The Civil War Unit

Interdisciplinary Writing Unit

Tyler Cason Valdosta State University READ 7140, Summer 2008

Grade Level: Fifth Genre of Writing: Narrative Form: Simulated Journal Content Area Connection: Social Studies

Developmental Stage Scoring Guidelines For The Georgia Grade 5 Writing Assessment

Stage 5 The Engaging Writer Writing samples produced by students at this stage exhibit most or all of the following characteristics: A topic that is well developed. A plan with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Organization that sustains the writer’s purpose. Audience awareness techniques that engage the reader. Effective use of varied language and sentence patterns. Errors in surface features that do not interfere with the reader’s understanding of the writer’s message.

Stage 6 The Extending Writer Writing samples produced by students at this stage exhibit most or all of the following characteristics: A topic that is fully elaborated with rich details. Organization that sustains the writer’s purpose and moves the reader through the piece. Audience awareness techniques that engage and sustain the reader’s interest. Effective use of varied sentence patterns. Creative and novel language. Errors in surface features that do not interfere with the reader’s understanding of the writer’s message.

Instructional Grouping Options Whole group -allows the teacher to scaffold the instruction - makes the zone of proximal development closer between students Individual -allows the teacher to assess the individual improvement of each student. Partners -everyone gets a chance to be revised and revise someone else

Accommodations/Modifications Developmental: During whole group activities the student with the visual impairment will be moved to the front of the room so he can see the class notes and teacher examples. During the practice activity the two gifted students will be able to get on the internet and look up more information/important details about the Andersonville State Prison, or begin one of the stages in the writing process. Cultural: Hispanic students will be paired in groups with other students in order to give them practice writing/reading/speaking the English language. Linguistic: For modeling and the practice activity, both students who are bilingual will have teacher instruction in the front off the room to explain the class notes, plus they will be paired with other students for extra instruction. -Students who moved will go back to their original seats during the assessment activity.

Prewriting Getting ready to write “brainstorm” 70% of time is spent in this stage Things to consider: –Topic: Civil War –Purpose: to inform –Form: Simulated Journal –Audience: peers/teacher Graphic organizer –Organize ideas

Prewriting Instruction Modeling -No sentence structure -Put ideas on graphic organizer from notes Practice -Complete graphic organizer -Shared pen activity

Prewriting Assessment Students –Complete graphic organizer –Follow scoring guide/checklist –Individual work

Prewriting Graphic Organizer

Prewriting Checklist

Prewriting Grading Rubric

Drafting Graphic Organizer –Form ideas into paragraphs Use scoring guide/checklist Focus on content rather than mechanics

Drafting Instruction Modeling –Form ideas from graphic organizer into sentences Practice -Complete example draft together

Drafting Assessment Graphic Organizer –Form ideas into paragraphs Use scoring guide Content rather than mechanics

Drafting Checklist

Drafting Grading Rubric

Revising Clarify and refine ideas Things to consider: –Add –Delete –Substitute –Rearrange events or ideas Students: –Reread writing –Share with partner –Make changes

Revising Instruction Modeling -Show revisions Practice –Whole group revision of class draft –Share with partners

Revising Assessment Partners –Writer: Reads text Questions –Listener: Compliments Suggestions Use different color writing utensils

Revising Proofreaders’ Marks

Revising Checklist

Revising Grading Rubric

Editing Put text into final form Things to consider: –Proofread Proofreaders’ Marks –Correct mechanical errors Capitalization Punctuation Spelling Sentence structure Usage

Editing Instruction Modeling –Focus on mechanics Practice -Edit class’ revised journal -Partner up for peer editing

Editing Assessment Writer: –Proofreads Partner: –Helps proofread –Correct mechanical errors Teacher: –Final edit Use scoring guide/checklist

Editing Checklist

Editing Grading Rubric

Publishing Bring compositions to life –Publishing –Sharing Author’s chair

Publishing Instruction Practice –Rewrite class’ edited copy –Display for class to see –Concentrate on handwriting

Publishing Assessment Final copy –Typed Publish Share –Author’s chair/one paragraph each

Publishing Checklist

Publishing Grading Rubric

The End