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A Hands-on Approach for Analyzing Model Papers and a Method for the Analytic Summary

To prepare my students for the state writing exam they will take in February, I began developing materials to help them step through the process.  They will actually write two text-based essays: an analytic summary and a compare/contrast essay.  The analytic summary is straight from Common Core R.2 and W.2, and it is a completely new mode for our state.  Here are the steps in the lesson I did with my students to introduce the analytic summary.   

Step #1 Define the Mode and Cover Vocabulary Words
Whether it is a familiar mode or not, it is important for students to know the premise behind the prompt. This enables them to understand the basis of the task and ultimately know how to shape their response to achieve the desired outcome. I even show them the standard(s) from which the mode is derived. Secondly, in this step, I provide the students with the vocabulary words and definitions so there are no barriers in understanding there. (I provide a list of those, as well as the explanation of this mode, in my Analytic Summary Teaching Pack on TPT). 

Step #2 Break Down the Prompt and Read the Stimulus

So students fully step into the simulation, I feel the steps must be authentic to the process they will encounter on the state exams. I found an interesting nonfiction article and created a prompt and some sample papers to go with it. I have the students read the prompt to themselves and circle all the action verbs/commands that it tells them they have to do. Then we number those, and ultimately they have a road map or checklist of what needs to be completed. This way they don’t leave anything out once they start the process on their own, and they know what it is asking them to do. I find that with this type of prompt, students tend to actually miss what the prompt says to do. Instead they get fixated on the issue raised in the stimulus.  This step helps combat that issue.  Next, we read the stimulus, as that is the first step that the prompt says to do.  I provide students with highlighters, and they make specific notes about the article’s purpose and main points. We do spend a few minutes here summarizing (using the SWBST strategy) and discussing the article.  While they can’t discuss anything during the state exams, I find it necessary to model how I want them to read the stimulus and for what information, so it’s still part of the learning process here.


Step #3 Red Light – Green Light 
In this step, students read the model papers.  I knew I wanted students to categorize the model essays, so I had those ready to go. But as I looked out over the class, I saw a bunch of glassy-eyed teens. I do have to give them credit because they understood the importance of what we were doing and were really trying, but who wants to sit and grade papers all period, right?!?   As if a light bulb flipped on, it hit me… Red Light Green Light.  I hurried over to my cabinet and pulled out three colors of sticky notes. Thank goodness I had red, yellow, and green.  Well, we pretended the pink was red! The activity is really simple: Students read the three papers and had to categorize them.  That’s where the sticky notes, hands-on activity came in. The students placed the sticky notes on the essays according to the following directions:
   Red Sticky = Completely off-topic (Stop and Start Over)
   Yellow Sticky = Just a summary (Slow down and take another look)
   Green Sticky = On topic addresses all requirements in the prompt (Good to Go!!)
Once they had the sample essays categorized, we voted on which one was which. Some students didn’t have them correct, so we discussed the correct answers. There are a couple of things that I love about this activity. First, it is hands-on, and that makes it better already! Secondly, students are actually getting to see three types of answers, and the ball is in their court to figure out which is which. It’s a good, productive struggle.  

4) Comparing and Contrasting the Yellow and Green Essays

In this step, I provided students with a venn diagram and their job was to analyze the yellow and green essays to determine what qualities they each possess that landed them in that category.  I encouraged students to lists strengths and struggles of each essay. Students worked with one partner to complete this portion of the lesson, which fosters healthy discussion and sharing of ideas.  (I love listening in on their conversations when they are talking about writing! Nerdy, huh?) Then I took suggestions from them and wrote those answers on the board.  

5) Scoring the Essays
It’s not a secret that students will be given a grade for the essays they write for the state exams.  In this step I have a copy of the state rubric, and students give the two essays a score.  This is a crucial step so that actually know what must be included to achieve a passing score, and they have a solid example right in front of them. 

This lesson took me two 90 minute class periods with a class of honors juniors.  I could definitely see it taking maybe a day longer to go even more in-depth with discussion.  

These steps and activities can be done for any mode and with any set of sample  papers.  If your state is administering the Analytic Summary as part of your End of Course exam or if you are looking for a higher-level expository prompt, hop over to my store to get a full teaching pack that includes graphic organizers, and the sample prompt, and papers I used in this lesson! 

Expository/Informative Common Core Analytical Summary Essa

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Filed Under: analytic summary, common core writing, model papers, sample papers, sticky notes, Uncategorized 10 Comments

Comments

  1. Jackie Cutcliffe says

    January 16, 2015 at 10:25 am

    This looks like an excellent activity, Julie. Modelling is so important!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 18, 2015 at 12:51 am

      Thanks, Jackie! I was doing this lesson again to model with my new group of juniors this week, and was "pop" evaluated. He loved it!
      ~Julie

      Reply
  2. Amy Brown Science Stuff says

    January 16, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    Great ideas! Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 18, 2015 at 12:53 am

      Hi Amy!
      Thanks for stopping by my blog! Maybe there's something that would work here if you do constructed responses for science! I know our science teachers try to do some, and I'm always wowed by that because we only have so much time and tons to cover!
      ~Julie

      Reply
  3. Brain Waves Instruction says

    January 16, 2015 at 4:49 pm

    Love the hands-on sticky notes idea! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 18, 2015 at 12:54 am

      Hello!
      Anytime I do an activity with sticky notes, my kids love it – even if they are juniors and seniors :)!
      ~Julie

      Reply
  4. Darlene Anne says

    January 17, 2015 at 1:00 pm

    A Hands-On Approach for Analyzing Model Student Papers looks like a fantastic resource! It's so clever of you to use the post-it notes that way. I'm definitely going to try it with my middle schoolers!
    Thanks for sharing a great idea, Julie. 🙂
    Darlene
    ELABuffet

    Reply
  5. Julie says

    January 18, 2015 at 12:55 am

    Hi Darlene!
    I'm super happy to be a part of the group here! I would love to hear how it goes when you try it! I did it again this week, and it worked like a charm!
    ~Julie

    Reply
  6. Michele Luck says

    January 18, 2015 at 9:04 pm

    Great idea! Comparing and Contrasting is so important, but often a challenge for teachers to implement!

    Michele
    A Lesson Plan for Teachers

    Reply
  7. Connie Casserly says

    January 22, 2015 at 3:47 pm

    This activity shows the readers both sides of writing- the actual writing and the analyzing aspect. This is so important to help the students write right,and also to lead them to look at the writing from the other side of the desk. The sticky notes are brilliant.

    Happy Teaching,
    Connie

    Reply

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