2007-2008 Pittsburgh Public Schools

Content Area Writing Portfolio

Grades 6-12

Research, Rationale, and Guidelines

1. Evaluate all programs for effectiveness and replace where necessary

2. Provide a rigorous curriculum aligned to state standards, assessments, and instruction

3. Provide ongoing professional development for all teachers and staff focused on academic objectives

4. Create a “Pittsburgh Leadership Academy” to provide professionaldevelopment for principals and central staff

5. Implement a district-wide coaching model

6. Establish Accelerated Learning Academies

7. Create individual school improvement plans with specific academic achievement goals

8. Adopt a writing program across the curricula

9. Develop a high school reform model that includes: Redesign Career & Technical programs

Expand and increase participation in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Center for Advanced Studies, and dual enrollment courses

Continued partnership with universities

Strategies for Academic Achievement (PART 1)

8.

2.

Current Research

Writing Next Report

“…if today’s youngsters cannot read with understanding, think about and analyze what they’ve read, and then write clearly and effectively about what they’ve learned and what they think, then they may never be able to do justice to their talents and their potential.”

-foreword by Vartan Gregorian, President,

Carnegie Corporation of New York

Writing Next Report

In a recent report, the National Commission on Writing says, “if students are to make knowledge their own, they must struggle with the details, wrestle with the facts, and rework raw information and dimly understood concepts into language they can communicate to someone else. In short, if students are to learn, they must write.”

-foreword by Vartan Gregorian, President,

Carnegie Corporation of New York

Writing Next Report

Cause for Alarm

Writing Next Report

Writing in the Workplace

Writing Next Report

“Writing is a means of extending and deepening students’ knowledge; it acts as a tool for learning subject matter.”

- Keys, 2000; Shanahan, 2004; Sperling & Freedman, 2001

Writing Next Report

Eleven Elements of Effective Adolescent Writing Instruction

Strategic Writing Across the Curriculum

- Willard R. Daggett, Ed.D., President

Why write in all classes?

Strategic Writing Across the Curriculum

Only in schools where writing is a school-wide program and is pursued daily will students have multiple and adequate opportunities to become proficient writers and thinkers.

-International Center for Leadership in Education

Strategic Writing Across the Curriculum

When teachers ask students to write about course content, they encourage them to engage with the subject, to see connections, and to make meaning. They access information in new ways and grasp thoughts that otherwise might never come up in discussions. Abstract thoughts about the topic become concrete.

-International Center for Leadership in Education

Strategic Writing Across the Curriculum

Students who read the text to learn the content and also write in response to the reading will develop better reasoning skills than if they studied through reading or writing alone. It is the combination of the two that advances students to higher levels of understanding.

-International Center for Leadership in Education

Strategic Writing Across the Curriculum

Students who write in response to the content in all courses begin to: think independently. develop insight. explore thoughts and feelings. develop intellectual courage. reason logically. follow the thread of the lesson in their minds. visualize a concept and then make it more concrete by

writing down their thoughts about it.

-International Center for Leadership in Education

References

Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools – A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.

International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Rigor/Relevance Framework. 2001-2006. 26 Jun. 2007 <http://www.leadered.com/rigor.shtml.>

International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Strategic Writing Across the Curriculum in Grades 7-12, 2006.

Why Keep Portfolios?

Provides a record of a student’s growth as a writer. Provides an avenue for student reflection on

personal strengths and weaknesses. Aids in identifying writing goals for the year and

meeting those goals. Facilitates student’s understanding of the

relationships between reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Contributes to student’s sense of self esteem and positive attitude toward writing.

Content Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio requirements have been established for various content area classes.

Assignments for the portfolio should be graded using district rubrics when applicable. District rubrics are available on the PD website.

Teachers of all contents will keep writing folders/portfolios in their own classrooms throughout the school year.

Content area portfolios should be available for review by parents and administrators.

School-based Portfolio Management Each principal, with the help of the Instructional Cabinet and

PSCC, will develop a plan for portfolio management which will outline specific protocol to be followed within their school. Each plan should consider the following which will be school-based decisions:

Whether or not portfolios are passed from teacher to teacher and/or across grade levels.

If portfolios are passed, who will pass to whom and will the entire portfolio or a selection of students’ best work be passed?

What work will be sent home, and when?

Portfolios should not be shipped or drayed from middle to high schools. All portfolios should be sent home when a student is promoted from eighth grade.

Celebrate Student Success Each school should plan a portfolio

review/celebration which should occur within the months of May or June. Opportunity for parent and community

involvement Students get the opportunity to select

and showcase their best work

Minimum Portfolio RequirementsStudents are expected to submit evidence of content area reading and writing.

Content Area Per Quarter Per Semester

Science 1 summary 1 multi-paragraph

Social Studies 1 summary 1 multi-paragraph One must be presented as a speech.

Career Tech 1 summary 1 multi-paragraph

Health 1 summary 1 multi-paragraph

Music 1 summary 1 Response to music

Discussion of music in terms of rhythm, melody, instruments, mood, historical background, etc.

Visual Arts

1 Artist’s Statement

Statement about personal artwork or reflection on self as an artist.

1 Response to Art per semester

Discussion of a work of art in terms of its elements, mood, historical background, etc.

Levels 3 and above only One of any of the following:

Correspondence, description, dialogue, narrative or poetry

Middle School and Levels 1 and 2 only One of any of the following:

Correspondence, description, dialogue, narrative or poetry

World Languages

The following guidelines are specific to World Language submissions:

1. All submissions MUST be written in the target language. 2. Any of the submissions may be presented orally. 3. Teachers should refer to the World Languages Portfolio Assessment activities and World

Language rubrics located our web page.

English/Communications Annual Requirements

Two Literature Responses (1 Interpretive and 1 Critical) One Narrative One Persuasive* One Informational* One Free Choice Assignment Reading Log/ 25 Book Goal End of semester Portfolio Reflection

Follow PPS Core Curriculum guidelines and suggestions.

*Either the Persuasive or Informational essay must also be turned into a speech.

Mathematics Annual Requirements4 Short Prompts

Suggestions: “How to” - explanation of one’s thinking and reasoning during a problem solving sequence

or about one’s knowledge of a mathematical concept Explanation of the solution as it appears in a graph, table or equation Explanation of the connections among several representations of the same mathematical

concept Explanation of the meaning of the mathematics in the problem Core Curriculum Writing Prompts

1 Multi-paragraph (Optional)Suggestions: Summary of the mathematical ideas in a unit, including problems from different

perspectives that illustrate mathematics ideas that differ from the ones being studied, and common errors and misconceptions that are often associated with the ideas in the unit.

Multi-paragraph summary or “How to” solve a problem with an explanation comparing one’s thinking and reasoning around at least two different methods used during a problem solving sequence or around a least two different aspects of a mathematical concept.

Multi-paragraph summary comparing and contrasting two or more mathematical concepts (e.g. Linear and quadratic functions)

Mathematician Biography Core Curriculum Writing Prompt

Exemptions Teachers who meet with their students less than three

times per week (or less than three times in a six day rotating schedule) will not have portfolio writing requirements. This exemption would apply to such classes as art, music, world language, career education/technology, etc, that meet only once or twice per week. 

Physical Education teachers do not have a portfolio requirement. The portfolio requirement applies only to when students are in health class.

Suggestions for Content Area Summary Entries Science Magazine (non-fiction, related topic) Science Fair Projects (books, research) Textbook Biographies, inventors, etc.

Social Studies Research Materials Current Events Textbooks Internet/ Newspapers/ Magazines

Health, Related Arts, Career Tech, World Languages Textbooks Research Materials Internet/ Newspapers/ Magazines Pamphlets/ Brochures/ Manuals

Suggestions for Multi-paragraph Entries

Informational/ Expository

Persuasive Narrative Critical Analysis /Interpreting Text

How-to essay Reflective Explanatory Compare/Contrast Report/Lab report Research I-Search Saturation report Pamphlet Descriptive Speech Writing to a

prompt to meet writing standards

Writing to a prompt or in response to reading

Problem/Solution essay

Biography Autobiography

Opinion Position Paper Problem/Solution Compare/Contrast Editorial Critique Evaluation Speech

Personal College

Application Essay Memoir/Vignette Realistic Non-fiction Short Story Poetry Lyrics Memoir

(Biographical or Autobiographical

Essay)

Poetry Fiction Book Review/

Core Novels Theme Analysis Author Study Compare/Contrast Character

Analysis Discussion of

Literary Elements Non-fiction

(persuasive essays, etc.)

Accountability

The building principal, as instructional leader, will support the district’s goal of integrated writing across the curriculum.

Curriculum Supervisors will support content area writing in their respective content areas.

Principals and Curriculum Supervisors may examine student work during learning walks, classroom observations, teacher conferences, and as part of building level professional development.

District Support

Ongoing professional development will be offered on evenings and weekends which will focus on writing across the contents and scoring student work using the district’s rubrics.

PowerPoint Presentations used for PD sessions will be available on the district’s Professional Development website.

Curriculum Coaches will provide instructional modeling, conferencing, and school-based professional development as it relates to the teaching and assessment of writing.