Qualitative Data
In first grade, students are continuing down the writing structure path. This path contains different stages of writing and within these stages, first graders are expected to master and understand several different types of writing. The different stages in writing are:
1. Prephonemic Stage
2. Early Phonemic Stage
3. Letter-Name Stage
4. Transitional Stage
5. Conventional Writing Stage
Each of these different stages have steps that show mastery. The rubrics and common core standards align with what is required of first graders in order for them to be ready for second grade. In first grade, students need to be able to write and respond in forms of opinion writing and narrative writing with the support of adults. This means that students need to have progressed to the transitional stage or the conventional writing stage. Students are working to become independent thinkers and writers. Throughout this section, you will see the samples of work from students at the beginning of first grade through the end of first grade.
1. Prephonemic Stage
2. Early Phonemic Stage
3. Letter-Name Stage
4. Transitional Stage
5. Conventional Writing Stage
Each of these different stages have steps that show mastery. The rubrics and common core standards align with what is required of first graders in order for them to be ready for second grade. In first grade, students need to be able to write and respond in forms of opinion writing and narrative writing with the support of adults. This means that students need to have progressed to the transitional stage or the conventional writing stage. Students are working to become independent thinkers and writers. Throughout this section, you will see the samples of work from students at the beginning of first grade through the end of first grade.
Writing Expectations
There are many different ways to assess a student's writing but there is a guideline for each grade level and topic based on the Common Core State Standards that can be used to set students up for success. These standards allow me to make assessments and rubrics that show the true success and growth of students.
Students need to work on different types of writing, including opinion pieces, narratives and informative/explanatory pieces. In each of these three types of writings, students need to create their own topic statements, facts/opinions and closing statements. Although the content that is in the "meat" of the writing is different, it all develops from the understanding and creation of their own thinking. In standard W.1.8, students, with the support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a questions. As students progress from kindergarten to first grade and prepare for second grade, it is imperative that they begin to create their own thoughts and writing from the texts or other knowledge. The expectations for writing in first grade extend beyond kindergarten, where students are doing more writing from copying or discussion. These standards and expectations lead into the second grade writing standards, which state that students are able to recall from information and resources without support from adults. While this information is common knowledge for teachers, the information needs to be accessible to students and their parents. Below you can see rubrics that were created by the district to assess the writing of students as well as rubrics that are used by students and their parents with more common vocabulary in the place of common core language. |
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First Grade Writing Rubrics
Both of these rubrics are created by Wit & Wisdom. Wit & Wisdom is the curriculum used by Baltimore City this year. l have used these rubrics to assess what they know and how they are growing, but also to create different rubrics to support the students and their parents outside of the classroom. These rubrics show the evaluation of the four different categories that are within the common core standards as well and break the steps into the sub-categories that are accessible to all.
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Both of the rubrics that you see on the left are rubrics that parents and their students look at during conferences, homework assignments, before or after tests, etc. to help them evaluate the work that was completed. The difference between these rubrics and those above is the language and focus of the rubric. These rubrics allow for more standard language that is accessible no matter what the grade level and reading level. Parents are able to look at these rubrics and have a discussion with their student as they review their writing, ensuring that parents are able to support their student to the best of their ability.
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Writing Samples
In the next couple of sections, you will see different writing samples from three different students throughout the year.
In the writing sample from October, students were given a choice between three different books that they needed to respond about the character, setting, problem and solution. At the top of the page, you can see their story stones as reminders for what needed to be included in their papers. All three students chose to respond about the book, Green Eggs and Ham. At this point in the year, writing a paper in response to a book was still above their abilities. The other two books that they could have chosen from were, Waiting for the Biblioburro or My Librarian is a Camel. These books had more difficult problems and solutions to recall and respond to. It makes sense that they all chose the write about Green Eggs and Ham.
In both January and March, students had to respond to a specific book in an informative paragraph. Informative paragraphs were introduced for the first time in January. Since the type of writing was new, students were given one book to focus on. In January, students were asked to pick two animals from the book, What Would you do With a Tail like This? where they needed to pick a part of an animals body was used by two different animals. That could have been the tail of a monkey and a lizard or the nose of an elephant and an anteater, etc. They then needed to describe how they used that body part and why is was amazing.
In March, for another informative paragraph, students needed to respond to the book Never Smile at a Monkey. They needed to use details from the text as to why the author makes an argument to never smile at a monkey or approach other animals. There are 18 different animals in the book that the students can pick from to defend why the author's point is accurate and relates to the title of the book.
In the writing sample from October, students were given a choice between three different books that they needed to respond about the character, setting, problem and solution. At the top of the page, you can see their story stones as reminders for what needed to be included in their papers. All three students chose to respond about the book, Green Eggs and Ham. At this point in the year, writing a paper in response to a book was still above their abilities. The other two books that they could have chosen from were, Waiting for the Biblioburro or My Librarian is a Camel. These books had more difficult problems and solutions to recall and respond to. It makes sense that they all chose the write about Green Eggs and Ham.
In both January and March, students had to respond to a specific book in an informative paragraph. Informative paragraphs were introduced for the first time in January. Since the type of writing was new, students were given one book to focus on. In January, students were asked to pick two animals from the book, What Would you do With a Tail like This? where they needed to pick a part of an animals body was used by two different animals. That could have been the tail of a monkey and a lizard or the nose of an elephant and an anteater, etc. They then needed to describe how they used that body part and why is was amazing.
In March, for another informative paragraph, students needed to respond to the book Never Smile at a Monkey. They needed to use details from the text as to why the author makes an argument to never smile at a monkey or approach other animals. There are 18 different animals in the book that the students can pick from to defend why the author's point is accurate and relates to the title of the book.