Before beginning our opinion writing unit, I want to know what students know about opinion writing. This information will allow me to adequately pace my lessons and differentiate, so that all my students’ needs are met. The writing pre assessment would be an on-demand where they are asked to write an opinion piece on a topic they care about. Here is the pre-assessment:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PxvpYXYNRXkF3qo7DrgGeQpHVbmKMZlTlR1_qnV5y90/edit?usp=sharing Based on the writing pre-assessment, my students may fall within three groups: need more knowledge about meaning of opinion (versus narrative or biography); need help organizing and elaborating; and those who write clearly and with organization, thus need help refining/varying their use of linking words and information (4th grade standards). Group 1 Students will spend more time identifying an opinion and reasons, so that they can later on develop their own. A strong understanding of these concepts is important for their ability to conceive their own. They will also need more modeling and guided practice for each writing skill. For example, they will take a Quizlet of each skill to show that they can identify the skill in others’ writings, before they can develop their own and apply it to their writing. Group 2 This group understands what opinion writing entails, but need support with organizing their writing and elaborating with appropriate facts and details. This group will be given graphic organizers through google classroom to help organize their reasons. Personal word walls would also be given to help them elaborate. In addition to word walls, student will receive bubble maps to help them make connections between their reasons, descriptors, and their opinion. Group 3 This group can write an opinion piece with the major components, so they will need help incorporating more complex sentences and reasons to their writing. To help them, I would provide them with links to recorded read alouds of various anchor texts. These texts serve as mentor texts- each text serving a different purpose. Some texts they hear will have examples of complex sentences and elaboration. While other texts may introduce them to ways of organizing like cause and effect or compare and contrast. After listening to a mentor text, students will apply their learning to their own writing. Formative Assessments Exit Tickets: Students will write one thing they learned that lesson and a skill they want to learn/try or need help with. Tracker: A blow up sized rubric for opinion writing will be in the room and students will place a sticker corresponding to where they currently are in their writing. Conferencing: Teacher will check-in with students one on one during the writing workshop to gauge progress. Teacher will observe, give feedback, teach a teaching point, model teaching point, do a guided practice, and let student apply independently. My mind map: https://www.lucidchart.com/invitations/accept/08f80ab9-9cff-4973-b29a-65fd309f6699
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorDon't judge me for these blog entries. I find these topics important, but teaching and going to school is hard. Archives
February 2018
Categories |