welcome to fcat night: our goal this evening is as follows: to provide essential information to help...
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to FCAT Night:
Our goal this evening is as follows:To provide essential information to help
parents understand Florida Writes and its expectations.
To share ideas and skills with parents so they can help at home.
What is the Florida Writes?
It is a standardized writing assessment where each student is given a 45 minute prompt to read, plan, and write the draft.
A separate sheet is provided for planning and prewriting.
Fourth grade students respond to a prompt asking them to explain (expository writing) or tell a story (narrative writing).
Need to haveNeed to have Score Points in Rubric Score Points in Rubric
FocusOrganizationSupportConventions
654 Need to pass321Unscramble
How will my child be graded?
How Can I Help?
Know the difference between an expository and narrative. (will be presented)
Know the 6 Traits of writing and develop each trait. (will be presented)
Encourage your child to use the list with great words and figurative language.
Read great writings “together”Practice weekly timed tests.
Narrative andExpository Writing Prompts:
To Explain or Not to Explain…That is the Question
Expository writing is writing to explainhow, what, or why.
FCAT Expository Prompt from2009
Think about and explain why it is important to follow rules.
Narrative writing tells a
story.
FCAT Narrative Prompt from2009
Write about a time you had the day off from school.
Narrative Expository
Beginning, Middle,End
Story with characters, setting and plot
Captures one moment in time
Uses transitional phrases such as: in the blink of an eye, all of a sudden, without warning
Introduction, body, conclusion
Explain how, what
or why
Focuses on main idea with details
Uses transitional phrases such as: for example, for instance, in fact
Ideas
Organization
VoiceWord Choice
Sentence FluencyConventions
Ideas
Ideas make up the content of the piece of writing (The heart of the message)
Select an idea on one main topicNarrow the focus of the ideaElaborate on the main idea with plenty of
information and details.Describe important information to best
convey the main idea. Include fresh, original idea, and perspectives.
Organization
Organization is the internal structure of the piece, the logical pattern of the ideas.
Begin your writing with an interesting grabber (SID)
Provide thoughtful transitions that link key points and ideas.
Follow a logical sequence in your writing that is both purposeful and effective.
End your writing with a conclusion that wraps it up, but leaves the reader something to think about. (FLAME)
Word Choice
Word choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise language that moves and enlighten the reader.
Provide strong vocabularyAvoid dead verbs such as said, went, got , etc.Use figurative language like similes,
metaphors, idioms, anadiplosis, alliteration, personifications.
Help the reader “see” the topic with juicy colors and adjectives.
Choose words that clarify and expand ideas.
Voice
Voice is the soul of the piece. In other words, it is your personality.
Express your own thoughts, point of view, and feelings clearly.
Use dialogue and conversationUse onomatopoeia (sounds) Plop, crash,
boom!
Sentence Fluency
Sentence fluency is the flow of the language, the sound of word pattern-the way the writing plays to the ear-not just to the eye.
When you revise you use your ears to hear how it sounds.
It is important to read your writing so you can hear how it sounds
Use variety of sentences and vary the length and structure of your sentences.
Begin your sentences in different ways.
Conventions
Conventions is using proper language correctly.
GrammarPunctuation SpellingCapitalizationEach paragraph following one idea of thought
with details to support it.Making sure that the entire piece is easy to
follow and supports the main topic.
Ways to Help at Home…
Have your child write weekly timed prompts to get the hang of it.
Read, read, read. The more you read, the more ideas you have.
Build vocabulary to implement in your writing.
Revise, revise, revise by circling verbs and replacing weak verbs with stronger verbs.
Underline nouns and see if an adjective can be added or replace them into proper nouns.
Visit the websites listed on the next page.
Resources
http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/FL06_Writes_G4_final_tagged.pdf
http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/FL07_Writes_G4.pdfhttp://teacherweb.com/FL/SunsetLakesElementary/
MrsSanchez/hf3.aspxhttp://math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org/
fcat_writing_test.htmlhttp://www.writingfix.com/#www.readwritethink.com Click on “Parent and After
School Resources”www.greatsource.com/iwritewww.jerrypallotta.com Click on “Fun and Games”