Write…From the Beginning

The Whole Picture

Focused

Writing

MiniLessons

Unassisted

Writingmodeleddomain specific

daily

5 criteria

not modeled

variousdomains

and genres

Expository vs. NarrativeExpository writing explains an event, concept, or idea. It contains facts and examples. Non-fiction.

Narrative writing tells a story, or part of a story. It can be fiction or non-fiction.

What are the WFTB goals for your grade level?

Task: Look at the WFTB section for your grade level.

Work with your team to create a Thinking Map to show what kinds of writing tasks your students do learn this year.

Character

Setting

Event

One complete thought about the event

Roses

Lt nt ts ad I wt to rs ad bt a dp trk

Composing in First Grade

Observational Comment Writing

Level 2: Using a Tree Map, students write three compound sentences using pronouns

and connecting words.

11stst grade grade

Teddy Bear has a hat and a bow.

He feels soft and fuzzy.

Teddy Bear can bend and cuddle.

a hat

a bow

has

Teddy Bear (He)

soft

fuzzy

feels

bend

cuddle

can

Composing in First Grade

Observational Comment Writing

Level 3: Using a Tree Map and connecting words the students write three compound sentences with

pronouns and descriptive words.

11stst grade grade

Teddy Bear has a brown hat and a white bow.

He feels soft like a pillow and fuzzy.

Teddy Bear can bend and cuddle.

a brown hat

A white bow

has

Teddy Bear (He)

soft like a pillow

fuzzy

feels

bend

cuddle

can

11stst grade grade

First

We lined up and went outside.

Next

We looked at a tree.

Last

We came in.

First we lined up and went outside.

Next we looked at a tree.

Last we came in.

Use a Flow Map to model the structure of the Personal Recount Narrative.

2nd grade2nd grade

After that

We looked at a tree.

This morning our class went on a mini-field trip.

We lined up and went outside.

First

I was first felt bark

Finally

We came in.

wrote story

This was a great way to study trees!

Mini Lesson

s

Consistent SimpleBrief

Focused

Concise

Reflective

Non-threateni

ng

Daily

Fun

Five Criteria

MainIdea

Supporting

Details

Coherence

Organization

Conventions

narrowno

fru-fru

descriptive

wordspreciselanguageadditiona

linfo

plan

easy

retell

surfacefeatures

readability

More information is on page 6 in your Write…From the

Beginning Manual

readerappealeasy tofollow

Kindergarten Mini Lesson

?

grass

peas

lettuce

leaf

MainIdea

sun

Mr. Pig’s Birthday(What do you think this paragraph will be about?)

Today is Mr. Pig’s birthday. Mrs. Toad made him a cake. I like presents. Mr. Fox put the candles on the cake. A fox has sharp teeth. Mrs. Mouse cut the cake. Then everyone sang Happy Birthday to Mr. Pig.

(Are there any sentences which do not tell about the main idea?)

1st grade mini lesson: Main

Idea

Follow up by giving the students a new paragraph with irrelevant information. They will need to cross out sentences that do not go with the main idea, and add two additional sentences which do contribute to the main idea.

Supply an opening sentence for this paragraph.

_______________. He has a big barn and a lot of land, but no animals. Chuck does not raise animals. He grows trees. Chuck has many kinds of fruit trees. He grows pear, apple, cherry, and plum trees. Each spring and fall he is busy picking their fruit. It is fun to go to Chuck’s farm when the fruit is ripe.

2nd grade mini lesson: Main Idea

Follow up by displaying a topic sentence such as: Today we woke up and there was snow on the ground. The students will write two or more sentences that relate to the topic.

Student A

Student CStudent B

Student D

8888

1 2 1 2 1 1 0 2 181 2 0 0 0

01 2 14

1 2 0 0 00

1 1 132 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 16

¼ =25%4/4 =100%

2/4=50%

4/4=100%¼=25%¼=25%

4/4=100%0/4=0%¾=75%

3250

Based on this data, what should the teacher reteach during mini-lessons, and model in her own writing?

Are your students able to spell high frequency words?

Our class proficiency reports tell us that our students have difficulty spelling, especially high frequency words.

Conventions Mini Lesson

correct incorrect

Spelling

grilgirl

was

wuz becuse

becauseThe brain needs to see the word spelled correctly next to the word spelled

incorrectly so that the students can distinguish which one is the conventional spelling. 

TPS: What kinds of activities do you do using your Word Wall or Most Frequently Used Words List?

1. Introduce 5 words at a time as you add them to the word wall. Once up, students are responsible for the word.

2. Add to weekly spelling homework.3. Read and spell as a sponge activity.4. Sing them.5. Make up chants for them.6. Refer to and actively use the word wall when

you model writing.7. Play games using the words on your word

wall.

Game: Be a Mind Reader1. This is a word on the word wall: _____________2. Clue #2

_____________3. Clue #3

_____________4. Clue #4 _____________5. This word will fit in the following sentence:

_____________

Chant word wall spellings. Add kinesthetics/movement.H-E-R-E – Here, right here. (Stomp feet)T-H-E-R-E – It’s outta there..... (Swing a baseball

bat.)Hula spelling – Spell the word out with your hips.Say – Spell – Say (from SFA- clap out each letter)Marine Chant: Here are 5 words you need

(repeat) if you want to write and read (repeat) the (t-h-e) where (w-h-e-r-e) who (w-h-o)

say (s-a-y) every (e-v-e-r-y)Make up your own chants.

WFTB Bulletin Board

Inter-rater reliabilityInter-rater reliability is established when

different teachers rate papers in the same way using a rubric. Scores should be the same regardless of which teacher grades the paper.

It increases when all teachers have an understanding of the rubric.

It increases when there are 2 or more teachers scoring the same paper.

How to Establish Inter-rater Reliability1. Read and discuss the writing prompt and the

rubric. 2. Write your own response to the prompt.3. Read a student response.4. Use the rubric to assign a score. Be

prepared to explain why you assigned the score you did.

5. Share your scores with a partner.6. If your scores didn’t agree, partners must

come to a consensus through discussion.

1. Read and discuss the writing prompt and the rubric (WFTB p. 196-198).

2. Write your own response to the prompt.

3. Read a student response.

4. Use the rubric to assign a score. Be prepared to explain why you assigned the score you did.

5. Share your scores with a partner.

6. If your scores didn’t agree, partners must come to a consensus through discussion.