Writing across the Curriculum to Fulfill CCGPS and Improve Student Writing Skills
50 hours/5 PLUs or 100 hours/10 PLUs
Eligible Participants: Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Teachers from all subject areas
Course Description: In this course teachers will examine the theoretical and research
foundations of literature-based reading and writing with particular emphasis on the process of
implementing writing in every classroom regardless of grade level or subject matter.
Participants will come away from the class with a variety of practical methods to inspire their
students with appreciation of, a better understanding of, and enthusiasm for the art of
effective writing in a variety of genres and scenarios. Participants may attend a second week
during which they will implement the various practices in the form of collaborative lessons and
assessments.
Textbooks:
Calkins, L. (2015). Writing pathways: Performance assessments and learning progressions,
grades k-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Fletcher, R (2013). What a writer needs. 2nd edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Goals and Objectives
Participants will:
1. Examine contemporary texts by Ralph Fletcher, Lucy Calkins, Nancy Atwell, Randy
Bomer, and other leaders in the fields of Literacy, Composition, and Reading-Writing
Connections.
2. Examine the Writing Common Core Georgia Performance Standards across the subject
areas in order to clarify them and design practical lessons for their implementation.
3. Gain knowledge of and confidence in the implementation of writing activities used as a
method of information acquisition, of encouraging students to use upper level thinking
skills, and teaching them to effectively demonstrate understanding and insight about a
wide variety of subjects and ideas.
4. Establish a network of colleagues for future collaboration and support for teaching
writing in participants’ future classrooms.
Class Format
Week One (June 15-19): Participants will explore research and best practices related to writing
instruction and reading-writing connections. They will examine the relationships between these
elements and the CCGPS and benchmark/milestones assessments. Topics will include the
writing process, 6 + 1 writing traits, and writing workshops. Participants who complete this
segment of the course only will receive 5 PLUs.
Week Two (June 22-26): Participants who have completed the first week may continue a
second week to receive a total of 10 PLUs. During this week, participants will put the theory,
research, and sample lessons modeled in the earlier sessions into real practice by collaborating
to create lessons which they can take back into their classroom. These lessons will reflect
CCGPS standards, the research and best practices studied the first week, a variety of
assessment tools such as rubrics and checklists. Participants will practice various types of
writing workshops and conferencing with students during various steps of the writing process.
Stipends
Participants will receive a stipend for this course as well as textbooks and other materials free of
charge.
Course Instructors: Jennifer Allen, Shoney Brice, Rikki Chandler, Kimberly Maxwell, Dr. Tamra
Ogletree, Dr. Sheila Reed, and Mary Reid
These women are members of the Cherokee Rose Writing Project Leadership Team which is
dedicated to empowering all teachers across all subject areas and grade levels to use writing in
classrooms to achieve maximum results for students. Collectively, they represent over ninety
years of experience in pre-K through graduate level instruction. They have participated in
and/or led Cherokee Rose Writing Project Summer Institutes and summer writing academies
for students ranging from elementary to high school students.