Standard 5: Language

Students will read and write for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, academic and personal.

WRITING: Students will write independently for extended periods of time. Students will vary their modes of expression to suit audience and task. 

Understanding

Objectives

Approaching

5.8.W

Students will write independently over extended periods of time (e.g., time for research, reflection, and revision) and for shorter timeframes (e.g., a single sitting or a day or two) to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

5.8.W

 Students will write independently over extended periods of time (e.g., time for research, reflection, and revision) and for shorter time frames (e.g., a single sitting or a day or two) to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

*Once students demonstrate an understanding of an objective, consider a deeper acquisition of those skills.

Developing

5.8.W

Students will write independently over longer periods of time (e.g., time for research, reflection, and revision) and for shorter timeframes (e.g., a single sitting or a day or two) to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes with limited guidance and support.

5.8.W

Students will write independently for short periods of time (e.g., time for research, reflection, and revision) and for shorter timeframes (e.g., a single sitting or a day or two) to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes with guidance and support.

Instructional Guidance

Developing

• Provide students with paper with larger lines or no lines and a space to draw.
• Provide students with a choice of writing utensil.
• Students may need story starters to assist students during independent writing.
• Use writing territories to help students brainstorm multiple topics that can be used throughout the year. Students may need prompting and modeling.
• Model using word walls while writing.
• Provide students with opportunities to write for various purposes and audiences (formal writing pieces, journal entries, pen pals, etc).
• Provide students opportunities to write daily.
• Set individual stamina goals if needed.

Approaching

• Build writing stamina over time by scaffolding the amount of time students can write independently without losing focus. Notice the student who loses focus first and use that time to gradually increase writing time.
• Provide students with paper with larger lines.
• Provide students with a choice of writing utensil.
• Use writing territories to help students brainstorm multiple topics that can be used throughout the year.
• Encourage students to use word walls while writing.
• Provide students with opportunities to write for various purposes and audiences (formal writing pieces, journal entries, pen pals, etc).
• Provide students opportunities to write daily.

Understanding

• Use mentor texts for students to study and imitate examples of good writing. These can be writing samples from past and current students, real world writers, or the teacher.
• Provide students with opportunities to write for various purposes and audiences (formal writing pieces, journal entries, pen pals, etc).
• Provide students opportunities to write daily.
• Use writing territories to help students brainstorm multiple topics that can be used throughout the year.
• Provide a clear timeline of a long term writing project.
• Provide students with a checklist or rubric clearly identifying expectations.

Deeper Acquisition

• Encourage students to reflect on the differences between two pieces of written work, focusing on audience and purpose.
• Encourage students to rewrite one of their writing pieces for a different audience or purpose.