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TheWriting Process

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GeneralTips1. Readthepromptseveraltimes.2. Analyzethepromptcarefullybyunderliningthekeywords.3. Createagraphicorganizerbasedonthekeywords.4. Brainstorminformationintoyourgraphicorganizer.5. Createthesisandplanofattackfromyourgraphicorganizer.6. Writetheessay,periodicallycheckingtomakesureyouarestilladdressingtheprompt.

EssayDirectiveWords1. Analyzedeterminetheircomponentparts;examinetheirnatureandrelationship.2. Assess/EvaluateJudgethevalueofcharacterofsomething;appraise;evaluatethepositivepointsandthenegativeones;giveanopinionregardingthevalueof;discusstheadvantagesanddisadvantagesof.3. CompareExamineforthepurposeofnotingsimilarities.4. ContrastExamineinordertoshowpointsofdifference.5. Describegiveanaccountof;tellabout;giveawordpictureof.6. DiscussTalkover;writeabout;considerorexaminebyargumentorfromvariouspointsofview;debate;presentdifferentsid3esof.7. Explainmakeclearorplain;makeclearthecausesorreasonsfor;makeknownindetail;tellthemeaningof.8. Identifycitespecificeventsandphenomena,andshowaconnection.9. Towhatextenttherangeoverwhichsomethingextends;scope;thepoint;degreeorlimittowhichsomethingextends;magnitude.10. Persuadegivebothsidesofanargument;usepersuasivetechniquestoconvinceaudiencetoyourposition.

Writing to a Prompt

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Writing to a Prompt

Subject who/what about Role writer? character? expert?Occasion writing situation Audience who is the reader?Audience intended reader Format letter? essay? play? memo?Purpose to express, inform, persuade Topic when, who, what

Look for key words that identify the type of writing.

NARRATIVE frequently the last word or word that follows "about a," "tell about," "tell what happened," or "what happened next." EXPOSITORY topic being explained or discussed plus the word "why," "how," or "reason." PERSUASIVE word "convince" or "persuade" plus the word that is the focus. Who are you trying to persuade?

PromptAnalysisWorksheet

1. Whatarethetaskordirectivewords?Compare,contrast,analyze,etc.HighlightinYellowOR

2. Whataretheparametersoftheassignment?Dates,times,places,persons,count(1900s,ThehEnlightenment,France,Luther,3examples)HighlightinPinkor

3. Identifythekeyterms.Nationalism,gender,revolution,social,etc.HighlightinBlueor__________

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NARRATIVE

1.Imaginethatyouwereapioneerandtellastoryaboutatimewhenyoutraveledonawagontrainthatwaspulledbyhorses.2.Everyonehasdayswheneverythingseemstogowrong.Thinkofsuchaday.Tellwhathappenedandhowyouwishitwouldhavebeendifferent.3.Tellastoryaboutwhatwouldhappenifyouwereyourfavoritecharacterinyourfavoritebook.4.Tellaboutatimewhenyouwereabletohelpanotherperson.5.Therearetimeswhenweallwish,evenifjustforamoment,thatwecouldbesomeoneelseforaday.Whowouldyoubeforthatday?Whatwouldyoudo?Thinkofsomedetailsofyourday.Nowtellwhatyourday,asthatpersonwouldbelike.6.Tellafriendaboutanexperienceyouhadinvolvingananimal.Itmightbeanexperiencewithyourpet,someoneelse'spet,orevenawildanimal.Besuretotellthestoryinawaythatshowswhythisexperiencewasmemorabletoyou.7.Thinkaboutatimeyouweresurprised.Itcouldhavebeenabirthdaypartyorwhenyougotsomethingyouhadnotexpected.Itcouldbewhenyouplannedsomethinganditdidnotturnoutthewayyouthoughtitwould.itcouldhavebeenwhensomeonecameforasurprisevisit.Tellaboutatimewhenyouweresurprised.

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EXPOSITORY

1.Explainwhyeatinghealthyfoodsisimportant.2.Explainwhyyouthinkitisimportanttolearntoread.3.Friendsareimportant,buteveryonehasadifferentopinionofwhatmakesagoodfriend.Explainthetraitsyouthinkmakeagoodfriend.4.Whatisyourfavoriteseason?Explainwhy.5.Weareincreasinglyworriedaboutourenvironment.Identifyoneenvironmentalproblemyouthinkisimportantandproposesomepossiblesolutionstothisenvironmentalproblem.6.Mostpeoplelikeoneparticularanimalmorethantheothers.Explainwhyyoupreferyourfavoriteanimaltotheothers.

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PERSUASIVE

1.Doyouthinkthedropoutageshouldhavebeenraisedto18?2.Shouldhomeworkbeeliminatedonweekends?3.Convinceyourreadertoadoptyoursuggestiontoallowcellphoneuseduringschoolhours.4.Writealettertotheschoolboardexplainingyourpositionontheproposaltorequireuniformsinpublicschools.5.Convinceyourparentstoallowyoutohaveapet.6.Convincetheschoolboardtoallowtheuseofsocialnetworking(FACEBOOK)inclass.7.ShouldKansasadoptatestthatdetermineswhetherornotyourgraduate?Whyorwhynot?8.ArguefortheuseofmodernliteratureinhighschoolEnglishclasses.

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1. Tell how to make a pizza, a cake, or cookies from scratch.2. Explain the differences and similarities between two different types of music: rap, classical, rock, alternative, country, etc.3. Explain how to play Monopoly, chess, or Crazy Eights to someone who has never played.4. Explain the similarities and differences of middle school and high school to a current middle school student.5. Relate the rules/fundamentals of soccer, football, basketball, softball, tennis, baseball, wrestling, swimming, track, cross country or volleyball to someone who has no idea of how the sport is played and scored, be sure to include rules, fundamentals, equipment and scoring.6. Tell what it takes to become a proficient instrumentalist, from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to John Phillip Sousa, Johann Sebastian Bach, or Ludwig von Beethoven.

1. Shouldstudentsbegivendetentionforbeinglate?2. Israpmusicadetrimenttosociety?3. Shouldthedrinkingagebelowered?4. Shouldprayerbeputbackintheschools?5. HastheNoChildLeftBehindpolicybeeneffective?6. Aregaspricesanindicationthattheeconomyisgettingbetter?7. Isstemcellresearchmorallywrong?8. Isglobalwarmingreal?9. Shouldthedrivingagebeincreased?10. Shouldthosewithcriminalrecordsbeallowedtovote?11. Shouldcellphonesbeallowedduringlunch?12. CanthefailingeconomybeblamedonWallStreet?13. Shouldcurrentillegalimmigrantsbegivencitizenship?14. Wouldschoolbejustaseffectiveiflastfivehoursinsteadofseven?15. Wouldschoolbejustaseffectiveifitstartedlaterthan8am?16. Shouldteenagershaveacurfew?17. Shouldthoseunder18beallowedtoworkfulltime?18. Shouldteensbeallowedtopurchaseacarwithoutaparentasacosigner?19. ShouldEnglishbetheofficiallanguageofAmerica?20. Whyarentteacherspaidasprofessionals?21. Shouldgaymarriagebelegalnationwide?

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"Ifyoudonotreadanybooks,youhavenoadvantageoverthemanwhocannotread."Inawelldevelopedessay,explainwhyreadingisnecessaryforsuccessintoday'ssocietyandwhy,ifonechoosesnottousethisability,hehasdiminishedhimself.

Peopleoftenpointtosportsandmoviestarsasrolemodelstoyoungpeople.Whatqualitiesdoyouthinkareneededinrolemodels?Whowouldyoupointtoasagoodcandidateforarolemodel?Why?(Yourchoicemayormaynotbesomeoneyouknow.)

Whatisthebestpieceofadviceyouhaveeverbeengiven?Inyouressayconsiderwhogavetheadvice,whattheoccasionwas,andwhyyouhavefoundittobesovaluable.

Describeatimeinyourlifewhenyourfirstimpressionsofsomeoneturnedouttobewrong.Inyouressayconsiderthesequestions:Whatwerethosefirstimpressions?Howdidtheydifferfromwhatyoulaterlearned?Whatdidyoulearn?

Nowthatyouareattheendofyoursenioryearyoucanlookbackoveryourhighschoolexperiencewithsomedistanceandperspective.Ifyoucoulddoitalloveragain,whatwouldyoudodifferentlyandwhy?Ifyouwouldnotdoanythingdifferently,describeyoursuccessandwisechoicesovertheyears.

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Inthetwopoemsbelow,KeatsandLongfellowreflectonsimilarconcerns.Readthepoemscarefully.Thenwriteanessayinwhichyoucompareandcontrastthetwopoems,analyzingthepoetictechniqueseachwriterusestoexplorehisparticularsituation.

ThefollowingpassageistakenfromFasting,Feasting,anovelpublishedin1999byIndiannovelistAnitaDesai.Intheexcerpt,Arun,anexchangestudentfromIndia,joinsmembersofhisAmericanhostfamilyforanafternoonatthebeach.Readthepassagecarefully.ThenwriteanessayinwhichyouanalyzehowtheauthorusessuchliterarydevicesasspeechandpointofviewtocharacterizeArunsexperience.

Inaliterarywork,aminorcharacter,oftenknownasafoil,possessestraitsthatemphasize,bycontrastorcomparison,thedistinctivecharacteristicsandqualitiesofthemaincharacter.Forexample,theideasorbehavioroftheminorcharactermightbeusedtohighlighttheweaknessesorstrengthsofthemaincharacter.Chooseanovelorplayinwhichaminorcharacterservesasafoiltoamaincharacter.Thenwriteanessayinwhichyouanalyzehowtherelationbetweentheminorcharacterandthemajorcharacterilluminatesthemeaningofthework.Youmaychooseaworkfromthelistbeloworanotherappropriatenovelorplayofsimilarliteraryquality.Donotmerelysummarizetheplot.

ReadcarefullythefollowingpassagefromDaltonTrumbosnovelJohnnyGotHisGun1939.ThenwriteawellorganizedessayinwhichyouanalyzehowTrumbousessuchtechniquesaspointofview,selectionofdetail,andsyntaxtocharacterizetherelationshipbetweentheyoungmanandhisfather.

Inmanyworksofliterature,pasteventscanaffect,positivelyornegatively,thepresentactions,attitudes,orvaluesofacharacter.Chooseanovelorplayinwhichacharactermustcontendwithsomeaspectofthepast,eitherpersonalorsocietal.Thenwriteanessayinwhichyoushowhowthecharactersrelationshiptothepastcontributestothemeaningoftheworkasawhole.Youmaychooseaworkfromthelistbeloworanotherappropriatenovelorplayofsimilarliterarymerit.Donotmerelysummarizetheplot.

Readthefollowingpoemcarefully.Then,writeawellorganizedessayinwhichyouanalyzethetechniquesthepoetusestoconveyhisattitudetowardtheplaceshedescribes.

Worksofliteratureoftendepictactsofbetrayal.Friendsandevenfamilymaybetrayaprotagonistmaincharactersmaylikewisebeguiltyoftreacheryormaybetraytheirownvalues.Selectanovelorplaythatincludessuchactsofbetrayal.Then,inawellwrittenessay,analyzethenatureofthebetrayalandshowhowitcontributestothemeaningoftheworkasawhole.Chooseaworkfromthelistbeloworanothernovelorplayofcomparablequality.Avoidmereplotsummary.

NovelistsandplaywrightshaveoftenseenmadnesswithadiscerningEye.Selectanovelorplayinwhichacharactersapparentmadnessorirrationalbehaviorplaysanimportantrole.Thenwriteawellorganizedessayinwhichyouexplainwhatthisdelusionoreccentricbehaviorconsistsofandhowitmightbejudgedreasonable.Explainthesignificanceofthemadnesstotheworkasawhole.Donotmerelysummarizetheplot.

Readcarefullythefollowingpassagefromthebeginningofacontemporarynovel.Notetheauthorsuseofsuchelementsasdiction,syntax,imageryandfigurativelanguage.Thenwriteanessayinwhichyouanalyzehowtheauthorsuseoflanguagegeneratesavidvidimpressionofthemaincharacter.

Writeawellorganizedessayinwhichyouanalyzehowtheformalelementsofthepoemcontributetoitsmeaning.

Ofteninliteratureacharacterssuccessinachievinggoalsdependsonkeepingasecretanddivulgingitonlyattherightmoment,ifatall.Chooseanovelorplayofliterarymeritthatrequiresacharactertokeepasecret.Inawellorganizedessay,brieflyexplainthenecessityforsecrecyandhowthecharacterschoicetorevealorkeepthesecretaffectstheplotandcontributestothemeaningoftheworkasawhole.

Takingintoconsiderationthetitleofthepoem,analyzehowthepoeticdevicesconveythespeakersattitudetowardthesinkingoftheship.

Morallyambiguouscharacterscharacterswhosebehaviordiscouragesreadersfromidentifyingthemaspurelyevilorpurelygoodareattheheartofmanyworksofliterature.Chooseanovelorplayinwhichamorallyambiguouscharacterplaysapivotalrole.Thenwriteanessayinwhichyouexplainhowthecharactercanbeviewedasmorallyambiguousandwhyhisorhermoralambiguityissignificanttotheworkasawhole.Avoidmereplotsummary.

Readthepoemcarefully.Thenwriteawellorganizedessayinwhichyouanalyzehowthepoetconveysaviewofmodernlove.

Readthefollowingpassage.Then,inawellorganizedessay,analyzetheliterarytechniquesusedtocharacterizethespeaker.Supportyouranalysiswithspecificreferencestothepassage.

Novelsandplaysoftendepictcharacterscaughtbetweencollidingculturesnational,regional,ethnic,religious,institutional.Suchcollisionscancallacharacterssenseofidentityintoquestion.Selectanovelorplayinwhichacharacterrespondstosuchaculturecollision.Thenwriteawellorganizedessayinwhichyoudescribethecharactersresponseandexplainitsrelevancetotheworkasawhole.

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Cumulative Sentence

Cumulative Sentence Base clause and free modifiers that are added most often at the end. 1st Lesson Verbal @ first = then they write their thoughts down. Circle of focus 78 students. (fishbowl)Prompt #1 Think of a person important to you. Share who it is.Prompt #2 Think of something specific that person has done SharePrompt #3 Think of another specific occasion regarding that person SharePrompt #4 Think of a final specific attribute, event involving that person Share.Write what youve shared, starting with the phrase, This morning I remembered

Review previous student work: EditLook at a base clause change the period to a comma (. ,)Start with narrative focus. With supplementary lessons, branch out into expositoryKim walked into the room.The rain came down in San AntonioToday I learned.Whitmans poetry style incorporates

AVG Words in Sentence4th Grade 89th Grade 1112th Grade 15College Student 18

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Whatisthebestpieceofadviceyouhaveeverbeengiven?Inyouressayconsiderwhogavetheadvice,whattheoccasionwas,andwhyyouhavefoundittobesovaluable.

AdaptandOvercome

JohnWayne

HeartbreakRidgeMovie

Helpsmebeflexibleinmeetingchallenges.ThebestpieceofadviceI'vereceivedwasfromJohnWayneinthemovieHeartbreakRidgewhenheadviseshissoldiersto"AdaptandOvercome,"whichhelpsmebeflexibleinmeetingchallenges.

ShouldKansasadoptatestthatdetermineswhetherornotyougraduate?Whyorwhynot?

KansasAdoptaTestDeterminesGraduationYesorNo

KansasshouldadopttakingtheACTtodeterminewhetherornotseniorsgraduatebecausethiswouldleveltheplayingfieldandinsurethateveryonestartsatthesamelevelincollege.

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11SentenceParagraph

FillintheBlankEssay

FinalCopy

11-Sentence Paragraph Outline

This is an outline for a single paragraph essay. This outline does not include the introduction or conclusion, and they are not usually included in an outline anyway. Note that the first body paragraph is a Roman I.

There may be some variation within this outline, but there must be thorough explanation/analysis of your support and quotes that relates back to the main point or thesis of the whole paper.

I. Topic Sentence: States both the topic of the paragraph and the main point you want to make about that topic.

A. Introduce the first reason or example that supports your main point.

1. Provide a quote or specific example as evidence or support.

2. Explain how the quote or example supports your main point.

B. Transition to another reason or example that supports your main point.

1. Provide a quote or specific example as evidence or support.

2. Explain how this quote or example supports your main point.

C. Transition to a third reason or example to support your main point.

1. Provide a quote or specific example as evidence or support.

2. Explain how this quote or example supports your main point.

D. Write a concluding sentence (or two) that explains how all three of the examples above support your topic sentence. In a multi-paragraph paper, the last sentence should relate the whole paragraph to the larger thesis of the whole paper and help transition to the next paragraph.

In a multi-paragraph paper, each body paragraph would follow this outline. The first topic sentence of each paragraph would be a Roman I on the outline. Each subsequent body paragraph would be II, then III, etc.

SMART Notebook

Name:

Date:

Class period:

Fill In the Blank Essay

Title:

Introductory Paragraph: Opening Lead: _____________________________________________________________ Authors Full Name: ________________________________________________________ Title of Work _____________________________________________________________ Brief summary and narrow focus ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________ Thesis Statement: __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

I. Topic Sentence of Body Paragraph _________________________________________

A. Reason or example ___________________________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

B. Transition to second reason or example __________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

C. Transition to third reason or example ____________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

D. Concluding/Transition sentence ________________________________________

II. Topic Sentence of Body Paragraph _________________________________________

A. Reason or example ___________________________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

B. Transition to second reason or example __________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

C. Transition to third reason or example ____________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

D. Concluding/Transition sentence ________________________________________

III. Topic Sentence of Body Paragraph _________________________________________

A. Reason or example ___________________________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

B. Transition to second reason or example __________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

C. Transition to third reason or example ____________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

D. Concluding/Transition sentence ________________________________________

Concluding Paragraph:

Signal word ________________________________________________________________Summary of thesis ______________________________________________________________Significance of ideas _____________________________________________________________Big idea/question/reflection _______________________________________________________

SMART Notebook

1

Name

Teacher

1/22/10

3rd

Title

This is the first sentence of the introductory paragraph. An introductory paragraph gives a broad overview and introduces the audience to the subject of the essay. An introductory paragraph always contains the thesis statement for the essay that give the organization for the paper. A well organized and accurately formatted essay helps the audience understand your point .

The first body paragraph does not need extra space. It includes

1

SMART Notebook

Attachments

11SentenceParagraph.doc

FIBEssay.doc

EssayTemplate.doc

11-Sentence Paragraph Outline

This is an outline for a single paragraph essay. This outline does not include the introduction or conclusion, and they are not usually included in an outline anyway. Note that the first body paragraph is a Roman I.

There may be some variation within this outline, but there must be thorough explanation/analysis of your support and quotes that relates back to the main point or thesis of the whole paper.

I. Topic Sentence: States both the topic of the paragraph and the main point you want to make about that topic.

A. Introduce the first reason or example that supports your main point.

1. Provide a quote or specific example as evidence or support.

2. Explain how the quote or example supports your main point.

B. Transition to another reason or example that supports your main point.

1. Provide a quote or specific example as evidence or support.

2. Explain how this quote or example supports your main point.

C. Transition to a third reason or example to support your main point.

1. Provide a quote or specific example as evidence or support.

2. Explain how this quote or example supports your main point.

D. Write a concluding sentence (or two) that explains how all three of the examples above support your topic sentence. In a multi-paragraph paper, the last sentence should relate the whole paragraph to the larger thesis of the whole paper and help transition to the next paragraph.

In a multi-paragraph paper, each body paragraph would follow this outline. The first topic sentence of each paragraph would be a Roman I on the outline. Each subsequent body paragraph would be II, then III, etc.

SMART Notebook

Name:

Date:

Class period:

Fill In the Blank Essay

Title:

Introductory Paragraph: Opening Lead: _____________________________________________________________ Authors Full Name: ________________________________________________________ Title of Work _____________________________________________________________ Brief summary and narrow focus ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________ Thesis Statement: __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

I. Topic Sentence of Body Paragraph _________________________________________

A. Reason or example ___________________________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

B. Transition to second reason or example __________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

C. Transition to third reason or example ____________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

D. Concluding/Transition sentence ________________________________________

II. Topic Sentence of Body Paragraph _________________________________________

A. Reason or example ___________________________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

B. Transition to second reason or example __________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

C. Transition to third reason or example ____________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

D. Concluding/Transition sentence ________________________________________

III. Topic Sentence of Body Paragraph _________________________________________

A. Reason or example ___________________________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

B. Transition to second reason or example __________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

C. Transition to third reason or example ____________________________________

1. Supporting evidence ___________________________________________

2. Explanation _________________________________________________

D. Concluding/Transition sentence ________________________________________

Concluding Paragraph:

Signal word ________________________________________________________________Summary of thesis ______________________________________________________________Significance of ideas _____________________________________________________________Big idea/question/reflection _______________________________________________________

SMART Notebook

1

Name

Teacher

1/22/10

3rd

Title

This is the first sentence of the introductory paragraph. An introductory paragraph gives a broad overview and introduces the audience to the subject of the essay. An introductory paragraph always contains the thesis statement for the essay that give the organization for the paper. A well organized and accurately formatted essay helps the audience understand your point .

The first body paragraph does not need extra space. It includes

1

SMART Notebook

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