Anna Lankford Elementary and Middle School Director Wilkes County Schools

Wilkes County SchoolsWriting Instruction Plan

Anna LankfordElementary and Middle School Director

Wilkes County Schools

Goals for the Writing Instruction SystemTo use assessment results to inform

instruction throughout the yearTo encourage student writing in all content

areas throughout the yearTo encourage all teachers to focus on the

writing processTo assess writing throughout the year, rather

than in a single-day traditional assessment

2008-2009Formed Writing Committee to write county writing plan All grade levels (K-8) had 2 On-Demand and 2 Content-

Specific TasksTimelines developed for K-8All tasks were written (except for 4th and 7th grade On-

Demand) by instructional specialists4th and 7th grade switched papers between schools for

scoringUploaded scores in MOODLE4th grade teachers, 6-8th grade teachers, EC, AIG, Media,

and Testing Coordinators completed Writing Instruction MOODLE training

Set up Writing Portfolios

WCS Writing Instruction PlanElementary 2009-2010K-5 Writing Instruction Plan4th grade Writing Instruction System

Revised Writing Pacing Guides Instructional Specialists trained teachersOn Demand – September/MayContent-Specific- Tasks more focused on

objectives being taught Big 6Scoring in-houseRed Writing Portfolio

WCS Writing Instruction PlanElementary 2009-2010

K-2 K-2 Lucy Calkins Units of Study for Primary Writing On Demand (Small Moments) Content Specific Task ( How-To, All About) Super 3

3rd and 5th

Follow same format as 4th grade On-Demand Tasks written at CO Teachers had content specific tasks in August 5th grade must complete one task electronically 3rd grade has option to complete tasks electronically

Support DocumentsElementaryK-2 Writing RubricThird Grade Writing Rubric4th and 5th Grade Writing RubricWriting Task Tracking FormContent Specific Tasks for grades 3-5

K-2 Writing Rubric End of Grade Expectations

Wilkes County Elementary Curriculum Department 2009-2010

Narrative Writing Descriptions Kindergarten First Second

Focus Acknowledges one small moment in drawing/writing

Recognizes character(s) and setting in drawing

Writes sentences focused on one small moment

Develops story that incorporates one small moment

Includes appropriate character development and relevant setting

Organization Exhibits sense of story in drawing/writing

Emphasizes a sense of story with beginning, middle, and end

Emphasizes a strong sense of story with beginning, clear middle, and ending

Includes evidence of logical progression of ideas

Support and Elaboration

Adds detail in drawing/writing to tell more

Adds detail in writing to tell more (ex: seeing, hearing, and feeling)

Includes character(s) and setting in writing

Includes relevant details to slow down the action

Uses sensory words to help the reader see, hear, and feel what is happening to all characters

Style Writes clear sentence(s)

Uses new vocabulary (nouns, verbs, and adjectives)

Begins sentences in various ways

Uses words to make the writing clearer (nouns, verbs, and adjectives)

Begins to use transitions to move the story

Begins sentences in various ways

Replaces overused words with purposeful and descriptive language (nouns, verbs, and adjectives)

Exhibits the use of some transitions to move the story

Conventions Spells the 20 Kindergarten Basic Sight Words correctly

(see K-2 promotion standards)

Uses letter-sound associations in all other words

Demonstrates appropriate spacing

Capitalizes the pronoun I

Adds period at end of sentence(s)

Spells High-Frequency Word Wall Words, K and 1 word list correctly (see K-2 promotion standards)

Uses initial, medial, and final sounds in all other words

Capitalizes the beginning of sentence(s), proper nouns, and the pronoun I

Uses period and/or question mark at end of sentence(s)

Writes complete sentences neatly and legibly

Spells Preprimer through Second Grade Dolch Sight Word List correctly (see K-2 promotion standards)

Capitalizes the beginning of sentence(s), proper nouns, titles, and the pronoun I

Uses periods, question marks, and exclamation marks at end of sentences

Uses period after initials and abbreviations

Writes complete sentences neatly and legibly

Content Area Writing Descriptions

K-2 Focus Presents a manageable

topic Clearly establishes and

maintains focus throughout the writing

Organization Establishes clear organizational structure(s) appropriate to the topic

Clearly demonstrates a logical progression of information/ideas


Includes specific details that are relevant to the topic

Includes sufficient details that fully develop the topic

Style Demonstrates word choice that is precise, purposeful and appropriate to the topic

Scorer’s Guide 2- Exhibits proficiency 1- Minimal proficiency 0- Lacks proficiency

Content Area Scorer’s Guide

Points Content Descriptions

3

Addresses all aspects of the writing task/assignment

Follows all directions Cites and explains appropriate and

accurate specific examples Employs sound reasoning Uses skills of evaluation, analysis,

and synthesis

2

Addresses most aspects of the writing/task assignment

Follows most directions Cites and explains appropriate

examples and includes some inaccurate information

Employs reasoning on the inferential level

Uses skills of synthesis and analysis

1

Addresses some aspects of the writing task/assignment

Follows some directions Cites some examples, attempts to

explain, includes inaccurate information

Employs reasoning on the concrete level

Uses literal skills

0

Addresses no aspect of the writing task/assignment

Follows few or no direction Cites inaccurate, inappropriate, or

no examples Employs little or no reasoning Uses little or no thinking skills

Third Grade Writing Rubric

Features Narrative Descriptions

Content Area Writing Descriptions (for features)

Focus Maintains focus on one main event through development of character, setting and/or problem/solution of story

Presents a manageable topic Clearly establishes and maintains focus

throughout the writing

Organization Has a clear beginning, well-developed middle, and unified ending with a logical progression of ideas

Establishes clear organizational structure(s) appropriate to the topic

Clearly demonstrates a logical progression of information/ideas


Uses relevant details to help the reader see or feel what is happening and to move the story

Expresses main event in slow motion (shows what one is thinking, feeling, and what others are doing in the story)

Includes specific details that are relevant to the topic

Includes sufficient details that fully develop the topic

Style Uses a variety of sentence lengths and sentence beginnings

Uses strong verbs, adjectives, and figurative language to extend short sentences

Uses transitions smoothly to move the story

Demonstrates word choice that is precise, purposeful and appropriate to the topic

Conventions Exhibits reasonable control of grammatical conventions appropriate to the writing task

Exhibits reasonable control of sentence formation

Exhibits reasonable control of standard usage including agreement, tense, and case

Exhibits reasonable control of mechanics, including use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling of Dolch Sight Word List Preprimer through Third Grade

Exhibits reasonable control of grammatical conventions appropriate to the writing task



Exhibits reasonable control of mechanics, including use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling of Dolch Sight Word List Preprimer through Third Grade

Narrative Scorer’s Guide 2- Exhibits proficiency 1- Minimal proficiency 0- Lacks proficiency

Wilkes County Elementary Curriculum Department 2009-10

4th and 5th Grade Features and Content Area Rubric

Wilkes County Schools Elementary Curriculum Department 2009-2010

Features Points

Descriptions

4 Topic/subject is clear, though it may or may not be explicitly stated Maintains focus on topic/subject throughout the response Organizational structure establishes relationships between and among

ideas and/or events Consists of a logical progression of ideas and/or events and is unified and

complete Support and elaboration are related to and supportive of the topic/subject Consists of specific, developed details Exhibits skillful use of vocabulary that is precise and purposeful Demonstrates skillful use of sentence fluency

3 Topic/subject is generally clear, though it may or may not be explicitly stated

May exhibit minor lapses in focus on topic/subject Organizational structure establishes relationships between and among

ideas and/or events, although minor lapses may be present Consists of a logical progression of ideas and/or events and is reasonably

complete, although minor lapses may be present Support and elaboration may have minor weaknesses in relatedness to and

support of the topic/subject Consists of some specific details Exhibits reasonable use of vocabulary that is precise and purposeful Demonstrates reasonable use of sentence fluency

2 Topic/subject may be vague May lose or may exhibit lapses in focus on topic/subject Organizational structure may establish little relationship between and

among ideas and/or events May have major lapses in the logical progression of ideas and/or events

and is minimally complete Support and elaboration may have major weaknesses in relatedness to and

support of the topic/subject Consists of general and/or undeveloped details, which may be presented

in a list-like fashion Exhibits minimal use of vocabulary that is precise and purposeful Demonstrates minimal use of sentence fluency

1 Topic/subject is unclear or confusing May fail to establish focus on topic/subject Organizational structure may not establish connection between and

among ideas and/or events May consist of ideas and/or events that are presented in a random fashion

and is incomplete or confusing Support and elaboration attempts to support the topic/subject but may be

unrelated or confusing Consists of sparse details Lacks use of vocabulary that is precise and purposeful May not demonstrate sentence fluency

NS This code may be used for compositions that are entirely illegible or otherwise unscorable: totally blank responses, responses written in a foreign language, exact restatements of the prompts, and responses that are completely off- topic or incoherent.

Conventions Points

Descriptions

2 Exhibits reasonable control of grammatical conventions appropriate to the writing task



Exhibits reasonable control of mechanics including use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

1 Exhibits minimal control of grammatical conventions appropriate to the writing task

Exhibits minimal control of sentence formation

Exhibits minimal control of standard usage including agreement, tense, and case

Exhibits minimal control of mechanics including use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

0 Lacks control of grammatical conventions appropriate to the writing task

Lacks control of sentence formation Lacks control of standard usage

including agreement, tense, and case Lacks control of mechanics including

use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

Note: Students who receive accommodations that invalidate the conventions score (i.e., Dictation to Scribe) will have 0 entered for their conventions score.

Content Area Points

Descriptions

3 The student response addresses all aspects of the writing task/assignment

All directions are followed Appropriate and accurate

specific examples are cited and explained

Sound reasoning is employed Use of the skills of

evaluation, analysis, and synthesis is apparent

2 The student response addresses most aspects of the writing task/assignment

Most directions are followed Appropriate examples are

cited and explained, however, some inaccurate information is included

Reasoning employed is on the inferential level

Use of the skills of synthesis and analysis is apparent

1 The student response addresses some aspects of the writing task/assignment

Some directions are followed Some examples may be

cited, may attempt to be explained, and inaccurate information is included

Reasoning employed is on the concrete level

Use of literal skills is apparent

0 The student response addresses no aspect of the writing task/assignment

Few or no directions are followed

Examples, if cited, are inaccurate or inappropriate

There is little or no evidence of any reasoning employed

There is little or no evidence of any apparent skills

Student NameNCWise #

GradeInstructor

Date Administered

Standard or NCExtend2

Modifications Convention Score Features Score Total Score Achievement Level

Date Administered


Modifications Convention Score Features Score Total Score Achievement Level

Date Administered


Modifications Convention Score Features Score Content Score Total Score Achievement Level

Date Administered


Modifications Convention Score Features Score Content Score Total Score Achievement Level

Read Aloud RA Dictate To Scribe DS Assist. Technology ATSeparate Room SR Multiple Sessions MSExtended Time ET Bilingual Dictionary BD

Task/Assignment #2 On-Demand

Task/Assignment #1 Content-Specific

Task/Assignment #2 Content-Specific

Wilkes County SchoolsTask/Assignment Tacking Form

Modifications Legend:

Task/Assignment #1 On-Demand

WCS Writing Instruction Plan Middle School6-8 Writing Instruction Plan7th grade Writing Instruction System

Pilot Instructional Specialists trained teachersOn Demand – September/MayContent Specific Tasks- Notebook of tasks for

teachers 1st math/science/social studies 2nd

exploratory areasBig 6Scoring in-houseRed Writing Portfolio

WCS Writing Instruction Plan Middle School6th and 8th grades

Follow same format as 7th gradeOn-Demand Tasks written at COTeachers had content specific tasks in August Must complete tasks electronically

Paradigm Shift and Training• Assessment model------Instructional Model• Writing across the curriculum• Training

2008-2009 -4th, 6th-8th grade teachers, EC, AIG, Media, Testing Coordinators

2009-2010 – All 3-8th grade teachers including PE, Music, Art, EC, AIG, Media, and Testing CoordinatorsSuper 3 and Big 6/ ARRA Library Books and Resources

2010-2011 – K-2 teachers

Changes for 2010-2011More flexibility for teachers to create their

own content specific writing tasks to match their instruction

Continue to provide staff development in Writing Across the Curriculum

Move towards a digital portfolio

Contact InformationAnna Lankford

Elementary and Middle School DirectorWilkes County Schools

[email protected]

336-667-1121 ext 7035

mailto:[email protected]