RAFT Writing to Learn in all content areas. What is RAFT? A structured combination of factual research and imagination. Role Audience Format Topic.

RAFTWriting to Learn in all content areas

What is RAFT?

A structured combination of factual research and imagination.

• Role• Audience• Format• Topic

Role

• Who am I? What kind of a person am I? What is my perspective on the information?

• The role will depend on the content and subject matter being discussed• Example: In science, the role could be a scientist or even a

recently dissected frog.

Audience

• Who will be reading this? What is the purpose for writing this? Whom am I trying to persuade?

• Audience is directly connected to role.

• For example, the dissected frog could be trying to persuade his fellow frog friends to be dissected also for the advancement of science. Or, trying to persuade the scientist to use a different test subject.

Format

• What will my finished product look like?

• There are hundreds of options you can give students based on the depth you would like them to have in their finished product.

• Essay• Will• Speech• Calendar• Contract• Cartoon• Resume• Menu• Lab Notes

• Map• Tattoo• News Release• Timeline• Dedication• Greeting Card• Email• Memo• Class Notes

• Textbook Section• Parody• Advice Column• Wanted Poster• Police Report• Children’s Book• Obituary• Skit• Advertisement

Topic

• What information am I trying to share? What do I want others to learn from what I am writing?

• Students who normally do not test well have a chance to succeed

RAFT1. Read “Eye Scan Technology Comes to Schools” and mark

any facts that you find interesting or important

2. Form groups of 4

3. Share what you marked with the group

4. Make a list of possible Roles and discuss their implications

5. Make a list of possible Audiences and discuss their implications

6. Make a list of possible Formats and discuss their implications

7. Circle a Role, Audience, and Format for your product

8. Your Topic will be the use of eye scan technology in schools

9. Create your product

10. Share your product with a neighbor and look for the facts they used from the article

General Procedure

1. Most successful when used at the conclusion of a unit or discussion of a specific topic

2. As a class (or in smaller groups) brainstorm possible Roles, Audiences, Formats, and Topics

3. Discuss the implications of each possible choice

4. Give students the opportunity to choose and begin creating

5. Give students a specific time frame to accomplish their product

6. Allow time for peer editing to make sure correct factual information was used

7. Permit students to share

Variations• All 4 aspects can be assigned or specific options can be

given if a particular outcome is desired

• Give students multiple articles about the same topic and have them create a RAFT to demonstrate how they are connected

• Accelerated students can generate their own RAFT options and struggling students will benefit from the options being provided

Resources• Science

• http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/RAFT.html• http://mstliteracy.wikispaces.com/RAFT+Examples

• Social Studies• http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/RAFT.html• http://www.tantasqua.org/superintendent/profdevelopment/

etraft.html

• Math• http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/RAFT.html• http://mstliteracy.wikispaces.com/RAFT+Examples

• Language Arts• http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/RAFT.html

What Can Go Wrong?

• More creativity than fact• Option 1: Peer Edit

where students are asked to find the facts in another’s product

• Option 2: Walk around the room and remind students to refer to their information sources for facts

Assessment

Create a rubric that fits your purpose for this assignment

Your turn

Using you textbook, choose a unit from first term that you can use RAFT for and determine possible Roles, Audiences, Formats, and Topics you can assign for that unit

Share with neighbors/group.