Developing Middle Grades Writers, Part II: Digging Deeper Into Effectively Planning

and Implementing Writing Instruction

Tanya Santangelo, Arcadia Universitysantangt@arcadia.edu

Amanda Rhoads, Wilkinson Middle SchoolArhoads@mesquiteisd.org

Our Goal for This Afternoon

Tell a Story and Have Great Conversations

Our Plan

1) Brief activity to re‐focus and activate our brains

2) Introduce the setting and main characters

3) A bit of background & context 

4) Delve into the plot

5) Contemplate the ‘moral’ of the story 

6) Envision and discuss the sequels you might write.   

The Setting

Wilkinson Middle SchoolMesquite Independent School DistrictMesquite, TXLeslie Feinglas, Principal

The Main Characters

• Amanda & Tanya 

1st Period: English 73rd Period: English 75th Period: ESL English 76th Period: Pre‐AP English 77th Period: English 7

A Bit of Background

• One of Wilkinson’s primary areas of focus with Middle School Matters is writing.  

• In English 7, the unit of study centered                              around, The Giver, by Lois Lowry. 

• The overarching goals for our lesson sequence were to  enhance students’ writing skills and promote (higher‐order) reading comprehension.

Student Objectives:

I will know: • At least three characteristics of a ‘great’ question.

• At least three characteristics of a ‘great’ answer.

I will understand that:

• Good readers instinctively question and respond to the text they read—and often this is done in writing (e.g., jottings in a book; taking notes).

• Learning to ask ‘great’ questions and generate ‘great’ answers will help me understand and think critically about what I read.

• Writing helps us think deeper and remember longer.

• Thinking/writing is improved when more than one brain is involved. I will be able to:

• Explain why it is important to question and respond to literature (generally), and respond in writing (particularly).

• Collaboratively write a ‘great’ question and a ‘great’ answer, from the perspective of Lois Lowry, based on chapters 1-12 of The Giver.

What does it take for students to become better writers?

Knowledge (General, Genre, & Topical)

Strategic Behavior (Writing Processes & Self‐Regulation)

Motivation (Self‐Efficacy, Persistence, & Value)

Foundational Skills (e.g., HW, Spelling, Sentences, Vocab.)

Theoretical Framework

• Use writing as a tool to support learning (i.e., pose and answer questions in writing). 

Motivating writing activities (M)Collaborative writing (M, potentially K & SB)Use of model texts (K)Teach writing strategies (SB)Self/Peer‐assessment of writing (SB, potentially M)

Universal: Teacher modeling & Scaffolding

Validated Instructional Practices

The Plot: ‘Rough Drafts’

• Original lesson plan• Revised (after day 1) lesson plan 

More time Additional scaffolding Minor sequencing adjustments 

Today = ‘Further enhanced through hindsight’ perspective.

The Plot: Day 1 (50 minutes)

1) Warm Up: Journal Quick‐Write • Write a question to the director of a favorite movie or TV show, or to 

the author of a favorite book. Write the answer to your question (from the perspective of the director/author).  (Set aside)

2) Introduction / Overview • Discuss the key objectives and explain the general plan for the next 

few days. 

3) Video (Lois Lowry answering a student question about creating the setting)• Think, pair, share: Is this a good question and a good answer? 

The Plot: Day 1

4) Characteristics of Great and Lame Questions • Discuss and write on note‐taking handout. 

Great Questions Lame Questions

Clear and easy to understand

As short as possible

Require a thoughtful and extended answer

Focus on important topics/ideas

Include the necessary ‘background’ information

Confusing and hard to understand

Too short or unnecessarily long

Lead to a ‘no-duh’ or ‘no-brainer’ answer

Focus on trivial things

Don’t include the necessary background information

The Plot: Day 1

5) ‘Great or Lame’ Game with Model Texts  • Students decide whether each sample question is great, lame, or in 

between‐ based on the characteristics given. (Discussion before and/or after each vote.) 

• What is the name of the boy who lived next door to Jonas who was always getting into trouble?

• What are some of the writing techniques you used in The Giver and what was the purpose of using each technique? 

• What are the most important ideas (like themes and lessons) you want kids to think about when they read your book and remember after they finish reading? – Bonus Part: What is something you DON’T want kids to focus on 

(because it’s not really that important), but you think they might think about, anyways? 

• The Giver is a very, very long book, but I liked it a lot.  It reminded me of a book I read when I was in sixth grade, but I can’t remember that other book’s title.  I liked your book better. What do you like about your book?

The Plot: Day 1

6) Wrap Up• Shoulder partners discuss how/why writing questions and answers 

can make us better readers.  Quick write response in journal.

The Plot: Day 1

‘Benefits of Hindsight’• Confirmed we under‐estimated time!  

• Our ‘test‐class’ that wrote a great question at the end of the period clearly indicated we needed to provide more scaffolding and support. 

• Several things went really well! (Q/A’s from an author’s perspective, video, having a list of characteristics, analyzing models, voting ‘game’) 

• With time extended and brains stretched, best to first focus on questions, then move to answers. 

• If the process of analyzing model texts is new, best to use an inductive approach (give list of characteristics and apply to models).  

The Plot: Day 2 (50 minutes)

1) Warm Up: Journal Quick‐Write • What are the characteristics of a great question? Why are these things 

important?  (Pair‐Share Discussion)

2) Self‐Evaluation • Revisit the question written for yesterday’s warm‐up and see how it 

‘stacks up’ to the ‘Great’ vs. ‘Lame’ characteristics? (Pair‐Share Discussion;  Be sure to ‘contextualize’ baseline performance before & after they evaluate their first attempt.) 

3) Explain how ‘Great Process’ is used to write ‘Great Questions’  

The Plot: Day 2

4) Teacher Modeling (with student input/participation)

Show: How‐ exactly‐ do I write a ‘great’ question? • From start to finish... Step by step. • Intentionally utilize all the supports that students will have. • Do your best to think, feel, and talk ‘like a kid.’

‐ and ‐

Tell (‘Think Aloud’): What am I doing... How and why? 

• Students copy the model onto a blank graphic organizer. 

The Plot: Day 2

5) Guided Practice #1• Shoulder Partners, then Quads—with careful teacher 

monitoring and support, as needed. 

6) Wrap Up• Shoulder partners discuss if what we did in class today helped 

them write better questions (What? How? Why?) Quick write response in journal.

The Plot: Day 2

‘Benefits of Hindsight’• Confirmed we (again) under‐estimated time... though a bit less!   

• Having some (or maybe all) of the students use a checklist to systematically evaluate their question might be helpful.  

• Several more things went really well! Modeling.  Most students were ready to write their own questions after 1 model‐ a few (either by ‘selection’ or choice) would likely have benefitted from a second collaborative model (great opportunity for co‐teacher).  

Collaborative writing and discussion (partners‐quads).Scaffolding (graphic organizer, topic ideas, sentence stems).

Plot Highlights: Day 3

1) Revisit Guided Practice #1 (text & process)

2) Guided Practice #2 (partners, then quads)

3) Video (Lois Lowry answering a student question about ‘the most important message’ in the book) (Think, pair, share: Is this a good question and a good answer?)

Plot Highlights: Day 3

4) Characteristics of Great and Lame Answers  (discuss & write on note‐taking handout)

Great Answers Lame Answers

Clear and easy to understand

Stay on topic

Show excellent thinking about the book and beyond

Include relevant evidence and supporting details from the text

Confusing and hard to understand

Include information that isn’t related or needed

Make you wonder if they actually read and thought about the book

Don’t include relevant evidence and supporting details

Plot Highlights: Day 4

1) ‘Great or Lame’ Game with Model Texts

2) Teacher modeling (with student input/participation; students copy the model onto a blank graphic organizer)  

Question being answered:  How does the ceremony of 4....

Notes

Draft #1 

Draft #2

FinalDear ___________, 

Sincerely, 

Plot Highlights: Day 5 & 6

Day 5: Guided Practice #1 & 2 (partners write answer to the first question they wrote; switch within quads and write answer to others’ first question; compare/contrast and discuss)

Day 6: Guided Practice #3 & 4 (same as above)

The ‘Moral’ of the Story

• If you want students to learn how to write... You actually have to teach them (with intentionality and persistence). 

• Relevant knowledge and strategies (potentially foundational skills)• Modeling (both ‘showing’ and ‘telling’)• Scaffolding and support (proactive & reactive)

• Motivation and engagement are critical during the teaching/learning process. 

• Collaboration and consistency will be beneficial for both teachers and students.