Writing To Learn in the Elementary Grades - PowerPoint Presentation

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Writing To Learn in the Elementary Grades

Diane Henry Leipzig, Ph.D. Fairfax County Public Schools

SOL Institutes, Dulles, VA October 16, 2014Slide2

Objective

Participants will experience the double benefit gained from informal writing activities in elementary content area lessons:They drive home the content that is taughtThey make daily writing

relevant, building a bridge between self-selected and formal writing2Slide3

Driving Home the Content

Edgar Dale’s classic cone-of-experience model states that students retain:10%-30% of the content they h

ear, read, and seebut that they retain: 70%-90% of the content they write, say and do.

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Making Writing Relevant

Digital writers are everywhere … and so are audiences.“

Self-sponsored writing” = direct deliverySocial networking 

“The Age of Composition”

We need new models of

composition, new curricula,

and new models for teaching.

Yancey, K. B. (2009) Writing in the 21

st

Century. NCTE.

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Meet Thomas, a Fifth Grade Writer

AT SCHOOL:Reading JournalBiographiesBook reports

Power PointsNarrative essaysResearch papersWriting promptsPersuasive essays

AT HOME:

Skype chats

Team speak

Video game chats

Comic strips

Song parodies

Music raps

Minecraft

stories

Youtube

vids/comments

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HOW DO THEY DIFFER? TURN AND TALKSlide6

Content-Area Writing: Every Teacher’s Guide

By Daniels, Zemelman, and Steineke (2007)Presents strategies for secondary teachers to use writing in order to deepen content knowledge. Two forms of writing:

Writing to Learn (informal, quick assignments)Public Writing (formal, edited pieces)TODAY: I will present Writing to Learn strategies modified to use with

elementary

school students.

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Why Writing to Learn?

More engaging; like self-selected writingLittle time neededDeepens content knowledgeSharpens writing skillsPrepares students to share with and learn content from each other

Provides immediate assessment information to teacher7Slide8

Why Writing to Learn in Elementary?

TIME: What gets tested gets taught: reading and math. Writing and content squeezed out.ENGAGEMENT: Our students are writing more out of school than ever before.

LEARNING: Content coverage is vast; little is retained from one year to the next.

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Writing SOLs Addressed (Grades 1-2)

The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of purposes (1.13, 2,12), such as:1.13b Focus on one topic1.13g Share writing with others2.12c Expand writing to include descriptive detail

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Writing SOLs Addressed (Grades 3-4)

The student will write (“cohesively” 4.7) for a variety of purposes (3.9), such as:3.9d Write a paragraph on the same topic4.7b Focus on one aspect of a topic3.9e/4.7e Use strategies for organization and elaboration according to the type of writing

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Writing SOLs Addressed (Grades 3-6)

The student will write for a variety of purposes (3.9, 4.7): to describe, to inform, to entertain, to explain and to persuade 5.7, 6.7):3.9a/4.7a/5.7a Identify audience (and purpose 6.7a)3.9f/4.7k/5.7i/ Include details that elaborate the main idea3.9g/4.7j/5.7h/6.7i

Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information

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1. Writing Break: What it is

At specific (pre-planned) points during lesson, students stop and reflect for 1-2 minutes on information they’ve heard/seenPrompts can be general or content-specificUse every 10 minutes for new contentFollowed by

quick sharing with pairs (ex. trade papers, comment on each other, some pairs share with large group)12Slide13

1. Writing Break: You Try (6th gr. S.S.)

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What does this political cartoon suggest about The Articles of Confederation, and why? Slide14

2. Exit Slip: What it is

14Save final 2-3 minutes of content block to jot a response to the day’s lessonPrompts are open-ended

Notes are used as diagnostic assessmentCan be used to address processes or contentHelps inform next day’s lessonMay read select (anonymous) comments next daySlide15

2. Exit Slip: You Try (4th gr. S.S.)

What did you learn about Jamestown?

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3. Admit Slip: What it is

A homework assignment to prepare for next day’s lessonAsks students to reflect on content read, seen, or heard in class the day beforeTeacher selects a few slips (or volunteers to read own slips) to kick off lesson, or uses all slips as an activator/greetingStart-up Writes: Rather than HW, have all students jot down a reflection in class before lesson begins

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3. Admit Slip: You Try (1st gr. S.S.)

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We will learn more about George Washington tomorrow. Talk about him with your family. Write or draw something you learned about him.Slide18

4. Brainstorming: What it is

Brain dump of everything that comes to mind when presented with a promptNo concern for accuracy or form: goal is quantity over qualityCan be used at any point during a lesson, to activate prior knowledge or review informationCombine to create class listReturn to list to correct misconceptions

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4. Brainstorming: You Try (2nd

gr. Science)

19Write down every object you can think of that is attracted by magnets. Be creative!Slide20

5. Drawing and Illustrating: What it is

A quickly drawn graphic or diagram (sometimes with words) to represent ideas or how ideas relate to one anotherHelps students process complex ideas by capturing it in a different mode Whole class drawing can be used to correct individual misconceptionsImportant that drawing is constructed, not copied: don’t choose a drawing familiar to all

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5. Drawing and Illustrating: You Try (3rd

gr. Science)Draw a picture that helps you remember the names for the four types of measurement: length, volume, mass, and temperature.

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6. Clustering: What it is

Introduced by Gabriele Rico in “Writing the Natural Way” (1983) a.k.a. concept mappingNon-linear brainstorming process that shows the relationships among ideas or conceptsKey word in a center balloon; other concepts drawn in balloons connected to center showing how they are related to each other and to the center word

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6. Clustering: You Try (5th gr. Science)

Place the word “CELLS” in the center of your cluster, and draw as many words and concepts that relate to it (and

to each other) as you can.23Slide24

7. Mapping: What it is

Visual arrangement of groups of ideas designed to show relationships among themMind maps can mean common graphic organizers (ex. Venn Diagrams, flowcharts, etc.) Mind maps can be novel creations by students to show how ideas relateText structures can help dictate appropriate maps (linear vs. cyclical, etc.)

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7. Mapping: You Try (4th gr. Math)

Construct a Venn Diagram to show the relationships between fractions and decimals.

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Do You Remember?

A weakness of the Articles of Confederation?A drawback to Jamestown’s location?A new fact about George Washington?

An object attracted by magnets?The four forms of measurement?A part of a cell you thought you’d forgotten?A similarity between fractions and decimals?

And…the two benefits of Writing to Learn?

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Reflections: An Exit Slip!

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3 things you learned today2 things you want to try

1 question you still haveSlide28

Questions?

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Bibliography

Daniels, H., Zemelman, S., & Steineke, N. (2007). Content-Area Writing: Every Teacher’s Guide. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Yancey, K. B. (2009). Writing in the 21st Century. Urbana, IL: National Council for Teachers of English.

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Disclaimer

Reference within this presentation to any specific commercial or non-commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Virginia Department of Education.