Writing On Demand
Preparing for Assessment in
elementary school
On-Demand Writing is…

A timed assessment given to test your writing
skills

An opportunity for you to show how well you can




persuade
inform
narrate an event to
 inform
 persuade
Your chance to show how well you can write a
letter or an article for a specified audience
FAP IT!!!
On Demand Writing
Steps to make the right choice and
give your best response
What is FAP?

FAP stands for FORM, AUDIENCE, and
PURPOSE.

It is used to organize the information that you will
see in the OD test prompts.

You will find FAP in the writing task of the
prompts.
F is for FORM
WHAT are you writing?
You will be given the form in the writing task.
The two FORMS are letter and article.
A is for AUDIENCE
To WHOM are you writing?

You will be given the AUDIENCE in
the writing task.

There are many possible audiences,
such as parents, principal, teacher,
site-based council, author, student(s),
neighbor(s), board of education, and
others
P is for PURPOSE
WHY are you writing?
You will write for one of three
purposes. This is given in the writing
task and is set up in the situation:



to persuade
to inform
to narrate an event for a specific purpose
Finding the Hidden
Purpose

When you are asked to tell a personal story
(narrate), it will be for one of two purposes:



to inform
to persuade
You will be able to figure it out by reading
both the Situation and the Writing Task
Find the Purpose


Situation: A “Special Memories” booklet is being
published at your school to hand out to all students.
Think about an interesting event or a special time to
include in the booklet.
Writing Task: Write an article for the “Special
Memories” booklet telling about an interesting event
or a special time. Be sure to include details that help
readers understand why you chose this time or event.
Are you being
asked to
persuade or
inform?
Why are you
telling about
an interesting
event?
What’s the purpose?


Situation: All students like recess, but your principal
is pushing for less recess and more time in the
classroom because he thinks recess is wasted learning
time. Think of a time when you learned something
at recess time that you wouldn’t have learned in the
classroom.
Writing Task: Write a letter to your principal
convincing him that it’s important to keep
recess. Support your opinion by writing about the
time when learning did occur at recess.
Why are you
thinking
about a time
you learned
something?
Are you
being asked
to persuade
or inform?
So…NOW WHAT?
You will always be given TWO prompts and be
asked to choose ONE to write. It is important
to make good choices.

Read both prompts carefully.

FAP both prompts to identify the FORM,
AUDIENCE, and PURPOSE.
Let’s practice
Writing to Persuade
Read both prompts carefully
Prompt #One
SITUATION: Summer is almost here and kids are
going to have more free time to enjoy. Some kids
spend most of their free time in front of a video
game or the TV. They don’t even like to go
outside.
WRITING TASK: Write an article for your school
paper persuading those students to be more
active. Tell them why they need more exercise
and fresh air, and suggest an outdoor activity they
might enjoy.
Prompt #Two
SITUATION: I Love to Read Week is coming soon.
Your librarian want you to pick one of your
favorite books and write a letter to a friend to
convince him or her to read this book.
WRITING TASK: Write a letter to a friend
persuading him or her to read your favorite book.
Be convincing!
Step One:
FAP it!
SITUATION: Summer is almost here and kids
are going to have more free time to enjoy.
Some kids spend most of their free time in
front of a video game or the TV. They don’t
even like to go outside.
WRITING TASK: Write an article for your
school paper persuading those students to be
more active. Tell them why they need more
exercise and fresh air, and suggest an outdoor
activity they might enjoy.
FAP it!
SITUATION:I Love to Read Week is coming
soon. Your librarian want you to pick one of
your favorite books and write a letter to a
friend to convince him or her to read this
book.
WRITING TASK: Write a letter to a friend
persuading him or her to read your favorite
book. Be convincing!
Step Two: Listing
Ideas
The “Rule of
THREE”
outdoor activity:
Swimming
(1) Good
exercise
(1) Burns
calories
(2)
Fun
(1) Play
games
(3)
Doesn’t
cost much
(1) No
special
equipment
(2) Good
for heart
(2) Cool off
(2) Friends
have pools
(3) Makes
you strong
(3) Many
strokes to
try
(3) Low
cost at local
pools
Listing ideas
the “Rule of THREE”
Favorite book:
Reasons:
Stone Fox
(1) Easy to read
(2) About a dog and
courage
(3) Suspenseful and
surprise ending
(2)
Step three: Time to decide…

What topic do you know the most
about?
or

What topic do you know the most
about and which one appeals to you
the most?
Step four: Identify Key
Words

Key words are mostly found in the situation
of the writing prompts and sometimes in the
writing task.

Key words can help you write the
introductory paragraph of your letter or
article.

Key words help your audience focus on the
main ideas of your letter or article.
Key words
Summer is almost here and kids are
going to have more free time to enjoy.
Some kids spend most of their free
time in front of a video game or the TV.
They don’t even like to go outside.
Write an article for your school paper
persuading those students to be more
active. Tell them why they need more
exercise and fresh air, and suggest an
outdoor activity they might enjoy.
Key words are “free”
words!
Summertime Fun
Summer is almost here and we are
going to have more free time to enjoy.
Yeah! But should we spend that time
in front of a video game or the TV?
No! We need to get more exercise
and fresh air. But maybe you don’t
like to go outside. If that’s the case,
here is an activity that you might
enjoy.
Developing your ideas:
The Rule of THREE
Swimming is Healthy!
You should try swimming for three reasons. (1) It is
very good for your health, (2) it’s really fun, and
something else important is (3) it doesn’t cost much.
Swimming is good for your health because (1) the
exercise burns calories so you can control your weight.
(2) Swimming is good for your heart and helps to
prevent heart disease. (3) It also builds muscle which
makes you stronger.
The “Rule of THREE!”
Swimming is Fun!
It’s fun because (1) you can play water games with your
friends like Marco Polo or Underwater Tag. (2) Playing in
the water also helps you cool off when the weather is hot.
Also there are (3) lots of strokes to try like the butterfly,
the crawl, and the backstroke, so you should never get
bored.
The “Rule of THREE!”
Swimming is Inexpensive!
Swimming doesn’t cost much because (1) you
don’t need any special equipment. All you
need is a swim suit and a towel. (2) If you are
lucky enough to have a friend who has a
swimming pool, it doesn’t cost anything. But
(3) even if you have to go to a municipal
swimming pool, the cost is not very much and
the health benefits are worth the money.
Conclusion
Don’t spend most of your free time in front of
a video game or the TV. Try an outside
activity like swimming so you don’t become a
couch potato. Everyone loves swimming as
soon as they have tried it, so hide your TV
remote and take the plunge instead!
Important points to keep in mind:
Article

Focus on an interesting angle of the
topic

Develop your ideas using the “Rule
of Three”


three main ideas, each supported by
three details or examples
Use text features effectively (sections
with headings, bulleted lists, etc.)
Important points to keep in mind:
Letter

Use the correct letter form
(business or friendly)

Develop your ideas using the
“Rule of Three”


three main ideas, each supported
by three details or examples
Anticipate your audience’s
questions and make sure you
answer them
Editing
Make sure:

Your sentences are varied and complete

You have used language appropriate for your
reader and purpose

Your spelling is correct

You have used correct punctuation
Jennifer Bernhard
Literacy Specialist
Clark County Schools
jennifer.bernhard@clark.kyschools.us
Let’s Practice…
Writing to Inform

Situation: A new student has moved into our town
and is anxious to find out what there is to do for fun
in our community.

Writing Task: Write a letter to him/her suggesting
things to do for fun in our community.