CCRA.W.10: Writing Routinely over Extended and Shorter Time Frames

Overview

Lesson Procedure

60-60 minutes of class time across 5 phases.

1. Warm-Up5 minutes
2. Direct Instruction15 minutes
3. Guided Practice20 minutes
4. Independent Practice15 minutes
5. Closure5 minutes

1. Warm-Up5 minutes

   Warm-Up Prompt

   "In four minutes, write two or three sentences that explain to a new student how to find the school library. Then answer: what did you do first, before you started writing?"

   Stop students at four minutes. Take a few answers to the second question and point out the moves that help in a single sitting: reading the task, picking the reader (a new student), and deciding on two or three points before writing. Tell students this is one end of the range the standard describes.

2. Direct Instruction15 minutes

   Use Diagram 1 to show the three time frames the standard names, from a single sitting to a day or two to an extended period. A routine means writing in all three regularly, not only when a big paper is due. Then show how the time frame shapes the process.

   Three time frames and the process each allows

   Time frame	Length	Typical tasks	Process
   A single sitting	Minutes to one class period	Quick-writes, exit tickets, timed responses, short notes	Plan briefly, draft, then check against the prompt
   A day or two	Two or three class periods	Lab reports, directions, letters, short explanations	Draft on day 1; test, reread or get feedback; revise on day 2
   Extended	One to several weeks	Research papers, feature articles, sustained projects	Research, draft, reflect on feedback, revise, edit

   Progression of CCRA.W.10 in grades 6-12 (short paraphrases of the grade-level standards)

   Grade-level standard	Band	What this band adds
   W.6.10	Grade 6	Same wording as the other grades: routine writing over extended and shorter time frames for discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences; the tasks are the grade 6 arguments, explanations, narratives and research of W.6.1-W.6.9
   W.7.10	Grade 7	Same wording as the other grades: routine writing over extended and shorter time frames for discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences; the tasks grow with the grade 7 writing standards
   W.8.10	Grade 8	Same wording as the other grades: routine writing over extended and shorter time frames for discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences; the tasks grow with the grade 8 writing standards
   W.9-10.10	Grades 9-10	Same wording as the other grades: routine writing over extended and shorter time frames for discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences; the tasks grow with the grades 9-10 writing standards
   W.11-12.10	Grades 11-12	Same wording as the other grades: routine writing over extended and shorter time frames for discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences; the tasks grow with the grades 11-12 writing standards
   WHST.6-8.10	Grades 6-8 (history, science, technical)	Extended time frames are described as time for reflection and revision (research is not named in the parentheses); tasks are discipline-specific writing in history, science and technical subjects
   WHST.9-10.10	Grades 9-10 (history, science, technical)	The same wording as WHST.6-8.10, applied to the writing tasks of grades 9-10 in those subjects
   WHST.11-12.10	Grades 11-12 (history, science, technical)	The same wording as WHST.6-8.10, applied to the writing tasks of grades 11-12 in those subjects

   The grade-level standards keep the same sentence from grade 6 to grade 12 and add the word "discipline-specific": the range includes writing in science, history and other subjects. What grows from band to band is the demand of the tasks, set by writing standards 1-9 of each grade. Work through the four examples, which use situations that do not appear in the practice texts.

   • Choosing a time frame

     Task: a history teacher asks for a two-paragraph summary of the day's reading, due at the end of class.

     Result: Time frame: a single sitting. The reader (the teacher) and the purpose (show understanding of the reading) are clear, and no research is needed, so a short plan and a careful final check are enough.

   • A plan-draft-check routine for one sitting

     Task: a 30-minute timed explanation of how a student government election works at an invented school.

     Result: Budget: 5 minutes to plan (three steps of the election, one example), 20 minutes to draft, 5 minutes to reread the prompt and fix errors. 5 + 20 + 5 = 30.

   • Using a day or two

     Task: written instructions for setting up the class microscopes, due the next day.

     Result: Day 1: draft the steps and have a classmate follow them exactly. Day 2: revise every step where the classmate hesitated. A short break between drafting and revising lets the writer see the text as a reader does.

   • Planning an extended piece

     Task: a three-week feature article on the history of the town library for a community newsletter.

     Result: Week 1: research and notes. Week 2: draft, then get feedback and write a short reflection on it. Week 3: revise for the newsletter's readers and edit. Each stage named in the standard, research, reflection and revision, gets its own time.

3. Guided Practice20 minutes

   Read the invented writing log below. In pairs, students label each entry with its time frame (single sitting, a day or two, extended), its purpose (to argue, to explain, to narrate, to thank, to instruct) and its audience. Then they read the one-sitting response and mark the planning notes, the reasons in the letter and the final check.

   1Marisol's writing log, weeks 1-4 (Marisol is an invented grade 8 student; every entry is invented)

   2Week 1, Monday. Science quick-write, 10 minutes, for my teacher: explain why drops of water formed on the outside of a glass of ice water.

   3Week 1, Wednesday and Thursday. Lab report on our sugar-dissolving experiment, two class periods, for my lab group and my teacher: question, procedure, data table and conclusion.

   4Week 1, Friday. Timed response in English, 40 minutes, for my teacher: argue whether the narrator of our class novel made the right choice in the last chapter.

   5Week 2, Tuesday. Thank-you note, 15 minutes, to Mr. Haddad, the engineer from the town water plant who visited our class.

   6Week 2, Wednesday, to Week 4, Friday. Newsletter article for families, "Where Our Tap Water Comes From": three days of research and notes, a first draft, feedback from a classmate, a written reflection on the feedback, a revision and a final edit.

   7Week 3, Thursday and Friday. Directions for new sixth graders on opening a combination locker, drafted in one class period, tested by a sixth-grade volunteer and revised the next day.

   8Week 4, Monday. History exit ticket, 5 minutes: one cause of the event we studied, with one piece of evidence.

   1. Count the range. Ask: "How many different audiences does Marisol write for in four weeks? How many purposes?" Teacher note: let pairs count before you confirm; the quiz uses the log.
   2. Name the process. Ask: "Which entry is the only one that includes research, reflection and revision? Why does it need weeks?"
   3. Study the timed model. Read the one-sitting response below. Ask: "What did the writer decide in the first five minutes that made the next twenty-five easier?"
   4. Compare the check. Ask: "What does the writer check in the last five minutes, and what does she not try to do?" Teacher note: a final check fixes and confirms; it is not a full revision.

   1Prompt (35 minutes): The principal of an invented school is considering a ten-minute silent reading break right after lunch. Write a letter to the principal arguing for or against the idea.

   2Planning notes (first 5 minutes): For it. Reason 1: a calm start to the afternoon. Reason 2: reading time that does not depend on homework. Other side: it takes time from classes. Answer: ask to test it for one month first.

   3Response (next 25 minutes): Dear Principal Reyes, I am writing to support a ten-minute reading break after lunch. First, the break would give the afternoon a calm start. Students come back from lunch loud and restless, and ten quiet minutes with a book would let fifth period begin with everyone ready to listen. Second, the break would give every student reading time that does not depend on what happens at home in the evening. Some students have jobs, sports or younger brothers and sisters to watch, and a break during the day would be fair to all of them. I understand that ten minutes would come from somewhere in the schedule. Instead of deciding all at once, the school could try the break for one month and ask teachers whether their afternoon classes went better. Thank you for considering this idea. Sincerely, a student

   4Final check (last 5 minutes): Reread the prompt; confirmed that the letter takes a side and that each reason supports it; fixed two spelling errors; added the closing sentence.

4. Independent Practice15 minutes

   Grades 6-12: read the excerpts from the extended article below and write two sentences: what the reflection noticed, and how the revised opening answers it. Grades 9-12: also explain what would have been lost if the article had been written in one sitting.

   1Excerpts from Marisol's newsletter article, written over three weeks (invented)

   2Opening of the first draft (Week 2): "Our town's water treatment plant uses filtration and disinfection to process raw water from the reservoir before distribution."

   3Feedback from a classmate (Week 3): "I don't know what filtration or distribution means, and my parents might not either. Could you start with something families see every day?"

   4Marisol's reflection (Week 3): "My draft explained the steps correctly, but I wrote it for my science teacher, not for families. I need to start with the faucet and explain each word the first time I use it. I also want to check with Mr. Haddad how long the water takes to get from the reservoir to a house, because a reader asked."

   5Revised opening (Week 4): "When you fill a glass at the kitchen sink, the water has already made a long trip. It started in the reservoir outside town. At the water plant, it was filtered, which means it passed through layers that trap dirt, and then treated to kill germs. Only then was it pumped through pipes to your street."

   The response below was written for this page with weaknesses on purpose. It is not a model. Students list what a five-minute plan would have fixed, then use the remaining time for a new 10-minute plan-draft-check response to the same prompt.

   Rushed response to the same prompt (written for this page with weaknesses on purpose; it is not a model)

   Reading is good. I like reading books about dragons and my cousin reads a lot too. Lunch is too short anyway and the cafeteria is really loud. Also we should have pizza more often. Some schools have reading breaks I think. In conclusion it might be good or it might be bad.

5. Closure5 minutes

   Exit ticket: Name one writing task from another class and the time frame it deserves (a single sitting, a day or two, or extended), with one reason. Look for reasons tied to research, revision or the reader.

   Teacher note: the student, school, teachers and tasks in the texts are invented. The prompts on this page ask students to write about school topics, never about their families or private lives, and timed writing can be practiced without grades so that it builds routine rather than stress.

Differentiation Strategies

Assessment Guidance

1. Question 1 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which task best fits a single sitting?

   AA feature article on the town's history, built from three interviews BA five-minute exit ticket naming one cause from the day's lesson CA research paper that goes through three drafts and a peer review DA science fair report based on two weeks of daily measurements

2. Question 2 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which task most needs an extended time frame?

   AA note to a substitute teacher about where the class stopped BA 40-minute timed response to a poem studied in class CA thank-you message to a guest speaker who visited the class DA report comparing water from three creeks over four weeks

3. Question 3 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which entry in Marisol's log shows writing over "a day or two"?

   AThe directions for new sixth graders on using a locker BThe science quick-write about water drops on a glass of ice water CThe newsletter article "Where Our Tap Water Comes From" DThe history exit ticket about one cause of an event

4. Question 4 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which entry in the log was written for one specific reader outside the class?

   AThe lab report on the sugar-dissolving experiment BThe timed response about the class novel CThe thank-you note to Mr. Haddad DThe science quick-write about the glass of ice water

5. Question 5 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which entry is the only one in the log that includes research, reflection and revision?

   AThe directions for new sixth graders, which were tested and revised BThe newsletter article for families, which took three weeks CThe timed response in English, which took 40 minutes DThe lab report, which took two class periods

6. Question 6 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   What is the purpose of the Week 1, Monday quick-write in the log?

   ATo argue that a choice was right or wrong BTo thank a guest who visited the class CTo give directions for a task DTo explain why something happened

7. Question 7 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   In the one-sitting response, the writer spends 5 minutes planning, 25 minutes drafting and 5 minutes on a final check. About what share of the 35 minutes goes to planning and checking together?

   AAbout 14% BAbout 29% CAbout 71% DAbout 10%

8. Question 8 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   What does the writer of the one-sitting response do in the final check?

   ARewrites the whole letter for a new audience of families at home BAdds a third reason and a second opposing view CRereads the prompt, confirms the position, fixes small errors DStarts over with the opposite position to compare

9. Question 9 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   In the newsletter excerpts, what led Marisol to change her opening?

   AA classmate said families might not know "filtration" BHer teacher asked her to make the article much longer CMr. Haddad told her that a fact in the draft was wrong DShe ran out of time and had to cut the first draft

10. Question 10 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    In her reflection, what further research does Marisol plan?

    AReading a second article about water plants in other towns BTesting tap water samples from several houses on her street CAsking her classmates which words they did not understand DAsking Mr. Haddad how long water takes to reach a house

11. Question 11 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    What is the main weakness of the rushed response?

    AIt is too long for a 35-minute response BIt uses too many reasons for one letter CIt never takes a position and drifts off the prompt DIt answers the opposing view before giving reasons

12. Question 12 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which is the best use of the first few minutes of a 40-minute timed response?

    ARead the prompt and decide on a position and two or three reasons BStart writing at once so that no time is lost from the drafting CWrite a long introduction and plan the rest of the response later DCopy the prompt word for word as the opening of the response

13. Question 13 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A school needs to tell families that field-trip forms are due on Friday. Which version best suits that audience and purpose?

    AHey, get those trip forms in by Friday or you are not going, okay? BPursuant to policy, documentation must be remitted prior to the deadline. CForms. Friday. The trip. Do not forget, or there will be problems. DFamilies: please sign and return the field-trip form by this Friday.

14. Question 14 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Why does the standard ask for writing over both extended and shorter time frames?

    AReal tasks differ: some need quick writing, others research and revision BLonger writing is always better, so short tasks are only practice for long ones CTimed writing replaces the need for revision once students are older DShort writing is for English class and long writing is for other subjects

15. Question 15 of 20 · Short Answer

    A science teacher assigns a one-page explanation of how a thermos keeps drinks hot, due in two days, with a peer review on the first day. Which time frame is this, and how should a student use the time?

    Show model answer

16. Question 16 of 20 · Short Answer

    Write a minute budget for a 45-minute timed response: name three steps and the minutes for each, and say what you will do in the last step.

    Show model answer

17. Question 17 of 20 · Short Answer

    Using the newsletter excerpts, explain in two or three sentences what reflection and revision each added to Marisol's article.

    Show model answer

18. Question 18 of 20 · Short Answer

    Rewrite the first two sentences of the rushed response so that they answer the prompt for its audience, the principal.

    Show model answer

19. Question 19 of 20 · Short Answer

    Give two discipline-specific writing tasks from science, history or another subject, and name a fitting time frame for each.

    Show model answer

20. Question 20 of 20 · Short Answer

    In two or three sentences, explain how writing short pieces often, such as quick-writes and exit tickets, can help with an extended project.

    Show model answer

These are the grade-level standards that carry anchor CCRA.W.10 in grades 6-12, plus closely related anchors.

Standard text: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.