Presenter: Synthia ShelbyPresenter: Synthia ShelbyLouisville Writing ProjectLouisville Writing Project

Writing to LearnWriting to Learn Across The Content Across The Content

Objectives: Objectives:

• Define Writing to LearnDefine Writing to Learn

• Practice two Writing to Learn Practice two Writing to Learn StrategiesStrategies

• Examine how to use these strategies Examine how to use these strategies

in your classroomin your classroom

• Review student examplesReview student examples

Writing to Learn Writing to Learn

The quick, exploratory, The quick, exploratory, extemporaneous in-class extemporaneous in-class writing that helps kids writing that helps kids engage deeply with content, engage deeply with content, build connections, and retain build connections, and retain what they’ve learned.what they’ve learned.

Check-up vs Autopsy Check-up vs Autopsy

A Check-upA Check-up (Writing To Learn) allows the (Writing To Learn) allows the teacher to identify what the student is teacher to identify what the student is thinking and has learned or wants to know thinking and has learned or wants to know regarding content.regarding content.

WTL WTL provides a FORMATIVE (process-based) provides a FORMATIVE (process-based) assessment rather than a SUMMATIVE assessment rather than a SUMMATIVE assessment. assessment. WTL WTL allows the teacher to allows the teacher to modify and/or differentiate instruction for modify and/or differentiate instruction for learners on a daily/weekly basis instead of learners on a daily/weekly basis instead of the end (Autopsy) of a unit, etc.the end (Autopsy) of a unit, etc.

Writing BreakWriting Break::

To get true learning power, To get true learning power, kids must put ideas into kids must put ideas into their own words. their own words.

(Harvey Daniels(Harvey Daniels))

DD

II

SS

CC

UU

SS

SS

II

OO

NN

- Elbow - Elbow PartnerPartnerss

Examples of Writing to Learn ActivitiesExamples of Writing to Learn Activities

Quick Writes: Quick Writes: (3-7 min.)(3-7 min.) Easy Writing-to Learn Easy Writing-to Learn StrategiesStrategies

• Writing BreakWriting Break• Exit SlipExit Slip• Admit SlipAdmit Slip• BrainstormingBrainstorming• Drawing and Drawing and IllustratingIllustrating• ClusteringClustering• MappingMapping

Going Deeper with Going Deeper with

Writing-to-LearnWriting-to-Learn (more time and teacher prep)(more time and teacher prep)

• Written ConversationWritten Conversation

• Write-AroundWrite-Around

• Carousel BrainstormingCarousel Brainstorming

• Double-Entry JournalDouble-Entry Journal• Nonstop WriteNonstop Write

• Reflective WriteReflective Write

• KWLKWL

Writing BreakWriting Break

• Benefits: Teacher stops talking Benefits: Teacher stops talking and allows student to think. Quick and allows student to think. Quick sharing with partners and/or sharing with partners and/or whole class to discuss thoughts.whole class to discuss thoughts.

• Definition: Students stop and Definition: Students stop and reflect in writing on the activities reflect in writing on the activities happening or information being happening or information being presented.presented.

Double Entry JournalDouble Entry Journal• Benefits: Benefits: Double-entry journals give Double-entry journals give

students a way to students a way to interpretinterpret text in text in their own words and their own words and reflectreflect on on material they have been taught.material they have been taught.

• Definition: a two column graphic Definition: a two column graphic organizer. On the left side organizer. On the left side (observations, quotes, pictures, (observations, quotes, pictures, etc.) on the right side etc.) on the right side (questions, thoughts, etc.)(questions, thoughts, etc.)

Double Entry Journal ActivityDouble Entry Journal Activity

Identify your Identify your observations/observations/

List your questions, List your questions, thoughts or ideasthoughts or ideas

GirlGirl

BoxesBoxes

PeoplePeople

What event has What event has happened?happened?

Partner UpPartner Up

1. Double-entry journal1. Double-entry journal

2. In what content 2. In what content areas could this apply areas could this apply and explain whyand explain why

Small GroupSmall Group

3. 3. Review student Review student workwork

Implication student Implication student work, activities, and work, activities, and discussions have for discussions have for student learning and/or student learning and/or your classroom.your classroom.

BibliographyBibliography

Allen, Janet. (2004) Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Allen, Janet. (2004) Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Daniels, Harvey, Zemelman, Steven, and Stieneke Nancy. Daniels, Harvey, Zemelman, Steven, and Stieneke Nancy. (2007) Content-Area Writing: Every Teacher’s Guide. (2007) Content-Area Writing: Every Teacher’s Guide. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Daniels, Harvey and Zemelman Steven. (2004) Subjects Daniels, Harvey and Zemelman Steven. (2004) Subjects Matter: Every Teacher’s Guide to Content-Area Matter: Every Teacher’s Guide to Content-Area

Reading. Reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Esquith, Rafe. (2007)Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire: The Esquith, Rafe. (2007)Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56. New York, NY: Methods and Madness Inside Room 56. New York, NY: Penguin Group Penguin Group

Guatemalan trash dumpGuatemalan trash dumphttp://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/506x19http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/506x190_recycledlife01.jpg0_recycledlife01.jpg

Contact InformationContact Information

email: email: Synthia.Shelby@jefferson.kyschools.usSynthia.Shelby@jefferson.kyschools.us

blog: blog: http://www.gurushelby.blogspot.comhttp://www.gurushelby.blogspot.com

Thank you and have a marvelous day!Thank you and have a marvelous day!

"I cannot teach anybody anything, "I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think."I can only make them think."

- Socrates, Greek Philospher- Socrates, Greek Philospher

DIG deeper, PUSH harder and GO beyond DIG deeper, PUSH harder and GO beyond the routine. Critical thinking and inquiry the routine. Critical thinking and inquiry

are partners that must be invited into our classrooms are partners that must be invited into our classrooms daily.daily.

Synthia Shelby and Kristin Storey Synthia Shelby and Kristin Storey