Step Up to Writing

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STEP
What is Step Up to Writing? Step Up To
Writing is a collection of
classroom-proven, multi-sensory strategies
for information/expository writing.
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What Does Step Up To Writing Do? 1. guides
students to write clear, concise,
organized papers. 2. teaches students to
write great topic sentences and thesis
statements and to connect ideas using
transitions. 3. helps students establish a
sense of order and control over the
information in a paper. 4. requires
students to support topics, to give
examples and explanations, and to write a
conclusion that stays on topic. 5. Gives
students guidance, support, and direction
for becoming successful writers.
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WRITING
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Who is Step Up for Writing for? -
General education in grades K 12
- Special education in grades K - 12
- English Language Learner programs
- Gifted Talented programs
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Step Up to Writing Is about
STEP

• Direct, Explicit Instruction
• Guided Practice
• Opportunities for Independent Practice

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Step Up to Writing Is about Tools
STEP
UP

• Multisensory
• Color
• Word Lists
• Informal Outlines
• Examples
• Small Steps

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WRITING
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Step Up to Writing Is about the Writing Process
STEP
UP
Prewriting and Planning
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WRITING
Drafting, Revising, and Editing
Creating a Final Copy, Proofreading, and Sharing
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STEP
Step Up to Writing Is about Promoting the
Traits of Good Writing
UP
TO

• Content
• Organization
• Style

WRITING

• Vocabulary
• Sentence Structure
• Conventions

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STEP
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Using Colors to Teach Organization
STEP

• Topic Sentence
• Green means go it asks the writer to
  decideWhat am I going to prove?What am I
  going to explain?What information will I
  share?

UP

• Reasons/Details/Facts
• Yellow means slow down.
• Introduce key concepts to support the topic
  sentence.

TO

• Explain
• Red means stop and explain.
• Present evidence.
• Provide explanation and examples.

WRITING

• Conclusion
• Green means go back to your topic.
• Restate the topic and the position.
• Do not introduce new information.
• Use synonyms and leave your reader with something
  to remember.

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Spanish Explorers
After Christopher Columbuss voyages to the
New World, many Spaniards came to this continent
to explore. One Spanish explorer was Ponce de
Leon. He traveled through present-day Florida to
find the Fountain of Youth. A second explorer,
Coronado, searched for the Seven Cities of Gold.
He and his men traveled for three years. They did
not find the cities of gold, but they did find
the villages of the Pueblo who lived in the
Southwest. They also saw the Grand Canyon. A
third explorer was Hernando de Soto. De Soto
traveled through Florida and then traveled west
as far as the Mississippi River. He and his men
were the first people from Spain to explore the
Mississippi. These three men were only a few of
the many people who explored the New World.
2-3 (2.2)
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Narratives and Creative Writing
6.2
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Quick Sketch Stories

• Step 1 Title
• Step 2 Quick Sketch
• Step 3 Quick Notes
• Step 4 Get the Story Rolling
• Step 5 Story Transitions
• Step 6 Smooth Stop
• Step 7 Revise, Edit, Proofread

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Planning a Short Story
Step 1 Title _____________________________________
_
6-46.5 (6.7)
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Step 4 Get the Story Rolling
Provide a where
Near the park
Last summer
Provide a when
Other ways

• Provide an action verb
• Introduce a character
• Interesting comment
• Dialogue

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Step 5 Story Transitions Move the Story Along
The next day
When we arrived
At dusk
Immediately
In between times
Hours went by
After we walked a mile
Some time later
In the afternoon
6-66-7 (6-13)
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Step 6 Come to a Smooth Stop
Dont write THE END. Instead, finish with a
strong sentence that will help your reader.

• Feel a feeling ending

• Remember a character ending

• Get your point ending

• Think about the story ending

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The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears Once
upon a time there were three bears, Papa Bear,
Mama Bear, and Baby Bear, who lived in a house in
the woods. Each morning Mama Bear would make
wonderful porridge. Papa Bear had a big bowl of
porridge. Mama Bear had a medium-sized bowl. Baby
Bear had a little bowl for his porridge. One
morning Mama said the porridge was too hot to
eat, so the bears decided to go for a walk and
let the porridge cool off. While they were gone,
a little girl by the name of Goldilocks came to
the house. She knocked on the door and looked in
the window, but no one was home. She tried the
door and it opened. She went in and she saw the
bowls of porridge on the table. Goldilocks was
hungry, so she tasted the porridge in the big
bowl. It was too hot. She tried the medium-sized
bowl of porridge, and it was too cold. The
porridge in the little bowl was just right, so
she ate it all up.
6-8 (6.15)
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Lessons and Tutorials

• Go to www.parkviewpylusd.org
• Select Educational Links
• Select Academic Skills
• Select All Grades Writing Instruction.

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Online practice

• Go to www.parkviewpylusd.org
• Select Educational Links
• Select Writing
• Select Step Up to Writing

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By Maureen E. Auman