REVERSE OUTLININGCHARLEY BARNISKIS

MINNESOTA WRITING PROJECT

JULY 2010

House Plans

Writing ProcessPre-writing

Outline Essay

*where is this piece going?

Post-writing

Essay Outline

*where did this piece go? (=reverse outline)

Creation Story

• April 2007: State Writing Test to 9th grade

• Fall 2006: Minnesota Writing Project training

• January 2007-10: 9th grade practice test and group grading

• March 2007-10: Explicit writing test instruction

*2008: Sara Martinson, 9th grade teacher reverse outline our 9th grade English Professional Learning Community, or P.L.C.

• 2009-2010: Student sample essays, reverse outlines: sample essays and students’ own

ones

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to…

1. complete a reverse outline.

2. understand the difference between an organized and disorganized personal essay.

3. see how to organize your personal essay in the pre-writing stage.

How this will help you

• “Many of the skills required to write well on demand differ from those needed to write a worthwhile multi-draft paper…Those who have had timed writing instruction practice stand a far better chance at performing well when confronted with writing under pressure” –Kelly Gallagher, Teaching Adolescent Writers (2006)

• My successes: Ethics essay, Ethno-botany essay “Religious importance of hallucinogenic snuffs in the tribes of the lower Amazon”, biomedical report for Wells Fargo Global Capital Management loan officer

• Good writers spend time away from their writing: Mark Twain and eight years away from The Adventures of the Huckleberry Finn, angry email mistake

Even more reasons…

• Time to play with your writing: “Oops” is expected during practice

• Better pre-writing on actual writing test

• Ideas and organization = most important element when your writing is evaluated

Small group work

1. Receive the following handouts:

• Student essay packet

• Reverse outline handout

• State scoring guide

2. Read “Barack Obama” essay together

2. Complete reverse outline as a class

Small group work, part 2

1. Be divided into groups of 2-3 people.

2. Receive your assigned essay to read.

3. Each person complete a reverse outline for your assigned essay compels close reading of the text, where skillful writers work.

4. Whole group discussion about process.

Extension of Learning

Homework:

1. Fill in the reverse outline form for your January essay. If you are missing a component(s), write “oops.”

2. Write me about a page-long letter that explains what you learned from your reverse outline Dear Mr. Barniskis: vs. Dear Mr. Barniskis,

3. You will be submitting

• Small group reverse outline

• January essay reverse outline

• January essay

• Letter of reflection about your reverse outline

Evidence of Success: Percentage of Students Passing

Year January March April: State Test

2007 86% 93% 97%

2008 88% 94% 96%

*2009 87% 95% 97%

*2010 88% 96% ?