Greetings!
If you haven't heard of the Common Core State Standards, you will soon. Many states have adopted these new national standards and are working to change their curriculum to match the new requirements. One of the important changes many states face is the increased requirement for non-fiction writing across all subject areas. The research supports this new requirement for improved academic achievement, but how to implement it in the classroom can be difficult. If you are faced with adapting to the new Common Core State Standards, we hope this newsletter will provide you with some new ideas for implementation.
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Enjoy! The Write Tools |
| Raising Classroom Standards Means Ramping Up Non-Fiction |
 | | Humanities Teacher, Mike Locker |
Everybody loves a good story: including kids. That's why the Harry Potter series and other fiction books are so popular. But will students love reading and writing when the subject is non-fiction? That's the challenge for teachers as New York State begins phasing in new national standards. One Lower East Side middle school is getting an early start.
Eighth-grader Anna Gonzalez knows what it takes for a book to capture her interest. "I like to read realistic fiction," she says. "That's really my type of book."
Anna is currently reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. It's an absolutely fictional story about a Native American teenager, written as though it's real. Anna and her classmates at the University Neighborhood Middle School are allowed to pick their own books for part of their reading assignments. Here's what Anna won't be choosing: "I don't like science books, science fiction and stuff like that. I don't like those kinds of books."
How about history books?
"Nope. Don't like those either," she states. "They gotta be interesting for me. Certain ones maybe."
That response is typical, says her humanities teacher Mike Locker. He's heard kids tell him on the first day of school that they don't like history -- or even reading. "You get kids who don't feel successful at things and then they start to identify as not being that kind of person," he explains. "I think our job as teachers is to prove to them and show them that they are that kind of person." |
| Three Lesson Plans for Science, Math, and History |
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Below are lesson plan ideas for incorporating writing into Science, Math, and History classes.
SCIENCE
Using the song Shallow End of the Gene Pool, sung by The Austin Lounge Lizards and, as a mentor text, I am the Dog, I am the Cat by Donald Hall, students will investigate their inheritance of genetic traits and describe through a double-voice poem the science behind inheritance patterns.
Click here to view the entire lesson plan.
MATH | |
Using knowledge of what makes good persuasive writing, students will critically read a section of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and then use mathematics and the evidence from the reading to decide on the size of the character Hagrid. Students create a life size cut-out of Hagrid, writing their explanation of work according to the state ideas and development portion of the writing rubric.
Click here to view the entire lesson plan.
HISTORY
Using Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails, by Verla Kay, students will research an immigrant trail, write down descriptive and interesting concepts, and turn it into a concept poem. This lesson can be extended from a poem into a picture book. Moving West is a fun way to integrate research skills and poetry writing.
Click here to view the entire lesson plan. | |
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Upcoming Workshops in Denver, Colorado!
Join us in Denver, Colorado, for the following workshops:
Two-Day Introductory Workshop-TWT 101 December 4 and 11, 2010, 8:00-4:30 - $299 (Early bird pricing $249)
December 29 and 30, 2010, 8:00-4:30 - $299 (Early bird pricing $249)
One-Day Review Workshop
Featuring The Writing Routine Booklet November 20, 2010, 8:00-4:30 - $199 (Early bird pricing $149)
Research and Reports Intensive Workshop
January 29, 2011, 8:00-4:30 - $199 (Early bird pricing $149)
Call us if you are interested in setting up workshops in your area! 303-221-5301 |
 Alice Greiner to Present at
90/90/90 Schools Summits Sponsored by Doug Reeves and The Leadership and Learning Center, these summits will highlight research and replicable practices used by results-driven, high achieving schools. You will also learn practical strategies to lead and sustain improvement in times of change. You will hear directly from administrators of now-successful 90/90/90 schools about their journeys, challenges, and successes.
The most important practice of all the successful 90/90/90 schools is the emphasis on expository writing. Alice will be sharing The Write Tools' strategies at these important summits:
December 14-15, 2010 Las Vegas, Nevada
April 14-15, 2011, Washington, DC May 3-4, 2011, St. Louis, Missouri
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Stone Mountain Elementary Rated "TOPS" by 5280 Magazine
Guess what...
They use
The Write Tools!
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Stone Mountain's school-wide use of The Write Tools helped them achieve this Metro Denver distinction. If you want to benefit from The Write Tools just like Stone Mountain Elementary School did, call us about a customized training plan for your school.
303-221-5301 |
 | | Doug Reeves Endorses The Write Tools! | |
Dr. Reeves believes in the importance of today's students being strong writers. View a short video clip of Dr. Reeves discussing the strategies The Write Tools offers teachers and students. Then examine the data of the outstanding results many schools have achieved on state assessments using these strategies.
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 | | The Write Tools Companion Software is now available for the Macintosh! | PC users have been thrilled with our new TWT Companion Software. Now Mac users can find out what all the excitement's about!
Call us at 303-221-5301 if you would like to receive a demo disk.
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