SUMMER 2013

• Common Core Standards• About Write Steps• Types of Writing Taught by Grade Level• Conferences• Time• Materials• Motivation• Materials Review• Online Access• Rubrics• Grade Level Scope and Sequence

* Review grade level writing standards……… - Differences- Grade level progressions

COMMON CORE STANDARDS

• Complete K-5 writing program• Covers writing and language Common Core Standards• Day to day lesson plans• Plans include anticipatory set, modeling/guided writing,

checking for understanding, guided practice, independent practice, and closure

• Designed around writer’s workshop model• Uses 6 + 1 Traits of Writing, Madeline Hunter’s lesson plan

format, multiple intelligences, and Bloom’s Taxonomy• Can be personalized to teacher style and student’s needs• Includes free choice and prompt writing

About Write Steps

• Daily modeling of writing• Uses the writing process• Revising is taught in Kindergarten. Editing is added towards the

end of 1st grade. All 2nd-5th grade units include editing and revising

• Culminating activity of each unit is a Formal Core Writing piece which acts as an assessment.

• Students are writing all “text types” required in Common Core Standards (opinion, informative/explanatory, narrative, and research)

• Spiraled sequence of Common Core Standards. Each unit presents New Focus Skills (NFS) – presented and practiced many times as Review Focus Skills (RSF)

About Write Steps

Types of Writing Taught by Grade Level

Types of Writing Taught by Grade Level

• Daily conferencing incorporated during independent practice

• Roving conferences: teacher is moving around the room, momentarily checking in with as many students as possible

• Formal conferences: one on one communication between student and teacher. Scheduled with two or three students and planned to cover one or two teaching points

• Record keeping conference sheet included

Conferences

• Lessons are written in a day/minute format to provide a structured plan

• Times are estimates• Matches district time guidelines• Adjust as needed to fit student needs• Lessons designed to be taught a minimum of three days a

week (K and 1st) and four days a week (2nd-5th). • Flex time built into final lessons of a unit – allows students

to finish writing pieces, teachers to score/conference, or opportunities for extensions (publishing, illustrating, blogging, sharing, etc.)

Time

• Spiral bound notebooks, composition books, or binders• Folder/binder for reference materials (word lists, check

lists, genre pages, etc.): 3rd-5th grade• Storage – writing needs to be kept and stored neatly since

students will revise, edit, and add to old pieces…..must be kept at school

• 4 colored pens

Materials

• Strategies incorporated to boost self-esteem and confidence:

- Showing real student samples- Providing engaging prompts- Allowing for free choice writing- Celebrating student achievement- Showing attention getting visual aids- Teacher modeling- Receiving teacher and peer feedback- Sharing students work in author’s chair

Motivation

• Pacing Guides• Writing Core Coverage Charts• Binders- Daily Plans- Self Reflection Checklist (Teacher)- Assessment Prompts

Materials Review

Logging OnResources Available

Online Subscription

Review Write Steps Rubrics (Advantages/disadvantages)Review district rubrics (Advantages/disadvantages)Opinions – Mesh write steps into what we have? Mesh

what we have into Write Steps?

Rubrics

Grade level scope and sequence (available on Literacy Moodle) compared to Write Steps

What changes need to be made?

Scope and Sequence