Meeting Writing Standards Using Technology

Susan Pangelinan, Davis Senior High spangelinan@djusd.k12.ca.us

Use computer labs, teacher projectors, even overheads to acquaint students with tools for academic progression/workplace skills/audience

•Find resources: 4 computer stations can rotate 20 students at a time (teams of 5 at a computer) with ½ period turns.

•Computer Labs in library, computer classes, your own classroom (sign-ups)

•Know campus/community resources (PTA/SLIP)

•Lobby with other instructors for a PC lab, support staff, supply/maintenance budget (toner is $$!)

Technology:Create “Pride of Product”

Audience awareness and staging by you

creates interest and enthusiasm in them!

•Vary the audience

•Brochures for a general public

•Flow charts for class or future student

•Business plans for a corporate board

•PowerPoint slides for a panel or conference

•Agenda templates to run a meeting

•Booklets published for literary clubs/circles

Audience Awareness

By bringing in examples of these writing and communication modes from industry, you motivate students toward mastery

•Be a collector of samples

•Brochures: travel, services, products, info

•Flow charts: process description, manuals

•Business plans: start-ups, home, internet

•PowerPoint slides: proposals, conferences

•Agenda templates: common work actions

Industry Standards

Students gain confidence when they present their materials—especially if they have their “group” assistance: develop, review, and finalize product

•Individual work than be presented with others

•Brochures: each student takes a segment

•Flow charts: portions divided among all

•Business plans: play to their strengths (budget, proposal, projection, rendition, ads)

•PowerPoint slides: a slide (s) per student

•Agenda templates: organize, cooperate, track

Develop Student Ability

Ask yourself with each literature/writing unit: what technology skill or activity would work with this?

Certain lessons can be used with any novel:

•Author study: tri-fold brochure, PowerPoint, flyer

•Chapter/plot review: flow charts, PowerPoint

•Essay outline: Powerpoint, tri-fold brochure,

•Research on novel’s historical/social setting: Powerpoints, Tri-fold brochure, single page flyer

• Small group to class discussion: tables/columns

•Customized curriculum: Business Plan, Templates

Develop Literary Lessons and Assignments that use and promote technology skills and products

The Crucible/Scarlet Letter-PowerPoint essay outline

The Grapes of Wrath- PowerPoint Realism, Naturalism

The Great Gatsby/Of Mice and Men- Business Plan

Scarlet Letter/A Separate Peace- Flowchart of Conflict

All Quiet on the Western Front-Tri-Fold Novel Brochure

Animal Farm- PowerPoint on Totalitarianism research

All My Sons MS Word Meeting Agenda Template

Illustrated Man Future Products business plan, ads

Careers assignment: MS Word Resume Template

Ideas for Literary Units and Technology assignments (ancillary to major essays/tests)

Joy Luck Club- Single Page Biography of Characters

Our Town- Travel Brochure (Their Town)

The Old Man and The Sea- Obituary for newspaper

Cyrano De Bergerac Engagement Announcement

Stolen Years Mass Mailer (call to action)

The Scarlet Letter Magazine article, witness statements

Ideas for Literary Units and Technology assignments from conference attendees

3.0 Literary Response and Analysis Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. c. Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social influences of the historical period that shaped the characters, plots, and, settings.

•“Fast Facts” 1 period in the library or homework students choose an area of interest, research topic, add a graphic, present material the next period. They create literary context for essays

•Scarlet Letter- Puritan Age (social topics, practical)

•Grapes of Wrath-Depression Era (farming, economics)

•All Quiet on the Western Front (weapons, trenches)

•The Old Man and the Sea (fishing techniques, austere living)

• Illustrated Man (1950s/1960s “hopes” and “fears”)

Writing Standards: Add to high use assignments

Pre-writing/Developing Literary Content

1.0 Writing Strategies Students write coherent and focused essays that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.2.2 Write responses to literature:a. Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the significant ideas of literary works.

•Powerpoints: Group/individual powerpoints on topics that promote learning about the “significant ideas” in the literary works

•Grapes of Wrath plight of the migrants

•Huckleberry Finn group summary of assigned chapters, social/historical commentary, literary

Writing Standards: Add to high use assignments

Pre-writing: Analysis and Brainstorming ideas

Pre-writing: Analysis/Brainstorming ContentsStudent Powerpoint: Grapes of Wrath

Quotes: The Grapes of Wrath

o “Behind them more were coming. The great highways streamed with moving people.” Page 283

o “The migrant people, scuttling for work, scrabbling to live, looked always for pleasure, dug for pleasure, manufactured pleasure, and were hungry for amusement.” Page 325

Drought and Dust Bowl Cont…

Mass Exodus from the Great Plains

Largest migration in America. By 1940 2.5 million people had moved out of the Plains states.

Most of the people traveled to California were they did not receive a warm welcome.

                      

Standards 9th 10th Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text 3.3 Analyze interactions between main and subordinate characters in a literary text (e.g., internal and external conflicts, motivations, relationships, influences) and explain the way those interactions affect the plot.3.4 Determine characters' traits by what the characters say about themselves in narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and soliloquy.3.5 Compare works that express a universal theme and provide evidence to support the ideas expressed in each work.3.6 Analyze and trace an author's development of time and sequence, including the use of complex literary devices (e.g., foreshadowing, flashbacks).

• Flow Chart: In a flow chart, trace the main character’s inner conflict in the assigned chapters

• The Scarlet Letter: Trace Hester Prynne’s inner conflicts—how are they resolved?

•A Separate Peace: Trace Gene’s internal struggles—what is Knowles attempting to show us about violence and its effect?

Meeting Standards: Character analysis

Trace inner conflict and character development

Use Powerpoint slides to clarify thesis, organize paragraph topic sentences, present summary statement

• Slides can be used in initial outline/draft stages

• Updated slides can be shared among groups to expand/enhance organization and evidence

• Final slides can be used for student “publishing” of their essay content

• 1st slide is thesis; following 3 or 4 slides are body paragraphs topic sentences with 2 quotes from text

•Final slide is summary statement (6 slides max)

•Handouts mode to print; 1 page (2 sided, 3 slides per side)

Meeting Standards: Audience Awareness

Drafting/revising/publishing to class

Use Powerpoint slides to clarify thesis, organize paragraph topic sentences, present summary statement

Standards grades 9 and 10: Writing Organization and Focus 1.1 Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a consistent tone and focus throughout the piece of writing.

2.3 Write expository compositions, including analytical essays and research reports:a. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related claims, including information on all relevant perspectives.

2.0 Speaking applications: Using the speaking strategies of grades eleven and twelve outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0, students:

2.3 Deliver oral responses to literature:Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the significant ideas of literary

works (e.g. make assertions about text that are reasonable and supportable).

Meeting Standards: Audience Awareness

Drafting/revising/publishing to class

Other Ideas?

Susan Pangelinan, Davis Sr. High spangelinan@djusd.k12.ca.us