Surviving the Weekly

Informational Text:

OutWIT, Outplay, Outlast

Amanda Hobbs

Krystle Williams

Central Middle School

Gatesville, NC

A teacher’s philosophy

“We need to teach our students to read like

writers and write like readers.” -Kelly

Gallagher

What is the WIT? What does it look like?

The Weekly Informational Text

• Article

• Questions aligned with CCSS

• Critical thinking

• Textual evidence

• Effective writing skills

• Rubric for revision

Steps to completing a WIT:

1. READ the article in it’s entirety

2. ANSWER in complete sentences (restate,

capitalize, punctuate)

3. PROVE it: Underline and number textual

evidence (TE)

4. STATE TE using quotation marks (don’t

plagiarize!)

5. CHECK off the rubric

Benefits of the WIT

• Connects to reading and other assignments

• Allows thematic teaching

• Suitable for all content areas

• Differentiation, reflection, revision

• Improved academics

Theme: Courage

Text: “Ribbons” by Lawrence Yep

WIT

Why not design a WIT about...

• potential to kinetic energy in

roller coasters?

(7th gr. Science)

• the food customs of

Greece? (6th gr. SS)

• an opinion piece about

Math in real life? (8th gr.

Algebra)

• the evolution of women’s

roles in society?

(Home Economics)

• the tribulations of a past

composer or popular

musician? (Band/Chorus)

• the “no pass, no play” rule?

(Health/PE)

WIT in Health/PE

Compliments of Jacob Harrell: harrelja@gatescountyschools.net

Differentiate through revision!

It’s your turn!

With a neighbor:

1. Read the article

2. Read the WIT directions

3. Answer the question with

textual evidence

4. Fill out the rubric

YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES!

Your WIT should have looked like...

Great minds think alike!

The Article of the Week

by Kelly Gallagher

• Students must build their prior knowledge

to succeed when reading

• 30-45 articles a year

“It is not enough to simply teach

my students to recognize themes in

a given novel; if my students are to become

literate, they must broaden their reading

experiences into real-world text.”

-Kelly Gallagher

Development and implementation

• The WIT takes practice o Teachers = development

o Students = mastery

• WEEKLY Informational Text

o Choose one day a week to give the WIT

• Use your resources

o Current articles

o Thematic teaching

o Cross-curricular connections

Taking it a step further...

Britannica School: WIT Leveled Passages

Another active approach inspired

from "Article of the Week"

Use these stems to write your WIT questions!

Common Core Question Stems, 6th Grade

Common Core Question Stems, 7th Grade

Common Core Question Stems, 8th Grade

From our students to you

“The WIT helps me by understanding how to word [my answers] and restate.” -Javier

(Inclusion)

“The WIT helped me get focused on stories and to go back and reread every

sentence.” -Rayvon (Inclusion)

“The WIT has helped me because I have learned some new words. I have read better

because of it. It has taught me to do better on the Mock EOG. This is how it has

helped me.” -Haven

“What I like about the WIT is that it helps with my reading and writing.” -Donald

“The WIT has helped me be a better writer and make sure that I have done everything I

am supposed to do.” -Imani

“It has fun facts and new info each week.” -Madison (Honors)

“The WIT helps me show how to find textual evidence for the answer so you don’t take it

for plagiarism. That’s how the WIT has helped me.”

-Rick (Honors)

“I personally really do like the WIT. (Besides the fact it is work.) It has improved my

English skills. It taught me about giving credit to the author, providing textual evidence,

having quotations, page numbers, restating my questions, making complete sentences,

etc. I also learned to use my context clues to help me answer the questions.” -Jetta

(Honors)

THANK YOU for coming today!

Questions? Comments?

Contact us!

Amanda Hobbs HobbsAK@gatescountyschools.net

Krystle Williams WilliamsKW@gatescountyschools.net