A.S.K. Language Arts: Reading with Comprehension, Thinking with Skill, and Writing with a Plan
A.S.K. refers to: Analyze. Support. Know.
A – Analyze a text or topic using critical thinking skills.
(Reading with comprehension.)
S – Support the main idea or claim with evidence and logical reasoning.
(Thinking with skill.)
K – Know how to map out and write paragraphs and essays for different purposes.
(Writing with a plan.)
A.S.K. also refers to The Art, Science, and Kartography of Writing. What is meant by this?
Why art?
Writing is an art because it is creative expression. Just as we can paint a picture using brushstrokes on canvas, we can paint a mental picture using words on a page. In fact, as an author, our goal is to help the reader create that mental picture in their mind. We want the reader to visualize the characters and the setting. And not just visually, but with all their senses. We want the reader to feel like they are in the midst of the action, able to experience how it sounds, smells, feels, looks, etc. When a character speaks, we want the reader to understand how that character is feeling and sounding, and even what expression is on their face. Art is not just about sharing one’s creativity; it is also about sharing one’s voice. It is expression. It portrays a theme, a message, and a perspective.
Why science?
Writing is science because the process uses logic and reason, organization, and planning. Further, just as the Scientific Method employs a controlled procedure with the hopes of gaining reliable results, or as cooking follows a recipe with the same hope, so too can the process of writing. In science, reliability refers to the ability to consistently reproduce the same results by following the same procedure or recipe. It is true that no two pieces of art should look exactly the same (although forgers might disagree!), but we do want pieces of writing to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. We do want to know how to structure a paragraph, and when to start a new paragraph, and how to make the transition between two paragraphs. This year, by following a few good recipes for the process of thinking, planning, organizing, and writing, we will do just that!
Why kartography (cartography)?
Kartografi is the Swedish and Norwegian spelling of the word, cartography. Having that ancestry, and wanting the K for the A.S.K. acronym, and just to add a bit of creativity and fun, I am choosing to begin the word cartography with a K.
Writing is cartography because planning out one’s writing is similar to mapmaking. Further, the word cartography comes from the two ancient Greek words χάρτης (chartēs), which means “papyrus, sheet of paper, map,” and γράφειν (graphein), which means “to write or draw.” Putting those two parts together, cartography is defined as the art and science of drawing or making maps.
What does mapmaking have to do with writing? Here is an analogy: When you hop in your car or on your bike and start to pull out of your driveway or a parking lot, and you are ready to turn onto the road, you have to decide if you are going to turn left or right. How do you decide? You decide by thinking about where you are going. As Stephen R. Covey says in his program, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “Begin with the end in mind” (know where you are going) so that you can make a plan for how to get there! The same is true for writing. If we are writing our own story, it is helpful to know how we want the story to end, and what point we want to make, before we even start writing, as this will help us plan the journey for how to get there.
This year, we will be using a graphic organizer called a Story Map. We will use this both for analyzing a story that we read, and for planning our own stories. The Story Map allows us to see the starting point and ending point of the story, so that we can better identify the route taken from beginning to end.
In summary…
This curriculum uses graphic organizers to improve critical thinking skills and creative writing skills when analyzing literature, being imaginative, knowing where one’s going, and sharing one’s voice.
