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A Guide to the R.A.F.T. Writing Strategy Across Content Areas

raft writing strategy

Why is RAFT writing one of the most effective writing strategies, particularly across all content areas and subjects? Before we share how it enables fluency and purpose, incorporates the elements of effective writing, provides students with a choice that is on grade level, and engages students to explain what they know and elaborate, let’s first talk about how different writing styles contribute to learning and understanding.

How Writing Pulls Back the Curtain

Heard often in classrooms: “I know the answer but I can’t explain it!” The problem here is a student who suffers from messy thinking and the simple answer to clearing that confusion might be writing.

Research has proven that writing crystallizes cloudy thinking, yet teachers often miss opportunities to provide students a venue for becoming aware of what they know and do not know. Another missed opportunity arises from a misunderstanding of types of writers.

What many mistake as writer’s block is actually a block in thinking.

Dianne Boehm simplifies this concept in her book Mozartians, Beethovians, and the Art of Teaching Writing . She describes writers as either Mozartians or Beethovians:

  • Beethovians are discoverers who discover what they think during the writing process. They actually generate their ideas as they write. These writers are very messy writers who write in a non-directed way. This writing almost always needs a great deal of revision.
  • Mozartians , by contrast, are planners. They mentally compose before they ever put pen to paper, working in a linear way focusing on what comes next. As they write they tend to recall what they know and organize that information as they write. Their revision process isn’t nearly as broad because they have mentally composed, revised, and edited throughout the composition process. 

Either type of writer is using writing in a way that contributes to learning and understanding.

Effective Writing in the Classroom

Regardless of which type of writer you or your students are, the implications are the same. Writing is the ideal vehicle for getting at what students understand and don’t understand. Junior Teague wrote that “nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood.” All teachers have an amusing personal anecdote that illustrates the truth of this statement. The stories lose their humor, however, when we are honest about how much misinformation escapes our notice . Students are gifted at staying below the radar of our formative assessments, but writing pulls back the curtain.

raft examples english

Writing can help content area teachers in their efforts to provide students with opportunities to connect prior knowledge. It provides an ideal vehicle for summarizing strategies that benefit both the student and the teacher with shared insights to understanding. Writing helps students organize their thinking, create new knowledge, and make tentative ideas become permanent ones.

R.A.F.T.: The Best Writing Strategy For All Content Areas

Of course, there are numerous writing strategies to choose from.  However, in my opinion, the best writing strategy is the R.A.F.T. strategy.

Effective writing enables students to write fluently and purposefully for an audience. R.A.F.T. can help you identify and incorporate the elements of effective writing . The R.A.F.T. strategy engages students in explaining what they know about a topic and then elaborating. In addition, it provides students with a choice that is on grade level.

What is the R.A.F.T. Strategy?

The R.A.F.T. stands for:

  • Helps the writer decide on point of view and voice.
  • Reminds the writer that he must communicate ideas to someone else.
  • Helps the writer determine content and style. 
  • Helps the writer organize ideas and employ the conventions of format, such as  letters, interviews, and story problems. 
  • Helps the writer focus on main ideas. 

R.A.F.T. Procedure: 

  • Think about the concepts or processes that you want students to learn as they read a selected passage. Consider how writing in an interesting way may enhance students’ understanding of the topic. 
  • Brainstorm possible roles students could assume in their writing.
  • Decide who the audience would be as well as the format for writing.
  • After students have finished reading, identify the role, audience, format, and topic (RAFT) for the writing. Assign the same role for all students or let them choose from several different roles.

R.A.F.T. Scoring Rubric: 

Table of Contents – R.A.F.T Writing Examples

  • 1st Grade – ELA
  • 2nd Grade Math – Money
  • 2nd Grade Science – Plants
  • 3rd Grade ELA – Charlotte’s Web
  • 3rd Grade ELA – Character Perspective
  • 5th Grade Math – Decimals
  • 4th Grade Science – Astronomy
  • 6th Grade Math – Geometry
  • 7th Grade Science – Invasive Species
  • 8th Grade Social Studies – Taxation
  • 9th Grade ELA – Inferencing
  • 9th Grade ELA – Anaylzying Viewpoints
  • 10th Grade Science – Anaylzying Viewpoints
  • Subject Area: Social Studies
  • Subject Area: Science
  • Subject Area: Math
  • Subject Area: ELA

1 st Grade RAFT Example for English/Language Arts: How to Write a “How To” Paragraph

2 nd grade raft example for math: how do people pay for things, 2 nd grade raft example for science: lesson on living things: plants, 3 rd grade raft example for english/language arts: charlotte’s web.

  • Role: You will assume the role of Wilbur or Charlotte.
  • Audience: The audience is “himself” or “herself.”
  • Format: In reading this story, we discussed the unusual friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a barn spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur was in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages praising Wilbur, such as “Some Pig” in her web to persuade the farmer to let him live. The format you will use is a personal journal or diary. Assume or pretend that your chosen character talked things over in his or her head, as the action of the story played out. What was he or she thinking? How did it feel? What did he or she think that the farmer should do? How can you describe these things? When you assume the role of Wilbur or Charlotte, you will be using words to describe how you feel—you will become the character.
  • Topic: The actions taken to save Wilbur from slaughter.
  • Writing Task: Write a response in which you assume the role of Wilbur or Charlotte. You must decide what you think he or she was thinking and feeling, and then describe it in detail. Use specific references to the text. You should have at least four or more references to the text and at least three quotations. Your response should be at least five paragraphs long.

3 rd Grade RAFT Writing Example for ELA: Character Perspective

raft examples english

5th Grade RAFT Example for Math: Decimal

4th grade raft example for science: astronomy, 6 th grade raft example for geometry lesson: types of angles, 7 th grade raft writing example for science: invasive species, 8 th grade raft writing example for social studies: taxation without representation, 9 th grade raft example lesson on inference using john steinbeck’s, “the pearl”.

  • Role: You will assume the role of Juana, wife of Kino in John Steinbeck’s, The Pearl.
  • Audience: The audience is “herself.”
  • Format: In reading the novel, we considered the “Song of Evil” and the “Song of the Family;” now, you are to create Juana’s “Song to Herself.” The format you will use is a personal journal or diary. Assume or pretend that Juana communicated with herself, talked things over in her head, as the action of the story played out. What was she thinking? How did it feel? What did she think her family should do? Now, how can you describe these things? When you assume the role of Juana, you will be using words to describe how you feel—you will be singing the “Song of Herself.”
  • Topic : The time you will use is during the action of The Pearl and speculation on what happened afterward—what did the family do after they threw the “pearl of the world” back into the ocean?
  • The Writing Task: Write a response in which you assume the role of Juana, wife of Kino in John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. You must decide what you think she was thinking and feeling, and then describe it in detail. Use specific references to the text. You should have at least seven references to the text and at least three quotations. You must also specifically mention all four of the essential questions, which is cake because Juana is an indigenous female in a sexist and racist culture that was neither fair nor just because those in power—including her husband—used it over the powerless, a group of which she is a member. Your response should be at least two typed double-spaced pages in 12 point font.

raft examples english

9 th Grade RAFT Example for ELA: Analyzing Viewpoints Lesson

Writing Task: There are many views on the use of alcohol and tobacco. They range from those vehemently against it to those who believe there should be no laws regulating it. It is important to be able to see and understand viewpoints different than our own. Although understanding does not mean agreeing, seeing the other side allows us to have a deeper understanding of the complexity of these social issues. Based on the US Health Department video we watched to complete your graphic organizer showing the research findings about short and long term consequences of alcohol and tobacco use, complete two of the following R.A.F.T. assignments. Choose one from A and B, and one from C and D. You will be graded based on the rubric displayed on the front board. Please look over the rubric before you begin.This will give you a clear picture of my expectations for this activity. Your R.A.F.T. will be due tomorrow as you enter the classroom.

raft examples english

10 th Grade RAFT Writing Example for Biology: Photosynthesis

Subject area examples, social studies, english/language arts, share this post:.

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Don Marlett

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raft examples english

William S. Jewett (1821–1873) The Promised Land – The Grayson Family , 1850 Oil on canvas 50 3/4 x 64 in. (128.9 x 162.6 cm) Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection, 1999.79

Graphic Organizer: RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) Writing Strategies

Using raft writing strategies with artworks.

The RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) writing strategy, developed by Santa, Havens, and Valdes [1] , helps students understand their role as a writer and communicate their ideas clearly by developing a sense of audience and purpose in their writing. Works of art are rich sources of ideas and details for narrative and other kinds of writing. This RAFT strategy lends itself to use with works of art and to helping students develop their ideas and organize their approach before they begin to write.

In the example below, we added “questions to answer” to the RAFT matrix as a way to help students think through the components of this activity.

Download this material as a pdf for classroom use here .

RAFT activity: The Promised Land—The Grayson Family

Directions for teachers:

  • Introduce students to the painting The Promised Land—The Grayson Family (or another work of art for which information is available). Have students read about it and discuss the story it tells.
  • Show examples of ideas for the RAFT based on The Promised Land .
  • Next, project the table below on the board. Ask students to pick a role from the chart, and identify an audience, format, topic, and questions for their written piece to answer.
  • Give students a copy of the Role Development Chart worksheet  and have them complete it before they begin writing.

Ideas to get students started on their RAFT:

Audience: family member, friend back home, friend already living in the West, foreigner considering moving to America, oneself (diary), museum

Format: letter, newspaper story, song, poem, diary entry, advertisement poster, caption

Topic: traveling to California, the difference between home and the West, the land/resources of the West, hunting, setting up camp

Questions: How do I feel about my journey? What do we do next? Where will we live? What challenges do I face?

Role Development Chart

Before writing your piece take time to put yourself into the role you have selected. Think deeply about who you are in this role and what you want to include from your reading to make your writing credible. What perspective will you have on the issue you think is most important?

[1] Santa, C., Havens, L., & Valdes, B. (2004). Project CRISS: Creating Independence through Student-owned Strategies. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.

raft examples english

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Anchor chart for the RAFT strategy

Reading and Writing Strategies

RAFT Writing

The RAFT strategy encourages students to write creatively, consider a topic from a different perspective, and to gain practice writing for different audiences.

Download a Graphic Organizer

RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a writer, the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they’ll be writing about. 

  • R ole of the Writer: Who are you as the writer? A pilgrim? A soldier? The President?
  • A udience: To whom are you writing? A political rally? A potential employer?
  • F ormat: In what format are you writing? A letter? An advertisement? A speech?
  • T opic: What are you writing about?

Why use the RAFT strategy?

Students must think creatively and critically in order to respond to prompts, making RAFT a unique way for students to apply critical thinking skills about new information they are learning. RAFT writing can be used across disciplines as a universal writing approach.

How to create and use the strategy

  • Walk students through the acronym RAFT and why it’s important to consider various perspectives when completing any writing assignment.
  • Display a RAFT writing prompt to your class and model how you would write in response to the prompt.
  • Have students react to another writing prompt individually, or in small groups. It works best if all students react to the same prompt so the class can learn from each other’s responses.
  • As students become comfortable in reacting to RAFT prompts, you can create more than one prompt for students to respond to after reading, a lesson, or a unit of study. Varied prompts allow students to compare and contrast multiple perspectives, deepening their understanding of the content.

Sample RAFT prompts

R:  Citizen A:  Congress F:  Letter T:  Taxation
R:  Scout Finch  A:  Community of Monroeville, Alabama F:  Eulogy for Atticus Finch T:  Social Inequality

Strategy in action

For more RAFT prompts, review Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey’s compiled list of Picture Book RAFT prompts . You may also find a RAFT scoring rubric and additional RAFT examples helpful as you implement the RAFT strategy in your class. Now, let’s watch as a teacher uses the RAFT writing strategy in her science class.

Tips for success

  • It’s important for students to learn how their writing may change for different perspectives. It’s helpful to show students examples of writings on the same topic and format but with different roles of the writer or audience.
  • Once students are fluent using the RAFT strategy, they can take any topic and choose the role, audience, and format on their own.

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raft examples english

RAFT Writing

RAFT Writing: Teaching students to analyze writing prompts

I first heard of RAFT writing several years ago as a strategy for students to show their content knowledge beyond just writing reports.  Most of the suggestions for use have been in upper grades classrooms, especially in middle school and high school.  It’s also a common format for writing in content areas to have students demonstrate their understanding of the topic that has been learned- often as a product at the end of the unit. RAFT Writing has students respond when the Role, Audience, Format, and Topic are laid out for students to do their writing, often showcasing their content knowledge.  It’s also a great tool to help teachers write prompts for those content areas.

Over the years, however, I’ve used RAFT as a writing strategy for analyzing prompts in elementary school with students as young as first grade.  RAFT has allowed me to give students experience and exposure with various writing types, build in creative writing into our writing centers, and give students a tool to use for state testing to analyze the prompts their given and respond appropriately.

RAFT is an acronym identifying the four aspects of a writing prompt:

R- Role (who is the character/narrator and their point of view)

A- audience (who is the writing for), f- format (what type of writing is expected), t- topic (what you are writing about).

RAFT Writing anchor chart: role, audience, format, topic

Examples of RAFT in content areas could be: ~Write an article as if you were a water droplet going through the water cycle.

~Write a story as a water droplet going through the water cycle.

~Pretend you are a child in 1774 in what will eventually be America. Describe what your life is like.

RAFT Writing is commonly used as essay responses at the end of units to measure students’ content knowledge.  It’s also used in more open ended ways allowing for differentiation; the role and audience may be the only pieces given and students are able to choose the format and specific topic.  Or, students are given the topic and format, but can choose their role and the audience.  This is most often done in intermediate classrooms and higher as the focus is on the subject and content that has been taught, and not on the writing itself.

I’ve used RAFT as a strategy in other ways in my elementary classroom, and with other classes and groups of students, with good success.

RAFT Writing in the Primary Grades

I have used RAFT Writing with students as young as first grade as a way of building creative writing. In first grade I introduce it by explaining each of the components.  We then generate, together, several different items for each component. We generally do about 4-6 and often use students in the class or people in the school as the role and audience. This helps make the task relevant to students. We then roll a dice to choose which item from each category we’ll use.  We do a shared writing of it together, the first time. Then, we select another for the students to complete independently.  After students are familiar with RAFT and how it can be used to generate a writing task, I use my RAFT Writing cards as an option during our centers to build students’ creative writing.

raft examples english

RAFT Writing as a Test Prep Strategy

I also really like using RAFT as a test prep strategy.  On the state tests, students are given an on-the-spot prompt to respond to.  Often, it’s in response to reading, and students are expected to respond from a range of genres.  In my experience, students struggle to identify the proper genre to respond to or miss out on other key pieces of information, such as writing from a character’s perspective.  With my third graders, it’s so important to me that they have a strategy to “attack” a difficult task that is given to them.  RAFT is a strategy that can make them break down the prompt and help them feel ready to respond successfully.

We do our main writing work during our writers workshop four days a week. However, one day a week, we do specific RAFT practice. I begin the year doing various narrative writing tasks with RAFT, though I introduce it with examples of all 3 genres. I want my students to be successful with it so I don’t typically do much of the other genres until we have explicitly done them together. However, I will occasionally do something like a how-to, or something opinion based that I know they have strong feelings about. Our weekly RAFT practice gives my students an opportunity to work through the genres in a more spiral way than we typically do during writers workshop. It also allows me to continue to do focused lessons on specific strategies I want to see in their writing.  This pre-writing step has made a world of difference for my students as they tackle the demands of state testing writing prompts!

After I’ve introduced and practiced RAFT with my students, we begin analyzing prompts. Using the strategy to think through and plan writing with the acronym is why it’s so effective and useful. This easy form is one I use when I begin having students independently analyze their writing prompts.  I have students identify each area of RAFT and then I work to correct any misconceptions.  You can download the free page by clicking the image below.

RAFT the Writing Prompt

I also offer a variety of free RAFT writing resources in my free library. As we practice RAFT throughout the year, we move on to students writing based on the the prompt information. These printables and templates have us up and working with a prompt in just a few quick seconds. I have 5 ready to print digital RAFT prompts ready to go!

RAFT Writing Strategy Digital Prompts

You can download each of them from my Free Library. To access it, sign up for my newsletter. After confirmation, you’ll receive an email with the link and password to access each of the files for yourself.

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RAFT is such a useful writing strategy that can be incorporated in so many different ways in the classroom.  In addition to our writing block, I also use digital prompt writing and journals to give students much needed practice responding to prompts on a regular basis.  You can read more about that by clicking the link below.

Journals in the Classroom

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I'd done it often in 4th grade, but not with much success in 2 nd. They have so much trouble, it seems, with " role" ( writing from that perspective) . I do love the format and the creativity it allows.

I started with silly ones like kindergartener. They were so excited to write with incorrect spelling and backwards letters. I let them do it once, but then they got it! Maybe it's also a developmental shift for them right about that age.

Cute idea! (You know that this is Debi, don't you, not Kelley? I can't figure out how to get her name off the account.)

Yes, I just figured you were on the wrong account 🙂

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RAFT Writing Template

RAFT Writing Template

About this printout

Students can utilize this printout to organize their writing as they learn to use the RAFT strategy .  This printout enables students to clearly define their role, audience, format, and topic for writing.

Teaching with this printout

More ideas to try, related resources.

By using this printout to organize their writing, students learn to respond to writing prompts that require them to write creatively, to consider a topic from a different perspective, and to gain practice writing for different audiences.

The four categories of focus for a RAFT include:

  • R ole of the Writer: Who are you as the writer? A movie star? The President? A plant?
  • A udience: To whom are you writing? A senator?  Yourself? A company?
  • F ormat: In what format are you writing? A diary entry? A newspaper?  A love letter?
  • T opic: What are you writing about?

Before having students write their own RAFT, use this printout to model how students should use this technique.  Discuss with your students the basic premise of the content for which you’d like to write, but allow students to help you pick the role, audience, format, and topic to write about.  Allow student input and creativity as you craft your piece of writing.  Have an in-depth discussion specifically about why you chose the different categories that you decided on ( R ole, A udience, F ormat, T opic).  Model a think-aloud about why having a certain role and audience might make your stance or ideas about a certain topic different and may alter your writing style and, therefore, your format. See the Strategy Guide titled Using the RAFT Writing Strategy for more information and ideas pertaining to this technique.

  • Give students a writing prompt (for which you have already chosen the role, audience, format, and topic) and have students react to the prompt either individually or in small groups, using this printout. It works best if at first, all students react to the same prompt so the students can learn from the varied responses of their classmates.  Hold a class discussion about how students created their personal version of the assignment.
  • As students become comfortable in reacting to RAFT prompts, you can create more than one prompt for students to respond to after a reading, lesson, or unit.  Or, you may choose to give students a list of choices for each area and let them pick and choose their role, audience, format, and topic.
  • Eventually, students may choose a role, audience, format, and topic entirely on their own.  Varied prompts allow students to compare and contrast multiple perspectives, deepening their understanding of the content.
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RAFTs – Differentiated for Learner Success

by John McCarthy | May 5, 2014 | Differentiated Instruction , strategies , Writing | 1 comment

In the previous two articles, we explored RAFTs (Role, Audience, Format, and Topic + Strong Verb) as an instructional strategy , and how to use RAFTs for coaching writers on writing . RAFTs can ignite engagement and context for learning. Planned with forethought, students can explore a need or problem that exists in the world beyond the classroom walls. An important consideration is: How do I differentiate RAFTs to support my diverse learners? The solution is simple, yet has layers of possibilities when implemented based on an understanding of your students.

Interests are activated by giving students several options to choose from. Take this even further by having a blank option—allowing for students to craft their own RAFTs based on the topic–a great way to foster Student Voice.

Readiness : Differentiating RAFTs based on Readiness requires the most planning, which results in worthwhile learner experiences. Sometimes students have different levels of a skill or concept. One to two prompts are crafted to match the academic level of each group of students. Having more than one prompts encourages student interests because they have choices. Prompts are assigned based on formative assessment data . The learners, individually or in groups, work at the RAFTs that will stretch them appropriately.

  • RAFTing the Writing Rapids
  • RAFTs: Coaching Writing Tips

Claire Murray

Very motivational.

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raft examples english

The RAFT Writing Process in the Foreign Language Classroom

Students Doing Homework

RAFT is an acronym for R ole, A udience, F orm, and T heme. Given a choice, students will compose a written piece from a number of options.

Here is an example how how this type of assignment would work. Students read a short story about a student named Delphine in Québec. She is very involved in all of her school activities and students read all the details about her school life. After engaging in reading activities (see Reading Activities in the Reading category), students are given a choice of topics and writing styles. Generally, the options get progressively more challenging, so a teacher may ask a student to choose two of the less challenging options or one of the more challenging assignments.

Based on the Delphine story, here are some RAFT writing options:

Screen Shot 2013-02-09 at 3.05.11 PM

Essentially, if a student were to choose number one, he would draw on details from the story to write a note from Delphine to friend about plans for Friday night. For number two, he would write an email from the Yearbook Adviser to Delphine about the sports page. If he were to choose number three he would write a speech by the principal to be delivered to families about an award that Delphine is receiving.

This type of writing assignment allows students the opportunity to write in different ways (formally, informally) on topics of interest to them, while remaining within the parameters of the assignment.

Detailed examples of RAFT Activities

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RAFT Writing Strategy

  • By Gay Miller in Writing

June 24, 2014

Learn what the RAFT Writing Strategy is and get free printable examples.

RAFT is a writing strategy to help students focus on four areas of communication. This strategy helps students understand and convey information on a given topic.  RAFT is an acronym for the following :

R ole of the Writer – The role is the perspective. Is the writer the President of the United States, a fifth-grade small-town student, a famous athlete, or any number of people? The role might include animals or inanimate objects such as toys. 

A udience – The audience includes any person that will read the writing. This could be a large group such as a school body or an individual such as a school principal. 

F ormat – Writing comes in all formats. Think letter, petition, instructions, television commercial, travel guide, newspaper article, journal entry, speech, and so on.

T opic – The topic is what you will be writing about. This can include endless possibilities.

An Example RAFT

A RAFT assignment might look like this:

Students are required to select one item from each column. One student may be a teacher writing a song for a group of parents asking them to change a rule in the school. Another person may be an artist addressing peers on a billboard that will inform them of an event. Dozens of options may be selected from just this one RAFT assignment.

This writing strategy not only helps students understand the varied formats of writing, but to know the audience they will address, their role as writers, and writing topics.

Get RAFT Activities here .

Teaching standards.

A RAFT lesson covers many teaching standards. In addition to the four areas of communication, assignments may also practice specific skills. For example, in the printables below the RAFT activity requires students to use onomatopoeia and/or alliteration.

The RAFT strategy works well with literature. Have students write from the perspective of one character addressing another character about a conflict in the novel.

RAFT may be used with science and social studies topics as well. The writer could be an apple talking to the other apples on the tree describing traveling through the digestive system. A chemist might write an email to workers in a factory explaining the dangers of mixing specific chemicals. A black bear could create a sign to post in the forest telling why he can’t eat the trout due to the harmful effects of acid rain. The role may be a pioneer creating a journal entry about the hardships of traveling by wagon.

You are only limited by your imagination. 

Differentiating Instruction

The best part of the RAFT experience is the ease to differentiate instruction. For example, I placed students into three groups. Each group was given two choices of activities. The activities varied in difficulty from the easiest level which was mostly drawing activities to the most difficult which was creating a slogan for advertising or a comic strip.

When I used this activity in the classroom, students had to think creatively to complete these activities. The projects were challenging yet fun for the students. All in all, it was a great experience. I will defiantly use this project in future years.

Free Printable

Below are the 3 RAFT activities I have referred to in the example above. I’ve merged all the activities into one Google Slide presentation. A link in the handout will take you to the Google Slide version which is completely editable.

If you missed the link above, here it is again.

Get it here.

RAFT Activity #1

The RAFT writing strategy can be used to help students understand and convey information on a given topic.

Learn what the RAFT writing strategy is. Get free printable template organizers for creating you own assignments. See many examples.

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Choice Boards (Think-Tac-Toe, BINGO, Menus, RAFT, & 1-3-5) .

This post goes over several types of choice boards and offers a free PowerPoint template.

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  2. RAFTS

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  4. How to Use the RAFT Strategy in the Classroom to Develop Reading and

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  6. RAFT Writing Strategy Introduction with Two Editable Templates

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VIDEO

  1. Raft Singleplayer Ep 2: Further Progress

  2. RaFT Announcement 8/11

  3. Raft Ep.1 Humble Beginnings

  4. Raft: LIVE

  5. Raft Ep 01

  6. 101 Raft Tips: #72: Difficulties

COMMENTS

  1. RAFT

    Display a completed RAFT example on the overhead. Describe each of these using simple examples: role, audience, format, and topic. (It may be helpful to write the elements on chart paper or a bulletin board for future reference). Model how to write responses to the prompts, and discuss the key elements as a class.

  2. Using the RAFT Writing Strategy

    RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a writer and how to effectively communicate their ideas and mission clearly so that the reader can easily understand everything written.

  3. RAFT Writing Strategy

    The acronym RAFT stands for Role, Audience, Format, and Topic. By considering these elements, students can create a clear and focused writing piece that effectively communicates their message to their intended audience. It is not clear who originated the RAFT writing strategy.

  4. A Guide to the RAFT Writing Strategy Across Content Areas

    R.A.F.T.: The Best Writing Strategy For All Content Areas Of course, there are numerous writing strategies to choose from. However, in my opinion, the best writing strategy is the R.A.F.T. strategy. Effective writing enables students to write fluently and purposefully for an audience.

  5. 25 Great RAFT Writing Prompts

    Following you will find many great RAFT writing prompt examples. Example #1 Role: Butterfly Audience: Flower Format: Book report Topic: Life cycle of a butterfly Writing Prompt: Write a book report from the viewpoint of a butterfly that explains to a flower a butterfly's life cycle from egg to adult. Example #2 Role: Travel Guide

  6. Graphic Organizer: RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) Writing

    Using RAFT writing strategies with artworks. The RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) writing strategy, developed by Santa, Havens, and Valdes , helps students understand their role as a writer and communicate their ideas clearly by developing a sense of audience and purpose in their writing.Works of art are rich sources of ideas and details for narrative and other kinds of writing.

  7. RAFT Writing

    PDF RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a writer, the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they'll be writing about. R ole of the Writer: Who are you as the writer? A pilgrim? A soldier? The President? A udience: To whom are you writing? A political rally?

  8. How to Use the RAFT Strategy in the Classroom to Develop Reading and

    Topic: What are you writing about? How to use the RAFT strategy in the classroom Write down the RAFT acronym on the board and explain each prompt with examples. Pick a portion from your current reading assignment and decide with your students what role, audience, format and topic you can write about.

  9. RAFT Writing

    Examples of RAFT in content areas could be: ~Write an article as if you were a water droplet going through the water cycle. ~Write a story as a water droplet going through the water cycle. ~Pretend you are a child in 1774 in what will eventually be America. Describe what your life is like.

  10. RAFT Writing Template

    Writing Starter View Printout About this printout Students can utilize this printout to organize their writing as they learn to use the RAFT strategy . This printout enables students to clearly define their role, audience, format, and topic for writing. Teaching with this printout More ideas to try Related Resources Teaching with this printout

  11. PDF RAFTing Example

    RAFTing Example RAFTing Example Don't Let Your Car Make a Fuel Out of You! Objectives - Language Arts 1. Students will analyze details in existing car advertisements to determine the credibility of the ads. 2. Students will create written automobile advertisements which communicate important details needed by consumers to make informed choices. 3.

  12. Differentiated for Learner Success

    RAFTs - Differentiated for Learner Success. In the previous two articles, we explored RAFTs (Role, Audience, Format, and Topic + Strong Verb) as an instructional strategy, and how to use RAFTs for coaching writers on writing. RAFTs can ignite engagement and context for learning. Planned with forethought, students can explore a need or problem ...

  13. PDF RAFT (Letters, Reports)

    Following is an example of how RAFT can be used to write a friendly letter. Directions: Pretend you are a pioneer traveling on the Oregon Trail. You need to write a letter to your cousin, Clara, back in Boston. Convince Clara why her family should pack up and move to this new land near you.

  14. PDF R.A.F.T. Purpose: Role, Audience, Format, Topic

    2. Brainstorm ideas about a topic. Select several topics from those mentioned. 3. Write RAFT on the board or paper and list possible roles, audiences, formats, and strong verbs that are appropriate for each topic. 4. Give students some examples to write about or after discussing a topic, have students create their own RAFT writing assignment.

  15. PDF RAFTS Strategy

    Example RAFTS can also be arranged for students in the following sentence frame: As a (role) create a (format) to (audience) (strong verb) about (topic). Example: As a salmon, create a letter to city planners condemning the impact of development on the North Saskatchewan River system. 7.

  16. The RAFT Writing Process in the Foreign Language Classroom

    Form Theme Here is an example how how this type of assignment would work. Students read a short story about a student named Delphine in Québec. She is very involved in all of her school activities and students read all the details about her school life.

  17. RAFT Writing Strategy

    For example, in the printables below the RAFT activity requires students to use onomatopoeia and/or alliteration. The RAFT strategy works well with literature. Have students write from the perspective of one character addressing another character about a conflict in the novel. RAFT may be used with science and social studies topics as well.

  18. PDF Examples of RAFT Assignments Role Audience Format Topic

    RAFT Examples for Social Studies Role Audience Format Topic Sacajawea Jean Baptiste Letter Our travels with Lewis and Clark Newspaper Reporter Readers in 1851 News report Native Americans sign treaty at Ft. Laramie Dead Confederate Soldier Robert E. Lee Complaint Pickett's Charge Bird Wright Brothers Complaint New invention disrupts skies ...

  19. A Guide to the RAFT Writing Strategy Across Content Areas / Interview

    A Guide to the R.A.F.T. Writing Strategy All Content Areas January 28, 2022 February 2, 2022 Don Marlett February 2, 2022 Don Marlett

  20. R.A.F.T

    How to use RAFT. Display a completed RAFT example on the overhead. Describe each of these using simple examples: role, audience, format, and topic. (It may be helpful to write the elements on chart paper or a bulletin board for future reference). ... English Journal, 85, 93-97. Santa, C., & Havens, L. (1995). Creating independence through ...

  21. PDF RAFT Lesson Plan

    R.A.F.T. DOK 4. R.A.F.T. stands for Role, Audience, Format and Task. This strategy provides authentic context, purpose and audience, and can be applied to any grade level or content area with appropriate adaptation. • In this Grade 2 example, students become the experts (R) to create a "Big Book" (F) that explains a science concept (T).

  22. RAFT

    RAFT is a handwriting strategic that helps students understand their roles for writers, the audience they will address, which varied shape for writing, and the topic they'll be typing about. By using this strategy, teachers promote students to write creatively, to consider a themes from a different perspective, and to gain exercise writing for different views.

  23. A Guide to the RAFT Writing Strategy Across Content Surfaces

    A Guide to the R.A.F.T. Writing Strategy Above Content Areas January 28, 2022 February 2, 2022 Don Marlett February 2, 2022 Don Marlett

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