Have You Ever Wondered? 
Assessment Task

Introduce and discuss the self assessment form (see self_assessment.rtf), which students will complete when their work is finished. 

Summative Assessment
Students select one aspect to plan, draft and write an explanation about. 

1.	Students individually brainstorm (see http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html) ideas for their writing, listing vocabulary and as many ideas as they can. 

2.	Students organise their ideas ready for writing. This could be done in note form, or on a flow chart (see flowchart.rtf) or cluster diagram (see http://library.thinkquest.org/J001156/writing%20process/sl_go_cluster.htm?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0408). They then select the best and most relevant ideas from their brainstorm and organise them into sequential order, thinking carefully how to start and end the explanation. 

3.	Students share their ideas with a partner and get the opportunity to make additions or alterations to their brainstorm. 

During the planning process refer to text features (see explanations.rtf) discussed during the close reading. 
·	Why is it important for spiders to spin webs? (eg. survival in their environment)
·	How does a spider web work (see http://www.pa.msu.edu/~sciencet/ask_st/071697.html)?
·	How do spiders spin their web?  (see http://www.uselessknowledge.com/explain/spider.shtml)

4.	Students conference with a peer using conference guidelines (see comments_questions.rtf). 

5.	After drafting, editing and proofreading their explanation with peer and teacher interaction, students use the computer to publish their work using appropriate word processing software (see http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/alummis/beginnerword/index.htm), eg. MS Word, MS Publisher, MS Works, Creative Writer, Claris Works. Select fonts and borders appropriately. Use bold, size and the italics lettering features to add meaning, emphasis and effect. They may include a diagram. 

6.	Students complete the self assessment form (see self_assessment.rtf). 

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)