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Rationale

Decision-Making Cycle of Assessment and Instruction

1. Planning for Assessment

2. Collecting, Organizing and Storing Data

3. Analyzing, Interpreting, Recording and Reporting the Data

4. Planning for Instruction

Glossary

Appendix A:  Possible Questions for Student Self-Assessment

Appendix B:  K-5 Developmental Writing Scale

• Prewriter

• Emergent Writer

• Developing Writer

• Independent Writer

The Wauwatosa K-5 Writing Assessment is designed to provide a meaningful process through which learners are assisted in the development of their ability to self-monitor and self-regulate as they become independent writers. The ultimate goal is to have students and teachers reflectively appraise their own work and set new directions for teaching and learning.

This is best accomplished through holistic assessments which capture a student's understanding of the writing process over time. Because a child's intellectual and social growth reflects a unique pattern, expectations need to be aligned with the development of individual writers. Therefore, writing assessments need to be viewed in the larger context of communication and literacy skills appropriate to each learner.

In addition to the development of these literacy skills, the writing assessments aim at fostering the growth of dispositions or habits of mind which independent writers possess. This process of increasing independence as a writer is characterized by roughly sequential steps in the EMERGENT WRITER followed by a critical transition period for the DEVELOPING WRITER. This transition is typified by the writer's ability to manage content that extends beyond personal experience. Balancing content and conventions may require an extended period of time during which many elements of writing are attended to in a non-sequential order before becoming an INDEPENDENT WRITER.

While students should be exposed to a wide variety of purposes for writing, the focus of the K-5 Writing Assessment is on PERSONAL VOICE. This type of writing exhibits the writer's imprint on the ideas he/she wishes to communicate.

The K-5 Writing Assessment is consistent with our theory of how children learn. As a result, this AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT process should drive, inform and guide writing instruction. Through the efforts of teachers, students and district committees, the standardization of methods for assessing writing will result in the development of learners who will be able to communicate effectively, solve problems, work effectively, function as responsible citizens, develop a sense of health and wellness and create quality products. In demonstrating the ability to communicate effectively, our learners will construct appropriate meaning from various written and/or visual contexts, express and interpret creative ideas and feelings, organize and communicate factual, statistical or analytical information and apply interpersonal communication skills.

The K-5 Writing Assessment embodies the Wauwatosa School District values by celebrating and respecting the importance, uniqueness and talents of each student, helping students reach their potential by protecting and enhancing their self-esteem and self-respect, emphasizing how to learn as well as attainment of knowledge, concepts and skills, expecting students to strive for their best, stressing independence, supporting and encouraging participation of staff members in ongoing learning experiences, and by involving parents in the education of their children.

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The purpose of the K-5 Writing Assessment is to systematically gather information for individual students to be used to evaluate, monitor and adjust the curriculum and instruction. It is also meant to show a child's growth in writing development over time.

While the development of writing should be fostered through multiple modes of communication, this assessment focuses on the child's development as a writer using personal voice.

The DECISION MAKING CYCLE OF ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTION is designed to facilitate the development of students as writers.

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1.  Planning for Assessment

What do I want to assess? (Product and Process)

Literacy Skills and Understandings of the Developing Writer

Product:
~ Use of personal voice
~ Understanding of audience/purpose in writing
~ Understanding of writing conventions

Process:
~ Understanding of writing process
~ Understanding of audience/purpose in writing
~ Understanding of writing conventions

How do I want to gather data about the child's understandings?

Teachers need to develop a plan for collecting data for both the process and the product. Data should focus on the literacy skills and understandings of the developing writer.

When planning, teachers will find that they will need to select at least a total of three assessment strategies to assess both the process and the product in order to make a more holistic evaluation of each child. (See Data Collection Strategies). That way, one source of information can be cross-checked against another and a more total picture of what the child knows and is able to do will emerge.

Data Collection Strategies

• observations - recording what the child says or does; does not include any value judgements; objective, takes place in the learning environment; only use nouns and verbs. Example: Observation 9/27/94: Jim is writing a list of possible topics. He stops every so often to talk to his partner.
• anecdotal records - interpretations of observations; what you think is happening; includes emotions and values; becomes a source of information to reflect upon; over time, helps to identify patterns and themes in learning behavior. Example: Anecdotal record 9/27/94: Jim is using his background knowledge to brainstorm a variety of topics. He seems to be having some trouble narrowing his focus.
• work samples - products generated by the student throughout the year
• conferences - meetings with students on a one-to-one basis to discuss growth, understanding, attitudes and goals
• self-assessment - engaging a student in reflecting upon his/her development/growth as a writer. May include checklists, reflection logs, conferences
• standardized tests - decontextualized forms of assessment; students are measured against a normed group

Planning for Assessment of the Product

All teachers will take writing samples as one assessment strategy to gather information about the child's development as a writer. These writing samples will be collected and analyzed as follows:

Kindergarten Teachers collect and analyze samples three times per year (October, February, May). Teachers staple together all the kindergarten samples for each child and pass them along with the Developmental Writing Record to the next year's teacher.

Grade 1 Teachers collect and analyze samples three times per year (September, November (prior to conferences), and February). In May, students self-select and self-assess a sample of their writing (see Appendix B). Formal teacher analysis of the May sample is not necessary, although comments on the Developmental Writing Record may be appropriate. Teachers staple together each child's Grade 1 samples and pass them on to the next year's teacher, along with the Developmental Writing Record and the student's self-assessment.

Grades 2 and 3 Teachers reflect on the May samples of the previous year in August/September, making comments on the Developmental Writing Records, when appropriate. Teachers collect and analyze samples in October and February. (This may be done with student input and/or student self-assessment.) In May, students self-select and self-assess a sample of their writing (see Appendix A). Formal teacher assessment of this sample is not necessary, but comments on the Developmental Writing Records may be appropriate. All three samples are stapled together and passed on to the next year's teacher, along with the Developmental Writing Record and the student's self-assessment.

Grades 4 and 5 Teachers reflect on the May samples of the previous year in August/September, making comments on the Developmental Writing Records, when appropriate. Teachers collect and formally analyze samples by the end of October and by the end of February. (This may be done with student input and/or self-assessment.) In May, students self-select and self-assess a sample of their writing (see Appendix B). Formal teacher analysis of the May sample is not necessary, although comments on the Developmental Writing Record may be appropriate. At the end of Grade 4, each child's grade 4 samples are stapled together and passed on to the next year's teacher, along with the Developmental Writing Record and the student's self-assessment. At the end of Grade 5, the last two grade 5 samples for each child are sent to the middle school, along with the Developmental Writing Record and the student's self-assessments. The rest of the samples may be given to each student as a record of their own writing development in elementary school.

Planning for Assessment of the Process

Each teacher needs to choose at least two other assessment strategies to collect information about the child's understandings of the writing process. The Data Collection Planning Chart (page 3) offers a menu from which to choose. The developmental level of the children should be considered when making these decisions.

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2. Collecting, Organizing and Storing Data

How do I want to collect, organize and store the data?

Teachers need to systematically collect the data for both product and process.

Writing Product Assessment

As previously stated, writing samples will be one required source of information regarding a child's writing development. Samples of personal voice should be used and should provide a record of a child's journey as a writer over time. Therefore, samples should represent the child's journey as a writer and do not necessarily need to be in published form. Questions to consider when selecting a piece of writing for a sample include:

~ Is it a representative sample of what the child knows and is able to do?
~ Does it demonstrate new learning or insights by the child?
~ Does it demonstrate a significant change or breakthrough by the child?
~ Does it demonstrate any major or minor developments?
~ Does it demonstrate a particular degree of risk-taking?

The samples should be taken as a natural outgrowth of the child's writing environment.

This means that:

• Teachers should not collect samples in an artificial test-like manner.
• Students should select their own topics.
• Teachers should refrain from using story starters or teacher elected topics.
• Teacher/peer conferencing and/or editing is acceptable if this is a part of the normal routine in the classroom, and as long as the student maintains primary ownership.
• Samples may be computer generated when technology is used as a tool throughout the process. (This means that students who feel comfortable composing, editing, revising and publishing their writing should be encouraged to do so.)
• Students should be allowed to use the spell checker within the editing stage. (In order to gather data about children's use of the writing process, teachers could have students employ one of the following methods:
  ~ print a hard copy of each successive draft
  ~ save successive drafts under successive filenames; i.e., superkid, superkid1, superkid2, etc.
• Students should not use the computer simply as a typewriter within the publishing stage.
• All samples should be dated and saved.

If samples are in published form, evidence of the process should be attached and/or teacher comments about the process should be included on the Developmental Writing Record. Additional information should be collected and saved on an ongoing basis for product assessment. (Ex. Designing and using a checklist based on The Developmental Writing Scale for a specific piece of writing, like a friendly letter.)

Writing Process Assessment

Information about the child's understanding of the process should be collected on an ongoing basis. Some suggestions for organizing this data may include:

Using sticky notes to jot down observations and/or anecdotal records

Using mailing labels to jot down observations and/or anecdotal records

Using a class grid, with a square marked off for each child to write down observations and/or anecdotal records. Grids are eventually cut up and individual information filed for each child.

Using a notebook with two to four pages set aside for each child to jot down observations and/or anecdotal records.

Concentrating on gathering information about one or two children at a time.

Using the student's reflection log to gather information about the child's own thinking and insights into the writing process.

Storing the Data

Some suggestions for storing the data are:

Keeping a notebook with two to four pages set aside for each child to place the sticky notes, mailing labels, etc. Checklists and writing samples can be clipped to these pages.

Keeping a three-ring binder with two to four pages set aside for each child's data. Checklists and writing samples could be punched and included as well.

Keeping a two-pocket folder for each child. Blank pages for attaching anecdotal records, etc. could be placed in the folder as well as checklists.

Keeping a manila folder with assessment data for each child.

Storing the data in file folders on a rolling cart.

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3. Analyzing, Interpreting, Recording and Reporting the Data

How do I analyze, interpret, record and report this data?

Analyzing and Reporting

Teachers need to look at all of the information collected about each child, analyze it and determine what it is saying about the child's development in writing using personal voice. It is best if this part of the cycle is done in collaboration with other teachers to insure reliability of interpretation.

Teachers need to analyze the information using the DEVELOPMENTAL WRITING SCALE (Appendix B) to determine where the child fits into the steps of writing development. Teachers should look at the information as a whole and decide which step best represents each child's development. While analyzing the samples, teachers also need to refer to GENTRY'S STAGES OF DEVELOPMENTAL SPELLING (Appendix C) to determine the stage of spelling development for each child.

This formal analysis should take place right after the writing samples are taken. This analysis will assist teachers in planning for instruction as well as preparing for parent conferences and progress reports.

During the analysis of the information gathered about individual children, teachers should also look at patterns which emerge for the class as a whole in order to guide instruction.

Recording

Teachers need to record each child's writing step and spelling stage on the DEVELOPMENTAL WRITING RECORD (Appendix D). Comments should also be included in the space provided and may include information regarding:

• the child's growth/lack of growth as a writer
• the child's attitude
• other factors which may have influenced the sample
• the child's understanding of the process
• the child's strengths as a writer

This record will provide a picture of a child's development as a writer throughout the elementary grades.

Reporting

Teachers can use the information gathered to conference with the child, parents and other teachers for the purposes of planning instruction, evaluating writing progress and setting instructional goals. Information will also be used for progress reports.

By the end of second grade, most children will be entering the Developing Writer Stage (Step 8). In grades 3, 4, and 5, children will progress within the Developing Writer Stage. By the end of fifth grade, many children will be at the end of the Developing Writer Stage (Step 10).

Writers whose development coincides with the above guidelines demonstrate adequate growth. Writers seem to progress rather sequentially, up until the Developing Writer Stage.

4. Planning for Instruction

How does this data help me set instructional goals and strategies?

After analyzing and interpreting the data, teachers will make instructional decisions. These decisions may include what needs to be presented to the whole group and what needs to be addressed in small groups or with individual students. Instructional strategies then need to be determined based on these goals to further the development of writing through personal voice.

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audience-those who pay attention to what one writes/says

authentic assessment-assessment that engages students in applying knowledge and skills in the same way they are used in the real world

checklist-a listing of criteria upon which the product will be evaluated. A checklist should be shared with students at the onset of the assignment. It is created for a specific assignment and may focus on one/few components of writing. At assignment completion, checklist may be used by either teacher or teacher and student for evaluation and goal setting.

convention-the accepted punctuation, capitalization, spelling grammar and format used in writing

data collecting options-

• observations - recording what the child says or does; does not include any value judgments; objective, takes place in the learning environment; only use nouns and verbs. Example: Observation 9/27/94: Jim is writing a list of possible topics. He stops every so often to talk to his partner.
• anecdotal records - interpretations of observations; what you think is happening; includes emotions and values; becomes a source of information to reflect upon; over time, helps to identify patterns and themes in learning behavior. Example: Anecdotal record 9/27/94: Jim is using his background knowledge to brainstorm a variety of topics. He seems to be having some trouble narrowing his focus.
• work samples - products generated by the student throughout the year
• conferences - meetings with students on a one-to-one basis to discuss growth, understanding, attitudes and goals
• self-assessment - engaging a student in reflecting upon his/her development/growth as a writer. May include checklists, reflection logs, conferences
• standardized tests - decontextualized forms of assessment; students are measured against a normed group

holistic-the complete/integrated view/greater than the sum of its parts

narration-a type of writing that tells about what is happening or what has happened

portfolio-the place where student's work samples and various assessments/checklists are kept. Purposes for portfolios may vary. Teachers and/or students select pieces to be saved depending upon the purpose of the portfolio. May include best effort, student's growth, first tries, personal favorites.

process-continuing development involving many changes

product-what has been produced by the student

publishing-the act of presenting a piece in its final form for a specific audience; i.e., peers, other children and adults, parents and public display

purposes for writing-to express oneself, or to entertain, or to provide information, or to persuade, or to create a literary work; a combination of any of these

reflection log-student's own response to literature and/or their own learning-sample questions students might consider: What is the most important idea I've learned? How is this like other things I've learned? Do I have any questions about the topic? How can I apply this learning in other places?

voice-the imprint of oneself on writing/a certain freedom, flexibility or exploration/shows thoughts and feelings/sounds like the person who is writing

• personal-expresses the writer's ideas, feelings and points of view/reflects the values and emotions of the writer/recounts personal knowledge and events/reflected in choice of topic, words, style ---- Examples: journal entries, responses, narratives, poetry, story sequels
• technical-writing which instructs or informs/precise, accurate, explicit/may include visual support ---- Examples: instructions, directions, scientific observations, recipes, how-to's
• academic-writing which involves an expression of one's complex/original thinking ---- Examples: reasoning, critical analysis, compare/contrast, research reports, cause/effect, persuasive writing, critical response to literature

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Prewriter Stage (Steps 1-4)

Step 1:  Picture Writing

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• message conveyed in the picture
• precommunicative A spelling stage

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• talk revolves around the picture
• dictated message may convey a complete thought

Step 2:  Scribble Writing

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• writing is represented as lines, scribbles and scrawls or as a picture
• precommunicative A spelling stage
• no recognizable letters
• writer can read the scribble, but not over time
• writing can show knowledge of directionality

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• prewrite by drawing/interaction with teacher
• talk revolves around the picture
• access ideas expressed in their own writing through meaningful play experiences
• dictated message may convey complete thought

 Step 3:  Mock Writing

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• letter-like forms in imitation of writing
• often a mixture of real letters and/or drawings
• little or no sound/symbol relationships
• precommunicative B spelling stage
• may be anywhere on the paper

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• prewrite by drawing/interaction with teacher
• talk revolves around the picture
• access ideas expressed in their own writing through meaningful play experiences
• dictated message may convey a complete thought

Step 4:  Random Letter Writing

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• letters begin to appear usually strung together, along with letter-like symbols
• contains more real letters
• may show some sound/symbol relationships
• a correctly spelled word may appear
• precommunicative B spelling stage

CHARACTERISTICS

• prewrite by drawing/interaction with teacher
• talk revolves around the picture
• access ideas expressed in their own writing through meaningful play experiences
• dictated message may convey a complete thought

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Emergent Writer Stage (Steps 5-7)

Step 5:  Writing Awareness

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• shows concept of letter and word
• may or may not have spacing between words
• may include sight words
• evidence of sound/symbol correspondence
• use of dominant consonants and some vowel sounds
• contains all real letters
• semi-phonetic/phonetic spelling stage

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• experiment with letter shapes to arrive at consistency of letter form
• often refer to environmental print
• may begin to use a word processor to create text

Step 6:  Stylized Sentence Writing

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• will stylize sentences around known words, repetitive phrases and sentence beginnings
• uses words from the environment to complete sentences
• phonetic/transitional spelling stage
• the message is predominantly contained in the writing
• writing now provides the clues which enable the message to be read over time

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• begin to show concern for the conventions of writing (i.e., spacing, capitalization, punctuation)
• begin to develop an awareness of their audience
• experiment with letter shapes to arrive at consistency of letter form
• often refer to environmental print
• may begin to use a word processor to create text

Step 7:  Conventional Writing

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• beginning to gain control of conventions of writing
• sentences are short, simple and can be repetitious
• messages are little stories
• use both invented spelling and conventional spelling
• transitional spelling stage

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• write freely, creatively and independently
• taking more risks
• begin to edit
• may begin to use a word processor to create text

EXAMPLES

if I were in the Winter Olympics my sport would be bobsled I want to be in that sport because I like to go selding very fast I would practice going downhill in a big seld with three of my friends I would practice for 4 years I would go with three of my firends I would win a silver medal I would get in second place I would wear a siut with the Ameracin flag printed on it My firends and I will help and get a coach and get to the Olympics.

When I was walking out of my house I saw two cars crash. The color of the car that crashed into the other car was black. And the color of the other car was red. When they crashed it made a bad ^b_u^m_p ^s_o^u_n^d.

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Developing Writer Stage*

*This stage could last a long time and could include children of various ages.

Step 8:  Early Transitional

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• begins to contain variation in sentence structure
• stronger sense of voice emerges-at times can be wooden or inconsistent
• story language and/or structure may be evident
• reflects chronology of life's events, rather than a response to them
• tends to be organized, but may break down
• length of text increases and may include less important information
• tells everything that happens-doesn't weigh importance
• sequenced and chronological
• uses more conventions of writing (mechanics)
• evidence of conventional spelling of high frequency words and more accurate use of vowel patterns (transitional spelling stage)

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• think they are finished too soon
• preoccupation with correctness may restrict quality
• begin to worry over topic
• develop balance between content and mechanics
• continue to edit and begin to revise
• revisions tend to be corrections
• initially choose giant topics
• become more aware of the end product
• may begin to use a word processor to manipulate and publish text
• broader writing episodes, encompassing looking ahead, looking back, anticipating, critiquing

EXAMPLES

My weekend

Over the weekend I went to Madison. I went there to see a play. It was really good. It was called the Magichin's Nephew. I liked it a lot. Then we went to Michael's Custurd and brough custurd home for my Grandpa and Dad and Al. The play was the first of Narnia. It was about God our creater. Then I went up north. When we got in Parteevillie there was 101 grage sales (I didn't count. I'm just being sarcastic.) There was grage sale after grage sale. We stoped at one but didn't get anything. When we got up north my cousin Annie asked if I wanted to go over to my Granny's old house. I said sure. She has a go cart and trampoleen. My cousin caught a cat fish like two feet long. We went on our boat. The gocart is not ours. It is my Uncle Tom. But we use it because we let him use our boat. We just got a boat lift for it. I didn't catch anything. My freind Ashely is in sixth grade. Her cabin is up the hill and down. She is going to sale her cabin. My Uncle Tom (a different one) wants to look at her cabin for a cabin. Well bye.

Once my mom and I went on the Amaracen Egil. We both sate in the sam car. When we were going up I started to get really scaerd. Then we got to the top and I was even more scaerd. Then we started going down, first slow and then fast. I told my mom I was really scaerd. She said, "It would not be very scaery. Then we were going really fast and I said, "I don't like this ride anymore." Then I held onto my mom because I thought I would fall out. I also held onto my Mom because the wind was blowing into my face and pushing me. I also held onto my mom because my stumik was feeling very sike when we stated going very fast.

A week ago my crayfish shed his x-o-scallaton and he got biger. Now he is 2 ½ inches long. Sometimes when my fish go near my crayfish he snaps at them or he charges at them. My fish are about 2 ½ inches long, they are black. They have white dots on their forheads and one of my fish ownly has one fin on the side. I like my fish and my crayfish. My fish likes sleeping in groups on the left side. My cray fish likes sleeping in a house of rocks that we put in. My cray fish has shed his x-o-scallaton 2 times so far this year. They live in a fish bowl with a peble bottom. We clean the fish bowl every 3 weeks or every month. I caught my fish in a pond with a net.

Last Friday I had a sleep over. I invited Natalie and Nicole. When we were getting in bed, Natalie said, "Can we read before we go to bed? "Sure," I said.

So that night we read. The next morning Natalie got ready to go because she had to go at 8:00. We had breakfast and then the doorbell rang. It was Natalie's dad. I got Natalie's things and said "bye."

Then Nicole and me made a fort and we put our books in our sleeping bags. Then it was noon so we had to take Nicole home.

The next day I was looking for my book. I couldn't find it anywhere. Four days latter I was still looking for it. Then I said, "Maybe it's in my sleeping bag." So I looked and there it was my book. I raced downstairs and told my Dad.-He was so happy I found it. And then I started reading it.

One day I came home from school my mother asked me if I wanted to go to my cousin's football game. I said I would so she dropped me off over my aunt's house. From there we went to the football game. It was a huge stadiam. The game had already started. My cousin's team was looseing. The name of my cousin's team is the wildcats. The other team is tech. My cousin's team lost 20-0. A few days later he said his side hurt. He had to stay in bed because he was sick after that. I never heard of him playing football again.

Step 9:  Mid-Transitional

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• organization is tightly structured, step-by-step
• little use of transitions
• sense of voice is more consistent
• some things have more importance than others
• beginning use of description is evident
• beginning to select relevant details
• uses conventions of writing more accurately
• more accurate use of conventional spelling patterns (transitional/conventional spelling stage)
• uses more varied sentences
•  

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• may concentrate on one component of writing at a time
• write for audience-believe writing is good if it's exciting, long, focused, full of sound effects, dialogue and action
• continue to edit and begin to revise
• revisions tend to be corrections
• initially choose giant topics
• become more aware of the end product
• may begin to use a word processor to manipulate and publish text
• broader writing episodes, encompassing looking ahead, looking back, anticipating, critiquing

EXAMPLES

The Wierd Guy

Once there was a man who lived in a log cabin in the North Pole. The man always stayed in his cabin except when he needed supplies like wood for fires and building, paint to paint the things he built, and food for him and his wife to eat and cook with. The man and his wife were a little chubby. In winter their cheeks were as red as roses. The man always wore trowsers and knit pants. His wife wore dresses. All of the clothes they wore were red, white, and green. One day the sky got very dark. Over night there was a snowstorm. When the man woke up he looked out the window and saw all the snow on the ground. He was so excited that he yelled out to his wife. "There's about 2 feet of snow on the ground." When the man's wife heard her husband yell she hopped out of bed and ran into the family room where she found her husband jumping up and down. "I know that you love it when it snows but you're going to have to calm down." Well it just so happened that almost everyone that lived in the North Pole knew that the man loved snow. A little boy named Sam Tomson who was 3 years old wanted to know if the man was excited so he walked in 2 feet of snow up the mountain to the man and his wife's house. When he got in the man's house he knocked on the door. He wondered what the man and his wife looked like. Just then the door swung open. At the door was the man and his wife. The man had a white beard and white hair. He was about 5 feet tall. (The size of an elf.) The man's wife had gray hair and was about 5 feet tall also. The first thing he said was, "Hi, do you want to go on a walk with me?" "Sure!" said the old man So the old man got his winter coat on. Then they went on a walk. When they were on the walk they talked about the snowstorm. "I love snow," said the old man.

"Me to!" said Sam. Just then the man heard something. The man turned around and saw 8 reindeer. "My reindeer!" the man shouted. "I found my 8 reindeer that I lost last Christmas!"

"Do you want to take your reindeer home" asked Sam.

"Sure!" said the old man. So the old man and Sam took the reindeer to the old man's house. When the old men and Sam got to the old man's house the old man put his 8 reindeer in a barn he had in his backyard. After he did that he went back out to his front yard to say good bye to Sam. In the man's front yard Sam was waiting for the old man to come back. When the man came back Sam said, "I'm sorry but I have to go home to eat lunch."

"OK," said the old man and waved good bye. Sam waved back. Then the man opened the door and went inside. Sam was just about to leave but he saw a sign on the old man's door. The sign said SANTA'S WORK SHOP. Sam was so excited that he ran home as fast as he could. He couldn't wait to tell his mom, his dad, his 2 brothers, and his 3 sisters. When Sam got home he ran all over his house yelling, "Hey everybody, I know where Santa lives." Just then Sam's mother saw Sam running all over the house. "What are you doing Sam? You know that your not allowed to run in the house the night before Christmas Eve when we are having the Christmas party. You might break something," said Sam's mother. "

"Sorry," said Sam.

Just then Sam's sister Sara yelled, "What's going on in here" Sam was running around the kitchen table when Sara and Sam's 2 older brothers Mike and Dan and his other 2 sisters Lindsay and Emily came running into the kitchen. Sam had to stop to catch his breath, then he said, "I know where Santa lives!"

"How do you know where he lives"? asked Emily.

"Because I went up the mountain to tell the old man how much it snowed and on his door there was a sign that said SANTA'S WORKSHOP on it."

"Does he have any reindeer?" Sara asked.

"Yes he does and he has exactly 8," Sam said.

"Well you better show him to us some time or we won't believe you" said Sara.

"No I can't!" Sam said.

"Why can't you?" Mike said in a mean tone.

"Because!" Sam said back to him.

"Children stop fighting and get upstairs and get ready for the party."

So the children went upstairs and got ready. When all the children were ready they sat down and told each other what they wanted for Christmas. When they all told each other what they wanted they went downstairs. When they got downstairs they noticed everyone was there. "Wash up for dinner," their mother said. So the children went to wash their hands. When they came back to the table everyone was already eating dinner. The children went and got their plates and dished themselves up. Then they had dinner with everyone else. After everyone was done and all the plates were washed and put away, everyone went into the living room to exchange gifts. After all the gifts were passed out the children went upstairs and got in their beds. During the night Santa came to everyone in the world. In the morning they opened their presents from Santa. They all got neat presents and after that even Sara believed Sam saw the real Santa!

THE END.

We left our house at 5:00 p.m. and my family hoped to reach Florida by the next night. As we were crossing the border between Wisconsin and Illinois I heard the clang, clang of the money going into the toll booth. Then I thought to myself this is going to be a long trip. It's 8:30 right now and everybody is yelling and screaming. I wish we could just turn around. Julie turned around and said to me.

"Look what the sign says. It says we're already in Indianapolis."

"Cool," I said with excitement...Now it's 10:30 and 2 hours have gone by and Mom and Sarah are sleeping but I am keeping Dad company. I think Brian is going to be the only one keeping Dad company pretty soon. It's 6:15 a.m. and we're somewhere in Tennessee and the sunrise is beautiful.

Everything is a golden yellow orange color. Now Mom is stirring because Dad definitely needs a rest. __ just woke up and the first person he is waking up is __. Lucky her, I thought to myself sarcastically.

"Can I wake up Dad, it's 9:00?" I said

"No, just calm down. Dad needs his rest," said Mom. At 11:30 we finally stopped because everybody was sick of sitting around in the van.

"We're already in Atlanta," I said with excitement. We jumped back in the car and hit the road...

My mom called her family...

"Wow what a trip." I'm wiped out. As we went to bed...

Step 10:  Late Transitional

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• creative approach to interpretation of topic
• sense of voice is evident
• sense of audience is evident and consistent
• accurate use of simple conventions of writing and spelling (conventional spelling stage)
• includes descriptive language
• includes interesting vocabulary
• may include paragraphing

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• additional risk-taking with complex conventions is noted
• prewriting and drafting almost become one
• can zoom ahead in mind's eye and return to organize and rearrange
• gradually can think more things through before they write
• first drafts gradually become more detailed and fluent
• develop and internalize strategies to make revisions
• become more aware of the end product
• may begin to use a word processor to manipulate and publish text
• broader writing episodes, encompassing looking ahead, looking back, anticipating, critiquing

EXAMPLES

Once upon a time about a few years ago, there lived a boy named Tim and his pa. They dwelled together on a big farm in Wisconsin.

My cat is Tiger Manders. Tiger is big. He has orange fur with brownish stripes. He also has large eyes that turn yellow and glow in the dark. He is a tabby cat, though he doesn't act like one. About the only characteristics that are the same are inherited. He must get all his other things from environment. Unlike most tabbies Tiger isn't afraid of water, other cats, dogs, raccoons, unfamiliar people, and other dangers. Tiger is strong and can jump high, climb trees, and climb our house without front claws.

My cat can be very mean. He got in a fight with a raccoon once. We were scared Tiger might get hurt. We only heard sounds but we knew it was Tiger.

"Tiger!" we yelled.

"Maaaaaareow!" he seemed to answer in a plea. It was only for a short while but it seemed like years. All of a sudden the noise stopped.

Tiger walked up.

"What happened to you?" someone questioned knowing he wouldn't get an answer. Tiger's fur was sticking straight up. He wanted to go inside immediately. Tiger ran in and ate.

He turned out not being hurt at all. In all the fight's Tiger has gotten in it has turned out the same. Tiger always seems to come out on top. I hope it stays that way forever.

One day my dad and I went up in an airplane with two parachutes and were going to attempt the most high jump in the history of America. We had been training for this jump for over 3 years now. If one little thing went wrong, we would just be one greesy spot in the road. We were so high that we couldn't see the ground, only because the clouds were thick that day. We were about to jump so we double checked our gear and on 10 we would jump. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. ahhhhhh!!!! The sensation of flying like a bird was the best feeling I ever had. I was just floating for about 3 minutes when I realised it was time to open my shoot. So I reached back to pull the cord and waited for it to come out...It didn't. I pulled it again and again and it still did not open. I was scared out of my mind that I was going to be flat in about 1 minute. I would just be a greesy spot in the road. I tried to reach back for the emergency shoot but the force of the wind was to strong. I could see the ground very clearly now. I got closer and closer and started to yell and screme and all of a sudden I landed with a big thump. I could not beleive I was alive. I opened my eyes and...

I saw my bed to the right of me. Then I felt my cat come and lick my face. I was thinking that I had died and gone to heaven. But when I saw my mom come in and say, "Time for breakfast, what do you want." Then I realised that I was just having a bad dream, a night mare, and I didn't really jump out of a plane and the shoot didn't open. I had just fallen out of my bed.

Yesterday, November 10^th, my class went to the ponds. Mike, Brian, and I went to make a fort in a tree, near the ponds. There are already some boobie traps there like we were wipped by branches on the tree. When we got there, we looked for that very tree and we climbed up it and saw a rabbit bound away. It was very cool! One glimps of that rabbit and I felt like it was a bolt of lighning, flashing by twisting and turning. Then I saw it bound away from Steve and Eric. I couldn't believe my eyes. Jim also saw it and he seemed like it had never happened to him before. We were all astounded by how it dashes away from a preditor... It was the neatest sight I ever saw!

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Independent Writer Stage (Step 11)

Step 11:  Independent Writing

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• strong sense of voice

• strong sense of audience

• well developed

• includes supportive details

• sentences are correct and varied to create interest

• the message create impact and evokes the desired response and/or further thinking from the reader

• accurate use of simple and complex conventions of writing, including introduction, conclusion, paragraphing; conventional spelling stage

• includes rich descriptive language

• may include more than one point of view

• realizes that the audience expects to see a correct script

PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS

• internalizes questions good writers ask themselves

• has internalized the process

EXAMPLES

So swiftly she moved, her pale feet, brushing gently across the silken meadows. She drifted, as if soaring through the clean fresh air, on a sparrow's wing. But she wasn't. She was not floating but falling, plunging to her death. I ran to save her but it was too late. She hit the ground and then her eyes closed. The birds stopped singing and the leaves stopped falling. It wasn't the same without her. She was a goddess to everyone and brought spring, summer, and fall. Only one season did she not bring. The evil winter. He killed her for revenge. For she was beautiful and he was ugly. She brought happy times and he brought times of anger and famine, disease and hate. Everyone loved her, everyone hated him. He made her fall, but how could someone so good die? Now everyone must love him, and thank him for the seasons of good. But when he had all the seasons in his power, nothing seemed to be good anymore. People hated each other, and killed, and fought wars. This was the way he liked it. No person was happy with what they got. It was now a world of greed, and plague. People stole and polluted. There was only one peaceful place. That was where She was buried. Four people spent their lives there, worshipping her. They Life's Mystery could not be touched by the evil one. Around them they could not see the bad things that were going on. They did not want to look either. The evil one had gained so much power that whole countries suffered, and people had to build jails and courthouses. There were many for miles around. Too much crime was going on. Was there a way to stop it? Was there a way to stop the pollution? The people were getting desperate. The earth was getting too crowded. What were we to do? It all depended on the children. Could they change what has happened to the world? Maybe. But maybe not. If you want to know, I can't tell you the answer.

"Hi Mom! I'm home!" cried David Caliron. "Wow! What's that?"

"It's a plant that I bought at the plant store. Do you like the big flower on it?" asked Mrs. Caliron.

"Yes! It's beautiful!" exclaimed David.

"Hi, Mom!" said Nancy Caliron as she came into the room. "Wow! What a beautiful plant!"

"Mom got it at the plant store," said David.

"It sure is pretty. What kind of plant is it?" asked Nancy.

"I asked the florist, but he didn't know. He said he had bought it from a horticulturist who didn't say what kind of plant it was."

"What's a horticulturist?" asked David.

"A horticulturist is someone who grows plants and sells them to a florist," answered Mrs. Caliron. "But enough about plants. Come and eat your snack." So Nancy and David forgot all about the plant.

The next morning Nancy noticed that there was a lot more dirt in the plant's pot.

"Mom, wasn't there enough dirt in the plant's pot before?" Nancy asked Mrs. Caliron.

"I didn't put any dirt in the plant's pot," Mrs. Caliron replied. Just then David called from the kitchen,

"Mom, I thought it was my job to take out the garbage!"

"It is your job." said Mrs. Caliron.

"Then why isn't there any garbage in the garbage can?"

"I don't know. I didn't take out the garbage. Did you take out the garbage Nancy?" Mrs. Caliron asked.

"No," said Nancy and before David could say anything else, she asked him, "Why did you put more dirt in the plant's pot?"

"I didn't put any more dirt in the plant's pot," David said.

"Wait a minute," Mrs. Caliron said. "If none of us took out the garbage, and none of us put more dirt in the plant's pot, who did?"

"A burgler?" Nancy whispered.

"Of course not, silly," David said. "Burglers don't go around taking out the garbage and filling plants' pots with dirt!" "I know!" cried Nancy. The plant ate the garbage and turned it into dirt."

"Yeah!" said David.

"That's ridiculous!" said Mrs. Caliron. But the next day the garbage was gone and there was more dirt in the pot.

"Kids, if it's true that this plant eats garbage we could make more of them and with a lot more of them the world would be a much better place," Mrs. Caliron exclaimed.

"But how do we make more of them?" David asked.

"With the seeds in that flower," Mrs. Caliron said. In a few weeks, the seeds that David, Nancy and Mrs. Caliron had planted had grown very big. Then Mrs. Caliron took half of them to the plant store, after taking the seeds out of the flowers. That way, people would buy them and take them home and the plants would eat their garbage.

"What are you going to do with the other half, Mom?" Nancy asked.

"You will see," Mrs. Caliron answered.

When she got back home, Mrs. Caliron told David and Nancy what they would do with the other half of their plants.

"We will plant these plants outside all over the place! The plants will spread their seeds and make more plants! Whenever someone litters, the plants will eat it up!" Mrs. Caliron exclaimed. "We could put them in landfills too," said David.

Well, after a while people had realized that this kind of plant ate garbage. Nancy, David, and Mrs. Caliron were famous and the world was free of garbage.

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