In the challenge to create high quality writers meeting new rigorous state and national standards, We are gathering resources and posting them for our families and colleagues. In perusing the standards at other states it is clear that the standards and assessments are very similar. Narrative and Expository writing are tested at the first benchmark, with Expository and Persuasive being tested at the other levels. The Five-Paragraph Essay also seems to be the standard for the writing assessments.
We are currently excited over the Five-Paragraph Essay Model using the "rainbow" approach. We found some excellent resources and then made our own model. We are finding that our struggling writers are really showing improvement with this model.
Look here first to get the general idea of what a Five-Paragraph Essay Rainbow looks like:
Five-Paragraph Essay Model (with
example: My Dog, Romeo)
- The Five-Sentence Paragraph (also suitable for Primary Students) - Download this PowerPoint
The Five-Paragraph Essay (with example: My Dog, Romeo) - Download this PowerPoint
Pioneer's Writing Scoring Guide
Our school uses a scoring guide based on our state writing assessment model. Thanks to Kathy Shoemaker (4th grade teacher) and Eyleen Shouman, a very talented Pioneer parent, for developing such an outstanding format! Download this Scoring Guide in PDF format
To
download or view you need the free Adobe
Acrobat Reader. 
Graphic Organizers for Five-Paragraph Expository Essay Model
When WASL writing samples were released, I modified the Five-Paragraph Essay Form to include a "short" version. The top released samples did not appear to include a conclusion for each paragraph, so I developed a "short" version. The following Word documents may be downloaded in either version.
Download
Sample Color Outlines 
Long Version
Short Version
-
Specific instructions for a beginning Five-Paragraph "Me Essay"
- Graphic Organizers for Use with Five-Paragraph Essay
- Organizer
1
Organizer 2
Organizer 3
Download Organizers in Word - These were developed from my middle of the night brainstorm - they use bulleted items instead of colors. Students really like them!
ExpositoryOutline-Long.doc
ExpositoryOutline-Short.doc
Having a huge number of prompts to use for daily writing activities is crucial. I have gathered these prompts from many sources over the years. I do not claim authorship of them, nor do I claim they are of high quality. They are simply a starting point for ideas that should be used and adapted as each person sees fit.
Download Journal Writing Topic collection in Excel. If it doesn't download automatically, right click (Windows) or ctrl-click (Mac) and select download to disk.
- Additional Writing Resources
Assessment Resources - One of the best ways to locate the best writing resources is to look at the assessment sites at each state.
-
Blowing Away the State Writing Assessment Test
by Jane Bell Kiester. This is a "must have" book for teachers
of all levels. It has EVERYTHING you need to get kids to standard.
You can order it direct from the publisher, Maupin
House - Language Arts Resources for Innovative Teachers http://www.maupinhouse.com.
-
I am not in the habit of endorsing
any commercial enterprise, however Maupin House is an exception.
Maupin
House is a wonderful small company devoted to publishing
only the very best in Language Arts resources. Since I found
Blowing Away the State Writing Assessment Test, I have purchased
many more of their books and have never been disappointed.
Maupin House manages to seek out the BEST! Check them out!
(They have a "Scratch & Dent Sale" twice yearly
- Dec & June with half price books.)
-
Parent Letter introducing the Five-Paragraph Essay || Student Comments || Photos of Mrs. Barnard's Student Writers hard at work!
This is a large site with navigation in a left frame. If it is missing go to Mrs. Barnard's Classroom Launcher.
Contact Paula Barnard at Pioneer Elementary School, Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, WA, USA
Updated 06/17/2005