Teaching The Power Paragraph

Assessment

After you feel that your students have a handle on the elements of the "Power Paragraph", it will be time for you to assess their understanding of the concepts. The assessment suggested will test the student's capabilities first while working with your guidance, then while working alone. This will be a DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT because you will be able to identify the tasks that a student cannot initially understand on their own, instruct them in those specific areas, and then determine how much progress the student has made since that additional instruction. Just follow these easy steps!

1. Have the students write their own "Power Paragraph" on a topic of interest.
After drafting and editing, you can assess the initial composition progress of the students at that point in time.

2. Give out practice quizzes a few days before a final exam. Hand out an unmarked "Power Paragraph" and have students mark the paragraph according to the instructions in STEP 5. Through these quizzes you can assass the students' understanding of the elements of the "Power Paragraph"

3. Now that you are aware of the students' weaknesses and strengths, you can instruct students in the areas that need improvement.

4. Give a final test. Have the students use their BRAINSTORM handouts as a guide to writing a FINAL DRAFT . Once the FINAL DRAFT is written, have the students mark their "Power Paragraphs" using the correct markings.

10 Easy Steps

STEP 1: Orientation to the "Power Paragraph"

STEP 2: Make Power Poster