Orleans/Niagara

BOCES Professional Development

2011-2012

Writing and the Common Core: What does it look like in your classroom?
Vocabulary Strategies Informal Writing Strategies Formal Writing Strategies
Compiled by Carol Bush Network Team Specialist Orleans/Niagara BOCES

Vocabulary Strategies
Vocabulary words, both academic and content-specific, are the building blocks of quality writing. Without having the words you need to convey your message, its possible your message will get lost in translation. The following section provides an annotated list of research-based vocabulary strategies that are content-neutral and are sure to help students build their vocabulary.

 Magnet Summaries For this writing strategy, the teacher provides magnet words (words that refelect the main concepts, ideas, and skills). The students are then responsible for looking back through their notes, textbooks, articles, etc. to find 5-7 words/phrases that are somehow associated with the magnet words. Once theyve found the words theyd like to use, they must write a sentence describing how all of the words connect.

Vocabulary Strategies

Vocabulary Frames Vocabulary Frames are written on large index cards. First, the students write the vocabulary word they are studying in the center of the card along with the definition (using their own words). Then in each corner of the index card, students write supporting information that will help define the word in the center. In the example below, students were asked to use the word in a sentence, draw an illustration of the word, and provide an antonym and synonym. There are several modifications of this strategy that require different information in each corner, but the idea is the same. 3

 Word Wall Match-up This is a great way to help students learn new vocabulary words. When they enter the room they receive an index card that contains a vocabulary word, its definition, OR the visual representation of the word. Once inside the room, students need to find the other students that contain the match to their vocabulary concept. Once the match has been made, the students pin their index cards on the bulletin board and have a seat. Attached are some sample copies of the word/definition/picture cards students may receive. NOTE: This is the template. Each section would have to be separated and glued on an index card prior to handing out to students. Vocabulary Cartoons This is actually a vocabulary strategy taken from an SAT prep resource. Students are asked to complete the following: 1. State the word and its phonetic spelling. 2. Provide a brief description. 3. Provide a linking word from the word to the cartoon. 4. Draw a cartoon to represent it. 5. Use the word in a sentence. Word Sorting Word sorts can be performed as either a closed sort or an open sort. Closed sorts are when students sort vocabulary words into predetermined categories. Open sorts are when students determine the categories themselves. In both situations, students are making connections and beginning to identify relationships between the words being studied under the given topic. Crossword Puzzles Crossword puzzles offer a fun way to engage in word study. For a unique adaptation, try reverse crossword puzzles. In these activities the words in the puzzle are given and the students need to develop the clues for each word. 4

Vocabulary Strategies

 K.I.M. Strategy (Keyword, Information, Memory Cue) This writing strategy requires students to provide the key word being studied, information that explains and supports that key word, and a memory cue or something that will help them remember that specific key word. See the template below.
NAME: _________________________________________________________________ DATE: ____________________

Vocabulary Strategies

K.I.M. Strategy

Key Word Information Memory Cue

 Making Meaning In this vocabulary strategy, students are provided approximately 5 vocabulary words prior to learning about them. The student is asked to list the vocabulary words and anything he/she already knows about each word. Once students have completed the information concerning what they already know about the word. They engage in the lesson, lecture, reading, activity, etc., where they will learn the meaning behind each of their vocabulary words. When the lesson is over, students record the new information they have gained in the final column. See the template below.
NAME: ____________________________________________________________________________________ DATE: ____________________

Vocabulary Strategies

Making Meaning

DIRECTIONS: Write the vocabulary terms in the new words column. Next, brainstorm what you already know about the word in the before reading column. Finally, after you have read the text, complete the after reading column with new information you obtained from the reading. NEW WORDS BEFORE READING AFTER READING

 Graffiti Writing/Carousel Writing In this writing strategy, students work in groups of 3 or 4 to identify the characteristics of a given vocabulary word. Using large chart paper taped to the wall, students begin to articulate the concept by drawing and writing anything that comes to mind when defining the vocabulary word. Students have only a minute or so to work and are then asked to rotate to the next poster taped on the wall. They review their classmates work and then elaborate on this new word in any way they can. This process continues 3 or 4 times. When students are done rotating, each student must share out one detail from the poster they ended up on. (Carousel Writing is the same as Graffiti Writing except students stay seated and rotate the paper from group-to- group.) Acronyms Creating acronyms for vocabulary words and concepts is a great way to develop students understanding. It encourages students to come up with a number of different related ideas that are used to support the definition of the word. They also serve as great study tools. Vocabulary Concept Chain This is an excellent vocabulary strategy that truly requires students to use their higher level thinking skills. The teacher provides students with the concept being studied. He/she also provides students with several other vocabulary words that are somehow related to the concept being studied. The students work in pairs to determine the relationship created between the concept and its related vocabulary words. Once they have come to a conclusion, they synthesize the information into one sentence that explains the relationship. List-Group-Label Using their texts, information from videos, lectures, online research, or any other materials students have access to, ask them to generate a list of important vocabulary words and topics for the unit theyre studying. Once a list has been generated, students should then group the words in any way that makes sense to them and label them with an appropriate heading. 7

Vocabulary Strategies

 Knowledge Rating Select 5-10 words that are critical to students comprehension of the unit and ask them to rate their knowledge of each word. By asking students to do this, it provides the teacher with valuable information concerning what to focus on and what not to. Below is an example of what a knowledge rating survey might look like. Frayer Model The Frayer Model interprets vocabulary learning in a different way. It not only aims to provide the definition of the vocabulary word/concept and its specific characteristics, but also some examples and nonexamples of the concept. In doing so, students gain a deeper understanding of the vocabulary word/concept being studied. In addition to this, students are asked to represent their understanding using both words and visual representations. This strategy works best when it has been modeled for the students prior to asking them to complete it in groups or in pairs. 8

Vocabulary Strategies

 Vocabulary Word Wraps This strategy should be used to help students makes sense of the topics theyre studying. Students can use this tool to study words and definitions, artists and their work, nations and capitals, and anything else you can think of. It is a great review tool for students also. Below are step-by-step instructions for making a word wrap and a visual to help illustrate. 1.) Fold an 8 x 11 paper into thirds. 2.) Draw lines straight across both flaps. Cut those lines until reaching the crease of the folds. 3.) Record the information needed on either side of the flap. Underneath each flap you can record an example of the vocabulary word.

Vocabulary Strategies

Kick Me www.teachingchannel.org Kick Me is an interactive vocabulary lesson that requires students to make analogies using words theyve gathered from friends. Its a great activity that has students, moving, writing, and thinking at a higher level. This is a video lesson that is accompanied by all the resources to make it a successful lesson. Please visit the website to view the video and use the additional Kick Me resources to guide your instruction.

Informal Writing Strategies: Writing to Learn

Informal writing strategies are intended to help students make sense of what theyre learning. Students are writing to learn. By engaging in the informal writing process, students have an opportunity to keep track of what theyre learning, organize their thoughts, and make an attempt to understand the topic at a deeper level. Informal writing can take on many different forms but there are a couple of aspects that always remain consistent. First, this type of writing is always written in casual language, as if youre talking to a friend. Second, informal writing is rarely intended for others to read. In school, students may share it with the teacher or classmates for feedback but normally it is intended for the person that wrote it. Finally, its main function is to help students learn. As a result, informal writing usually isnt assessed. At most, teachers should use it as a formative assessment to guide instruction.

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 Admit Slips/Exit Slips This informal writing strategy is a writing assignment that either allows students admission to class or gives them permission to leave class. When used as an admission ticket, students would be assigned the writing task for homework the night before. They may be asked to summarize the days lesson, or respond to a specific question. In either case, the teacher can briefly review the admit slips at the beginning of class to determine if something needs more emphasis or not. When used as an exit slip, teachers are usually looking to see if students understood the lesson from the day. It is used to guide the direction for the next day. Do Now/Quick Start/Bellringer The Do Now writing strategy is a brief activity that takes place at the beginning of each class (approximately 3-5 minutes). A Do Now writing activity may be a brief review of previous learning, a preview of the lesson to come, or a self-reflection on the students latest learning/assessment/performance task. The purpose of a Do Now activity is two-fold. First, we want the students writing to learn. By putting their thoughts into writing we can immediately determine if our students are learning what they should be. Second, it gets students in the learning mode within minutes of starting classroom instruction. It provides a narrow focus. Stop and Jot/Take a Moment/Reflect and Respond/Quick Writes The Stop and Jot writing strategy is most often used during a students learning. In this strategy the teacher stops the students in the middle of the activity and asks them to reflect on their learning so far. This strategy works great for long lectures or reading assignments, guest speakers, and extended performance tasks. Stop and Jots should be open-ended but may include a prompt depending on the needs of your students. One-Minute Papers One-Minute Papers are similar to Stop and Jots because they are most often used during a students learning. The main difference between the two is that a One-Minute Paper is more focused. It specifically asks students to summarize, question, support or counter an argument, or to apply new information to new circumstances. Students only have one minute to respond and use index cards to write their responses. 11

Informal Writing Strategies

 Think-Write-Pair-Share/Think-Write-Pair-Square For this informal writing strategy, students are presented with a writing prompt or specific question. First, they think about how theyd like to respond. Then, the students jot down their responses on a piece of paper and share it with their partner. Together, students work through the prompt/question to determine what they would like to share with the rest of the class. Once theyve made a decision they share out. If youd like, you can have each set of partners share with another set of partners for a variation on the strategy. Daily Journals/Learning Logs Daily Journals and Learning Logs are designated writing spaces for student learning. In most cases, the daily journal is the place where students respond to any one of the informal writing strategies their teacher uses. They may have a Do Now activity when they enter the class, be asked to Stop and Jot at any given time, or asked to reflect and respond to a given prompt. Regardless of the strategies implemented, the daily journal and/or learning log provide a designated space where students can write to learn. Passing Notes/Dialogue Journal/Partner Journal/Written Conversation This writing strategy requires students to engage in a written conversation with a classmate. The teacher provides a writing prompt such as What surprised you about this experiment? or Whats the first thing you should do for a job interview? All students are given one minute to write their response and should be encouraged to write for the entire minute. Then they trade answers with a partner. Based on whats written, students can agree/disagree and state why Summary Cubes Summary Cubes are another way to engage in informal writing. For each side of the cube, students must write down specific information regarding the topic theyre learning. For the most part students are usually asked to record the following: Side 1: Who? Side 2: What? Side 3: When? Side 4: Where? Side 5: Why? Side 6: How? This activity can also be adapted to meet the needs of the learners. If there are questions or prompts that will ensure a deeper level of student understanding, then those should be the questions or prompts that students record on the summary cube. Once the information has been recorded, students can assemble the summary cube. They now have a great study tool. 12

Informal Writing Strategies

 Structured Note-Taking Research shows that note-taking is one of the most effective ways to ensure students retain the information they need to be successful. The only problem is that most students dont do it and those who do take notes, usually dont do so very well. We need to teach our students some effective note-taking strategies. Below are some of those strategies. Keep in mind that you should always model the expectation to ensure you get the intended outcome.

Informal Writing Strategies

Guided Notes: For this writing strategy, students are provided with a basic outline of the class notes prior to the lesson. They are then asked to fill in the notes as the lesson unfolds. The idea is to keep them actively engaged in the note-taking process without causing them to lose the focus because they are writing too much.

Note-taking Cues: By putting key ideas and vocabulary words on the board, it lets students know what they should be taking notes on. It is not uncommon for teachers to stop in the middle of the lesson and cue students to write certain information down.

Re-Organization of Notes: After taking notes during a reading, lecture, video, demonstration, etc., ask students to re-organize their information into categories that make sense to them. It requires higher-level thinking to represent the information theyve gathered in a new way and will allow students to deeper understand the material.

Summary Notes: This note-taking strategy is different than the rest. For this particular strategy, the teacher chunks the lecture, reading, etc., into 5-10 minute chunks. At the end of each chunk the student is asked to summarize what he/she has just learned. This process is continued until the lesson is over. Keep in mind that chunking the lesson like this will slow down the classroom instruction tremendously. It will, however, increase student understanding and information retention.

Skim and Scan Note-taking: This informal writing strategy is a pre-reading strategy that allows students to build prior knowledge and make predictions. Working in pairs, students preview the text by looking at its features (headings, subheadings, captions, bolded words, italicized words, charts, tables, visuals, etc.) and create two different lists using a t-chart: Impressions/Questions and Quick Facts. The process of writing this information down prepares students for the intended lesson.

Recall Note-Taking: This note-taking strategy requires students to divide their page into two columns. On the right-hand side of the page, they record main ideas/key points gathered from the reading, lecture, etc. Then, on the left-hand side of the page students record a clue that would help them recall that main idea/key point when necessary. (Depending on the needs of the students, the teacher may choose to provide the key points and ask students to write down the clues.

Cornell Notes: This note-taking strategy also requires split-page notes. On the left-hand side of the page the student lists the main ideas of the reading, lecture, etc. On the right- hand side of the paper, students write down details, supporting evidence, questions they may have or connections they were able to make. At the bottom of the page students provide a summary of their note-taking session. See Cornell Notes example on next page. 13

Informal Writing Strategies

Cornell Notes
Topic: Chapter #, Section #: Questions / Main Ideas / Vocabulary Key Terms Name: Date: Period:

Notes / Answers / Definitions / Examples / Sentences

* Write the definition for each Key Term. Use the Key Term in in a sentence or give an example that shows your understanding of the term in correct historical context.

Key People

* Explain the importance of each Key Person, the major events they were involved in and the impact they had on history.

Academic Vocabulary

* For any Academic Vocabulary words you find in the section, write the definition for the Academic Vocabulary word and use it in a sentence to show your understanding of the word

Section Assessment

* At the end of each section, answer the section assessment questions. questions. Use complete sentences with sufficient details. Do not complete the Writing Journal question.

Additional Notes

* As you read, add additional notes, vocabulary, events, or any information you see as important. Drawing charts, timelines, graphs graphic organizers, etc. may help you understand the content. These notes will be helpful when studying for tests/quizzes.

Summary: * Following each section, use the information you have learned and the notes you have taken to write a complete summary for the section. Be sure to begin each summary with a topic sentence and use quality details and proper grammar to summarize the main topics from the section. 14

Informal Writing Strategies

What do you think? / Why do you think it? This writing strategy is intended to improve informative and/or persuasive writing. When students implement this strategy, they are required to expose not only what they think, but why they think it. When students can support their thoughts with details and evidence, they build credibility with their reader and thus their explanations and analyses are taken seriously. NOTE: If the student does not include the details and evidence to support what he/she is thinking, trouble spots will be exposed.

This is one paragraph from a students paper. The student used the What do you think? and Why do you think it? strategy to determine if there were potential holes in his argument.

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 What did you write? / Why did you write it? This writing strategy is related to the What do you think? and Why do you think it? strategy. This time we ask students to look at each sentence and determine its function in advancing the basic argument. At first, students will have a difficult time with this strategy, but as time goes on it gets easier and their writing improves. To implement this strategy, the student analyzes each sentence in their writing by asking the following three questions. 1.) Is the sentence a statement or detail? 2.) If its a statement, does it introduce an idea, transition between ideas, or conclude an idea? 3.) If its a detail, does it advance the storyline, enhance understanding, or accomplish both? By answering these three questions, students are able to identify sentences that serve no purpose or sentences that need to be modified to serve its purpose better. Using the same paragraph as above, here is what this strategy might look like. 16

Informal Writing Strategies

Formal Writing Strategies: Writing to Show What You Know

Once students have had the opportunity to learn specific content, they are ready to engage in the formal writing process. This is when students write to demonstrate what they understand or show what they know. Theyve already gathered information, generated ideas, and organized their thoughts into discussion points. Now theyre ready to write them all down. Sometimes the writing assignments will be semi-formal and sometimes theyll be formal but in either case, they are much different than the informal writing we saw earlier and are most likely assessed.

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 Socratic Seminar www.teachingchannel.org In this Socratic Seminar, students have the opportunity to respectfully debate an issue prior to putting it in writing. One might consider it the rough draft students complete prior to their final copy. The teacher has supported the students in understanding their roles when debating an issue and it is evident when we see it in practice. Note that students are consistently providing evidence for their claims and counterclaims and there is also evidence that the students are referring back to the graphic novel they are reading. It is a great strategy to use for setting the stage for writing. Please go to the website to view the video and refer to the Socratic Seminar Resource Packet for additional materials. The Formal Writing Process Engaging in the formal writing process is a great way to get students involved in generating unique ideas, capturing them and organizing them into a format that makes sense. It also gives students the ability to get those ideas down on paper, edit and revise them based on constructive feedback, and publish their final thoughts. The formal writing process is a five-step process: Prewriting (brainstorming): The prewriting stage is often considered one of the most important stages of the writing process. This is when students determine their topic of interest and the purpose for writing about it. They gather factual information to support their topic and identify the audience to whom they are writing. Drafting (composing): The drafting stage is when students get their thoughts down on paper. The main focus should be presenting the information in a logical manner. Students need not be concerned with mechanics or grammar, just content and the organization of that content. This stage usually requires multiple drafts based on teacher and student feedback. Revising: This stage of the writing process is an extension of the drafting stage. Students usually share their work with more than one classmate to solicit feedback and criticism. Students continue to rethink, add, substitute, delete and move words and ideas around as they rework the organization of the content. There are many strategies out there to support this stage of the writing process. Editing: In this stage of the writing process, students begin looking at the surface-level mistakes. They are focused on spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, sentence and paragraph structure and more. Students have learned that when these types of errors exist in our writing they are distracting and can cause the reader to misunderstand the intended message. As a result, it is a critical component of the writing process. Publishing: This is the final stage of the writing process. At this point, students are sure that their writing meets the expectations and produce the final copy. In some instances, students may wish to publish their work in the following manner: ~ reading aloud to peers/younger students ~ read it at an assembly/perform it as a skit ~ submit to contests/local newspapers/magazines/school yearbook ~ display on bulletin boards/in hallways ~ record a reading of it on audio/video ~ send it to a pen pal/ send it to a family member 18

Formal Writing Strategies

 What-Why-How The What-Why-How strategy is an extension from one of our informal writing strategies. (What do you think? and Why do you think it?) In this strategy, the writer ensures that he/she answers the following three questions throughout the course of the writing assignment: What: What do you think? This is your opinion, main idea, argument, thesis etc. Why: Why do you think it? This is where you put the reasons for your argument and explain why you think or believe a certain way. How: How do you know youre right? This is where you include specific examples or evidence that support your argument. (personal examples, added details, facts, figures, statistical data, quotes, artifacts etc.) Keep the 3 Es in mind when answering this question: Examples, Explanations, and Evidence This strategy works best with writing that requires you to sustain a logical argument or counter an argument. Essays, editorials, research papers, and reports are all examples of writing assignments that can be supported with the What-Why-How strategy. Content-Purpose-Audience The Content-Purpose-Audience strategy covers the three most important pieces of any writing assignment. Once you have these mapped out, the writing itself will be much easier. Content: The content refers to the main idea and key details of your writing. What is the most important thing youd like your readers to know? What key details will help your reader better understand the main idea? Purpose: The purpose speaks to what youre trying to accomplish in your writing. What is it that youd like your readers to think when theyre done? What is it that youd like them to do? Audience: Asking students to consciously think about whom theyre writing for will enhance the students writing. It also gives them the opportunity to brainstorm questions their audience may asked so they can better develop their writing. The Content-Purpose-Audience strategy requires a clearly stated main idea and supporting details, a sense of purpose, and focuses on the ability to anticipate how a given audience may react. As a result, this writing strategy works best with assignments that are expository, persuasive, informational, or research-based. Keep in mind that students do not have to write their information is this order, they can refer to the content, purpose, and audience in any way that suits their needs. 19

Formal Writing Strategies

 R.A.F.T. (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) The R.A.F.T. strategy puts a spin on the Content-Purpose-Audience strategy. Using the R.A.F.T. strategy, students have the opportunity to focus their writing through four main categories: the role of the writer, the audience for whom the writing is intended, the format that will be used to present the information, and, perhaps most important, the topic being discussed. Asking students to present their information from multiple perspectives requires a much deeper level of understanding and also allows for enhanced creativity. R ole of the writer: Who are you as a writer? A movie star? A news-reporter? A plant? A udience: To whom are you writing? A senator? Yourself? A company? F ormat: In what format are you writing? A diary entry? A newsletter? An email? T opic: What are you writing about? Why are you writing about it? This is a sample R.A.F.T chart for an environmental pollution class.

Formal Writing Strategies

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Formal Writing Strategies

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 All-You-Can-Write Assignment Buffet Table The buffet assignment table is a simple spin off from the R.A.F.T. strategy. Assuming that the topic to be discussed has already been decided, the buffet table can be used as a tool to guide students in making those important decisions that ensure quality writing. If thoughtfully employed, this tool never fails in producing an authentic writing assignment. 22

Formal Writing Strategies

Resources

Billmeyer, Rachel. Capturing ALL of the Reader Through the Reading Assessment System. Omaha: Dayspring, 2001, 117. Feldman, Kevin, and Kate Kinsella. Narrowing the Language Gap: The Case for Explicit Vocabulary Instruction A Scholastic Professional Paper. New York: Scholastic, 2005, 1. Marzano, Robert J. Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research On What Works In Schools. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2004. Marzano, Robert J., and Debra J. Pickering. Building Academic Vocabulary: A Teachers Manual. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2005. Billmeyer, Rachel. Strategies to Engage the Mind of the Learner: Building Strategic Learners. Dayspring Printing: Omaha, NE: Dayspring Printing, 2003, 42-45. Richardson, Judy S., and Raymond F. Morgan. Reading to Learn in the Content Areas. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1999, 374-375. Topping, Donna and Roberta McManus. Real Reading, Real Writing: Content-Area Strategies. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002, 73-74.

Websites
www.ttms.org Steve Pehas comprehensive site about Writing Across the Curriculum. Many of the tables and others visuals came from this site. www.teachingchannel.org This site is a fantastic resource to see classroom instruction in action. It houses hundreds of videos for all subjects areas.

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