Earlier in Chapter 5, you learned about portfolios and how they can be used to demonstrate growth over time in a child's literacy development. For this You Try It, you will use pieces from a child's writing portfolio to report to his parents.

Anthony is one of your first-graders. You and his parents are pleased with the progress he has made in your classroom. Study the four pieces of writing that you see, collected between August and April, by clicking each link below.

Anthony's Writing Sample 1
Anthony's Writing Sample 2
Anthony's Writing Sample 3
Anthony's Writing Sample 4

Create a letter to Anthony's parents that describes his growth and development as a writer over time. This could be a letter you would share at Anthony's spring parent-teacher conference. In this positive and informative letter, be sure to highlight what this first-grader knows about writing at each stage as supported by the samples you have assembled.