Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Unit Title: Research and Content Area Writing
Duration: 5 weeks
Concepts:
1. Writers learn ways in which they can write about what they are studying.
2. Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
3. Writers learn strategies for revising and editing a research project.
4. Writers publish and share their research projects.
Professional Resources:
Materials to be provided by the teacher:
1. A Curricular Plan for the Writing Workshop,
1. Writer’s notebooks
Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy Calkins
2. Writing folders
2. Assessing Writers, Carl Anderson
3. Michigan outline map
4. Baskets of nonfiction books on a variety of topics
for each table
5. Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
6. Special paper for final drafts
Materials to be produced by the teacher:
1. Copies of a Michigan outline map for each student
2. Anchor charts:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are
Learning
 Michigan Topics for Research
 Content Area Writing Strategies
3. Enlarged copies of the following:
 Michigan Research Packet
 Research and Content Area Writing
Revision/Editing Checklist
4. Individual copies of the following for each student:
 (Optional) Personal-sized anchor charts for
students who would benefit from having their
own copies
 Michigan outline map
 Michigan Research Packet for note-taking and
drafting (see Session 8)
 Research and Content Area Writing
Revision/Editing Checklist
 Research and Content Area Writing
Conferring Checklist
 Research and Content Area Writing
Assessment Rubric
Mentor Texts:
1. I’m a Michigan Kid!, Gary Bower
2. I’m a Michigan Kid!: Official Passport, Gary
Bower
3. Michigan, Licia Raatma
4. Kids Love Michigan: A Family Travel Guide to
Exploring “Kid-Tested” Places in Michigan … Year
Round!, George and Michele Zavatsky
5. M is for Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet, Annie
Appleford and Kathy-jo Wargin
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 1
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Notes:
1. During this unit, your students will read widely about a content area topic, such as Michigan. Feel free to
substitute another topic for this unit, one that is broad enough to support your third graders’ choices within the
larger topic.
2. You will need to gather all sorts of nonfiction materials – expository nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, and images
related to the topic. You might also ask students to bring texts from home that support the topic.
3. During the first week of this unit, students will be learning and practicing their research skills using nonfiction
texts on a variety of topics. For the rest of the unit, students will be using their research skills to learn more
about Michigan (or another topic).
4. Your students will be members of partnerships who are reading about Michigan. They will learn strategies for
taking notes and practice them in writer’s notebooks. They will talk to one another to deepen their
understanding and grow ideas.
5. Download a copy of a Michigan outline map from an online source such as http://geography.about.com and
make copies for each student and one for demonstration purposes.
6. Use the Conferring Checklist located at the end of this unit.
7. Spend more than one day for a session if necessary.
8. A special thank you goes out to all authors of professional resources cited in this unit for their insights and ideas.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 2
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Overview of Sessions – Teaching and Learning Points Aligned with the Common Core
Concept: Writers learn ways in which they can write about what they are studying.
W.3.8
Session 1: Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is sketching with labels and captions.
W.3.8
Session 2: Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by using observational writing.
W.3.8
Session 3: Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by questioning and wondering.
W.3.8
Session 4: Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by using boxes and bullets.
W.3.8
Session 5: Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by thinking and realizing.
W.3.8
Concept: Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
W.3.2, W.3.2a, W.3.2b, W.3.2c, W.3.2d, W.3.5, W.3.7, W.3.8
Session 6: Writers choose a topic that interests them the most to research in order to write a classroom Michigan
Travel Guide.
W.3.5, W.3.7
Session 7: Writers do research to answer questions and to locate information about their topic.
W.3.2, W.3.7, W.3.8
Session 8: Writers plan and record a list of subtopics for their topic.
W.3.2a, W.3.7, W.3.8
Session 9: Writers plan and research information about their first subtopic.
W.3.2a, W.3.7, W.3.8
Session 10: Writers plan and draft their first subtopic.
W.3.2, W.3.2a, W.3.2b, W.3.5
Session 11: Writers plan and research information about their second subtopic.
W.3.2, W.3.2a, W.3.5
Session 12: Writers plan and draft their second subtopic using partner sentences.
W.3.2, W.3.2a, W.3.2b, W.3.2c, W.3.5
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 3
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Session 13: Writers plan and research information about their third subtopic.
W.3.5, W.3.7, W.3.8
Session 14: Writers plan and draft their third subtopic using details that create sensory images and linking words and
phrases.
W.3.2, W.3.2a, W.3.2b, W.3.2c, W.3.5
Session 15: Writers plan and research information for their topic using maps.
W.3.2a, W.3.5, W.3.7
Session 16: Writers provide an introduction and concluding statement for their topic.
W.3.2a, W.3.2d
Concept: Writers learn strategies for revising and editing their research projects.
W.3.5
Session 17: Writers revise their writing for clarity, meaning, and effective use of words and phrases.
W.3.5
Session 18: Writers revise their writing for sentences, paragraphs, text features, and grammar.
W.3.5
Session 19: Writers edit their writing for capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
W.3.5
Concept: Writers publish and share their sections of a class Michigan Travel Guide.
W.3.4
Sessions 20 and 21: A writing community celebrates.
W.3.4
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 4
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 1
Writers learn ways in which they can write about what they are studying.
Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is sketching with labels and
captions.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
•
•
Note
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders (to store outline map)
Copies of a Michigan outline map for each student
I’m a Michigan Kid!, Gary Bower
Anchor chart:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
Baskets of nonfiction books for each table on a variety
of topics
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writer’s notebooks and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Today we will begin a new unit of study, learning ways in which we can write about what we are
studying. We will be learning about our wonderful state of Michigan as we learn to write in many
ways for many purposes. One way to write about what we are studying is sketching with labels
and captions.
Demonstration/
• Introduce the book, I’m a Michigan Kid! Read aloud the end flap, the back cover, and the
Teaching
paragraph on the publication page written by Gary and Jan Bower.
• Introduce the Michigan outline map as a tool for locating the important places in Michigan
that we are going to read about in this book. Explain that you will distribute a copy to
each student for easy reference.
• Read aloud pages 3-5 that introduce Micah, who loves the water in Michigan. Express
enthusiasm about some of the facts. Show the illustration. Locate the Great Lakes on
your copy of the Michigan outline map.
• Demonstrate how you think about the interesting facts and observe the illustration. Then
begin a sketch of the beaches from that section of the book on a new page in your writer’s
notebook under the heading Sketching with Labels and Captions.
• Add labels (lake, beach, dock, boat) and captions using precise vocabulary to your sketch.
• Explain to students that people who do research often draw or sketch what they are
studying and label these drawings so they can write about them later.
• Record this strategy on the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
Active
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have them
Engagement
listen carefully and observe the illustration as you read aloud pages 6-7 about Kara who
travels across the Mackinac Bridge often to visit her brother in Marquette. Locate the
Straits of Mackinac and the location of the Mackinac Bridge on the Michigan outline map.
Have students:
 Think about the interesting facts and study the illustration.
 Open their notebooks and write the heading Sketching with Labels and Captions at
the top of a new page.
 Begin a sketch of something related to this section of the book.
• Have one or two students share their sketches with the class.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 5
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Link
Writing and
Conferring
Mid-Workshop
Teaching Point
Teaching Share
So writers, today and every day that you want to capture what you are learning and what you are
thinking, you can create sketches and add labels and captions. Think about the interesting facts
and continue work on your sketch. Take your time and include many details as you create your
sketch and add labels (Mackinac Bridge, Straits of Mackinac, Upper Peninsula, Lower Peninsula,
Lake Michigan, Lake Huron) and captions. Then continue work on your drawing.
• Conduct individual student conferences to support students’ efforts at sketching with
labels and captions.
• Explain that students can use this same strategy using a page in a book from the basket of
nonfiction books at their tables.
• Suggest that they choose any book, locate a page that interests them, and create a sketch
with labels and captions.
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 6
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 2
Writers learn ways in which they can write about what they are studying.
Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by using observational
writing.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing Workshop,
Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy Calkins
•
•
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
I’m a Michigan Kid!, Gary Bower
Anchor chart:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
Baskets of nonfiction books for each table on a
variety of topics
Writers, yesterday we learned that sketching with labels and captions is one way to record
information about what we are studying. Today, we will learn that another kind of writing is called
observational writing.
Demonstration/
• Read aloud pages 8-9 that introduce Brittany, who just can’t get enough of Mackinac
Teaching
Island. Express enthusiasm about some of the facts. Show the illustration. Locate and
label Mackinac Island on the Michigan outline map.
• Demonstrate how you think about the interesting facts and observe the illustration. Then
use the following sentence starters to say and then record your observations on a new
page in your writer’s notebook under the heading Observational Writing:
 I see …
 I notice …
• Explain that this is called observational writing.
• Explain to students that people who do research pay close attention to the illustrations in
the texts they are studying. They are keen observers. They jot what they see and notice
so they can remember it later.
• Record this strategy on the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
Active
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have them
Engagement
listen carefully and observe the illustration as you read aloud pages 10-11 about Marina
from Sault Sainte Marie. Locate Sault Sainte Marie and the location of the Soo Locks on
the Michigan outline map. Have students:
 Think about the interesting facts and study the illustration.
 Use the sentence starters to share their observations with their partners.
• Have one or two students share their observations with the class.
Link
So writers, today and every day that you want to capture what you are learning and what you are
thinking, you will want to be careful observers. Think about the interesting facts and take one
more look at this illustration. You will be able to refer to it again and again as you write in your
writer’s notebook using the sentence starters on the anchor chart. When you begin, open your
notebooks and write the heading Observational Writing at the top of a new page. Then write all
that you have observed using the sentence starters with as much detail as possible.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to push students to record their observations using as much
Conferring
detail as possible.
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 7
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Mid-Workshop
Teaching Point
•
•
Teaching Share
•
Explain that students can use this same strategy with an illustration in a book from the
basket of nonfiction books at their tables.
Suggest that they choose any book, look through the illustrations until they find one that
interests them, and then record their observations.
Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 8
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 3
Writers learn ways in which they can write about what they are studying.
Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by questioning and
wondering.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
I’m a Michigan Kid!, Gary Bower
Anchor chart:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
Shopping at a Farmers’ Market, student example
Baskets of nonfiction books for each table on a variety
of topics
Writers, yesterday we learned that observational writing is one way to record information about
what we are studying. Today, we will learn that another kind of writing is called questioning and
wondering.
Demonstration/
• Read aloud pages 12-13 that introduce Josh, who loves animals. Express curiosity about
Teaching
some of the facts. Show the illustration.
• Demonstrate how you question and wonder about the facts and illustration. Think aloud
how you ask questions beginning with the words:
 I wonder why …
 How come …
• Jot your questions in your notebook.
• Demonstrate how you think about possible answers by using prompts such as:
 Maybe …
 Could it be that …
 But what about …
• Refer to the example Shopping at a Farmers’ Market as an example of how to record your
questions and possible answers.
• Explain to students that people who do research always have questions and wonder about
the facts and illustrations related to their topic.
• Record this strategy on the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
Active
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have them
Engagement
listen carefully and observe the illustration as you read aloud pages 14-15 about Jasmine,
who loves to feel the wind in her hair and the sand in her toes. Locate the Sleeping Bear
Dunes on the Michigan outline map. Have students:
 Think about the interesting facts and study the illustration.
 Think about one or two questions they have about the text using the sentence starters
and share them with their partners.
 Discuss with their partners possible answers using the prompts.
• Have one or two students share their questions or wonderings with the class.
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 9
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Link
Writing and
Conferring
Mid-Workshop
Teaching Point
Teaching Share
So writers, today and every day that you want to capture what you are learning and what you are
thinking, you will want to ask questions about the text you are reading. Think about your
questions and wonderings and then possible answers using the prompts on the anchor chart.
Take your time and include as much of your thinking as you can. When you begin, open your
notebooks and write the heading Questioning and Wondering at the top of a new page. Then
continue work on your writing.
• Conduct individual student conferences to support students’ efforts at questioning and
wondering.
• Explain that students can use this same strategy using a page in a book from the basket of
nonfiction books at their tables.
• Suggest that they choose any book, locate a page that interests them, and record
questions with possible answers related to that text.
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Questioning and Wondering: Ask questions when you don’t understand something you read.
 I wonder why …
 How come …
Thinking of Possible Answers: Think of possible answers to your questions.
 Maybe …
 Could it be that …
 But what about …
Shopping at a Farmers’ Market
I see in the picture that a woman is shopping in a big, open marketplace. It looks like the
marketplace is outside, and it is very, very crowded. I wonder why it is so crowded. Is there
anywhere else they can go to shop? There are many people shopping, and I notice that there are lots
of men there shopping for food, as well as women, and some children are there. How come people
are selling just one kind of thing? For example, one man is selling just fruits and vegetables. There is a
woman selling bread. Another man is selling cheese. It makes me think that people don’t always go to
the grocery store to buy everything. Could it be that some of the people selling those things grew
them or made them themselves. They are probably fresher than what you can buy at the grocery
story. I know that using fresh food and making good food is really important. Maybe that’s why this
place is so crowded.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 10
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 4
Writers learn ways in which they can write about what they are studying.
Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by using boxes and bullets.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
I’m a Michigan Kid!, Gary Bower
Anchor chart:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
Baskets of nonfiction books for each table on a variety
of topics
Writers, yesterday we learned that questioning and wondering is one way to record information
about what we are studying. Today, we will learn that another way to record information is using
boxes and bullets to write the important ideas and supporting facts in a text.
Demonstration/
• Read aloud pages 16-17 that introduce Esther, who is visiting her grandparents in
Teaching
Charlevoix. Express curiosity about some of the facts. Show the illustration. Locate
Charlevoix on the Michigan outline map.
• Demonstrate how you read a chunk of text and think about one important idea:
 Lighthouses line the Michigan shores.
• Ask yourself what facts support this idea. Locate supporting facts that describe the
lighthouses in Michigan.
• Record this information using boxes and bullets in your writer’s notebook.
• Explain to students that people who do research often organize their notes using boxes
and bullets. This helps the researcher to think about which ideas are the important ideas
and which ones are the details.
• Record this strategy on the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
Active
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Use the
Engagement
following important idea (box):
 Lakes are everywhere in Michigan.
• Have partnerships discuss facts that support this important idea (bullets).
• Have one or two partnerships share their supporting facts with the class.
Link
So writers, today and every day that you want to capture what you are learning and what you are
thinking, you will want to use boxes and bullets to record the important ideas and supporting
facts. Think about the one important idea that we just discussed and the facts that support it.
When you begin, open your writer’s notebooks and write the heading Boxes and Bullets at the top
of a new page. Record this information and continue work on your writing.
Writing and
• Conduct individual student conferences to support students’ efforts at using boxes and
Conferring
bullets.
Mid-Workshop
• Explain that students can use this same strategy using a page in a book from the basket of
Teaching Point
nonfiction books at their tables.
• Suggest that they choose any book, locate a page that interests them, and record the
main idea and supporting facts using boxes and bullets.
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 11
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
other writers.
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Questioning and Wondering: Ask questions and search for possible answers.
 I wonder why …
 How come …
Using Boxes and Bullets: Record big ideas in a box and details next to bullets below the box.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 12
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 5
Writers learn ways in which they can write about what they are studying.
Writers learn that one way to write about what they are studying is by thinking and realizing.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
I’m a Michigan Kid!, Gary Bower
Anchor chart:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
Baskets of nonfiction books for each table on a variety
of topics
Writers, yesterday we learned that using boxes and bullets is one way to record information about
what we are studying. Today, we will learn that another way to push our thinking about a topic is
by thinking and realizing.
Demonstration/
• Read aloud pages 20-21 that introduce Mackenzie, who lives on a farm in the thumb area
Teaching
of the Lower Peninsula. Express curiosity about some of the facts. Show the illustration.
Locate the thumb area on the Michigan outline map.
• Explain that historians not only write about what we observe or notice, we also write
about what we think about these observations. Write about something you observe or
notice about this section:
 I observe that there are farms in the thumb area of Michigan.
• Now push your thinking and write about what you are thinking or realizing about this
observation. Use one of the sentence starters listed on the anchor chart:
 This makes me realize that many people might have jobs as farmers in this area.
• Explain to students that people who do research do more than just collect facts. They also
write about what they think about their observations. This is how they push their thinking
about the ideas related to the topic.
• Record this strategy on the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
Active
• You might choose to skip pages 22-23 and read them at a later time, since pages 24-25
Engagement
also tell about farms.
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have them
listen carefully and observe the illustration as you read aloud pages 24-25 about Richie
and his brother Jonny, who live on a fruit farm that their grandparents started. Use the
following observation:
 I notice that there are many kinds of fruit farms in the thumb area of Michigan.
• Have partnerships push their thinking and discuss what they think and realize about this
observation.
• Have two or three partnerships share their ideas with the class.
Link
So writers, today and every day that you want to capture what you are learning and what you are
thinking, you will want to use thinking and realizing to push your thinking about your
observations. Take your time and be sure that you make a careful observation. Then use the
sentence starters to push your thinking about your observations. When you begin, open your
notebooks and write the heading Thinking and Realizing at the top of a new page. Record your
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 13
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
ideas. Push yourself to write all that you can about this observation on the page.
Writing and
Conferring
Mid-Workshop
Teaching Point
•
•
•
Teaching Share
•
NOTE:
•
Conduct individual student conferences to support students’ efforts at pushing their
thinking using thinking and realizing.
Explain that students can use this same strategy using a page in a book from the basket of
nonfiction books at their tables.
Suggest that they choose any book, locate a page that interests them, write their
observations, and then push their thinking by using the sentence starters on the anchor
chart.
Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Finish reading the book today to give students a wider variety of choices for their
individual inquiry studies. They will be choosing topics in Session 7.
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Questioning and Wondering: Ask questions and search for possible answers.
 I wonder why …
 How come …
Thinking of Possible Answers: Think of possible answers to your questions.
 Maybe …
 Could it be that …
 But what about …
Using Boxes and Bullets: Record big ideas in a box and details next to bullets below the box.
Thinking and Realizing: Record your observations and then your thoughts about what you
observe or notice.
 This helps me understand …
 This makes me realize …
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 14
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 6
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers choose a topic that interests them the most to research in order to write a classroom
Michigan Travel Guide.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Notes
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
Michigan, Lucia Raatma
Kids Love Michigan: A Family Travel Guide to
Exploring “Kid-Tested” Places in Michigan … Year
Round!, George and Michele Zavatsky
Variety of travel guides
Anchor charts:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
 Michigan Topics for Research
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
•
Organize the materials that you have collected so far for students to use in their research,
such as Michigan textbooks, trade books from your classroom collection and from the
school media center, public libraries (call ahead to request materials after students have
selected their topics), internet sources, and travel guides. Sort them into table baskets
related to each topic. All students who are researching one topic can share the table
basket for that topic.
• Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writer’s notebooks and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Writers, for the past several days, we took an artistic tour of the Great Lakes State of Michigan. At
the same time, we practiced strategies for recording what we are studying. Today, we will look at
a list of topics about Michigan. You will have a chance to choose the topic that interests you the
most. You will do some research to learn more about your topic. Then we will write about our
topics and put them together in a classroom Michigan Travel Guide.
Demonstration/
• Introduce the concept of travel guides with some examples of your own. The book,
Teaching
Michigan, by Lucia Raatma, includes a travel guide in chapter nine. Notice the format of
the travel guide, paying close attention to the sections, the photographs, the maps, and
the fact boxes. Present a variety of other travel guides, some of which might also include
a Table of Contents and an index.
• Explain that students will each create a section for a classroom Michigan Travel Guide by
choosing a topic to research.
• Introduce the list of topics about Michigan. Have students choose a topic that interests
them the most. You might want to have students make three choices and then decide if
you want to make assignments from those choices so there are a variety of topics in your
Michigan Travel Guide. You might also want to limit the number of students who are
researching the same topic. You can choose a topic that no one else chose for your
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 15
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Active
Engagement
Link
Writing and
Conferring
Mid-Workshop
Teaching Point
Teaching Share
demonstration lessons. You might also choose the same topic as one or two of your most
at-risk students to scaffold their understanding through your demonstrations.
• Return to the Michigan travel guide. Read aloud the information on the first page of the
first section. Note how description is used to provide information about your topic and
how the information is written to interest the reader.
• Demonstrate how you turn to a new page in your writer’s notebook, write your topic at
the top of the page, think aloud about what you already know about the topic, and begin
to record what you know.
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have
students:
 Write their topic at the top of a new page.
 Think about what they already know about their topic.
 Jot everything they know about their topics.
 Turn and share their ideas with their partner.
• Have one or two students share their ideas with the class.
So writers, today you will want to continue to write all you know about your topic. You might
sketch and label, do observational writing, ask questions, use boxes and bullets, or use any other
strategy to record what you already know. Push yourselves to describe your topic using details
and to include information that would make your topic interesting to your reader.
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at recording information and ideas
about their topics.
Writers, now you will want to think about what questions you have about your topic and what
information you will need to gather for your research. For example, for my topic, I don’t have
much information about …, so I will want to write that down. Notice how I write the words
‘Questions for My Research’ at the top of a new page in my writer’s notebook. Then I jot down
questions I have and information I will need to find. Now, think about questions you have and
information you need to find about your topic. Make a list on a new page in your writer’s
notebook. Remember to put the words ‘Questions for My Research’ at the top of the page.
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 16
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Questioning and Wondering: Ask questions and search for possible answers.
 I wonder why …
 How come …
Thinking of Possible Answers: Think of possible answers to your questions.
 Maybe …
 Could it be that …
 But what about …
Using Boxes and Bullets: Record big ideas in a box and details next to bullets below the box.
Thinking and Realizing: Record your observations and then your thoughts about what you
observe or notice.
 This helps me understand …
 This makes me realize …
Michigan Topics for Research
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Michigan’s Great Lakes
Michigan’s Bridges
Michigan’s Islands
Michigan’s Parks
Michigan’s Wildlife
Michigan’s Boats and Ships
Michigan’s Lighthouses
Michigan’s Inland Lakes
Michigan’s Rivers
Michigan’s Winters and Activities
Michigan’s Festivals
Michigan’s Zoos
Michigan’s Museums
Michigan’s Cities, Towns, and Villages
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 17
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 7
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers do research to answer questions and to locate information about their topic.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
Note
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
Anchor charts:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
 Michigan Topics for Research
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
•
You might give students the opportunity to search the internet and print materials for
their topics once they begin researching their own topics.
Connection
Writers, yesterday we chose topics for our class Michigan Travel Guide and recorded a list of
questions and other information we needed to locate for our topics. Today, we will begin to
research answers to our questions to help us learn more about our topics.
Demonstration/
• Explain that you will be doing research to locate answers to questions about your topic.
Teaching
• Demonstrate how you refer to your list of questions and other information you need to
locate for your topic.
• Have a question in mind as you choose a resource. Make sure that the resource is likely to
have the information that you need.
• Look through the Table of Contents and/or index to determine if the information you
need is there. Open to the section and read it aloud until you determine whether or not it
provides the information you need.
• Use the palm of your hand to represent the question (box) and your fingers to represent
the facts and details (bullets).
• Demonstrate how you turn to a new page in your writer’s notebook and record the
information you found using boxes and bullets.
• Record the title of the book and the author on the same page so you can credit the book
and the author whose information you use.
Active
• Ask students to help you do some more research. Choose another question and use a
Engagement
resource to locate this information using the Table of Contents and/or index. Read the
information aloud. Have students:
 Listen and think about the facts and details that answer the question.
 Turn and tell their partners how they would record this information using their hands
to represent boxes and bullets.
 Point to their palm as they state the question.
 Point to each finger as they state each fact or detail.
• Have one or two partnerships share their boxes and bullets with the class.
• Decide how you want to record this information using boxes and bullets in your writer’s
notebook. Record the information, the title of the book, and the author.
Link
So writers, today you will want to research each of your questions by choosing resources and using
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 18
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Writing and
Conferring
Teaching Share
the Table of Contents and index to help you locate this information. Use boxes and bullets to
record this information in your writer’s notebooks. Remember to write the title of the book and
the author.
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at researching by locating and
recording information in their writer’s notebook using boxes and bullets.
• Make sure that students are including the title and author of each resource.
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Questioning and Wondering: Ask questions and search for possible answers.
 I wonder why …
 How come …
Thinking of Possible Answers: Think of possible answers to your questions.
 Maybe …
 Could it be that …
 But what about …
Using Boxes and Bullets: Record big ideas in a box and details next to bullets below the box.
Thinking and Realizing: Record your observations and then your thoughts about what you
observe or notice.
 This helps me understand …
 This makes me realize …
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 19
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 8
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and record a list of subtopics for their topic.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
Michigan, Lucia Raatma
Enlarged copy of the following:
 Michigan Research Packet
Michigan Research Packet for each student
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
Note
Connection
• Put a copy of the Michigan Research Packet into students’ folders prior to this session.
Writers, yesterday we researched information to answer questions we had about our topics.
Today, we are going to plan the subtopics of our topics by imagining what information we want to
include in our section of the Michigan Travel Guide.
Demonstration/
• Refer to the book, Michigan, and explain that this travel guide is organized by region. Our
Teaching
class Michigan Travel Guide will be organized by topic. Each topic will be divided into
three subtopics which might include headings and subheadings, photographs, fact boxes,
maps, and other text features.
• Introduce the Michigan Research Packet as a tool to help you collect notes, organize
information, and begin drafting. Explain that students have a copy of this packet in their
writing folders.
• Explain that you will need to choose which subtopics relate to your topic. Look through
some resources to get some ideas.
• Decide on two subtopics for your topic and record them in an enlarged copy of the
Michigan Research Packet. Keep in mind that revisions are likely to occur.
Active
• Ask students to help you choose one more subtopic for your topic from the information
Engagement
that you just shared with them.
• Have students turn and talk to their partners about their ideas.
• Have two or three partnerships share their subtopics with the class.
• Record one additional subtopic from those suggested in your Michigan Research Packet.
Link
So writers, today you will use the resources in your topic baskets to help you plan three subtopics
for your own topics. Record your topic and name on the cover page and then list your topic and
three subtopics on the next page. Keep in mind that revisions are likely to occur.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at choosing subtopics for their
Conferring
topics.
Mid-Workshop Writers, once you have decided on three subtopics, jot them at the top of the rest of the pages of
Teaching Point
your packet. Then make a list of questions that you have about each subtopic on the Questions
and Notes pages in your packet. (Demonstrate using your own topic and packet. You will be
completing the Introduction Notes page near the end of this unit. Have students skip this page
until later.)
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 20
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
other writers.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 21
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Michigan Research Packet
~My Notes~
Topic: __________________
Name: ___________________
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 22
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Topic and Subtopics
Topic:
Subtopic 1:
Subtopic 2:
Subtopic 3:
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 23
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Introduction Notes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 24
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Subtopic #1: __________________________
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Notes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 25
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Boxes and Bullets
•
•
•
•
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 26
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Subtopic #1 (Paragraph 1):
__________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 27
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Subtopic #2: __________________________
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Notes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 28
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Boxes and Bullets
•
•
•
•
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 29
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Subtopic #2 (Paragraph 2):
___________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 30
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Subtopic #3: __________________________
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Notes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 31
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Boxes and Bullets
•
•
•
•
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 32
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Subtopic #3 (Paragraph 3):
__________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 33
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Conclusion Notes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 34
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Special Vocabulary Words
Word
Definition
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 35
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 9
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and research information about their first subtopic.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
Materials
•
•
•
•
Writing folders
Enlarged copy of the following:
 Michigan Research Packet
Anchor chart:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
Writers, yesterday we planned the subtopics for our topics. Then we wrote questions we have
about our subtopics. Today we will plan and research information about this subtopic to answer
our questions and to take notes. We want to make sure that we have all the important facts and
details that we need in order to write about this subtopic.
Demonstration/
• Read one of your questions aloud from your first subtopic.
Teaching
• Demonstrate how you plan and research by locating answers to your question using one
of your resources.
• Record your answers in the notes section of your packet.
• Remind students that they are researchers and they have a variety of ways to record their
research and observations. Encourage students to use the back of the pages if they need
more space to sketch or use any of the other note-taking strategies they have practiced.
Refer to the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
• Explain that you are not copying the exact wording from the resource. You are only
copying key words and phrases. Later, you will put these key words and phrases into your
own words.
Active
• Ask students to help you answer another question. Use a resource to locate the answer
Engagement
to your question and read the information aloud.
• Have students listen and then turn and tell their partners the answer to your question.
• Have one or two partnerships share their ideas with the class.
Link
So writers, today you will do your own planning and research by using the resources in your topic
baskets to help you search for answers to your questions. Record this information in the notes
section of your packet. Remember to record only key words and phrases, not complete sentences.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at locating and recording specific
Conferring
information to answer their questions.
• Coach students to ensure that they aren’t copying sections from the book, but, instead,
jotting quick notes about what they have learned.
Mid-Workshop
• Demonstrate how you read over your list of notes and organize them into the boxes and
Teaching Point
bullets organizer on the next page of your packet.
• Have students begin to organize their notes using the boxes and bullets organizer in their
packets when they are ready.
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers or have partners share their writing.
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 36
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Note
•
You might want to spend an additional day on this session or any of the following sessions
if students need more time as they plan and research their topics.
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Questioning and Wondering: Ask questions and search for possible answers.
 I wonder why …
 How come …
Thinking of Possible Answers: Think of possible answers to your questions.
 Maybe …
 Could it be that …
 But what about …
Using Boxes and Bullets: Record big ideas in a box and details next to bullets below the box.
Thinking and Realizing: Record your observations and then your thoughts about what you
observe or notice.
 This helps me understand …
 This makes me realize …
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 37
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 10
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and draft their first subtopic.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
Notes
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Writing folders
Anchor chart:
 Content Area Writing Strategies
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writer’s notebooks and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Writers, yesterday we researched information about one of our subtopics to make sure that we
had all the important details that we needed. Today, we are going to plan and draft this subtopic.
Demonstration/
• Reread the information you recorded on your boxes and bullets organizer about your
Teaching
subtopic.
• Think aloud about how you plan to begin drafting this information. Begin with a main
idea sentence.
• Choose positive facts and information about your topic that support your main idea. Use
key words and phrases from your notes. Angle the information to keep it upbeat and
interesting to the reader.
• Then begin drafting information for this subtopic on the next page of your packet.
Active
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have students
Engagement
open their notebooks to the pages that they wrote yesterday. Have students:
 Choose positive facts and information.
 Use key words and phrases.
 Turn and tell their partner how they plan to begin their draft.
• Have one or two students share their ideas with the class.
Link
So writers, today you will begin drafting the information related to this subtopic on the next page
in your writer’s notebooks. Remember to include positive facts and information as well as key
words and phrases. Put the information in your own words.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at drafting information related to
Conferring
their subtopics.
Mid-Workshop Writers, in addition to recording key words and phrases to guide you when you write your drafts,
Teaching Point
you also need to be on the lookout for special vocabulary words that are related to your topics.
Words such as ‘tourist attraction,’ ‘artifacts’, and ‘assembly line’ might be included on a list of
special vocabulary words for your topic. Right now, begin a list on the last page of your packet.
Try to record at least two words on your list today. Write definitions for these words so you can
define them in your drafts. Then make sure that you use these words in your drafts.
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 38
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Content Area Writing Strategies
•
Include special vocabulary words related to your topic.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 39
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 11
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and research information about their second subtopic.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Anchor charts:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
 Content Area Writing Strategies
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
Writers, yesterday we drafted our first subtopic. Today we will plan and research information
about another subtopic to answer our question s and to take notes.
Demonstration/
• Refer to the Questions and Notes page in your packet for your second subtopic. Read one
Teaching
of your questions aloud.
• Demonstrate how you plan and research by locating answers to your question using one
of your resources.
• Record your answers in the notes section of your packet.
• Remind students that they are researchers and they have a variety of ways to record their
research and observations. Encourage students to use the back of the pages if they need
more space to sketch or use any of the other note-taking strategies they have practiced.
Refer to the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
• Explain that you are not copying the exact wording from the resource. You are only
copying key words and phrases. Later, you will put these key words and phrases into your
own words.
Active
• Ask students to help you answer another question. Use a resource to locate the answer
Engagement
to your question and read the information aloud.
• Have students listen and then turn and tell their partners the answer to your question.
• Have one or two partnerships share their ideas with the class.
Link
So writers, today you will do your own planning and research by using the resources in your topic
baskets to help you search for answers to your questions. Record this information in the notes
section of your packet. Remember to record only key words and phrases, not complete sentences.
Also, include special vocabulary words related to this subtopic. When you are finished, organize
your notes into the boxes and bullets organizer on the next page.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at locating and recording specific
Conferring
information to answer their questions.
• Coach students to ensure that they aren’t copying sections from the book, but, instead,
jotting quick notes about what they have learned.
Mid-Workshop Writers, remember that you can also use sketching with labels and captions to gather information
Teaching Point
about your subtopics. You will want to create one or two sketches for your topic. Remember that
each of your sketches will need to have labels and/or captions. You might decide to include these
sketches in your Michigan Travel Guide.
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 40
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Sketching with Labels and Captions: Create a sketch and add labels and captions.
Observational Writing: Record your observations using the following sentence starters:
 I see …
 I notice …
Questioning and Wondering: Ask questions and search for possible answers.
 I wonder why …
 How come …
Thinking of Possible Answers: Think of possible answers to your questions.
 Maybe …
 Could it be that …
 But what about …
Using Boxes and Bullets: Record big ideas in a box and details next to bullets below the box.
Thinking and Realizing: Record your observations and then your thoughts about what you
observe or notice.
 This helps me understand …
 This makes me realize …
Content Area Writing Strategies
•
Include special vocabulary words related to your topic.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 41
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 12
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and draft their second subtopic using partner sentences.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
Notes
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Anchor chart:
 Content Area Writing Strategies
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writing folders and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Writers, yesterday we researched information about our second subtopic to make sure that we had
all the important details that we needed. Today, we are going to plan and draft this subtopic
using partner sentences.
Demonstration/
• Reread the information you recorded on your boxes and bullets organizer about your
Teaching
second subtopic.
• Think aloud about how you plan to begin drafting this information. Begin with a main
idea sentence.
• Choose positive facts and information about your topic that support your main idea. Use
key words and phrases from your notes and words from your special vocabulary list.
Angle the information to keep it upbeat and interesting to the reader.
• Then begin drafting information for this subtopic.
• Remind students that using partner sentences is one way to elaborate when you write.
After you write a sentence, create a partner sentence, or second sentence. A partner
sentence can be added to describe something in the first sentence, to explain something,
or to give a reason or example. Explain that this strategy can be used in any kind of
writing.
• Add this strategy to the anchor chart, Content Area Writing Strategies.
Active
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have them
Engagement
open their packets to the pages that they wrote yesterday. Have students:
 Choose positive facts and information.
 Use key words and phrases and words from their special vocabulary list.
 Turn and tell their partner how they plan to begin their draft and then create a
partner sentence to elaborate.
• Have one or two students share their ideas with the class.
Link
So writers, today you will begin drafting the information related to your second subtopic on the
next page in your packets. Remember to include positive facts and information as well as key
words and phrases and special vocabulary words. Put the information in your own words. Use
partner sentences.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at drafting information related to
Conferring
their subtopics and using partner sentences.
Mid-Workshop Writers, if you come across a really interesting photograph that pertains to your subtopic, you may
Teaching Point
want to include it in your section of the class Michigan Travel Guide. There are three ways to
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 42
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Teaching Share
obtain the copy you want:
• If the photograph is in a book, put a sticky note with your name on the page and turn it in
to me. I will make a copy for you.
• If the photograph is already copied, cut it out carefully so you can still read the words and
put it in your writer’s notebook.
• If the photograph is on the internet, print a copy for yourself. Keep it in your writer’s
notebook.
(Add this strategy to the anchor chart, Content Area Writing Strategies.)
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Content Area Writing Strategies
•
•
•
Include special vocabulary words related to your topic.
Use partner sentences to elaborate.
Include a photograph related to your topic.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 43
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 13
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and research information about their third subtopic.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Anchor chart:
 Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning
 Content Area Writing Strategies
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
Writers, yesterday we drafted our second subtopic. Today we will plan and research information
about our third subtopic to answer our question s and to take notes.
Demonstration/
• Refer to the Questions and Notes page in your packet for your third subtopic. Read one of
Teaching
your questions aloud.
• Demonstrate how you plan and research by locating answers to your question using one
of your resources.
• Record your answers in the notes section of your packet.
• Remind students that they are researchers and they have a variety of ways to record their
research and observations. Encourage students to use the back of the pages if they need
more space to sketch or use any of the other note-taking strategies they have practiced.
Refer to the anchor chart, Strategies for Recording What We Are Learning.
• Remind students that you are not copying the exact wording from the resource. You are
only copying key words and phrases. Later, you will put these key words and phrases into
your own words.
Active
• Ask students to help you answer another question. Use a resource to locate the answer
Engagement
to your question and read the information aloud.
• Have students listen and then turn and tell their partners the answer to your question.
• Have one or two partnerships share their ideas with the class.
Link
So writers, today you will do your own planning and research by using the resources in your topic
baskets to help you search for answers to your questions. Record this information in the notes
section of your packet. Remember to record only key words and phrases, not complete sentences.
Also, include special vocabulary words related to this subtopic. When you are finished, organize
your notes into the boxes and bullets organizer on the next page.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at locating and recording specific
Conferring
information to answer their questions.
• Coach students to ensure that they aren’t copying sections from the book, but, instead,
jotting quick notes about what they have learned.
Mid-Workshop As nonfiction writers, you will also want to be on the lookout for remarkable facts or details. Pay
Teaching Point
attention to your own reaction. Chances are good that if you are amazed by a particular fact or
detail, your readers will be amazed, too. When you come across a really interesting fact for the
subtopic that you are writing today, you might want to create a fact box and write two or three
sentences to record this information (show one or two examples from a mentor text). You do not
need to use a fact box for every subtopic you write. However, when you want to include some
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 44
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Teaching Share
additional information about something really interesting, a fact box is a great way to include it.
Write the subheading for this information and the sentences using shortened margins and then
draw a box around it to make sure that your box contains all the information. (Record this
strategy on a Content Area Writing Strategies anchor chart.)
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Content Area Writing Strategies
•
•
•
•
Include special vocabulary words related to your topic.
Use partner sentences to elaborate.
Include a photograph related to your topic.
Include fact boxes to include additional information.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 45
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 14
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and draft their third subtopic using details that create sensory images.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
Notes
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Anchor chart:
 Content Area Writing Strategies
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writing folders and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Writers, yesterday we researched information about our third subtopic to make sure that we had
all the important details that we needed. Today, we are going to plan and draft this subtopic
using details that create sensory images.
Demonstration/
• Reread the information you recorded on your boxes and bullets organizer about your third
Teaching
subtopic.
• Think aloud about how you plan to begin drafting this information. Begin with a main
idea sentence.
• Choose positive facts and information about your topic that support your main idea. Use
key words and phrases from your notes and words from your special vocabulary list.
Angle the information to keep it upbeat and interesting to the reader.
• Then begin drafting information for this subtopic.
• Remind students that using details that create sensory images creates a picture (things
you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste) in the mind of the reader. Refer to the anchor chart,
Content Area Writing Strategies.
• Add this strategy to the anchor chart, Content Area Writing Strategies.
Active
• Explain that students will have a chance to do what you just demonstrated. Have them
Engagement
open their packets to the pages that they wrote yesterday. Have students:
 Choose positive facts and information.
 Use key words and phrases and words from their special vocabulary list.
 Turn and tell their partner how they plan to use details that help to create sensory
images in the mind of the reader.
• Have one or two students share their ideas with the class.
Link
So writers, today you will begin drafting the information related to your second subtopic on the
next page in your packets. Remember to include positive facts and information as well as key
words and phrases and special vocabulary words. Put the information in your own words. Use
partner sentences and details that create sensory images.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at drafting information related to
Conferring
their subtopics and using details that help to create sensory images in the mind of the
reader.
Mid-Workshop
• Demonstrate how to use linking words and phrases to connect information and ideas.
Teaching Point
This helps the reader follow along. Refer to the anchor chart, Content Area Writing
Strategies.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 46
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Teaching Share
•
Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Content Area Writing Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
Include special vocabulary words related to your topic.
Use partner sentences to elaborate.
Include a photograph related to your topic.
Include fact boxes to include additional information
Include details that create sensory images (things you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste) in the
mind of the reader.
Include linking words and phrases to connect information and ideas (also, another, and, more,
but).
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 47
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 15
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers plan and research information for their topic using maps.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
•
•
•
•
Materials
Writer’s notebooks
Anchor chart:
 Content Area Writing Strategies
Copies of a Michigan outline map for each student
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
Writers, yesterday we drafted the last subtopic for our topics using linking words and phrases.
Today we will look through our resources to locate a map that supports our topic.
Demonstration/
• Explain that all students will include a map that supports their topic in their section of the
Teaching
Michigan Travel Guide.
• Demonstrate how you locate a map that supports your topic using one or more of your
resources.
• Record the information related to your topic from this resource to your copy of the
Michigan outline map.
• Include the symbols and key that represent your topic (if applicable).
• Write a caption that explains the purpose of the map at the bottom of the page.
• Record the title of the book and the author on your Resources page.
Active
• Ask students to think about the kinds of maps they have seen in their resources that will
Engagement
support their topic.
• Have them turn and tell their partners their ideas for information they will want to include
on their maps.
• Have one or two students share their thinking with the class.
Link
So writers, today you will locate a map of Michigan in one of your resources that supports your
topic. Use your Michigan outline map to record information related to your topic. Include
symbols, a key, and a caption.
Writing and
• Conduct table conferences to support students’ efforts at recording information on their
Conferring
Michigan outline maps.
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Connection
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 48
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Content Area Writing Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Include special vocabulary words related to your topic.
Use partner sentences to elaborate.
Include a photograph related to your topic.
Include fact boxes to include additional information
Include details that create sensory images (things you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste) in the
mind of the reader.
Include linking words and phrases to connect information and ideas (also, another, and, more,
but).
Create maps to illustrate information.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 49
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 16
Writers plan, research, and write drafts for a research project.
Writers provide an introduction and concluding statement for their topic.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
Materials
•
•
•
Notes
Writing folders
Anchor chart:
 Content Area Writing Strategies
Baskets of nonfiction books and other texts about
Michigan organized by topic
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writing folders and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Writers, yesterday we created maps for our topics. Today we will create an introduction and a
concluding statement for our topics.
Demonstration/
• Explain that travel guides often have introductions that explain what each section will be
Teaching
about or that get the reader interested in the section. Remember that an introduction is
the opening sentences of a piece of writing.
• Explain that the introduction in the class Michigan Travel Guide will be like the one in the
Michigan book, Hike through a park, learn about lightkeepers, or visit Sault Sainte Marie,
Michigan’s oldest town.
• Demonstrate how you begin your introduction on the first page of your packet with the
words “Things to Do or See.” Then make a list of about three or four of the most
interesting things to do or see pertaining to your topic. You might write a second
sentence that asks a question, Why don’t you come and spend a week on Mackinac
Island?
• Demonstrate how to use commas in a series. This helps to make your sentence clear.
• Refer to the anchor charts, Content Area Writing Strategies.
Active
• Have students think about their topics, and then choose two or three of the most
Engagement
interesting things to do or see pertaining to their topics.
• Have them turn and tell a partner one possible way they might write their introduction.
• Have one or two students share their ideas with the class.
Link
Writers, today your will write your introduction by making a list of three or four interesting things
to do or see pertaining to your topic. Begin with the words, “Things to Do and See.” Include a
second sentence that invites the reader to join you. You might want to try it two or three different
ways until you find one that you like best.
Writing and
• Conduct small group conferences to support students’ efforts at writing their
Conferring
introductions.
Mid Workshop
Writers, now you will want to finish your section by writing a concluding statement at the end of
Teaching Point
your packets (just before the Special Vocabulary Words page). A concluding statement might
include:
• Reasons why your topic is important
• Reasons why people should be encouraged to visit
• Reasons why people should continue to learn more about your topic
(Demonstrate using your own example.)
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 50
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Content Area Writing Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Include special vocabulary words related to your topic.
Use partner sentences to elaborate.
Include a photograph related to your topic.
Include fact boxes to include additional information
Include details that create sensory images (things you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste) in the
mind of the reader.
Include linking words and phrases to connect information and ideas (also, another, and, more,
but).
Create maps to illustrate information.
Provide an introduction and a concluding statement.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 51
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 17
Writers learn strategies for revising and editing their research projects.
Writers revise their writing for clarity, meaning, and effective use of words and phrases.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
Materials
•
•
•
Note
Writing folders
Research and Content Area Writing Revision/Editing
Checklist for each student
Chart-sized Research and Content Area Writing
Revision/Editing Checklist
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writing folders and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Yesterday, many of you finished writing about your topics for our Michigan Travel Guide. Others
will finish soon. Either way, today we will begin making revisions on what we have written so far.
We will use our special lenses to reread our writing for clarity and meaning.
Demonstration/
• Demonstrate how you reread your writing to a partner – once to revise for clarity and
Teaching
once to revise for meaning. Explain that when students read their writing aloud, they
should read as if they are reading aloud like a teacher reads aloud to the class.
 Revising for clarity – Read one subtopic aloud to make sure that your writing is clear
to your partner. Ask your partner to stop you if it sounds confusing and tell why it is
confusing. Make a note to rewrite that part of your writing.
 Revising for meaning – Read the same subtopic to make sure that your partner
understands and can identify the main idea and details. Make a note to rewrite parts
that are weak.
• Demonstrate how you mark the first box on your own copy of a Research and Content
Area Writing Revision/Editing Checklist.
Active
• Divide the partners into writers and listeners. Have writers read one subtopic aloud to the
Engagement
listeners who will listen for clarity and stop them when something is confusing. Have the
writers mark the spots that are confusing so they can go back later and add details to
make those parts clear.
• You might want to give partners a five-minute time limit to share their writing. They will
continue this revision work during writing and conferring.
Link
Writers, you will continue to work with your partners today. Take turns rereading your writing
aloud. Listeners, make sure that you can identify the main ideas and details for each subtopic.
Writers, mark the spots that are weak so you can go back later and rewrite them. Then, return to
your seats and rewrite all the parts that need revision.
Writing and
• Conduct partner conferences to support students’ efforts at revision.
Conferring
Mid-Workshop
• Demonstrate how you revise for effective use of words and phrases using your own
Teaching Point
writing and mark the second box on your Research and Content Area Writing
Revision/Editing Checklist. Have students continue revising their own writing.
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 52
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Research and Content Area Writing Revision/Editing Checklist
Name_______________________________________________Date______________
Title_________________________________________________________________
Reread your writing carefully.
Put a check in each box under Author as you complete each item.
Once all the boxes are checked, give this checklist to the teacher for the final edit.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Revise and edit for the following:
Clarity and meaning. Ask yourself,
“Will this make sense to a stranger?”
“Does each subtopic have a main idea and details?”
Rewrite parts that need revision.
Effective use of words and phrases. Ask yourself,
“Did I use sensory details to make my writing interesting?”
“Did I use special vocabulary words?”
“Did I use linking words and phrases?”
Rewrite parts that need revision.
Sentences, paragraphs, and text features.
“Did I use partner sentences?”
“Did I indent each paragraph?”
“Are my headings, map, and fact boxes clear and interesting?”
Grammar.
“Are my subjects and verbs written correctly?”
Make corrections if necessary.
Capitalization and punctuation.
Use capitals at the beginning of each sentence, for every proper
noun, and for headings and subheadings.
Use periods, exclamation points, and question marks.
Use commas in a series.
Make corrections if necessary.
Spelling.
Check a chart or Word Wall for high-frequency words.
Use patterns and generalizations to spell unfamiliar words.
Use a resource to locate the spelling of unfamiliar words.
Make corrections if necessary.
Author
Teacher
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 53
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 18
Writers learn strategies for revising and editing their research projects.
Writers revise their writing for sentences, paragraphs, text features, and grammar.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
Materials
•
•
•
Note
Writing folders
Research and Content Area Writing Revision/Editing
Checklist for each student
Chart-sized Research and Content Area Writing
Revision/Editing Checklist
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writing folders and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Yesterday, we began revising our writing to make sure it is the best it can be. Today, we will begin
revising for sentences, paragraphs, text features, and grammar. We will use our special lenses
that allow us to reread our writing through the lenses of sentences, paragraphs, text features, and
grammar.
Demonstration/
• Demonstrate how you reread your writing to a partner through the lens of revising for
Teaching
partner sentences. Explain that an effective way to elaborate is to use partner sentences.
They should be used in every subtopic.
• Read your writing with a partner to make sure that your writing includes partner
sentences. If you haven’t used any partner sentences in a subtopic, your sentences will
feel disconnected. Make a note to add partner sentences to that part of your writing.
• Continue to demonstrate how to revise for each item in the sentences, paragraphs, and
text features subtopic.
• Explain that each student’s Michigan outline map will be included following the subtopic
that best reflects the information recorded on the map.
• Demonstrate how you mark the third box on your own copy of a Research and Content
Area Writing Revision/Editing Checklist.
Active
• Have students read aloud one subtopic of their writing and have their partners listen for
Engagement
partner sentences. Have the writers mark spots where they could elaborate using partner
sentences.
• You might want to give partners a five-minute time limit to share their writing. They will
continue this revision work during writing and conferring.
Link
Writers, you will continue to work with your partners today. Take turns rereading your writing
aloud. Listeners, make sure that you are listening for partner sentences in each subtopic. Writers,
mark the spots where you could add partner sentences to elaborate on your ideas so you can go
back later and rewrite them. Then, return to your seats and rewrite all the parts that need
revision. Continue this revising work until you have finished revising through the text features
subtopic.
Writing and
• Conduct partner conferences to support students’ efforts at revision.
Conferring
Mid-Workshop
• Demonstrate how you revise for grammar using subject-verb agreement. Verbs must
Teaching Point
agree with their subjects in number. For example:
 Singular nouns go with singular verbs. Singular verbs often end with the letter –s.
The lake freezes.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 54
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
•
•
Teaching Share
•
 Plural nouns go with plural verbs.
The Great Lakes freeze.
Demonstrate how you revise for pronoun-antecedent agreement. For example:
 A pronoun refers to something stated earlier in a text, its antecedent, and must also
agree in number — singular/plural — with the thing to which it refers.
The Great Lakes are beautiful. They are a tourist attraction.
Demonstrate how you mark the fourth box on your own copy of a Research and Content
Area Writing Revision/Editing Checklist.
Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 55
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
Session 19
Writers learn strategies for revising and editing their research projects.
Writers edit their writing for capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
Materials
•
•
•
Note
Writing folders
Research and Content Area Writing Revision/Editing
Checklist for each student
Chart-sized Research and Content Area Writing
Revision/Editing Checklist
•
Post on the daily schedule or verbally ask students to bring their writing folders and a
pencil to the meeting area.
Connection
Yesterday, we continued to revise our writing to make it the best it can be. Today, we will edit for
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Demonstration/
• Demonstrate how you reread your writing to a partner through the lens of editing for
Teaching
capital letters.
• Reread your writing with your partner to make sure that you included a capital letter at
the beginning of each sentence. Make corrections if necessary.
• Continue to demonstrate how to edit for each item in the capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling subtopic.
• Demonstrate how you mark the third box on your own copy of a Research and Content
Area Writing Revision/Editing Checklist.
Active
• Have partners read one subtopic of their writing and check to make sure they included a
Engagement
capital letter at the beginning of each sentence. Make corrections if necessary.
• You might want to give partners a five-minute time limit to share their writing. They will
continue this editing work during writing and conferring.
Link
Writers, you will continue to work with your partners today. Take turns rereading your writing
with your partner. Make sure that you are checking for capital letters in each subtopic. Writers,
make corrections if necessary. Then, return to your seats and continue rereading your writing
through each lens on the revision/editing checklist.
Writing and
• Conduct partner conferences to support students’ efforts at editing.
Conferring
Teaching Share
• Bring closure to today’s workshop by summarizing and reinforcing the focus of the day’s
teaching point. You might share what one or two writers have done in ways that apply to
other writers.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 56
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Concept
Teaching Point
•
•
Sessions 20 and 21
Writers publish and share their sections of a class Michigan Travel Guide.
A writing community celebrates.
References
A Curricular Plan for the Writing
Workshop, Grade 3, 2011-2012, Lucy
Calkins
Assessing Writers, Carl Anderson
Day 20
Publishing
Day 21
Celebration
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Materials
•
•
Writing folders
Special paper for final drafts
Have students rewrite their revised and edited research projects using special paper.
You might decide, instead, to have students use technology to publish their writing with
guidance and support from adults.
Do not have students add page numbers to the pages in their section.
Set aside a special time for students to present their section of the Michigan Travel Guide
to others. They may want to visit a second-grade classroom and read their sections to a
second-grade partner, or you may decide to invite parents to come to your classroom.
Plan to have Michigan-based refreshments and products on display.
After student sharing, put the sections together to create a book. Create a Table of
Contents with the students and include page numbers on each page. Bind the pages and
make a cover for the class Michigan Travel Guide.
Assess students’ writing using the Research and Content Area Writing Assessment Rubric.
Consider assessing the students’ writer’s notebooks.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 57
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Research and Content Area Writing Conferring Checklist
Student Name:
Note-taking strategies:
Practices using various notetaking strategies.
Writing Strategy:
Chooses a topic and locates
information about it.
Writing Strategy:
Makes a list of subtopics and
writes questions.
Writing Strategy:
Plans and researches
subtopics.
Writing Strategy:
Plans and drafts subtopics.
Writing Strategy:
Uses partner sentences.
Writing Strategy:
Creates sensory details and
used linking words/phrases.
Writing Strategy:
Creates a map.
Writing Strategy:
Provides an introduction and
concluding statement.
Revision/Editing Strategy:
Uses a Revision/Editing
Checklist.
Revision/Editing Strategy:
Uses subject/verb
agreement correctly.
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 58
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Research and Content Area Writing Assessment Rubric
Score
4
3
Statement of Purpose/Focus
and Organization
Statement of
Organization
Purpose/Focus
The response is
fully sustained and
consistently and
purposefully
focused:
• controlling
idea or main
idea of a topic
is focused,
clearly stated,
and strongly
maintained
• controlling
idea or main
idea of a topic
is introduced
and
communicated
clearly within
the context
The response is
adequately
sustained and
generally focused:
• focus is clear
and for the
most part
maintained,
though some
loosely related
materials may
be present
The response has a
clear and effective
organizational
structure creating
unity and
completeness:
• use of a variety
of transitional
strategies
• logical
progression of
ideas from
beginning to end
• effective
introduction and
conclusion for
audience and
purpose
The response has an
evident
organizational
structure and a
sense of
completeness,
though there may be
minor flaws and
some ideas may be
loosely connected:
• adequate use of
transitional
strategies with
some variety
• adequate
progression of
ideas from
beginning to end
• adequate
Development: Language and
Elaboration of Evidence
Elaboration of
Language and
Evidence
Vocabulary
The response
provides thorough
and convincing
support/evidence
for the controlling
idea or main idea
that includes the
effective use of
sources, facts, and
details:
• use of evidence
from sources is
smoothly
integrated,
comprehensive
, and relevant
• effective use of
a variety of
elaborative
techniques
The response
provides adequate
support/evidence
for the controlling
idea or main idea
that includes the
use of sources,
facts, and details:
• some evidence
from sources is
integrated,
though
citations may
be general or
imprecise
• adequate use
of some
elaborative
techniques
Conventions
The response
clearly and
effectively
expresses ideas,
using precise
language:
• use of special
vocabulary
words is
clearly
appropriate
for the
audience and
purpose
The response
demonstrates a
strong command
of conventions:
• few, if any,
errors are
present in
usage and
sentence
formation
• effective and
consistent use
of
punctuation,
capitalization,
and spelling
The response
adequately
expresses ideas,
employing a mix
of precise with
more general
language:
• use of special
vocabulary
words is
generally
appropriate
for the
audience and
purpose
The response
demonstrates an
adequate
command of
conventions:
• some errors in
usage and
sentence
formation
may be
present, but
no systematic
pattern of
errors is
displayed
• adequate use
of
punctuation,
capitalization,
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 59
Research and Content Area Writing: Grade 3
Writing Unit 6
Score
Statement of
Purpose/Focus
introduction and
conclusion
Organization
2
The response is
somewhat
sustained and may
have a minor drift
in focus:
• may be clearly
focused on the
controlling or
main idea, but
is insufficiently
sustained
• controlling
idea or main
idea may be
unclear and
somewhat
unfocused
The response has an
inconsistent
organizational
structure, and flaws
are evident:
• inconsistent use
of transitional
strategies with
little variety
• uneven
progression of
ideas from
beginning to end
• conclusion and
introduction, if
present, are
weak
1
The response may
be related to the
topic but may
provide little or no
focus:
• may be very
brief
• may have a
major drift
• focus may be
confusing or
ambiguous
The response has
little or no
organizational
structure:
• few or no
transitional
strategies are
evident
• frequent
extraneous ideas
may intrude
and spelling
Elaboration of
Evidence
The response
provided uneven,
cursory
support/evidence
for the controlling
idea or main idea
that includes
partial or uneven
use of sources,
facts, and details:
• evidence from
sources is
weakly
integrated, and
citations, if
present, are
uneven
• weak or
uneven use of
elaborative
techniques
The response
provides minimal
support/evidence
for the controlling
idea or main idea
that includes little
or no use of
sources, facts, or
details:
• use of evidence
from the
source material
is minimal,
absent, in
error, or
irrelevant
Language/
Vocabulary
Conventions
The response
expresses ideas
unevenly, using
simplistic
language:
• use of special
vocabulary
words that
may at times
be
inappropriate
for the
audience and
purpose
The response
demonstrates a
partial command
of conventions:
• frequent
errors in
usage may
obscure
meaning
• inconsistent
use of
punctuation,
capitalization,
and spelling
The response
expression of
ideas is vague,
lacks clarity, or is
confusing:
• uses limited
language or
special
vocabulary
words
• may have
little sense of
audience and
purpose
The response
demonstrates a
lack of command
of conventions:
• errors are
frequent and
severe, and
meaning is
often
obscured
Copyright 2012 Oakland Schools / Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (Revised 8/3/12) Page 60