DearDr.

Hartman,
Whiledevelopingawritingassignmentwasnotanewconcepttomebecauseitspartof
everydaydutiesasateacher,IwaschallengedbecauseeverythingIhadthoughtwastrue
regardingteachinggrammarandwritingwasturnedupsidedown.Withthisassignment
beginningasearlyasitdidinthesemester,Ididnotrealizehowwrongthisassignmentwas
untilitwastoolate.IrealizedduringtheAssignandAssessPhase,specificallywhenthe
studentswerecompletingthegraphicorganizertoidentifythepartsofasentence,this
assignmentwasnotvaluabletomystudents.Inrevisingthisassignment,Iwoulddoa
completeoverhaulandscraptheentirething.
AchallengeIhavefacedthroughthisentireassignmentistryingtobendtheVirginia
StandardsofLearning(SOLs)tomatchwhattheresearchsupports.Thestandardsarewhat
teachersareexpectedtoaligninstructionto,but,inthiscase,theyapparentlyneedtobebent
tomatchwhatshouldbetaught.IwoulduseJeffAnderson's
MechanicallyInclined
asthe
startingpointformynewandimprovedWAD.Afterabasicunderstandingisgained,along
withadiscoursefortalkingaboutlanguage,Iwouldhavemystudentsdomimickingactivities.
Wewouldlookatvarioussentencesfromwhateverstorywearereadinginclassatthetimeto
seewhatwenotice(modelingwouldmostcertainlybenecessaryhere).Wewouldthenwritea
fewsentencestogetherbasedonwhatwenoticed,andthenwewouldcompareandcontrastthe
sentences.Next,studentswouldworkonmimickingtheoriginalsentenceontheirown.We
wouldtaketurnsreadingsentencesaloud(metoo!)afterthestudentshadplentyoftimeto
makesuretheirsentencesfollowthesamestructureastheoriginal.
Ithinkthiswouldbebeneficialforthestudentsinunderstandingwhateffective
sentenceslooklike.Theywouldbeabletogainanawarenessofdifferenttechniquesand
strategiestomakeeffectivesentencesthatarememorableandclear.Thiswouldstillfitintothe
VirginiaSOLs(withalittlebending),andIthinkitwouldresultinreallearningandatrue
understandingoflanguageformystudents.
WhilethiswouldfulfilltherequirementsfortheWAD(ifIweretodoitalloveragain),I
wouldcontinuethistypeofinstructionthroughouttheyearbyusingsimilarmethodsand
activities.Forexample,studentscouldrewritethefirstparagraphofashortstoryreadinclass
bylookingateachsentenceindividuallyandmimickingeachsentencestructure.Inherwork
TheWriteWaytoTeachGrammar,LynneWeberoffersmanyengagingexamplesthatwould
workgreatforthistypeofinstruction.Sentenceunscramblingandsentencecombiningare
activitiesfromthissourcethatIthinkwouldalsocontinuetofosterlearning.

Respectfully,
KatherineLong

KatherineLong
WADReviseandReflect
24April2016
Dr.Hartman
TeachingofWriting

Rationale/Overview:
WhyamIchoosingthisdesign/assignment?Whyisthisassignmentimportant/significant?
Studentshavealreadylearnedtoidentifythepartsofasentence(subjectsand
predicates)however,somestudentsarestillstrugglingwithincludingandidentifyinga
completethought.Havingalreadylearnedthebasicstructureofsentences,thestudentsare
goingcontinuetopracticewritingincompletesentences.
Throughoutthisprocess,IwanttoensurestudentsarestillstayingwithintheStandard
AmericanEnglishrulesofsentencewriting.Withinthisassignment,thestudentswillreview
whathasalreadybeentaught.Dailydirectinstructionwasusedtoteachthestudentssubjects,
predicates,andcompletethoughts.Wealsodiscussedphrases,clauses,andcoordinate
conjunctions.Icompletedthisinstructionduringdailywarmuptime.Ifrequentlyused
studentexamplestofacilitatediscussion(myfavoriteno,example/nonexample).Thestudents
willberemindedofthepreviouslessonslearnedandworkontheirwritingwiththese
remindersinmind.
Thegoalofthisassignmentistohavestudentswritestrongsentences.Iwantthe
studentstohaveconfidenceintheirsentencewriting,whilealsohavingtheabilitytorevise
theirownwork.Thereflectionportionoftheassignmentisthemostimportant.Iwanttoseeif
studentsunderstandtheimportanceofbeingunderstoodintheirwriting.
WhyamIdesigningitthewayIam?
Studentswereabletofreewrite,sotherewasnopressureontopics,time,orhowthey
werewriting.Iallowedstudentstochoosetohandwriteortypetheirwriting.Ichosetohave
studentsanalyzewriting(theirownandothers)hopingtheywillbeabletoseetheadvantages
ofwritingcompletesentences(thoughts).Iamgoingtogivethestudentsagraphicorganizerto
fillintomakesuretheyhavesubjectsandpredicates.Thereflectiveletteristohavestudents
writingaboutwritinghavingthestudentsanalyzewritingandthenreflectonitshouldresult
inamoreconsciouseffortbeingputintofuturewriting.Meaning,Ithinkhavingstudentsfocus
onwhywritingincompletesentencesmakesiteasierforpeopletounderstandthemwillresult
instudentsthinkingmoreaboutthiswhilewritinginthefuture.

Context:
Thisunitwillbecompletedoverthecourseoftwoweeks(givenatypicalschoolweekof
fivedays)inaseventhgradeLanguageArtsclassroom.Iteachfourseparateclasses,atotalof
103students.Oneclassisaninclusionclass,andIhaveacoteachertoassistwithinstruction.
Eachclassis55minutes.Asmentionedabove,studentshavealreadylearnedtoidentifythe
basicpartsofasentence.Thisassignmentwillcontinuethestudentsstudyofsentencewriting.

Objective:
Thepurposeofthisassignmentistohelpstudentswritestrongsentenceswhilehelping
themavoidcommonmistakesemergingwritersmake.

VirginiaStandardsofLearning(SOL):
7.8Thestudentwilleditwritingforcorrectgrammar,capitalization,punctuation,
spelling,sentencestructure,andparagraphing.
a)Useavarietyofgraphicorganizers,includingsentencediagrams,toanalyze
andimprovesentenceformationandparagraphstructure.
f)Demonstrateunderstandingofsentenceformationbyidentifyingtheeight
partsofspeechandtheirfunctionsinsentences.

VirginiaSOLWritingStrandFocus:
Attheseventhgradelevel,studentswillplan,draft,revise,andeditexpositoryaswellas
narrativeandpersuasivepieceswithattentiontocompositionandwrittenexpression.

Students
willachievegreaterindependencewithsentenceformation,usage,andmechanicsand
understandthattheconventionsoflanguagehelpconveythemessagefromthewritertothe
reader.Studentswillusewritingforexpressivepurposesandasatoolforlearningacademic
concepts.Theywilluseavailableandappropriatetechnology.

VirginiaSOLCurriculumFramework:
UnderstandingtheStandard:
Theintentofthisstandardisthatstudentswillunderstandandapplyallthe
conventionsoflanguagelearnedattheelementaryschoollevelwithincreasingindependence.
Studentswillmaintaincorrectuseoflanguagetoenhancewritingandtoavoidconfusingor
distractingthereader.Studentswillunderstandthattheconventionsofcorrectlanguagearean
integralpartofthewritingprocess.
EssentialKnowledge,Skills,andProcesses:
Tobesuccessfulwiththisstandard,studentsareexpectedtousecompletesentences
withappropriatepunctuation,includingthepunctuationofdialogue.

AssignmentDesign

Whatarewedoing?
Wewillbecontinuingoursentencework.Wewillreviewwhathasalreadybeentaught
topractice,whichwillmakeoursentencesstronger.

Imgoingtohaveyou

writing,lookingatandbreakingdown(analyzing)language,andwritingtomeaboutwriting.

Whyarewedoingthis,Mrs.Long?
Atthebeginningoftheyear,Ishowedyouallsomerealworldexamplesofhowmyclass
couldhelpyou.Iknowsentenceworkisntthemostfun,butIpromiseitwillhelpyouforthe
restofyourlife.Dontyouthinkitisimportantforpeopletounderstandwhatyouaretryingto
communicatetothem?Thinkofallofthesetimeswhenyouwouldwantpeopletoknowwhat
youaretryingtosay:blogging,emailingyourboss,jobandcollegeapplications,writingaletter
toyourcongressman,orevenwhenyoupostsomethingonsocialmedia.Nomatterwhatyour
futuregoalsare,youaregoingtoneedtoknowhowtowrite,andIwantyoutobeunderstood!

Okay,okay.Howoneartharewegoingtodothis?
Wewillbefreewritinginclassalittlemoreoften,justsoyoucanpracticewhatyoure
learning.Afterawhile,wewillgobackandbreakaparttheelementsofthesentenceswehave
beenwritingduringfreewritingtimeandseehowwearedoing.Wewillanalyzeother
studentswritingandsomeoftheliteraturewehaveread.Oncewehavelookedforthe
sentenceinformationwehavelearnedinotherpeopleswritingandourown,youwillwritea
lettertomeansweringthequestionIsitimportanttowriteincompletesentences?Ifso,why?
Ifnot,explainwhy!

Whenwillthisallbeover?
Ihatetobreakittoyou,butyouwillneverfinishwritingsentences.

AssessmentTool/Plan

Howarewegoingtobegraded?
Insteadoftakingatestattheendofthisunitlikewehaveforthepasttwo,Iamgoingto
gradeaswegoonthisassignment.Youwillbegradedonyourfreewriting,theactivitieswhere
youlookatotherswritingandyourown,andtheletteryouwillcompleteattheend.

Thisishowitwillallbreakdown:
FreeWritingClassworkgrades
LookatWritingActivitiesClassworkgrades
LettertoMrs.LongTestgrade

*Remember,classworkisworth40%ofyourgradeinmyclass!Youhavetoworkthroughout
thisentireassignmentinordertodowellontheletter.Letsworkhardandlearnhowto
expressourselveseffectively!

Thefreewritingwillbegradedforcompletion.
Wewillanalyzeourownwritingbyidentifyingsomeoftheelementsofgoodsentences
wehavelearnedthisyear.Iwillbelookingtoseeelementswerecorrectlyidentified.We
willuseagraphicorganizertohelpuswiththis.Wewillcompletethissameactivity
usingotherpeopleswriting.Again,thisgradewillbeacompletiongradeandwewill
conferenceinsmallgroupsaboutmisidentifiedinformation.
Afteryoulookatyourwritingandsomeoneelses,youwillwritemeareflective
letter/email/journalentry.Iwillbelookingforanhonestandwellthoughtoutanswer.
Yourgradewillbebasedonyouranswer.Youmaywanttotakesometimetothink
beforeyoustartwriting!Thereisntarightorwronganswertothequestion.Justthink:
Isitimportanttowriteincompletesentences?Whyorwhynot?Pleaseexplainyour
answerindetail!

**Revision/ReflectionNotes
:Thecompletiongrades(100/A)forthestudentsampleswerewritten
onthebackofeachassignment(thejournalsandanalysisactivities),butIfailedtoscanthebacksof
eachpage.Asforthestudentreflectionletters,sinceIonlyhadtwostudentscompletethisassignment
thistime,Iwasabletositandtalkwitheachofthemabouttheirthoughts.Becauseofthis,eachstudent
receiveda100/Atestgradeinthegradebook.Icommunicatedthisverballyattheendofour
conference.Youcanseethatonestudentputalotofthoughtintohers,whiletheotherdidnotputas
muchthought.Iwasabletoaskhimquestionstopromptmoreindepththoughtanddiscussion,sohe
didreceivethe100/Aaswell.IfIweretogobackanddothisagain(havingmorestudentstorespond
to),Iwouldrespondtoeachreflectionwithwrittenfeedback.Ithinkitwouldbeneattogiveaudio
feedbacklikeyouareabletodoonturnitin,butIwouldhavetodoresearchtofindawaytodothatin
myclassroom.

GraphicOrganizerforAnalyzingWriting

Thewhoorwhat

Whatthesubjectisor
does

Completethought?
Doesitmakesenseby
itself?Canitstandby
itself?

Isitarunon
sentence?

Sample1
Theseventhgradersarequietasever,sittingonthetipsoftheirseatsawaitingtheirnew
teachersarrival.Thebellrings.Fiveminutesafterthebell,theanxiousstudentshearsomething.You
canheartheteachersheelspoundingfuriouslyagainstthefloorassheapproachestheclassroomdoor
inabitofahurry.Thedoorburstsopen.Helloclass,ImsorryImlatebutthephotocopiergot
jammed.

Whatwasthisexcerptabout?

Couldyouunderstandwhatthispersonwascommunicating?

Whyorwhynot?
Sample2

Wenttothestore.Momwantedpotatoestohavefordinner.Sheintheaisles.Neededmany
differentkinds.Twohourslater,stilltherewaiting.Icouldntbelievehowlongshewastakingtodoall
ofthisnonsensewhycouldntwejustleavethisplacealready?Homeandthennomoreever.

Whatwasthisexcerptabout?

Couldyouunderstandwhatthispersonwascommunicating?

Whyorwhynot?
Sample3

Allofmyfamilysatrealclosetogetheronthecouchunderablanket.Dadsaidthiswould
generatealittleheatbuthedidnthavetotellusthis,itseemedlikethecoldautomaticallymadeus
wanttogettogetherandhuddleup.Mylittlesister,Joetta,satinthemiddleandallyoucouldseewere
hereyesbecauseshehadascarfwrappedaroundherhead.Iwasnexttoher,andontheoutsidewasmy
mother.
MommawastheonlyonewhowasntborninFlintsothecoldwascoldesttoher.Allyoucould
seewerehereyestoo,andtheywereshootingbadlooksatDad.Shealwaysblamedhimforbringingher
allthewayfromAlabamatoMichigan,astateshecalledagianticebox.Dadwasbundleduponthe
othersideofJoey,tryingtolookatanythingbutMomma.NexttoDad,sittingwithalittlespace
betweenthem,wasmyolderbrother,Byron.

Whatwasthisexcerptabout?

Couldyouunderstandwhatthispersonwascommunicating?

Whyorwhynot?
Sample4

Kindnesscanbeshowininmanyways.Sayyouarenicetoabullyitwillmakethemfellgood.because
bulleysareusedtobeingcallednamesbecausetheyalwaysarepickingoneeveryoneelse.nowsayyou
arenicetoahomelessman.hewillbesothankful.becausehehasnthadsomeonetocareforHimand
youcareingforhimmakeshimfellgood.Sotosamitalluptherearemorewaystobekindtopeople.

Whatisthisparagraphabout?

Couldyouunderstandwhatthispersonwascommunicating?

Whyorwhynot?

Sample5
Actsofkindnesshelppeoplealotnomatterhowsmall.Donatingmoneytocopsisgood.Donatingcan
curesickness,feedkids,andhomelesspeople.Walkingdogsissmallbuthelpful.youcanwalkdogsto
helpeldlyandDogscanmeetdogs.Actofkindessisgood,andyoushouldbekindtoo.

Whatisthisparagraphabout?

Couldyouunderstandwhatthispersonwascommunicating?

Whyorwhynot?