Slide 1

Writing in Civics2013-2014

Mrs. Betz Ms. Maynard Mr. Fielding

Why Write?Why Write?1. Loudoun County has placed increased emphasis on writing in social studies and in science. two 5-paragraph essays every year in middle school

2. SOL tests more critical thinking & application questions

Virginia Standards of Learning

CE.1.h The student will develop the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to select and defend positions in writing, discussion, and debate.

Virginia Standards of Learning

CE.1.g The student will develop the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to formulate an informed, carefully reasoned position on a community issue.Virginia Standards of LearningCE.1.f The student will develop the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to identify a problem, weigh the expected costs and benefits and possible consequences of proposed solutions, and recommend solutions.Virginia Standards of Learning

CE.1.d The student will develop the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information.

Virginia Standards of LearningCE.1.a The student will develop the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to examine and interpret primary and secondary source documents

The Benefits of Writing WellSynthesizing information helps students understand the Civics content.

Stimulates critical thinking

Promotes logical thought

More BenefitsProvides practice at the craft of writing

Helps ease student anxiety about writing

WritingandCritical Thinking

what to expect this year and next

Our PlanTeach students about different types of writing

Help students do a better job of planning their writing, writing clearly, and proofreading

Encourage students to evaluate their own writing

Increase the complexity of writing tasks

Purposes of WritingFormal vs. Informal

Non-fiction vs. Fiction

Letter to the governor vs. note to a friend

Learning to match writing style with promptCivics vs. EnglishTypically based on facts rather than on personal observations or feelings Requires knowledge of a topicUsually written in third personOften does not ask for an opinionOften requires research or examination of primary documents

What Writing Requires Understanding the information Planning with a graphic organizer Logical structure Accuracy Flow Correct grammar, punctuation, spelling

Rising expectationsOne paragraph as homeworkA brief summaryAn opinion piece for a quizAnalysis (Governors Race)Five-paragraph essaysDebate (synthesizing information)Compare and Contrast (Political parties)Informational writingDBQ -- short, introductory assignment Building SkillsWriting portfolioFormative writingSummative writingTeacher feedbackQuarterly self-assessment

Where 8th Graders Struggle

Reading and following directions

Planning

Taking themselves out of the action

Leaving out their opinion (unless requested in the prompt)

Writing in third person (tend to use I in all writing)

Detail and elaborationKnowing the contentCant compare two documents without understanding them

Providing sufficient facts and supporting detail.

Putting what they know into words

Thinking and writing efficiently

The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.

Thomas Jefferson

Eliminate wordiness.Avoid repetition.Dont repeat yourself.Cut extra words.Checking their work

Complete sentences Correct punctuation and capitalization Correct spelling of familiar words A Word About Punctuation

Not-so-good writing

Average Writing

What Good Writing Looks Like

Writing TipsWhen permitted, type your assignment (to take advantage of spelling and grammar checks)

Read your paper aloud; youll catch many errors that way.More TipsAsk a parent or sibling to read your writing (Does it make sense to them?)

Take advantage of resources on our websites and elsewhere(Tips on writing introductions, conclusions, transitions, sentence variety)

Second Quarter and BeyondResearch papersMulti-document DBQs (document-based questions)Political cartoon analysisSupreme Court case research and analysisPrimary document analysisMore challenging reading and writing

What to Expect in High SchoolSummer pre-AP assignmentSignificantly greater volume of workChapter outliningChapter questionsDBQs (Document-based questions)

Why Write?Written output is a great way to assess student knowledge.Helps students learn to express themselves with confidence in all subjectsWriting is the essential skill students need as they enter adult life.

Copyright 1995-2003 by Steve Peha

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