Interdisciplinary Writing
Unit
Donna Cook
Eighth Grade
Reading
Summer Semester
2005
READ 7140
• Unit 1: Eyewitness
Report
• Unit 2: Short Story
Georgia Performance
Standards
ELA GPS K-3 (Handout)
ELA GPS 4-8 (Handout)
Writing Across the Curriculum
www.doe.k12.ga.us
Introduction to Unit
• Parent/Student Letter
• Analytic and Holistic Scoring
• Middle Grades Writing Assignment
Rubric
• Define – Expository Writing
Eyewitness Report
• Teacher Skit
Middle Grades Writing
Assessment 8th Grade
•
•
•
•
Analytic and Holistic Scoring
The scoring system is analytic. Analytic scoring means that more
than one feature or domain of paper is evaluated. Each domain
itself is scored holistically. The score assigned indicates the test
raters’ overall impression of the writer’s command of the
components, using predetermined scoring criteria contained in the
Scoring Rubrics. Accurate scoring requires balancing a writer’s
strengths and weaknesses.
Domain Weighting
Each paper is scored in five domains: Content/Organization, Style,
Sentence Formation, Usage, and Mechanics. Scores in each domain
range from 1 to 4 (4 being the highest score). The total weighted
raw scores range from 16 (1’s in all four domains) to 64 (4’s in all
four domains).
Domain
Domain
Weight
Calculation of
Weighted Score
37.5%
3 x each rater’s
score
25%
2 x each rater’s
score
Sentence
Formation
(SF)
12.5 %
1 x each rater’s
score
Usage (U)
12.5%
1 x each rater’s
score
Mechanics (M)
12.5%
1 x each rater’s
score
Content/
Organization
C/O
Style (S)
Rubric: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/testing/writing.asp
Unit 1: Eyewitness
Report
Prewriting
• 5-How Graphic Organizer
• Eyewitness Report At a Glance
• Idea Bank
• Including Quotations
• 5-W-How Graphic Organizer Scoring
Guide
NAME: __Donna Cook_________
DATE:___6/16/06
Event: _________Argument prior to class_________
5-W-How Graphic Organizer
(Completed for Modeling Exercise)
WHO?
Two teachers (or a teacher and a student)
WHAT?
An argument about something the principal said
WHERE?
In our classroom
WHEN?
At the beginning of this class
WHY?
Mr. ________ told Ms. __________ to give our teacher a
message about something we were supposed to do in class.
HOW?
She came into our classroom and very loudly told Ms.
___________ to do something.
EYE WITNESS REPORT AT A GLANCE
(TRANSPARENCY #1)
WHO?
People
involved
HOW?
The
details
WHAT?
THE
EVENT
RUBRIC
Standards for Writing
A successful eyewitness report should:
•
Re-creation
Of events
WHERE?
The
place
WHY?
cause
•
•
WHEN?
Date,
time,
year
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on an event that is important
to the writer or is historically
important.
Answer the five W’s: who, what,
when, where, and why
Explain how the event occurred.
Use sensory details, dialogue, and
action verbs to show exactly what
the writer observed
Present events in a clear, logical
order
(Writing Workshop: Eyewitness
Report)
Idea Bank
(Transparency #2)
Finding a Topic
Look for Puzzles. Think about something you have seen that
puzzles you. You could describe what you saw and what it left you
wondering.
What’s New? Think about something new in your life. You might
describe a day in the life of a new baby brother or sister or a new
pet. You might describe your first outing in a new family car or
your first experience with a new computer.
Take a Walk. Describe something that catches your interest on a
walk, either in your neighborhood or something unfamiliar.
Check your calendar. Does the future hold a sports event, club
event, or family gathering? Plan to attend and take notes.
(Writing Workshop: Eyewitness Report)
Including Quotations
(Transparency #3)
Find another witness. Quote another person
who saw the same thing you did. The quotation
might support your view or contrast with it.
Quote an expert. Cite the words of an expert
on the topic.
Be Creative. Provide a literary quotation or
song lyrics to illustrate the point of your report.
(Writing Workshop: Eyewitness Report)
5-W-How Graphic Organizer Scoring Guide
Prewriting Assessment
Student Name: ______________________________________
Date: ____________
Question
Teacher comments on answers
Possible
Points
Event
16
Who?
14
What?
14
Where?
14
When?
14
Why?
14
How?
14
Points
Received
Drafting:
•Transition Tool Box
•Getting Organized
•Sample Eyewitness Report
Organizing
(transparency #4)
Sequential Order
Used in short stories, news reports, “how-to” manuals, biographies,
science and history writing.
Example: To make a print from a mushroom sport, first cut off the
mushroom’s cap. Then place the cap on a piece of paper for two
hours.
Spatial Order
Used in science writing, mysteries, eyewitness accounts, short
stories
Example: The cauliflower fungus grows on the roots of pine trees,
very close to the base of the tree’s trunk.
Cause-and-Effect Order
Used in science and history writing, editorials, persuasive writing
Example: As a result of the increased use of pesticides and
fertilizers, field mushrooms have become much less common.
Compare-and-Contrast Order
Used in book reviews, encyclopedias, consumer guides
Example: The dirty trich and the sticky gray trich mushrooms are
members of the same species. They are similar in size. The sticky
gray trich can be eaten, but the dirty trich is poisonous.
Order of Degree
Used in persuasive writing, editorials, reference books,
advertisements
Example: The lawn mower’s mushroom is a familiar mushroom. The
giant puffball is more unusual. However, the stinky squid is very
rare (Writing Workshop: Eyewitness Report).
TRANSITION TOOL BOX
Words and Phrases that link
(TRANSPARENCY #5)
COMPARE
AS
ALSO
IN THE SAME WAY
LIKE
LIKEWISE
SIMILARLY
CONTRAST
BUT
HOWEVER
IN CONTRAST
INSTEAD
ON THE OTHER
HAND
UNLIKE
SEQUENTIAL ORDER
NEXT
THEN
DURING
LAST
LATER
ONCE
SPATIAL ORDER
AROUND
BELOW
CENTER
IN FRONT OF
OUTSIDE
SURROUNDING
TO THE LEFT
TO THE RIGHT
CAUSE-ANDEFFECT ORDER
AS A RESULT
BECAUSE
CAUSED BY
CONSEQUENTLY
DUE TO
FOR THIS
REASON
IF . . . THEN
ORDER OF DEGREE
EVEN LESS
EVEN MORE
FINALLY
FIRST
FROM . . . TO
FURTHERMORE
LEAST
MOST
TO
(Writing Workshop:
Eyewitness Report)
Rubric in Action
The Perfect Performance
Only a few hours ago, I was inside the U.T. Tyler auditorium watching a
wonderful presentation put on by the talented, exotic National Acrobats of China.
The performance I saw included a man executing acrobatics on top of a 15-foot
tower of chairs.
At the beginning of the performance, a man brought out a tall, four-legged,
stool-type platform. It had a blue cape around the perimeter that seemed to be
made of crushed velvet and was decorated in blue and gold. Another man brought
in four wine bottles, which he tapped to demonstrate that they were really made
out of glass. He then placed the bottles on each of the four corners of the
stool, and on top of the bottles, he placed a chair with its legs resting on the
bottles. The men would place many other chairs on top of their chair throughout
the course of the performance. These chairs were plain white with blue trim, and
their backs were straight and vertical, with no curve.
To the very tiptop of this lofty tower of chairs went an acrobat dressed in
silken clothes of blue and white. Great suspense grew among the audience as the
men on the stage thrust yet another chair into the air for him. The performer,
however, knew exactly what he was doing. Though he laughed and smiled for the
audience, he was dead serious. Catching the chair, he placed it on the top chair
and tilted it diagonally, so that just two of its legs touched the rest of the
tower. The audience was silent in awe as he did a handstand on the tilted chair
and then spun around, using only one arm to hold his limber body in midair over
the chair.
For a finale, the acrobat added three more chairs, and he stood on his head
at the very top. As he was doing this, the chairs shook. I was secretly scared,
but he came out all right. Last, as he climbed down, he threw the chairs down
one by one to the three other performers on the stage. When the tower of
chairs was completely demolished, he leaped into the air and did a dizzying
somersault to the ground, landing perfectly.
1. Begins by
telling when, who,
where, and what
about the event.
2. Uses
sensory
details of
sight and
sound.
3. Captures the mood
of the event.
4. Presents events in
a clear logical order.
(Writing Workshop: Eyewitness Report)
Getting Organized
(transparency #6)
to be used with modeling activity
Event: Performance of the Chinese National Acrobats
First Event:
A man brought out a four legged,
stool-type platform.
Second Event:
Third Event:
Fourth Event:
An acrobat climbed to the very top of this
whole conglomeration of chairs!
The acrobat added three more chairs, and
stood on his head at the very top.
Afterward, he very carefully climbed down
disassembling the chairs as he went.
Another man brought in four wine bottles
and placed them at the four corners of the
stool. Then he placed a chair with its legs
resting on the bottles. The men placed
many chairs on top of that chair.
Name of eyewitness
Author:___________________________________________________
Name of peer editor:_____________________________________
Friendly Feedback
Peer Editing Worksheet: All questions should be answered completely.
REMEMBER – DO NOT WRITE ON THE ORIGINAL PAPER!
1. What did I describe and when did it take place?
2. What mood did I create?
3. What details helped you experience the event?
4. How did I show the order of events?
5. What did you like best about my report?
Eyewitness Report
DRAFTING SCORING GUIDE
Author Name: ________________________________Date: ____________
Completed “Friendly Feedback” Worksheet is attached: __________
Question
Teacher comments
Possible
Points
Focused on an event that has
personal or historical
meaning?
20
Answered the five W’s: who, what,
when, where, and why?
20
Used precise language and sensory
images?
20
Presented what happened in a
clear, logical order?
20
Captured the mood of the event?
20
Total Points
100
Points
Received
Revising/Proofreading/Editing
Friendly Feedback +
Drafting Scoring Guide +
“The Six Traits of Good Writing” =
A+ Eyewitness Report
Six Traits of Good Writing
(Transparency #8)
1. Ideas and Content
Ideas are clear, focused, and well
supported with relevant details.
2. Organization
Ideas are arranged in a logical order
that moves the reader through the text.
3. Voice
The writing shows individual style and
personality.
4. Word Choice
Language is precise, powerful, and
engaging.
5. Sentence Fluency
Writing has a pleasing rhythm and
flow, and shows varied sentence length
and structure.
6. Conventions
Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
errors are eliminated.
(Writing Workshop: Eyewitness Report)
Publication!
Header/Footer
Save under student
name
12 Pt. Times New
Roman Font
Use grammar and
spell check
YOU ARE
FINISHED!
Modifications/Accommodations
• Georgia Learning Connection website
at www.glc.k12.ga.us/password/trc
Grouping:
 Prewriting: Students work cooperatively in groups
of two to four.
 Drafting: Students work cooperatively in groups
of two to four.
 Revising/Proofreading/Editing: Students work
cooperatively in groups of two to four.
 Publishing: Students work individually.
NOTE: Grouping strategies may vary depending on
the needs of the individuals in the class.
•
•
•
•
Prewriting
Drafting
Revising/Proofreading/Editing
Publication
References
• Georgia Department of Education (2005). Writing
assessments. Retrieved June 25, 2005 from
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/testing/writing.asp.
• Georgia School Council Institute (2005). Retrieved June
25, 2005 from http://www.gaschoolcouncil.org/index.html.
• “Writing workshop: Eyewitness report.” In Language
network: Grammar, writing,communication (432439).(2003). Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell Inc.