Writing Workshop #2 February, 2012. Agenda 0 District Updates on Organization 0 Review the 4 Square planner 0 Adding Transitions aka “connectors” 0 Topic

Writing Workshop #2

February, 2012

Agenda

0 District Updates on Organization0Review the 4 Square planner0Adding Transitions aka “connectors”0Topic Sentence Handout0Create 4 Square planner andwrite introductory paragraph

Essential Questions

0How do I complete the Four Square Planner and how does it organize my writing?

0Why are transitional devices important?0Why is narrowing the topic so

important?

Organization

Analyze Mentor Text

0Analyze the writing of literature selections.

For example: Explain how particular sentence transitions help to present the main idea.

0Reading a variety of well written texts will help the students improve their own writing.

Organization

0 Brainstorm major ideas for the topic and put them in a logical order of development.

0 Create support sentences for the ideas, using specific concrete details.

0 Select appropriate transitions to tie paragraphs together in a logical order (external and internal transitions).

A

D

B C

E

•

•

•

My favorite sport is tennis.

Ball

Racket

Court

1st Prove it Fact

ball

2nd Prove it Fact

racket

3rd Prove it Fact

court

Wrap up

My favorite sport is tennis because of the ball, racket and the courts.

• The focus paragraph is the most important paragraph. It sets the stage!

• It also sets the order in which your paper needs to be written.

• In order to receive points for organization, you must stick to the same order as your focus paragraph when writing the next four paragraphs.

Students will: Define Organization Identify examples of organization in a

paper Create a planner to help organize their

essays

Focus

Organization

Support

Conventions

We learned in 6 Box that Organization:• Establishes a clear pattern allowing the

reader to follow the flow of ideas.• Gives the writing piece a Beginning, Middle,

and End• Includes adding transitional devices to

Paragraphs B, C, D and E.

• In an expository piece of writing:– The topic and 3 facts are introduced in Paragraph A in

order– The 3 facts and supporting details make up

Paragraphs B, C & D in the same order as Paragraph A

– The facts are repeated again in order in Paragraph E

• To help keep an expository essay organized, we use a 4 Square Planner

• To create the 4 Square Planner, we fold a paper into four equal squares.

• First fold it lengthwise, then fold it widthwise.

A

D

B C

E

A

D

B C

E

• Each Box represents a Paragraph.

• Each box represents an INDENTATION.

• We label our paragraphs A, B, C, D & E to help keep our thoughts in order and organized when we start writing.

• We will create a formula to help us remember how to complete the planner.

4

Everyone has a favorite sport.

Think about your favorite sport.

Write to explain why this sport is your favorite.

• When you answer the topic it becomes the topic statement.

• Write your answer in a complete sentence in BOX A.

• Add 3 facts about your topic statement.• Remember to stay focused.

A

D

B C

E

•

•

•

Topic Statement

Fact 1

Fact 2

Fact 3

A

D

B C

E

•

•

•


Ball

Racket

Court

A

D

B C

E

•

•

•


Ball

Racket

Court

1st Prove it Fact

ball

2nd Prove it Fact

racket

3rd Prove it Fact

court

Wrap up

My favorite sport is tennis because of the ball, racket and the courts.

• The focus paragraph is the most important paragraph. It sets the stage!

• It also sets the order in which your paper needs to be written.

• In order to receive points for organization, you must stick to the same order as your focus paragraph when writing the next four paragraphs.

• Paragraph A (Focus Paragraph) = Prompt Sentence, Focus, 3 Details, Opinion

• Paragraph B (Fact 1) = Focus Statement + 1st Prove It Fact

• Paragraph C (Fact 2) = Focus Statement + 2nd Prove It Fact

• Paragraph D (Fact 3) = Focus Statement + 3rd Prove It Fact

• Paragraph E (Wrap-Up Paragraph) = wrap-up sentence which states the 3 prove it facts in the

same order as sentence 1.

*** 2nd, 3rd, and 4th facts have to be in order to receive organization points.

Everyone has a favorite sport. My favorite sport is tennis. Tennis is my favorite because of the ball, the racket, and the court. I love tennis!

Everyone has a favorite sport.Think about your favorite sport.Write to explain why this sport is your favorite.

Writer is FOCUSED because they answered

the prompt correctly.

These 3 facts about tennis

keep the writer focused and now

organized.

Those three facts must stay in the same order throughout the entire

paper in order to earn ORGANIZATION points.


My favorite sport is tennis because of the ball.

My favorite sport is tennis because of the racket.

My favorite sport is tennis because of the court.

Tennis is my favorite sport because of the ball, the racket and the court. Tennis rocks!


Everyone has a favorite sport. My favorite sport is football. Football is my favorite because of the players, the uniforms, and the field. I love football!

My favorite sport is football because of the field.

My favorite sport is football because of the players.

My favorite sport is football because of the uniforms.

Football is my favorite sport because of the uniforms, the players and the field. Football rocks!


12 3

2

1

3

21 3

This answer is unorganized because the

author did not keep the facts in the same order.

• The next 3 sample essays need to be graded.

• You need to decide if each essay should receive organization points or not.

Everyone has a favorite meal. My favorite meal is pizza. Pizza is great because of the toppings, dipping sauces and the slice shapes. Pizza is delicious!

My favorite meal is pizza because of the toppings.

My favorite meal is pizza because of the sauces.My favorite meal is pizza because of the slice

shapes.Pizza is my favorite meal because of the

toppings, dipping sauces, and the slice shapes. I can’t wait to eat pizza!

Everyone has a favorite meal.Think about your favorite meal.Write to explain why this meal is your favorite.

Everyone has a favorite meal. My favorite meal is hamburgers. I love hamburgers because of the meat, toppings and bread. Hamburgers are great!

My favorite meal is hamburgers because of the bread.

My favorite meal is hamburgers because of the toppings.

My favorite meal is hamburgers because of the meat.

My favorite meal is hamburgers because of the toppings, meat and bread. Let’s eat hamburgers now!


Everyone has a favorite meal. My favorite meal is tacos. I love them because of the meat, toppings and how they are made. Tacos are delicious!

My favorite meal is tacos because of the meat.My favorite meal is tacos because of the

toppings.My favorite meal is tacos because of the way

they are made.Tacos are delicious because of the meat,

toppings, and the way they are made. Viva tacos!


Transitional Devices are words, terms phrases, and variation in sentence structures used to arrange ideas and signal the movement of text.

Also known as: • Connectors• Transitional words• Puzzle pieces• Time Connectors

• In order to receive organizational points you must use transitional devices in paragraphs B,C,D,& E

• Also, you must keep the facts in the same order throughout your planner and essay

4

+ C

Everyone has a favorite sport.

Think about your favorite sport.

Write to explain why this sport is your favorite.

A

D

B C

E

• • •


Ball

Racket

Court

ball racket

courtMy favorite sport is tennis because of the ball, racket and the courts.

First Next

Last Hence

• Paragraph A (Focus Paragraph) = Prompt Sentence, Focus, 3 Details, Opinion

• Paragraph B (Fact 1) = + Focus Statement + 1st Prove It Fact

• Paragraph C (Fact 2) = + Focus Statement + 2nd Prove It Fact

• Paragraph D (Fact 3) = + Focus Statement + 3rd Prove It Fact

• Paragraph E (Wrap-Up Paragraph) = + Wrap-up sentence which states the

3 prove it facts in the same order as sentence 1.


First, my favorite sport is tennis because of the ball.Next, my favorite sport is tennis because of the

racket.Last, My favorite sport is tennis because of the

court.Hence, tennis is my favorite sport because of the

ball, the racket and the court. Tennis rocks!


Now, Let’s Organize our thoughts!

• Next, we need to narrow our focus• You need to take the information off of

your planner and create a thesis statement

Handout

• Distribute the Transitional Devices handout and add to the list

Topic Sentences• The topic sentence states your narrowed

topic clearly in sentence form. • A good topic sentence should be limited

and complete. • A limited topic sentence should make a

point that is neither too broad nor too narrow to be supported in a paragraph. As a rule, the more specific and well-defined the topic sentence, the better the paragraph.

Your turn:

• Which of these do you think will produce the best paragraph?–1. My recent trip to Colorado was really

bad. Or

–2. My recent trip to Colorado was disappointing because the weather ruined my camping plans.

Caution!

• Do not begin a topic sentence with This paragraph will be about…or I am going to write about…These extra words contribute nothing.

• Instead, make your point directly. Make every word in the topic sentence count. ;)

Student Tip:

• The role of the topic sentence as a stating a point of view about the subject, not announcing it.

• Avoid: “This paper will be about…”

See handout #1

• Topic Sentence and body activity• 5 practice items• Share out

Developing Effective Paragraphs

• A paragraph is a group of related sentences. It should contain at least 5 sentences.

• Formatting- A paragraph should look like this,

You should always indent the first word of each paragraph. You should also keep text within the margins. Finally, leave a blank space after the last word.

First word indented

Blank after last word

Ask yourself these questions:

• Is my topic sentence clear?• Can the reader easily follow my ideas?• Is the order of ideas logical?• Will this paragraph keep the reader

interested?

Wrap Up

• Write what “squares” with my beliefs

• Three points I want to remember

• Things still circling my mind

Language Arts Writing Team!

Mrs. Tabs English Department Chair 6-12

Ms. Paz 8th Grade teacher • Ms. Fuller 10th Grade teacher

Documents

Writing Workshop #2 February, 2012. Agenda 0 District Updates on Organization 0 Review the 4 Square planner 0 Adding Transitions aka “connectors” 0 Topic