Sticky Note Chart paper Markers, Glitter markers, highlighters Ream of Paper, Video

(Individual)Handout 1- The Standards (Class Sets)Handout 2- The Prompt and Texts Handout 3- The Student Sample w/out CommentsHandout 4- The Student Sample with Comments

College Career Ready Conference

Discuss the Maryland College and Career Ready (MCCR) standards for argument writing

Differentiate between assigning and teaching writing

Identify the components of effective argument writing

“Writing is a craft before it is an art; writing may appear magic, but it is our responsibility to take our students backstage to watch the pigeons being tucked up the magician’s sleeve.”

– Donald M. Murray, A Writer Teaches Writing

Anderson, Carl. Assessing Writers (107).

Argument Informative/explanatory Narrative

The Standards acknowledge the fact that whereas some writing skills, such as the ability to plan, revise, edit, and publish, are applicable to many types of writing, other skills are more properly defined in terms of specific writing types: arguments, informative/explanatory texts, and narratives.

Students can, without significant scaffolding, comprehend and evaluate complex texts across a range of types and disciplines, and they can construct effective arguments and convey intricate or multifaceted information.

They learn to appreciate that a key purpose of writing is to communicate clearly to an external, sometimes unfamiliar audience, and they begin to adapt the form and content of their writing to accomplish a particular task and purpose.

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

W.6.1 Write arguments to

support claims with

clear reasons and relevant

evidence.

W.7.1 Write arguments to

support claims with

clear reasons and relevant

evidence.

W.8.1 Write arguments to

support claims with

clear reasons and relevant

evidence.

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8W.6.1.a Introduce

claim(s) and organize the reasons and

evidence clearly.

W.7.1.a Introduce claim(s),

acknowledge alternate or

opposing claims, and organize the

reasons and evidence logically.

W.8.1.a Introduce claim(s),

acknowledge and distinguish

the claim(s) from alternate or

opposing claims, and organize the

reasons and evidence logically.

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8W.6.1.b Support

claim(s) with clear relevant reasons and

evidence, using credible sources

and demonstrating

an understanding of the topic or text.

W.7.1.b Support claim(s) with

logical reasoning and

relevant evidence, using

accurate, credible

sources and demonstrating

an understanding of the topic or text.

W.8.1.b Support claim(s) with

logical reasoning and

relevant evidence, using

accurate, credible

sources and demonstrating

an understanding of the topic or text.

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8W.6.1.c Use

words, phrases, and clauses to

clarify the relationships

among claim(s) and reasons.

W.7.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses to

create cohesion and

clarify the relationships

among claim(s),

reasons, and evidence.

W.8.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses to

create cohesion and

clarify the relationships

among claim(s), reasons,

counterclaims, and

evidence.

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

W.6.1.d Establish and

maintain a formal style.

W.7.1.d Establish and

maintain a formal style.

W.8.1.d Establish

and maintain a

formal style.

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8W.6.1.e

Provide a concluding

statement or section that follows from

the argument presented.

W.7.1.eProvide a

concluding statement or section that follows from

and supports the argument

presented.

W.8.1.eProvide a

concluding statement or section that follows from

and supports the argument

presented.

Establish a clear purpose for writing, modeling the language found in the Writing Standards

Specify the audience to be addressed State clearly the topic, issue, or idea to

be addressed Reference the source text(s) serving as

the stimulus for a student response Specify the desired form or genre of the

student reponse

What is the difference between assigning writing and teaching writing?

What do we do when we assign writing?provide students with the writing task

assign a text and require students to write an essay on a given topic

collect and grade the taskprovide minimal feedbackproceed to the next task

What do we do when we teach writing?show students what is expected of them based upon the standards

provide models of high-quality writing

offer meaningful feedbackallow opportunities for students to develop and strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach

Deconstruct the following prompt

Read the texts Take critical notes as necessary

How can we prepare students to become good writers?

Write arguments Support claim(s) with clear reasons

and relevant evidence Introduce claims Distinguish claims from alternate or

opposing claims Organize the reasons and evidence

logically

Support claims with logical evidence Use accurate, credible sources Demonstrate and understanding of

the topic or text Clarify the relationships among

claim(s),counterclaims, reasons and evidence

Maintain a formal style Provide a concluding statement or

section

Read the student samples Use the writing and language standards

to provide appropriate comments where necessary

Construct feedback in the affirmative

At your table, what comments based on the standards would be most helpful for this student?

1) Read the comments provided by achievethecore.org on the student samples.2) In what ways did achievethecore.org use the standards in their feedback?

What are the instructional implications?

Modeling Writing:“Teachers better understand the writing task

when they do it themselves. There’s no substitute for doing when it comes to understanding.”

“Teachers, when they write, uncover the hard parts and are thus better able to see which mini-lessons will most benefit their students. Writing done by the teacher drives better instruction.”

Gallagher, Kelly. Teaching Adolescent Writers (48).

Benefits to Teachers and Students:“Teachers can model that writing is challenging.

This demonstrates to students that good writing is the product of multiple revisions.”

“Students see the teacher struggle with the complexity and chaos of writing. This helps demystify the writing process. Students no longer maintain the false impression that good writing just flows at will.”

Gallagher, Kelly. Teaching Adolescent Writers (48).

www.achievethecore.org msde.state.md.us http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-

Literacy/ Carl Anderson’s book: Assessing

Writers Kelly Gallagher’s book: Teaching

Adolescent Writers

Please contact MSDE staff with additional questions:

Ava Spencer <aspencer@msde.state.md.us>