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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Writing Rope

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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Writing Rope

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Page 6. Question 2:

Which writing components do you feel most confident about teaching, and which areas do you want to learn more about?

One component I feel most comfortable teaching students is a category of the writing craft structure, the writer's voice.  This component is an essential skill that emphasizes the importance of using the correct writer's voice to convey meaning and engage the reader. This refers to the unique way in which a writer expresses their thoughts and ideas through their writing and it is influenced by factors such as tone, style, and word choice (Sedita, 2022, 6). Using the appropriate writer's voice helps students develop their writing identity and enables them to effectively communicate their message to their intended audience. This is a skill I feel I am relatively good at and have had a lot of practice with. I could do this by guiding them to understand the purpose and audience of their writing. By understanding the intended audience, students can tailor their writing style and tone to effectively engage and connect with the reader. This skill is crucial in various writing contexts, such as academic essays, creative writing, or professional communication. Teaching students how to use the appropriate writer's voice helps them develop the critical thinking and analytical skills needed to convey meaning and information. By exploring different writing styles and voices, students learn to adapt their writing to suit different genres and purposes.

One component I would like to learn more about is the critical thinking strand. I understand what this component entails, but I would like to know more about how to help students learn to think critically when they are developing their ideas to put into writing. This can be a challenging skill to learn. Some students can voice their thinking very well, but when it comes to putting it on paper in a structured manner, they struggle. I also think it can be challenging to work through the writing and revising stage, especially if they do not have a good foundation for proper grammar and punctuation. I would like to learn how to help students close their gaps to become successful critical thinkers when it comes to writing.

Page 8. Question 1: How often do you assign Quick Writes, Content Learning Tasks, and Formal Writing Tasks?

I have only used Quick Writes as a writing task for students in my practicum classes. These have been very helpful in helping students begin to think about the learning they are about to engage in and helping me assess the students' prior knowledge. I have not had the opportunity to build specific content-learning writing tasks or formal writing tasks, but I have been able to help students revise and edit the ones they were working on in class. I do plan on implementing these writing tasks into this semester's practicum lessons.

References

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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Chapter 2: What do we Know about Effective Writing Instruction?

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Chapter 2: What do we Know about Effective Writing Instruction?

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Page 15. Question 2:

Which principles do you already use on a regular basis related to writing instruction?

While I am not in the classroom full-time yet, I do incorporate collaboration and provide opportunities for students to write in all subject areas when planning my lessons for my practicum classes. Students should have the time to discuss their ideas and receive feedback on their writing from peers as often as possible to improve their thinking and writing skills (Sedita, 2022, 15). I also try to include some kind of writing component in every content lesson I teach, regardless of the subject. Students need to be able to formulate their thoughts and be allowed to practice putting them into writing to clarify and deepen understanding.

Page 21. Question 1: Identify a skill, strategy, or technique that you would like to teach your students.

I would like to teach my students how to annotate informational text correctly and in a way they can use the big ideas to generate writings that demonstrate their understanding of the learning. I have been working on using annotation as a note-taking strategy myself the last few semesters and this has helped me develop a much deeper understanding of the content I am learning. This strategy can help students learn to determine the main ideas and keep a record of their in-text evidence to support their interpretations. This strategy is so versatile, therefore I believe it needs to be taught carefully through an "I do, We do, You do," model to ensure students are getting the most out of the strategy and the learning (Sedita, 2022, 16). This strategy is used during the thinking stage of the writing process and can be beneficial for any student while learning and sets the stage for the rest of the writing process.

References

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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Page 32. Question 1: How are spelling and handwriting/keyboarding taught in your school?

The practicum placement I am in this semester is with a 5th-grade class. At this level, students have already been taught the foundational skills needed for transcription. 5th-grade teachers must understand that they play a vital role in ensuring that students continue to develop their transcription skills. By providing consistent practice opportunities in spelling, handwriting, and keyboarding, educators help students strengthen these essential skills. The teacher in my practicum classroom does this by incorporating handwriting worksheets and typing exercises into their lessons to offer diverse practice experiences. She also provides personalized support to a few of the students who need additional assistance in specific areas of transcription, such as spelling. She has them look up words for the correct spelling and will have them rewrite the word a few times to help them remember how the word is spelled.  She also implements peer review activities and collaborative projects to promote transcription skills. Through these strategies and ongoing support, this 5th-grade classroom is continuing to evolve these skills, guiding students toward becoming proficient transcribers.

Page 32. Question 3: Is there something you have learned in this chapter that you can use to modify the way you teach spelling and handwriting/keyboarding?

Methodically teaching transcription skills starting from kindergarten lays a strong foundation for students' literacy development. In kindergarten, students can begin with basic letter recognition and phonics to build essential spelling skills. As students progress to early elementary grades, they can focus on mastering spelling rules and expanding their vocabulary through word study activities. Handwriting instruction becomes crucial in the early grades to ensure legibility and fluency in written communication (Sedita, 2022, 29). Introducing keyboarding skills in later elementary grades equips students with essential digital literacy skills for the modern world. By systematically teaching transcription skills at each level, students can transition from learning to write by hand to effectively typing on digital devices. This progression supports students in adapting to various modes of communication and enhances their overall literacy proficiency. Consistent practice and scaffolding of skills across different grade levels help students develop a well-rounded transcription skill set that prepares them for academic success and future endeavors.

References

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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Page 36. Question 2:

Identify one example of a mentor text that is written in first person and one example that is written in third person to share with students.

First Person Example:

Excerpt from the book "The One and Only Ivan," by Katherine Applegate.

"my visitors return"

"After the show, the spit-pebble children come back. I display my impressive teeth. I splash in my filthy pool. I grunt and hoot. I eat and eat and eat some more. The children pound their pathetic chests. They toss more pebbles. “Slimy chimps,” I mutter. I throw a me-ball at them. Sometimes I wish the glass were not there." (Applegate, 2012).

Third Person Example:

Excerpt from the book, "The Secret Garden," by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

"When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. It was true, too. She had a little thin face and a little thin body, thin light hair and a sour expression. Her hair was yellow, and her face was yellow because she had been born in India and had always been ill in one way or another. Her father had held a position under the English Government and had always been busy and ill himself, and her mother had been a great beauty who cared only to go to parties and amuse herself with gay people. She had not wanted a little girl at all, and when Mary was born she handed her over to the care of an Ayah, who was made to understand that if she wished to please the Mem Sahib she must keep the child out of sight as much as possible," (Burnett, 1911).

Page 38. Question 1:

Identify several examples of sentences in mentor text where the author has used descriptive colorful language that you can share with students.

Excerpt from "Southwest Sunrise," by Nikki Grimes.

“Wait! There's the one called wine cup spilling its burgundy beauty for me to drink up. And aren't those yellow bells? They wake up the desert with their silent ring.” (Grimes, 2020).

Excerpt from "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind," by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.

Magic and its many mysteries were a presence that hovered about constantly, giving me my earliest memory as a boy—the time my father saved me from certain death and became the hero he is today. I was six years old, playing in the road, when a group of herd boys approached, singing and dancing. This was in Masitala village near the city of Kasungu, where my family lived on a farm. The herd boys worked for a nearby farmer who kept many cows. They explained how they’d been tending their herd that morning and discovered a giant sack in the road. When they opened it up, they found it filled with bubble gum. Can you imagine such a treasure? I can’t tell you how much I loved bubble gum. “Should we give some to this boy?” one asked. I didn’t move or breathe. There were dead leaves in my hair. “Eh, why not?” said another. “Just look at him.” One of the boys reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of gumballs, one for every color, and dropped them into my hands. I stuffed them all in my mouth. As the boys left, I felt the sweet juice roll down my chin and soak my shirt." (Kamkwamba, 2015).

References

Applegate, K. (2012). The One and Only Ivan. The One and Only Ivan. Retrieved February 21, 2024, from https://mrallenhms.weebly.com/uploads/6/5/9/0/65907631/katherine_applegate_-_the_one_and_only_ivan_1.pdf

Burnett, F. H. (1911). Excerpt from The Secret Garden. Penguin Random House Canada. Retrieved February 21, 2024, from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/309932/the-secret-garden-by-frances-hodgson-burnett/9780143106456/excerpt

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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Process Writing Routine Visual

https://www.canva.com/design/DAF-sWG7nCI/1d-ykBtt3IYeJgH14X22HQ/edit?utm_content=DAF-sWG7nCI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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Chapter 6: Syntax and Sentence Structure

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Chapter 6: Syntax and Sentence Structure

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Connect to your classroom: Question 1 pg. 61

Simple sentence with one subject and one predicate:

1. The French sent troops to occupy the Ohio Valley.

2. The British didn't give up easily.

Simple sentence with two subjects or two predicates:

1. England and France both had extensive land claims in North America.

2. The British returned to Fort Duquesne with more troops, but they were again defeated.

Compound sentence:

1. The British returned to Fort Duquesne with more troops, but they were again defeated.

2. The British and the French both had extensive land claims in North America, but the French were eventually defeated.

Complex sentence:

1. A young George Washington, a Colonel in the British Army, led 150 British militiamen to capture Fort Duquesne. 2. The French sent Washington and his men back to British commanders with a message that the Ohio Valley belonged to the French.

Compound-complex sentence:

1. The British continued to fight the French, but mostly to the north in Canada, until the French were finally defeated and signed the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

2. The British, as was their custom, marched in straight lines with much noise and fanfare, but the French and their Indian allies hid behind rocks and trees and fired on the British troops from their hiding places.

References

Bazzit, J. (2021). Road to the American Revolution [French and Indian War].

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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Chapter 7. Text Structure: Paragraph Skills

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Chapter 7. Text Structure: Paragraph Skills

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Activity 1: Identify the topic sentence Paragraph (Sedita, 2022, 80).:

"The northern grasslands of the United States stretch from the Dakotas to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. They are also known as prairies. Researchers are learning that grasslands may help slow down some of the climate change caused by global warming."

Instructions: Provide students with the following sentences out of order:

- The northern grasslands of the United States stretch from the Dakotas to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

- They are also known as prairies.

- Researchers are learning that grasslands may help slow down some of the climate change caused by global warming.

Ask students to determine which sentence is the topic sentence that states the main idea and which sentence supports the main idea by providing details.

Instruct them to underline the topic sentence.

After analyzing the sentences, students should identify the following:

Topic Sentence: The northern grasslands of the United States stretch from the Dakotas to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Supporting Sentence: They are also known as prairies.

Activity 2: Identify the sentence that doesn't belong Paragraph (Sedita, 80, 2022):

"The Earth is getting warmer for many reasons. The biggest cause is the increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide traps heat from the sun. Carbon dioxide goes into the air when humans burn fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Carbon dioxide is also released into the air during wildfires."

Instructions: Provide students with all the sentences from the paragraph, plus one extra sentence that does not belong because the detail is not related to the main idea. The sentences are as follows:

- The Earth is getting warmer for many reasons.

- The biggest cause is the increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.

- Carbon dioxide traps heat from the sun. - Carbon dioxide goes into the air when humans burn fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

- Carbon dioxide is also released into the air during wildfires.

Ask students to review each supporting sentence and choose the one that does not belong.

After analyzing the sentences, students should identify the following:

Sentence that doesn't belong: Carbon dioxide is also released into the air during wildfires.

Resources:

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. (2022). Preserving Grasslands. Readworks. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://www.readworks.org/article/Preserving-Grasslands/1e2fc7b3-9b2c-40e3-aeae-3dc0624f695f#!articleTab:content/questionsetsSection:25848/

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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Chapter 8. Text Structures: 3 Types of Writing.

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Chapter 8. Text Structures: 3 Types of Writing.

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Informational Topic Web: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/14YzXn8eyV-TRPElzxBSUVjyemRspj6lp2K1A2WgmQBU/edit?usp=sharing

Resources:

1. "Harriet Tubman." Encyclopedia Britannica,

www.britannica.com/biography/Harriet-Tubman. [April 4, 2024].

2. "Harriet Tubman." History.com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/topics/black-history/harriet-tubman. Accessed [April 4, 2024].

3. "Harriet Tubman." American Battlefield Trust, www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/harriet-tubman. Accessed [April 4, 2024].

Opinion Topic Web Link:

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1p0hLS8mYQKDtto2Fv40wFeSmJjXEVGPHhRwQifoNkCE/edit?usp=sharing

Resources:

Ellis, J. J. (2024, April 13). Thomas Jefferson | Biography, Political Career, & Facts. Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Jefferson

National Archives. (2023, June 5). The Declaration of Independence. National Archives. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration

Th. Jefferson Monticello. (n.d.). The Plantation | Monticello. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.monticello.org/slavery/the-plantation/

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Readworks Passage: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yQYXlfUbtBg0RXsAA7ZX-UD90unKnvLn/view?usp=sharing

Template:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1urGp6708YoLmlsKc6mLc1ZQAswrCEVN5/view?usp=sharing

Resources:

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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References:

Bazzit, J. (2021). Road to the American Revolution.TPT.

Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

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In reading "The Writing Rope" by Joan Sedita, I had several eye-opening moments that significantly impacted my understanding of teaching writing. First and foremost, I was struck by the complexity of the writing process. The book sheds light on the myriad skills and components involved, such as generating ideas, organizing thoughts, using language effectively, and revising and editing, to name a few. This realization made me appreciate the depth of instruction and support required to nurture strong writing skills in students. Another "ah-ha" moment for me was discovering the many strategies available to help students develop their writing abilities. The book provided insights into various instructional methods, including modeling, guided practice, and independent writing tasks. This newfound knowledge empowered me to diversify my teaching approaches and cater to the unique needs of my students. "The Writing Rope" also emphasized the importance of establishing a solid foundation in writing. This foundation allows students to seamlessly transition to "writing to learn" in other subjects. Recognizing this, I want to prioritize the development of fundamental writing skills to equip my students with the tools they need to succeed in all academic areas.

The two new writing activities I encountered, the WAG (Writing Assessment Guide) and TAP (Task, Audience, Purpose) questions, I am excited to incorporate them into my teaching. The WAG will be a valuable tool for assessing my students' writing skills and providing targeted instruction. I plan to use it as a rubric to evaluate their work, identify areas for improvement, and offer specific feedback. This will enable my students to understand their strengths and weaknesses, guiding their growth as writers. As for TAP questions, I see great potential in using them as a pre-writing activity. By prompting students to consider the task at hand, the intended audience, and the purpose of their writing, they will develop a deeper understanding of the writing process. This critical thinking exercise will enhance their ability to communicate effectively and engage with their writing more purposefully. Incorporating the WAG and TAP questions into my teaching practice will contribute to my students' overall growth and proficiency in writing. These activities will empower them to become more self-aware writers, capable of analyzing their work and creating meaningful pieces.

SMART GOAL:

S: I want to develop my future students' writing skills and help them become more proficient and confident writers.

M: I will know that I have accomplished this goal when my future students improve their writing abilities, such as using proper grammar and punctuation, effectively organizing their thoughts, and expressing their ideas clearly and coherently.

A: To accomplish this goal, I will engage in professional development opportunities to enhance my knowledge and understanding of effective writing instruction. I will create engaging and interactive writing lessons incorporating various strategies and techniques. I will provide regular opportunities for practice, feedback, and revision. Additionally, I will foster a supportive and inclusive classroom environment that encourages students to take risks and express themselves through writing.

R: This goal is certainly worthwhile, as solid writing skills are vital for academic success and future career prospects. By equipping my future students with strong writing abilities, I will prepare them for success in their educational and professional journeys.

T: I aim to accomplish this goal within the first year of my teaching career, starting from the moment I enter the classroom. Throughout the year, I will continuously assess and monitor my students' progress, making adjustments to my teaching strategies as needed to ensure their growth as writers.