 Lobster, Caviar, Cheesecake: › If you were choosing the menu for your last meal, what would it include? Write detailed descriptions of each item on the menu.

 Discussion on the reading homework  Introduction/Review of the writing process and brainstorming  Introduction/review of paragraph structure  Introduction/review of thesis statements and essay structure.  Introduction of the first essay assignment

 Writing is a process, a series of steps that begins when you get an assignment. › Step 1: Planning › Step 2: Organizing › Step 3: Drafting › Step 4: Revising and Editing

 Assignment/Topic: What you are writing about?  Purpose: Why you are writing?  Audience: for whom are you writing?  Practice Practice

Finding and gathering ideas

 Talking and listening  Annotating texts  Listing  Free writing  Mapping/Diagramming  Clustering  Outlining

 Given the recent natural disasters around the world (earthquake and tsunami in Japan, earthquake in New Zealand, earthquake in Haiti) and the general destruction, do you think that California is prepared for “the big one?”

One of the most effective methods of brainstorming is to just talk it out. Sometimes, discussing a topic with fellow students, family members, or an instructor can help you gather ideas.

Listing does exactly what it sounds like; a writer can list all the ideas or responses they have to a general topic. YesNo

Rather than using the more linear format of mapping, clustering uses bubbles and lines to connect ideas based on a main topic or idea.

Mapping/diagramming and clustering are very similar. Starting with a central idea, branches are added as new ideas, branch off. Related ideas are attached by branches. New ideas start a new branch.

Free writing is a stream of consciousness exercise. It’s useful to get the ideas flowing without thinking about organization or mechanics.  Spend five minutes (until I tell you to stop) just writing about California’s preparedness for a big natural disaster (earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, zombie outbreak, etc).

The journalists questions: Who What When Where Why How

1. On your own, brainstorm some ideas about the topic presented here. 2. After a few minutes, get with a small group and discuss the ideas you came up as individuals, and keep notes of new ideas you came up with. 3. As a group, brainstorm details to support your ideas. Think about examples, personal experience, etc.  Should “Superbowl Monday” and the day after Halloween be national holidays?

 Refer back to the group brainstorm you did on adding national holidays:  Write two topic sentences: › One in favor of adding the holidays › One against adding the holidays