Grade 8
Language Arts
Writing
Standard 2

WRITING APPLICATIONS.
(GENRES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS)


 
Resources
Lesson Plans
Assessments
Writing Helps For 
SPJUSD Teachers.
Students Write research papers following lesson outlined in Writing Helps for SPJUSD Teachers.
Previously Published Data

1.) Have students take notes under the five response words on the Literature Response sheet as the teacher reads "Justice for Kipp," a Readers' Digest article from the May, 1998 issue. Brainstorming with students, fill in the Literature Response sheet. Discuss how well the text examples support the five categories. Compare their responses to the notes on this Literature Response sheet: In groups of four, have students read and explain their responses to "Justice for Kipp." In a discussion session following this group work, have students share their successes and problems when completing the pre-writing Literature Response sheet.

2.) Next, have students write a rough draft using the information from the Literature Response sheet. The rough draft must include the following:
  • An introductory paragraph
  • At least one paragraph for each of the five responses topics: interpreting, evaluating, connecting, drawing inferences, and supporting judgments 

    • A concluding paragraph
    3.) Once the rough draft is completed, have students use peer editing techniques in small groups to respond to the content of each paragraph. Have them refer to the Literature Response sheet as well as the Peer Response Form.
    4.) Engage students in another editing group session as they edit sentence structure, grammatical errors, misspellings, and other errors. After interaction with the two response groups (content feedback, mechanics/ conventions corrections), ask students to write a final copy.
    District Rubrics.
    Previously Published Data

    1.) The following Evaluation form can be stapled to the back of the essay and returned to the student writer. The student writer is responsible for writing comments about the evaluation in the margins and/ or the back and then submitting the essay to the teacher. Assign a grade to the student writer as well as to the student evaluator. Response Essay: Evaluation Form

    Student Writer's Name_____

    Date _____ Period_________

    Names of Evaluators:

    1.

    2.

    3.

    Writing Assignment:________

    Check in front of the category if the writer used at least two kinds of evidence to support it:

  • Interpreting the data.
  • Connecting to the student's own experience and knowledge.
  • Evaluating the author's writing techniques.
  • Drawing inferences about the effects on its audience.
  • Supporting judgments by using the text itself

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    Describe an essay element that is done very well.

    Describe an element that would improve this essay.