Standard 2: Reading and Writing Process

Students will use a variety of recursive reading and writing processes.

5.2.W.2 Students will plan (e.g., outline) and prewrite a first draft as necessary. 

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

• Students develop a plan to organize their writing.
• Students prewrite as necessary.
• Students write a first draft as necessary.
• Students identify the purpose of the writing and the genre they will be writing.
• Students carefully read and reread the prompt to ensure that they address all parts of the prompt in their writing.
• Students organize their writing in paragraphs while drafting.  Each topic or event in the story signals to the writer that they should start a new paragraph.
• What Is an Outline? (video)

• Teachers model how to use a variety of organizational strategies (e.g. graphic organizers, rubrics, templates, etc.) to develop a writing plan and provide opportunities for students to practice.
• Teachers model a variety of brainstorming strategies. and guide students to think about and narrow a topic. by categorizing and organizing ideas from the prewriting process..
• Graphic organizers can help students outline their ideas before drafting.
• Reading Rockets: Graphic Organizers

Supporting Resources 

Teacher Insights 

• Prior to the pre-writing stage, students should have a clear understanding of the writing task.

• Teachers should provide clear rubrics (holistic or analytical) that reflect the task and purpose.

• See Student Proficiency Levels to help determine actionable points on rubrics that can be directly tied to standards.

• While some formal assignments may have specific graphic organizers, (after scaffolding) students should eventually feel comfortable enough to choose an organizational tool based on the task.

• During pre-writing, students should select a specific topic.

• Utah State’s Open CourseWare provides a good model for how to help students narrow down a topic.

• Graphic organizers are an effective way for students to plan writing.

• Examples of graphic organizers can be found here and may be helpful to organize student writing in paragraphs while drafting.  

• Each topic or event in the story signals to the writer that they should start a new paragraph.

• There are many pre-writing approaches available in textbooks, writing handbooks, and online, such as from the KU Writing Center. However, the main goal is to first determine audience and purpose. Students should be provided guidance but should use whatever strategy works best for them (and the teacher).

• Revising and editing are not stand-alone processes that are to be done just before publishing, but as with all parts of the process, should be done periodically, both formally (with specific guidance) and informally (through frequent reminders to check for errors).

Due to recursive nature of the standards, it is essential that teachers are aware of how all objectives within and between strands work together for optimal instruction.