Standard 2: Reading and Writing Process

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

6.2.W.3 Students will develop drafts by choosing an organizational structure (e.g., description, compare/contrast, sequential, problem/solution, cause/effect, etc.) and building on ideas in multi-paragraph essays.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

• Students will decide what organization is most effective for purpose, audience, and task.
• Students will categorize ideas and organize them into paragraphs.
• Students will build on ideas by making them into multi-paragraph essays.
• Students will use appropriate transitions to link together sections, ideas, and/or paragraphs within the compositions.
• Students will ask the following questions to ensure proper development of the paragraphs:
• Are sentences varied in structure and length?
• Are rich, interesting and precise words used?
• Are the voice and style appropriate to the purpose and audience?
• Is the information presented in the right tone and mood for the purpose and audience?
• Students will realize their writing addresses who you are writing for, and why:
• Task- What is the assignment
• Purpose - Is your goal to explain convince, or tell a story?
• Audience - Do your readers know your topic and have you chosen words, style, and ideas that are applicable? 

• Teachers introduce multiple organizational methods.

• Teachers provide guidelines for choosing the organizational structure that fits the purpose of a writing task.

• Teachers model how to categorize and organize ideas into paragraphs.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to categorize and organize ideas into paragraphs.
• Teachers model how to create multi-paragraph essays by building on ideas.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to create multi-paragraph essays by building on ideas.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice using transitions.
• Teachers ensure students receive feedback about the effectiveness of their transitions and flow.
• Teachers ask students questions about their writing:
• Are important ideas fully developed, with enough relevant detail?
• Is the content strong, accurate, detailed, interesting and appropriate to the audience?

Supporting Resources 

Teacher Insights 

WritingFix (website)

Description (website)

Compare/contrast

Sequential (website)

Problem/solution (website)

• wikihow.com:How to write a compare and contrast essay(website)

• wikihow.com:How to write a descriptive essay(website)

• wikihow.com:How to write a problem/solution essay(website)

• wikihow.com:How to write a cause/effect essay(website)

• wikihow.com: How to write a Process (sequential ) essay(website)

See 6.3.R.6

• Organizational structure does just what it sounds like: provides structure for the reader and helps organize the writer. Structures should be chosen depending on the audience and purpose.

• It is possible that more than one pattern of organization can be used within a composition.

• The University of Washington provides the following patterns of organization structure:

• Narration: telling a story

• Description: relating what you see, hear, taste, feel, and smell

• Process: describing a sequence of steps necessary for a process

• Definition: illustrating the meaning of certain words or ideas

• Division and Classification: grouping ideas, objects, or events into categories

• Compare and Contrast: finding similarities and/or differences between topics

• Cause and Effect: explaining why something happened, or the influence of one event upon another

• Patterns of organization should be part of the prewriting process. It is expected that some changes may occur; however, there should be clear sections in the planning document that will help organize writing into paragraphs.

• Transition words help writing feel cohesive.

• At this grade level, students have been exposed to and using transition words for years.

• Students should use a variety of transitions to connect ideas within paragraphs and connect paragraphs across an entire composition.

• Students should now also be using transition words to not only connect across a piece of writing but also to signal to their reader something important is unfolding.  

• Students should be using more sophisticated words than so, next, first, etc. These can be used but should be used sparingly. Students should be pushing for more specific words like meanwhile, as soon as, suddenly, etc.

• In multi-paragraph compositions, each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence that is stated or implied and reflects the ideas from the thesis.

• It is important that students include a strong introduction and conclusion in the organization of their essay.

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.