Write…From the Beginning

The Whole Picture Focused Writing Mini Lessons Unassisted Writing daily 5 criteria not modeled various domains and genres modeled domain specific

Expository vs. Narrative Expository writing explains an event, concept, or idea. It contains facts and examples. Non-fiction. Narrative writing tells a story, or part of a story. It can be fiction or non-fiction.

What are the WFTB goals for your grade level? Task: Look at the WFTB section for your grade level. Work with your team to create a Thinking Map to show what kinds of writing tasks your students do learn this year.

Character Setting Event One complete thought about the event

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Composing in First Grade Observational Comment Writing Level 2: Using a Tree Map, students write three compound sentences using pronouns and connecting words. 1st grade a hat a bow has Teddy Bear (He) soft fuzzy feels bend cuddle can Teddy Bear has a hat and a bow. He feels soft and fuzzy. Teddy Bear can bend and cuddle.

Composing in First Grade Observational Comment Writing Level 3: Using a Tree Map and connecting words the students write three compound sentences with pronouns and descriptive words. 1st grade Teddy Bear (He) has feels can soft like a pillow fuzzy a brown hat A white bow bend cuddle Teddy Bear has a brown hat and a white bow. He feels soft like a pillow and fuzzy. Teddy Bear can bend and cuddle.

1st grade Use a Flow Map to model the structure of the Personal Recount Narrative. First We lined up and went outside. Next We looked at a tree. Last We came in. First we lined up and went outside. Next we looked at a tree. Last we came in.

2nd grade This morning our class went on a mini-field trip. We lined up and went outside. First After that We looked at a tree. Finally We came in. This was a great way to study trees! wrote story I was first felt bark

Mini-lessons -are conducted daily -are simple and brief (5-15 min) -are direct instruction from teacher -are based on students’ needs -OR can expose students to writing elements before they will be used in student writing -should be balanced among the five criteria -should be fun, and non-threatening

Mini Lessons Simple Consistent Brief Focused Fun Concise Daily Non-threatening Reflective

More information is on page 6 in your Write…From the Beginning Manual Five Criteria Main Idea Supporting Details Coherence Organization Conventions reader appeal easy to follow plan easy retell surface features readability narrow no fru-fru descriptive words precise language additional info More information is on page 6 in your Write…From the Beginning Manual

Kindergarten Mini Lesson grass sun ? peas leaf Main Idea lettuce

Mr. Pig’s Birthday (What do you think this paragraph will be about?) Today is Mr. Pig’s birthday. Mrs. Toad made him a cake. I like presents. Mr. Fox put the candles on the cake. A fox has sharp teeth. Mrs. Mouse cut the cake. Then everyone sang Happy Birthday to Mr. Pig. (Are there any sentences which do not tell about the main idea?) Follow up by giving the students a new paragraph with irrelevant information. They will need to cross out sentences that do not go with the main idea, and add two additional sentences which do contribute to the main idea. 1st grade mini lesson: Main Idea

Supply an opening sentence for this paragraph. _______________. He has a big barn and a lot of land, but no animals. Chuck does not raise animals. He grows trees. Chuck has many kinds of fruit trees. He grows pear, apple, cherry, and plum trees. Each spring and fall he is busy picking their fruit. It is fun to go to Chuck’s farm when the fruit is ripe. Follow up by displaying a topic sentence such as: Today we woke up and there was snow on the ground. The students will write two or more sentences that relate to the topic. 2nd grade mini lesson: Main Idea

Student A 8 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 18 Student B 8 1 2 1 2 14 Student C 8 1 2 1 2 18 Student B 8 1 2 1 2 14 Student C 8 1 2 1 1 13 Student D 8 2 2 1 1 2 16 ¼ =25% 4/4=100% 4/4 =100% ¼=25% 2/4=50% ¼=25% 4/4=100% 0/4=0% ¾=75% 3 50 2 Based on this data, what should the teacher reteach during mini-lessons, and model in her own writing?

Are your students able to spell high frequency words? Our class proficiency reports tell us that our students have difficulty spelling, especially high frequency words.

Conventions Mini Lesson Spelling correct incorrect girl gril was because wuz becuse The brain needs to see the word spelled correctly next to the word spelled incorrectly so that the students can distinguish which one is the conventional spelling. 

Do you have a word wall in your room? TPS: What kinds of activities do you do using your Word Wall or Most Frequently Used Words List?

Students need to Interact with the Word Wall and Frequently Used Word List in order to learn to spell the words. Introduce 5 words at a time as you add them to the word wall. Once up, students are responsible for the word. Add to weekly spelling homework. Read and spell as a sponge activity. Sing them. Make up chants for them. Refer to and actively use the word wall when you model writing. Play games using the words on your word wall.

Game: Be a Mind Reader This is a word on the word wall: _____________ Clue #2 _____________ Clue #3 _____________ Clue #4 _____________ This word will fit in the following sentence: _____________

Chant word wall spellings. Add kinesthetics/movement. H-E-R-E – Here, right here. (Stomp feet) T-H-E-R-E – It’s outta there..... (Swing a baseball bat.) Hula spelling – Spell the word out with your hips. Say – Spell – Say (from SFA- clap out each letter) Marine Chant: Here are 5 words you need (repeat) if you want to write and read (repeat) the (t-h-e) where (w-h-e-r-e) who (w-h-o) say (s-a-y) every (e-v-e-r-y) Make up your own chants.

Student Work (Teacher feedback reflects the standard) WFTB Bulletin Board Standard Rubric Criteria Chart Student Work (Teacher feedback reflects the standard) Student Work is current.

Inter-rater reliability Inter-rater reliability is established when different teachers rate papers in the same way using a rubric. Scores should be the same regardless of which teacher grades the paper. It increases when all teachers have an understanding of the rubric. It increases when there are 2 or more teachers scoring the same paper.

How to Establish Inter-rater Reliability Read and discuss the writing prompt and the rubric. Write your own response to the prompt. Read a student response. Use the rubric to assign a score. Be prepared to explain why you assigned the score you did. Share your scores with a partner. If your scores didn’t agree, partners must come to a consensus through discussion.

Practice inter-rater reliability: Second Grade Performance Assignment #1: Sequencing Write an original story about a trip you took with your family or with friends. You could write about a trip to an amusement park, the zoo, an aquarium, the mountains, or any other exciting place. Read and discuss the writing prompt and the rubric (WFTB p. 196-198). Write your own response to the prompt. Read a student response. Use the rubric to assign a score. Be prepared to explain why you assigned the score you did. Share your scores with a partner. If your scores didn’t agree, partners must come to a consensus through discussion.