SBAC PREP VOLCANOES: TEXT-BASED INFORMATIVE WRITING INTERMEDIATE

With Common Core and SBAC testing, I am now teaching text-based informative writing in my 4th grade classroom. It has been very hard to find appropriate materials to teach students how to write in a manner similar to the performance tasks. This packet is designed to allow students to practice doing text-based writing and a mini-research report. All the materials needed to do a research report, including 5 different types of texts, are included as well as a reference page of links to additional materials, including videos.

I think these unit is appropriate for 4th-8th grade. The reading level is a little high on some of the texts, but the passages are short, vocabulary is repeated and this is high interest level material.

In my own classroom I use these as On Demand Writing. Each prompt takes about 1-2 weeks to complete. I have added a rubric aligned to the Common Core and student self-reflection pages to support additional instruction.

This is my first text-based writing prompt, but I will be uploading more in the same format. I am focusing on social studies and science topics for elementary and middle school students so that we can integrate ELA and content instruction.

Included are:
• Five pages of research from multiples sources, including information in list format, quotes, tables, images, myths and an article.
• A page of additional resources including previewed short videos.
• Detailed lesson plan
• 4 mini-lessons ready to use immediately.
• Seven direction pages (pre-write, introduction, body paragraph #1, body paragraph #2, body paragraph #3, conclusion, editing) with specific instructions for each prompt and a checklist of strategies for success.
• A student reflection page.
• A template for a rough draft.
• A template for a final draft.
• A rubric aligned to the Common Core for scoring.

Additionally, there is a page of instructions designed to be used INSTEAD of the guided unit, so you can use the research materials and the set of instructions as an assessment.

I teach writing to an integrated group of students, including special education students, ESL students and talented and gifted students. All of my writing materials are designed with the needs of multiple learners in mind.