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2. High school Writing Strand
To improve the basic writing process of our students, AVID offers a variety of short lessons that address a host of writing practices. This power point will focus on 4 lessons that any teacher can implement without hesitation.

3. Learning Logs Instructions:
In learning logs, students respond to a prompt that helps them articulate what they've learned and discover what they don't understand. Finding these gaps in knowledge is critical for students as they take responsibility for their own learning.
Instructions:
To get the most out of lessons, students should write about what they did, what they learned, and what questions they still have about the topic. This is an excellent way to prepare for exams and papers because students are writing to discover and clarify ideas and “uncover” what they don't know as they recap what was learned in class.

4. Learning Logs
If you want to recap your learning, try some of these prompts:
What did I learn in class today? How did I learn it?
What was especially interesting about class today and why?
What do I now know about this topic that I didn't before class?
An important activity I was involved in today was... and it affected my learning about the topic by...
If you are feeling confused or need clarification, try some of these prompts:
What confuses me about the topic?
What questions do I have about this topic? How will I find the answers?
Something I am still confused about is... because...
One thing I'd like to know more about is... because... .

5. Learning Logs Teachers, You can assign learning logs:
at the end of the class to summarize notes
as a nightly study session to solidify grasp of content
to prepare for an exam
To clarify subject matter with instructor .

6. Summarizing a Text
Students need to be comfortable with summarizing since it is a critical component of the academic environment.
The process of summarizing requires reading, thinking (analysis and synthesis), and writing.
Have students:
Highlight main/ideas details
Circle important words
Underline main ideas
Write in the margins
Write questions when confused
This is meant to get students familiar with the selected text. .

7. Summarizing a Text . Teacher instructions:
Start with short engaging text. Make a class set (an overhead or Elmo are helpful for modeling.)
Student s should be armed with highlighters or stickies to mark the text
Make predictions about the articles topic from the title
Read first paragraph together. Have students highlight in one color highlighter and label who, what, where, when, why, and how.
Ask students about confusing parts. Have them highlight confusing parts in a different color. Students can then write in the margins when the confusion gets cleared up. Model this on the overhead.
Ask questions which personalize the information for the student. Put a star next to the information that has been personalized. .

8. Summarizing a Text Teacher instructions cont.
Students can now work as pairs. Have them read the next paragraph and work together comparing details. Circulate and monitor the students progress
Then have students finish the article on their own. Model on the overhead what you feel to be important, especially the first time you practice this writing lesson.
Writing assignments can bloom from this activity! .

9. Writing encourages writing!
Quick Write with Purpose
Writing encourages writing!
The act of writing is seldom a lock-step method for all students. The material that follows is to help with student editing after a quick write.
Providing opportunities for students to write for different audiences and purposes greatly enhances the legitimacy of the writing process. Students should identify their audience, purpose and form prior to their writing.
Teacher Guidelines:
Give students the prompt and time to cluster ideas based on a predetermined audience, purpose and form. This method should help with the natural mind rhythms of the brain to create material rich in memories, metaphor and wholeness making it an exciting technique for prompting creative writing
Give students 10 minutes of silent writing time. Students should write for the whole 10 minutes focusing on an introduction.

10. Writing encourages writing!
Quick Write with Purpose
Writing encourages writing!
Once the quick write is finished, each student should reread their paper and write two or three areas of concern at the top of their draft; also write the audience, purpose and form.
Then have students swap papers. Students read the authors questions/concerns as they read the paper two times.
After the second reading the student is to write their thoughts/ideas on a separate sheet of paper.
The readers responses should follow the guidelines as follows:

11. Writing encourages writing!
Quick Write with Purpose
Writing encourages writing!
Reader Guidelines:
Underline the thesis
Circle effective words
Put { brackets around unclear or confusing terms or phrases}.
Write “ I really liked...” and “ I was confused by...” or “ I wanted more information about...”
Comments such as “This is good” or “Don't change a thing” are not acceptable
Students trade papers back and read the suggestions. Each student discusses their questions or concerns, talk about and develop a plan for revision. This will help so that they will have a powerful direction in which to begin their revision.

12. Editing Phase of Writing Three-Column Sentence Analysis
It is important to teach students the conventions of standard written English; however, teaching skills in isolation results in little transference to students' writing.
This strategy works especially well for improving sentence structure and variety.
Teacher guidelines and directions:
Students get a blank sheet of paper and draw three columns. Title each column as follows:
First two words in each sentence
Verb in each sentence
Number of words in each sentence

13. Editing Phase of Writing Three-Column Sentence Analysis
Students take their revised introduction or writing sample and fill in the columns with the appropriate information for each column.
As students finish, they should swap papers with a partner and identify and discuss the patterns discovered in one another's papers.
Students should then do a quick write on the back of their notes, summarizing the patterns they discovered and contemplating the implications of these patterns in relation to the overall piece of writing.
Have several students share their quick writes with the class, discuss the patterns found in one another's papers and discuss how to edit/revise to create more sentence variety, to use more action verbs, etc.

14. Follow Up Questions
1. What did you learn or find interesting? 2. How can you apply this knowledge or information to your own classroom or lessons? 3. Did you find this information useful or relevant? 4. What specific information stood out for you? Please explain. 5. Do you have any follow up questions or comments?
10/29/11

15. WICR
Hopefully these four writing activities that were presented at the AVID summer training will help you in your classroom writing initiatives. Please feel free to contact Ana Silivongxay or Cathleen Klakulak for further clarification on these ideas.