First Day to Test Day
A Road Map to Accelerate Student Learning & Prepare for Standardized Tests
SECRET SITE
COMMUNICATE IN WRITING
Connect read-write skills
Convert the last thought as a reader into the first thought as a writer.
Take advantage of a consistent formula.
Connect QAR (Question-Answer Relationship) to Yes, MAAM.
Grow an anchor chart.
Anchor Chart Pieces | PDF to print | Zip file of JPEGs
Write the 1st sentence
Restate key words.
Write the 2nd and 3rd sentences
Support inferences with textual evidence.
Crystal Calloway uses these sentence starters during text-based conversation with her Bailly Elementary (Chesterton, IN) fourth graders.
Provide explicit instruction on how to weave the what, which, and where details into a textual citation.
Introduce evidence with blended sentences.
Write the 4th sentence
Connect the dots in a concluding statement.
Scaffold practice opportunities.
“Write” orally and with peers.
Google Slide | Make the inference and use the details to write the response.
SMOKEJUMPER RESOURCES
Return to previous Inference Silhouettes to convert them into constructed responses.
Elaborate on evidence
Connect elaboration to the Thinking Voice.
Introduce students to the different ways
to elaborate on a text detail.
Provide students with a “cheat sheet”
of ways to elaborate.
Hold up these sentence starters to support students when crafting read-write responses.
Basic Formula
Black & White PDF | Google Slide | FigJam
Green & Yellow PDF | Google Slide | FigJam
With Elaboration
Black & White PDF | Google Slide | FigJam
Green & Yellow PDF | Google Slide | FigJam