Writing in the Content Areas Day 2

1. Writing in the Content AreasDay 2

2. Share something about your recent experience teaching writing to your students. Think about something that went well, along with something on which you need further clarification. Be ready to share your response along with the following: Name School Subject(s) Taught Response to question

3. Review of Color Coding • Topic Sentence (TS) • Blue • Concrete Detail (CD) • Red • Commentary (CM) • Green • Concluding Sentence (CS) • Blue

4. Absolutes • All kids can think, and all kids can write. • Consistency of program outweighs individual teacher preference. • The use of common terminology eliminates confusion. • Color-coding helps to “hard wire” concepts to the memory. • Formula is a place to start; students must be moved out of the formula as soon as they are ready. • One-on-one conferencing provides the individual support needed to help students develop voice.

5. Common Terminology • Topic Sentence (TS) • Concrete Detail (CD) • Commentary (CM) • Concluding Sentence (CS)

6. Let’s Move on…

7. Revision What’s the difference between a quick response and a planned essay? • Sometimes…you just want to see what they’ve learned • Sometimes…you want a deeper analysis

8. Example of a History Unit Where Revision Is Important After groups have presented, you will write a follow up essay. The essay will address the following question: “The Progressive Era is highly over rated in United States History.”

9. Example of a History Unit Where Revision Is Important Requirements: • You must include at least two quotes from people who were contemporaries of the period. (People who live during the Progressive period.) • The FINAL PRODUCT must include a quick write, rough draft and final draft. A good place to revise is before the final draft.

10. Revision • Options for revision • Using Peer Editing sheets in handout • Using Self Editing sheets in handout (you wouldn’t want to do this for every essay)

11. Revision Another idea… Put students in groups and have them read their paper aloud to their group. Other students, in that group, are writing questions they have about the person’s essay while they are reading. The only person who can speak is the person who is reading their paper!

12. Revision • As teachers of the same subject, collaborate and think of a unit you teach where revision might be important to the writing process. Be ready to share.

13. Assessing Writing • How an assignment is assessed depends upon the importance of the assignment. • Kids need to write into (the pre-writing, what you already know), through (are you understanding the concepts), and the beyond (culminating assessment) but not everything needs to be graded.

14. Assessing Writing • It is important to give clear directions to students on how to improve their writing with the use of rubrics.

15. Assessing Writing Now let’s look at the rubrics in your handouts… Now as a group think of how you can adapt one of these rubrics to your own class.

16. Assessing Writing Now use the rubric created for your subject to grade a few of the paragraphs your students have created. Make sure to adjust your rubric to your own needs. You can do this by crossing out and adding as needed.

17. Assessing Writing After assessing… Look at some of the commonalities found in the essays you have graded. Do you feel that your students have grasped the concepts you have taught them? Is there anything that you need to go back and review or re-teach?

18. The Multi – Paragraph Essay The Introduction • Only needs to be three (3) sentences. • Teach the body paragraphs first and explain to your students to write their body paragraphs before attempting to write the introduction.

19. Sample Writing Topic What are the three main structures of cells and what are their functions?

20. Multi-Paragraph EssayThe Introduction First Sentence of the introduction is the… • Attention Grabber (Hook) – This is a sentence that you want to grab your reader’s attention. This can be a quotation or an interesting fact.

21. Sample Attention Grabbers Example One • On average, adult Homo sapiens are made up of sixty trillion cells. Example Two • As all elements of a city work together, so do the parts of the cell. (Analogy must carry through essay.)

22. The Introduction Second Sentence is the Transition Sentence – This is the sentence that moves the writer and the reader into the thesis statement.

23. Sample Transition Statement Example One • These cells are made up of specific parts that do specific jobs. Example Two • Each element of the city has a specific function, as does each element of the cell.

24. The Introduction Third and final sentence is the Thesis Statement – This is the point of your writing. This is what your writer has to prove.

25. The Thesis Statement • Can be structured in a variety of ways, but in content writing using a three part thesis is the way to go. • Each of these three parts will become the topic sentence of each of the three body paragraphs that follow.

26. Example Thesis Statement The basic unit of structure and function in all living things, eukaryotic animal cells consist of three main parts: the cell membrane, the cytoplasm, and the nucleus.

27. Sample Introduction Paragraph Example One On average, adult Homo sapiens are made up of sixty trillion cells. These cells are made up of specific parts that do specific jobs. The basic unit of structure and function in all living things, eukaryotic animal cells consist of three main parts: the cell membrane, the cytoplasm, and the nucleus.

28. Sample Introduction Paragraph Example Two As all elements of a city work together, so do the parts of the cell. Each element of the city has a specific function, as does each element of the cell. The basic unit of structure and function in all living things, eukaryotic animal cells consist of three main parts: the cell membrane, the cytoplasm, and the nucleus.

29. Creating Your Own Introduction • Now you will create your own introduction paragraph using one of your own prompts or a prompt from the packet. • Remember to include an attention grabber, transition, and thesis. • Write your introduction on a transparency to share with the group.

30. Welcome Back! • Please put 3rd post-it on the continuum according to your comfort level with using writing in your classroom. • Write a one-chunk paragraph that discusses your change in comfort with writing as shown by your responses on the continuum.

31. Multi-Paragraph EssayThe Conclusion • Minimum length is three sentences. • Should restate the thesis, BUT not word for word. • Sums up the main points made in your essay. • DO NOT introduce any new topics! • No “call to action” unless it is a persuasive essay.

32. Sample Conclusion Paragraph All animal cells share three main structures, the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus. These parts help keep the cell together and allow for the cellular processes to take place. Together they are the basic structure and function of organisms.

33. Creating Your Own Conclusion Paragraph • Now you will create your own conclusion paragraph using the same prompt you used for your introduction. • Remember to restate your thesis, sum up the main points, and do not introduce new material. • Write your conclusion on a transparency to share with the group.

34. New Concepts Let’s learn some new concepts we can apply to our body paragraphs…

35. Terminology …the blending of two concepts into one sentence. Weaving:

36. Weaving Weaving is the blending of two concepts into one sentence, the blending of CD and CM or the blending of two CDs (for math and science). Do not allow weaving until you are certain that the students know the difference between CD and CM.

37. Weaving Example for History News coverage focused on the threat of nuclear weapons in the USSR.This shows that Americans were living in fear due to the media’s gross exaggeration of the problem. Weaved Example: News coverage focused on the threat of nuclear weapons in the USSR, causing Americans to live in fear due to the media’s gross exaggeration of the problem.

38. Weaving Example for Math The equation f(x)=x+5, really means that (x+5) is a function. This shows that, for every x, there is one, and only one, y. Weaved Example: The equation f(x)=x+5, really means that (x+5) is a function and that for every x, there is one, and only one, y.

39. Weaving Once you are sure that students know the difference between CD and CM, allow weaving.

40. Practice Weaving • Practice weaving two sentences (either two CDs or a CD and a CM, depending on your subject). • Use the same topic as used in sample introduction and conclusion.

41. Now It’s Your Turn Look at the next unit you’ll teach. As you look at the standards you will teach, plan three ways in which you will incorporate writing. • Create three writing topics and what would you ask your students to do (is this a paragraph response, multi-paragraph essay response, etc.) • Incorporate everything you’ve learned including the rubric you’ll use, revision options, sample thesis, and a sample body paragraph. • Email this to the presenter.

42. Reminder… • Exit card is on ERO. Remember to do this online! • Even though this concludes our workshop, we are still available for questions.