Writing to Learn StrategiesStrategies that engage thinking, make connections, and improve communication skills.

Why write?•Commits learning to long term memory

▫Emotionally charge experience▫Connect to previous knowledge▫Time to solidify new material

•Reveals misconceptions•Improves communication skills•Provides formative assessment•Helps teacher understand how student

learns•Assists students with standardized tests

- Eric Jensen

Choice •Jigsaw – Writing to Learn Mathematics

▫“Getting Started” – explains a variety of quick write ideas that can be adapted to many content areas.

▫“Autobiography” – relating personal experiences related to content.

▫“Journals” – ideas for topics, feedback, formats

▫“Evaluation and testing” – the whats and hows.

▫“Reflection” – purpose, pitfalls, feedback

Looping – helps students explore their thinking.•Students write non stop for ten minutes to

capture initial thoughts on given topic. ▫the behavior of a literary character▫a political or historical event▫thoughts regarding an environmental issue

•Reread what is written looking for a “hot spot,” central idea or emerging theme.

•Summarize “hotspot” into one sentence and copy to top of a clean page. Write again without referring to original.

•Repeat until a focus or thesis emerges.• Peter Elbow

Pass-the-reflection

•Write reflection on a give topic for 2 minutes.

•After 2 minutes pass paper.•Read initial thinking and take two minutes

to continue writing on the topic. •Repeat until each student has responded to

a number of papers.

•This activity extends thinking through both writing and reading.

Conversation logs

•Valuable when teaching multiple sections.•Like a paper blog•Pass same notebook with no names from

section to section and students respond to each other.

Writing stems

•I think calculators…•Multiplying mixed numbers is easy if…•The trouble with history is…•Teachers often say…•Working in a group causes…•To study for a science test I usually…•I like to get help to…•Mitosis in a process that…•The best thing about Harry Potter is…

Explain Processes

•Explain how to find all the factors of 56.•Explain how to find the area off a circle.•Explain how water evaporates.•Explain the electoral college. •Explain how to use a conjunction.

Revision StrategiesRevision strategies require extensive

modeling.Build a sentence over 5 days.Establishes the idea that “the best writing is

rewriting.”E. B. White

STAR•Substitute•Take things out•Add•Rearrange

• Richard Cornwell

RAFT – Fun way to think about content•Roll - lamp Concord

bridge•Audience home owner River•Format petition gossip•Topic efficient bulbs Battle

•Teacher - Students - Epitaph - over used words

•¾ - 1\2 – brag – mathematical value

Analogies

•The structure and function of a typical cell compared to the structure and function of another organizational entity such as a school or a factory or a family.

•A _______ works much like a __________.•A ________ and a _______ have more in

common then you might think.

ABC and Ds of on Demand Writing•Attack the prompt

•Brainstorm possible answers

•Choose the order of your response

•Detect Errors before turning in the draft

• See handout.

Entrance Write – Subject Biography•Write your science (Math, SS, music)

biography. ▫What do you like or not like about science?▫What has been your most memorable

experience related to science?▫How is science related to your everyday

life?▫What areas of science are most interesting

or intriguing? ▫What science questions do you have?