27 Writing Classroom Reports

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110.22.b.5.F, 110.22.b.8.D

21st Century Skills:

Writing Reading

English Language Arts:

Writing Reading

Page 187 from All Write

Sample Report (Continued)

Have another volunteer read the rest of the report. Then discuss the text, using the side notes as a basic guide. Also consider the questions from the previous page: Is the topic worthy? Does the writer seem interested in it? Does the report contain interesting information?

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LAFS Standard:

LAFS.6.RI.1.1

TEKS Standard:

NE ELA Standard:

LA 6.1.6.e, LA 6.1.6.g

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Reading Writing

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Reading Writing

Page 188 from All Write

Writing Guidelines: Reports

The next seven pages provide guidelines for writing a report. The guidelines on page 188 address choosing a topic. Read aloud and discuss this page, and then model using a cluster to begin a topic search. (Consider using popular music, fashion, or food trends as the starting point for the cluster.) Explore one question from the cluster to see if it leads to a specific topic. Point out that a topic should have the proper depth and breadth for a classroom report. Share this sample to illustrate this point:

General subject area: fashion
- Topic that is too specific: why jeans are blue
- Topic that is too general: casual pants
- Topic suitable for a classroom report: blue jeans

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Writing Project

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Page 189 from All Write

Prewriting: Gathering Details

The guidelines on page 189 help students gather details for reports, starting with listing a series of questions to answer during their research. Consider modeling listing questions for the topic of blue jeans. Possible questions:

What is the history of blue jeans?
Why have blue jeans become popular?
What styles of blue jeans are available?
Who wears them?
Why do people like them?
How are they advertised?

Discuss the different sources of information for reports. Spend as much time as needed to discuss library research (pages 233–241) and Internet research (pages 227–232) before students begin collecting information. Then introduce them to using a gathering grid—a graphic organizer that will help them keep track of their research.

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Page 190 from All Write

Sample Gathering Grid

This page provides a sample gathering grid. Discuss the value of using this graphic organizer to keep track of information while doing research. But also point out its main weakness—that you can’t include many details in the grid spaces.

A gathering grid template is available for download.

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Gathering Grid Template

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Page 191 from All Write

Prewriting: Recording and Checking Information

Read and discuss this page, which starts with recording information on note cards. In lieu of note cards, students can record their notes on half sheets of paper, in their class notebooks, or on their computer (in a folder devoted to their research). Point out that long lists of notes on full sheets of paper are hard to work with. During your discussion, be sure to refer to the page 255 cross reference, which provides a checklist for evaluating sources.

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Persuasive Writing

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Page 192 from All Write

Writing: Writing the Opening Paragraph

Read and discuss the different ways to start a report that are listed on this page. Point out that the beginning part should (1) get the reader’s interest, (2) name the topic, and (3) identify the focus of your report. Consider modeling writing a beginning for a report about blue jeans or another topic.

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Research Report Report

Page 193 from All Write

Writing: Writing the Rest of Your Report

This page discusses writing the middle and ending parts of a report. As you discuss this page, refer to the middle and ending parts in the sample report on pages 186–187. Pay special attention to the three methods of organization that are mentioned: chronological, order of importance, and main ideas (logical order).

Point out that students should use one main pattern of organization, but also employ other patterns as needed. Consider modeling writing a middle and an ending paragraph for a report.

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Page 194 from All Write

Revising and Editing

This page serves as a revising and editing guide for report writing. Refer to the sample report on pages 186–187 when you review the revising checklist with students. The checklist addresses key questions students should ask themselves when reviewing the beginning, middle, and ending parts of their report. Either of the checklists on pages 21 and 44 can serve as a supplementary revising guide. Consider modeling the revising process by making changes in the paragraphs you have drafted in class.

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Writing Process Revising Editing

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Writing Project

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Page 195 from All Write

Giving Credit for Information

You may or may not require students to cite sources in their reports. If you do, carefully lead them through the information on the next two pages. Early in your discussion of page 195, inform students that citing sources means “to give credit for information drawn from other sources.” Explain to them that they should cite direct quotations and other key information that is particular to one specific source. General information—or information that is widely accepted and included in most sources—does not need a citation. Again, you could model citing a few sources in the material that you have written in class.
As an alternative to a formal works-cited page, you could have students complete a basic list of source information. In this case, have them include the author, title, and page number for print sources and author, title, and URL for digital sources.

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Researching

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Writing Process

Page 196 from All Write

Giving Credit for Information (Continued)

This page shows students how to list sources (books, periodicals, Web sites, etc.) in a works-cited page according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines. Model for the class how to find the publishing information for each source type. Also remind them that some sources, especially Web sites, may not include everything. In such cases, students should include as much information as possible.

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Researching

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Writing Process

Page 197 from All Write

Checklist for Writing Reports

This page serves as a guide to the steps in the report-writing process. Review the checklist with your students and ask them if they have any questions about the steps. Then require them to follow this checklist whenever they write a classroom report.

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Checklist for Writing Reports

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