Writing to a Prompt Lesson 1

Essential Question / How do I make sure I clearly understand what a prompt is asking me to write about? (Written on chart paper)
Activating Strategy / Tell students that sometimes as writers we are asked to write on a specific topic for a specific purpose. This is a bit different from what we are used to in our normal writing workshop. However, it is not completely different because you will still be expected to use all the knowledge about being good writers that you have learned. Today we’re going to talk about a strategy that can be helpful when you’re writing to an assigned prompt. It’s called R-U-P-R. Read the essential question to the students.
Teaching / Have a prompt written below the essential question on chart paper. The prompt should be in the genre that you have just finished studying. The example below is one for informational writing.
A girl named Katrina has just moved from Germany to the United States. She has been invited to a birthday party. But she’s never been to a birthday party in the U.S. Write her a letter and let her know what to expect.
Let’s see how R-U-P-R can help me clearly understand what this prompt is asking me. Display the following on a chart:
R Read the prompt once.
U Underline the FAT-P (Format, Audience, Topic, and
Purpose) in the prompt.
P Plan your answer (web, list, graphic organizer).
R Reread the prompt to make sure that you have answeredall
the parts. Am I on topic?
Have I clearly followed the specific writing
purpose?
Revise if necessary.
Model as you use the R and U. Underline and label on the chart as you find the format- a letter
audience- Katrina
topic- a description or explanation of an American birthday
party
purpose- to help Katrina know what to expect when she goes
to her first birthday party
Pass out cards with a different prompt written on each card in the genre just studied. Allow students to work in groups of two or three and apply the R and U of R-U-P-Rstrategy.
Summary / Have students share their prompts and the information they gathered using the R and U of R-U-P-R strategy.
Students answer the essential question as a ticket out the door.

This lesson is adapted from Teaching the Qualities of Writing by JoAnn Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, 2004.

Writing to a Prompt Lesson 2

Essential Question / How do I plan my writing for a prompt? (Written on chart paper)
Activating Strategy / Askstudents to think about their favorite game (Monopoly, basketball, a favorite video game, etc.). You may chart these. Have students think about what it takes to play their favorite game and turn and talk to their partners. Lead students in coming up with such skills as thinking ahead, planning, getting involved, strategizing, desire to win, following the rules, and revising your thinking. Make an analogy between prompt writing and playing a game. Prompt writing is another type of game. Someone else creates the topic and the rules. In order to play you must understand the rules and agree to them. There is a way to win; you write a good response. There are also ways not to win. The best players get involved in the game (the prompt) and have fun. One of the best ways to get a good start in playing the game of prompt writing is to have a good plan. Today we’re going to look at some ways for you to plan your writing.
Teaching / Remind students that we have begun looking at a strategy to help us with our prompt writing, R-U-P-R . Review the charts from yesterday. Today we will continue by looking at the P. Using the same prompt modeled from the last lesson show students how to plan a paper using a graphic organizer. (Review the graphic organizers you have taught in the genre recently studied). Think aloud as you plan. Remind students of the format, audience, and purpose of the letter. (This is an example for informational writing).
A girl named Katrina has just moved from Germany to the United States. She has been invited to a birthday party. But she’s never been to a birthday party in the U.S. Write her a letter and let her know what to expect.
After planning with an appropriate organizer look at the second R in the R-U-P-R. Reread the prompt and answer the questions.
Am I on topic?
Have I clearly followed the specific
writing purpose?
Revise if necessary.
Distribute the prompts which the students used in the previous lesson. With their partners have the students discuss and planPtheir papers selecting a graphic organizer. Students reread the prompt after they have planned, answering the questions. R.
Summary / Pair groups up and have students share their plans, inviting any other ideas from the audience group.
Students answer the essential question as a ticket out the door.

This lesson is adapted from Teaching the Qualities of Writing by JoAnn Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, 2004, and Writing to the Prompt by Janet Angelillo.

Possible Next Steps

  • Model writing a response to a prompt. During this modeling refer to the standard and elements taught for that genre of writing. Students need to see the link between prompt writing and standards/elements taught during writing workshop.
  • You may have students continue to work in their small groups to collaboratively write papers in response to the prompt.
  • Model using the rubric to score a sample papers from the state.
  • All students write to the same prompt and score their own papers using the rubric.
  • Simulate a testing situation, timing the planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing of a response to a prompt. Discuss with students how that felt and what strategies worked for completion of the task.
  • After completing the nine week focus in writing workshop (narrative, persuasive, and informational) provide time to instruct in prompt writing. Repeat the two lessons provided, exposing students to prompts in that genre and allowing time for discussion and practice.

Suggestions for Embedding Test-Writing Skills in Writing Workshop

  1. Make sure students write daily, and teach mini-lessons on genre writing.
  2. Teach brainstorming techniques such as talking, listing or selecting graphic organizers that will support their writing. Use Acworth’s organizers for each writing genre.
  1. Give students opportunities to write to a prompt as well as to self-select topics.
  1. Teach students how to read the prompt and the questions to understand the writing task. Use the RUPR lessons.
  1. Teach students to underline key words in the prompt and the questions that will be important to the written response.
  1. Schedule opportunities for timed writing.
  1. Teach students to edit, revise and proofread in timed sessions.

10. Give students time to work in partners or small groups to present information on a topic. Follow the presentations with group feedback. The students’ ability to plan and orally present information on a topic orally is the same process required on a written text.

(Adapted from Fountas & Pinnell, Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6, page 480.)