Polk County Schools Vertical Writing Curriculum

Beginning of Year

The student:
Can hold a pencil correctly
Can write first name
Distinguishes between letters and numbers
Can verbally express ideas

Middle of Year

The student:
Recognizes most upper and lower case letters
Can reproduce at least 50% of letter sounds
Begins blending 3- and 4-letter words
Distinguishes between a phrase and a sentence
Illustrates a story idea

End of Year

The student:
Can recognize all upper and lower case letters
Knows letters and can write them legibly
Can use temporary/creative spelling
"Reads" or explains drawings
Can use graphic organizers during whole group
Can use the web (spider) graphic organizer to brainstorm ideas for writing/telling
Can add descriptive words and details to a group story
Uses a complete sentence verbally to answer questions
Knows all of the letter sounds
Writes three-letter words to match pictures
Has an understanding of writing a basic short sentence with capitalization, spacing, and punctuation

Beginning of Year

The student:
Knows alphabet and sounds
Uses capital letters where appropriate
Knows letters and can write them legibly
Can use temporary/creative spelling
Can write a very basic short sentence.

Middle of Year

The student:
Brainstorms in whole group and uses web organizer to generate ideas for writing/telling
Identifies and writes complete sentences, using adjectives and correct punctuation
Know all uses of rules for capital letters
Know all types of ending punctuation
Identifies incomplete/fragmented sentences

End of Year

The student:
Can write a story consisting of 1 good paragraph of 3-4 basic sentences
Has a beginning understanding of story format: beginning, middle, and end
Spells a majority of common and basic sight words correctly
Uses a complete sentence to answer questions
Identifies title, characters, and setting in writing

 

Beginning of Year

Review a complete sentence, with correct capitalization and punctuation on a specific topic or picture
Continue and reinforce story format: beginning, middle, and end
Utilize spacing and correct formation of letters

Middle of Year

Continue working on utilizing spacing and correct formation of letters
Identify paragraphs within a story
Use vocabulary to show expanding knowledge of nouns,, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs

End of Year

Write a paragraph story (4 to 5 complete sentences) that has a beginning, middle, and end that is legible and on topic. Sentences should contain vivid, descriptive words with elaboration from a basic sentence.
Use graphic organizers and especially web organizers to generate ideas for the paragraph story.
Use a complete sentence to answer questions.

 

Beginning of Year

The average student(s) will write a complete topic sentence with vivid details
Develop vocabulary

Middle of Year

Use all steps in the writing process: brainstorming (using web organizer), create a first draft, revise, edit, evaluation, share complete work
Develop vocabulary

End of Year

Write a well-developed two-paragraph story with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence (3 parts: beginning, middle, and end)
Continue to expand vocabulary
Use a complete sentence to answer questions

 

 

Beginning of Year

Average students will be able to write a story with a beginning, middle and end and will use graphic organizers, especially the web, to brainstorm and provide structure for writing.
Average students will be able to use appropriate capitalization and end marks.

Middle of Year

Average students will be able to use appropriate transitions and an outline as an organizer.
Average students will use the steps in the writing process.

End of Year

Average students will be able to write a multi-paragraph story useing details, using story elements (five Ws), with a topic sentence, middle, and conclusion, and using appropriate grade-level vocabulary.
Use a complete sentence to answer questions
Introduce and use figurative language
Write essays
Using the state rubrice, score a "4"

 

Beginning of Year

Brainstorm using a graphic organizer (especially the web)
Utilize varied vocvabulary
Use and understand the term "narrative"
Be familiar with common transitional words
Be familiar with the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing)
Be familiar with how to use a thesaurus

 

Middle of Year

Write a well-developed narrative with details, complex sentences, and syntactic variety
Actively use transitional words and phrases
Significantly reduce errors in mechanics, usage, and sentence structure
Be familiar with the state rubric and use it to assess writing

 

End of Year

Explore the organization and view point of expository writing
Use a complete sentence to answer questions

 

 

Beginning of Year

Students will be able to identify the purpose and/or audience for writing
Select appropriate theses statements for writing selections
Use transitional words, appropriate format, and basic organizational skills in writing

 

Middle of Year

Students will be able to select illustrations, descriptions, and facts to support key ideas
Students will select appropriate supporting and concluding sentences to create a well-developed paragraph

 

End of Year

Be able to write a well-developed essay with appropriate thesis/topic sentence in prescribed amount of time
Write a research paper of 50-100 words using 2-4 sources

 

 

Beginning of Year

Respond to literary and/or subject matter content based on narration and description
Journal writing based on personal expression and imagination
Be familiar with exposition

 

Middle of Year

Syntactic variety through simple, compound, and complex sentences
Begin writing structured paragraphs from prewriting- literary response, persuasion, and exposition
Take and organize notes to incorporate into writing

 

End of Year

Begin expository essay
Write structured paragraphs from prewriting- literary response, persuasion, and exposition
Write a research paper of 100-200 words and 3-4 sources

 

 

Beginning of Year

Write expository paragraphs from prewriting
Have command of syntactic variety through simple, compound, and complex sentences

 

Middle of Year

Write expository essay using a variety of sentence structures (compound-complex)

End of Year

Mastery of 5-paragraph essay format
Introduce persuasive essay
Write a research paper of 200-300 words and 3-4 sources

 

Persuasive Writing
Plagiarism
Research paper with primary and secondary sources of 750-1000 words and 5 sources
Parallelism
Syntactic variety
Vocabulary (especially confusing words)
Eliminating repetitious and irrelevant elements
Reasoning (logical and emotional appeals, logic, inductive and deductive reasoning)
More sophisticated transitions
Recognizing bias/values

Persuasion
Fully developed introductions and conclusions
Development of logical and emotional development
Syntactic variety
Idea expressions
Plagiarism
Effective use of modifiers
Advanced vocabulary/verbs
Advanced transitions
Research paper of 1000-1500 words with 5-7 sources

Technical writing- resumes, memos, applications, cover letters, business letters, address envelopes, reference page
Plagiarism
Interview techniques
Longer papers
Cause-effect, comparison-contrast, argumentative-persuasive, definition
Essay- modes of writing
Literary analysis research