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Curriculum & Instruction » Writing Essential Learning Outcomes

Writing Essential Learning Outcomes

By the end of four year old kindergarten students will be able to:
  •  name 80% of the uppercase letters. 
  •  name 40% of the lower case letters.
  •  use the proper pencil grip.
  •  start the letters from the top.
  •  label pictures.
  •  draw a picture.
  •  add details to a picture with prompts.
By the end of kindergarten students will be able to:        
  • print many upper and lower case letters.
  • name end punctuation.
  • use frequently occurring nouns and verbs.
  • put spaces between words.
  • communicate ideas using a combination of drawing, labeling, and writing.
  • add details to a piece of writing with help from the teacher and classmates.
  • use frequently occurring nouns and verbs in a sentence.  
 By the end of first grade students will be able to:
  • use proper capitalization to begin a sentence, for names of people, and for dates.

  • end a sentence with the correct punctuation.

  • write a sentence with either a singular or plural noun using the correct matching verb.

  • use adjectives and conjunctions correctly in a complete sentence.

  • choose an idea.

  • plan by telling a story across fingers - first, next, then, last.

  • touch each page and plan what goes on that page.

  • sketch out and label ideas with simple drawings.

  • attend to the writing task for 30 minutes.

  • correctly spell first grade word wall words.

  • stretch out the sounds of a word to try to spell it - say it, slide it, hear it, write it.

By the end of second grade students will be able to:
  • use quotation marks to show what a character says.
  • use an apostrophe correctly in a singular possessive and a common contraction.
  • capitalize holidays, geographic locations and product names correctly.
  • write an opinion piece with a beginning,a statement of opinion, 3 supporting reasons and an ending.
  • use linking words in writing, i.e. because and also.
  • name the steps of the writing process, i.e. plan/pre-write, draft, revise, edit, publish.

  • attend to the writing task for 45 minutes at one time.

  • spell words with long vowel sounds in the form consonant-vowel-consonant-e and consonant-vowel-vowel-consonant.

  • spell second grade sight words such as about, don’t, does and caught.

  • spell words with sounds such as bl, ch, sk, sh.

By the end of third grade students will be able to:
  •  use commas in addresses and dialogues.
  • show subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.
  • use talk to show a character’s response. 
  • use transition words to show order.
  • pick a small moment and describe it in detail bit by bit.
  • use the complete writing process to produce a finished piece of writing with a beginning, middle and end.
  • use conventional spelling for high-frequency words, e.g. because, where, their, there.
By the end of fourth grade students will be able to:
  • use commas and quotation marks to indicate speech and quotations in a text.
  • use commas before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.
  • add dialogue to writing.
  • add actions to writing.
  • add thoughts and feelings to writing.
  • make some parts of the story move more quickly and some parts move more slowly.
  • identify examples of figurative language in a written piece.
  • add or subtract parts to make a piece of writing easier to understand and more interesting.
  • complete a piece of writing with a beginning, middle and end for a particular purpose in 1-2 class periods.
  • write over multiple class periods to create one piece of writing using research, reflection, and revision.
  • spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
By the end of fifth grade students will be able to:  
  • plan, edit, revise, and rewrite to produce a final composition.
  • organize a piece of writing so there is a clear focus throughout.
  • write independently with increasing length and volume for a variety of tasks, purposes and audiences.
  • use grade level conventions of written language, i.e. grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
  • use a variety of transitional phrases to clarify the relationships between ideas.
  • choose interesting words and phrases to help others understand the student's writing.
  • write narratives to clearly develop real or imaginary experiences or events using effective technique, dialogue, relevant descriptive detail and well-structured event sequences.
  • write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
  • write informative/explanatory texts to convey ideas and information clearly.
By the end of sixth grade students will be able to:
  • write an argument that support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources to show understanding of a topic while clarifying the relationships in a formal style.
  • organize ideas in an informative text, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect.
  • format an informative piece of writing to include headings, graphics and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension.
  • use transitions in an informative text to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts, while maintaining a formal style.
  • write a narrative that shows time and setting changes using precise words and phrases and relevant details throughout.
  • write a minimum of 3 pages in a single sitting with style and without guidance.
  • answer a research question and refocus the inquiry when appropriate.
  • assess the credibility of each source used while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.
By the end of seventh grade students will be able to:
  • write arguments, acknowledging alternate or opposing claims with logical reasoning and relevant evidence.
  • write an informative/explanatory text which includes introducing a topic clearly and previewing what is to come.
  • write a narrative that establishes multidimensional characters and/or a narrator, captures the action and conveys experiences and events.
  • write a piece that specifically addresses the intended purpose and audience.
  • use technology to cite relevant, credible and accurate sources using a standard format.
By the end of eighth grade students will be able to:
  • write an argument distinguishing the students' claims from alternate or opposing claims and present counterclaims.
  • write an informative/explanatory text which organizes ideas, concepts, and ideas into broader categories with well-chosen facts and varied transitions.
  • write a narrative that uses narrative techniques, including reflection, and shows the relationships among experiences and events.
  • write a piece that efficiently presents the relationships between information and ideas.
  • use technology to research topics that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
Writer's Workshop

 Image result for writer's workshop lucy calkins

 

Each student in the class is a working author during writers’ workshop. The teacher is a writing professional and peer coach, guiding authors as they explore their craft.  Writer’s Workshop is designed to emphasize the act of writing itself—students spend most of their time putting pencil to paper.  Over time, students learn to choose their own topics and to manage their own development as they work through a wide variety of writing projects in a sustained and self-directed way.

 

In Writers' Workshop classrooms, full class lessons are short and tightly focused on practical real-world issues. As in professional writing workshops, emphasis is placed on sharing work with the class, on peer conferencing and editing, and on the collection of a wide variety of work in a writing folder.  The workshop setting encourages students to think of themselves as writers, and to take their writing seriously.

 

Peha, Steve. Welcome To Writer's Workshop. 1st ed. Teaching That Makes Sense, 2003.                          http://www.ttms.org/PDFs/05%20Writers%20Workshop%20v001%20(Full).pdf