ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Needs Assessment/Rational

As I decided to do this TWT project, I reviewed the data from the 4th grade scores on the 2003-2004 North Dakota State Assessment for Reading. As I observed these score; I noticed that one of the areas the 4th graders needed improvement in was Language Arts: Standard 4: Engage in the writing process 3. Use editing to improve reader comprehension. I feel the students need to have a good base so that this skill may be improved. The report stated that our score was 57, compared to the state average of 66. Therefore by aiding the students with proper sentence writing and activities to enhance this skill, our students will have the tools necessary to benefit themselves on this test in the future.

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understanding: 1. I want my students to see how important writing is as a means of communicating. 2. I want my students to know that technology is a great tool for sending written communication.
Goal(s): 1. The student will understand and use the proper components to write a good sentence. 2. Students will understand that using technology helps make writing fun.

Questions Answered

Essential questions: 1. What are the essential parts of a good sentence? 2. How can you write a sentence so that another person can see the colorful picture you have in your mind?
Objectives: 1. Given a group of words the student will be able to put the words in order, so that they make sense.
2. Given a sentence the student will use the appropriate ending mark, 80% of the time.  3. Given a sentence the student will recognize where capital letters should be put, 90% of the time.  4. Given a picture the student will be able to write a sentence that describes what is happening in the picture, 90% of the time.  5. Given a situation the student will be able to write a sentence in the form of a question, 90% of the time.  6. Given a situation the student will be able to write a sentence that shows strong feeling, 90% of the time.

Assessment

What quiz and test items (e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding? Test items will assess the student knowledge of the benefits of writing good sentences. What academic prompts (e.g. open-ended questions or problems that require students to think critically and then to prepare a response / product / performance) will provide evidence of understanding?  Students will be asked to critique their own sentences.
What performance tasks and projects (e.g. complex challenges that are authentic, mirror the real world and require a performance or product) will you include that will provide evidence of student understanding?  Students will use a variety of internet tools to analyze their sentence writing abilities.
What other evidence (e.g. observations, work samples, dialogues, student self-assessment)of understanding will you collect? 1. Observation and rubrics will be used in conjunction with a variety of student produced products.  2. The students will also be involved in the development of a rubric.  3. Once we have developed the rubric and the students have scored their individual rubric, the students will sit one to one with the instructor and discuss each area of the rubric.  4. The review of a rubric is a very beneficial tool that truly enhances learning.

Instructional Strategies

Students will be using project-based learning activities to answer the questions, “Did I write a good sentence?” and, “Can the reader see the colorful picture I had in my mind when I wrote my sentence?” The student will write a sentence on the smart board and the class will brainstorm and share ideas by drawing them on the smart board. For their sentence and picture, children will be using their own ideas, which will make it authentic.
Students will share this project with their teacher, peers, and family. The students will also be involved in the development of a rubric. Once we have developed the rubric and the students have scored their individual rubric, the student will sit one to one with the instructor and discuss each area of the rubric. The review of a rubric is a very beneficial tool that truly enhances learning.