Basic, Practical and Helpful Instruction About Writing Step Up To Writing Student Version: Basic, Practical and Helpful Instruction About Writing

Step Up To Writing is About Showing you know the process Helping you through the process Letting you work through the process on your own

Step Up To Writing is About Tools: Colors Word Lists Informal Outlines Examples small steps

Step Up To Writing is About The Writing Process: Prewriting and Planning Drafting, Revising, and Editing Creating a Final Copy, Proofreading, and Sharing

Step Up To Writing is About Promoting the Traits of Good Writing: Content Organization Style Vocabulary Sentence Structure Conventions

Golf is a great sport to play Golf is a great sport to play. It’s fun to pound a golf ball around for nine to eighteen holes. However, to become good you need lots of practice and mental toughness. Practice is easy to come by, but we need toughness too. Personally, I need a lot of mental toughness. Golf can be really fun if you are playing well, but if you are playing badly, it can cause frustration. Does this seem like a well thought out, organized paragraph?

That is called a brain dump!

What happened? This student took all the information he/she knew about golf and just regurgitated it onto paper!

The keys to an effective paragraph: Expository paragraphs need: A title A topic sentence Transitions Good explanations and examples A conclusion

Smoking’s Health Toll and Price Tag Fifth Grade Although smoking may seem cool, it is very unhealthy and expensive. Many people die from smoking related problems such as cancer, heart disease etc. every year. According to World Book Encyclopedia during the mid-1980s smoking contributed to 30 percent of all deaths from cancer and heart disease in the United States of America. Furthermore, cigarette smoking was associated with 85 percent of all cases of lung cancer. Secondly, smoking is very expensive. If someone smoked one pack of cigarettes every day that cost $3.00 for 50 years it would cost them $54,750.00 which is enough money to buy an expensive and luxurious car. On the contrary, if someone put $3.00 a day into a bank or investment institution they would be making hundreds of dollars in only a few years just because of the interest they are collecting. Clearly smoking is very unhealthy and expensive too, so don’t start smoking until you have considered all of the negative effects!

That was better! Why? Organization! I will show you the process that 5th grade student used to get that level of organization.

The Five Elements of Expository Writing Organization is the key. Topic sentences and thesis statements are the heart. Transitions are the glue. Examples, evidence, and explanations are the meat. Conclusions tie it all together.

Learn Step One

Informal Outlines: Using a piece of paper let’s work on an informal outline of a paragraph. Fold paper over to the red margin line. Unfold. Fold about 5 lines from the top. Fold about 5 lines from the bottom. Now draw lines on all the folds as shown. It should look like an “I” Just One or Two words

Remember this is all about colors so… Get out your three colors (red, green, yellow) of crayons and make sure you color in the dots by the correct box.

Topic explain Reason/fact/detail explain Reason/fact/detail explain explain Conclusion Use your crayons to place your circles and titles in the correct areas. See teacher’s example

Cats can protect themselves Topic: Cats can protect themselves Reason/fact/detail: explain: run fast They can get away from enemies explain: climb trees Reason/fact/detail: explain: sharp claws Good fighters explain: sharp teeth Conclusion: cats take care, protect Just One or Two words

Informal Outlines also need transition words: Topic: Cats can protect themselves Reason/fact/detail: explain: First run fast They can get away from enemies explain: climb trees Reason/fact/detail: explain: Next sharp claws Good fighters explain: sharp teeth Conclusion: cats take care, protect

Learn Step Two

Let’s build sentences. Everyone should have a new paper and the same three crayons (yellow, green, red) It is time to fold this paper hamburger style once, and then twice. Open back up. Draw lines on front and back where the folds are.

Front of Page See teacher’s example Topic Reason/fact/detail Explain Use crayon to make dot on the left side of the page. Then write the words next to the dots Topic Reason/fact/detail Explain See teacher’s example

Back of Page Reason/fact/detail Explain Conclusion Use crayon to make dot on the left side of the page. Then write the words next to the dots Reason/fact/detail Explain Conclusion

Front of Page Topic Reason/fact/detail Explain Cats protect themselves in two ways Reason/fact/detail Explain First, they are able to get away quickly from their enemies. Cats are fast runners. They can climb trees, too.

Back of Page Reason/fact/detail Explain Conclusion Next, cats are good fighters. Cat’s sharp claws can inflict pain and discourage attackers. They can also use their pointed incisors to bite their enemies when necessary. Felines can take care of themselves.

Go! with the colors! What is the deal Stop Go Back SlowDown Write a topic sentence. SlowDown Give a reason, detail or fact. Use a transition word or phrase. Stop Explain. Gave an example. Go Back Remind the reader of your topic.

Using Colors for Organization Topic Sentence: Green means “go.” Green asks the writer to decide — “What am I going to prove?” “What am I going to explain?” “What information will I share?”

Reasons/Details/Facts: Using Colors for Organization Reasons/Details/Facts: Yellow means “slow down.” Introduce key concepts to support the topic sentence.

Using Colors for Organization Explain: Red means “stop and explain.” Present evidence. Provide explanation and examples.

Using Colors for Organization Conclusion: Green means “go back to your topic.” Restate the topic and the position. Do not introduce new information. Use synonyms and leave your reader with something to remember.

So now you see… How to put together a well organized paragraph. But…

Don’t get stuck! Many students will ask “How many sentences do I have to write?” This is the ZME (zone of minimal effort) talking. With this process you can expand and shrink your paragraphs with ease. The rule is: you should use as many sentences as is needed to explain what you have to say.

Accordion Paragraphs An Option: Eight Sentence Paragraph: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Topic Sentence Reason/Detail/Fact Explain Reason/Detail/Fact Explain Reason/Detail/Fact Explain Conclusion

More Accordion Paragraphs Another Option: More Accordion Paragraphs Eleven Sentence Paragraph: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Topic Sentence Reason/Detail/Fact Reason/Detail/Fact Explain Reason/Detail/Fact Explain Explain Reason/Detail/Fact Explain Explain Conclusion

Practice Step One

Conclusion Topic This time let’s just make it a six sentence paragraph 2 fun ways to spend a million dollars explain Reason/fact/detail Reason/fact/detail explain Conclusion

Topic: Conclusion: fun, happy, rich Just One or Two words 2 fun ways to spend a million dollars Reason/fact/detail: explain: Shopping New car, Odyssey touring Reason/fact/detail: explain: cruise, Alaska Traveling Conclusion: fun, happy, rich Just One or Two words

Practice Step Two

Front of Page See teacher’s example Topic Reason/fact/detail Explain Use crayon to make dot on the left side of the page. Then write the words next to the dots Topic Reason/fact/detail Explain See teacher’s example

Back of Page Reason/fact/detail Explain Conclusion Use crayon to make dot on the left side of the page. Then write the words next to the dots Reason/fact/detail Explain Conclusion

Front of Page Topic Reason/fact/detail Explain If I had a million dollars, I would have a grand time depleting it. Reason/fact/detail Explain First, I would go out and buy the Honda Odyssey Touring Edition. This model has the six-DVD player, voice controlled navigation and enough seats for all my friends to come hang out with me.

Back of Page Reason/fact/detail Explain Conclusion Next, I would book a cruise to Alaska. I would make sure it was the longest cruise available and I would take all my friends with me. Rolling in money would clearly be a boon for not only myself, but my closet friends.

If I was Rolling in the Dough! If I had a million dollars, I would have a grand time depleting it. First, I would go out and buy the Honda Odyssey Touring Edition. This model has the six-DVD player, voice controlled navigation and enough seats for all my friends to come hang out with me. Next, I would book a cruise to Alaska. I would make sure it was the longest cruise available and I would take all my friends with me. Rolling in money would clearly be a boon for not only myself, but my closet friends.

How About More Than One Paragraph You can just add more “explain” pieces and make the “reason/detail/fact” sentence become the topic.

For example: Paragraph for the conclusion Topic = Plymouth Colony R/D/F Difficult trip across Atlantic e Dangerous waters e One ship turned back e Poor living conditions Paragraph R/D/F Difficult winter e Arrived in wrong location e Arrived too late to plant garden e Arrived too late to build homes Paragraph R/D/F Befriended by Indians e Invited to first Thanksgiving Paragraph for the conclusion

Persuasive Essay Format R/D/F Outlines: Reasons Outline Topic = Reasons for Learning to Swim R Safety reasons e Help yourself e Save others R Social reasons e Parties e Vacations e Summertime Of course, you will NOT limit yourself to only two reasons or three examples.

Independent Practice

You try… Get a paper ready like in step one but with 3 yellows (reason/detail/fact). One reason must be the opposing viewpoint and a rebuttals to it. Think about the topic you want to write your persuasive essay about. Fill in using your topic and at least two reds (explain) that you can think of to support each yellow. Remember to only JOT information.

By tomorrow You will need to bring me the “step one” paper you have been working on for my “green light” on your topic. Tomorrow we will research any information you will need for the examples on your topic.