Five Strategies To Succeed in the Classroom!

Inferences are the reasonable guesses we make based on the facts presented; they are conclusions we draw based on the evidence. Examples – People leave a movie theater smiling… did they like the movie? You see newspapers piling up on your neighbor’s porch… what do you think? Suddenly, everyone on the highway slows down and honors the speed limit… what is ahead? Just as you draw conclusions from daily situations, you much draw conclusions based on the information your authors give you.

“ Writer’s Craft” refers to the techniques an author uses to communicate ideas. To uncover the craft, pay special attention to these techniques: 1. Introductions and Conclusions: intros should include an element that keep you interested in reading more (anecdote, one or more questions, a broad statement that narrows down to the central point) ; conclusions include a summary and a final thought (or two) 2. Type of Support: Ask yourself, “How has the author supported his/her central points?” Some common methods include: reasons, examples, details, facts, quotes, personal experience.

3. Patterns of Organization: How are the supporting details arranged? Time order—telling the parts of the story in the order they happened (transition words: first, then, after) Listing order—providing a series of reasons, examples, and details (transition words: first, in addition, also) Comparison/contrast—showing how two things are alike or different.(transition words: just as, similarly, however, in contrast, on the other hand) Cause/effect—explaining the reasons why something happened (transition words: because, therefore, consequently)

4. Tone: communicates feeling about how an AUTHOR feels towards subject 5. Purpose: inform (to give information), persuade (change people’s minds about an issue), or entertain (give enjoyment) PIE 6. Audience: for whom was the selection written? A general reader or a specific group/person? 7. Titles: read for meaning – could be a short summary or main topic. Look for clues.

Turn to page 143 to the story, “Winners, Loser, or Just Kids?” Preview the text first and record these vocab words and their definitions in your ISN: coyly, flaunted, swank, metamorphoses, morose, fare, endeared, sheepish, presumptuous, regressed

Read “Winners, Losers, or Just Kids?” (143) Re-read the preview if you need a refresher After reading, free-write in response to one of the First Impressions prompt in your ISN. Write until I tell you to stop. Record the Inference questions and the Writer’s Craft questions (5 total) in your ISN and provide an answer to each (yes, write letter and answer out. This WILL BE a formative grade. We’ll discuss at the end of class. This is also to prepare you for tomorrow’s summative