“I’d like some FRIES with that!” A fun way to add support to your writing!

Introduction Have you ever been told that you need more support or details in your writing? One simple way to do that is by adding “FRIES” to your writing. The goal is to include some “FRIES” in all of your paragraphs. The more “FRIES” you include in your writing, the more support you will have.

F= Facts Add interesting facts to your essay writing. Example #1: Research states ________. Example #2: A recent study in Time Magazine concluded that ___________.

R= Reasons Develop reasons to support the main idea. For example, if the prompt asks you why technology should be used in the classroom, you should have 3 reasons to support that idea. Reason 1- Technology engages students. Reason 2- Our world depends on technology, therefore we should use technology in the classroom. Reason 3- Technology appeals to all types of learners.

I= Incidents & E= Examples Tell a story or give examples to support your reasons. For example, if the reason students should use technology is that it “engages all students”, then you need to tell a story or give an example that supports that reason. We recently received a set of 22 laptops for our language arts class. Students were so excited. We could not wait to complete our first assignment. Never before were my classmates and I so excited to do school work. I can’t wait to use them again!

S= Statistics and Sensory Details Statistics help drive a point home. In other words, statistics are very powerful and enhance your writing. Examples of Statistics: *8 out of 10 students agree *95% of all dentists believe… *2/5 of all drivers get nervous when…

Sensory Details Sensory details appeal to your five senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, & hearing) *Drip, drip, drip goes the water faucet. *The rich, creamy icing melted quickly in my mouth. Use specific verbs and adjectives. *Example: Use “staggered” instead of “walked”. *Example: Use “exquisite” instead of “pretty”.

Group Practice “F-R-I-E-S”! Let’s see if you remember what each letter represents. Now you’re ready. Here is a practice prompt: One part of the language arts class consists of students having to provide evidence for reading books. Do you think that students should have to create book responses? Convince your teacher to see your side. As a group let’s see if we can cook a batch of “FRIES” to support this writing prompt. We will write “FRIES” on the board and see how many “F-R-I-E-S” we can make in support of the prompt.

Individual Practice Good luck!!! Now it is your time to make sure you have enough “FRIES” in the paper you are revising. You should have “FRIES” in every paragraph. By the time you finish revising with “FRIES”, your paper will be far more powerful! One more thing, if you’re a visual learner, I highly suggest you underline or highlight the “FRIES” you include. That is why our “FRIES” are colorful. Facts= Green, Reasons=Red, Incidents=Purple, Examples= Yellow, and Statistics or Sensory Details= Orange. Good luck!!!