LEARNING TARGET Review writing skills that we will continue to
develop in 8 th Grade Language Arts Defining new 8 th grade writing
skills avoiding personal pronouns
Slide 3
REVIEW: TOPIC SENTENCE: A topic sentence is the first sentence
of a paragraph that lets readers know the main idea of a paragraph.
When writing about a story or novel, use the title in your topic
sentence. Topic sentences are general and cover your entire main
idea. Do not use details in your topic sentence. Do not use
personal pronouns in your writing such as me, my, I, you, etc.
(More about this later.)
Slide 4
BASICS ACADEMIC WRITING SKILLS Writing reminders Indent your
paragraph Show you are Using Language (Punctuation, Capitalization,
Grammar, Word Choice, Varied Sentences) Remember to use a topic
sentence! Avoid using first person pronouns (I, me, my) Use a
complete sentence that is general enough to cover your main idea.
Avoid specific details and support that you will be using within
the body of your paragraph.
Slide 5
QUESTION: HOW DO MOST TEENAGERS FEEL ABOUT THEMSELVES? BAD
TOPIC SENTENCE EXAMPLE: 1. I think that most teenagers feel 2. How
most teenagers feel about themselves. 3. The first way most
teenagers feel about themselves is THINK: What is wrong with these
sentences? How can you make them right? In your classroom notebook,
fix these topic sentences.
Slide 6
REMINDER: Topic sentences should: Include the topic and your
opinion or position on that topic YOU are expressing your JUDGEMENT
on a topic. Include the title of the literary work being analyzed
(if appropriate) Not include supporting details Not use personal
pronouns.
Slide 7
WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THESE TOPIC SENTENCES? 1. I think that most
teenagers feel 2. How most teenagers feel about themselves. 3. The
first way most teenagers feel about themselves is
Slide 8
QUESTION #1 PRACTICE TOPIC SENTENCE In your classroom journal,
write a practice topic sentence for the following question. How
important is it for teenagers to have good self-esteem these
days?
Slide 9
THINK/PAIR/SHARE Pair up with a partner. Share your ideas for a
topic sentence. Be prepared to share one with the class.
Slide 10
CHARACTERIZATION: How an author reveals a character Direct
characterization is when the author tells us directly what a
character is like. Indirect characterization is when the author
shows us through actions, words by the characters, and by revealing
the thoughts and feelings of a character what they are like.
Slide 11
VOCABULARY 1. impulse: an urge (n.) 2. emerged: came out (v.)
3. sullen: grumpy; resentful (adj.) 4. apparent: visible (adj.) 5.
retrieved: got back (v.)
Slide 12
USING YOUR VOCABULARY WORDS, WRITE A STORY. UNDERLINE THEM WHEN
YOU USE THEM. YOU MAY CHANGE THEIR FORM (APPARENT -> APPARENTLY)
I really love candy. My favorite type of candy is peanut butter
M&Ms. It is very apparent that they are my favorite because I
always buy them over any other candy. I never can resist my impulse
to buy them when I go to the store. If the store is out, I feel
very sullen. I usually ask my friend David to retrieve me a bag
from the store. When he emerges through the door holding my
M&Ms, it makes me so excited.
Slide 13
BROKEN CHAIN Open up your book to page 16 Get out your
notebooks.
Slide 14
FOLLOW ALONG AS WE READ Review vocabulary on page 16. As you
read, think about the conflicts that the main character Alfonso
encounters in the story.
Slide 15
CONFLICT Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two forces
in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot. We refer to the
main character as the protagonist. This person is neither the good
guy or the bad guy, but the person who is faced with a conflict. We
refer to the person or thing who the protagonist is up against as
the antagonist. We no longer say good guy vs. bad guy.
Slide 16
TWO CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT Some types of conflict are external
or in other words, located outside of the character. You and anyone
else can witness the conflict. Other types of conflict are internal
or in other words, located inside of the character. Usually only
the character knows about these.
Slide 17
FOUR CONFLICTS External ConflictInternal Conflict Character vs.
Character Character vs. Environment Character vs. Society Character
vs. Self
Slide 18
WITH YOUR PARTNER Make a list describing four conflicts Alfonso
faces in the story. Make sure to label each conflict INTERNAL or
EXTERNAL conflict. Both partners should have their own list. YOU
WILL NEED IT!!!!
Slide 19
TOPIC SENTENCES SHOULD: Include the topic and your opinion or
position on that topic YOU are expressing your JUDGEMENT on a
topic. Include the title of the literary work being analyzed (if
appropriate) and the author Not include supporting details Not use
personal pronouns.
Slide 20
MORE ON PERSONAL PRONOUNS In academic writing, personal
pronouns are wasted words. You are not having a conversation with
your reader. They are not there to discuss with you. When you make
statements like I think or In my opinion you are weakening the
strength of your position. Consider the following statements: I
think Captain Jaggery is punctilious Vs. Captain Jaggery is
punctilious Which statement sounds more believable?
Slide 21
ACADEMIC VS. PERSONAL In academic writing, it is simply
unnecessary to use personal pronouns. Do not refer to yourself (I,
me, my, etc.) Or to your reader (you, we, us) In academic writing,
you have a specific voice. Your voice needs to reflect academic
writing and not personal writing.
Slide 22
READING RESPONSE: On a separate piece of paper, write a
response to the question using your best writing skills. These
responses will be incorporated into your grade, so DO YOUR BEST!!!
Remember to use a TOPIC SENTENCE. USE your BEST spelling, grammar,
punctuation, and capitalization. Use a concluding sentence. Answer
the question completely using support or evidence from the story
and other sources if needed.
Slide 23
READING RESPONSE: BROKEN CHAIN In this story, Alfonso faces
several internal and external conflicts. Which conflict do you
think is the main conflict? Why? (Remember to state what type of
conflict you are describing and whether it is internal or external
in your topic sentence.) Remember, use a topic sentence and give 3
SPECIFIC supporting details for your opinion. DUE: Monday,
September 16
Slide 24
CHECK YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE Do you have the topic in your topic
sentence? Hint: MAIN CONFLICT Do you have YOUR opinion in the topic
sentence? Hint: Whatever you feel is the main conflict? Do you have
the TITLE of the story with correct punctuation? Did you AVOID
using details in your TOPIC SENTENCE? Did you AVOID using personal
pronouns in your topic sentence and your paragraph?
Slide 25
REFLECTION We will be evaluating these topic sentences using a
3-2-1 scale. This is something we will be doing all year long! I
will evaluate your writing using this scale on your assignments.
You will be evaluating your writing using this scale as a self
reflection before you turn it in. 3 - You can do it, and do it
well. 2 You do it, but you still need some work to make it perfect.
1 You made an attempt, but you still need some work. 0 You didnt
attempt it.
