The Low Down on On-Demand

The response below came from the Cindy Parker from the Division of Program Studies (KDE). In it, she shares her insight into On-Demand writing and reinforces our strong belief in the power of supporting our kids as writers.

From her statement I synthesized a few key points.
1) Our kids need to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE.  They need multiple opportunities throughout they day to share their thinking in writing- always considering and working to demonstrate these traits:

• audience awareness
• idea development
• organization of ideas
• the best words to support the message and mode
• appropriate conventions they need to truly convey their message

So whether they are sharing information learned through research in a form of some sort, crafting a story, establishing their opinion, responding to learning, reflecting, writing in a family journal, or simply thanking a volunteer or field trip guide....we are pushing them to always work toward communicating with clarity, development, and refinement.

2) Our kids need an understanding of the traits/ characteristics of quality writing. In a nutshell: the focus ought to be on the traits, rather than the form. This is because the traits transcend form. Students here gain access to those traits through analyzing model text and/or creating a class rubric that mirrors the state's Scoring Rubric as well as through specific  mini-lessons and experiences writing.  What seems to be most critical is that our kids understand that writers communicate coherently with an audience using the above bullets, regardless of the form (i.e. letter, story, Prezi, essay, feature article, etc.) Are forms obsolete? No, they are a form of organization and still need to be taught and experienced, but they are not the "end all, be all" of writing.

3) Our kids need support, but the goal is always  independence. BES teachers really live this one. You know your writers may need graphic organizers to scaffold them as they work to become organized and developed writers, but eventually they need to wean themselves from them as they demonstrate the ability to write without them. You all are always pushing your students to try their own and use what works for them. I have yet to see anyone force a child to use a graphic organizer every time they write. It's always a form of support through Gradual Release of Responsibility. Go us!

Please share your synthesis after you read Ms. Parker's response in the comment section below.

As you know...Together We Grow. -Sarah

MS. PARKER'S RESPONSE: The craft of writing is a long, developmental process requiring a variety of strategies and scaffolds at each level. Requiring students to use a certain form (5 paragraphs) can stifle the creativity and growth of the writer. It can also create in the students’ minds a false sense of good writing.


For students to do well in On Demand Writing, it is critical that they first understand the traits of writing as outlined in the Scoring Rubric. According to the K-Prep Assessment Basics, form, although stated in the prompt, is there only to provide context for purpose and audience. Form is not part of the rubric; rather, students will be evaluated on their ability to communicate effectively with an audience by supporting complex ideas in a coherently.

So what does this look like in the classroom? It means that students write, write, and write. They regularly analyze a variety of texts, including their own writing, to understand purpose, audience, idea development, and language. Knowledge of these traits is critical to allow constructive conversations about writing. This can be done in large or small group settings, as mini-lessons in response to formative assessment needs, or as part of a planned instructional sequence. There are numerous resources for teaching the “Traits of Writing” that can be adapted to each grade level.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a time or a place for structured organizers as an instructional scaffold. However, because our goal is to develop independent writers, we should gradually release the use of these tools as students evolve in the craft of writing. Remember that on-demand writing is merely an assessment meant to allow students to demonstrate independently the skills they have gained through instruction and that the standards call for students to be able to write well in short and extended timeframes. The standards do not address the strategies for teaching writing, although they do align to a writing process approach.

A resource you might find helpful is Addressing the Three Modes of Writing in the KCAS, available here http://kdeliteracylink.wikispaces.com/file/view/Three+Modes+of+Writing+in+KCAS.pdf/380885860/Three%20Modes%20of%20Writing%20in%20KCAS.pdf. KDE will also be posting soon on the assessment page on-demand writing samplers, annotated student work, and instructional resources.

Hope this helps you—I appreciate your interest in helping students be better writers.


Cindy Parker, NBCT
Literacy Coordinator
Office of Next Generation Learners
Kentucky Department of Education
500 Mero Street, 1911 CPT
Frankfort, KY 40601

Leveled Non-Fiction and Ficiton Passages: Arming Yourself

Fitting readers' needs and being aware of exposure to complex texts is a challenge. Lucy Calkins quotes Richard Allington in her book Pathways to the Common Core, "You can't learn much from books you can't read" (2002). Allington defines these books as those students can read when they demonstrate 96% accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. That challenge seems tough enough, but we also need to be exposing them (though modeling and think alouds) to those texts that are on grade level and will further our students' understanding of the standards though use of the thinking strategies. Basically, we need to have access to an arsenal of texts to use in our teaching, conferring, and classroom libraries.


So, what do you do? You seek support such as: books, booklets, colleagues, LMSs, online sites, etc. Check out sites listed below as they may make your search a little easier and support your ELA, social studies, and science contents as well. Consider them as you work to find your mini-lesson and student practice passages (those we sometimes offer them to try out before they get into their self-selected texts.) You may just find something you like that fits a variety of needs. :)

Happy Clicking!


http://teacher.depaul.edu/Nonfiction_Readings.htm Many grade-leveled passages on various content concepts 3rd -6th grade

http://www.k12reader.com/ Use the sidebar to find the grade level you are interested in finding texts for.

Must Have New Apps

Sometimes I just find myself App Shopping. Like those times when I am trapped in the house, and the dishes sit piled in the sink waiting to be washed, I might just engage in some task avoidance and click on AppShopper or the App Store and see what catches my attention. Tonight I found several great (and mostly FREE) apps that called me to click "Install". Time might be running out, so click it yourself before you miss it!

McGraw Hill Education books: County & City Mouse, Jack and the Beanstalk, Why the Sea is Salty, and Little Red Riding Hood. These books are great for early readers who might need the book read to them,  (when they need help with a word or page, or just need fluency modeled for them), or when they need a just right book to read to themselves.


Word Mover:  This app was created by ReadWriteThink- the well-clicked resource we know best from our ELA units. The app "is used to supplement classroom instruction, reinforce concepts taught in class, and offer increased student engagement". Students can create "found poetry" (we might have schema for this concept though our Magnetic Poetry Center).

Book Creator: This app costs $1.99 and students can use it to create their own books, save them in iBooks, and send them via email, or submit them to the iBookstore.


Please sure your newest, greatest apps for all to see and CLICK!


Happy Installing!

Break It Down For Me! I Need the Info.

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE POST BEFORE THIS...SCROLL DOWN FIRST AND THEN READ THIS ONE. :) It will make more sense. :)

Even if you know the Mode of Focus for writing, what may not be immediately apparent is the scaffolding asked for in previous units. How much time ought I focus on  ____ before I introduce _____? These photos are organized with brackets to show the length of time one might spend on a particular kind of writing. It is just another way of showing the breakdown of the year for our writers.

*Though I didn't add poetry and writing in response reading & learning to ALL of the units, the units do suggest that we ought to offer our writers opportunities.

K/1 Writing Mode of Focus

2nd Writing Mode of Focus

3rd Grade Mode of Focus

4th Grade Mode of Focus

5th Grade Mode of Focus

Did you know...the activities can be a window into the kind of writing emphasized inside of a unit. Take a minute to count the "type of writing" suggestions in the activity titles. It becomes clear pretty quickly what the unit is suggesting students spend their time learning about and trying out within the confines of those weeks. (These sample activities also offer opportunities for students to try out other types of writing so they experience variety within those five weeks or so.)

 What does this kind of writing look like? Many might be surprised at the rigor expected for our K-5 kids. Click here to take a peek: http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_C.pdf

Writing Focus for Each Grade Level of the ELA Units

Ever wonder if the kind of writing (the mode) will be returning in another unit? Will you get another opportunity to teach this mode with students publishing in genres in the future... or is this the last real emphasis on this type of writing? 

Well, wonder no more- The information below will be the Holy Grail of Writing Focus information. It will offer you that overview you've been wishing for and can be used when planning a unit's lessons. 

K/1 Writing Focus by the Unit:

Unit 1: exposure to Opinion, Narrative, and Informative

Unit 2: Opinion

Unit 3: Narrative

Unit 4: Informative/explanatory

Unit 5: Shared Research (more independent in 1^st)

Unit 6: Using digital tools to publish writing

Unit 7: Revision

2^nd Grade Writing Focus by the Unit:

Unit 1: exposure to Opinion, Narrative, and Informative

Unit 2: Shared Research and writing projects  (report, science observations, etc.)

Unit 3: Informative/explanatory  (supportive: revising and editing + gather info. to answer a question)

Unit 4: Informative/explanatory

Unit 5: Narrative + Using digital tools to publish writing

Unit 6: Narratives

Unit 7: Opinion

3^rd Grade Writing Focus by the Unit:

Unit 1: exposure to Opinion, Narrative, and Informative

Unit 2: Narrative  (3^rd person) (organization, revision & editing)

Unit 3: Narrative  (1^st person)

Unit 4: Informative/explanatory

Unit 5: Conduct short research

Unit 6: Opinion (gather info from experience and digital sources- take notes)

Unit 7: Uses technology to produce and publish writing

4^th Grade Writing Focus by the Unit:

Unit 1: exposure to Opinion, Narrative, and Informative

Unit 2: Informative/explanatory (clear, coherent, organized; revision & editing)

Unit 3: Informative/explanatory (short research-different aspects) (writing in response to reading-literary)

Unit 4: Narrative (organization)

Unit 5: Opinion (short research- different aspects)

Unit 6: Narrative (recall/gather relevant info. and use technology to produce and publish writing, use digital sources, take notes & provide sources)

Unit 7: Short Research/Opinion (digital sources, take notes) (writing in response to reading-informative) (write for many purposes and for varying lengths of time)

5^th Grade Writing Focus by the Unit:

Unit 1: exposure to Opinion, Narrative, and Informative

Unit 2: Short research projects (clear, coherent, organized, writing process)

Unit 3: informative/explanatory (writing in response to on level reading-literary and informative=drawing inferences)

Unit 4: Opinion

Unit 5: Narrative

Unit 6:  Narrative + writing process

Unit 7: Recall relevant info from experiences or Gather relevant info from print and digital sources; Uses technology to produce and publish writing, take notes, cite sources) 

NOTE: Though this organizer offers the standard of focus for the unit, variety in writing is important and offering students opportunities to publish outside of the "mode/genre of focus" will continue to be important.  We can talk about how to do this inside planning meeting. :)

BOLD=emphasis of the standard and all its sub standards for this mode in this unit.

ALSO: It may be that in the CURRENT unit, you will often need to expose kids to one type of writing for a short time to prepare them for a future unit (ex. collect seeds for narrative writing for later development) and then spend the vast majority of the time focusing on and supporting kids with informative writing. The NEXT unit will then focus on  narrative writing and expose them to opinion.  We can plan for your specific units in your PLC's planning meetings.

And to think! Inventive Thinking and Those Who Inspire Us

Can you imagine... a time long ago when a creativity and innovation thrived...a time when modern conveniences
 were yet to be invented... a time when questioning led to great discoveries and awesome adventures...a time long, long ago...



                         
 when Socrates declared that all he knew was nothing, so he spent his whole life asking questions...
which, in all reality, led to what we now name...The Share Square.

This "Wise Guy" became an apprentice....and studied models, heard "think alouds", sought a better understanding of big ideas like: courage, love, goodness, justice... and inspired others. This Godfather of Thinking Strategies and the Stimulater of Deeper Thinking.

And to think... his whole life is captured in a book- a historical fiction book, written for kids, in a narrative coupled with factual information. Think of that!

And to think...that Leonardo's life is also captured in a historical fiction text- with a story, about a boy name Zoro who served as an apprentice to Mr. da Vinci as he experimented with "a revolutionary flying machine!" Oh, and it includes an author's note with factual information to help readers' learn, question, understand...a time long ago and Leonardo and the Flying Boy.

And to think...a man, named Pippo the Fool, who was a bullied boy, but also a "clever, determined, imaginative" creator with the odds stacked against him. A man who persevered to win a contest to design the masterpiece Brunelleschis Dome in Florence, Italy that still stands today as a testament to his artistic talent, engineering skills, and out of the box thinking. Pippo's tale defines the Renaissance and an author's ability to marry history and fiction. And of course, it includes excellent information text to build a reader's schema and inspire further learning about a time long ago...

Think of all of that as you embark upon your 5th Grade Unit 3 Inventive Thinking. :)

Polacco's Newest "Need to Read" Books & Some Insight Into Theme

Patricia Polocco has does it again in her two terrific tales of surviving bullying and an encounter with two life-changing teachers. In Bully, Poloacco, inspired by her own vivid childhood memories of being bullied, cleverly crafts a realistic fiction story that takes on cliques and cyber-bullying-- a sad reality of many kids today. In The Art of Miss Chew, a memoir about the woman who gave our beloved author and artist her confidence and spark to pursue her natural talents, Polcacco shares her own trials tribulations. This story worth telling again and again is also one that recognizes another thoughtful teacher who got to know Patricia and differentiated for her- building her confidence and supporting her success. In both texts, the beginnings are strong, middles engaging, and endings powerful.

The books can easily be used to teach such important understandings related to: relevant use of any thinking strategy, story elements and how they work together, theme*, author's message*, understanding and applying schema for an author and his/her works, crafts of writing, etc. As always, the possibilities are endless. Plus, I am pretty sure we can find a connection to make the perfect fit into one of your ELA units this year. :)

Please note that each book is a full 32 pages of rich "Patricia Style" text. With that said, there are many possibilities when using books like this in your classroom.

1. Read the book aloud in its entirety for the joy of hearing the whole book. Return to it as text to study at a later time.
2. Read it a few pages at a time over the course of a several days.
3. Read it in three sections (beginning, middle, end) to highlight the structure of the story.
4. Listen to the book on a podcast, or watch a video of it being read by the author.

Stop by my lending library soon to snag a copy of these awesome new texts!

*Universal Theme vs. Theme vs.  Author's Message
Because there is always a big debate about these literary terms, I thought I'd do some research and share my learning. Honestly, I am still teasing out my understanding of these terms, but continually growing nonetheless. The main walk away I have is that if kids can gain infer the author's message, and then infer the big, and eventually use text-to-text understandings... they can group and make meaning of like books to enrich their understanding about life and literature.

Universal Theme: an inferred point made about the topic- not just the topic of the work. A statement about life. The "big idea" that spans cultures and time. Courage, Friendship, Honesty, Revenge, Trust, Family, Good v. Evil, Dreams, Hope, Circle of Life
Theme and/or Author's Message: A (often inferred) message or lesson that an author wants you to know or take away from the story.

Ex. Author's Message: Face your fears and you can defeat them.    
      Universal Theme=courage

      Author's Message: Don't wish for what others possess. Be happy with what you have.       
     Universal Theme=jealousy

      Author's Message: Work hard for what you want in life and you can achieve any goal 

      Universal Theme=dreams

Note: Students struggling with identifying universal themes may need more support in identifying the author’s message or theme of a story first. The third and fourth grade "Theme Lesson" sequences are a good resource for teaching the author’s message or theme. Resource:  www.readworks.org
This lesson's description, specifically, is helpful for distinguishing theme/message from universal theme. http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade4/theme