Keys to Content Writing grades 4 12 Big

Keys to Content Writing (grades 4 -12) Big Ideas Power. Point By Joan Sedita www. keystoliteracy. com ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net

Content Writing… • …is assigning writing activities as a way of promoting content learning: – From content reading – From content classroom instruction • …can be: – General writing tasks that are used in any subject-area – Subject-specific types of writing, also called disciplinary writing – Short or lengthy writing tasks ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 13

Thinking on Paper Writing about text or from classroom instruction helps students: • Think and make connections between what they are learning and what they already know • Organize their thoughts • Clarify and solidify what they have learned ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 13

Writing to Learn “As students write about science, math, and social studies, they elaborate and clarify their ideas. It’s not just an expression of what you know. In the act of writing, students also form new relationships among ideas. Writing helps students integrate their thoughts. ” (Walker, 2009) ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 13

Instruction Routine Writing Assignment Guide (WAG) Quick Writes Writing Process Basic Text Structures for the Three Types of Writing Two-Column Notes and Top-Down Topic Web ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 9

Big Idea #1 Writing Assignment Guide (WAG) ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net

Sections of the WAG • Set writing goals • Show models • Provide scaffolds • Provide opportunities for collaboration • Provide feedback • Provide opportunities for revision Use the planning questions to help develop your WAG. (p. 143 -145) ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 140 -145

Set Writing Goals Assignment Unit of study, content connection Type of writing Audience Purpose Length & form Due dates Content & text structure requirements • Sources • • ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 146

Setting Audience Goals • Audience: the individual or group to whom the writing is addressed. • Determining why and for whom a student is writing will influence decisions throughout the writing process about: – – tone (objective, critical, apathetic, sincere, skeptical) language & word choice, style, voice what information (level of detail) to include how to arrange the information, layout (Mc. Kensie & Tompkins, 1984) ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 150

Authentic Audiences Students writing for real audiences are motivated in a way that students turning out papers for a grade, or for imagined audiences, are not. “Students have to believe that what they have to say is important enough to bother writing. They have to experience writing for real audiences before they will know that writing can bring them power. ” (Anne Rodier, National Writing Project) ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 150

Content & Text Structure Requirements • Content Requirements – Requirements for the content information students should include (including related vocabulary) – Refer to the content you are currently teaching • Text Structure Requirements – Requirements for the introduction, conclusion, transitions, or body – NOTE: The type of writing informs the characteristics of the text structure Often these can be combined. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 153

Requirements for Sources • Should students refer to any of the reading material or digital sources you have been using for this content topic? • What additional sources can you provide? • How many sources do you want them to use? • How do you want them to cite sources? ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 157

Show Models • Provide models of good writing so students can imitate the: – structure – style & language – techniques or “moves” that are general or specific to a certain type or genre • Show models of every stage in the writing process. • Provide models of what the completed writing assignment should look like. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 159

An Instructional Routine for Analyzing Mentor text 1. Choose one or two things to focus on 2. Read aloud the mentor text – – excerpts or the full text ask students to follow along silently 3. Using think aloud, model how to analyze the focus in the mentor text 4. Provide time for students to discuss and contribute to the think aloud 5. Invite students to collaborate with a peer to practice the technique ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 161

Provide Scaffolds • Extra support that we provide and gradually release • Examples of scaffolds: – Think aloud – Models of writing to emulate mentor text and student samples – Writing scaffolds • Two-column notes • Top-down topic webs • Sets of steps • Writing templates ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com Teacher Planning Required! 117

Differentiating Instruction struggling writers average, grade level writers advanced writers Modify: length, content & text structure requirements, sources, due dates, number of scaffolds ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com

Big Idea #2 Quick Writes ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net

Quick Writes • Short, informal, done quickly • Cross-curricular • Help us remember, organize, and manage information • Like sketching with words • Can be used at any point in a lesson to help students communicate their own thoughts, experiences, and reactions to a topic or question ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 31

Examples • Admit and exit tickets • KWL Chart • Informal notes/scribbles • Write a definition • Margin notes • Draw, label, or explain pictures/diagrams • List of facts, steps, ideas • Set of instructions or directions • Filling in a graphic organizer, complete notes • Free-writing • One-paragraph summary • Generate a question • Short-answer questions • 1 - to 2 -sentence reflections • Sentence combining • Short communication with someone else (note, email, tweet, text message) ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 32

Big Idea #3 The Writing Process ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net

CC Connection Writing #5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 21

40/20/40 Students assume they should spend the bulk of their time writing the first draft. However, they should… • …spend 40% of their time planning, reading, gathering, note-taking (THINK, PLAN) • …spend 20% of their time draft writing (WRITE) • …spend 40% of their time rewriting and revising, including editing (REVISE) ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com Univ. of Victoria, 2010 22

A Recursive Process • Writing is a dynamic and recursive process. • Writers repeat and revisit the stages several times as they develop a piece of writing. • There are no boundaries between each stage - at any point writing may be temporarily interrupted as the writer attempts to improve the writing piece ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 22

Big Idea #4 Basic Text Structures for the Three Types of Writing ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net

AND… Combination ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 53

Informational Writing Examples Examines previously learned information or provides new information. Text structure: Sections and paragraph main ideas tend to be organized hierarchically. • Textbook • Article • Letter, speech • Instructions, manual, directions • Subject area report • Summary (of info) • Workplace: memo, application, resume ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 58

Argument (Opinion) Writing Gives an opinion or makes an argument to convince the reader that a point of view is valid or to persuade the reader to take a specific action. Text structure: Organized based on these components: claim, reason, evidence, counter-claim, rebuttal Examples Persuasive letters Editorials Argument essays Reviews of books or movies • Claims about the worth or meaning of a literary work • • ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 58

Narrative Writing Examples Tells a story (real or imagined) of an experience, event, or sequence of events. Text structure: tends to be organized around literary elements (setting, character, problem/solution) • Diary entry • Biography, autobiography • Personal narrative, memoir • Folktales, fairly tales, fables, myths • Creative fictional stories, science fiction • Poems, plays • Eyewitness accounts • Plot summary • Short story ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 58

Suggested Distribution Elementary High School 1/3 argument 1/3 informational 1/3 narrative 40% argument 40% informational 20% narrative Encourage students to use the vocabulary related to the 3 types of writing Find opportunistic moments to point out writing types in text that students read. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 65

Basic Text Structures Introduction • Introduce the topic of the writing piece Body: Development of Ideas • • Organize information Present main ideas Provide details Include text features Conclusion • Concluding statement that supports the information presented Transitions • Words/phrases that connect sentences and paragraphs 54

Introductions • Can range from one sentence to a page+ • Essential component: • Introduction of topic • Possible components: – – Catchy “lead” Presentation of background/overview information Preview of subtopics Thesis statement • Lets the reader know what the writing is going to be about, BUT… … avoid flatly announcing what you are about to do - In this paper, I will argue that… - The purpose of this essay is to inform you that… ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 65

About the Body • It’s where students translate notes into sentences and paragraphs. • Students make decisions about: CC Writing # 2 a – Format (headings, graphics) – Patterns of organization CC Writing #2 b – How much and what kind of details to include ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 70

Transitions • What is a transition? – Linking words, phrases, sentences and even paragraphs – Use to link sentences, paragraphs, and sections of text • Used to – Clarify relationships (e. g. , compare/contrast, cause/effect) – Create cohesion – Link ideas • Some students include while writing first draft, some need to consciously add them later. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 72

Conclusions • Used to sum up the information presented. • Creates closure and holds the whole text together by referring back to what has already been said. • Length: sentence, paragraph, section Three Goals 1. Rephrase the main topic or claim 2. Summarize key main ideas or reasons 3. Leave the reader with a sense of closure, interesting final impression, or call to action ©Joan Sedita, www. key 8 toliteracy. com 74

Big Idea #5 Two-Column Notes and Top -Down Topic Web ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net

Two-Column Notes: To gather information before writing Topic ______________ Main Ideas Assumption: students can identify and state main ideas Details Assumption: students can identify relevant details, paraphrase in their own words, write concisely ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net 101

Paraphrasing and Plagiarism • Some students need explicit instruction for taking notes and turning them into sentences and paragraphs. • Paraphrasing while taking notes and when turning notes into sentences will help avoid plagiarism. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 103

Top-Down Topic Webs A Keys to Literacy Top-Down Topic Web can be used to support writing: ü To provide a visual representation of writing structures Wall Component Cards ü To use as a planning tool before students write Visual representation of content and text structure requirements for a specific writing assignment ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 118

Wall Cards Example Informational Writing ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 55, 60

Wall Cards Example Argument Writing ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 55, 64

Content & Text Structure Example ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 194

Content & Text Structure Example ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 188

Additional Review Topics ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. net

Effective Writing Instruction • Explicitly teach writing strategies (p. 23). • Increase how much students write (p. 23). • Find opportunities for students to collaborate at the THINK, PLAN, WRITE, REVISE stages. • Find opportunities for students to receive feedback and revise their writing. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 23 -25

Feedback and Revision What does a good soccer coach do to help the players? • Without the opportunity to revise writing based on feedback from peers or the teacher, students cannot learn how to improve their writing. • It is important for teachers to build in opportunities for feedback and revision when they plan formal writing assignments. ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com 27 -28

Appendix B • Comprehensive Teacher Checklist: Information Writing (p. 202 -203) • Comprehensive Teacher Checklist: Argument Writing (p. 204 -205) • Self or Peer Checklist (p. 206) • Comprehensive Rubric: Informational Writing (p. 207) • Comprehensive Rubric: Argument Writing (p. 208) Download from: http: //www. keystoliteracy. com/resources/worksheets/ ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com

Keys to Literacy Programs: – – – The Key Comprehension Routine The Key Vocabulary Routine The ANSWER Key Routine to Extended Response Keys to Close Reading Keys to Content Writing Keys to Argument Writing www. keystoliteracy. com ©Joan Sedita, www. keystoliteracy. com