Building Writers of
Informational Text
Grades 3-5
Your Workshop Facilitator
Dr. Dea Conrad-Curry
Your Partner in Education
www.partnerinedu.com
Today’s Goals
• Analyze the language of the CCSS for writing
in the informational / explanatory genre
• Identify expected progression in writing skills
from third grade through fifth grade
• Develop a grade-level approach to definition
writing
• Analyze the relationship between PARCC
prototypes and Common Core grade level
standards
• Develop three approaches to support student
acquisition of grade level performance skills
© 2012-2013 Partner in Education
2
TEXT TYPES & PURPOSES: INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
GRADE 5
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic and group
related information together;
include illustrations when
useful to aiding
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts,
definitions, and details.
c. Use linking words and
phrases (e.g., also, another,
and, more, but) to connect
ideas within categories of
information.
d. Provide a concluding
statement or section.
a. Introduce topic clearly; group
related information in
paragraphs and sections;
include headings,
illustrations, and multimedia
when useful to
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic w/facts,
details, definitions,
quotations & topic
information/ examples.
c. Link ideas within categories
of information w/words &
phrases (another, for
example, also, because).
d. Use precise language and
domain-specific vocabulary
to inform about or explain the
topic.
e. Provide related concluding
statement or section
a. Introduce topic clearly,
provide general observation
& focus; group related
information logically; include
headings, illustrations, and
multimedia when useful to
comprehension.
b. Develop topic w/facts,
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or topical
information & examples.
c. Link ideas w/words, phrases,
& clauses (in contrast,
especially).
d. Use precise language and
domain-specific vocabulary
to inform about or explain the
topic.
e. Provide related concluding
statement or section
Source: Common Core State Standards, 2010.
3
Writing a Definition
• A definition first identifies the term, then names
the class to which the word belongs, and finally,
describes the term to let the reader know how
the term is different from other terms in that
same class.
– A horse is a four legged animal that has a mane and
tail. Unlike a donkey, an four legged animal that also
has a mane and tail, the horse has longer legs and
is able to run much faster. Unlike the zebra, another
animal with a mane and tail, a horse never has
striped markings. A horse may have more than one
color, but the patterns of color are like patches rather
than regular patterns.
Definition Writing & Writer’s Workshop
• Mini Lesson #1
• Read Aloud: share samples of definitions
– Read definitions found in the dictionary carefully
– Identify passages in authentic text that share the
definitional organization passage
– Other ideas?
• Model writing a definition
• Pass the task off to the students
5
Extended Definition & Writer’s Workshop
• Mini Lesson #2
• Read Aloud: share samples of extended
definitions
– Identify extended definitions in content text
– Use the internet to search out extended definitions in
authentic text
– Other ideas?
• Begin with a simple definition and then model
writing an extended definition
• Pass the task off to the students
• What might be mini lesson #3?
6
In the fifteenth century the adjective "pretty" joined the English language (derived from
the Old Teutonic noun pratti or pratta, meaning trick or wile). At first everyone thought the
world of pretty. To be a pretty fellow was to be clever, apt, skillful; a pretty soldier was
gallant and brave; a pretty thing was ingenious and artful. It was not until the sixteenth
century that something started to go wrong with the idea of prettiness. Although women
and children could still take pleasure in being called pretty, a pretty man had degenerated
into a fop with a tendency to slyness. Pretty objects continued to be admired until 1875
when the phrase "pretty pretty" was coined. That did it. For the truly clever, apt, and
skillful, the adjective pretty could only be used in the pejorative sense, as I discovered
thirty years ago while being shown around King's College by E.M. Forster. As we
approached the celebrated chapel (magnificent, superb, a bit much), I said, "Pretty."
Forster thought I meant the chapel when, actually, I was referring to a youthful couple in
the damp middle distance. A ruthless moralist, Forster publicized my use of the dread
word. Told in Fitzrovia and published in the streets of Dacca, the daughters of the
Philistines rejoiced; the daughters of the uncircumcised triumphed. For a time, my mighty
shield was vilely cast away.
In the last thirty years the adjective pretty has been pretty much abandoned, while the
notion of beauty has become so complex that only the dullest of the daughters of the
uncircumcised dares use it. Santayana was the last aesthetician to describe beauty
without self-consciousness; and that was in 1896. As a result, we now live in a relativist's
world where one man's beauty is another man's beast. This means that physical ugliness
tends to be highly prized on the ground that it would be not only cruel, but provocative for,
let us say, a popular performer to look better than the plainest member of the audience.
This is democracy at its most endearing; and only a beauty or a Beaton would have it
otherwise.
Orignianlly Published in the New Statesman, March 17, 1978, "On Prettiness" by Gore Vidal was reprinted in The Second American
Revolution and Other Essays: 1976-1982 (Random House, 1982) and again in United States: Essays 1952-1992 (Random House, 1993).
7
Linking Phrases
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
For example…
Another example is…
To add on…
This makes me
realize….
This is important
because…
This is giving me the
idea that…
The reason for this is…
Another reason is…
• This connects with…
• On the other hand…
• I partly agree but…
because…
• Could it also be that…
• Might the reason for this
be…
• This is similar to…
• This is different from…
• I think this is important
because….
More Linking Phrases
• I noticed that …and I
think this connects to the
whole story because…
• I see (the item you are
discussing), and then a
similar thing happens (in
this place), I think this is
repeated because….
• There is one thing in the
story that doesn’t ‘fit’ for
me and it’s…
• This might be present
because...
• In the beginning….then
later…..finally……
• In the beginning… in the
middle… at the end…
• Many people think… but I
think…
• I used to think… but now
I’m realizing…
9
PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF WRITING
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
GRADE 5
4. With guidance & support
from adults, produce writing in
which the development and
organization are appropriate
to task and purpose. (Stnds
1-3)
4. Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the development
and organization are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience.
(Stnds 1-3)
4. Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the development
and organization are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience.
(Stnds 1-3)
5. With guidance & support
from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen
writing as needed by
planning, revising & editing.
(Language standards 1–3 up
to and including grade 3)
5. With guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing.
(Editing for conventions should
demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to
and including grade 4)
5. With guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting,
or trying a new approach. (Editing
for conventions should demonstrate
command of Language standards
1–3 up to and including grade 5)
6. With guidance and support
from adults, use technology to
produce and publish writing
(using keyboarding skills) as
well as to interact and
collaborate with others.
6. With some guidance and
support from adults, use
technology, including the Internet,
to produce and publish writing as
well as to interact and collaborate
with others; demonstrate sufficient
command of keyboarding skills to
type a minimum of one page in a
single sitting.
6. With some guidance and support
from adults, use technology,
including the Internet, to produce
and publish writing as well as to
interact and collaborate with others;
demonstrate sufficient command of
keyboarding skills to type a
minimum of two pages in a single
sitting.
Source: Common Core State Standards, 2010.
10
RESEARCH TO BUILD & PRESENT KNOWLEDGE
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
GRADE 5
7. Conduct short research
projects that build
knowledge about a topic.
7. Conduct short research
projects that build knowledge
through investigation of different
aspects of a topic.
7. Conduct short research
projects that use several sources
to build knowledge through
investigation of different aspects
of a topic.
8. Recall information from
experiences or gather
information from print and
digital sources; take brief
notes on sources; sort
evidence into provided
categories.
8. Recall relevant information from
experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital
sources; take notes and
categorize information; provide a
list of sources.
8. Recall relevant information from
experiences or gather relevant
information from print & digital
sources; summarize or
paraphrase information in notes
and finished work; provide a list of
sources.
9. (Begins in grade 4)
9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 4 reading
standards to literature.
b. Apply grade 4 reading
standards to informational
texts.
9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 5 reading
standards to literature.
b. Apply grade 5 reading
standards to informational
texts.
Source: Common Core State Standards, 2010.
11
12
Source: Common Core State Standards , Appendix C (2010). p.18-21.
Grade 3 Annotations
• Introduces a topic.
– I chose horses because I like to ride them. . . . Horses
are so beautiful and fun to ride.
• Creates an organizational structure (using headers)
that groups related information together.
– Horse Families; Markings; Breeds and Color Coats;
Horses from Different Countries
• Develops the topic with facts and details.
– Hocaidos are from Japan, Sumbas are from Indonesia,
and Pintos are from America.
– A horse can walk, trot, canter, and gallop.
– They [horses] live about 12 to 14 years.
– The most dangerous horse is the Percheron.
Source: Common Core State Standards , Appendix C (2010). p. 18-21.
13
• Uses linking words and phrases to connect ideas within
categories of information.
– I like Morgans because they have a beautiful reddish-brown coat.
– When a foal is ready to be born, the mare (the mother horse) lies
down.
– The first horses were no bigger than a fox and looked like a
donkey.
– Most horses live on farms or ranches, but some horses are wild.
• Provides a concluding section.
– I like horses and I know a lot about them. I like to ride them and
they’re so beautiful!
– Their coats are beautiful, I wish I had a horse of my own!
• Demonstrates growing command of the conventions of
standard written English (with occasional errors that do
not interfere materially with the underlying message).
Source: Common Core State Standards , Appendix C (2010). p. 18-21.
14
15
Source: Common Core State Standards , Appendix C (2010). p. 29-30.
Grade 5 Annotations
• Introduces the topic clearly, provides a general observation
and focus, and groups related information logically.
– Roald Dahl is a very interesting author to me. That’s because he
knows what a kid wants to hear.
• Develops the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples related to the
topic.
– He is the only author that I know that makes up interesting words like
Inkland, fizz wizard, and gobble funking.
– Roald Dahl uses a lot of similes. Some similes that he used that I like
are: Up he shot again like a bullet in the barrel of a gun. And my
favorite is: They were like a chorus of dentists’ drills all grinding away
together.
– In all of Roald Dahl’s books, I have noticed that the plot or the main
problem of the story is either someone killing someone else, or a kid
having a bad life.
16
Source: Common Core State Standards , Appendix C (2010). p. 29-30.
• Links ideas within and across categories of
information using words, phrases, and clauses.
‒ The Witches is the book that I am reading right now,
and it is like The BFG, another book that is by Roald
Dahl. They are alike because . . .
•Uses precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
‒ Roald Dahl uses a lot of similes.
‒ I have noticed that the plot or the main problem of the
story . . .
‒ All the characters . . .
• Demonstrates good command of the conventions
of standard written English
Source: Common Core State Standards , Appendix C (2010). p. 29-30.
17
Understanding the Literary Analysis Task
• Students carefully consider two literary texts worthy of close study.
• They are asked to answer a few EBSR and TECR questions about each
text to demonstrate their ability to do close analytic reading and to compare
and synthesize ideas.
• Students write a literary analysis about the two texts.
PARCC Prototypes & Appendix C Examples
Source: Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and
Career and http://www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes
19
PARCC Assessment Questions
Grade 3 Evidence-Based
Selected-Response
Grade 3 Technology-Enhanced
Constructed-Response
Source: Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career
and http://www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes
20
COMPONENTS OF THE WRITING WORSKHOP
READ ALOUD
MINI-LESSON
INDEPENDENT
WRITING
SHARING
Third
Fourth
Fifth
5–7
minutes
5–7
minutes
5 – 7 minutes
20
minutes
20
minutes
20 minutes
Three days a week, teacher conducts
individual conferences; two days each
week, teacher leads guided writing
sessions.
5
minutes
5
minutes
© 2012-2013 Partner in Education
5 minutes
21
Writing Inside the Story
• Read trying to experience the story.
• Choose a part that matters.
• Step into the story. As you envision, fill in the
details.
• Write a bit to help you get into the story. Write a
few lines that could belong in the story.
Resume reading.
• Pause to write again when it feels right.
Source: Calkins, L. & McEvoy, M. (2006). Literary essays: Writing
about reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. p. 5.
22
Performance Task: RL.4.3.
Students read Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck
Everlasting and describe in depth the
idyllic setting of the story, drawing
on specific details in the text, from the
color of the sky to the sounds of the
pond, to describe the scene.
[RL.4.3]
Source: Common Core State Standards, Appendix B. (2010). p. 70.
23
GENERATE & REHEARSE IDEAS
Writing about Literature
Minilesson #1
 Select an exemplar from a text students are
reading. Don’t take the easiest excerpt.
 Model your own thinking process as you
annotate the text: highlight and write notes to
yourself
 Explain that you will use these notes later to
write about analytically about a piece of
literature
 Pass the task off to students
© 2012-2013 Partner in Education
24
Excerpt: Tuck Everlasting
The sky was a ragged blaze of red and pink and orange, and its double trembled on the
surface of the pond like color spilled from a paintbox. The sun was dropping fast now, a
soft red sliding egg yolk, and already to the east there was a darkening to purple. Winnie,
newly brave with her thoughts of being rescued, climbed boldly into the rowboat. The
hard heels of her buttoned boots made a hollow banging sound against its wet boards,
loud in the warm and breathless quiet. Across the pond a bullfrog spoke a deep note of
warning. Tuck climbed in, too, pushing off, and, settling the oars into their locks, dipped
them into the silty bottom in one strong pull. The rowboat slipped from the bank then,
silently, and glided out, tall water grasses whispering away from its sides, releasing it.
Here and there the still surface of the water dimpled, and bright rings spread noiselessly
and vanished. “Feeding time,” said Tuck softly. And Winnie, looking down, saw hosts of
tiny insects skittering and skating on the surface.
“Best time of all for fishing,” he said, “when they come up to feed.”
Source: Common Core State Standards, Appendix B. (2010). Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. New York:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, ). ).1975. (1975) From Chapter 12.
25
Invite to Write
Writing about Literature
Minilesson #2
 Return to your annotations from the previous
minilesson
 Reread the performance task. Model your thinking
process as you move through the text annotations
connecting your ideas to describe in depth the
scene evoked through the author’s words.
 Write quickly noting that there will be time to edit
for errors later.
 Pass the task off to students
26
He dragged on the oars. The rowboat slowed and began to drift gently toward the
farthest end of the pond. It was so quiet that Winnie almost jumped when the bullfrog
spoke again. And then, from the tall pines and birches that ringed the pond, a wood
thrush caroled. The silver notes were pure and clear and lovely.
“Know what that is, all around us, Winnie?” said Tuck, his voice low. “Life. Moving,
growing, changing, never the same two minutes together. This water, you look out at it
every morning, and it looks the same, but it ain’t. All night long it’s been moving,
coming in through the stream back there to the west, slipping out through the stream
down east here, always quiet, always new, moving on. You can’t hardly see the
current, can you? And sometimes the wind makes it look like it’s going the other way.
But it’s always there, the water’s always moving on, and someday, after a long while, it
comes to the ocean.”
Source: Common Core State Standards, Appendix B. (2010). Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. New York:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, ). ).1975. (1975) From Chapter 12.
27
Writing About Literary Characters
• Review the process of annotation
– Notice and underline details.
– Write a thought about what you underline.
• Read closely; think about author’s language choices, even
in small words like ‘so.’
• Pay special attention to characters’ actions, motivations,
struggles, and changes.
• Ask, “What is this story really about?” Look closely at…
– The section(s) that best capture the whole story’s
meaning
– What the character learns in the story
– How all elements of the story contribute to the story’s
message
28
Comparing and Contrasting Characters
Character
Block
Aspect
Side by Side
29
© 2012-2013 Partner in Education
Editing: Teaching Conventions
The writing workshop values instruction in word choice and writing
conventions: sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, and spelling.
 Identify a convention or word choice that may be new to students or
is frequently misused by students.
 Discover an authentic text that uses the convention or word choice
advantageously.
 Read the text aloud, stopping to discs the author’s use of the
convention or word choice.
 Continue to read the text, asking students to identify additional uses
of the convention or word choice.
 Ask students to return to their writing and
1. Check spelling
2. Add focus convention (capitalization, apostrophes, commas, etc. ).
3. Replace tired words with carefully selected words.
30
LANGUAGE STANDARDS
CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
GRADE 5
1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. Explain the function of nouns,
pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and
adverbs in general and their
functions in particular sentences.
b. Form and use regular and irregular
plural nouns.
c. Use abstract nouns (e.g.,
childhood).
d. Form and use regular and irregular
verbs.
e. Form and use the simple (e.g., I
walked; I walk; I will walk) verb
tenses.
f. Ensure subject-verb and pronounantecedent agreement.*
g. Form and use comparative and
superlative adjectives and adverbs,
and choose between them
depending on what is to be
modified.
h. Use coordinating and
subordinating conjunctions.
i. Produce simple, compound, and
complex sentences.
1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. Use relative pronouns (who,
whose, whom, which, that) and
relative adverbs (where, when,
why).
b. Form and use the progressive
(e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I
will be walking) verb tenses.
c. Use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can,
may, must) to convey various
conditions.
d. Order adjectives within sentences
according to conventional patterns
(e.g., a small red bag rather than a
red small bag).
e. Form and use prepositional
phrases.
f. Produce complete sentences,
recognizing and correcting
inappropriate fragments and runons.*
g. Correctly use frequently confused
words (e.g., to, too, two; there,
their).*
1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
a. Explain the function of
conjunctions, prepositions, and
interjections in general and their
function in particular sentences.
b. Form and use the perfect (e.g., I
had walked; I have walked; I will
have walked) verb tenses.
c. Use verb tense to convey various
times, sequences, states, and
conditions.
d. Recognize and correct
inappropriate shifts in verb tense.*
e. Use correlative conjunctions (e.g.,
either/or, neither/nor).
31
LANGUAGE STANDARDS
CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
GRADE 5
2. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
a. Capitalize appropriate words in
titles.
b. Use commas in addresses.
c. Use commas and quotation
marks in dialogue.
d. Form and use possessives.
e. Use conventional spelling for
high-frequency and other studied
words and for adding suffixes to
base words (e.g., sitting, smiled,
cries, happiness).
f. Use spelling patterns and
generalizations (e.g., word
families, position-based
spellings, syllable patterns,
ending rules, meaningful word
parts) in writing words.
g. Consult reference materials,
including beginning dictionaries,
as needed to check and correct
spellings.
2. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of
standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
a. Use correct capitalization.
b. Use commas and quotation
marks to mark direct speech and
quotations from a text.
c. Use a comma before a
coordinating conjunction in a
compound sentence.
d. Spell grade-appropriate words
correctly, consulting references
as needed.
2. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of
standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
a. Use punctuation to separate
items in a series.*
b. Use a comma to separate an
introductory element from the
rest of the sentence.
c. Use a comma to set off the
words yes and no (e.g., Yes,
thank you), to set off a tag
question from the rest of the
sentence (e.g., It’s true, isn’t it?),
and to indicate direct address
(e.g., Is that you, Steve?).
d. Use underlining, quotation
marks, or italics to indicate titles
of works.
e. Spell grade-appropriate words
correctly, consulting references
as needed.
32
LANGUAGE STANDARDS
KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGE
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
3. Use knowledge of language
and its conventions
when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases
for effect.*
b. Recognize and observe
differences between the
conventions of spoken and
written standard English.
3. Use knowledge of language
and its conventions
when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases
to convey ideas precisely.*
b. Choose punctuation for
effect.*
c. Differentiate between
contexts that call for formal
English (e.g., presenting
ideas) and situations where
informal discourse is
appropriate (e.g., smallgroup discussion).
GRADE 5
3. Use knowledge of language
and its conventions
when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
a. Expand, combine, and
reduce sentences for
meaning, reader/listener
interest, and style.
b. Compare and contrast the
varieties of English (e.g.,
dialects, registers) used in
stories, dramas, or poems.
Source: Common Core State Standards, (2010). p. 28-29.
33
Understanding the Precise Nature of Language
Nice
 There many different words that express the distance between
two emotions. Enter today’s date into your writing notebook
and copy the continuum on the left beneath the date. On the
continuum, place as many words on that continuum to describe
the varying degrees between nice and mean.
 Now choose one of those words (other than nice or mean) that
reminds you of an experience you have had or can imagine.
 Beneath the continuum, begin writing about your experience
without using the word you chose. Use sentences that will help
the reader picture what you want them to see or feel.
 Trade writing notebooks with a peer. Read one another’s
sentences and try to match the situation you described with a
word written on your continuum.
Mean
 Discuss and compare your thinking. Reflect on your
conversation.
34
LANGUAGE STANDARDS
CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH (STANDARDS 1 & 2)
GRADE K
5. With guidance and support from
adults, explore word relationships
and nuances in word meanings.
a.Sort common objects into
categories (e.g., shapes, foods)
to gain a sense of the concepts
the categories represent.
b. Demonstrate understanding of
frequently occurring verbs and
adjectives by relating them to
their opposites (antonyms).
c. Identify real-life connections
between words and their use
(e.g., note places at school that
are colorful).
d. Distinguish shades of meaning
among verbs describing the
same general action (e.g., walk,
march, strut, prance) by acting
out the meanings.
GRADE 1
5. With guidance and support from
adults, demonstrate understanding
of word relationships and nuances
in word meanings.
a. Sort words into categories (e.g.,
colors, clothing) to gain a sense
of the concepts the categories
represent.
b. Define words by category and
by one or more key attributes
(e.g., a duck is a bird that swims;
a tiger is a large cat with stripes).
c. Identify real-life connections
between words and their use
(e.g., note places at home that
are cozy).
d. Distinguish shades of meaning
among verbs differing in manner
(e.g., look, peek, glance, stare,
glare, scowl) and adjectives
differing in intensity (e.g., large,
gigantic) by defining or choosing
them or by acting out the
meanings.
GRADE 2
5. Demonstrate understanding of
word relationships and nuances in
word meanings.
a. Identify real-life connections
between words and their use
(e.g., describe foods that are
spicy or juicy).
b. Distinguish shades of meaning
among closely related verbs
(e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and
closely related adjectives (e.g.,
thin, slender, skinny, scrawny).
35
ASSESSMENT OF WRITING AND THE
WRITING PROCESS
• Assessing not only the written product but
writing process.
• Incorporating district level expectations into
CCSS
Source: Lucy Calkins Resources for Teaching Writing CD.
37
Source: State of Delaware Department of Education. Assessment Tools.
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/aab/English_Language_Arts/ela_assessment_tools.shtml
38
Source: State of Delaware Department of Education. Assessment Tools.
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/aab/English_Language_Arts/ela_assessment_tools.shtml
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Source: State of Delaware Department of Education. Assessment Tools.
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/aab/English_Language_Arts/ela_assessment_tools.shtml
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Text Types and Purposes*
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using
valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and
information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact
and collaborate with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused
questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding
plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a
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single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.