Las Brisas Elementary School

Write...from the Beginning is a developmental writing program for Kindergarten through 5th Grade focused on those criteria necessary for successful writing achievement beyond the elementary years.

The program includes both narrative and expository writing, each utilizing the Thinking Maps Common Visual Language. Teachers build upon and extend the instruction of previous grades by using Modeled Instruction, Improvement Rubrics, and Focused Mini-Lessons. The resultant effect is a common, targeted focus and school-wide accountability which creates an expectation of high student writing achievement on state and local writing tests.

Student Benefits:

• Students will become familiar with the terminology and concepts related to effective writing
• Students will be able to self-assess their writing performance and articulate a plan for improvement
• Students will use Thinking Maps cooperatively and independently to organize and plan for writing

Building on the foundation of Write...from the Beginning, Write...for the Future is a comprhensive, teacher friendly, secondary writing program designed to assist teachers in the preparation of students for multiple writing tasks, including state assessments.

Using the Thinking Maps Common Visual Language and other strategies, teachers become familiar with instructional techniques and rubric scoring of varied writing modes. Instruction is specifically geared to individual state standards.

Student Benefits:

• Students will become familiar with terms and expectations associated with effective writing
• Students will be able to self-evaluate their performance and identify strategies for improvement
• Students will be able to use Thinking Maps individually or in groups to organize and plan expository writing