FSA Writing2014-2015Mirror Lake Elementary

Welcome!2014-2015

Parent Writing Training Greetings!

Norms

Goals

Testing Information

FSA Standards for Opinion and Explanatory/Informative Writing

Understanding the FSA Rubrics

How is it done?

Q&A (FSA Responses and Open Floor Q&A)

Interactive Activity/Debrief

Debrief

GOALS

1. Stakeholders will understand FSA criteria for opinion and explanatory/informative writing demands.

2. Stakeholders will apply writing skills.

3. Stakeholders will to assess writing using FSA rubric.

Testing Information

• Dates/Times

• Paper? Computer?

• Time Frame

• Prompts/Task

• Paper Used

• Planning

• Other

LAFS.4/5.W.1.1

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.

b. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.

c. Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).  

d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

What is Opinion Writing?

Opinion Writing

Make a claim!

Opinion/argument writing includes speeches, editorials, reviews, proposals, letters, advertisements, and any sharing of a discrete opinion.

Documents the argument with informational text, validating and verifying the claim or position.

Students think critically and assess their own thinking while validating the credibility and worthiness of the facts, details and data sets that are presented by the author.

Opinion writing is not persuasive writing.

Features

Use the “O.R.E.O” strategy for Opinion Writing

O- Opinion (state/say your opinion) R-Reasons (provide reasons for your opinion) E-Examples (provide evidence in the form of examples that supports your opinion) O-Opinion (restate your opinion or point of view)

LAFS.4/5.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

a) Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

b)Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.

c) Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).

d)Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

e)Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

What is Explanatory/Informativ

e Writing?• Examine and convey complex

information clearly and accurately.

• Demonstrates comprehension of a topic, concept.

• Responses require gathering information from multiple sources.

• Requires close reading of “text” to locate and provide evidence, support and validation.

”

EVIDENCE FROM TEXTS CAN BE DESCRIBED IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS USING THE LETTERS OF THE “F.R.I.E.S.” ACRONYM F-FACTS AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (eg. similes or metaphors)

R-REASONSI-INCIDENTS (current or historical events)E-EXAMPLES S-STATISTICS (number details)

Benchmark Quiz

Now you know about Opinion Writing Genre and Explanatory/Informative Writing Genre.

Which writing genre has a higher complexity level?

Answer: Opinion

Opinion Writing is a Complexity Level 3 (It requires Strategic Thinking and Complex Reasoning)

Writing to explain and inform is a level 2 (It requires basic application of skills and concepts.)

Understanding the Rubrics

Understanding the Rubrics

How Is It Done?

• Planning guides are individualized by teachers to meet the needs of students.

• Teachers meet routinely to develop a common language anchored to FSA standards, attend district trainings and double score essays.

Q&A• Is there a preferred method of

annotation/citation for the writing response?

• FSA Says:

• Use of source material for students in grades 4 and 5 may include simple but clear use of sources, facts, and details. Students may choose to include the title of the passage/article, the paragraph number, the author, and/or direct quotations to attribute the sources of the information provided in the response.

Is there a reasonable expectation for the length of the student writing

response?

• FSA Says:

• Because quantity and quality of writing are not synonymous, the length of the student response cannot be predetermined. Students in Grades 4-7 will respond on paper, and will be provided 3 pages lined on one side, but it is not expected that students fill the 3 pages as a requirement for a high score.

Counterclaim?

• FSA Says:

• The quality of the writing in each domain is considered . As a matter of fact, educators have shared that they are beginning to teach this concept in grades 4 and 5, which may be evidenced in elementary student responses as well. The overall quality of each response will be analyzed within each domain in order to assign scores.

What about personal examples, refutation, citing text in argumentative

genre?

• FSA Says:

• Focus on standards and skills.

• To focus on always including a personal example, counterclaim and refutation in each body paragraph may lead to formulaic, rather than authentic writing. Personal examples must be relevant to the reason/evidence and illustrate a point. Under these conditions it is acceptable.

• Quality is the key.

How should students approach the task on the writing component?

• FSA Says:

• Read the task (prompt) first.

• Examine the passage set, individual title, authors, etc. (To cite, refer to the passage title, or author.)

• Read texts closely. Dissect the passage. Use marking strategies for quick reference.

• Refer back to purpose of the task (prompt).

• Plan

• Respond

Other than the rubric, what else is important for students to

know?• Consider the audience.

• Focus on quality not quantity.

• Balance between student’s own point of view and text evidence.

• Avoid repetition of vocabulary, sentences, transitional phrases and stylistic devices.

• Cite evidence. Avoid direct copying. Acknowledge the source and make connections.

• Organizational structure must fit the task.

• Careful analysis is required. More than one way to address the task (prompt). Key is to integrate relevant textual evidence.

• Academic vocabulary is important.

Audience Q&A

• Any questions that may not get answered during this session should be posted to the “parking” lot on the chart tablet. We will create a Q&A list and send it home.

Interactive Activity

• Grades 4/5 FSA Writing Training Test

• Debrief

Final Thoughts:

“How do I know what I think, until I see what I say?” ― E.M. Forster

Thank You!