assessment and implementation guide - literacy and math ... · option 1: teach the unit plans in...

4th Edition

Assessment and Implementation Guide

Maureen Auman

Grades 9–12

Copyright 2016 Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Step Up to Writing Assessment and Implementation Guide • Grades 9–12 iii

Table of Contents

Overview of Step Up to Writing

Proven Instruction in Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Preparing Students for College and Careers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Best Practices in Collaborative Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Who Is Step Up to Writing For? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Implementing Step Up to Writing Flexibly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Using Step Up to Writing Assessment Materials Flexibly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Training and Professional Development for Step Up to Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Assessment

Overview of Step Up to Writing Assessment Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Cycle of Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Structure of the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Preparing Students for the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Progress Monitoring between Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Administering the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Scoring the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Using Assessment Data to Guide Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Implementation Plan

Implementation Plan: Units to Build the Reading–Writing Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Unit 1: Analyzing Text with Informative/Explanatory Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Unit 2: Defending a Claim with Argument Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Unit 3: Building on Text with Narrative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Unit 4: Investigating a Topic—Research Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Unit 5: College and Career Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Unit 6: Speaking and Listening—Discussion and Debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Appendix A: Scoring Guides

Informative/Explanatory Essay and Report Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Argument Essay and Report Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Narrative Writing Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Personal Narrative Writing Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Research Report Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Appendix B: Class Record Sheets

Class Record Sheet for Writing Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Class Record Sheet for Reading Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Step Up to Writing Assessment and Implementation Guide • Grades 9–12 1

Overview of Step Up to Writing

Welcome to Step Up to Writing! Here is an overview of just a few of the program’s benefits.

Proven Instruction in Writing• Explicit, systematic instruction in all aspects of writing• A wide variety of strategies to address all levels of student writing ability from

paragraph writing to sustained research projects• Emphasis on precise word choice and domain-specific vocabulary• Development of deep reading for analysis and reflection to support writing • Rigorous Formal Assessments that focus on writing in response to texts similar

to the new performance task standardized assessments

Preparing Students for College and Careers• College and career strategies include

interviewing, writing a proposal, and writing an application essay

• Instruction for producing the three major text types—informative/ explanatory, argument, and narrative

• Methods for giving constructive feedback and leading group discussions

• Research skills for evaluating sources, quoting and paraphrasing from sources, and citing sources using MLA or APA style

• Instruction in the strategic use of technology for research, collaboration, and publishing

Best Practices in Collaborative LearningStudents are provided numerous opportunities to collaborate with their peers by discussing writing concepts with classmates, conducting peer reviews, etc. After working collaboratively with their peers, students are able and willing to analyze and evaluate their own work (Boscolo & Ascorti, 2004). This allows students to be actively involved in their learning and engaged in problem-solving. Consequently, they grow as writers as they plan, write, revise, and edit their work.

Read

AnalyzeResearch

Discuss

Draft

Revise

Peer Review Publish

Present

Step Up to Writing Assessment and Implementation Guide • Grades 9–122

Overview of Step Up to Writing (continued)

Who Is Step Up to Writing For? A Program for All StudentsStep Up to Writing is for all students in grades 9–12, encompassing a wide range of abilities and learning styles. The program provides foundational strategies, such as how to write effective paragraphs, to more advanced strategies, such as how to write well-reasoned arguments on substantive topics. Differentiated strategies can be used to develop students’ knowledge and abilities no matter what their levels of writing proficiency.

A Program for All Subject Areas: Using Step Up to Writing Across the CurriculumStep Up to Writing supports writing in English Language Arts and all other subject areas. Step Up to Writing includes exemplar texts throughout the program that focus on topics in history/social studies, science, and other technical subjects to model how the strategies can be used to produce discipline-specific content. Section 10 of the Teacher Edition provides lists of strategies that can be used by teachers in different subjects to incorporate writing into their classes and build on the writing skills learned in the English Language Arts classroom.

Implementing Step Up to Writing FlexiblyStep Up to Writing is a highly flexible resource for teachers. There are numerous possibilities for using this program in high school classrooms. Here are just a few:

Option 1: Teach the Unit Plans in the Implementation Plan for a Comprehensive, Year-Long Writing SolutionThe Implementation Plan (pages 7–33) is a sequence of units that allows teachers to meet the high school Common Core State Standards for writing, speaking and listening, and language. These unit plans teach writing in response to class texts (e.g., novels, historical texts, poems, plays), while also teaching:

• Conventions of major types of writing, including informative/explanatory, argument, narrative, and research reports

• Skills for college and career success, including writing a cover letter, creating a résumé, and preparing for an interview

• Research skills, including finding and evaluating sources, and formatting a paper using Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) style

• Speaking, listening, and presentation skills, including collaborating with peers, organizing a presentation, engaging the audience, and dealing with diverse perspectives

• Essential grammar and language skills, including rules of standard English, strengthening vocabulary, and improving voice and style


Option 2: Build Your Own Comprehensive Sequence of Writing InstructionStep Up to Writing is meant to be used flexibly and creatively by teachers. If teachers find that the Implementation Plan in this guide does not meet the needs of their students, or does not match requirements of their state, district, or school, they can build their own lesson plans by choosing from the array of strategies in each section of the Teacher Edition:

Section 1: Writing to Improve Reading Comprehension Section 6: Narrative Writing: Telling a Story

Section 2: Foundational Writing Skills Section 7: Research Reports

Section 3: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use Section 8: Speaking and Listening

Section 4: Informative/Explanatory Writing: Stating the Facts Section 9: Writing for Assessments

Section 5: Argument Writing: Making a Claim Section 10: Writing in the Content Areas

Option 3: Use Step Up to Writing Periodically to Supplement InstructionIf teachers are already teaching a set curriculum, Step Up to Writing strategies can serve as mini-lessons to teach concepts that may not be covered in their primary curriculum, or to reinforce concepts if students need more support. Each Step Up to Writing strategy explicitly teaches an important aspect of writing, language, research, or speaking and listening.

Step Up to Writing is compatible with other programs such as Writer’s Workshop and 6+1 Trait® Writing.

Using Step Up to Writing Assessment Materials FlexiblyStep Up to Writing includes a variety of assessment materials to help teachers monitor students’ writing abilities and to help students meet rigorous college and career writing standards. Assessment materials include:

• Formal Assessments for each grade level and for each of the major types of writing (informative/explanatory, argument, and narrative)

• Scoring guides (rubrics) for each type of writing, written in student-friendly language so that students can use them to assess and improve their own work

• The Digital Data Tracker to easily monitor students’ growth throughout the year and pinpoint areas of strength and weakness

Teachers can use these assessment materials to differing degrees. If needed, teachers can adapt the assessments and scoring guides to comply with specific state, district, and school writing standards. Furthermore, if teachers are already mandated to use a specific assessment or rubric for writing, they can use those materials in place of the Step Up to Writing assessment materials while still using Step Up to Writing instruction in the classroom.

See the Assessment section (pages 5–16) for more guidance on how assessment materials can be used and adapted. See the Implementation Plan (pages 18–33) for guidance on how assessments can be integrated into instruction at the beginning and end of writing units.


Overview of Step Up to Writing (continued)

Training and Professional Development for Step Up to WritingProfessional development for teachers, literacy coaches, and principals is available in order to ensure a clear understanding of how Step Up to Writing can be successfully implemented in different grade levels, and how the program meets rigorous standards. For information on face-to-face training, ongoing support and coaching, or private Training of Trainers (TOT), call (800) 547-6747 or visit www.voyagersopris.com.

Also, look for this icon throughout the Teacher Edition. When this icon appears, it indicates that there is a professional development video available demonstrating how to teach that particular strategy. Videos can be accessed at www.stepuptowriting.com.

Professional Development Videos

Assessment

Assessment

Overview of Step Up to Writing Assessment Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Cycle of Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Structure of the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Preparing Students for the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Progress Monitoring between Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Administering the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Scoring the Formal Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Using Assessment Data to Guide Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15



Overview of Step Up to Writing Assessment MaterialsThe following Step Up to Writing assessment materials are downloadable from www.stepuptowriting.com to help teachers collect data, make informed instructional decisions, and help students meet rigorous writing standards.

Formal Assessments

The assessments emphasize the reading–writing connection by asking students to read excerpts from sources, answer comprehension questions, and write a composition that responds to the ideas in the sources.

There are two assessments for each type of writing at each grade level: • A Baseline Assessment can be given at the beginning of a unit to assess starting

skill levels.• A Summative Assessment can be given at the end of a unit to assess skill growth.

Scoring Guides

The scoring guides are rubrics for each type of writing that provide clear grading criteria, written in student-friendly language.

Copies of scoring guides are also available on pages 34–38.

Digital Data Tracker

The Digital Data Tracker is a downloadable spreadsheet that teachers can use to record assessment data. It helps teachers easily pinpoint areas of strength and weakness.

Class Record Sheets

These printable sheets allow teachers to manually record and tabulate assessment data.

Copies of the Class Record Sheets are also available on pages 39–40.

PromptsThe prompts are ideas to help teachers create rigorous writing assignments for different types of writing and in different subject areas.

These Step Up to Writing materials can be used to differing degrees depending on the assessment requirements of states, districts, and schools. Teachers can use their own mandated assessments and grading criteria wherever appropriate.


Class Record Sheet for Reading DataCLASS: WRITING TYPE

❏ Informative/Explanatory ❏ Argument ❏ Narrative

DATE: ASSESSMENT TYPE ❏ Baseline ❏ Progress Monitoring ❏ Summative

Student Name

Score on Literal

Question (questions

1, 2)

Score on Inferential Questions (questions

3, 4, 5)

TOTAL SCORE

(out of 5)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

CLASS AVERAGE

Appendix B: Class Record Sheets (continued)


Class Record Sheet for Writing DataCLASS: WRITING TYPE



Student Name Organization (0–4)

Ideas/ Content

(0–4)

Language/ Style (0–4)

Conventions/CUPS (0–4)

TOTAL SCORE

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

CLASS AVERAGE

CLASS STATS

Advanced (15–16) Proficient (12–14) Basic (7–11) Below Basic (3–6) No Credit (0–2)

# of students


Name: Grade: Class: Date:

4©2015 Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Permission is granted to reproduce this page for Step Up to Writing classroom use.

Step Up to Writing—Grade 9Informative/Explanatory Writing

Baseline Assessment

Questions

Directions: Refer back to the sources on pages 2 and 3. Fill in the correct bubble to answer the questions. 1. According to source 1, what was the main purpose of treaties between American Indians and the U.S. government in California?

A to protect American Indians’ landsB to trick American Indians into forced laborC to take away American Indian reservation landD to move American Indians to less desirable land

2. According to source 1, what was one reason some California treaties were rejected by the Senate?A It was unclear if the treaties were legal. B The treaties would cost too much money to enforce.C The American Indians refused to hand over native land titles. D The senators did not have access to the full treaty documents.

3. PART A: What is Senator Bard’s main argument in source 2?A American Indians should be moved out of Southern California.B American Indians should be given higher quality land.C American Indians should be given large quantities of land. D American Indians should fight to ratify the treaties with the government. 4. PART B: What can you infer about Bard based on his argument in source 2?A He believes none of the land in California is suitable for American Indians. B He is an American Indian.

C He wants to get the treaties stricken from Congressional records.D He wants to help American Indians, but only in a limited way. 5. What conclusion could be reached based on the information in all three sources? A The U.S. government purposely kept the treaties with American Indians hidden from senators and the American public.

B Even if the government had approved the treaties, American Indians would still have lost large amounts of land.C Both the U.S. government and the American Indians profited from the California gold rush.D The U.S. government never attempted to reserve land for American Indians.

3


©2015 Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.Permission is granted to reproduce this page for Step Up to Writing classroom use.

Step Up to Writing—Grade 9Informative/Explanatory Writing

Baseline Assessment

Source #2

From “Statement of Senator Thomas R. Bard”Courtesy of the Government Printing Office.

This passage is an excerpt from Senator Bard’s address at

the Senate hearings to discuss Indian affairs in the

United States, 1905.

The conditions in southern California, with

which I am more familiar, are these: There are some

eighteen or twenty, or more bands of Indians with

whom, in early times, treaties have been negotiated but

never ratified, but they have come under the general

classification of Mission Indians—they are civilized.

Some of these bands have been driven by degrees back

into the mountains—really, they belong there; but the

lands which are of any value have been taken by whites

and these Indians have been forced into canyons,

where they have been attempting to live. . . .

The lands shown as reservations were marked out

in the office here years go, and there is nothing there

except rocks and little patches of arable land along the

creeks. . . . Now these other bands of Indians are in the

hills and starving and what is desired is not to furnish

them with large quantities of land, but to give them in

addition to what they have a few more acres, here and

there, that will be sufficient to maintain them.

It would be almost cruelty to remove them from

the high mountains, where they are, to the lower

valleys; they have always lived as mountain Indians,

and it would not be desirable to do that.

arable: suitable for growing crops

Source #3

California Land Allocations 1851–1852: Areas to be Ceded by and Reserved for American Indians

5

10

15

20

= Land supposedly given

up by Indians in the

1851–1852 treaties

= Land that was intended

to be reserved for the

Indians to occupy, as

authorized by the U.S.

President

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Informative/Explanatory Essay and Report Scoring Guide Topic/Prompt =

No Credit (0) Below Basic (1) Basic (2) Proficient (3) Advanced (4) Score

Org

aniz

atio

n

No introduction, topic sentence/thesis statement, and/or plan sentence

Paragraphs are disordered

Transitions are absent or confusing

Conclusion is absent, unclear, or unrelated

Formatting or text features* absent or distracting and off-topic

No plan sentence, or introduction is not clearly related to prompt, task, or topic

Paragraphs have some logic to their order

Transitions link some ideas, but may be unclear/repeated

Conclusion is vague or drifts from topic/body content

Formatting or text features* are irrelevant

Introduction’s topic sentence and plan sentence partially address prompt, task, or topic

Paragraphs are mostly presented in a reasonable order

Transitions link many ideas

Conclusion relates to the topic sentence/thesis statement

Formatting or text features* do not address important information

Topic sentence/thesis statement and plan sentence clearly fit the prompt, task, or topic

Paragraphs follow plan; their development reveals connections and distinctions

Varied transitions link and clarify complex ideas and create cohesion

Conclusion follows from topic/body content

Formatting or text features* are relevant

Introduction, topic sentence/thesis statement, plan sentence engagingly address topic; may include lead

Logically ordered paragraphs follow plan and build to a unified whole

Varied and subtle transitions link and clarify complex ideas and create cohesion

Purposeful conclusion addresses topic’s significance or implications

Formatting or text features* enhance understanding

Idea

s/C

on

ten

t

Ideas are inaccurate or unclear

Elaboration is unrelated to topic or audience

Prompt, task, and topic are undeveloped; insufficient ideas presented

Graphic or multimedia features* are omitted, irrelevant, or distracting

Ideas presented are simple; some are unclear/inaccurate

Much elaboration repeated, off-topic, or inappropriate for the audience

Prompt, task, topic, or ideas are largely undeveloped

Graphic or multimedia features* wander from topic

Few complex ideas are presented, or they are unclear

Some elaboration may be off-topic or fits audience poorly

Prompt, task, topic, or ideas are incompletely developed

Graphic or multimedia features* relate to topic

Complex ideas are presented accurately and clearly

Elaboration is clearly relevant to topic and audience

Prompt, task, topic, and ideas are well developed

Graphic or multimedia features* are relevant

Complex ideas are accurate, clear, and build upon each other

The most significant and relevant elaboration for this audience brings the topic to life

Prompt, task, topic, and ideas are fully developed

Graphic or multimedia features* enhance understanding

Lan

gu

age/

Sty

le

Incorrect sentence structures (fragments, run-ons)

Basic and inaccurate words/phrases

Language is unclear and confusing

Style or tone is not appropriate to purpose or audience

Some incorrect sentences make reading difficult

Basic words/phrases repeat; some are inaccurate

Language is simple and sometimes unclear

No formal style or objective tone; language largely doesn’t fit purpose or audience

Complete sentences, with little variety

Basic, accurate words fit topic

Language is simple but understandable

Formal style, objective tone are inconsistent; language sometimes fits purpose or audience

Different sentence structures add meaning

Some academic/content-related words help address the topic

Language conveys ideas clearly, but with limited use of precise words

Formal style, objective tone are consistent; language fits purpose and audience

Varied sentence structures are used for effect and enhance meaning

Academic and content-related vocabulary clarifies complex ideas

Rich and precise words or figurative language is used

Formal style, objective tone display qualities of discipline-specific texts

Co

nven

tio

ns/

CU

PS Text is confusing due to

frequent errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs are not formatted properly

Unclear if sources were used

Misunderstandings result from many errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs are not formatted properly

Sources used are largely not cited, no standard format used

Text is understandable, despite some errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Most paragraphs are formatted properly

Some sources used are cited in standard format, possibly incompletely

Text clearly understandable, due to few errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs are formatted properly

All sources used are cited properly, with minimal formatting errors

Text communicates clearly with minimal errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs are formatted properly

All sources used are cited properly

Total Score (16 possible)*Not all topics, prompts, or tasks require formatting, graphics, or multimedia.

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Narrative Writing Scoring GuideTopic/Prompt =

No Credit (0) Below Basic (1) Basic (2) Proficient (3) Advanced (4) Score

Org

aniz

atio

n

Beginning is missing or confusing; no context provided

Transitions missing or inappropriate; events are confusing or disconnected

Ending is missing

Beginning is unclear, cliché, or provides little context

Some transitions are missing or do not link events logically

Ending is abrupt/disconnected

Beginning introduces some context, point of view, or characters/narrators

Transitions and techniques link events logically

Ending resolves some conflict

Beginning clearly establishes context, point of view, and characters/narrators

Transitions and other techniques link events, build meaningfully

Ending resolves conflict and reflects upon events

Engaging beginning establishes context, point of view, and characters/narrators

Varied transitions and techniques link events and build meaningfully

Satisfying ending resolves conflict naturally; reflects upon events

Idea

s/C

on

ten

t

Does not address prompt/assignment

Middle does not develop events or conflict

Characters are omitted, undeveloped, or confusing

Descriptions are missing or ineffective

Prompt/assignment is largely unanswered

Middle leaves many events undeveloped; little progression

Basic characters lack unique identities; are easily confused with each other

Descriptions are few or confusing

Partially addresses prompt/assignment

Middle develops some events or conflict; narrative progresses

Characters are not completely developed or believable

Descriptions lack detail

Addresses prompt/assignment

Middle develops events and conflict; provides a smooth progression

Characters/narrators are developed; each is distinct and believable

Some descriptive details of events, settings, and characters

Fully addresses prompt/assignment

Middle fully develops events and conflict; compelling progression

Interesting characters/narrators change and grow in complex ways

Descriptive details of events, settings, and characters show rather than tell

Lan

gu

age/

Sty

le

Words chosen are basic and repeated or inaccurate

Language is limited, unclear, or confusing

Sentences are largely incorrect (fragments, run-ons)

Point of view is unclear or unstated

Words chosen are sometimes repeated, inaccurate

Language is simple and at times unclear

Sentences are choppy, repetitive, with some run-ons or fragments

Point of view is inconsistent

Word choice is simple but correct

Language is largely simple, with little sensory or figurative speech

Sentence are correct, with little variety

Point of view drifts

Word choice includes some precise, rich words

Language includes some vivid images, sensory or figurative language, or reflection

Sentences vary in structure, length

Point of view maintained throughout

Word choice is precise and rich

Language includes vivid images, sensory and figurative language, and reflection; brings narrative to life

Sentences are varied, enhance pacing

Consistent, interesting point of view

Co

nven

tio

ns/

CU

PS

Text is confusing due to frequent errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs and dialogue* are not formatted properly

Unclear if sources were used*

Misunderstandings result from many errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs and dialogue* are not formatted properly

Sources used are largely not cited, no standard format used*

Text is understandable, despite some errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Most paragraphs and dialogue* are formatted properly

Some sources used are cited in standard format, possibly incompletely*

Text clearly understandable, due to few errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs and dialogue* are formatted properly

All sources used are cited properly, with minimal formatting errors*

Text communicates clearly with minimal errors in CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

Paragraphs and dialogue* are formatted properly

All sources used are cited properly*

Total Score (16 possible)

* Dialogue and/or sources are not required for all narrative writing assignments.

2

Name:

Grade: Class: Date:

©2015 Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.


Step Up to Writing—Grade 9

Informative/Explanatory Writing

Baseline Assessment

In 1852, with the world rushing in to California

and gold coursing out, senators in Washington, D.C.,

met in executive session to consider 18 treaties made

with Indians across California. Treaties with Indians,

like those with foreign governments, required

ratification by the Senate, and ratified Indian treaties

had the status of an agreement made with a sovereign

nation. Unratified treaties had no force.

As roads not taken, unratified treaties could

be easily forgotten. Senate rules requiring strict

confidence in deliberations on treaty matters

inadvertently contributed to forgetting. This appeared

to be the fate of the California Indian treaties, which

were rejected by the Senate. But the treaties acquired

a second life when senators at the dawn of the 20th

century were forced to confront this action of their

gold rush–era predecessors.

California had been densely populated by several

hundred thousand natives before European contact.

Under Spanish and Mexican rule, many thousands

were lost to disease and forced labor. The gold rush

of 1849 brought massive streams of outsiders who

overran much more of the state. Over the following

decades, the Indians were murdered, killed by disease,

or driven from their lands and livelihoods by miners

and settlers.

In much of the western United States, the federal

government extinguished native title to Indian lands

by treaty. Treaties typically required the Indians

to reduce their land holdings or move to areas that

were not desired by whites. This was the intent of

the California Indian treaties, which were made

between the United States and Indian groups in

California between 1851 and 1852 under three U.S.

commissioners.

The Indians ceded title to their land to the United

States and agreed to accept reservations, while the

government pledged to pay for the ceded land and

permanently set aside the reservations for Indian use.

When the treaties came up in executive session of

the U.S. Senate, the senators found them problematic.

It was unclear if Mexico—from which California was

acquired—recognized native land titles. If Mexico

did not, then Indians in California came under

U.S. sovereignty without legal claims to the land.

Furthermore, the commissioners’ appointments were

irregular, and in the wake of the gold rush, white

Californians strongly objected to the treaties.

For these reasons, the Senate rejected the treaties

and, following Senate rules, imposed an injunction

of secrecy on them. The record copies of the treaties

were returned to the Department of the Interior; only

the copies printed for use by senators fell under the

secrecy action.

The treaties were never truly secret. The work of

the commissioners was public knowledge at the time,

contemporary publications mentioned the unratified

treaties, and the Indians had their own copies of the

treaties. Several scholars examined the treaties in the

1880s and 1890s. Even so, they languished, largely lost

and forgotten.

With the treaties rejected, Indian title to the land

was left unresolved. A series of executive orders and a

congressional act in 1891 led to the creation of small,

scattered reservations of varying quality for Indians

in Southern California.

Northern California had only two reservations in

1900, at Hoopa and Round Valley; a third was at Tule

River in central California. The number of Indians

living outside their borders was unknown. These

uncounted, nonreservation Indians had virtually no

legal rights, protections, or government support.

The Northern California Indian Association

(NCIA) found the situation deplorable. This

organization of white reformers bent on educating,

civilizing, and uplifting the landless California

Indians embarked on a campaign to provide them

with relief in the early 1900s.

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

Source #1

From “The Secret Treaties with California’s Indians”

by Larisa K. Miller

Used with permission of the author.

ratification: approvalsovereign: independent

cede: to give up

Download assessment materials at www.stepuptowriting.com

Assessment


Cycle of AssessmentThe Step Up to Writing assessment materials can be used to help teachers collect meaningful writing data and adapt their instruction to ensure that they are helping students achieve rigorous writing goals.

The following cycle can be repeated with each of the three major types of writing (informative/explanatory, argument, and narrative).

1. Baseline Assessment

• Administer grade-level baseline assessment to obtain data on the starting skill levels.

2. Analyze Data & Plan Instruction

• Record the baseline assessment data on the Digital Data Tracker (or paper Class Record Sheets) to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses.

• Plan instruction and set goals based on the data.• See the Differentiation boxes at the end of each strategy in the Teacher

Edition for ideas on how to meet the needs of struggling students and to challenge advanced students.

3. Progress Monitoring

• Create opportunities to monitor students’ writing and informally assess their skills. This could be periodically reviewing drafts of students’ essays or reports, giving brief quizzes, having students self-assess their writing using rubrics, etc. These progress-monitoring activities can help determine which skills need additional practice before the summative assessment.

4. Summative Assessment

• Administer grade-level summative assessment to obtain data on the mastery of skills taught.

5. Analyze Data & Plan Instruction

• Record summative assessment data on the Digital Data Tracker (or paper Class Record Sheets) to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses.

• Plan instruction and set goals for the next unit based on the data.


Structure of the Formal AssessmentsThe structure of the Formal Assessments gives students experience with the types of performance tasks now encountered on new standardized test formats by asking students to read and respond to information in texts and other sources.

3

Name:

Grade: Class: Date:




Informative/Explanatory Writing Baseline AssessmentSource #2From “Statement of Senator Thomas R. Bard”Courtesy of the Government Printing Office.This passage is an excerpt from Senator Bard’s address at

the Senate hearings to discuss Indian affairs in the United States, 1905.

The conditions in southern California, with which I am more familiar, are these: There are some eighteen or twenty, or more bands of Indians with whom, in early times, treaties have been negotiated but never ratified, but they have come under the general classification of Mission Indians—they are civilized. Some of these bands have been driven by degrees back into the mountains—really, they belong there; but the lands which are of any value have been taken by whites and these Indians have been forced into canyons, where they have been attempting to live. . . . The lands shown as reservations were marked out

in the office here years go, and there is nothing there except rocks and little patches of arable land along the creeks. . . . Now these other bands of Indians are in the hills and starving and what is desired is not to furnish them with large quantities of land, but to give them in addition to what they have a few more acres, here and there, that will be sufficient to maintain them. It would be almost cruelty to remove them from

the high mountains, where they are, to the lower valleys; they have always lived as mountain Indians, and it would not be desirable to do that. arable: suitable for growing crops

Source #3

California Land Allocations 1851–1852: Areas to be Ceded by and Reserved for American Indians

5

10

15

20

= Land supposedly given up by Indians in the 1851–1852 treaties

= Land that was intended to be reserved for the Indians to occupy, as authorized by the U.S. President


4©2015 Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce this page for Step Up to Writing classroom use.

Step Up to Writing—Grade 9 Informative/Explanatory Writing Baseline Assessment

Questions

Directions: Refer back to the sources on pages 2 and 3. Fill in the correct bubble to answer the questions.

1. According to source 1, what was the main purpose of treaties between American Indians and the U.S. government in California?A to protect American Indians’ landsB to trick American Indians into forced laborC to take away American Indian reservation landD to move American Indians to less desirable land

2. According to source 1, what was one reason some California treaties were rejected by the Senate?A It was unclear if the treaties were legal. B The treaties would cost too much money to enforce.C The American Indians refused to hand over native land titles. D The senators did not have access to the full treaty documents.

3. PART A: What is Senator Bard’s main argument in source 2?A American Indians should be moved out of Southern California.B American Indians should be given higher quality land.C American Indians should be given large quantities of land. D American Indians should fight to ratify the treaties with the government.

4. PART B: What can you infer about Bard based on his argument in source 2?A He believes none of the land in California is suitable for American Indians. B He is an American Indian.C He wants to get the treaties stricken from Congressional records.D He wants to help American Indians, but only in a limited way.

5. What conclusion could be reached based on the information in all three sources? A The U.S. government purposely kept the treaties with American Indians hidden from senators and the

American public.B Even if the government had approved the treaties, American Indians would still have lost large amounts

of land.C Both the U.S. government and the American Indians profited from the California gold rush.D The U.S. government never attempted to reserve land for American Indians.

2

Name:

Grade: Class: Date:





Baseline Assessment

In 1852, with the world rushing in to California

and gold coursing out, senators in Washington, D.C.,

met in executive session to consider 18 treaties made

with Indians across California. Treaties with Indians,

like those with foreign governments, required

ratification by the Senate, and ratified Indian treaties

had the status of an agreement made with a sovereign

nation. Unratified treaties had no force.

As roads not taken, unratified treaties could

be easily forgotten. Senate rules requiring strict

confidence in deliberations on treaty matters

inadvertently contributed to forgetting. This appeared

to be the fate of the California Indian treaties, which

were rejected by the Senate. But the treaties acquired

a second life when senators at the dawn of the 20th

century were forced to confront this action of their

gold rush–era predecessors.

California had been densely populated by several

hundred thousand natives before European contact.

Under Spanish and Mexican rule, many thousands

were lost to disease and forced labor. The gold rush

of 1849 brought massive streams of outsiders who

overran much more of the state. Over the following

decades, the Indians were murdered, killed by disease,

or driven from their lands and livelihoods by miners

and settlers.

In much of the western United States, the federal

government extinguished native title to Indian lands

by treaty. Treaties typically required the Indians

to reduce their land holdings or move to areas that

were not desired by whites. This was the intent of

the California Indian treaties, which were made

between the United States and Indian groups in

California between 1851 and 1852 under three U.S.

commissioners.

The Indians ceded title to their land to the United

States and agreed to accept reservations, while the

government pledged to pay for the ceded land and

permanently set aside the reservations for Indian use.

When the treaties came up in executive session of

the U.S. Senate, the senators found them problematic.

It was unclear if Mexico—from which California was

acquired—recognized native land titles. If Mexico

did not, then Indians in California came under

U.S. sovereignty without legal claims to the land.

Furthermore, the commissioners’ appointments were

irregular, and in the wake of the gold rush, white

Californians strongly objected to the treaties.

For these reasons, the Senate rejected the treaties

and, following Senate rules, imposed an injunction

of secrecy on them. The record copies of the treaties

were returned to the Department of the Interior; only

the copies printed for use by senators fell under the

secrecy action.

The treaties were never truly secret. The work of

the commissioners was public knowledge at the time,

contemporary publications mentioned the unratified

treaties, and the Indians had their own copies of the

treaties. Several scholars examined the treaties in the

1880s and 1890s. Even so, they languished, largely lost

and forgotten.

With the treaties rejected, Indian title to the land

was left unresolved. A series of executive orders and a

congressional act in 1891 led to the creation of small,

scattered reservations of varying quality for Indians

in Southern California.

Northern California had only two reservations in

1900, at Hoopa and Round Valley; a third was at Tule

River in central California. The number of Indians

living outside their borders was unknown. These

uncounted, nonreservation Indians had virtually no

legal rights, protections, or government support.

The Northern California Indian Association

(NCIA) found the situation deplorable. This

organization of white reformers bent on educating,

civilizing, and uplifting the landless California

Indians embarked on a campaign to provide them

with relief in the early 1900s.

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

Source #1

From “The Secret Treaties with California’s Indians”

by Larisa K. Miller

Used with permission of the author.

ratification: approvalsovereign: independent

cede: to give up

PART 1 Students read a set of authentic sources. Sources may include:

• Texts (e.g., informational, historical, argumentative, narrative)

• Charts

• Diagrams

• Images

PART 2 Students answer multiple-choice questions to test their comprehension of the sources. Question types mimic those on rigorous standardized tests:

• Literal questions

• Inferential questions

• Two-part questions

• Vocabulary questions

Assessment (continued)


Name:

Grade: Class: Date:




Informative/Explanatory Writing Baseline Assessment

Name:

Grade: Class: Date:





Baseline Assessment


5©2015 Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce this page for Step Up to Writing classroom use.

Step Up to Writing—Grade 9 Informative/Explanatory Writing Baseline Assessment

Directions: 1. Plan in the space provided below. 2. Write your response on the pages that follow.

Checklist: Use this checklist to do your best writing. The items below directly relate to essay scoring:☐ Write a clear introduction with topic sentence.

☐ Present ideas in logical order, with transitions.

☐ Support your essay with important ideas and details from the sources.

☐ Write a conclusion that supports the topic and follows from the ideas presented.

☐ Use precise word choice and varied sentence structures.

☐ Use appropriate formal style, objective tone, and standard English.

☐ Edit for proper conventions, grammar/usage, punctuation, and spelling.

☐ Proofread the final copy.

Planning Space: Use the following space to plan your writing.

Prompt: Write a short essay explaining what caused the U.S. government to draft treaties with American Indians in California. Then explain the effects of those treaties on the American Indians. Use details from at least two of the sources in your response.

PART 3 Students write an extended response (informative/explanatory, argument, or narrative) using information in the sources. This section includes:

• A rigorous prompt

• A planning space

• A checklist with reminders of how writing will be assessed

• Blank pages for students’ written responses


Preparing Students for the Formal AssessmentsPreparing Students for Baseline AssessmentsThe baseline assessments are meant to help teachers gauge the starting skill levels of students for a particular type of writing. Therefore, the baseline assessments should be given to students before they receive any instruction on that writing type. Remind students that they should do their best work, even if the content is unfamiliar. It may be helpful to point out the different sections of the assessment and explain the directions before students begin. However, students should not receive help completing the baseline assessment (unless they need specific accommodations—see the Accommodations section on page 12).

Preparing Students for Summative AssessmentsThe summative assessments are meant to be administered at the very end of a unit, after students have had plenty of practice with the skills associated with that type of writing. To ensure that students are adequately prepared for the summative assessment, the following should be covered with students prior to administering the summative assessment:

• Teach Step Up to Writing strategies outlined in the Implementation Plan (or a modified sequence of instruction, depending on the needs of students). If students need additional support, see the Differentiation ideas listed in the Implementation Plan.

• Make grading criteria clear. Introduce the scoring guide (or whatever rubric will be used for grading) well before the summative assessment. Students should have clear expectations of the grading criteria for each type of writing and be able to use that knowledge to craft exemplary writing on the summative assessment.

• Teach tips for tackling writing assessments. See Section 9: Writing for Assessments in the Teacher Edition for strategies to help students budget time, answer different types of questions, etc.

Progress Monitoring between Formal AssessmentsEach section of the Teacher Edition contains a Progress Monitoring subsection. The strategies in these subsections can be used to informally monitor students’ progress between Formal Assessments. Progress monitoring strategies include quick checks to assess discrete skills, and strategies to help students assess their own work using the scoring guides.

Teachers may also wish to collect and informally assess students’ writing periodically between the baseline assessment and summative assessment to determine which concepts may need to be reviewed or retaught.



Administering the Formal AssessmentsPrior to Administration 1. Go to www.stepuptowriting.com and print out the appropriate assessment. Be

sure to select the correct grade level, correct writing type, and correct assessment (baseline or summative).

2. Make sure to print out all pages. Each assessment packet includes:

• Cover page with assessment directions

• Two pages of sources

• One page of multiple-choice questions

• A page with a writing prompt, planning space, and a checklist with reminders of how writing will be assessed

• Lined pages for students’ written response

Note: Teachers may want to have additional lined pages available if students need more space to write. If students have access to computers (one-to-one ratio), then teachers can arrange for student responses to be typed instead of handwritten.

3. Make an assessment packet for each student.

During Administration 1. Familiarize students with test-taking expectations. Review expectations for

what students are allowed to have on their desks, what to do when they finish, etc. Teachers may want to follow the guidelines that are required by the district or state exams in order to provide students with practice and familiarity with test-taking requirements.

2. Provide a means of tracking the time, whether a wall clock, a countdown timer, or notifications on the board. Remind students to budget their time so that they can complete all sections.

Note: It is recommended that teachers give students in grades 9–12 one class period (approximately 60 minutes) to complete each Step Up to Writing Formal Assessment.

3. Distribute the packets, and have students write their name on the top of each page of the assessment packet.


AccommodationsIn some cases, a student will require an adapted or amended form of assessment in order to accurately assess his or her writing ability. Here are some possible accommodations that could be used to meet the needs of individual students. However, be sure to consider any accommodation procedures mandated by the school, district, or state.

Possible Accommodations for the Writing Portion 1. Provide more time to complete the assessment. The recommended time

to complete a Step Up to Writing Formal Assessment is one class period (approximately 60 minutes). Teachers should extend this time as needed.

2. Allow students to complete the assessment over two separate sessions—one session for reading and analyzing sources and a second session for planning and writing the response.

3. Provide more lined pages. This supports students with larger handwriting or can encourage students to produce a longer written response.

4. Allow students to type their response using a computer or assistive device. This supports students with handwriting difficulties, as well as providing practice for computer-based assessment.

Possible Accommodations for the Reading Portion 1. Omit the reading portion of the assessment and create a writing assessment that

asks students to write in response to a generic prompt. This will support less proficient readers, as may be the case for students who are English Language Learners (ELLs).

2. Create an alternate assessment with texts at different reading levels. Use strategy T9-9 Simulating Standardized Writing Assessments for guidance on creating an assessment similar to the Formal Assessments in Step Up to Writing.

3. Read or review the texts, questions, and prompt aloud with students (without providing interpretation or synthesis).

Scoring the Formal AssessmentsThe Formal Assessments include both a reading and a writing component. Although Step Up to Writing is primarily a writing program, this format simulates new standardized test formats and supports the reading–writing connection.



Scoring Reading Comprehension QuestionsStudents’ scores on the reading comprehension questions can provide a general sense of whether they were able to understand the sources they read, and whether reading comprehension may have affected their ability to write in response to those sources. However, the data from these questions are not meant to replace the more comprehensive, normed reading data from school or district reading assessments.

Each question is worth one point and should be marked right or wrong. There are two types of reading comprehension questions on each assessment:

• Literal questions (questions 1 and 2): Students can answer these questions by finding information directly stated in the sources.

• Inferential questions (questions 3, 4, and 5): To answer these questions, students must make inferences, synthesize, or interpret information.

Answer keys with explanations of correct/incorrect answers are posted for each Formal Assessment in the Assessment Materials section at www.stepuptowriting.com.

Scoring the WritingThe writing portion of the assessment can be scored using the Step Up to Writing scoring guide for the relevant type of writing (or other grading criteria established by the teacher). All Step Up to Writing scoring guides are posted alongside the assessments at www.stepuptowriting.com, and copies of scoring guides can be found at the back of this book (pages 34–38).

1. Make a copy of the scoring guide for each student.

2. Score student writing in each category (Organization, Ideas/Content, Language/Style, and Conventions/CUPS). In each category, students can earn one of the following scores:

• 0—No Credit• 1—Below Basic• 2—Basic• 3—Proficient• 4—Advanced

3. Calculate the total score. After giving each student a score of 0–4 in each category, add all categories together to determine the student’s total score (out of 16). Given the total score, students will fall into one of the following categories:

No Credit Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16


Recording Reading DataTo record students’ scores on the reading comprehension questions, use the “Reading Data” tab of the Digital Data Tracker (downloadable at www.stepuptowriting.com), or make a copy of the paper Class Record Sheet for Reading Data (page 40). Using either of these resources will help teachers pinpoint areas of strength and weakness with the different types of questions.

Recording Writing DataTeachers can enter writing data into the Digital Data Tracker (downloadable at www.stepuptowriting.com) so that they can easily locate students’ areas of strength and weakness. After data is entered, the Digital Data Tracker automatically calculates the class’s average score in each category (Organization, Ideas/Content, Language/Style, and Conventions/CUPS), and allows teachers to see how many students are Advanced/Proficient/Basic/Below Basic/No Credit.

If teachers do not wish to use the Digital Data Tracker, they can record writing data by using the paper Class Record Sheet for Writing Data (page 39). This form will help indicate areas of strength and weakness for individual students and for the entire class.

Digital Data Tracker

For help using the Digital Data Tracker, download the How to Use the SUTW Digital Data Tracker document, available in the Assessment Materials section at www.stepuptowriting.com.


Class Record Sheet for Reading DataCLASS: WRITING TYPE



Student Name

Score on Literal

Question (questions

1, 2)

Score on Inferential Questions (questions

3, 4, 5)

TOTAL SCORE

(out of 5)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

CLASS AVERAGE

Appendix B: Class Record Sheets (continued)


Class Record Sheet for Writing DataCLASS: WRITING TYPE



Student Name Organization (0–4)

Ideas/ Content

(0–4)

Language/ Style (0–4)

Conventions/CUPS (0–4)

TOTAL SCORE

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

CLASS AVERAGE

CLASS STATS

Advanced (15–16) Proficient (12–14) Basic (7–11) Below Basic (3–6) No Credit (0–2)

# of students


Class Record Sheets



Using Assessment Data to Guide InstructionAssessment data can be used to guide instruction for the entire class, small groups, or individual students.

Keep in mind that results of a single assessment may not be representative of a student’s ability and must be considered as one piece of a larger body of evidence for that student. The body of evidence may include other baseline and summative assessments, extended writing projects, data gathered from progress-monitoring activities, and other standardized assessment results.

Using Reading Data from the Step Up to Writing Formal AssessmentsThe reading portion of each Formal Assessment asks students to read and analyze texts that have Lexile® measures ranging from 925–1200 to align to the 9–12 grade band. The texts focus on topics from different content areas, including history, science, and other technical subjects.

If students had significant difficulty with the reading comprehension portion of the assessment, this may indicate that they were unable to read or access the source texts. This would undermine their ability to respond to the writing prompt, and may mean that the writing portion of the assessment was not a valid representation of the students’ writing ability. See the Accommodations section on page 12 for alternative writing assessments that could accommodate different reading abilities.

If teachers feel the texts on the Formal Assessments are at an appropriate level for their students, the data from the reading questions can be used to pinpoint areas of strength and weakness with reading comprehension. Based on the patterns of student errors, here are some recommendations for how to adjust instruction:

If students struggle with: Use these Step Up to Writing strategies:

Literal questions (questions 1 and 2)

Use Section 1: Writing to Improve Reading Comprehension and find strategies that support basic comprehension and analysis. For example:

T1-3 Reading Notation ResponsesT1-5 Quotation ResponsesT1-6 Two-Column Guided ResponsesT1-11 Circle Once, Underline Twice

Inferential questions (questions 3, 4, and 5)

Use Section 1: Writing to Improve Reading Comprehension and find strategies that support analysis and synthesis. For example:

T1-22 Making Inferences from TextT1-24 Making Inferences and Analyzing Informational TextT1-25 Making Inferences and Analyzing Argument TextT1-26 Making Inferences and Analyzing Literature and DramaT1-29 Comparing and Contrasting Texts


Using Writing Data from the Step Up to Writing Formal Assessments

Here are some recommendations for how to alter instruction based on writing scores.

1. Look for areas of weakness in the main categories: Organization, Ideas/Content, Language/Style, and Conventions/CUPS. Areas of weakness would be those in which a number of students are below a score of 3 (Proficient). After identifying areas of weakness, use the chart below to identify subsections of the Teacher Edition that could help students improve their skills:

If students struggle with:

Use strategies listed under these subsections in the Teacher Edition for the appropriate writing type:

Organization • Planning, Organization, and Structure• Introductions (or Beginnings for narratives)• Transitions• Conclusions (or Endings for narratives)

Ideas/Content • Developing the Topic/Elaboration

Language/Style • Revising and Editing (or Drafting and Using Narrative Techniques for narratives)

(Also, see strategies in Section 3: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use to help students improve word choice.)

Conventions/CUPS • Revising and Editing(Also, see Section 2: Foundational Writing Skills for instruction on grammar and other rules of standard English.)

2. Support students in these areas by allocating more instructional time to skills and concepts that need more practice. See the Differentiation box at the end of every strategy in the Teacher Edition for ideas to further meet the needs of students.

3. If appropriate, create an informal assessment (see Progress Monitoring between Formal Assessments, page 10) to reassess the problematic skills before the next Formal Assessment is given.



Implementation Plan

Implementation Plan

Implementation Plan: Units to Build the Reading–Writing Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Unit 1: Analyzing Text with Informative/Explanatory Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Unit 2: Defending a Claim with Argument Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Unit 3: Building on Text with Narrative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Unit 4: Investigating a Topic—Research Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Unit 5: College and Career Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Unit 6: Speaking and Listening—Discussion and Debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32


Implementation Plan: Units to Build the Reading–Writing ConnectionIn high school classrooms, writing assignments are often structured as responses to class texts—novels, plays, poems, historical texts, nonfiction texts, etc. The Implementation Plan maps out an optional sequence of six units, which provide opportunities for students to respond to class texts in different ways while learning the conventions of the major types of writing. There are also units to teach research, college and career writing, and speaking and listening. If teachers are using the Common Core State Standards, following the Implementation Plan would ensure that all English Language Arts standards for writing, language, and speaking and listening are covered.

Unit OverviewGrammar/Language

FocusSuggested

PacingPages

Unit 1: Analyzing Text with Informative/Explanatory Writing Using evidence drawn from text(s), students analyze and explain an element of the work(s) (e.g., compare and contrast characters, explain a cause/effect relationship, examine how an idea or character changes).

Rules of standard English

3-week writing unit that can be completed after reading a novel or other class text(s)

22–23

Unit 2: Defending a Claim with Argument WritingStudents develop and support a claim about a text or set of texts (e.g., meaning of a symbol, interpretation of theme, validity of author’s reasoning, stance on an issue raised by the text).

Improving vocabulary

3-week writing unit that can be completed after reading a novel or other class text(s)

24–25

Unit 3: Building on Text with Narrative WritingStudents write a narrative that connects to a class text (e.g., mimic the author’s style, write an alternate ending, rewrite a chapter from a different character’s perspective).

Sentence structure 3-week writing unit that can be completed after reading a novel or other class text(s)

26–27

Unit 4: Investigating a Topic—Research ReportStudents develop a research question and investigate the topic by collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing information from sources. Students produce a research report using a standard style (e.g., MLA or APA) and present research to an audience.

Using a standard style

6-week extended writing project that can continue as students complete other English Language Arts activities

28–29

Unit 5: College and Career Connections Teachers can select from a variety of college- and job-focused lessons to prepare students for job searches, college entrance exams, creative writing, or the college application process.

Text features and formatting

1-week unit that can be easily integrated at any point in the year

30–31

Unit 6: Speaking and Listening—Discussion and DebateStudents take part in a class discussion or debate that builds speaking, listening, and collaboration skills.

Adapting language for audience and purpose

1-week unit that can be easily integrated at any point in the year

32–33

Implementation Plan

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

Emily Dickinson

SELECTEDPOEMS

Assessment and Implementation Guide

Grades 9–12(800) 547-6747 • www.voyagersopris.com

Step Up to Writing 4th Edition offers educators explicit, systematic instruction for every aspect of writing. This flexible, strategy-based program has been completely revised and updated to meet the more rigorous writing standards students need to be college and career ready.

This Step Up to Writing Assessment and Implementation Guide provides:• Step-by-step instructions for conducting Formal Assessments—both

baseline and summative—for each writing type and for each grade level• Scoring guides for each type of writing• Instructions for recording assessment scores on the easy-to-use Digital Data

Tracker or print Class Record Sheets and evaluating scores for individual students and whole classes

• A year-long Implementation Plan that can be used to meet rigorous writing, language, and speaking and listening standards, as well as many standards for reading informational and literary text

• An overview of the Teacher Edition and how its organization can be used to create a customized implementation plan

Maureen Auman4th Edition

Grade-specific, year-long unit plans included

assessment and implementation guide - literacy and math ... · option 1: teach the unit plans in...

Documents