HOW TO TEACH WRITING IN A NON-ELA SETTING

District Learning Day10:20-11:30

August 5, 2015

Do Now

• Why is it difficult to teach writing in a Math classroom?

• What about a Science classroom?

• A Social Studies classroom?

Norms• Be present and engaged.

• Be respectful of differences in perspective while challenging each other productively and respectively.

• Monitor “air time”.

• Make the most of the time we have.

• Stay focused on students.

ObjectivesKnow: How to teach writing in non-ELA settings

Understand: • Use inquiry activities where students analyze immediate, concrete data to

develop ideas and content for a particular writing task.• Use scientific text to justify processes and the use of facts to explain their

thinking.

Be able to do: • Explicitly and systematically teach students how to summarize texts.• Use inquiry based learning to help students consolidate their thinking and

clarify their thoughts.

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The practices overlap.

• What are the important connections you see in these subjects?

• What other connections would you add?

• What does this suggest for your teaching?

Linking Science to CCSS Math and ELA

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Key Connections #2 – Disciplinary Literacy

“Communication (thinking, speaking, listening, reading & writing) in science allows us to consider our prior knowledge and explore new perspectives while we ask scientific questions, make sense of data, explain and defend our reasoning as we interact with the natural and designed world”

• http://dpi.wi.gov/stn_dl-suitcase

Further Connections to Literacy

How can we fix this? • Use writing as a leveraging tool to keep students

engaged in content over the week during Write on Wednesdays.

• Use writing as a synthesizing tool to allow for students to articulate what they have learned at the end of each lesson.

• Use writing as an expressive tool to allow for students to talk about what they are feeling on Fridays following an assessment.

Let’s look at # 1…Use writing as a tool to keep students engaged

in content over the week.

• Find a topic that directly relates to what you are teaching.

• Use articles from websites like NewsELA or provide a prompt. This can incorporate what you have covered with them during the week.

• Let them answer questions directly from the content first, then have them read the article, view a video or engage in accountable talk, and finally begin the writing prompt.

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• Is there a pattern in which ponds, streams, and lakes make people sick and which do not? What are the similar of different characteristics of each?

• Will we get sick (effect) if we go swimming in that pond (cause)?

• What percentage of people get sick? What are the physical characteristics of the ponds and streams that cause illness?

• What are the important parts of this pond ecosystem and geological system?

• What are the characteristics of these organisms and people that lead to them making us sick? Consider their relevant body structures and our relevant body structures, along with the functions that they have.

Activity: Describe a relevant writing activity and supporting lesson

Suggested topics for Non-ELA subjects that are engaging and fun.

• Math - Money, Measurement (e.g. NBA height requirements), Car Speed

• Social Studies- Time Travel, Moving to a Foreign Country, Food

• Science - Dinosaurs, Natural Disasters• Exploratory - Careers in the Arts, Famous

Athlete/Musician Biography

Airtight Activity

Let’s read this science article. After reading, let’s discuss various strategies that can help non-ELA students to comprehend and interpret the writing.

Tier 1 strategies: Teach skills and strategies, Provide differentiated instruction, Provide lots of explicit practice, and provide opportunities to apply skills in reading and writing meaningful text with teacher support

How can writing be used as a tool?Use writing as a synthesizing tool to allow for students

to articulate what they have learned.

• At the end of every lesson, ask students to write down what they have learned

• You can use strategies like 3-2-1. “Write down 3 things you learned, 2 things you struggled with, and 1 question you have.” This allows you to assess right then and there what you need to re-teach.

• Give them a “Time to Write,” section for every activity they complete. This allows them to reflect on concepts they are struggling to master.

More Suggested Strategies for Synthesizing Learning

• Give a DAILY reflection question. Allow for students to share their answers out loud.

• Use Jaguar Jogger to let students creatively write on a topic they have learned the day before (What did you find interesting about X,Y,Z?)

• Give student surveys/free-writing prompts on Friday after a test.

Why is writing an expressive tool?Use writing as an expressive tool to allow for students to talk about what they are feeling.

• This can be used as an opportunity to get to know your students and build relationships.

• After tests, ask them to write a paragraph about how they think they did.

• After tests are completed, give them a free-writing response. This way writing is not seen as a “rigid” task, but rather an expressive task.

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Key Connections – Disciplinary Literacy

Close reading:1. Teacher introduces the text and sets the purpose, and students read. 2. Students annotate the text, i.e., “read with a pencil” or “interrogate the text.”3. Students talk through their understanding of the text with a partner. 4. Teacher reads passages of text out loud as students follow along. 5. Teacher guides discussion (whole group, small group, or partners) of the passage with text-dependent questions.

Reflection

What resonated with you?

What is similar to your current practice?

What is different than your current practice?

What are you going to change as a result?

Good Websites to Use

• NewsELA- Articles that can be adjusted based on Lexile level (to support your strong and weak readers).

• Expositorywritingprompts.com- Creative/essay writing prompts for all grades and subject areas.

• Glencoe.com- Provides strategies for incorporating writing into Science and Math classrooms.

Next steps

Discuss exemplars from this writing technique in class

Visit a classroom where the exemplary teacher is modeling the writing

Continue to engage in professional development activities

Reflection

Consider what you need to know and be able to successfully implement what you have learned in this session

What is still unclear?

What professional development or additional resources do you need?

District Contacts

Shalanda SaulsberryScience Instructional Advisor

Department of Curriculum and Instruction saulsberryst@scsk12.org