Overall Philosophy:

Overall Philosophy:

In order to MEET standards, our young writers need…

Created By: Dr. Ebony Thomas, (c) 2010

Modeling Students need to see you thinking and writing in front of them. They need to see you enhance writing pieces in front of them.

Examples Students need to read and evaluate ineffective and effective writing pieces using the Georgia Writing Rubric.

Evaluation Students need timely, quality feedback on their writing, whether teacher-to-peer, peer-to-peer, or peer-to-self.

Tools Students need a set of tools from which to pull: Power Words, VOCABULARY RODS, Spicing Up Sentence Beginnings, F.I.R.E.S and S.C.O.P.E., etc.

Small “Small, manageable bites” (-Carlton Jordan)

The Writing Domains! (4)

IDEAS40%

ORGANIZATION20%

STYLE20%

CONVENTIONS20%

BELOW STANDARDS

MEETS STANDARDS EXCEEDS STANDARDS

100-199 200-249 250-350






Let’s Review How to Let’s Review How to Analyze the Analyze the

Writing PromptWriting PromptHow?Memorize some key elements of a prompt:

T (Topic) A (Audience) P (Purpose) E (Essay Format) Essay, Letter, Memo,

SpeechUnderline and Focus on the sentences under

the Writing Directions. You may consider circle, bracket, etc. the important key words and details of the required informationCreated By: Dr. Ebony Thomas, (c) 2010

PROMPT 011-PreWriting T. A. P. E.

Synonyming Main Words

ADOPTED WORDS

Brainstorming Pros Cons


Components of a Skeleton Essay (12)

T

A

P

E

Thesis Statement

Topic Sentence #1

Topic Sentence #2

Topic Sentence #3

Conclusion “Final Statement”



T

A

P

E

iPads replacing textbooks in high schools

Superintendent

To convince

Persuasive Letter

Thesis Statement

Topic Sentence #1

Topic Sentence #2

Topic Sentence #3



T

A

P

E

iPads replacing textbooks in high schools

Superintendent

To convince

Persuasive Letter

Thesis Statement Providing ipads for students in lieu of textbooks will be very beneficial for students and the school district

Topic Sentence #1 To begin with, ipads are an eco-friendly alterative to traditional educational texts, tools, and resources

Topic Sentence #2 ipads provide efficient, engaging ways for students to learn. Many different students enter class without paper and pencil.

Topic Sentence #3 Most importantly, investing in ipads will ensure that GSCS students are well prepared for using technological resources and electronic communication at the college and even the career level.


The goal of education, ultimately, should be to prepare students for life and not to hold them back with anitiquated instructional tools.

Every hungry skeleton deserves a

M.E.A.L. Plan (14)Main Idea: Topic sentence, the way each

paragraph should begin

Evidence: The supporting details of the main idea

Analysis: Detailed explanation of the supporting details (S.C.O.P.E. and F.I.R.E.S.)

Link: Connects back to the main idea and provides closure

Developing a paragraph

Undeveloped:Boyscouts are lame. It’s not fun. My mom

says it’s too far away. I don’t like it.Developed:There are plenty of activities on Boyscout

camping trips. This year we will visit the top of a mountain. Some people say at the top of the mountain there is a waterfall. We will campout at the end of the hike. My mom bought new camping gear, so I can’t wait.



Types of “Hooks” Types of “Hooks” (16)(16)

1.1. Anecdote (short Anecdote (short narrativenarrative))2.2. Striking Striking WORDS!WORDS!3.3. VividVivid description description of a person, a of a person, a

moment, a day, a situation, etc.moment, a day, a situation, etc.4.4. Striking Striking QuestionQuestion5.5. A Personal A Personal ExperienceExperience6.6. Interesting Interesting QuoteQuote7.7. Brief Brief DialogueDialogue8.8. Striking Striking FactFact or Statement or Statement9.9. Striking Striking StatisticStatistic10.10. World-wide World-wide observationobservation


Introduction’s PurposeIntroduction’s Purpose To To HOOKHOOK the reader from the the reader from the startstart

To To connectconnect with the reader with the reader

To provide reader with brief To provide reader with brief background informationbackground information (Only if necessary)(Only if necessary)

To house the To house the THESIS STATEMENTTHESIS STATEMENT, which informs readers , which informs readers what the entire essay will address. what the entire essay will address.

Optional Optional To address the To address the ThreeThree Key Points Key Points (Be sure NOT to announce them.)(Be sure NOT to announce them.)


What a “Hook” is NOT…What a “Hook” is NOT…A time to A time to introduceintroduce yourself… yourself…

who cares… :-)who cares… :-)A simple A simple repeatingrepeating of the Writing of the Writing

PromptPromptA A conversationconversation with the reader with the reader

(You may only address reader if it’s a letter.)(You may only address reader if it’s a letter.)

A A randomrandom list of general thoughts list of general thoughtsOrdinaryOrdinary..


The Whole Idea…The Whole Idea…

START BROAD

NARROW DOWN TO TOPIC

ADDRESS SPECIFIC FOCUS

ADDRESS

3 KEY POINTS


The Whole Idea…The Whole Idea…

HOOK

BRIDGE

THESIS STATEMENT

ADDRESS

3 KEY POINTS

Introduction Template (17) HOOK

“Get Your Reader’s Attention.” 3-4 Sentences

The BRIDGE Sentence “Explain your HOOK. How does your Hook relate to your Thesis Statement.”

This scenario is not uncommon…

According to ________, this situation_____

If only _________, then, _________________

How could _____________ have been so _________

The THESIS Statement “Firmly state your position.”



S.C.O.P.E. It Out! Statistics How many people do you think (are

affected)… _______ out of 10 or 100? What percent? Remember, this % should help strengthen your argument!

Claims or Counterclaims

What position have you adopted?State your position.What is your informed opinion about the topic?What does the other side believe?

Observations What have you seen? Noticed? Describe.

Predictions orPersonal Experiences

What will happen if _________________?

Expert Testimony What expert (book, author, movie, newspaper, news channel) has supposed something that supports your position…?

T. A. P. E.

Type of Hook

Thesis Statement How?

CONCLUSION:

Why?Why?

Why?

1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2.

3. 3. 3.


Components of a Skeleton EssayT

A

P

E

Thesis Statement

Topic Sentence #1

Topic Sentence #2

Topic Sentence #3



An Essay’s Key ComponentsIntroduction Hook Bridge—Thesis

1st Body Paragraph Topic SentenceExamples (SCOPE) StrategyTransition Words

2nd Body Paragraph Topic SentenceExamples (SCOPE) StrategyTransition Words

3rd Body Paragraph Topic SentenceExamples (SCOPE) StrategyTransition Words

Conclusion Real-World ConnectionsRestate Thesis DifferentlyCall for ActionStriking Statement


M.E.A.L. Plan

M.

E.

A.

L.

Every hungry skeleton deserves a M.E.A.L. Plan

Main Idea: Topic sentence, the way each paragraph should begin

Evidence: The supporting details of the main idea

Analysis: Detailed explanation of the supporting details (S.C.O.P.E. and F.I.R.E.S.)

Link: Connects back to the main idea and provides closure

Conclusion Template Conclusion Template


1Use a transition phrase, and share a real-world observation or make a real-world connection.

2Restate thesis statement in a different, firmer manner.

3Pose a rhetorical question

(Interrogative Sentence)

4Make a call for action, offer a compromise or a solution

5Make a lasting impression.

Sentence Write-Out


SENTENCE TYPE KIND # OF WORDS

Great teachers take their time with us. Simple Declar. 7

They do not yell. Simple Declar.

4

They do not get upset Simple Declar.

5

They do not show anger at students who are talking.

Simple Declar. 10

Also, they do not get mad just because a student does not know the answer to a question.

Complex Declar. 18

Sentence Analysis:1.Do most of my sentences begin the same way or have the same amount of words?2.Did I mistakenly include run-ons / fragments?3.Have I included any questions or exclamatory sentences?


Sentence BeginningsMichael raised his hand to respond.

Adjective, Adjective Confident and assured, Michael raised his hand to

respond. Adverb Nervously, Michael raised his hand to respond. Subordinate Clause Since no other students volunteered, Mike raised his hand. Prepositional Phrase During the class discussion, Mike raised his hand to respond. (-ing) word (phrase) Smiling, Mike raised his hand to respond. (-ed) word (phrase) Motivated to respond, Mike firmly raised his hand.

No Third -Grade Words

1st Grade Word

Upgrade #1 Upgrade #2 Upgrade #3

WALK stroll journey hike

GOT obtain discover snatch

GOOD first-class beneficial pleasant


Convention Cruise

1st Did you indent all of your paragraphs?

2nd Do all of your sentences begin with a capital letter?

3rd Did you capitalize proper nouns: names, locations, organizations, etc.?

4th Did you check for comma errors: items in a series, after introductory phrases/clauses, in compound sentences?

5th Are you sure you do not have two sentences running together?This is a common error.

6th Are you sure all of your statements are complete sentences?

7th Closely check your spelling. CLOSELY CHECK HOMOPHONES: (their, they’re, there, your, you’re, to, too, two)

8th Do your subjects and verbs agree? Remember “One thing, gotta have an ‘s’… Two things…no ‘s’!

9th Check your pronouns, especially the use of subject pronouns vs object pronouns

10th Did you avoid using slang and texting (ain’t, &, OMG, U, LOL)?


Created By: Teacher From Mundy’s Mill Middle School

Knock-Out Writing With Your Students

Present students with a “telling” statement or topic. Give them 5-7 minutes to develop it into a “showing”

description or a great HOOK. Have two students come up front to read their

versions. Let the class vote on the winning piece through a

round of applause. For the student who doesn’t win, the class announces

on the count of 1..2..3., “You just got knocked-out!” Then, a new student goes up and tries to knock out

the winning student, and the process continues.

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Overall Philosophy: