Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved. Introductions and Conclusions Effective Strategies for Going Beyond the Formula OSPI Instructional

Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved.

Introductions and ConclusionsEffective Strategies for Going Beyond

the Formula

OSPI Instructional Support Materials for WritingMiddle / High School

These materials were prepared by teachers from Washington state to help students improve their writing

skills.

Version 2


OSPI Writing Instructional Support MaterialsCore Development Team

Nikki Elliott-Schuman – OSPI, Project Director

Charlotte Carr – Retired Seattle SD, Facilitator

Barbara Ballard – Coupeville SD

Anne Beitlers – Seattle SD

Marcie Belgard – Richland SD

Betsy Cornell – Moses Lake SD

Lydia Fesler – Spokane SD

Lori Hadley – Puyallup SD

Lissa Humphreys – East Valley SD (Spokane)

Kathleen McGuiness – Kennewick SD

Lisa McKeen – East Valley SD (Yakima)

Sharon Schilperoort – Yakima SD

Holly Stein – Eastside Catholic High School


Purpose

To help students develop more effective

introductions and conclusions for any

piece of writing


Alignment with GLE’s - WritingEALR 3. The student writes clearly and effectively.

Component 3.1 Develops ideas and organizes writing.

from 3.1.2 - 7th Grade from 3.1.2 - 8th Grade from 3.1.2 - 9th / 10th

Grade Composes an engaging

lead/introduction (e.g.,meaningful rhetoricalquestion, interestingfacts, relevant anecdote).

Composes anending/conclusion that ismore than a repetition ofthe introduction (e.g., are-connection to reader, acall for action, astatement ofsignificance).

Develops a compellingintroduction (e.g.,startling statement,setting/description,quotation).

Composes an effectiveending that is more thana repetition of theintroduction (e.g.,response to a 'so what'question, connection tobigger picture).

Selects from a variety ofopening strategies andcomposes an engagingintroduction (e.g., vivid,detailed description;historical/culturalbackground; contrastingsituation).

Selects from a variety ofending strategies andcomposes an effectiveconclusion that is morethan a repetition of theintroduction (e.g.,prediction, anecdote,question).


Alignment with GLE’sAcross the Curriculum

Reading: 2.4.1 Analyze literary/narrative text and information/expository text to draw conclusions and develop insights. W Draw conclusions from grade-level text (e.g., the most important idea the

author is trying to make in the story/poem/selection, what inspiration might be drawn from the story/poem/selection, who might benefit from reading the story/poem/selection).

Select, from multiple choices, a statement that best represents the most important conclusion that may be drawn from the selection.

Math: 1.4.6 Evaluate how different representations of the same set of data can support different points of view. W Judge the reasonableness of conclusions drawn from a set of data and

support that position with evidence (e.g., from newspapers, web sites, opinion polls).


Alignment with GLEsAcross the Curriculum

Science:2.1.3 Apply understanding of how to construct a scientific explanation using evidence and inferential logic.

• Generate a scientific conclusion including supporting data from an investigation using inferential logic.• Describe a reason for a given conclusion using evidence from an investigation.• Describe the difference between evidence (data) and conclusions.


Introductions and Conclusions and the WASL

Strong introductions and conclusions are directly related to scores on the Content, Organization, and Style portion of the WASL. The best writing includes engaging introductions and effective conclusions that do more than repeat.

According to annotations written by a 2004 WASL Scoring Director, a strong opening “uses vivid words and phrases,” and a strong conclusion “reinforces the response’s wholeness and completeness.”


“Formulas are always dangerous when applied to creative processes. The result is often form without meaning, ‘correct language’ without power, and rhetoric without audience appeal.”

-Dan Kirby and Tom Liner, Inside Out: Developmental Strategies for Teaching Writing

Research


BibliographyAtwell, Nancie. Lessons That Change Writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002.

Kirby, Dan and Tom Liner. Inside Out: Developmental Strategies for Teaching Writing. Montclair, NJ: Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc., 1981.

Muller, Gilbert and Harvey Wiener. The Short Prose Reader, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1982.

Payne, Lucile Vaughan. The Lively Art of Writing. New York: Follett Publishing Company, 1965.

Penfield, Elizabeth. Model Essays for Composition, 7th ed.

Sebranek, Patrick, et al. Write for College: A Student Handbook. Wilmington, Massachusetts: Great Source Education Group, 1997.

Spandel, Vicki. Creating Writers: Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction, 3rd ed. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001.

Stead, Tony. Is that a Fact? Teaching Nonfiction Writing K-3. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2002.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, 6th ed. Harper-Collins Publishers, Inc., 2001.


Lessons for Introductions and Conclusions


AgendaDiscuss introductions: purpose, strategies, scoring.Analyze introductions from printed texts.Discuss conclusions: purpose, strategies, scoring.Analyze conclusions from printed texts .Analyze and score paired introductions and conclusions.Practice writing and revising introductions and conclusions.Score additional student samples.


What are the purposes ofintroductions?

Why are introductions important?


Purposes for Introductions

The introductiongrabs the reader’s attention.clearly implies an organizational structure of the paper.includes support that is specific and relevant and provides a clear, connected lead-in to a paper’s main idea or thesis.includes a thesis that is stated or implied.


Ineffective Introductions

I hope you enjoy…

Hi, my name is…

You are going to learn about…

This essay/letter is about…

I am going to tell you about…

There are three reasons…


What are some effective ways

to introduce

a piece of writing?


Introduction StrategiesA writer may begin with

– an anecdote or scenario– a quotation or dialogue– a brief history or overview– 5 W’s of situation or issue– an interesting fact– a description– a question– taking a stand or making an announcement– a contrasting situation– a combination from this list.


Agenda Discuss introductions: purpose, strategies, scoring.

Analyze introductions from printed texts.Discuss conclusions: purpose, strategies, scoring.Analyze conclusions from printed texts. Analyze and score paired introductions and conclusions.Practice writing and revising introductions and conclusions.Score additional student samples.


Analyzing Introductions from Printed Texts

Does the introduction grab the reader’s attention?

Does the introduction imply or set-up a structure for the essay?

What structure would work?

What introduction strategies did the author use?

Why were they used?

What is the main idea or thesis (either stated or implied)?


Introduction Strategies

Use the Introduction Strategies list to analyze strategies the author used.

Find a short piece of writing with an effective introduction and bring it to class tomorrow.


Analyze examples.

Form small groups.

In your group, identify strategies in introductions you gathered and make a chart of the strategies you found.

Groups should post their charts on the wall.– What strategies were used the most?– Which strategies especially made you

want to keep reading?


Introduction Scoring Guide


Agenda Discuss introductions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze introductions from printed texts.

Discuss conclusions: purpose, strategies, scoring.Analyze conclusions from printed texts.Analyze and score paired introductions and conclusions.Practice writing and revising introductions and conclusions.Score additional student samples.


What are the purposes ofconclusions?

Why are conclusions important?


Purposes for Conclusions

The ending/conclusionclearly connects introduction and body of the paper with insightful comments or analysis.

wraps up the writing and gives the reader something to think about.


Ineffective Conclusions

I hope you enjoyed reading my…

In this essay/letter you have learned…

In conclusion,…

As you can see/tell…

I just told you about (exact thesis)…


What are some effective ways

that we might conclude

a piece of writing?


Conclusion StrategiesA writer may end with

– an echo from the introduction– a quotation or dialogue– an anecdote or scenario – an interesting fact– a prediction– a question– a call to action– a generalization from given information– a self-reflection – a response to a “so what?” question– a combination from this list


Conclusion Scoring Guide


Agenda Discuss introductions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze introductions from printed texts. Discuss conclusions: purpose, strategies, scoring.

Analyze conclusions from printed texts.Analyze and score paired introductions and conclusions.Practice writing and revising introductions and conclusions.Score additional student samples.


Analyzing Conclusions inPrinted Texts

How does the conclusion connect to the introduction and the middle of the essay?

Does the conclusion provide a satisfying ending?


Analyze sample conclusions. Use your Conclusion Strategies list to help identify strategies the authors have used.

Find a short piece of writing with an effective introduction and conclusion. Summarize the body of the piece of writing.


Gallery Walk Activity

Form groups of 3.Choose one example from the group and copy the introduction, the summary of the body, and the conclusion to chart paper.Fold the paper up so only the introduction shows.Do a gallery walk, reading all introductions, and predict (on your own paper) what you think will happen next for each introduction.


In this picture the bottom of the poster has been folded up so that only the

introduction shows.


Gallery Walk Activity, continued.

After you have predicted what will happen in each sample, unfold the papers and compare your predictions to the summary on the paper.Unfold the charts. Next, refold the chart above the conclusion and tape the conclusion directly below the introduction. Compare the introduction and conclusion and discuss how they work together.


This picture shows the

entire poster. It includes the introduction, the summary of the body,

and the conclusion.


In this picture, the conclusion

has been folded so that it is

directly below the introduction to make it easier

to compare them.


Agenda Discuss introductions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze introductions from printed texts. Discuss conclusions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze conclusions from printed texts.

Analyze and score paired introductions and conclusions.Practice writing and revising introductions and conclusions.Score additional student samples.


Now that we have looked at introductionsNow that we have looked at introductions

and conclusions separately, and conclusions separately,

let’s analyze and practice scoringlet’s analyze and practice scoring

some introductions and conclusions some introductions and conclusions

from student papersfrom student papers..


Expository - Rainforest Destruction Introduction

In one minute, 100 football fields of the rainforest are gone. Deforestation is the process of cutting down trees, killing animals or plants, and ruining the natural habitat of the rainforest. The biggest cause of deforestation is logging. There are many other causes as well as adjusting to overpopulation by constructing houses or buildings. The need for goods, such as rubber for tires, is also a reason for deforestation. Humans are affected because the whole world suffers when the rainforest is destroyed. The climate changes and the air gets warmer when trees are cut or burned down. Although the problem of rainforest destruction continues, people are currently trying to stop it. Organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund have set up reserves for animals and plants where they can live safely. Colobine monkeys are in danger from the destruction because they spend half their time in trees and the trees are rapidly being cut down.


Rain Forest Destruction Conclusion

Many trees every day are cut down in the rainforest due to logging. Every day more people are born and new houses built. In only a few years many species may become extinct forever. The deforestation causes the earth to get warmer which can effect all species on the earth. People are helping to stop it, but rainforest destruction still continues. The traditional people of the rainforest lose their culture and homes. Eight percent of the rainforest is gone and more is on its way to vanishing forever.


Persuasive - Animal Testing Introduction

“Unseen they suffer, unheard they cry, in the loneliness they linger, in the darkness they die,” is a quote from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Each month, millions of animals suffer and die because of the testing of toxic products and weapons on animals. The cruelty of animal testing causes many animals to die horrible, painful deaths, even though they didn’t do anything to deserve this fate. Why do we test products on animals, when we wouldn’t want these products tested on ourselves? There are many reasons why animal testing is wrong and should be stopped.


Animal Testing Conclusion

Animal testing must be stopped. Both humans and animals will benefit greatly if laws are made to abolish this inhumane action. Many steps need to be taken to stop animal testing. By becoming involved and changing your buying habits, we all can be one step closer to the goal of ending animal testing.


Persuasive - Less TV Introduction

Did you boo when Stone Cipher (the head of Boeing) cheated on his wife? Did you cheer when Martha Stewart got sent to jail? Whether you did or didn’t, the facts still were shoved in your face quite rudely. Stone Cipher was fired. Martha was repeatedly ridiculed and lost much of her respect in the business community. Is this because every little thing they do will somehow affect the world? No. Is it because for some strange reason, Stone Cipher cheating on his wife will change how he runs a company? The way the population of the United States looks at famous and important people is ridiculous. We need to pay less attention to their private lives and much more to our own.


Less TV Conclusion

If your life isn’t interesting enough, make it more interesting. Don’t just sit on the sidelines and watch TV, do something with your friends; have some fun. If you want to waste your time, I can’t stop you, but I can ask you to at least consider some better ways to use your time.


Agenda Discuss introductions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze introductions from printed texts. Discuss conclusions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze conclusions from printed texts. Analyze and score paired introductions and

conclusions.Practice writing and revising introductions and conclusions.Score additional student samples.


Apply and AssessEvaluate an introduction and a conclusion from your own writing that need improvement.

In your group, revise one introduction and one conclusion for each member.

Discuss the different strategies you used.


Assess

On your own, revise another introduction and conclusion from an earlier piece of your writing.

Rejoin your group.

Use the Introduction and Conclusion Scoring Guides to score one of your revisions.


Your Assignment . . . .Write to this prompt.

If you could be any age, what age would you be, and why?

Focus on your introduction and conclusion, using the Scoring Guides to help you.


Agenda Discuss introductions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze introductions from printed texts. Discuss conclusions: purpose, strategies, scoring. Analyze conclusions from printed texts. Analyze and score paired introductions and

conclusions. Practice writing and revising introductions and

conclusions.Score additional student samples.

Documents

Copyright 2006 Washington OSPI. All rights reserved. Introductions and Conclusions Effective Strategies for Going Beyond the Formula OSPI Instructional