subject matter, but should include clear, measurable expectations. (And, students should know these expectations ahead of time.)

53. Thank you for spending time with me!