Georgia Writing Assessments for Grades 5 & 8 A Presentation to Help Parents Assist Their Children...
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Transcript of Georgia Writing Assessments for Grades 5 & 8 A Presentation to Help Parents Assist Their Children...
Georgia Writing Assessments
for Grades 5 & 8
A Presentation to Help Parents Assist Their Children with Successfully
Passing the Georgia Writing Assessment
January 2013 Clayton County Public Schools, Language Arts Department
Dear Parents,
The Georgia Writing Assessment is administered each year to determine how well students can write on a given topic in a specified time frame. Students do not know their writing topic until the day of the test. Therefore, they must be prepared and equipped to write about many topics. We would like for you to partner with us to ensure your child is ready for success on the day of the writing assessment. This presentation will provide you with helpful tips and resources.
Thank you
What is the Georgia Writing Assessment?
•The Georgia Writing Assessment tests students on how well they can write in a given time frame on an unknown topic.
5th Grade 8th GradeStudents are assigned a topic from a prompt bank representing three genres: narrative (story), informational, and persuasive. Students are allowed 120 minutes to write their essays.
Students are assigned a topic from a prompt bank representing two genres: expository and persuasive. Students are allowed 100 minutes to write their essays.
What are the Writing Assessment Dates?5th Grade Writing Assessment 8th Grade Writing Assessment
Official Test Date Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Make-Up Date Thursday, March 7, 2013
*Students have 120 minutes to test.
Official Test Date Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Make-Up Date Thursday, January 24, 2013
*Students have 100 minutes to test.
*Be sure your child is well rested and ready for success on the writing assessment.
*Check with your child’s school to see if and when after school tutoring or Saturday Writer’s Workshops are being provided.
How are Students Evaluated?Writing Domains Key Details
Ideas
Counts 40% of Test
Controlling Idea/Focus Supporting Ideas Relevance of Detail
Organization
Counts 20% of Test
Introduction/Body/Conclusion Sequence and Grouping of Ideas Transition Words / Phrases
Style
Counts 20% of Test
Word Choice Audience Awareness Voice / Personality Sentence Variety
Convention
Counts 20% of Test
Capitalization Usage Punctuation Paragraphs Spelling
The 5 Steps in the Writing Process 1. Brainstorm &
PrewritePlan out the main points and supporting details for the topic
2. Produce Rough Draft
Write the first version of the paper
3. Revise and Edit
Check for errors in usage and mechanics and improve word choice, sentences, and ideas
4. Produce Final Draft
Produce the best version of the essay
5. Publish / Submit
Time to submit for scoring!
Example Writing Topic (Great Teacher)
Writing Situation• Many successful people have indicated that it was a
special teacher who motivated them to do well in life. They have shared that some were caring, others were strict, some were smart, fun and engaging, while others simply provided a listening ear.
Writing Directions• Write an essay to be read to a group of teachers,
during Teacher Appreciation Week, explaining what you perceive to be the characteristics of a great teacher. Be sure to provide specific examples and personal experiences to support your identified characteristics.
What is the Writing Topic Really Asking?
What is the Topic? The characteristics of a great teacher
Who is the Audience? A group of teachers
What is the Purpose? To explain
What is the Essay format?
Informational or Expository Essay
*It is important for students to know how to find the T.A.P.E. in the writing topic on the day of the writing assessment.
Writing DirectionsWrite an essay to be read to a group of teachers, during Teacher Appreciation Week, explaining what you perceive to be the characteristics of a great teacher. Be sure to provide specific examples and personal experiences to support your identified characteristics.
Ordinary Response to Writing Topic
• Great teachers take their time with us. They do not yell, get upset, or show anger at students who are talking. Also, they do not get mad just because a student does not know the answer to a question.
Extraordinary Response to Writing Topic
• Great teachers share a special quality; they are patient and not easily angered. For instance the other day, my friends and I dashed into the classroom with a lot of energy, laughing, pushing, shoving, and slapping each other on the back of the neck, Wap! Pow! However, unlike most teachers, Ms. Thompson did not fuss or belittle us. Instead, she calmly told us to take our seats and to begin our warm up. In addition, Ms. Thompson is not easily frustrated. When we are struggling to answer a question, she patiently guides us to the correct answer and praises us once we get it right.
What’s the difference between the two paragraphs?
Ordinary Paragraph
Extraordinary Paragraph
• Very simple word
choice• Mostly simple
sentences are used• Few examples used to
support main idea• Limited use of
transition words• Does not consider the
reader’s sight, hearing, or emotions
• Vivid and descriptive word choice
• Simple, compound, and complex sentences are used
• Specific examples included to support main ideas
• Intelligent use of transition words
• Addresses the reader’s sight, hearing, and emotions
Georgia’s Released Essays –
*Visit the websites below to read the released essays from last year. They include the students’ scores and explanations for the scores.
5th grade•http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Documents/2012%20Grade%205%20Topics%20and%20Sample%20Papers.pdf
8th Grade•http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Documents/Grade%208%20Topics%20and%20Sample%20Papers%202012%20Updated%20022912.pdf
Examples of How to Hook the Reader!Interesting Quote “A life without service is simply meaningless movement.” The memory of Mr. Barker’s words rings so vividly in
my mind.
Striking Statistic According to the president of Nickelodeon, students spend 8 out of 10 hours performing two main tasks. What could possibly consume so much of their time? Of course, it is watching television and talking on the phone!
Striking Fact or Statement62,208,000! That’s right 62,208,000! This is the astounding number of minutes the average student will spend throughout his / her elementary, middle, and high school years in the presence of a teacher.
Striking Question What kills more people than car accidents, alcohol, AIDS, murders, illegal drugs, and suicides all combined?
Anecdote (SHORT story)
Allan sat there nervously tapping his finger tips along the mahogany wood of the desk. A look of melancholy, disappointment, and fear covered his face. He was anxiously awaiting to hear the verdict that would forever change his life. He turned around slowly, scanning the courtroom to see if his dad had “bothered” show-up…nope. Finally, the door from the chamber opened. For a moment, it seemed as if everything went into slow motion.
Vivid description of a person, a moment, a day, a situation, etc.
Tom charged through the door like a bull ready to attack. His eyes were as red as a freshly polished apple, and observers could easily see the blazes of smoke surrounding him.
A Personal ExperienceI remember standing there, gazing at the motionless object. It didn’t take me long to realize that life as I knew it would be a thing of the past.
Brief Dialogue“Scott! Get down here on the double!” my father hollered.“Dad?” I yelled back. “Where are you?” I was sitting at the kitchen table eating pancakes the first morning of our trip, and from somewhere outside my dad was calling me.
How to Use the Released Essays…?
•Have your child read and score the essays prior to showing him/her the official scores
•Have your child read the explanations for why each essay received a certain score
•Have your child rewrite some of the essays to improve the paper based on the scorers’ feedback
•Have your child write a more exciting introduction for the essay
•Require your child to maintain a journal or folder of the rewritten essays so that they can revisit them
Improving Ideas from home • Go mute for a week! Have students write everything they need
for a week! Every idea should be expressed via writing. A dry
erase board may help you with this.
• Have students watch the news nightly and take a stand on
current events. What are their ideas on gay marriage,
healthcare, politics, educational reform? Encourage research to
shape that thought. Perhaps you could even engage in a debate
amongst various siblings.
• Have students interview your family. Encourage students to
write a funny story, report, or article about the person’s life
experiences.
Improving Ideas from home
• Have your students journal daily to express their activities,
feelings, etc. for the day.
• Turn watching television into an educational experience to
improve reading and writing skills! Have students retell
the story, or better yet, have students express the theme
or morals learned from the television show.
• When students are attempting to explain a particular
thought, ask them to provide or write an example to paint
a more vivid picture of what they are explaining.
Improving Organization from home
-Good writers always brainstorm using a graphic organizer. -Good writers ensure that paragraph(s) have a topic sentence, supporting details and a concluding statement. -Good writers ensure that an essay has an introduction, body and a conclusion.-Good writers ensure that every piece of writing whether a paragraph or an essay includes effective transitions.
Improving Word Choice from Home
Ask your child to come up with a list of ten words they "like," for whatever reason - sound, meaning, length, etc. Then have them categorize the words into groups.
Example words:wafting, hippopotamus, plum, flourish, anew, slippery, loneliness, yanked, foreign, pillar
Possible categories:Sensory words--slippery, plum, wafting Long words--hippopotamus, loneliness Feeling words--loneliness, foreign, slippery Two syllable words--wafting, flourish, anew, foreign, pillar
Then have them keep this list of words in a folder to use when they are writing. As they find new words they learn and/or like have them add the words to their the list. When they are revising their writing at home, have them see if they can use any of the words on the list to improve their writing piece.
Let’s Practice! Before Writing - Organize Your
Ideas Your teacher has asked the class to help third grade students learn about good manners. Think about why people should show good manners at home or at school.
Write a report for third grade students explaining why it is important to show good manners.
Here’s a Sample Way to Organize Ideas Using Questions
What?Thesis Statement/Controlling Idea
Why?Reasons
How? So What?Supporting Details
Example of One Reason and Supporting Details
What? Why? How? So What?
Students should have good manners.
(1) Decrease fights or
disagreements
apologize for bumping or hitting people by accident (So What?- Don’t make a mistake into a conflict)ask before borrowing things (So What?- decrease accusations of stealing)use kind words (So What?-create a community of helping rather than hurting)
Review Your Writing to Check Conventions 1st Did you indent all of your paragraphs?
2nd Do all of your sentences begin with a capital letter?
3rd Did you capitalize proper nouns: names, locations, organizations, etc.?
4th Did you check for comma errors: items in a series, after introductory phrases/clauses, in compound sentences?
5th Are you sure you do not have two sentences running together?This is a common error.
6th Are you sure all of your statements are complete sentences?
7th Closely check your spelling. CLOSELY CHECK HOMOPHONES: (their, they’re, there, your, you’re, to, too, two)
8th Do your subjects and verbs agree? Remember “One thing, gotta have an ‘s’… Two things…no ‘s’!
9th Check your pronouns, especially the use of subject pronouns vs object pronouns
10th Did you avoid using slang and texting (ain’t, &, OMG, U, LOL)?
Now you are ready to write a solid essay using a controlling idea, reasons, and supporting details to
answer all of the questions your reader
may have.
Helpful Writing Websites• http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-
Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Writing-Assessments.aspx
• www.paperrater.com • http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/21740/ • http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Writing/index.html • http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/ • www.readwritethink.org• www.markothepencil.com• http://apps.educationnorthwest.org/traits/
lessonplans• http://www.ttms.org/PDFs/04%20Writing
%20Process%20v001%20(Full).pdf