STEP UP
TO
WRITING
Howard Cattle Elementary
October 17, 2012
Today’s participants will…
• Review Step Up to Writing program
• Learn one primary (K-3rd) writing
strategy
• Learn one elementary (4th-6th) writing
strategy
What is Step Up to Writing?
• Writing Program used at Cattle
• Builds writing skills for different
genre writing
• Builds writing process
Genre Writing from Kindergarten to Sixth Grade
STEP UP TO WRITING EXPECTIONS
Kindergarten
Verbalize 4 sentences, using the same formula every time.
Topic Sentence
Example
Example
Conclusion
GREEN
YELLOW
YELLOW
GREEN
Trees are important for two reasons. First, they give us shade. Second, they
give us wood. Please be good to trees.
If you can teach a Kinder to say this, depending on the topic, you've taught
Them everything they need to know about expository writing.
(introduction, body, conclusion)
STEP UP TO WRITING
First Grade
Write 6 sentences, using the same formula every time.
TOPIC SENTENCE
Idea
Example/Elaboration/Events
Idea
Example/Elaboration/Events
Conclusion
GREEN
YELLOW
RED
YELLOW
RED
GREEN
Trees are important for two reasons. First, they give us shade. It is 20 degrees cooler in the shade.
Second, they give us wood. Oak and pine are examples. All in all, be kind to trees.
All we've added to Kinder is examples/elaboration/events, also known as the reds.
It's what makes reading expository text interesting.
STEP UP TO WRITING EXPECTATIONS
Second Grade
Write 11 sentences, using the same formula every time.
TOPIC SENTENCE
Idea
Example/Elaboration/Events
Idea
Example/Elaboration/Events
Conclusion
YELLOW
TWO REDS
YELLOW
TWO REDS
GREEN
Trees are important for three reasons. First, they give us shade. It is 20 degrees cooler in the shade.
It's much more fun to have picnics or just sit in the shade. Second, they give us wood. Oak and pine
are examples. You can make furniture or use wood for building safe fires. Finally, trees are important
because some trees give us food. Fruits such as apples and cherries come from trees. Nuts such as
walnuts and pecans come from trees. In conclusion, be kind to trees.
STEP UP TO WRITING EXPECTATIONS
Third Grade
It's time to teach the children to beef up the intro by adding a lead
(BLUE) along with a topic sentence. It's time to beef up the body
with 3 examples per main idea, and it's time to beef up the
conclusion by encouraging the reader to take action.
It's also time to teach 3rd graders to write three paragraphs, one
devoted to the introduction, one LONG one devoted to the body,
and one devoted to the conclusion.
STEP UP TO WRITING EXPECTATIONS
Fourth Grade
Fourth graders continue to write the intro by adding a lead (BLUE) along with a
topic sentence and information surrounding that topic
sentence that creates one paragraph.
Within the body they give a main idea with three examples an each of these
main ideas with examples is a full paragraph.
The conclusion is also one paragraph.
All together, the student will write a five paragraph essay (or expository
writing).
STEP UP TO WRITING EXPECTATIONS
Fifth/Sixth Grade
During fifth and sixth grade continuing using the five paragraph approach with
reteaching, as necessary, expanding and polishing their writing.
Fifth and sixth graders ALSO have to learn how to write:




Response to Literature
Informational Reports
Persuasive Writing
Summary Writing
Genre Writing from Kindergarten to Sixth Grade
Primary Strategy for PERSONAL
NARRATIVE
At home, read LOTS of narratives (STORIES) that have a beginning, middle,
and end – these are called STORY ELEMENTS (Fairy Tales & Picture Books)
At school, teachers work on:
Ideas to write about PERSONAL
NARRATIVE
•
•
•
Chores at Home
Losing Something
Caring about Nature
Our Vacation
Disappointing Mom and Dad
My Halloween Adventure
PERSONAL NARRATIVE PATTERN
Genre Writing from Kindergarten to Sixth Grade
Elementary Strategy for
EXPOSITORY WRITING- INFORMATION REPORT
Accordion Paragraphs (8 sentences)
Elementary Strategy for
EXPOSITORY WRITING- INFORMATION REPORT
Accordion Paragraphs (8 sentences)
QUESTIONS?
Next Steps:
Talk to your child’s teacher about what kind of writing are they doing in class
right now: Narrative, Expository, or a special GENRE writing? (Persuasive,
Informational, Summary, Response to Literature)
Practice using either the primary strategy (narrative -BME) or elementary
strategy (accordion paragraphs) with your child.
Write together and make it FUN!