Creating Long Range Frameworks for Units of Study Presented By Dawn Mitchell Spartanburg Writing Project Partnership Director
copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com Teachers of writing aren’t relying on units of study to “cover” everything students need to know about writing. As long as the inquiry happens in a writing workshop context, almost any study can raise the level of work students are doing and still help everyone grow in all the “big picture” ways they n eed to be growing. And of course, units of study don’t do all the teaching either. In daily writing conferences, teachers offer a wealth of essential writing curriculum that is specific and differentiated for individual student needs.” - Ray, page 81 Study Driven 2/25/2019 copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com
Creating a Year-Long Framework for Units of Study We considered: Our goals for our students as writers Our experience as teachers of writing Our students’ needs and interests State standards and Curriculum mandates Integration opportunities to create meaningful connections across disciplines Your own interests as a teacher of writing What interests, abilities, and needs we see arise in our current unit of study that will impact subsequent units of study. It will bring rigor and challenge to the workshop and expand students’ knowledge about process and product. 2/25/2019 copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com
Examples of Long Range Frameworks *Anderson Mill – K-5, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade *Mayo Elementary – K-5, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade *Clifdale Elementary – 5th Grade *Westview Elementary – 1st Grade 2/25/2019 copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com
copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com “In many ways, then, dreams of studies don’t have to be just dreams. Teachers of writing can gather texts and plan some studies during the year to follow their particular interests and the needs and interests of their students. Let’s think now about the different kinds of study you’ll want to support in your writing workshop.” - Ray, p. 81 Study Driven 2/25/2019 copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com
copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com Resources Envisioning Units of Study Wiki Site http://swpunitsofstudy.pbworks.com/ Ray, Katie Wood. 2006. Study Driven: A Framework For Planning Units of Study in the Writing Workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Ray, Katie Wood. 2004. About the Authors: Writing Workshop With Our Youngest Writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. 2/25/2019 copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com