Best Ways to Increase Writing Skills:
- Write more: For fun, in response to reading, or even journaling daily. Teach that writing is your voice: Explain the three types of writing voices that they may use Use these charts as well to teach
- Writing fluency Journal: 2-3 days a week, set a time starting with 5 minutes (or whatever works for your student). Choose a topic from this list or make your own prompts using all three types of writing. Set the time and have the student see if they can write the entire timer. If they are able, celebrate somehow so writing stays fun. Next time, add on one minute. Be sure to read their writing with them so that they see there is a purpose. Don’t worry about grammar and correcting, just celebrate writing. Remember we are showing writing is our voice!
- Write about your reading. A reading response journal is a great way to encourage reading comprehension and get students to write as well. Here are the questions you can print and choose one for students to answer. 1-2 days a week of this is great!
- Set Expectations: Use the sample writing pieces and the rubrics below in order to talk about what their writing should look like. Define success!
- Struggles with handwriting: Type in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other tools. If they need to do a graphic organizer on the computer, Sketchpad.io is a great mind mapping tool.
*** Here is another helpful tool called 4 Square Writing
Grade Level | Persuasive Writing (I can prove my opinion with evidence) | Informational Writing (I can teach my reader about a topic) | Narrative Writing (I can tell you a story) |
TK | Persuasive Writing | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
Kindergarten | Persuasive Writing | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
1st Grade | Persuasive Writing | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
2nd Grade | Persuasive Writing Graphic Organizer:- progress for rubric | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
3rd Grade | Persuasive Writing Graphic Organizer: - progress for rubric | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
4th Grade | Persuasive Writing | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
5th Grade | Persuasive Writing | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
6th-8th Grade | Persuasive Writing | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
High School | Persuasive Writing | Informational Writing | Narrative Writing |
High School Essential Questions
These are questions required of Choice Plus Academy, Textbook, and some Edgenuity Students.
Below, you can find the questions that will come your way each year, the rubrics they use, and some samples of successful pieces.
Grade Level | High School Essential Questions | Sample Rubric | High School Essential Questions Samples |
9th Grade | Unit 1: Empathy: How does human compassion inform our understanding of the world? Unit 2: Leadership: What are the responsibilities of power? Unit 3: Dreams and Aspirations: What makes a dream worth pursuing? Unit 4: All for Love: How are we affected by the power of love? |
Unit 1 Student Sample Unit 2 Student Sample
| |
10th Grade | Unit 1: Destiny: How much of what happens in our lives do we control? Unit 2: Taking a Stand: When is it appropriate to challenge the rules? Unit 3: Technical Difficulties: What responsibility do we have for what we create? Unit 4: The Human Connection: How do our interactions define us? | Unit 1 Student Sample Unit 2 Student Sample
| |
11th Grade | Unit 1: We the People: What shaped America’s early identity? Unit 2: The Individual: How does one person find his or her place in society? Unit 3: Modern Times: How was being American redefined in the 20th century? Unit 4: Seeking Romance: How can love inspire both folly and wisdom? |
Unit 1 Student Sample Unit 2 Student Sample
| |
12th Grade | Unit 1: Epic Heroes: Where does history end and legend begin? Unit 2: The Human Condition: How do we express the complexities of being human? Unit 3: An Exchange of Ideas: How did a diversity of views transform American society? Unit 4: Emotional Currents: How have the literary movements of the last two centuries affected us? | Unit 1 Student Sample Unit 2 Student Sample Unit 3 Student Sample Unit 4 Student Sample |
e)https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-7dNJw0prpbPB16Pw9VqGf3CPLz2cWCm/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/19nk18dETuFYwWM-Th9vf41HRmKcKZrCl/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BTnL_qCpwiq74PHTjcN2pj6STJLAJHgm/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KJ6LCB6paMBY13e1HvFiDNf5WkFvoII4/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P0ctvI1rT6oEfCqW1YJt5daRH-1w0Tcs/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dybEqRUoDF3LAvvltj13ZRlvcVZ_LEZF/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l3NmPywZ8jsdNhdfOnxFgfV5Iq7ypj0Y/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wH4CagzBAVPtoKTxsvw9iBHYuLJcj9TR/view?usp=sharing, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zn3HrGzcNjkV3Bssb_gVtSRubJdB5M7k/view?usp=sharing