Professional Development Writing

Professional Development ~ Writing

Unit Title: Professional Development ~ Writing

Session Title: On Demand Writing (This should occur in a computer lab with Internet access.)

Essential Questions: (Slide 2)

·  Why should I incorporate On Demand Writing in my classroom instruction?

Know: (Slide 3)

·  What On Demand Writing is

·  The steps involved in On Demand Writing

·  How the writing process fits with On Demand Writing

·  How to address On Demand Writing through writing instruction

Do: (Slide 4)

·  Write from a prompt

·  Share On Demand Writing ideas from their classroom

·  Identify SPAM in a writing prompt

·  Complete a VVWA

Sponge Activity: (15 minutes) (Slides 5 & 6)

·  Make sure that all participants are at a computer with Internet access. If there are not enough computers, have participants pair up with someone who is going to write online. One person can write with pen and paper but is still being timed.

·  Participants will view the prompt and go to the website to complete their timed writing online http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/composition/freewriting5.htm. Prior to the session you may want to bookmark this site so that participants can quickly access it.

·  Participants will type their paragraph in the box provided as the timer counts down.

·  Have a couple of volunteers share their paragraphs.

·  Discuss the possibilities for using this site (see slide notes). It has been included on the Resource List.

Vocabulary Development: (10 minutes) (Slide 7-8)

·  What is On Demand Writing? Have participants complete the Visual Verbal Word Association on their own. Ask volunteers to share their thoughts and examples. What kind of On Demand Writing do they do in their classrooms? Have participants share their answers. You may want to have teachers post their VVWAs around the room so others can view them.

·  Show the slide of On Demand Writing and explain the 3 things that make On Demand Writing different from other types of writing students are asked to do.

Activating Prior Knowledge: (5-10 minutes) (Slide 9)

·  Show the SPAM slide and remind the participants of the Sponge Activity and their definition for SPAM.

·  Talk about how there are several definitions for SPAM (noun -lunch meat in a can, noun - junk email, verb – to send unsolicited email)

Skill Lesson through Direct Instruction and modeling: (60 minutes) (Slides 10 – 19)

·  Show the slide containing the acronym for SPAM (situation, purpose, audience and mode). Talk about each of the letters and what students should look for when determining the parts of a prompt and preparing to write.

·  Use the slide from the Sponge writing prompt and have partners identify the SPAM in the prompt. Then show the slide that highlights each section.

·  Go through the next few slides that further explain each of the items in SPAM.

·  Give participants the Writing Guide for ACT and SAT that was created by Terry Reale and tell them that even though it was written for those college entrance exams, the ideas and suggestions apply to any type of On Demand Writing.

·  Go over the steps to follow when writing on demand.

Active Literacy: (60 minutes) (Slide 20-22)

·  Hand out the sheet of On Demand Writing Resources and have teachers explore to find three prompts that they could use in their classrooms. They will record this information on the Prompt Collection Sheet. After they have found three prompts they will identify the SPAM in each.

·  Participants will try their hand at writing a prompt that addresses their content area and incorporates real world situations. They will identify the SPAM in their prompt. Call on volunteers to share their prompt.

Post Literacy: (15 minutes)(Slide 22)

·  Conduct a Pair-Square to share the prompts that were written by participants. Partners will share their prompt with one person identifying the SPAM in their partner’s prompt. The partners will pair with another set and repeat the process.

Reflection: (10 minutes)(Slide 23)

·  3-2-1 Exit Slip – Three things I learned, Two things that were confirmed, One thing I Have a Question about

·  Have them share the Questions they need to have answered, then take up the Exit Slip before they leave.

Materials:

·  VVWA Sheet

·  Writing Guide for ACT and SAT

·  Resource list for On Demand Writing

·  Prompt Collection Sheet