drafting board self-guided training

A FUN & EASY

DIY TRAININGFROM

VERSION

2.0

Using This Training• Make sure you can connect to YouTube so you can

access the links to our short tutorial videos. • Make sure you’re running this presentation as a slide

show so you don’t miss any of the built-in features.• Advance through the presentation as you normally

would, by clicking, pressing enter, or using the arrow keys.

• Links within the presentation will let you skip around and customize your DIY training if you wish. You’ll need to click directly on those links to use them.

DIY DIY TRAININTRAINING MENUG MENUClick the orange arrow to begin the training

Begin the Training

- OR -

Just show me how Drafting Board works

Show me the classroom & teaching materials

Walk me through the teacher report data

Help me set up a class and assign DB

Quiz me about what DB is and what it isn’t

Remind me about the special features in DB-OR-

Select the part of the training you’d like to view first.

Don’t worry – you can always return to the menu!

… you’ll need to take care of a few housekeeping tasks on iCivics.org.

GETTING STARTED:

Before you use DB…

Back to Menu

Get a Teacher Account

Click “Join iCivics” and follow the instructions. Be sure to check your email to verify your account!

Back to Menu

Set Up Your Classes

You must assign Drafting Board to your students. This lets students access Drafting Board.

Before you start DB, set up your classes in My iCivics.

Click this button for a video tutorial on creating classes in My iCivics.

- OR - Click anywhere else to continue this training presentation.

Back to Menu

Assign Drafting BoardYou can assign DB right from the topic page. It takes you right to the “Create Assignment” page.

Click this button for a video on creating assignments in My iCivics. Fast forward to 1:00 to begin at the “Create Assignment” page.

- OR - Click anywhere else to continue.

Back to Menu

… before your students dive in!

USING DRAFTING BOARD:

Get to know the tool…

Back to Menu

The ModulesStudents work through six modules inside Drafting Board:

At the end, they will have a completed essay.Back to Menu

Challenge Modes

You’ll learn what the levels mean after you learn how Drafting Board works. (It will make more sense then.)

Drafting Board has six scaffolding options.

Back to Menu

Issue AnalyzerIn the first module, students learn about the issue by using a library of evidence to complete a fictional news story.

Click this button to watch a tutorial video that explains a bit about the Challenge Modes and walks you through the Issue Analyzer.

Back to Menu

Claim CreatorIn the second module, students support their claim with reasons and support each reason with evidence.

Click this button to watch a tutorial video that walks you through the Claim Creator.

Back to Menu

Paragraph ConstructorIn the third module, students create the essay’s three body paragraphs. (The Challenge Mode affects the amount of scaffolding the Paragraph Constructor provides.)

Click this button to watch a tutorial video that walks you through the Paragraph Constructor. In the video, the Challenge Mode has been set to Default (one paragraph at each of the three scaffolding levels).

Back to Menu

Critic CrusherIn the fourth module, students write a counterargument paragraph that “crushes” one of the other side’s reasons.

Click this button to watch a tutorial video that walks you through the Critic Crusher.

Back to Menu

The ‘Ducer & the CrafterIn the Introduction Introducer and the Conclusion Crafter, students create the introduction and conclusion paragraphs.

Click this button to watch a tutorial video that walks you through the Introduction Introducer and the Conclusion Crafter.

Back to Menu

(The Challenge Mode also controls the amount of help a student receives when restating the claim and reasons in the conclusion paragraph.)

… at some of the key features Drafting Board offers.

FEATURE REVIEW:

Look a little deeper…

Back to Menu

Challenge ModeLevel = Amount of scaffolding in the Paragraph Constructor and Conclusion Crafter

Plan ahead! Decide which level to assign to your class and/or to individual students.

Next… all about the Challenge Modes.

Back to Menu

Challenge ModeThere are three possible scaffolding types:

• AUTO-COMPLETE. This is the highest level of scaffolding. The paragraph is pre-written and contains blank spaces. As students click highlighted sentences in the evidence, Drafting Board auto-completes the space. Students must determine if the auto-complete response makes sense.

• PARAPHRASE. This is the mid-level scaffolding. The paragraph is pre-written and contains blank areas. Based on the evidence, students must complete the blank areas in their own words.

• WRITE-IT-YOURSELF. This level offers no scaffolding. Except for the topic sentence, students write the paragraph completely on their own based on information in the evidence.

Back to Menu

Lots of help

Total DIY

Back to Menu

Built-In GlossaryHover or click on a pink word to see its definition.

Back to Menu

Audio SupportMost text has audio read-aloud.

The audio can’t be disabled. If you don’t want all students to use it, you’ll need to state that expectation.

Back to Menu

“Your Essay So Far”This button lets students see the work they’ve done so far. They see any completed essay parts next to the outline. They may also edit.

Details next…

Back to Menu

“Your Essay So Far”Outline (from Claim Creator)

Completed essay parts

Progress bar

Option to edit text

Back to Menu

Visible Student Text

Student-generated text is orangey brownish yellow.

Both you and they can easily see which text the students wrote themselves.

Back to Menu

Transitions Help

Click or hover over a transition to see its definition and an example.

Back to Menu

Between-Module ScreenStudents see a progress page between each module.

“Thermometer” shows progress through the modules in order.

Colored blocks show progress of constructing the essay.

“View Your Essay” takes them to the Your Essay So Far page.

“Redo” restarts the module from the beginning.

Back to Menu

Graphic OrganizersA graphic organizer introduces each module.

The organizers show the basic concepts students should learn in the module.

Supplemental teaching materials include a Power Point activity with the organizers and a fun whole-class quiz.

Back to Menu

… teacher facilitation! We’ve made materials to help you.

CLASSROOM SUPPORT:

Drafting Board needs…

Back to Menu

Classroom Materials

There is a set of printed classroom materials for each Drafting Board topic. These help students get the most out of Drafting Board.

Back to Menu

Classroom Materials

• “Challenge mode” matrix• Printable pre-writing activity options• Printable glossary• Guiding questions to help you help them• Printable evidence for students who need it• Printable “Progress Tracker” (highly recommended!)• Peer-editing mini-worksheet

Each set of classroom materials includes guidance for you and worksheets for them…

Back to Menu

Teaching Guide

“Teaching Guide & Tips” shows you what to look for when kids are using Drafting Board.

Back to Menu

Teaching Guide

• Getting Started guide• Tips for each module• Guide to the teacher report data• How to use the Concept Activity PowerPoint

The “Teaching Guide & Tips” is the same for each module. It includes helpful hints for teaching with Drafting board:

Back to Menu

Teaching GuideFor each module, see…

• What to look for as you circulate while students are working

• Explanation of built-in support and instruction

• Purpose & concepts

Back to Menu

Teaching Guide

• Information and tips about key parts of the module

• Key images of the module

Back to Menu

Concept Activity

This PowerPoint activity builds a fun quiz around the graphic organizers inside Drafting Board to teach or reinforce the major concepts.

Back to Menu

Concept Activity

Full-slide versions of the graphic organizers let you teach or review the concepts inside Drafting Board.

Back to Menu

Concept Activity

Active participation quiz helps you reinforce the concepts from the graphic organizers in a fun way.(Answers appear on click.)

Back to Menu

Product OverviewThe Product Overview offers a general walk-through of Drafting Board’s modules and features.

(By now you’re an expert, but it’s there if you need it!)

Back to Menu

… are only a click away!

TEACHER REPORTING:

Your students’ results…

Back to Menu

View Report

You can view a report of your students’ data right from the topic page.

(You can also access the report data from My iCivics.)

Back to Menu

Main Report PageUse the drop-down menu to select the class you want to see.

Circles color in as the student works through.

These buttons let you view, print, or download individual results.

Back to Menu

View Data

The “View Data” button shows you how the student performed in the evidence matching activities in Drafting Board.

Back to Menu

View DataFor each activity, you’ll see how many pieces of evidence the student matched on the first try…

…and how many incorrect matches the student tried.

Together, this data shows you how much the student struggled with the evidence matching activities.

Back to Menu

View Essay

The “View Essay” button lets you see the student’s essay.

Back to Menu

View Essay

Text the student wrote is highlighted in blue.

From here, you can download or print the student’s essay.

Back to Menu

Download AllThese buttons at the top let you download data or essays for the entire class at once.

Back to Menu

For each statement, show

if the statement is true

if the statement is false

QUIZ:

Drafting Board is…

Back to Menu

1) Drafting Board is…… a tool to help teach essay structure and format.

True

FalseDrafting Board models and supports writing quality but cannot assess it.

Back to Menu

2) Drafting Board is…… a replacement for teaching about argumentative writing.

True

FalseDrafting Board helps you teach, but it can’t replace the teacher.

Back to Menu

3) Drafting Board is…… a game.

True

FalseDrafting Board is a writing tool that requires facilitation to be most effective.

Back to Menu

4) Drafting Board is…… a way to model what good arguments look & sound like.

True

FalseModeling is embedded throughout Drafting Board.

Back to Menu

5) Drafting Board is…… a way to teach kids how to conduct good research.

True

FalseIt doesn’t teach how to conduct research, but it can be a good discussion starter.

Back to Menu

6) Drafting Board is…… a way to practice working with evidence and support.

True

FalseStudents work with the built-in evidence library throughout Drafting Board.

Back to Menu

7) Drafting Board is…… a way to support literacy in the Social Studies classroom.

True

FalseDrafting Board supports writing skills students learn in ELA classes.

Back to Menu

8) Drafting Board is…… a replacement for writing essays independently.

True

FalseDrafting Board is meant to help students learn to write independent essays.

Back to Menu

9) Drafting Board is…… a way to explore topics relevant to civics.

True

FalseDrafting Board lets students dig deeper into a variety of civics topics.

Back to Menu

10) Drafting Board is…… a good way to keep kids busy while you grade papers.

True

FalseYou probably won’t get good results out of the Drafting Board experience this way.

Back to Menu

THANK YOU!Was this DIY training useful? Please let us know what you thought by clicking the button to take a quick survey.

Back to Menu

If you have any questions about Drafting Board, please email support@icivics.org. A friendly iCivics staff member will be happy to help.