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R = Role A = Audience F = Format T= Topic

Format based on work of Doug Buehl cited in Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: If Not Me, Then Who? Billmeyer and Martin, 1998.

RAFT Assignments

Kristina Doubet – JMU – 2007 Doubetkj@jmu.edu

A RAFT… •  …isacreative,funstrategythatencourageswritingacrossthecurriculum.•  …canbeusedininthefollowingmanners:–  AUnit“Hook”–  A“Sense-MakingActivity”withinaunit(lesson)–  AnAssessmentattheendoftheunit–  AJig-saw–  ATestReview

•  Alloftheabovecanserveasmotivatorsbygivingstudentschoice,appealingtotheirinterestsandlearningprofiles,andadaptingtostudentreadinesslevels.

RAFTs can… •  Be differentiated in a variety of

ways: readiness level, reader/nonreader, learning profile, and/or student interest

•  Be used as introductory “hooks” into a unit of study

•  Be used as summative products •  Be used to reinforce specific skills

by keeping one column consistent while varying the other columns in the RAFT grid Be created by the students (or include a blank row for that option)

Possible RAFT Formats

•  Advertisement •  Advice Column •  Application •  Cartoon •  Commercial •  Editorial •  Essay •  Eulogy

•  Interview •  Invitation •  Memo •  Monologue •  News Story •  Pamphlet •  Petition •  Resume

•  Review •  Skit •  Slogan •  Tape •  Telegram •  Warning •  Will •  Debate •  Yearbook

French RAFT French RAFT

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French RAFT ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC

Student Self Packing list with Notes

Here’s what I need for my vacation and why I need

it. Native of the

country

A visiting athlete

Map with symbols Here’s what to look for and do on your vacation

here. Tourist Family at home Series of post

cards Please send my….

because….. Native of the

country

Visitors on vacation

List of dos and don’ts

When in Rome….

Hiker or driver Roads Magazine interview

Where are you taking me?

Bureau of Tourism

Potential inhabitants

Travel poster with narration

You’ll enjoy our best features!

Radio announcer

Listener Informational feature

Come share the wonder!

Astronomy RAFT

Fraction Benchmark Strips

ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC Boy of 12 who came from Europe in steerage

Best friend back in Germany

Letter Crossing the ocean on the ship

Ship captain Emigrants waiting to come to America

Booklet How to prepare for your trip

Artist arriving from France

Graphic design firm in NYC

Picture postcard

Wish you were here

Dorothy Hargrove, NYC Sophisticate

Mayor of NYC Editorial We are being overrun with foreigners

Father arriving in first class from Italy

Wife and children in Italy

Letter Don’t worry, it’s easy to immigrate!

Ellis Island RAFT: Upper Elementary Adapted from Ellen Hench 2001

ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC Mother whose 16 year old son does not pass the medical exam and will be deported

Family in Russia Poem Crying my eyes out over here

Young, single woman from Ireland

Her future children Diary Arriving at Ellis Island

Dorothy Hargrove, NYC Sophisticate

Mayor of NYC Editorial We are being overrun with foreigners

Ellis Island Interpreter Immigration Service Employee Newspaper

Cartoon What a lot of gibberish!

Ellis Island RAFT (Continued )

Know •  Definitions of: Audience, Tone, Persuasion •  The format of an effective piece of persuasive

writing includes: –  Introduction: that clearly states the author’s opinion,

mentions reasons why the author holds this opinion, and establishes tone of the piece.

–  Support paragraph(s): Includes at least three reasons that prove/support the authors opinion

–  Opinions must be supported by examples/evidence

–  Conclusion: Summarizes authors opinion and final attempt to convince the audience to agree with the author

Persuasive Writing RAFT Vicki, Loudon County, VA

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Understand •  An author’s experiences and personality affect

their writing. This comes through in their style of writing and the tone of their work

•  Effective writing keeps the audience that they are writing to in mind

•  Opinions of an author must be supported by evidence in order to be persuasive

Be able to… •  Write a piece of persuasive writing •  Clearly express an opinion •  Support this opinion with at least two pieces of

evidence.

Persuasive Writing (cont’d) The students will complete the RAFT activity after studying the use of tone, attention to audience and the key parts of a persuasive piece of writing. The class will have already read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and discussed the characters. The students will be assigned a choice of two roles according to their writing readiness level. This lesson will be introduced as the class putting the A. Wolf on trial. All of the pieces that the students write will be presented to the class. As a class the students will discuss the opinions and evidence presented by the different characters. The class will then step out of their characters and as class vote on whether or not the wolf should be left in jail or set free.

ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC A. Wolf Jury Testimony I am telling the TRUE story of

the three little pigs

Grandma A. Wolf’s Parents Letters Give Al a chance (and some money for a lawyer)

Third Pig Newspaper Readers Letter to the Editor

My brothers were mincemeat – and AL ATE THEM!!

Police Officer Jury Testimony He blew the house and the law down

A. Wolf’s Lawyer

Jury Closing Statement

The wolf isn’t so big and bad. He is telling the TRUE story

Reporter on the Scene

Newspaper Reader Editorial A. Wolf is guilty what is all this huff and puff about?

Example: Immigration RAFT

Dobbertin/Doubet -- 2005

ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC

1 Member of the

Founding Fathers’ “inner circle”

Cousin at home in England

Letter of Explanation

These guys’ ideas aren’t so different

from yours!

2 Journalist Colonists Feature story with

timeline and illustrations

The conflict thus far: Here’s what

we know!

3 Loyalist OR Patriot Members of opposing party

Propaganda Campaign

Come on over to the right side!

4 Representative of the disgruntled colonists

Meeting of the First

Continental Congress

Rap, Song, or Speech

“Give us Liberty, Yo!”

5 Fly on the wall at the

meeting of the 2nd Continental Congress

Other Fly Friends

Dialogue and Sketch

Here’s what I saw and heard!

American Revolution (Test Review)

Boone/Doubet -- 2006

Taming of the Shrew ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC

Kate The public A “retraction” in a local newspaper

Here’s what I really meant to say…

Lucentio Tranio Letter written five years after the play

Can we trade places again?

Bianca Other “ladies” of Padua “How-to” Booklet Here’s how to get your man – and keep the

upper hand

Petruchio Men in arranged marriages to

“difficult” women

Self-Help column or booklet

The art of seduction

Baptista Readers of “Taming of the Shrew”

Letter of defense Why I did what I did/How I really feel

about my daughters

You may suggest your own RAFT assignment. Write it up and clear it with Miss Doubet.

Doubet – 2005

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Tom Sawyer’s RAFT ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC

Sid Aunt Polly Affidavit Why Tom should get a lickin’

Huck Self Poem or Song Who am I without my friend, Tom?

Aunt Polly Widow Douglas Dialogue Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen (because of Tom)!

Becky Tom Letter How I really feel about you…

Injun Joe Self Drawing of Dream

Why I’m going to get even with Tom Sawyer… and HOW I’ll do it!

Muff Potter Townspeople Speech Why I thank goodness for Tom Sawyer….

• This Raft is also differentiated according to readiness; top 3 formats are more difficult.

• Post RAFT Assignment – • Meet in “Mixed Character” Groups and share RAFT responses (see next slide) • Compose an essay on the following topic: “Taking multiple perspectives into account, is Tom a hero? Why or why not?

Doubet/Capper – 2003

Tom Sawyer Jigsaw Graphic Organizer

Directions: As your classmates present their RAFTS, take notes on what you learn about lab safety from their projects.

Character Discussed

Classmate Presenting Notes

Doubet/Doubet – 2003

Role Audience Format Topic Points of Discussion Teen Magazine’s Fashion Editor

Middle School Students

Double-page Magazine Spread

“Here’s what’s ‘IN’ in Technology- Education

Fashion” Eye wear; ear-wear; long hair; baggy clothes; jewelry; long

sleeves Referee Middle School

“Tech-thletes” Instruction Playbook

“Instant Replay Out-takes: Fouls in the Technology Lab”

Running; horseplay; injuries; anchor activities

The Technology Lab

The Public Wanted Posters

“Wanted: Students Caught in the Act of Breaking

Clean-up Laws” Your three primary “clean-up”

responsibilities; your work area

Newspaper Writer

Fauquier Times Democrat Readers

Expose` Cover Story

“Undercover in the TMS Tech Lab: What Materials

Talk about at Night” Proper handling of hand tools,

heavy items, materials; Cabinets

Scroll Saw and Drill Press

Each Other Comic Strip “What we wish middle school students knew about

how to handle us…” Drill Press: speed; chuck key; Scroll Saw: hold-down; upper-

guide adjustment Both: brush; positioning work

A Computer who “works” in the Tech Lab

A “New” Computer at his first day at work

Power Point Presentation

“These are Your Rights!” All items on “Technology Computer Rules” handout

Technology Safety R.A.F.T. Directions: • Select one of the following prompts. The “Role” is the character you will become, and from whose perspective that you will write. The “Audience” is to whom that character will be writing. The “Format” is the form in which the opinion will be expressed. The “Topic” is just that – your topic! The “Points of Discussion” are those things that you should be sure to include in your project. • All products must… 1) Include all necessary “Points of Discussion,” 2) Use a combination of words and pictures, • 3) Communicate the topic clearly and forcefully, and 4) Be of professional quality – fit for publication for next year’s class. • Circle the ROLE that you plan to pursue. Decide what materials you’ll need (digital camera, computer, poster paper, etc.) Plan your presentation, and clear it with your teacher before you begin working. You may use your notes to help you.

Doubet/Doubet – 2003

Technology RAFT Jigsaw Graphic Organizer

Directions: As your classmates present their RAFTS, take notes on what you learn about lab safety from their projects.

Subject Discussed

Classmate Presenting Notes

Doubet/Doubet – 2003

Create your own RAFT ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC