WRITING FUNDAMENTALS

Transcription

1 WRITING FUNDAMENTALS Writing Prompts Schoolwide has compiled a list of writing prompts meant to assess students ability to independently write for various purposes, gauge their familiarity with features of different genres and text types (narrative, informative/explanatory, and opinion/argumentative), and evaluate their knowledge of the qualities of good writing (idea development, purpose, organization, conventions, craft, and style). On-demand writing assessments allow teachers to observe and evaluate students strengths and weaknesses and, consequently, plan meaningful instruction that meets students needs and supports their development as confident, effective writers. There is a menu of prompts organized by grade levels and text types for teachers to choose from. The prompts provide a context for student writing that includes an audience, a purpose, and a form or genre of writing. We imagine that teachers will use these prompts with their students before, during, and/or after a unit of study for both formative and summative assessments: Before and/or during your unit of study: Identify what students already know about genre features and writing for a specific purpose and audience. Then build on what they know, clarify misconceptions, and plan for whole-class instruction that meets students needs. Additionally, begin to group students with similar needs and prepare for individual and group conferences and differentiation opportunities. After a unit of study: Assess what students have learned about genre-specific features, author s purpose, and audience awareness. The on-demand writing assessment can be another lens to look at students writing in order to better understand how your students have improved as writers after an in-depth writing unit.

2 OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER Let your students know what they will be doing and why. Tell them the purpose of the on-demand writing task so they will understand your motives and try their best. Support your students in feeling comfortable about writing, and encourage them to remember all the things they know and have learned about writing. You may choose to have students write in response to the prompt in a single timeframe (approximately minutes, depending on the grade you teach) or over the course of a couple of days. To get a better idea of how students go through the writing process independently, you might have students brainstorm, plan, and draft on the first day and revise and edit their writing on the second day. Use Schoolwide s digital assessment tool (EVAL). This will assist you in scoring students writing using standards-based criteria. Have students score their own writing by using student-friendly rubrics. Provide time for student reflection following on-demand writing. Students can write an entry about the experience in their Writers Notebooks. They can also share their thoughts and ask questions through peer and teacher conferences. Provide students with specific feedback about their writing. Let them know what they are doing well and how you will help them improve their writing.

3 Grades K 2 Writing Prompts Narrative Informative/Explanatory Opinion Sometimes we experience something really special or exciting. It might be a birthday celebration, a trip to someplace fun, or a happy memory. Write a story about a special experience or event that you would like to share with a friend. Tell where it happened, who was there, and what you did that made it special. Your teacher wants to publish a class newsletter that tells stories about favorite classroom activities and trips. Think about one activity or class trip that you really enjoyed and remember well. Then write a story telling about the experience. Use details to tell what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the experience. Think about the first time you experienced something new. For example, you might think about the first time you went on a school bus, the first time you lost a tooth, or the first time you rode a bike. Describe that new experience, telling what happened first, next, and last. Think about getting up each morning and going to school. What do you do first, next, and last? Explain how you get ready for school, and describe the different things and people you see on your way to school. Think about a time when you had fun with a friend. Who were you with, and what did you do? Write a story about that time. Your teacher wants the class to get to know each other and share things they are really good at. Think about something you like to make or do. It can be an activity or hobby you know how to do really well or something you know how to cook or bake really well. How would you teach your classmates how to do it? Explain each step using pictures and words. There are different jobs in your neighborhood, including police officers, store clerks, bankers, and restaurant workers. Think about all of the different jobs people have in your neighborhood. Write an explanation of what job you would like to have and why. The school newspaper is collecting articles about popular sports. Think about your favorite sport. Write an explanation of that sport for someone who has never played it. Provide facts and information that will teach readers all about your favorite sport. Think about your five senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. Explain how you use these senses every day. The seasons change during the year, and the look, sound, and feel of our communities changes with the seasons. Pick one of the four seasons: winter, spring, summer, or fall. Explain what happens in your town during Most people have a favorite book. It is a book that they know well and have probably read more than once. What is your favorite book? Why do you like the book as much as you do? Write about your favorite book, and tell why you like it so much. Give examples to support your opinion and to try to convince other kids to read it. Your class is having a debate or discussion about what animal makes the best pet. Is a cat a better pet than a dog, or is a dog a better pet than a cat? Write your opinion about which animal makes a better pet. Explain why you have that opinion so that your classmates are convinced, too. Parents want their children to eat more vegetables. Do you think children should eat more vegetables? Why or why not? Give reasons to support your opinion. We use our five senses every day. We see things with our eyes, hear things with our ears, touch things with our hands, taste things with our tongues, and smell things with our noses. Think about your five senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. Write about which sense you think is the most important, and tell why you think that. Use specific examples to support your opinion.

4 Grades K 2 Writing Prompts (continued) Narrative Informative/Explanatory Opinion Give enough details so that your readers can picture this fun experience. Summer is a time when you can do things that you may not be able to do at other times of the year. Think about something you did during the summer that you remember well. It could be something you did with a friend, with your family, or by yourself. What happened? Write a story about this summertime memory. We all have things that we like to do: games we like to play, things we like to do at school, and things we like to do with our family. What do you like to do? Draw a picture of something you like to do. Then write a story and tell what you like to do and why you like it. We all have a favorite place where we love to go. It can be a place that is near or far. Think about a memory of your favorite place. Then tell a story about what happened in your favorite place and why this place is special to you. The first day of school can make us feel excited and nervous. Think about the first day of school this year. What did you do on the first day of school? How did you feel by the end of the day? Write a story about your first day of school. Tell what you did and how you felt. this time of the year. Describe how it looks, sounds, and feels. Most people have a special day that they enjoy. It can be a holiday, a birthday, or a day of the week (such as Friday or Saturday). What day is special to you? Explain what makes that day so special to you. In school we learn to read and write. We practice reading and writing every day. Explain why reading and writing are so important. Each of us is a special and unique person. We have features and talents that make us different from each other. These are the things that make us special. Draw a picture of yourself. Think about yourself, including how you look, how you act, and what you do that makes you special. Write about yourself using words that best tell about you. We have explored and learned a lot this year. Think about things you learned this year. Then write a letter to incoming (kindergartners, first graders, or second graders) to let them know what they will learn about in (kindergarten, first grade, second grade). In order to have a friend, you have to be a friend. Think about what it means to be a good friend and the things you do with your friends. With pictures and words, explain what friends do for each other and with one another. Your teacher is thinking about buying a class pet and has asked you to write a letter explaining what class pet you think would be best. Write a letter telling your teacher which class pet you think would be best, and give some examples to convince your teacher to get the pet you want. There are four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Which season do you like best? Draw and write which season is your favorite and why. Give examples to support your reasons. Our class is having a writing celebration, and you can invite anyone you like. Write a letter to a friend or family member persuading him or her to attend this writing celebration. Write about why you want this person to come and the things that he or she will see, hear, and do. Think about something that you really want to have. How could you convince your parents to allow you to have it? Write a persuasive letter to your parents asking them for what you want. Be sure to include specific reasons why you should have what you want so that they are convinced to get it.

5 Grades 3 5 Writing Prompts Narrative Informative/Explanatory Opinion Most people remember times when they had a strong feeling or emotion. Think about a time when you felt really happy, angry, nervous, scared, or any other strong emotion. Write a story telling what happened so that your readers understand the experience and can feel the emotion, too. One of the fun experiences in life is visiting interesting places. When we visit an interesting place, we get to experience and learn about new things. Think about a time when you visited a special place. Think about the people who were with you, what you saw, and what you did during the visit. Write a story about this visit. Describe where you went, and include your personal thoughts and feelings about the visit. The school newspaper is collecting personal stories about people helping one another. Tell a true story about a time when you helped someone or when someone helped you. An adventure can be any new experience that has some challenges. An adventure can happen someplace close to home or far from home. Tell a story about an adventure you have had by yourself, with your family, or with a friend. There are many different kinds of entertainment, such as music, games, books, and movies. Describe your favorite type of entertainment, and explain why you like it. Suppose you could choose one thing to do this weekend. Explain to your teacher something that you would choose to do this weekend and why. We can learn about all kinds of interesting people by reading biographies. Write about an interesting person you know or have learned about. Explain what attributes or traits make this person an interesting subject for a biography. Weather is all around us and happens every day. There are some kinds of weather that people like, and there are other kinds of weather that can make people miserable. Write an informative text that tells about a type of weather. Be sure to describe the type of weather in detail, explain why this weather is good and/or bad, and describe what people do in this type of weather. A new student has just joined your class. Think about what things will be important for this new student to know. Explain some things that will help him or To increase student achievement, district officials have proposed making the school year 1 month longer. Take a position on this proposal. Write a letter to persuade district officials to support your position. The student council has proposed that every classroom have a class pet. Do you agree or disagree? Write a persuasive paper that provides at least three reasons to support your position. Your newspaper is offering a prize for the Best Relative of the Year. Think about which one of your relatives should win this prize. The relative could be a parent, grandparent, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, or cousin. Think about the reasons why your relative should win the prize and why he or she is the best. Write a persuasive paper telling the judges why your relative is qualified to be the winner. The mayor of your town recently made the following statement: It always strikes me as a terrible shame to see young people spending so much time staring at the television. If we could unplug all the TV sets in America, our children would grow up to be healthier, better educated, and more independent. The newspaper wants to print the four best

6 Grades 3 5 Writing Prompts (continued) Narrative Informative/Explanatory Opinion Life offers many opportunities to try new things. Sometimes people are afraid to try something new. Write a story about a time when you tried something new, or write a story about a time when someone you know tried something new. We all have special times in our lives that we remember. Tell a story about a special memory you have. Include the people involved, and describe the experience or event from beginning to end. Think about a day in school that stands out as being one of the best you have had. Write a story for a friend that tells him or her about this best day. Describe who was there, what happened, and what you thought and felt that made this day so special. Be sure to include narrative techniques such as descriptive language and a sequence of events. Imagine or remember something exciting that happened at school. It could be something that really happened or something you make up. Write a story that tells about this exciting school event. Be sure to include all of the qualities that narrative writers use. Make sure your story has a beginning, middle, and end. her get used to a new school and new class. Your class has been talking about what it means to be a good friend. Your teacher has asked all students to write an essay about being a good friend. Before you begin to write, think about what it means to be a good friend. What are some of the things a person does to show that he or she is a good friend? Write about what it means to be a good friend, and include enough details to support your explanation. You have been chosen to plan a field trip for your class. Think about one place that your class would like to visit. Where would you go, and what would you do while you were there? Describe the field trip you have planned by writing a letter to your class. Scientists are curious when they get an idea, so they begin to investigate. Think about some inventions that scientists have made. Write an explanation about your favorite inventions and why they are your favorites. Think about something you know how to do really well. It could be making an ice cream sundae or playing a sport. It could be making a bed or building something. Write a how-to text that explains how to do this activity. Describe the steps to follow so that readers can do it, too! student responses to the mayor s statement. Write a persuasive paper telling whether or not you agree with the mayor about whether people watch too much TV. Give specific reasons to support your opinion. Most kids have a favorite TV show or movie. What is your favorite TV show or movie? Write a review to persuade other kids to watch the show or see the movie. Don t forget to include specific reasons and examples that support your opinion. You have seen trash on the side of the road and want to form a student group to clean up the trash. Write a speech to convince the students at your school to join the clean-up group. Your class is discussing items that people use every day. Think about one item that you use every day. What would your life be like without it? Write a speech to convince your class that the item is important. Imagine that you have 30 minutes of free time in school each week. Your teacher has asked your class to suggest ways to use this free time. Think of a way to use this free time. Why should your teacher choose your idea? Write a persuasive letter to your teacher convincing him or her to accept your idea for how this free time should be spent.

7 Grades 6 8 Writing Prompts Narrative Informative/Explanatory Opinion/Argumentative You don t have to spend money in order to have a good time. Write a true story about when you had a great time without spending a lot of money. Think about a special person in your life. This person may or may not live with you. Write a story about a day that you spent with this special person. Suppose you could meet any person from history. Perhaps this person made important decisions that changed the world. Whom would you choose to meet and why? Write an original story in which you describe your encounter with this person. Be sure to include a detailed account of the events in the story, as well as a description of this person and the setting in which the story takes place. Think about an event you will want to remember when you are old. Write a story about what happened so that if you read this story again when you are 80 years old, every detail will seem as clear as if it happened yesterday. Think about an experience you had that was full of emotion. It may have been a positive emotion, such as happiness, excitement, or pride, or it may have been a negative emotion, such as anger, jealousy, or sadness. Write a narrative describing what happened to Think about how daily life, from reading to playing games to communicating with others, has changed over the past 100 years because of technology. Using specific details and examples, explain how these advancements in technology have changed daily life. We see trees and nature around us everywhere. There are so many natural things on the planet that we sometimes forget how important they are and how they make our lives more enjoyable. Write an essay explaining why trees and nature are important and how they make life more enjoyable. Give reasons why you think the way you do. People learn things in school and in life. What is the most important thing you have ever learned? You may have learned how to do something or learned a valuable lesson about how to get along with people. Think about why this lesson was important to you. Write an essay using specific details and examples to explain what you learned and why it is very important to you. Your social studies teacher has asked you to write about the following topic: Explain why you would or would not want to live in a large city. Before you begin to write, think about living in a large city. Would you like or dislike it? Why do you think the way you do? Now write an The school board plans to add 1½ hours to school each day. Do you agree or disagree with extending the school day? Write an essay using specific details and examples to convince the school board to accept your position. Think of something you would like to have improved, changed, or added in your school. It could relate to a school policy, a facility or building, or a course offering. Take a position on one specific issue and convince others to agree with you. Some students want to have drink and snack machines at your school. Many parents, however, think those items are not healthy for students. What do you think about having drink and snack machines in school? Write a letter to convince the principal that drink and snack machines should or should not be allowed at your school. Remember to include specific reasons and examples to make your letter convincing. The cafeteria manager in your school has noticed that many students throw away most of their lunches. She is concerned about this problem and would like to make changes to the menu based on what middle school kids like to eat. Decide how you would change the menu. Write a letter to the cafeteria manager to convince her that your changes will appeal to the kids in the school and reduce lunchroom waste.

8 Grades 6 8 Writing Prompts (continued) Narrative Informative/Explanatory Opinion/Argumentative make you feel the way you did. Don t tell how you felt; instead, show it by using details and descriptive language. Think about a time when you had to work hard in order to do something. Maybe you spent a long weekend working on a school project, or maybe you had to practice weeks on end to prepare for a play or a game. Write a story about a time when you had to work hard in order to do something and why it was difficult or challenging for you. Give details that show how you worked hard at it and what the results were. Different places around the country experience all different types of weather. Depending on the time of year and where you live, it can be rainy, snowy, windy, hot, or cold. Think about a time in your life when you have been affected by extreme weather. Write a narrative about the experience. Be sure to include details that describe what happened and why you will never forget this experience. The principal has asked for students to submit stories about personal achievements and goal setting. He is going to publish some of them on the school website. Think of a time when you achieved a personal goal. Tell your readers about the story of how you met your goal. Be sure that your readers understand why the goal is important to you. essay for your teacher about whether or not you would want to live in a large city. Give specific reasons explaining why you think the way you do. You have been chosen by a company to make a new product. Your product could be a food, a toy, a game, or any other item you want. Write a report for the company that describes your idea for a new product and explains how it can be used. Your class is studying ways to stay healthy. Think about the kinds of foods that students eat each day and the kinds of activities that help students get exercise. Write a report for students your age explaining ways to stay healthy. We all have a hero or heroine a person whose qualities, achievements, or lifestyle we admire. Choose a person you consider to be your hero or heroine. Write an essay explaining why this person is your hero or heroine. A new student from a faraway place has enrolled in your middle school. How can this student become successful? Why will these actions make him or her successful? Write an essay explaining how to become a successful middle school student. Studies have shown that some students learn best when they eat or snack while they study. Many school officials, however, do not allow food in the classroom because they believe that eating can interfere with class work. The principal has asked for students opinions about eating in the classroom. Write a letter to convince your principal to allow students to eat in the classroom or to keep the ban on eating in class. Support your position with specific reasons and details. Celebrities are often considered role models simply because they are famous. Many kids admire entertainers and athletes. Decide whether you think celebrities make good role models for children. Write an essay expressing your opinion, and support your position with specific details and examples. Some people say that life in the past was better than it is today. For example, many things cost less in the past. However, other people are glad that they live in today s world with computers and cell phones. Would you rather live in the past or the present? Write a speech to read to your class that tells why you would rather live in the past or the present. Your school was granted money in order to improve the technology in its classrooms. The principal suggested buying laptops, and the student council

9 Grades 6 8 Writing Prompts (continued) Narrative Informative/Explanatory Opinion/Argumentative Think about a time when something unexpected happened. Write a narrative in which you describe this unexpected event or experience to someone you know. Be sure to include specific details, descriptive language, and a logical sequence of events so that your reader can clearly understand the event. Each class must take a science or social studies field trip. Choose a place where you would like to go for a field trip. Why will your choice be a good place to visit, and what will you learn? Write an explanation about what makes your choice a good place to visit for a science or social studies field trip. Also explain what you hope to learn from the trip. People s character traits define who they are and can help them throughout their lives. These character traits could include honesty, bravery, loyalty, compassion, determination, or creativity. Select one character trait that you believe is very important in life and write an essay to explain why that trait is so important. Many people have an activity or hobby that they like. Choose one of your favorite hobbies or activities and write an explanation for someone who doesn t know much about it. proposed buying electronic readers. Choose one of these two suggestions or come up with your own idea for spending the technology grant money. Then write a persuasive essay expressing which idea is best and why. Include a description of how the technology would be used and how it would benefit students. You just heard on the news that a local school approved a new policy that will allow students to use electronics in the school. What is your opinion of this new policy? Write an essay stating your opinion about whether you agree or disagree with it. Be sure to include details and reasons to support your opinion. The school district is reconsidering the policy on backpacks in the school s classrooms. Decide whether backpacks should or should not be allowed in the school s classrooms. Write a letter to persuade the principal to agree with your decision. Include specific reasons and examples that will make your argument more convincing. Scientist Albert Einstein said, Imagination is more important than knowledge. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Include specific details and examples to convince others to support your position.