Wilson

Assessment Portfolio

Lizz Wilson
April 1, 2015

I have not given, received, or used any on authorized assistance on this assignment.

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Dear parents or guardians,

As your childs teacher, I feel that it is important for you to understand who I am
as an educator. The main approach that I take in teaching is the approach of connection.
My goal is to connect with my students, thus showing them that I am both an ally and an
asset in their educational career. The old saying goes, Students do not care how much
you know until they know how much you care. I agree with this statement, and show my
students care via connection. Throughout my own teaching experience, I have learned
that students do not need another friend, but an educator who can guide them in their
studies via structure and gentleness. Because of this experience, my belief is that if my
students know that I care about them, they will care about the reading/literature I am
teaching.
I feel that the relationship between literature and reading is a uniquely special one
and that the two are most always integrated in a classroom setting. In my own classroom,
I teach reading skills using the literature my class is currently reading. I choose to
integrate reading and literature in this matter because it gives students a reason to read. I
integrate reading and literature throughout the course of the school year, and do so via
many reading activities and methods that I will cover further on in this letter.
A necessary part of our current education system is assessment. In my classroom,
I specifically assess students performance as engaged readers. I do this by utilizing
specific rubrics for assignments that align up with the Colorado State Standards for the
Common Core (all standards can be accessed at cde.state.co.us). For instance, if I were to
have my students complete a poetry-writing assignment, I would create a rubric based on
the 10th Grade Standard 3.1 that states that students can, Write literary and narrative
texts using a range of stylistic devices (poetic techniques, figurative language, imagery,
graphic elements) to support the presentation of implicit or explicit theme.
The main theory that I have thoroughly researched (that I base most of my
teaching on) is the Holistic Education Theory. I feel that teach-nology.com describes this
approach beautifully: Holistic Education is a methodology which focuses on preparing
students to meet any challenges they may face in life and in their academic career. The
most important theories behind holistic education are learning about oneself, developing
healthy relationships and positive social behaviors, social and emotional development,

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resilience, and the ability to view beauty, experience transcendence, and truth. My
thoughts are that the education system should be more about the development of a person
as a whole, not just the learning materials presented in schools. By taking a Holistic
approach, fostering well-rounded humans is something I can successfully integrate in my
classroom.
As far as my teaching materials go, I try to pick texts that will contribute to the
development of well-rounded individuals. The main texts this Sophomore class will be
reading this year are, The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald), Feed (M.T. Anderson), The
Lord of the Flies (William Golding), The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger),
Frankenstein (Mary Shelley), The Importance of Being Ernest (Oscar Wilde), The
Kitchen Gods Wife (Amy Tan), Between Shades of Grey (Ruta Sepetys) and The Taming
of the Shrew (William Shakespeare). In between these selections we will explore other
literary works, including poetry. Many (if not most!) of the teaching strategies I will be
implementing will be from Kylene Beers magnificent text, When Kids Cant Read. Fear
not, parents and guardians, I do not mean to imply that your children cannot read! This
book is simply an amazing text for teaching reading to adolescents. I would be happy to
lend any of you my copy of the book, but I digress. The strategies I use encourage
students to think about texts in greater detail, can be applied when students are reading
other texts in the future, provide scaffolding (teaching step-by-step with the intention that
students will build upon knowledge as they go) and help students really learn vocabulary.
To name just a few examples, I use the following strategies when teaching a text:
Anticipation Guides, Think Silently Posters and Semantic Differential Scales. The
procedures that I use during teaching include providing strong scaffolding, using
technology in the classroom, assigning creative projects, reviewing material frequently
and making sure that my students are very familiar with daily/weekly/monthly classroom
expectations.
Along with a wide range of teaching strategies and procedures, I do not only use
one teaching method in my classroom. To keep things simple, I use a combination of
lecture, discussion, debate and individual/group based student work. The activities I
expect students to engage in are extremely varied as well, and include (but are not limited

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to) open discussion, lively debate, group projects, creative work, in-class writing and
work using technology.
I look forward to teaching your child!
Lizz Wilson

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Context for All Three Assessment Plans

Disclaimer: Upon attempting to retrieve some information regarding East High School, I
was informed by one of their Vice Principals that due to privacy policies whatever
information not provided on Easts website is not available for public use. If these
policies have interfered with my providing of information within this context report, the
following note will be presented instead: I am not able to provide this information due to
East High Schools privacy policies.
School: East High School (1600 City Park Esplanade, Denver, CO 80206). East is a
public School of Choice in the Denver Public Schools district. Their mascot is the East
Angel. Over 80,000 students are enrolled in the Denver Public School system
(ballotpedia.org).
East High Schools student population consists of 44% Caucasian students, 26%
African American students, 22% Hispanic students, 2% Asian or Asian Pacific Islander
students, 1% American Indian/Alaska Native students, and 5% is students who identity as
two or more races (greatschools.org). 52% of Easts students are female, 48% are male,
and 35% of all of the students participate in a free or reduced-price lunch program
(greatschools.org). 2,313 students attend East High School (publicschoolreview.com).
Easts mission statement is as follows:
At East High School, we provide every Angel with a rigorous learning
experience preparing them to become creative, active citizens ready for academic
and career success beyond graduation. We are committed to: sustaining a safe
place to learn and work, valuing our diversity as a unique advantage, reducing the

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gap between higher and lower performing students, raising the achievement of
every students [and] working together to build a better East (east.dpsk12.org).
East refers to their mission statement as their Statement of Common purpose
(east.dpsk12.org).
The student: teacher ratio at East is 22:1 (publicschoolreview.com). There are a
total of 106 teachers (publicschoolreview.com), 21 of which are English teachers
(east.dpsk12.org). The extracurricular sports offered at East High school are lacrosse,
swimming, golf, track, baseball (for males only), soccer, volleyball (for females only),
softball (for females only), cross country, basketball, tennis, field hockey (for females
only), wrestling (for males only) and football (for males only) (greatschools.org). The
extracurricular clubs offered to East students are student council/government, community
service and JROTC (greatschools.org).
As far as tracking and ability grouping and ELLS are concerned, I am not able to
provide [all of] this information due to East High Schools privacy policies. The
following, general information was gleaned from the Denver Public Schools systems
main website, www.dpsk12.org: 14.19% of Denvers public school students are
gifted/talented, and around 35% are English Language learners (dpsk12.org).
Community: East High School is located in the heart of Denver, Colorado. Denver is
home to just over three million people (metrodenver.org), a number that is made of up
50.4% male citizens, 49.6% female citizens, 70% Caucasian citizens, 5% African
American citizens, 1% American Indian citizens, 3% Asian/Pacific Islander citizens and
18% Hispanic citizens (hometodenver.com). The remaining 3% of Denvers citizens

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identify as an other race (hometodenver.com). 49.2% of Denvers population is

married, 13.3% is divorced, and 25.3% has never been married (hometodenver.com).
The top twenty-five major employers in Denver are (in order) the U.S.
Government, the State of Colorado, University of Colorado Systems, Denver Public
Schools (DPS), the City and County of Denver, the HealthONE Corporation, SCL
Healthy System, Centura Health, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, CenturyLink, Kaiser
Permanente, Denver Health, the Comcast Corporation, Childrens Hospital Colorado,
United Airlines, the University of Colorado Hospital, Wells Fargo Bank, Dish Network,
the IBM Corporation, Aurora Public Schools, the University of Denver, the United Parcel
Service, the Ball Corporation, Frontier Airlines, and Oracle (denverrelocationguide.com).
During the 2012 election, 54% of Denvers population voted yes on Amendment
64, thus allowing for it to pass (denverchamber.org).
Amendment 64 proposes changing the Colorado Constitution to legalize under
state law the cultivation, manufacture and sale of marijuana in a system of
licensed establishments regulated by state and local governmentsAmendment
64 would authorize the state legislature to apply an excise tax to marijuana, of
which the first $40 million in revenue raised each year must be credited to a state
fund used for constructing public schools (denverchamber.org).
During the 2014 election, the Denver Chamber of Commerce took a stance in supporting
Referred Question 2A (denverchamber.org). Referred Question 2A would maintain and
expand the Denver Preschool ProgramVoters created the program in 2006 when they
endorsed a 12-cent sales tax on $100 purchases. Question 2A calls for a 15-cent tax on

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$100 purchases to continue the program through 2026 and expand it to include the
summer months (denverchamber.org).
Course: American Literature and Composition (10th Grade). Students are enrolled in this
course for a full year (two semesters) (east.dpsk12.org). On average each class contains
around twenty-thirty students (Reimann). In any given class, there are typically,
approximately eleven Caucasian students, seven African American students, six Hispanic
students, one Asian/Asian Pacific Islander student and one student that identify as two or
more races. Approximately thirteen of these students are female and twelve are male.
Approximately nine of these students will participate in a free or reduced lunch program.
The course description for American Literature and Composition is as follows:
This first semester of a yearlong, required language arts course is focused on
American Literature. Representative works of poetry, prose (including essays),
and drama will be considered through the lens of thematic considerations such as
the following: [The American Dream] [and the] [Pursuit of Happiness]. Students
will develop their understanding of the American literary tradition through
ongoing emphasis upon strategic reading skills, balanced literacy, and higher-level
critical thinking skills. In particular, students will increase their ability to analyze
complex texts (including films), synthesize information, and infer purpose and
point of view. They will continue to develop their writing skills through focused
analytical and research assignments, utilizing writing workshop techniques.
Students will also sharpen their speaking, listening, and viewing skills through
oral presentations, film analysis, and active listening activities. This second
semester of a yearlong, required language arts course is focused on American

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Literature. Representative works of poetry, prose (including essays), and drama
will be considered through the lens of thematic considerations such as the
following: [Justice for All] [and the] [American Journey] (east.dpsk12.org).
East High School operates on a traditional high school schedule that contains nine
fifty-minute class periods (education.stateuniversity.com). I am not able to provide
when specifically American Literature is during due to East High Schools privacy
policies.

Works Cited
"Communications Office - Denver Public Schools." Communications Office - Denver Public
Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"Denver Colorado Demographics and Population Statistics." Denver Colorado Demographics
and Population Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"East High School." - Denver, Colorado. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"East High School." Profile. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"East High School." Telephone interview. 20 Mar. 2015.
"Home." East High School. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"Largest Employers in Denver." Denver Relocation Guide Relocation Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 30
Mar. 2015.
"Scheduling - Historical Background of Scheduling, Selecting a Schedule, Scheduling Models,
Staff Development." - Students, Teachers, School, and Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar.
2015.
"School Board Elections, 2015." - Ballotpedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"2012 Ballot Measures." 2012 Ballot Measures. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"Twitter." Metro Denver Demographics. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.

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Assessment Plan 1 (Pre-Reading Strategy for the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.
Salinger)
Strategy: Anticipation Guide (Beers, 2003)
CCSS: 10th Grade Standard 2.2 b: Provide a response to text that expresses an insight
(such as an authors perspective [or in the case of this activity, the narrator] or the nature
of conflict) (cde.state.co.us).
Context: The informal purpose of the anticipation guide is for students to agree or

disagree with certain generalizations about teenage life in order to develop a certain
mindset the very beginning of reading the novel. The goal is to get students to connect
with the novel, as the narrator is seventeen years old and dealing with common, teenage
angst. The activity is designed for 10th graders (15 and 16 year olds) who can read at at

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least a seventh grade reading level; are interested in American literature, adolescent
literature and class literature; and who have Intellectual Dispositions (naeyc.org).
On a more formal note, the anticipation guide fits the rigor and relevance sections of
the Denver Public Schools (DPS) Secondary Literacy Programs essential
characteristics of a successful curriculum. This activity would be taught in Denvers
East High School, which is a DPS school.
From curriculum.dpsk12.org,

The program integrates four essential characteristics:

Rigor: Emphasizes higher-order thinking skills and students' own responsibility

for their learning.

Relevance: Explores real-world contextual settings and situations.

Relationships: Enhances connections among students, their teachers, and

academic content.

Results: Extends from both student performance and increased AP enrollment and
diversity.
Reading Focus: According to a 2012 Denver Post article, Despite years of effort, an
infusion of resources and some improvement, Denver Public Schools is far behind and
not rapidly making the grade In general, the report, called True North: Goals for
Denver Public Schools, faults the Denver Plan's goals because they lack rigor, structure
and consistency (denverpost.com).
This anticipation guide is addressing this problem because it is applying structure to
teaching a text. After students finish filling out the anticipation guide, they will be able to
make a deeper connection to Holden, or at least the generalized concept of having trouble
as a teenager.
Instructional Strategies:
Students will be informed that they will be participating in a discussion they day
before it happen (the day before this class).
After students have read 1, 2 or 3 chapters of the novel, I will pass out the
anticipation guides during class (1 minute).
Students will have three minutes to fill out the guides and turn them back into me
(3 minutes).
While students complete other work during class, I will review the filled out
anticipation guides, then hand them back to students (15-20 minutes).

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Then, I will mediate/lead a class discussion for fifteen/twenty minutes. In the

discussion, students can make inferences and state their opinions about Holden.
They will be able to refer to their anticipation guides. If students cannot come up
with thoughts of their own, I will ask questions and refer to the filled out
anticipation guides to spark discussion (15-20 minutes).

Assessment tools/Rubric: I will assess these worksheets using the following standardsbased rubric. The way in which I will assess this assignment is by monitoring
participation during the discussion (students will be informed of this beforehand) and by
using the rubric below. I will assess the anticipation guide by completion. Total points: 8.
Getting eight points will equal a 100%, or A. A student will be given zero points if they
do not complete one of the criteria. For instance, if a student has not provided any
response to the text, zero points will be awarded. If a student does not use any textual
evidence in his or her response, zero points will be awarded.

Provide a
response to the
text that
expresses
insight.

1: Response is
short and too
vague. Does
not refer to the
novel, or does
so in a
generalized
manner.

2: Response
refers to the
novel, but is not
specific
enough.

3: Response
shows an
understanding
of the reading
and of specific
parts of the
novel.

Use textual
evidence to
back up a
statement
made during
discussion.

1: Uses no
specific
examples from
the novel. Uses
vague concepts.

2: Uses vague
or generalized
concepts. Uses
some but few
specific
examples

3: Uses a few
specific
examples from
the novel,
rather than
making
generalizations.

4: Response is
specific,
relevant, and
shows a clear
understating of
the novel.
Speaker uses
specific
examples.
4: Uses all
specific
examples from
the text. Uses
examples to
back up the
statement
made.

Assignment Sheet:
Name:
Anticipation Guide
Instructions: In the blank next to each statement, write yes if you agree with
the statement and no if you do not.
1. Teenagers need more rules than anybody else.
2. Teenager shave more freedom than children and adults
3. When you have a problem as a teenager, it wont matter in the long run.
4. Teenagers are usually the members of society that cause the most trouble
5. Teenagers should be given a lot of responsibility.

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Research Base: I am using the following sources:
Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can't Read: What Teacher's Can Do. S.l.: Bt Bound,
2003. Print.
Colorado Academic Standards: Reading, Writing & Communicating. S.l.:
Bibliogov, 2013. 2010. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
Da Ros-Voseles, Denise, and Sally Fowler-Haughey. "Why Childrens
Dispositions Should Matter to All Teachers." Beyond the Journal September
(2007): 1-7. 2007. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
"Language, Literacy, and Cultural Studies." Denver Public Schools Language,
Literacy, and Cultural Studies. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
"Nonprofits Say Denver's Public Schools Still Don't Make the Grade." - The
Denver Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
I made the choice to provide students with this anticipation guide, because I want to get
them to either connect to the main character, or to at least understand him and his peers.
Holden may not be a character students can connect to, or even a likable one, but at least
they can connect to the general idea of what being a teenager is like. I want students to
have this connection established before reading the rest of the book. The generalizations
presented in the guide spark students to think because they incite emotion. The idea of the
anticipation guide comes from Kylene Beers book on teaching reading, When Kids Cant
Read. Beers claims that Anticipation Guides first act as a prereading strategy and
encourage students to connect to ideas and make predictions (Beers, 77). I am using the
other sources to inform the choices I make based on Beers original concept of the
anticipation guide.
Works Cited
Colorado Academic Standards: Reading, Writing & Communicating. S.l.: Bibliogov,
2013. 2010. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
Da Ros-Voseles, Denise, and Sally Fowler-Haughey. "Why Childrens Dispositions
Should Matter to All Teachers." Beyond the Journal September (2007): 1-7. 2007.
Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
"Language, Literacy, and Cultural Studies." Denver Public Schools Language, Literacy,
and Cultural Studies. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
"Nonprofits Say Denver's Public Schools Still Don't Make the Grade." - The Denver Post.
N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.

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Assessment Plan 2 (During Reading Strategy for the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by
J.D. Salinger)
Strategy: Using Logographic Cues (Beers, 2003)
CCSS: 10th grade Standard 2.3 a. iii: Consult general and specialized reference materials
(e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the
pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or
its etymology (cde.state.co.us).

Context: The informal purpose of this activity is to help students learn vocabulary words
and form connotations about words. This allows them to develop inferring skills and also
provides scaffolding for when students see the unknown words in the future.
Furthermore, it provides scaffolding for students to develop the skills necessary for
figuring out other unknown words in other texts in the future. The activity is designed for

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10th graders (15 and 16 year olds) who can read at at least a seventh grade reading level;
are interested in American literature, adolescent literature and class literature; and who
have Intellectual Dispositions (naeyc.org).
The Denver Public Schools Secondary Literacy Program is based on The College
Boards Standards of College Success (curriculum.dpsk12.org). The College Boards
website provides a complete list of skills students will learn in certain classes that will aid
them in college. The activity, Using Logographic Cues implements said skills, thus
contributing to college preparation. The College Boards website states, Writers and
critical readers have a "technical vocabulary" they use when talking about the language of
drama, poetry, and fiction (curriculum.dpsk12.org). Using Logographic Cues trains
students to become writers and readers like the ones mentioned above.
Reading Focus: In 2008, the Denver magazine, 5280 Magazine released article, titled,
Literacy Lapse: Colorado struggles to keep its residents reading. In the article, the
following statistics are presented: Currently, nearly 32 percent of Colorado's ninthgraders are reading below a proficient level, and about 12 percent of the state's workingage (18 to 64) adults do not have diplomas. The discouraging numbers have a high price
tag; Colorado's high school dropouts account for nearly $3.5 billion each year in potential
lost earnings (5280.com). Adlit.org, a website dedicated to adolescent literacy, states
that vocabulary is a key component of literacy (adlit.org). Thus on can deduce that if
students do not possess adequate vocabulary skills, their literacy will be compromised.
Using Logographic Cues addresses this problem because it provides students with a
reasonable and effective way to genuinely learn vocabulary. By having students only
learn five new words at a time and by being able to associate them with synonyms and
images, this not only makes learning vocabulary more effective, but also enjoyable.
When a student enjoys learning, he or she learns better.
Instructional Strategies:
At any point in The Catcher in the Rye, students can find vocabulary they do not
know.
I will show them an example of a Logograph and how to complete the worksheet
(3 minutes).
My approach to this method of learning vocabulary will be weekly. Students will
turn in weekly Logograph worksheets that contain five words from that weeks
reading that they did not recognize.
I will hand out the worksheets on Monday and collect them on Friday. This will
be homework (homework should take approx. 15 minutes).
Assessment tools/Rubric: I will assess these worksheets using the following standardsbased rubric. Total points: 10. Getting ten points will equal a 100%, or A. The rubric
awards eight points for the actual work done, an I will award two points for completion.
If the assignment has been filled out completely, the student will receive two points. If
the assignment is partially completed, the student will receive one point, and if the
assignment has not been done or has not been turned in, zero points will be awarded for

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completion. A student will be given zero points if they do not complete one of the criteria.
For instance, if a student has not provided any synonyms, zero points will be awarded. If
a student does not draw anything, zero points will be awarded.
Correctly use a
thesaurus to
find synonyms
for words.

1: All incorrect
synonyms
provided.

2: One
synonym is
correct or
provided.

3: Two
synonyms are
correct and
provided.

4: All three
synonyms are
provided and
correct.

Logographic
pictures
choices are
appropriate
and make
sense.

1: Picture is
unclear and no
effort has been
demonstrated.

2: Effort
attempted but
picture is too
vague or messy.

3: Effort is
clear, just a bit
too vague or
messy.

4: Effort is clear
and pictures are
easy to
understand.

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Assignment Sheet:
Draw here:

Three synonyms:
1.
2.
3.
Page number: #

Word:
Draw here:

Three synonyms:
1.
2.
3.
Page number: #

Word:
Draw here:

Three synonyms:
1.
2.
3.
Page number: #

Word:
Draw here:

Three synonyms:
1.
2.
3.
Page number: #

Word:
Draw here:

Three synonyms:
1.
2.
3.
Page number: #

Word:

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Research Base:
"All About Adolescent Literacy." Key Literacy Component: Vocabulary. N.p., n.d.
Web. 02 Mar. 2015.
"AP English Literature and Composition." - Writing Study Skills. N.p., n.d. Web.
02 Mar. 2015.
Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can't Read: What Teacher's Can Do. S.l.: Bt Bound,
2003. Print.
Colorado Academic Standards: Reading, Writing & Communicating. S.l.:
Bibliogov, 2013. 2010. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
Da Ros-Voseles, Denise, and Sally Fowler-Haughey. "Why Childrens
Dispositions Should Matter to All Teachers." Beyond the Journal September
(2007): 1-7. 2007. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
"Language, Literacy, and Cultural Studies." Denver Public Schools Language,
Literacy, and Cultural Studies. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
"Literacy Lapse." Literacy Lapse. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2015.
I chose to have students complete Beers Using Logographic Cues activity because it
ultimately aids students in learning vocabulary, which aids their overall literacy. By doing
so, students are able to develop skills necessary to move on to upper level education.
Beers claims that Logographic cues are designed to offer readers a high-utility message
in a minimum amount of space (Beers, 129). Furthermore, students will learn other
skills, such as using outside sources (like a thesaurus or dictionary) alongside a text. I am
using the other sources to inform the choices I make based on Beers original concept of
Using Logographic Cues.
Works Cited
"All About Adolescent Literacy." Key Literacy Component: Vocabulary. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar.
2015.
"AP English Literature and Composition." - Writing Study Skills. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
Colorado Academic Standards: Reading, Writing & Communicating. S.l.: Bibliogov, 2013.
Web.
Da Ros-Voseles, Denise, and Sally Fowler-Haughey. "Why Childrens Dispositions Should
Matter to All Teachers." Beyond the Journal September (2007): 1-7. 2007. Web. 1 Mar.
2015.
"Language, Literacy, and Cultural Studies." Denver Public Schools Language, Literacy, and
Cultural Studies. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.

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"Literacy Lapse." Literacy Lapse. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.

Assessment Plan 3 (Post Reading Strategy for the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.
Salinger)
Strategy: Guided R.A.F.T Writing Assignment
CCSS: 10th grade Standard 3.1 a, i, ii, iii: Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured

event sequences (CCSS: W.9-10.3) (cde.state.co.us).

Context: The informal purpose of the Guided R.A.F.T Writing Assignment is to help
students understand their role as a writer, the audience they will address, the varied
formats for writing, and the topic they'll be writing about. By using this strategy, teachers
encourage students to write creatively, to consider a topic from a different perspective,
and to gain practice writing for different audiences. Students learn to respond to a writing
prompt that requires them to think about various perspectives (Santa & Havens, 1995)
(adlit.org).

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The activity is designed for 10th graders (15 and 16 year olds) who can read at at least a
seventh grade reading level; are interested in American literature, adolescent literature
and class literature; and who have Intellectual Dispositions (naeyc.org).
Reading Focus: According to the 2014 Denver Post article (written by Eric Gorski and
Yesenia Robles), Colorado Students Show Slight Decline in state TCAP Results,
statewide-standardized testing scores have noticeably declined (denverpost.com). Gorski
and Robles claim that only about half of all Colorado fifth graders are proficientin
writing (denverpost.com). While this is just a specified grade example, there has been a
decline in writing scores across the state/district. Furthermore, these fifth graders will one
day be high school students in the DPS system, and will lack the writing skills they need
to be successful. These facts are applicable to the tenth grade students at East High
School because they too are part of an education system in which proficient writing skills
are not a focus. If these skills were a focus, the TCAP scores mentioned in the article
would be much higher.
The Guided R.A.F.T Writing Assignment addresses this problem because it provides
students with a structured format of writing that guides them through the most basic
components of a piece of writing. By writing in this manner, students develop basic
writing skills that will aid them on standardized tests, but also in all future writing
assignments.
Instructional Strategies:
The day after students finish the novel for homework, I will pass out the
assignment sheet during class (1 minute).
Then I will go over the assignment sheet and the rubric with the whole class and
allow students to ask questions about it and the assignment (10 minutes).
I will then show students a sample of a R.A.F.T writing that I wrote and allow
time for students to ask questions (5-10 minutes).
Following this, I will give students 35 minutes to complete the writing assignment
in class (35 minutes).
Assessment tools/Rubric: I will assess the Guided R.A.F.T Writing Assignment using
the following standards-based rubric. Total points: 20. Getting twenty points will equal a
100%, or A. If the assignment has been filled out completely, the student will receive two
points. If the assignment has not been done or has not been turned in, zero points will be
awarded.

Wilson 21

Conveys a
vivid
picture of
the
experiences
, events,
setting,
and/or
characters.

0: Does
not
complete
the
criteria.

1: Attempts
to use
precise
language,
details and
sensory
images.

2: Precise
language
used but
many
errors are
present.

Uses
narrative
techniques.

0: Does
not
complete
the
criteria.

1: Attempts
to use
one/few
narrative
technique(s
) or uses all
techniques
incorrectly.

2:
Narrative
techniques
used but
writing has
many
errors.

Paragraph
structure
gives clarity
to the
writing.

0: Does
not
complete
the
criteria.

1: Format
choice does
not make
sense with
the writing
or
characters.

2: Format
almost
makes
sense with
the writing
or
characters.

The
assignment
looks
professional
and
polished.

0: Does
not
complete
the
criteria.

1: Many
errors are
present but
overall
document is
legible.
Document
is messy.
Casual
language is
used too
often.

2: Few
errors are
present but
document
is messy.
The
language is
too casual.

3:
Language
used is
precise and
the
motivation
behind
choices is
clear.
Some
errors
present.
3:
Narrative
techniques
used. Some
errors
present.

4: Uses
precise
words and
phrases,
telling
details, and
sensory
language,
still a few
errors
present.

5: Uses
precise
words and
phrases,
telling
details, and
sensory
language.

4: Narrative
techniques
are used,
with few
errors
present.

5: Uses
dialogue,
pacing,
description
and
reflection
to develop
events,
and/or
characters

3: Format
makes
sense but is
not
executed at
the
students
full writing
potential.
3: Almost
no errors
are made
but casual
language is
used too
much or
the
document
is too
messy.

4: Format
makes sense,
and it is clear
that the
student has
made an
effort.

5: The
format
choice
makes
sense and
fits the
writing.

4: Almost no
errors/messe
s made.
Casual
language
used only
when
appropriate.

5: There are
no errors;
the writing
is clear and
neat.
Casual
language
used only
when
appropriate.

Wilson 22

Assignment Sheet:
R.A.F.T Assignment
What does R.A.F.T Stand for??
R: Role of the writer. Who are you?
A: Audience. To whom are you writing?
F: Format. In what format are you writing?
T: Topic. What are you writing about?
Instructions: You are going to write a R.A.F.T. You will pick your role, your audience,
your format and your topic from the option columns below. You can mix and match any of
the options below. Your R.A.F.T should be at least one page long, hand written.
ROLE
AUDIENCE
FORMAT
TOPIC
Holden
Pick an
Letter
Write about
audience that
what Holden
Phoebe
Journal entry
fits
has been doing
Holdens
School Report
appropriately
prior to his
parents
Poem
with your
hospital release.
Mr. Spencer
If you have
chosen format
Update your
Stradlater
another idea,
audience on
This could be
see me for
how he is doing,
someone from
approval
and what he has
the novel, or the
been up to. Is he
person Holden
doing well, or
is originally
still struggling?
addressing

Research Base:

"All About Adolescent Literacy." RAFT Writing. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.
Colorado Academic Standards: Reading, Writing & Communicating. S.l.:
Bibliogov, 2013. 2010. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
Da Ros-Voseles, Denise, and Sally Fowler-Haughey. "Why Childrens
Dispositions Should Matter to All Teachers." Beyond the Journal September
(2007): 1-7. 2007. Web. 1 Mar. 2015.
Gorski, Eric, and Yesenia Robles. "Colorado Students Show Slight Decline in
State TCAP Results." - The Denver Post. N.p., 14 Aug. 2014. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.

I chose use have my students complete the R.A.F.T assignment because it provides
students with the most foundational aspects writing, thus allowing scaffolding for future,
more complicated writing assignments. By doing so, this allows students to learn basic
writing skills, thus contributing to their overall literacy skills. Furthermore, by allowing

Wilson 23
students to choose what they are writing about, this teaches them to be accountable, and
when students make their own decisions, better learning occurs.
Works Cited
"All About Adolescent Literacy." RAFT Writing. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
Colorado Academic Standards: Reading, Writing & Communicating. S.l.: Bibliogov, 2013.
Web.
"Colorado Students Show Slight Decline in State TCAP Results." - The Denver Post. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
Da Ros-Voseles, Denise, and Sally Fowler-Haughey. "Why Childrens Dispositions Should
Matter to All Teachers." Beyond the Journal September (2007): 1-7. 2007. Web. 1 Mar.
2015.

Wilson 24
Reflective Rationale & Self-Assessment
As stated in my parent letter, my main teaching philosophy is to form connections
with my students. Not only do I strive to connect with my students, but I also wish for
them to make their own connections as well. In my classroom, my ultimate goal for my
students is for them to make connections to the literature they are reading. When this type
of connective learning occurs, it sparks a students imagination and an interest to further
reading skills. The assessment plans presented in this portfolio are ones that foster
student-to-literature connection. In my letter to parents and guardians, I address why I
plan to teach reading/literature in a particular way and plainly state my philosophy. I
provide parents with a list of what I plan to teach (what books we will read in American
Literature), how I plan to teach said books, and a description of my perspective on the
relationship between reading/literature instruction. My parent letter is readable for a
variety of parent audiences, and is written in clear, jargon-free language. When jargon is
present, it is clearly explained.
All three of my assessment plans spring from three separate standards. In my
folder, before the assessment plans, I have provided readers with a thorough context of
the Denver Public School system, for which each plan is suited. In my assessment plans, I
have provided a reading focus (that defines a skills students should acquire and the reason
describing how I know students have a need for this skill) for all three, a set of
instructional strategies with minuet-by-minute breakdowns (what I will do and what
students will do during the lesson), any and all assignment sheets/other materials I will
give to students (that are written in adult-centered language), a description of the
assessment tools/rubrics I will use to determine to what extent students have met the

Wilson 25
identified standards, and a research base that inform each plans (and include bulleted,
annotated citations that include bibliographic information as well as a brief description of
my research finding).
The only component of this project I feel shaky on is the Reflective Rationale &
Self-Assessment. I am not sure how comfortable I feel about reflecting upon my own
achievements, however I do feel as though I put all of my effort into this project, and
certainly tried my hardest. I do feel that I reflect upon and justify my assessment plans in
thoughtful and thorough terms. I also include a brief self-assessment based upon the
criteria provided in the scoring guide.
I feel that the Assessment Plans I have created providing some scaffolding for
students completing these assignments in that they get more complicated as they go. The
assignment for Assessment Plan 1 is the most straightforward, the one for Assessment
Plan 2 is more complicated, and the assignment for Assessment Plan 3 is the most
complicated. The assignments for Plans 1 and 2 allow students to begin to think about the
themes they will write about in the R.A.F.T assignment. Assessment Plan 1 fosters
connection because it allows students to begin to form personal connections with J.D.
Salingers The Catcher in the Rye. This happens within students ability to connect with
the more realistic parts of the novel, such as the humanity and teenage
qualities/tendencies of the main character. Assessment Plan 2 continues to help students
make connections to The Catcher in the Rye because when students actively learn
vocabulary via image association, they can understand the language of a text better, thus
creating a higher level of understating of the text and a further desire to read. Assessment
Plan 3 helps students form connections to the characters in the novel because it allows for

Wilson 26
students to get inside the minds of characters, thus forming a better understanding of (and
eventually connection to) said characters.
The most challenging part of creating three separate Assessment Plans was
designing effective assessments for each assignment. What helped the most was having
peers read the rubrics I created, and editing my rubric explanations in each Assessment
Plan.
I feel that I deserve around ninety points for this project. I have fully completed
the requirements for my parent letter, and have also met every requirement needed to earn
all points on my three Assessment Plans. My Assessment Plans are thorough and in
depth.
I feel that within my parent letter, I thoroughly explain why I plan to teach
reading/literature in a particular way, in this context, and that my philosophy (beliefs,
principles based on theory research, and teaching experiences) is stated clearly and
concisely. That being said, I think that my statement of philosophy is the greatest strength
in my parent letter. The greatest struggle I faced in my parent letter was describing my
perspective on the relationship between reading and literature instruction. I found it
difficult to articulate the separation between these two teaching reading components.
While creating Assessment Plan 1, I feel that my greatest strength was springing
from a specific standard. I used 10th Grade Standard 2.2 b effectively throughout my
assessment plan, and in the rubric I created. The rubric I will use in the assessment plan
will assess students in their completed meeting of the identified standards. The part that I
struggled with the most while creating Assessment Plan 1 was describing the instructional

Wilson 27
strategies and assigning each bit of instruction an allotted time slot in a hypothetical
lesson plan.
My greatest strength from Assessment Plan 2 is providing a reading focus. By
pulling an article out of the popular Denver magazine, 5280 Magazine, I brought an issue
to attention that real Denver parents reading said magazine would care about. In doing so,
my reading focus defines a specific skill that students should acquire and how I know
students have this need. My greatest weakness from Assessment Plan 2 was again, my
instructional strategies. I still felt as though assigning minute-based time slots was
difficult for me to do. I feel that it is difficult to assign timing to one assignment without
seeing how it fits in with a 50-minute lesson plan in its entirety.
I think that my greatest strength from Assessment Plan 3 is my assessment
tool/rubric. Not only did I spend a great deal of time creating this rubric, but I also
describe the rubric I will uses to assess students, and line it up with identified standards.
My greatest weakness in Assessment Plan 3 is my research base. I felt that my research
base was sparse compared to the other two, and not as informed with theories and/or
research findings supplied sources.
That being said, in my overall Assessment Portfolio, I used many outside research
sources, and all of my assignments are standards-based.