The new Utah Compose writing assignments are now available.  Please remember to have your children work on their Utah Compose assignments at home.  The assignment will be visible when your student logs in.  The current writing prompts are as follows:

Level 4 – Help from Clouds: Write an essay explaining how clouds can help us to predict weather. Read the article and view the video before you begin your graphic organizer. Be sure to use science words and other information from the article and the video.

Level 5 – How do Banks Work? : Read the webpage. Try the compounding calculator. Then write a letter to a younger brother, sister, or friend, explaining how banks work. Be sure to explain how banks have money to loan and how they make money.

Level 6 – Origin of the Alphabet: Read Part 1 and Part 2 of the article about the alphabet. Then, in your own words, explain how the alphabet came into being. You may use facts from the reading. Be sure that your summary fully and accurately explains the origin of the alphabet.

I carefully selected these prompts to draw on background knowledge that your children already have from our math, science and history lessons.

This assignment is due next Tuesday, January 13th,  so that we can peer edit and give feedback.  Your child will have one more week to revise and edit before submitting a final draft on Tuesday, January 20th.  Your children can submit as many drafts through Utah Compose as they would like in order to improve their writing with feedback given through the website.  I will also be checking their writing and giving feedback through the website.

When a draft is submitted, your child will receive a score with a breakdown of why they received that specific score.  The essays are graded on a scale of 1-5 in each of 6 categories: development of ideas, organization, style, word choice, sentence structure and conventions.   For each category lessons will be suggested in order to improve the essay, thereby improving the overall score your child receives.  I highly recommend your child take a look at the lessons.  They are in the form of games and exercises designed to address each particular writing trait.   In the past, the students have quite enjoyed the lessons.  After viewing a lesson, your child should go back to their essay and apply what they have learned.

Thank you for supporting your child in completing this homework assignment.