Informational
Writing for 6-12
Social Studies
Katie Anderson:
[email protected]
Angela Orr:
[email protected]
Introductions
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From your personal
autobiography,
choose a key word or
phrase (3 total) that
describes part of your
life from:
1. Your childhood.
2. Something you like
to do or care about.
3. Your teaching
career.
A little about me…
 1.
Happy.
 2.
Moving in
Mountains.
 3.Challenging,
Rewarding.
 Thank
you for…. Informing us!
 You’ve taken lengthy,
detailed, and important
qualities of your life and
summarized them into only
one word or phrase!
 This practice is what
informational writers do!
A PD Plan in Review 2011-2014
Northern Nevada Social Studies teachers have
vigorously and wholeheartedly committed
themselves to the “4 Access Points” identified in
Social Studies to assist in meeting the CCSS.
2014 - 2016: Adding to the
Toolbox
 Informational Writing
 Text
Based Discussion
Assessment
 Reading Deeply:
strategies to help ALL
students dig into
complex text.
 Engaging and
Effective Vocabulary
Instruction
Today’s Objectives
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
Explore informational writing in the CCSS.
Differentiate between Argumentative and
Informational Writing and writing tasks.
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Recognize when to argue and when to inform.
Understand when to assign writing tasks consistent with
these different writing forms.
Understand and apply the definitions of descriptive
thesis, topic sentences and supporting evidence.
Practice ways to isolate and teach quoting of
evidence.
Use multiple graphic organizers to prepare a piece of
informational writing.
Tracking Your Plan
What I’ll Do:
How this might work in my classroom.
CCSS: What I need to work on
Writing a descriptive thesis
Writing a body paragraph
Writing a conclusion
Lunch!
RAFT: Audience Purpose Task
Inserting Quotations
Using Graphic Organizers
Providing Feedback
Why Informational
Writing?
The process of writing is as critical
to the study of history as reading…

Writing is a fundamental intellectual activity:
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Writing helps us to learn and understand history and
contemporary issues:
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It does not just communicate what we have learned, but it
causes us to learn. It promotes discovery, problem solving,
and organization.
We learn best not as passive recipients of lecture and
textbooks, but as active participants, making meaning for
ourselves.
Writing clarifies understanding of the subject:

Writing what we know helps us to review, organize and
remember the material. We our your way to
understanding. By putting our questions on paper, by
writing about our confusion, we begin to see where the
difficulty lies and we begin to make meaning.
What is Informational Writing?

Informational writing conveys information
accurately. The writer’s purpose is to increase
the reader’s knowledge, to help the reader
better understand a procedure or process, or
to increase the reader’s comprehension of a
concept. Informational writing begins with
the assumption of truthfulness and answers
questions of why or how. Writers draw
information from what they already know and
from primary and secondary sources. They
must select and incorporate relevant
examples, facts, and details.
To argue or to inform? That is
the question!
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Open the envelopes at your table.
Read through the question strips.
Organize the questions.
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argumentative, not sure, informational
Write an explanation of how your group
differentiated between the two different
styles. How do you know that the questions fit
into one style versus the other?
Which ones were you unsure of and why?
Informational Writing
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Is…
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Informing a reader about a subject
Explaining why we understand things certain ways
Both summaries and in depth discussions of other
works.
A classic term paper
Like traditional journalism and reporting: facts in an
easy to understand fashion
Is not…
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Controversial
Taking a position
Persuasive
CCSS: Writing Standard 2
Across Grade Levels
Writing Standard 2


Read Requirements by grade level in Writing
Standard 2
Based on the standard, where would you
locate your proficiency as
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A writer
An instructor
Use 2 different colored highlighters:
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Color #1: highlight what your students can do.
Color #2: Highlight the areas where your
students need explicit instruction and time to
practice the skills.
Assigning vs Teaching Writing
Assigning
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Assumes students have
learned how to write
before entering our
classrooms
That it is skill only to be
taught in ELA
classrooms.
Does not include
teacher instruction on
specific genres of
historical writing.
Widens the
achievement gap
Teaching
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Providing opportunities
for students to practice
discrete skills on the way
to longer writing tasks.
Write less, more often.
Focus on quality and the
mastery skills.
Teacher takes time to
evaluate and respond
to student work.
Allowing students edit
and revise their work.
Product vs Process
Taken From: Teaching Writing in the Content Areas
(Urquhart and McIver, 2005, pages 3-5)
Product Assumes that
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Writers begin with a form for
organizing content because they
always know what they’re going to
write.
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Composing is a linear process;
students know the beginning
middle and end from the start.
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Teaching editing is teaching writing.
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(especially in secondary content
courses) Students already possess
sufficient writing skills for tasks in our
classrooms.
Process Understands that
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Writing is a recursive process, which means
students revise throughout the process,
frequently moving back and forth among
the stages.
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Writing enhances critical thinking and allows
students to take greater responsibility for
their learning.
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It is difficult but necessary to attend to
audience, purpose and occasion in all types
of writing.
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Students will grow as writers through a single
writing process and throughout a year so
practice with the same standard should
happen with regularity.
Which is a better model of the
writing process?
Parts of Informational
Writing
Component Parts
1.
2.
3.
4.
Descriptive Informative Thesis.
Topic Sentences introducing body
paragraphs.
Supporting Evidence that is quotable or
paraphrased and cited.
Use of transition words to guide reader
through the essay.
Writing a Descriptive
Thesis
Descriptive Informative Thesis
vs Argumentative Claim
Descriptive
Informative Thesis:

Founding Father Benjamin
Franklin contributed to American
society in a number of interesting
and important ways. Franklin is
best known for his inventions, his
civic contributions and his
involvement in the founding of
the United States. And, although
his failures did not make him
famous, failures and successes
demonstrate the kind of
creativity, inventiveness, and
tenacity of character that
makes other successes possible.
Argumentative
Claim:

Benjamin Franklin was the
most important Founding
Father in United States
History. Because of his
many diverse and lasting
contributions to American
Society, Franklin’s is
influence is more significant
than George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson and John
Adams.
Elements of a Thesis:

Founding Father Benjamin Franklin
contributed to American society in a
number of interesting and important
ways. Franklin is best known for his
inventions, his civic contributions and
his involvement in the founding of
the United States. And, although his
failures did not make him famous,
failures and successes demonstrate
the kind of creativity, inventiveness,
and tenacity of character that
makes other successes possible.
1. Description of
topic
2. Reasons to
be explored
in later
paragraphs
3. Making meaning.
Developing the
topic.
What I’m choosing
to say as the writer.
Making Meaning
•
•
•
•
A Descriptive Thesis…
… is more than a regurgitation of reasons and
details described by the author of the text/s.
… is more than a summary
…develops and gives meaning to the reasons
and details.
Writing is difficult…. and it is
not a linear exercise!
“The only thing more difficult than
writing is a relationship.”
 Students
Dennis shou
Dworkin
Students need to be encouraged to explore
the content and evidence of the text/s they
are studying before they necessarily
write their descriptive thesis.
They should be given the opportunity to find
different ways to present information.
Writing a Descriptive Thesis
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Read the Biography of Fannie Lou Hamer.
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Annotate and/or highlight important details and ideas
as you read.
In a group of 3-4, agree upon 4-6 of the most
important details from this short biography.
On the “Informational Writing Organizer” flesh out a
thesis that includes these ideas and how you want
to present it in your writing. It must:
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1. Includes a description of your topic
2. Reasons to be explored in subsequent paragraphs
3. Identifies a quality of the biography that adds
dimension to Hamer’s life and develops the thesis.
Poster Walk
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Move to a piece of chart paper and transfer your
thesis onto it.
Travel clockwise to two groups’ posters
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At the third poster, highlight in three different colors:
1.
2.
3.
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At each poster, edit to strengthen and clarify the thesis.
The description of the topic
The reasons that will explored in the body paragraphs
The quality of the biography that adds voice or
dimension and develops the information that you will
include in the body paragraphs.
Share out examples
Reflect on the process
Parts of a body paragraph
1.
2.
3.
4.
Topic Sentence
Three supporting details
Evidence that is quoted or paraphrased and
cited to link the topic and develop ideas
Use of transition words to effectively move
reader through paragraph/essay/paper
Transition Words and Phrases…

Organize and connect
ideas
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Help sentence flow
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Guide readers from one
thought to another in a text
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Show the relationship
between the descriptive
thesis or topic sentence and
the evidence/support the
writer gives for those ideas

Serve as connector words
that articulate and clarify
the writers ideas.
Different Transitions do different things:
 Addition
 Time
 Place
 Exemplification/Illustration
 Compare
 Contrast
 Clarify
 Cause
 Effect
 Purpose
 Qualification
 Intensification
 Concession
 Summary
 Conclusion
Fleshing Out the Essay: Topic
Sentences and Body Paragraphs
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Complete thought: all
sentences need to
adhere to the topic
sentence.
At least three supporting
details from text
Quotations or paraphrase
Transitions
Adequate length (4-6
sentences)
Closing/Concluding
thought.
Each member of your
group, choose one of the
“reasons to be explored”
from your descriptive thesis.
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
Fill in the Organizer.
Turn the notes from your
organizer into a body
paragraph.
(This paragraph will be used
later today.)

Writing a Conclusion
Conclusions are Concise!
 Revisit
your descriptive thesis.
 Rephrase the thesis with a 50 word limit.
 Write it in your notetaker.
 Talk in groups to hear different rephrases
 Different strategies?
 How many different processes for
rephrasing? Note and record them.
Lunch: Enjoy
Characteristics and
Common Types of
informational Writing
Informational Writing Structures
 Chronological
 Cause
and Effect Relationship
 Describe a process or a sequence
 A Chronological Narrative
 Journalistic: who what where why when
how?
 Describe two sides of an issue objectively
Clarifying
Purpose, Audience, and Task
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Purpose: To explain, inform, teach or clarify a topic to the
reader.
Audience: Assume that the reader knows nothing about
the topic
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Not necessarily you- the teacher!
Don’t include every detail.
Include the most essential information.
Task: Be clear about the goal. Are you…
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Defining a complex term?
Communicating steps of a process or a sequence of events?
Explaining the characteristics of something or someone?
Describing the causes or effects of an important event?
Clarifying
Purpose, Audience, and Task
R
A
Role of the Writer:
Audience:
To whom are you
writing? A senator, a
child, parents, fellow
citizens,
Who are you as the writer?
(movie star, soldier,
journalist, children’s
author, a historical artifact,
a politician, pilgrim,
activist, president
RAFT
F
T
Format:
In what format are
you writing?
Topic:
What are you writing
about?
Why RAFT?
RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a
writer and how to effectively communicate their ideas and mission clearly
so that the reader can easily understand everything written. Additionally,
RAFT helps students focus on the audience they will address, the varied
formats for writing, and the topic they'll be writing about. By using this
strategy, teachers encourage students to write creatively, to consider a
topic from multiple perspectives, and to gain the ability to write for
different audiences.
In the book, Strategic Writing, Deborah Dean explains that writing for
differing purposes and audiences may require using different genres,
different information, and different strategies. Developing a sense of
audience and purpose in writing, in all communication, is an important
part of growth as a writer.
:
Citing Sources
When and how students should cite sources in their
writing.
To cite or not to cite?
That is the question.
Cite…
1.
2.
3.
4.
When you quote something, you must
give credit by citing your source.
When you copy something word-forword, you must give credit by citing your
source.
When you paraphrase someone's ideas,
you must give them credit by citing your
source.
When you summarize someone's ideas,
you must give them credit by citing your
source.
Do Not Cite…
1.
Historical overviews.
2.
Your own ideas or
findings.
3.
Common sayings
4.
Common knowledge
5.
Conclusions
containing formerly
cited ideas.
How to insert citations
 You
may or may not teach students to
use a specific style to cite sources.

(MLA, Chicago, APA).
 You
should teach them to cite properly
within their writing.
 If you are not using a formal style, we
recommend teaching students to cite the
author, document, or line number in
parentheses at the end of a sentence.
Citations: from MLK’s “Letter
from a Birmingham Jail”
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
In lines 25-26 he explains
four basic steps of a
nonviolent campaign as
the collection of facts
to determine whether
injustices exist;
negotiation; self
purification; and direct
action.”
An important quality of
King’s letter is the way
he describes the need
for direction action in
lines 50-54.

King lists the four basic steps of a
nonviolent campaign as a
“collection of the facts to determine
whether injustices exist; negotiation;
self purification; and direct
action”(lines 25-26).

King uses rhetorical device to
address the need for direct action
to the white community. He notes
the failure of successful negotiation
and defends the need for direct
action like sit-ins and marches. He
maintains that these actions create
dramatic crises in communities that
can not be ignored (lines 50-51).
Finding High Quality
Evidence and Introducing
Quotations in Informational
Writing
The Quote Sandwich
A
formulaic way to teach quoting.
Quotations in Text must be…
1.
1. …introduced with a marker verb:


2.
3.
The author points out…
Smith emphasizes the importance of…
2. …identified by quotations and identically
match the author’s words.
… explained. The writer must explain why
the quotation is important and how it relates
to the topic sentence and/ or thesis
statement. It should be as long, or longer
than the quote itself.
Practicing with Complex Text

Dismantling Empires
Through Devolution
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Democracy is not the
most potent political
force of the 21st
century.
PARAG KHANNA
SEP 26 2014, 7:00 AM
The Atlantic
READ THE ARTICLE
An Example…

In the article Dismantling Empires
Through Devolution, author Parag
Khanna presents devolution as the
strongest political force of the 21st
Century. Khanna explains, “Today’s
nationalism and tribalism across
Europe, Africa, and the Middle East
represent the continued push for either
greater autonomy within states or total
independence from what some view
as legacy colonial structures” (lines 1821). Unlike democracy, which works
as a uniting influence amongst diverse
groups, devolution describes the
geopolitical decentralization of power
caused by ineffective or oppressive
political structures.
Initial introduction of author
and text for the first time.
Introduction of quote with
marker verb
The quotation and
citation
Explanation tied to
informing readers of
authors purpose in
writing the article.
Lets practice with content
 To
orient yourself to the article, read the
first page of the article and then choose a
short (3-5) paragraphs section to read
further in the article.
 Produce two different quotation
sandwiches from the section of text you
read.
 Please cite your quotations using line
numbers.
Organizational Structures
and Graphic Organizers for
Informational Writing
Graphic Organizers & Writing
Tasks
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
Graphic Organizers are a
useful way to help students
work through the writing
process. They help
students brainstorm,
conduct research, classify
ideas, structure writing
projects and communicate
more effectively.
However, it is important
that the Graphic Organizer
you provide for students
compliments the task
before them.
 In
your groups,
read the provided
graphic organizers
and analyze the
selection of writing
prompts.
 Which graphic
organizer would
you use for each
prompt. Why?
Providing Feedback
Providing Feedback
 Read
the handout: “Saying the Right
Things and Asking the Right Questions.”

Annotate and take notes as you read
 What
is the value of feedback?
 From this research, reflect on


The kind of feedback you provide students.
What do you need to work on?
What kind of feedback do we
focus on as SS teachers?
 Focus
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on elements and the content within them
Introductions/Descriptive Theses,
Succinct paragraphs
Body Paragraphs,
Supporting evidence
Reasoning
Concise Conclusions
Inserting quotations or paraphrases
Remember the Writing
PROCESS?


Unless you
give,(expect, require,
demand) that students
revise their work, none
of what they’ve done
matters!
Students must be given
the opportunity to
learn and grow as
writers.
Feedback Think Aloud
(body paragraph #2… Benjamin Franklin Biography.)

Even though he had setbacks as a young man,
Benjamin went on to make a lot of civic contributions
in Philadelphia where he lived. He published
phamplets, and wrote an alamanac. He started
lending libraries and was in the state assembly and
worked as the postmaster of Philadelphia. The
setbacks were harsh treatment from his brother
James while working in his printing shop. And also,
when letters of introduction failed to arrive on a trip
to London, Franklin persevered by finding work in
London print shops. It was there that he pubished his
first pamphlet called a dissertation on liberty
necessity pleasure and pain. These examples
illustrate that Franklin was tenacious.
Do it!
 Using
suggestions from the article, provide
feedback for a Fannie Lou Hamer body
paragraph written by a group member
earlier today. Focus on the students’ use
of evidence to support the topic
sentence.



Be specific
Be positive
Offer a critique
Course Evaluations and
Upcoming PD Opportunities
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November 18: 6th Grade DBQ Training
December 8: Reading Deeply; Strategies to help all
students dig into complex text
January 23: Argumentative Writing for Social Studies
Teachers
February 2: Text Based Discussion Assessments
(Formative and Summative)
February 7: Engaging and Effective Academic
Vocabulary Instruction
February 13: Informational Writing
February 28: 11th Annual NNCSS Conference @ Galena.


Registration on www.projecttahoe.org and your inbox
Accepting presenter applications too.