Read Around Groups: Opinions

Rules for Read Around Groups (RAGs)

1. Students bring completed drafts to the RAGs.
2. Students are randomly placed in groups of 3-4 (teacher choice).  The drafts are collected in one pile for each group.
3. At the start, on the teacher signal, the drafts are passed from one group to the next.  Students do not read drafts by members of their own group.  Each student receives one paper and reads it for 1 minute.  Not all students will finish all papers, but in one minute they have an opportunity to get a strong feel for the writing.
4. At the teacher’s signal, drafts are passed clockwise within the groups.  Each student now has a new draft and has one minute to read it.  This process is continued until everyone in the group has read all drafts.
5. Once everyone in the group has read the set, each group is charged with the task of providing feedback related to the success criteria on one draft at a time.  They have two minutes per draft to do so.  The hope is that this will produce good discussion, because it is through these discussions that students think deeply about the merits of good writing.
6. One student in each group is designated as the recorder.  This student records the 3 things that were done well by the writer according to the criteria, as well as the two areas for improvement.
7. Once the feedback is recorded, the drafts get passed again and the process repeats itself a second time.  Remember, each group is not to review their own papers.
8. Once drafts have been reviewed twice they are returned to their owners. It is then up to the writers to take the feedback given, review their own writing, and revise to make their writing that much better.

Success Criteria

• • The piece includes an interesting lead and a topic sentence that introduces the writer's opinion and clearly states the main reasons.

  • The piece includes a collection of broad yet distinct main reasons that are clearly stated. 
  • main reason #1: 
  • main reason #2: 
  • main reason #3:

  • The piece includes a mix of general and specific relevant details that support or elaborate on the main reasons and are focused solely on the opinion.

  • The piece includes a conclusion paragraph with the main reasons restated and an attempt at emphasizing the author’s opinion.