Writing Curricula: Vertical Articulation
p. 1 of 3
4/4/01
Level
Writing 3
Text
 Cavusgil, 1998. Looking Ahead 1, Heinle & 
Heinle.
Chapters covered: 1-5 & 7
Byleen, 1998. Looking Ahead 3, Heinle &
Heinle. Chapters covered: 1-5
 2000. Newbury House Dictionary, Heinle & 
Heinle.
2000. Newbury House Dictionary, Heinle &
Heinle. (Recommeded)
Goals
Objectives
 Compose meaningful sentences and
paragraphs that focus on a central
idea with appropriate support and
conclusion.
 Introduce the concept that writing is
a process
 Express ideas in writing to the reader in
as clear a way as possible
 Increase fluency in writing
 Compose logical paragraphs and short
compositions conforming to the patterns
presented in the text.
 Do free-writing to increase fluency in
writing
 Learn and use systematic steps in
writing: planning, writing, editing,
revising, rewriting and proofreading
 Practice the basic grammar structures of
informational writing, persuasive
writing, written definitions, and
narratives
 Edit for correct mechanics (punctuation,
capitalization, spelling)
Writing 4
 Compose meaningful sentences, paragraphs,
and essays that focus on a central idea
with appropriate support and
conclusion.
 Understand and use the writing process.
 Express ideas in writing to the reader in as
clear a way as possible
 Compose meaningful paragraphs and essays
conforming to the patterns presented in the
text
 Follow the steps in the writing process.
 Use cohesion devices in paragraphs and
essays
 Practice basic grammar structures of
informational writing, giving instructions,
explaining, evaluating, and summarizing
 Incorporate information from an outside
source (especially in the form of a quotation)
into an essay that the student has written.
 Edit for correct mechanics (punctuation,
capitalization, spelling)
 Correctly format and type essays on the
word processor
Writing 5
 Smalley , Ruetten, and Kozyrev, Refining
Composition Skills (5th edition). Heinle &
Heinle, 2000 (RCS)
Chapters covered: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 11, 12;
 Menasche,1997. Writing a Research Paper
(2nd edition) (WRP)
 Compose expository essays in preparation
for professional or academic writing tasks
 Compose a term or research paper to
prepare for this academic writing task
 Understand and use the composing
process effectively in all writing tasks
 Express ideas in writing in as clear a way
as possible for the reader
 Compose expository essays conforming to
patterns in the text
 Practice writing larger amounts more
quickly to develop fluency in out-of-class
writing and in timed, in-class sessions for
essay exams
 Follow the steps of the composing process to
generate ideas, draft, revise, and edit
 Use cohesive elements appropriately,
particularly transitions, key words, and
reference words
 Use organizational (rhetorical) patterns
appropriately
 Compose paragraphs with effective main
ideas and support sentences
 Edit for correct sentence-level grammar
 Edit for correct mechanics: punctuation,
Compiled by S. McLaughlin
March 2001
Writing Curricula: Vertical Articulation
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4/4/01
Exit
criteria
capitalization, spelling, indentation
 Practice academic writing conventions for a
term paper or research paper
Exit criteria are not applicable at this level.
Students must pass the course with a grade
of C- or better.
Students must pass the course with a grade of
C- or better.
Students with grades below C- may exit
into level 4 at the discretion of the student
advisor in consultation with their writing 3
teacher & supervisor and/or a Michigan
test score and writing sample at the level 4
placement level.
50% Compositions and revisions outside
of class
40% Other writing assignments
10% Class participation
Students with grades below C- may exit into
level 5 at the discretion of the student advisor
in consultation with their writing 4 teacher &
supervisor and/or a Michigan test score and
writing sample at the level 5 placement level.
60% Longer paragraphs and compositions
20% Shorter written assignments done-in
class
10% Shorter homework assignments
10% Class participation
40% Research Paper
40% Compositions (homework and inclass writing)
10% Journal and other writing, grammar,
and mechanics exercises
10% Class participation
Writing
Skills
covered in
the text
chapters
assigned
 Organizing ideas from general to specific
 Supporting generalizations with
examples from personal experience
 Extended comparison and contrast
 Cohesion devices
 Writing a definition
 Supporting a definition with examples,
comparisons, and opinions
 Past time narratives
 Chronological organizers
 Description
 Using details for support
 Writing a survey
 Summarizing information
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Grammar
 Intro to parts of complete sentences
 Practice four basic sentence structures
 Review paragraph organization and cohesion
devices
 Write clear, organized instructions
 Essay organization
 Write a memo
 Write detailed explanations of ideas and
concepts
 Make an evaluation based on accepted
criteria
 Use a variety of types of evidence to support
your evaluation
 Summarize and respond to reading passages
 Distinguish main ideas from supporting
details and examples
 Identifying cohesion devices
Grading
policy
Some students will ask the student advisor
to write a letter of recommendation for
academic programs. Academic readiness
is determined by Michigan Test and
TOEFL scores, teacher assessment, and
class grades.
Writing process
General paragraph structure
Expository paragraphs
Expository essay structure
Essays developed according to particular
organizational patterns
 Examples
 Comparison and Contrast
 Cause and effect essay
 Argumentative essay
 Classification essay (optional)
 Process analysis essay (optional)
 Review some grammar patterns, at
Compiled by S. McLaughlin
March 2001
Writing Curricula: Vertical Articulation
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4/4/01
Structures
Covered
in text
chapters
assigned
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Punctuation following logical connectors
Opinion structures
Adverbs of frequency
Modals – may & might in generalizations
Expressions of quantity
Connecting clauses with and, but, so
Comparison structures
Contrastive connectors
Conditional Sentences (real)
Present tense verbs
Generic articles and nouns
Adjective clauses (subject relatives in
restrictive relative clauses)
Past tense verbs
Prepositional phrases in descriptions
Pronouns of interactive communication
(we vs. you )
Indirect speech
 Simple, compound, complex, and
compound-complex sentences
 Commands
 Conditional sentences (present real)
 Modals in instructions
 Definition structures
 Cause and effect sentences
 Punctuation of direct speech
 Modals to control the strength of
generalizations
 Punctuation of in-text and end-of-text
citations
 Passive sentences in informational writing
 Using comparatives and superlatives to give
evidence in an evaluation
 Using a variety of verb tense to show effects
over a period of time
 Subject-verb agreement
teacher’s discretion, based on observed
students’ needs in particular classes
Compiled by S. McLaughlin
March 2001