Post on 04-Oct-2020
Developing Middle Grades Writers, Part II: Digging Deeper Into Effectively Planning
and Implementing Writing Instruction
Tanya Santangelo, Arcadia Universitysantangt@arcadia.edu
Amanda Rhoads, Wilkinson Middle SchoolArhoads@mesquiteisd.org
Our Goal for This Afternoon
Tell a Story and Have Great Conversations
Our Plan
1) Brief activity to re‐focus and activate our brains
2) Introduce the setting and main characters
3) A bit of background & context
4) Delve into the plot
5) Contemplate the ‘moral’ of the story
6) Envision and discuss the sequels you might write.
The Setting
Wilkinson Middle SchoolMesquite Independent School DistrictMesquite, TXLeslie Feinglas, Principal
The Main Characters
• Amanda & Tanya
1st Period: English 73rd Period: English 75th Period: ESL English 76th Period: Pre‐AP English 77th Period: English 7
A Bit of Background
• One of Wilkinson’s primary areas of focus with Middle School Matters is writing.
• In English 7, the unit of study centered around, The Giver, by Lois Lowry.
• The overarching goals for our lesson sequence were to enhance students’ writing skills and promote (higher‐order) reading comprehension.
Student Objectives:
I will know: • At least three characteristics of a ‘great’ question.
• At least three characteristics of a ‘great’ answer.
I will understand that:
• Good readers instinctively question and respond to the text they read—and often this is done in writing (e.g., jottings in a book; taking notes).
• Learning to ask ‘great’ questions and generate ‘great’ answers will help me understand and think critically about what I read.
• Writing helps us think deeper and remember longer.
• Thinking/writing is improved when more than one brain is involved. I will be able to:
• Explain why it is important to question and respond to literature (generally), and respond in writing (particularly).
• Collaboratively write a ‘great’ question and a ‘great’ answer, from the perspective of Lois Lowry, based on chapters 1-12 of The Giver.
What does it take for students to become better writers?
Knowledge (General, Genre, & Topical)
Strategic Behavior (Writing Processes & Self‐Regulation)
Motivation (Self‐Efficacy, Persistence, & Value)
Foundational Skills (e.g., HW, Spelling, Sentences, Vocab.)
Theoretical Framework
• Use writing as a tool to support learning (i.e., pose and answer questions in writing).
Motivating writing activities (M)Collaborative writing (M, potentially K & SB)Use of model texts (K)Teach writing strategies (SB)Self/Peer‐assessment of writing (SB, potentially M)
Universal: Teacher modeling & Scaffolding
Validated Instructional Practices
The Plot: ‘Rough Drafts’
• Original lesson plan• Revised (after day 1) lesson plan
More time Additional scaffolding Minor sequencing adjustments
Today = ‘Further enhanced through hindsight’ perspective.
The Plot: Day 1 (50 minutes)
1) Warm Up: Journal Quick‐Write • Write a question to the director of a favorite movie or TV show, or to
the author of a favorite book. Write the answer to your question (from the perspective of the director/author). (Set aside)
2) Introduction / Overview • Discuss the key objectives and explain the general plan for the next
few days.
3) Video (Lois Lowry answering a student question about creating the setting)• Think, pair, share: Is this a good question and a good answer?
The Plot: Day 1
4) Characteristics of Great and Lame Questions • Discuss and write on note‐taking handout.
Great Questions Lame Questions
Clear and easy to understand
As short as possible
Require a thoughtful and extended answer
Focus on important topics/ideas
Include the necessary ‘background’ information
Confusing and hard to understand
Too short or unnecessarily long
Lead to a ‘no-duh’ or ‘no-brainer’ answer
Focus on trivial things
Don’t include the necessary background information
The Plot: Day 1
5) ‘Great or Lame’ Game with Model Texts • Students decide whether each sample question is great, lame, or in
between‐ based on the characteristics given. (Discussion before and/or after each vote.)
• What is the name of the boy who lived next door to Jonas who was always getting into trouble?
• What are some of the writing techniques you used in The Giver and what was the purpose of using each technique?
• What are the most important ideas (like themes and lessons) you want kids to think about when they read your book and remember after they finish reading? – Bonus Part: What is something you DON’T want kids to focus on
(because it’s not really that important), but you think they might think about, anyways?
• The Giver is a very, very long book, but I liked it a lot. It reminded me of a book I read when I was in sixth grade, but I can’t remember that other book’s title. I liked your book better. What do you like about your book?
The Plot: Day 1
6) Wrap Up• Shoulder partners discuss how/why writing questions and answers
can make us better readers. Quick write response in journal.
The Plot: Day 1
‘Benefits of Hindsight’• Confirmed we under‐estimated time!
• Our ‘test‐class’ that wrote a great question at the end of the period clearly indicated we needed to provide more scaffolding and support.
• Several things went really well! (Q/A’s from an author’s perspective, video, having a list of characteristics, analyzing models, voting ‘game’)
• With time extended and brains stretched, best to first focus on questions, then move to answers.
• If the process of analyzing model texts is new, best to use an inductive approach (give list of characteristics and apply to models).
The Plot: Day 2 (50 minutes)
1) Warm Up: Journal Quick‐Write • What are the characteristics of a great question? Why are these things
important? (Pair‐Share Discussion)
2) Self‐Evaluation • Revisit the question written for yesterday’s warm‐up and see how it
‘stacks up’ to the ‘Great’ vs. ‘Lame’ characteristics? (Pair‐Share Discussion; Be sure to ‘contextualize’ baseline performance before & after they evaluate their first attempt.)
3) Explain how ‘Great Process’ is used to write ‘Great Questions’
The Plot: Day 2
4) Teacher Modeling (with student input/participation)
Show: How‐ exactly‐ do I write a ‘great’ question? • From start to finish... Step by step. • Intentionally utilize all the supports that students will have. • Do your best to think, feel, and talk ‘like a kid.’
‐ and ‐
Tell (‘Think Aloud’): What am I doing... How and why?
• Students copy the model onto a blank graphic organizer.
The Plot: Day 2
5) Guided Practice #1• Shoulder Partners, then Quads—with careful teacher
monitoring and support, as needed.
6) Wrap Up• Shoulder partners discuss if what we did in class today helped
them write better questions (What? How? Why?) Quick write response in journal.
The Plot: Day 2
‘Benefits of Hindsight’• Confirmed we (again) under‐estimated time... though a bit less!
• Having some (or maybe all) of the students use a checklist to systematically evaluate their question might be helpful.
• Several more things went really well! Modeling. Most students were ready to write their own questions after 1 model‐ a few (either by ‘selection’ or choice) would likely have benefitted from a second collaborative model (great opportunity for co‐teacher).
Collaborative writing and discussion (partners‐quads).Scaffolding (graphic organizer, topic ideas, sentence stems).
Plot Highlights: Day 3
1) Revisit Guided Practice #1 (text & process)
2) Guided Practice #2 (partners, then quads)
3) Video (Lois Lowry answering a student question about ‘the most important message’ in the book) (Think, pair, share: Is this a good question and a good answer?)
Plot Highlights: Day 3
4) Characteristics of Great and Lame Answers (discuss & write on note‐taking handout)
Great Answers Lame Answers
Clear and easy to understand
Stay on topic
Show excellent thinking about the book and beyond
Include relevant evidence and supporting details from the text
Confusing and hard to understand
Include information that isn’t related or needed
Make you wonder if they actually read and thought about the book
Don’t include relevant evidence and supporting details
Plot Highlights: Day 4
1) ‘Great or Lame’ Game with Model Texts
2) Teacher modeling (with student input/participation; students copy the model onto a blank graphic organizer)
Question being answered: How does the ceremony of 4....
Notes
Draft #1
Draft #2
FinalDear ___________,
Sincerely,
Plot Highlights: Day 5 & 6
Day 5: Guided Practice #1 & 2 (partners write answer to the first question they wrote; switch within quads and write answer to others’ first question; compare/contrast and discuss)
Day 6: Guided Practice #3 & 4 (same as above)
The ‘Moral’ of the Story
• If you want students to learn how to write... You actually have to teach them (with intentionality and persistence).
• Relevant knowledge and strategies (potentially foundational skills)• Modeling (both ‘showing’ and ‘telling’)• Scaffolding and support (proactive & reactive)
• Motivation and engagement are critical during the teaching/learning process.
• Collaboration and consistency will be beneficial for both teachers and students.