Getting Ready for STAAR Writing

Grade 7 Writing

Not just any writing…

But STAAR Writing!

TEA Online Resources

www.tea.state.us/student.assessment/staar  Assessed curriculum*  Blueprints*  Released Test Questions*  Writing and English I, II, III*  Dictionary/Thesaurus policies*

TEA Online Resources, continued  Rubrics*  Test design schematics*  Question and answer document (FAQs)  Much more

Assessed Curriculum Readiness Standards • Essential for success in the current grade/course • Important for preparedness for the next grade/course • Support college and career readiness • Necessitate in-depth instruction • Address broad and deep ideas

Assessed Curriculum Supporting Standards • Introduced in the current grade or course, emphasized in a subsequent year • Reinforced in the current grade or course, emphasized in a previous year • Play a role in preparing students for the next grade or course, but not a central role • Address more narrowly defined ideas

STAAR Writing Online “Look Fors” • Blueprint – reporting categories, number of standards, number of questions • Test Design Schematics – information about genres assessed, field test items • Released Test Questions until 2014) – some questions and answers (full STAAR test not released

STAAR Writing Grade 7 (also Reading Grades 6-8) Resources • Dictionary Policy – available for all students - one for every better: one for every best: one for each • Thesaurus – allowed either as part of dictionary or separate, available for all students - one for every

Most Significant Differences STAAR/TAKS  Rigor of items has been increased (assessing skills at a greater depth and level of cognitive complexity)  Total number of test items increased for most grades, subjects, and courses  Four-hour time limit on STAAR as opposed to TAKS which was untimed

Part of Four Hours

• bathroom breaks • water breaks • snack breaks • short physical/mental breaks

• Lunch

Not Part of Four Hours

• Emergency situations • Consolidation/movement to another area • Medical breaks to nurse

Day 1 - Revising and Editing

 Grade 7  One writing prompt  Revising - 16 multiple choice questions  Editing – 24 multiple choice questions  Four hours!

Day 2 - Composition

 Grade 7  Two writing prompts  Four hours!

STAAR Written Composition

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Students will write two one-page compositions

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Additional field test composition in Grade 7 and English EOCs

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26 lines maximum

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Different types of writing

STAAR Written Composition

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Grade 4−personal narrative story and expository essay

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Grade 7−personal narrative (with extension) story and expository essay

STAAR Written Composition

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Essays will be weighted equally

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No “gatekeeper” (automatic fail of writing test for a 1)

STAAR Writing Prompts

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Personal narrative (with extension) and expository prompts contain a stimulus and are scaffolded:

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Read

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Think

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Write

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Be Sure to

STAAR Writing Prompts

  READ Sometimes a statement (There are people in our lives who are special to us. Sometimes this person is a teacher or coach, a parent, a brother or sister, or even a friend.)  Sometimes a quote championships.”) ( A famous businessman once said, “Players win games; teams win  Sometimes an image

STAAR Writing Prompts

 THINK (Sometimes it’s hard to make a decision because there are so many choices.)  The synopsis or quotation generalized and reworded  Clarification of READ  Idea starters

STAAR Writing Prompts

 Write  An even more focused rewording  Often called the “charge”  Be Sure to –  Reminder bullets, appear in rubrics (different rubric for each type of writing)

STAAR Writing What the field tests revealed…

 Score Point 3 or 4 Papers * Good form/purpose match * Introduction and conclusion short/effective * No wasted words * Well crafted * Narrow and deep focus * Specific use of language and appropriate tone for purpose * Clear beginning, middle and end * Strong conventions

STAAR Writing - What the field tests revealed…

 Score Point 1 or 2 Papers * Wrong form/purpose * Meaningless introduction and/or conclusion * Wasted space (repetition, wordiness, meandering, extraneous details of examples) * Poorly crafted * General/vague use of language or inappropriate tone for purpose * Weak conventions

What do Maurice Sendak, Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner have in common?

They never made their point in 26 lines!

o However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be done!

o Texas students will be expected to complete each composition in 26 lines or less.

We don’t want the 26 line limit to create “Blah” sentences.

• He walked through the door.

“Explode the moment” sentences, although wonderful, likely won’t fit.

• He grasped the cold doorknob and turned it slowly to the right. He pushed the door inward. The hinges squeaked and cold air rushed past the opening door. The room was dark. His eyes darted to the right. Nothing. He pushed the door open a little farther, and slowly moved his right foot into the room. His shoe creaked a bit as it hit the polished hardwood floor.

Precise and concise is what we need on the STAAR.

• He crept through the door, hoping to be as quiet as a mouse.

Keys to Success for Students

• Being able to contrast “Explode the Moment” writing with precise and concise writing • Being able to identify examples and non examples of concise and precise writing in reading passages and their own writing

Next Step:

Practice STAAR Writing Skills  By providing purposeful, thoughtful assignments – based on the assessed TEKS and Student Expectations  Guiding students through the process from modeling to independent practice  Allowing our students to showcase their writing talents ( revising , editing , and writing compositions )

Composition/Writing/Personal Narrative Texts • Grade 7 14A: write a personal narrative that has a clearly defined focus and communicates the importance of or reasons for actions and/or consequences  Mini-lessons on areas of need, with independent use of the strategies the goal

Teacher-Made Rubric Personal Narrative Text 1 2 3 Personal narrative Clearly defined focus Communicates importance of actions/consequences Communicates reasons for actions/consequences 4

Explanation of “WITH EXTENSION” • Grade 4 – Personal Narrative prompt:  Write about a time when you discovered that you were good at something.

• Grade 7 – Personal Narrative ( with extension ) prompt:  Write a personal narrative about a time when you had to make a decision. Be sure to write in detail about the choice you made and describe what happened as a result of your decision.

Composition/Writing/Expository Texts • Grade 7 17A: write a multi-paragraph essay to convey information about a topic that: (i) presents effective introductions and concluding paragraphs ; (ii) contains a clearly stated purpose or controlling idea ; (iii) is logically organized with appropriate facts and details and includes no extraneous information or inconsistencies ; (iv) accurately synthesizes ideas from several sources; (v) uses a variety of sentence structures, rhetorical devices , and transitions to link paragraphs .

 Mini lessons on areas of need, with independent use of the strategies the goal

Teacher-Made Rubric Expository Texts 1 2 3 Multi-paragraph essay Effective introductions and concluding paragraphs Clearly stated purpose/controlling idea Logically organized Appropriate facts/details No extraneous information/inconsistencies Accurately synthesizes ideas Variety of sentence structures Rhetorical devices Transitions to link paragraphs 4

TEA Scoring of Written Compositions • 4 page rubric to score students STAAR writing compositions – one page per score point • Each genre has a separate rubric • Familiarize yourself with these

Questions?

Contact Information: Beverly Richard Curriculum and Instructional Specialist 832-223-0146 [email protected]