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Writing Assignment Frameworkand OverviewAuthored by the National Writing ProjectEdited by Mary Ann SmithNational Writing ProjectBerkeley, CAwww.nwp.org

Table of ContentsAcknowledgements . 1Introduction . 2Writing Assignment Framework and Overview . 3Tools for Planning and Reflection . 5Writing Assignment Overview . 6Writing Assignment Framework . 9Professional Development Template . 10Writing Assignment Professional Development Session . 11Sample Assignments and Related Student Work. 16Kindergarten, Writing Exploration . 17Primary, Urban . 28Fourth Grade, Rural . 34Middle School, Suburban, Writing Across the Curriculum . 45High School, Digital, AP, Character Exploration . 56High School, Digital, Reading Response . 66High School, English Learner, Small City . 75High School, English Language Development, Digital, Writing Process . 87Recommended Resources . 98

AcknowledgementsThe National Writing Project gratefully recognizes those individual educators who played anessential role in the creation of the Writing Assignment Framework and Overview and thesupporting materials contained within this document.Writing Assignment Framework and Overview Design TeamLinda Allsup - Mississippi State University Writing/Thinking ProjectAdela Arriaga - Bay Area Writing ProjectSeddrick Bell - Upstate Writing ProjectKim Crawford - Chicago Area Writing ProjectKathy Dudley - Hudson Valley Writing ProjectTracey Freyre - Bay Area Writing ProjectLinda Friedrich - National Writing ProjectDaniel Fuller - Mississippi State University Writing/Thinking ProjectValerie Gina Guess - Mississippi State University Writing/Thinking ProjectLannette Jimmerson - Bay Area Writing ProjectDavid Jolliffe - Consultant, University of ArkansasRebecca Kaminski - Upstate Writing ProjectPaul LeMahieu - National Writing ProjectCarisa Lubeck - National Writing ProjectLynn Olsen - Hudson Valley Writing ProjectKim Patterson - Mississippi State University Writing/Thinking ProjectMarjorie Roemer - Rhode Island Writing ProjectMary Sawyer - Hudson Valley Writing ProjectLaurie Sherman - Rhode Island Writing ProjectMary Ann Smith - National Writing ProjectSherry Swain - National Writing ProjectSue Vanderdoes - Rhode Island Writing ProjectJoe Viveiros - National Writing ProjectRoel Vivit - Chicago Area Writing ProjectCheryl Wozniak - Bay Area Writing ProjectEducators Whose Assignments Are FeaturedAdela ArriagaBrooke DycusTracey FreyreLaura GraceffaMona LehlGerald MountainMichelle WilliamsRaisi Zairel ZambranoCreators of the Professional Development TemplateRebecca KaminskiKim PattersonRoel Vivit1

Introduction³%H FDUHIXO ZKDW \RX DVN IRU RX PLJKW JHW LW V WKLV ROG DGDJH VXJJHVWV RXU PRVW fervent wish has the potential to boomerang, leaving us with some undesirable orunintended consequence. When it comes to the classroom and what we ask of ourstudents, teachers always want the best and most desirable results, with a minimum ofassignments and lessons that conclude with lackluster student work.In the case of teachers who teach writing or teachers who use writing to learn, thechalOHQJH RI GHVLJQLQJ WKH ³DVN IRU ²the invitation to write²is particularly daunting.The sheer number of decisions could daze the most fearless among us: What do I wantmy students to learn from this assignment? For whom are they writing and for whatpurpose? What do I think the final product should look like? What processes will help thestudents? How do I teach and communicate with the students about these matters?These decisions sit at the center of the Writing Assignment Framework and Overviewproject. This project has its roots in a study begun for the Consortium for Chicago SchoolResearch (CCSR) in 1996. Led by Fred Newmann, then a professor at the University ofWisconsin, and supported by the Annenberg Network Challenge, the CCSR studyexamined WHDFKHUV¶ DVVLJQPHQWV DQG VWXGHQW ZRUN emerging from several Chicago publicschools. The basis for this empirical VWXG\ ZDV 1HZPDQQ¶V FRQFHSW RI ³Duthenticintellectual achievement. For a writing assignment to be authentic, the task would askstudents to (a) construct knowledge in contrast to simply reproducing knowledge; (b)elaborate their writing by making generalizations and supporting them with examples,details, or reasons; and (c) connect their work to issues and concerns that prevail beyondWKH VFKRRO¶V ZDOOV Research shows that teachers who give students assignments requiring authenticintellectual work see greater gains on standardized tests (Newmann, Bryk, and Nagaoka2001). Such work is similar to the type of problem solving that adults face in theireveryday lives and helps prepare students to be critical, analytical thinkers.1:3¶V FRPPLWPHQW WR LQYHVWLJDWLQJ DQG GLVVHPLQDWLQJ WKH EHVW DYDLODEOH DQG FODVVURRPtested information about writing assignments began in 1999 with the three-yearNWP/AED VWXG\ RI ³authentic intellectual work" and of the emphasis NWP teachersplace on such work in their assignments. Currently, SRI International is using theauthentic intellectual work framework as an integral component in examining the effectsof local writing project sites¶ SURIHVVLRQDO GHYHORSPHQW RQ WHDFKHUV¶ SUDFWLFHV TheWriting Assignment Framework and Overview are the result of 1:3¶V third study,begun in 2010.The goal of the Writing Assignment Framework and Overview project is to serve as aclassroom and professional development tool²born of research and practice²that willhelp teachers create and refine challenging assignments for students. As always, we seekto support teachers with resources that will ultimately improve student writingperformance.2

Writing Assignment Framework and OverviewPurpose of the Framework and OverviewThe Writing Assignment Framework and Overview represent the effort of NationalWriting Project teachers to create tools for themselves and their colleagues that mightsubstantially strengthen their writing assignments. We know from our own experiencesthat teachers often spend hours designing writing tasks and even more hours reading whatVWXGHQWV KDYH PDGH RI WKRVH WDVNV :H DOVR NQRZ WKDW WKHUH DUH QR ³VXUHILUH DVVLJQPHQWV anywhere that will engage and produce the best thinking from every student. Our tool,then, is not a list of the ten best or the twenty worst writing tasks. Instead, it offers a lensWR ORRN DW DQ DVVLJQPHQW¶V SXUSRVH SOanning and preparation, expectations, andprocesses. You will notice right away that not all the items in the framework apply toeach assignment. Rather, we designed the framework and also the overview to beinclusive, flexible, and adaptable so that teachers might use them in a variety of contentareas and for multiple purposes. Because this tool has been created by teachers forteachers, it is important to say what it is NOT. It is not a checklist or an evaluationinstrument. It is not mandatory, compulsory, or required. It is, however, a tool²born ofresearch and practice²that respects teachers and their continuous efforts to give theirstudents challenging writing assignments.What do we mean by writing assignment?A writing assignment encompasses any writing task a teacher asks of students thatinvolves one or more of the following thought processes: analysis, evaluation,interpretation, narration, synthesis, reflection, clarification, summarization, creativeexpression, and application or demonstration of knowledge or learning.Who are these tools for?These tools are for anyone who invites students to write, and especially for those teacherswho want to learn more about engaging and rigorous learning experiences for students.These teachers include:writing project teacher-consultants;experienced, novice, and preservice teachers;K 12, college, and graduate student teachers;English language arts and content area teachers and teachers of students withspecial needs (English learners, special education).Where might you use the tools?We envision these tools being used in a variety of contexts that could include but are notlimited to: department meetings, professional development days, personalreflection/planning, personal portfolio, grade-level meetings, mentor-teacher meetings,3

department files or notebooks, continuity meetings/seminars/workshops, summerinstitutes, professional learning communities.How might you use the tools?The Writing Assignment Framework and Overview may be used to guide teachers indeveloping assignments that help students demonstrate increasing sophistication in allaspects of language use, as required by the Common Core State Standards.If you and your colleagues decide to examine writing samples together, considercollecting pieces written at various ability levels or in a variety of content areas. Youmight also aim for a wide range of assignments (writing to learn, quickwrites, journalentries, reflection, formal essays, digital compositions, and other projects that involvewriting).If you are using the Writing Assignment Overview as part of your personal planning andreflection, you may wish to add notes about resources, sources or citations, materialsneeded, standards addressed, or other information you would need to remember whenrevisiting an assignment.If you are using these tools as part of your department or school professional planning,consider creating a safe environment first. One way might be to introduce the overviewusing writing samples not connected to anyone in the room. Your community may wantto do several rounds, using a discussion protocol, before asking teachers to bring in theirRZQ VWXGHQWV¶ ZULWLQJ 2QFH you have used the assignment overview a few times withyour RZQ VWXGHQWV¶ work, consider introducing the assignment framework.As you begin to familiarize yourself and your colleagues with the Writing AssignmentFramework, consider focusing on one area of the framework at a time or examining thetop level questions first. You may also want to read some of the professional articles thatprovide the theoretical background and underpinnings (see Recommended Resources.)When using the framework and overview beyond the immediate school community, besure to think about permission slips and/or redacting student names.Work CitedNewmann, Fred, Anthony Bryk and Jenny Nagaoka. 2001. Authentic Intellectual Workand Standardized Tests: Conflict or Coexistence? Chicago: Consortium on ChicagoSchool Research at the University of Chicago.4

Tools for Planning and ReflectionThe following section contains the Writing Assignment Framework and Overview documents.These documents can be used as part of a professional development program as outlined in theProfessional Development Template or as tools for assignment planning and reflection.5

Writing Assignment OverviewThe Writing Assignment Overview is a tool for reflecting on a writing assignment, either by an individualteacher or by a group of teachers. Please make it your own by adding notes and other items fordiscussion and reflection.Assignment Title:Grade level:Date:Subject area:Description of students in my class:Assignment PurposeWhat are the instructional goals for the assignment?Planning and Preparation1. Length of assignment:Completed in a single class periodCompleted within one weekCompleted in weeks2. Who created this assignment?Workshop/professional developmentColleagueDistrict writing programDeveloped it myselfText bookOn-line resourceTeacher guide/resource bookTest prep materialsOther (please specify):3. Is the assignment embedded in a larger instructional plan such as a unit study, district, state orprofessional standards? If so, how?4. If you plan to reflect on your assignment with other colleagues, please describe or attachinformation about how you introduced and taught the assignment. 2011 by the National Writing Project (NWP). All rights reserved.For reprint information, contact permissions@nwp.org or visit ermissions.csp6