Protocol for Pre & Post-VTS Writing Samples

Collecting student writing samples will provide you with a tool for assessing change. Note: This exercise is to be administered twice – once before you have taught any VTS lessons to your students, and once at the end of the curriculum (after nine or ten lessons are completed).

Materials

• Writing Pathmarker Download

• Color reproductions (black & white is OK, but color is ideal) of at least one image (if 'cheating/copying' is a concern, give half of the students one image, half the other).


• Files for projecting the image in the classroom, either from the web, a CD-rom, or slide.


• Two copies of Writing Sample Form for each student (if projecting a single image in the classroom you should still download and print copies of the form for students to write on), one for the pre sample, one for the post sample ten lessons later. (Images and Writing Sample Forms for all grades are located on the right side of this page)

Administration

Students should write about the same image for both pre and post sample so keep track of who gets what image. Once collected, mark on each whether it is pre sample or post sample. The student should not see the title of his/her image before writing.

Download and print the Writing Sample Forms for the image(s) you are using. (Images and Forms for all grades are located on the right side of this page)

Have students arrange themselves so that each has sufficient room to examine the visual image and write.

Explain the activity to students by reading the following:

• Today we are going to look at an image and write responses to some questions about that image. Please think about your responses carefully and write as well as you can. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. This is not a test. Your writing will help us come up with new ideas for teaching. Please work individually on these – not in groups.

Distribute the images, alternating between the two, so students sitting next to each other have different images. Assist students in completing information at the top, if necessary.

Ask students:

• I want you to look at the image you have in front of you (or projected in the front of the room) for a couple of minutes.

Now, carefully read the writing prompt at the top of your paper, it says:

• Look closely at the image you have been given. Think carefully about what you see. What’s going on in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that? What more can you find? You have 15 or 20 minutes to write. Try to organize your writing to make it easy for others to understand your thoughts. Be sure to read over your work and make corrections to your writing.

Give students 15-20 minutes to complete their writing.

Collect the papers and put them where you can safely keep them. When you have collected both pre and post tests, you will be able to compare them to look for change.