Step Up To Writing

Teaching writing through consistency and planning.

Expository Writing Effective Writing Instruction

Traffic Light Colors

The planning stage of the writing process is extremely important. The traffic light colors are not only used on the T-Chart plan. Give students a copy of well-written text and have them highlight the noted parts with the corresponding traffic light color.

Good writing is developed through consistency and a plan. StepUp-to-Writing is not a curriculum as much as it is a variety of tools that allow for consistent writing instruction for all grades, K-12. The tools of Step-Up-to-Writing are used all day long, across all content areas. Students need purposeful exposure to good writing as a source of inspiration and example. The PLAN is equally important. We often mistake a WEB chart , VENN diagram or similar graphic organizer as a plan. These are brainstorming tools that lead to lists, not proper writing. The TChart is an ideal plan for expository, informational writing. It is simple to introduce in Kindergarten and use through 12th grade and into college. It builds, yet is simple and highly functional.

OPENING/TOPIC
This green means - GO tell the audience what you are going to write about. It is the introduction. In K1 this is the topic sentence. By 3rd this is a transition between the two. is the opening paragraph. In 2nd, there

SUPPORT
one, in 2nd, use two. 3 rd grade and up use as many as more interesting and believable. support each yellow. This is not used in K. In 1st use Details and bulleted ideas, not sentences, which

needed. These are the elaborations that make your writing

CLOSING
I call this go back green with my first graders. For the most part, we are simply restating the opening sentence in a slightly modified way. As the kids mature as writers they need to be taught this sentence (paragraph for older kids) should be confident and complete. Its job is to leave the reader feeling something and remembering. It summarizes the piece. This is NOT Thank you for reading my story, or THE END. Students need to know writing MUST have a conclusion

BIG IDEAS / MAIN POINTS

Slow down and look closely at the important information. These are the main, key or star ideas. This is also where the transition words come into play. In K2 the transition words are traditional (First, Then, Next, Finally) more complex and hidden transition words because they will have mastered the process. In K2 this are part of 1 paragraph. By 3rd grade, paragraph. each yellow (big idea/main point) is a by 3rd the students will be ready for

Step Up to Writing

Expository Writing

Informal Outline The T-Chart

Good writing starts with a plan, not a Roman numeral outline. Likewise, a web diagram/graph does not indicate that your student is ready to write. It only indicates that they know a lot about a topic. It is simply a list. It is not organized. The T-chart on the other hand is organized AND simple. It is a plan that can be created about what has been read and what is to be written.

K1 teachers work with their students to create Tcharts. During the latter part of 1st grade, students start creating their own T-charts with guidance. By 2nd, the T-chart is so common place, the kids just get it.
New Puppy Big Ideas (YELLOWS) Looks Plays Support (RED) - - small, cute o mom says hell grow soft fur

INTRO Opening/Topic (GREEN) Big Ideas (YELLOWS) Support (RED)

In Kindergarten, the teacher uses the t-chart. It is a verbal activity. It would not be a good use of time to have kinders write all this out. First would just use the red dashes/main reds. The additional red bullets would be used by 3
rd

Conclusion (GREEN)

and older. With my kiddos I generally give them the key

BODY CONCLUSION

words for each yellow and they turn those words into sentences. Or I give them key concepts like looks and plays as indicated in the above sample.

The T-chart is a plan that can be used in Kindergarten just as well as it can be used in college. It grows in depth and complexity, while continuously utilizing the simple design.

Traci Clausen / DragonfliesInFirst.blogspot.com

Step Up to Writing

Expository Writing

Expository Structure
Your students will grow to be mostly expository writers. Middle and high school students, college students and adults in general write more expository text than narrative. Understanding the structure of expository writing is paramount. It is essential that students understand the tools are different in expository than in narrative. The writing must be clear. Often students do not understand that everything is NOT a story. The T-chart samples on the previous page cover the basics. Keep in mind the T-chart plan is designed to grow with the grade levels. I only have primary below because I use the primary book, but the elementary book is just as effective and just as filled with information. They use the same T-chart, it is just a little more extensive.

KINDER
T he T-c hart i s a ver bal ac ti vi ty in kin der . Utilize the plan to help present what you will say using the green and yellows only.

FIRST
Start with just the yellows. By the end of the year, there should be one red for each yellow. The green remains an opening/topic sentence.

SECOND
Add two reds for each yellow. Incorporate higherlevel transition words. Green becomes an opening paragraph instead of just a sentence.

THIRD
Hide transition words. Begin incorporating multiple paragraphs using each yellow/transition word as a new paragraph. 3
rd

will also

introduce the Lead Opening Paragraph which is actually THE BLUES. Step-Up to Writing has a lot of information on effective ways to teach kids how to write effective leads.

So, as you can see, the basic facts are nothing new. This is just a clear, concise way to organize and plan thoughts. It simplifies things. After using this plan with the kids a few times, you will see that they can tell YOU what information needs to go where. The T-chart is not the only writing tool in the Step-up-to-Writing kit, but in my opinion, it is the most useful and helpful. The key is to be consistent and organized. If you ALWAYS do expository writing in this fashion, your students will be better writers. I know it seems like it may be a bit robotic. The fact is, in 1
st

and part of 2

nd

it will feel that way. However, it is in those years that they are learning
rd

the basics so that they can build on them with confidence in 3 your students become good writers.

grade and beyond. This will help

This mastery of planning, will enable them to be future effective, fabulous writers. Writing in this manner will help K2 students to focus on their standard of writing coherent, complete sentences without having to ALSO figure out HOW to write and organize a paragraph.

Next Week: NARRATIVE WRITING

Traci Clausen / DragonfliesInFirst.blogspot.com