Meeting Writing Standards Using
Technology
Susan Pangelinan, Davis Senior High
spangelinan@djusd.k12.ca.us
Technology:
Create “Pride of Product”
Use computer labs, teacher projectors, even
overheads to acquaint students with tools for
academic progression/workplace skills/audience
•Find resources: 4 computer stations can rotate 20
students at a time (teams of 5 at a computer) with
½ period turns.
•Computer Labs in library, computer classes, your
own classroom (sign-ups)
•Know campus/community resources (PTA/SLIP)
•Lobby with other instructors for a PC lab, support
staff, supply/maintenance budget (toner is $$!)
Audience Awareness
Audience awareness and staging by you
creates interest and enthusiasm in them!
•Vary the audience
•Brochures for a general public
•Flow charts for class or future student
•Business plans for a corporate board
•PowerPoint slides for a panel or conference
•Agenda templates to run a meeting
•Booklets published for literary clubs/circles
Industry Standards
By bringing in examples of these writing and
communication modes from industry, you
motivate students toward mastery
•Be a collector of samples
•Brochures: travel, services, products, info
•Flow charts: process description, manuals
•Business plans: start-ups, home, internet
•PowerPoint slides: proposals, conferences
•Agenda templates: common work actions
Develop Student Ability
Students gain confidence when they present their
materials—especially if they have their “group”
assistance: develop, review, and finalize product
•Individual work than be presented with others
•Brochures: each student takes a segment
•Flow charts: portions divided among all
•Business plans: play to their strengths
(budget, proposal, projection, rendition, ads)
•PowerPoint slides: a slide (s) per student
•Agenda templates: organize, cooperate, track
Develop Literary Lessons and Assignments that
use and promote technology skills and products
Ask yourself with each literature/writing unit: what
technology skill or activity would work with this?
Certain lessons can be used with any novel:
•Author study: tri-fold brochure, PowerPoint, flyer
•Chapter/plot review: flow charts, PowerPoint
•Essay outline: Powerpoint, tri-fold brochure,
•Research on novel’s historical/social setting:
Powerpoints, Tri-fold brochure, single page flyer
• Small group to class discussion: tables/columns
•Customized curriculum: Business Plan, Templates
Ideas for Literary Units and Technology
assignments (ancillary to major essays/tests)
The Crucible/Scarlet Letter-PowerPoint essay outline
The Grapes of Wrath- PowerPoint Realism, Naturalism
The Great Gatsby/Of Mice and Men- Business Plan
Scarlet Letter/A Separate Peace- Flowchart of Conflict
All Quiet on the Western Front-Tri-Fold Novel Brochure
Animal FarmAll My Sons
PowerPoint on Totalitarianism research
MS Word Meeting Agenda Template
Illustrated Man
Future Products business plan, ads
Careers assignment: MS Word Resume Template
Ideas for Literary Units and Technology
assignments from conference attendees
Joy Luck ClubOur Town-
Single Page Biography of Characters
Travel Brochure (Their Town)
The Old Man and The Sea- Obituary for newspaper
Cyrano De Bergerac
Stolen Years
Engagement Announcement
Mass Mailer (call to action)
The Scarlet Letter Magazine article, witness statements
Writing Standards: Add to high use assignments
Pre-writing/Developing Literary Content
3.0 Literary Response and Analysis
Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of
literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social
science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes.
c. Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social
influences of the historical period that shaped the characters, plots, and,
settings.
•“Fast Facts” 1 period in the library or homework students choose an
area of interest, research topic, add a graphic, present material the next
period. They create literary context for essays
•Scarlet Letter- Puritan Age (social topics, practical)
•Grapes of Wrath-Depression Era (farming, economics)
•All Quiet on the Western Front (weapons, trenches)
•The Old Man and the Sea (fishing techniques, austere living)
• Illustrated Man (1950s/1960s “hopes” and “fears”)
Writing Standards: Add to high use assignments
Pre-writing: Analysis and Brainstorming ideas
1.0 Writing Strategies Students write coherent and focused essays
that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned
argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the
audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the
writing process as needed.
2.2 Write responses to literature:
a. Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the significant ideas of
literary works.
•Powerpoints: Group/individual powerpoints on topics that promote
learning about the “significant ideas” in the literary works
•Grapes of Wrath plight of the migrants
•Huckleberry Finn group summary of assigned chapters,
social/historical commentary, literary
Pre-writing: Analysis/Brainstorming Contents
Student Powerpoint: Grapes of Wrath
Quotes: The Grapes of Wrath
o
“Behind
them more were coming. The great
highways streamed with moving people.” Page
283
o “The migrant people, scuttling for work, scrabbling to live,
looked always for pleasure, dug for pleasure, manufactured
pleasure, and were hungry for amusement.” Page 325
Drought and Dust Bowl Cont…
Mass Exodus from the Great Plains
 Largest migration in
America. By 1940 2.5
million people had moved
out of the Plains states.
 Most of the people traveled
to California were they did
not receive a warm
welcome.
Meeting Standards: Character analysis
Trace inner conflict and character development
Standards 9th 10th Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.3 Analyze interactions between main and subordinate characters in a literary
text (e.g., internal and external conflicts, motivations, relationships, influences)
and explain the way those interactions affect the plot.
3.4 Determine characters' traits by what the characters say about themselves in
narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and soliloquy.
3.5 Compare works that express a universal theme and provide evidence to
support the ideas expressed in each work.
3.6 Analyze and trace an author's development of time and sequence, including
the use of complex literary devices (e.g., foreshadowing, flashbacks).
• Flow Chart: In a flow chart, trace the main character’s inner
conflict in the assigned chapters
• The Scarlet Letter: Trace Hester Prynne’s inner conflicts—
how are they resolved?
•A Separate Peace: Trace Gene’s internal struggles—what is
Knowles attempting to show us about violence and its effect?
Meeting Standards: Audience Awareness
Drafting/revising/publishing to class
Use Powerpoint slides to clarify thesis, organize paragraph topic
sentences, present summary statement
• Slides can be used in initial outline/draft stages
• Updated slides can be shared among groups to
expand/enhance organization and evidence
• Final slides can be used for student “publishing” of their essay
content
• 1st slide is thesis; following 3 or 4 slides are body paragraphs
topic sentences with 2 quotes from text
•Final slide is summary statement (6 slides max)
•Handouts mode to print; 1 page (2 sided, 3 slides per side)
Meeting Standards: Audience Awareness
Drafting/revising/publishing to class
Use Powerpoint slides to clarify thesis, organize paragraph
topic sentences, present summary statement
Standards grades 9 and 10: Writing Organization and Focus
1.1 Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys a
clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a consistent
tone and focus throughout the piece of writing.
2.3 Write expository compositions, including analytical essays and research
reports:
a. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related claims, including
information on all relevant perspectives.
2.0 Speaking applications: Using the speaking strategies of grades eleven and
twelve outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0, students:
2.3 Deliver oral responses to literature:
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the significant ideas of literary
works (e.g. make assertions about text that are reasonable and
supportable).
Other Ideas?
Susan Pangelinan, Davis Sr. High
spangelinan@djusd.k12.ca.us