 Sticky
Note Chart paper
 Markers, Glitter markers, highlighters
 Ream of Paper
 Video
(Individual)
Handout 1- The
(Class Sets)
Handout 2- The
Handout 3- The
Handout 4- The
Standards
Prompt and Texts
Student Sample w/out Comments
Student Sample with Comments
College Career Ready Conference
 Discuss
the Maryland College and Career
Ready (MCCR) standards for argument writing
 Differentiate between assigning and teaching
writing
 Identify the components of effective
argument writing
“Writing is a craft before it is an art;
writing may appear magic, but it is our
responsibility to take our students
backstage to watch the pigeons being
tucked up the magician’s sleeve.”

– Donald M. Murray, A Writer Teaches Writing
Anderson, Carl. Assessing Writers (107).
Argument
Informative/explanatory
Narrative
The Standards acknowledge the fact that
whereas some writing skills, such as the ability
to plan, revise, edit, and publish, are
applicable to many types of writing, other
skills are more properly defined in terms of
specific writing types: arguments,
informative/explanatory texts, and narratives.
Students can, without significant scaffolding,
comprehend and evaluate complex texts across
a range of types and disciplines, and they can
construct effective arguments and convey
intricate or multifaceted information.
They learn to appreciate that a key purpose of
writing is to communicate clearly to an
external, sometimes unfamiliar audience, and
they begin to adapt the form and content of
their writing to accomplish a particular task
and purpose.
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
W.9-10.1 Write
arguments to support
claims in an analysis of
substantive topics or
texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant
and sufficient evidence.
W.11-12.1 Write
arguments to support
claims in an analysis of
substantive topics or
texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant
and sufficient evidence.
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
W.9-10.1a Introduce
precise claim(s),
distinguish the claim(s)
from alternate or
opposing claims, and
create an organization
that establishes clear
relationships among
claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
W.11-12.1a Introduce
precise, knowledgeable
claim(s), establish the
significance of the
claim(s), distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate
or opposing claims, and
create an organization
that logically sequences
claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
W.9-10.1b Develop
claim(s) and
counterclaims fairly,
supplying evidence for
each while pointing out
the strengths and
limitations of both in a
manner that anticipates
the audience’s
knowledge level and
concerns.
W.11-12.1b Develop
claim(s) and
counterclaims fairly and
thoroughly, supplying
the most relevant
evidence for each while
pointing out the
strengths and limitations
of both in a manner that
anticipates the
audience’s knowledge
level, concerns, values,
and possible biases.
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
W.9-10.1c Use words,
phrases, and clauses to
link the major sections of
the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the
relationships between
claim(s) and reasons,
between reasons and
evidence, and between
claim(s) and
counterclaims.
W.11-12.1c Use words,
phrases, and clauses as
well as varied syntax to
link the major sections
of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the
relationships between
claim(s) and reasons,
between reasons and
evidence, and between
claim(s) and
counterclaims.
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
W.9-10.1d Establish and
maintain a formal style
and objective tone while
attending to the norms
and conventions of the
discipline in which they
are writing.
W.11-12.1d Establish
and maintain a formal
style and objective tone
while attending to the
norms and conventions
of the discipline in
which they are writing.
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
W.9-10.1e Provide a
concluding statement or
section that follows
from and supports the
argument presented.
W.11-12.1e Provide a
concluding statement or
section that follows
from and supports the
argument presented.
 Establish
a clear purpose for writing,
modeling the language found in the Writing
Standards
 Specify the audience to be addressed
 State clearly the topic, issue, or idea to be
addressed
 Reference the source text(s) serving as the
stimulus for a student response
 Specify the desired form or genre of the
student reponse
What is the difference between
assigning writing and teaching
writing?
What do we do when we assign
writing?
 provide
students with the writing task
 assign a text and require students to
write an essay on a given topic
 collect and grade the task
 provide minimal feedback
 proceed to the next task
What do we do when we teach
writing?
 show
students what is expected of
them based upon the standards
 provide models of high-quality writing
 offer meaningful feedback
 allow opportunities for students to
develop and strengthen writing by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting,
or trying a new approach
 Deconstruct
the following prompt
 Read
the texts
 Take critical notes as necessary
How can we prepare
students to become
good writers?
 Introduce
claims
 Analyze the texts
 Use valid reasoning
 Establish the significance of the claim
 Distinguish claims from alternate or
opposing claims
 Create logical sequence
 Use
relevant and sufficient evidence
 Develop claims and counterclaims
 Point out the strengths and limitations
 Clarify relationships between claims and
reasons, between reasons and evidence,
and between claims and counterclaims
 Maintain a formal style
 Read
the student samples
 Use the writing and language standards to
provide appropriate comments where
necessary
 Construct feedback in the affirmative
At your table, what comments based on the
standards would be most helpful for this
student?
1) Read the comments provided by
achievethecore.org on the student samples.
2) In what ways did achievethecore.org use the
standards in their feedback?
What are the instructional
implications?
Modeling Writing:
“Teachers better understand the writing task when
they do it themselves. There’s no substitute for
doing when it comes to understanding.”
“Teachers, when they write, uncover the hard
parts and are thus better able to see which minilessons will most benefit their students. Writing
done by the teacher drives better instruction.”
Gallagher, Kelly. Teaching Adolescent Writers (48).
Benefits to Teachers and Students:
“Teachers can model that writing is challenging.
This demonstrates to students that good writing is
the product of multiple revisions.”
“Students see the teacher struggle with the
complexity and chaos of writing. This helps
demystify the writing process. Students no longer
maintain the false impression that good writing
just flows at will.”
Gallagher, Kelly. Teaching Adolescent Writers (48).
 www.achievethecore.org
 msde.state.md.us
 http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/
 Carl
Anderson’s book: Assessing Writers
 Kelly Gallagher’s book: Teaching
Adolescent Writers
Please contact MSDE staff with additional
questions:
Ava Spencer <aspencer@msde.state.md.us>