Part 2: K-5 Writing Units of Study

January 29, 2015Presentation Link: http://nwgaresa.com/resources/

While you wait for the session to begin, review

Chapters 1 and 2 of Writing Pathways.

Housekeeping Reminders Breaks Restrooms Vending Machines Lunch (11:30 AM – 12:45 PM) Cell Phone Use

Fall Session Recap

Research

Writing Process

Writing Workshop

Model

The Minilesson

Conferencing

Units of Study

The Writing ProcessK - 2 3 - 5

RehearsalDraftingRevisingFurther RevisionEditingPublishingCelebrating

Rehearsal/PrewritingDraftingRevisionEditingPublishingCelebrating

Workshop Model

Minilesson

Independent Writing (20 minutes)

Share

Meeting Place

ConferencesOne-on-one andSmall group

With Partners and TeacherShare and TeachOrganization/Rituals

Question:To convene or not convene?

“use transition moves”

Source: Mary Ehrenworth TCRWP Trainer, Oct. 2014

Need: notebook, partner writing

Something helpful I can share with other

teachers about minilessons…

Assessment System and Tools (Learning Progressions, Rubrics, and Norming)

Conferencing and Practice Needs Assessment

Assessment Comparisons

Comparison Activity

• Focus on Units of Study opinion writing. • Clarify differences in persuasive and

opinion/argumentative writing in relation to learning progressions.

• Compare state rubrics to learning progressions for a deeper understanding about teaching the writing process in the Units of Study.

Start with a Review

Purpose

Persuasive Opinion Argumentative

Focuses on convincing the reader to agree with the author

Takes a stand on a topic and supports opinion with facts, definitions, and details

Used to support claims in an analysis of a topic with facts, evidence, and reasons used to develop claims and opposing claims

Key Words and Phrases from Common Core

Not mentioned in the Common Core State Standards

K-5• Support point of view• Reasons and information• Facts and details• Concluding statement or section

6-12• Support claims• Analysis of substantive topics or texts• Valid reasoning• Relevant and sufficient evidence• Claims• Counterclaims• Formal style• Objective tone

Source: WriteSteps http://writestepswriting.com/eNewsletterArchive/May2013Newsletter.aspx

Side by Side Exercise• Work with table partners to compare the state writing rubric

(7 pt. extended response) and learning progression chart. • Record your observations on the Venn Diagram and prepare to

share out as a whole group. – TABLE MATERIALS

• K-2 teachers use RED labeled folder with Grade 3 state rubric, graphic organizer and learning progression chart (your laminated copy or from your kit brought today).

• 3-5 teachers use BLUE labeled folder with Grade 5 state rubric, graphic organizer, and learning progression chart (your laminated copy or from your kit brought today).

• Table copies of “Writing Process Learning Progression, K-5” are also available as reference.

Table Folders with Handouts

Side by Side Review

Learning Progressions

Georgia Milestones Rubrics

Table Folders with Handouts

The Assessment System….

• Writing Learning Progression (PreK-6)• On-Demand Performance Assessments• Assessment Rubrics• Checklists (for use by students and teachers)• Exemplar Writing Samples Per Level • Exemplar Writing Samples Across Levels • Alternate and Additional Assessment Tools

will help you look at a piece of writing and see ways that piece of writing is a step ahead from yesterday’s work—and a step toward tomorrow’s work.

Writing Pathways (Chapter 1)

Assessment Tools Norming Meetings

Step 1

“…doing this work in the company of each other is an illuminating experience

and provides wells that you and your colleagues draw upon when you teach.”

Writing Pathways (chapter 3, page 29)

Payoffs

• Developing a school culture using learning progressions, benchmark pieces, and rubrics helps teachers form close-knit grade-specific cohorts to work with each other and their students to accelerate progress.

• Conducting norming work together helps create a plan for scoring student work that informs teaching and promote consistency of scoring.

Writing Pathways (chapter 3, page 31)

General Norming Guidelines

• Become familiar with rubric(s) before norming begins.• Set aside two-period block of time for first meeting.• Understand protocol for how meeting will run.• Collect and bring recent on-demand writing pieces

that match writing of norming meetings.• Make sure collection reflects varied levels of student

work. • Choose pieces that keep everyone engaged.• Make sure pieces are kept anonymous (white out

students’ names). Writing Pathways (chapter 3)

On-Demand Assessments

• Give as pre-assessments at start of year (and each unit) and again at end of unit (eventually end of year) to collect baseline data and calibrate teaching.

• Provide crystal clear demonstration of what students learn to do without assistance.

• Show effectiveness of teaching.

Writing Pathways (chapter 2)

Norming: Series of Steps How good is good enough?

Protocol for Norming Meetings Chapter 3 (pp.25-31), Writing Pathways

• Assess one student's work as a group.• “Inch along” as a group to analyze and discuss each trait coming to a

consensus.• Read work first.• Look at “overall” descriptor (first item) on rubric.• Look for evidence of each descriptor on the rubric.• Know the process will be slow for the first few pieces.• Expect and embrace conflict.

Step 1

• Score other pieces individually and come to a consensus as a group.• Annotate and score individually.• Then talk in small groups to seek consensus.• Whole group can chart every small group's score on a combined rubric and

look across recorded scores to see if consensus has already emerged.• If not, talk through to reach it.• If struggling to reach consensus, follow this protocol:

• 1/2 point on each side of rating is acceptable difference of opinion. • Set aside piece as "fence sitter" if no consensus after 10 minutes of

discussion.

Step 2

• Assess your own students' work individually.• Sort papers into stacks (ranges of 1, 2, 3, 4) and score a few quickly from one

pile.

Step 3

• Devise a plan for analyzing on demand writing across each grade. • Aim for shared understanding without expecting to do a perfect job. • Makes sure to “cleanse your palate” and avoid potential biases such as "fatal

flaws" and halos."

Step 4

Green Handout

Norming Activity Time

• You will work in groups to complete “two rounds” and “steps 1 and 2” of the norming protocol for the Units of Study.

• Designate an “observer” from the group to watch the process of discussing EVIDENCE, take notes, and report out.

• As a table group, decide which sample paper in the folder to use first.

• Use copies of the OPINION rubric in the folder. • Now, talk as a table and score for Round 1/Step 1 . . .

Rubrics and Student Samples

Folder Handouts

Today’s Practice: Step 1

Observer’s Role:RECORD

Observer’s Role

WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM THE GROUP

RELATED TO EVIDENCE?

Norming Meetings (cont.)Step 2

More Practice: Step 2Same Rubric – Different Student Sample

“An important goal in a process like this is for the group to align itself. If after doing this work with five papers of different levels, the group finds that it can come to a

consensus, the group can consider itself normed, and people can now score papers individually.”

Writing Pathways, (Chapter 3, pp. 29-30)

• Begins in the norming meeting with two benefits:– Leads to faster scoring which increases

teacher confidence– Allows for conversations with colleagues

about any new issues.

Complete the Norming Community(Writing Pathways, Chapter 3, pp. 30-31)

Gallery Walk Activity

Gallery Walk “Pre Lunch” Prep

• By GRADE BANDS (K-2 and 3-5), find a “table partner” for this activity.

• Use either of the student writing samples from the norming rounds and the learning progression chart to identify 2-3 “glows and grows” in the sample.

• Then write these on post-it notes and place on the appropriate WALL CHARTS for the GALLARY WALK after lunch.

Gallery Walk

If you have not added your “glows and grows” to the

charts, please do so before we begin at 12:45 PM.bn

at 12:45 PM.

Conferencing

“The point of a writing conference is to help students become better writers. By ‘better

writers’ I mean writers who can use the strategies, techniques, and ways of thinking about writing that we teach them in today’s

conferences on their own later when they work on future pieces.”

by Carl Anderson, Conversations with Student Writers

Salmon Handout

Architecture of a Conference

• Research• Decide• Teach• Link

also in minilesson

“Crafting a Scene by Describing Character Actions”

Individual Conference Video

What did you notice about his conference with the

student?

Conferencing Tool

Pink Table Handout

Another Conferencing VideoINDIVIDUAL

INDIVIDUAL

Conferencing Recap

Research

Decide

Teach

Link

• Observe, interview, and read student’s writing.

• Determine what student has done and is trying to do.

• Pursue more than one line of questioning to obtain info.

• Gets to the “what” and “how.”

• Teach toward growth and independence. • Start by naming a

writing strength. • Decide on a teaching

method.• Teach and coach,

adjusting support. • Name what the writer

has done.• Repeat the teaching

point. • Remember: Writer

leaves wanting to write.

Now, it’s your turn.With your gallery walk partner and “glows and

grows,” practice your individual conferencing skills.

Helpful Kit Resource:If…Then…Curriculum

Part Two: Conferring Scenarios

Conferencing VideoSMALL

GROUP

SMALL

GROUP

Be sure to . . .

Go back and replicate

with your colleagues.

CLOSURE:Next Steps…

What do I want writing to look like in my classroom?

How will I know if I am successful?

How will I know writing is improving?

What is my vision?

Blue Handout

Closing Activity

Where do we go from here?

Resource: More LP Video Clips

http://vimeo.com/55951746 Using a Learning Progression to Help Students Work Towards Clear Goals as they Lift the Level of Their Information Writing (K-2)

http://vimeo.com/55951743 Using a Learning Progression to Support Self-Assessment and Writing about Themes in Literature: Small Group Work (3-5)

http://vimeo.com/55951304 Using a Learning Progression to Help Students Lift the Level of their Summaries of Information Texts (3-5)