Game Plan for Posting Your Best Score on the Georgia Writing Assessment

Why don’t we call this the Georgia Writing Assessment Test ?

The words “test” and “assessment” mean the same thing. Using them together would be redundant. The word “redundancy” is a noun and is used to name a situation in which this is done. Instead of saying “Assessment Test,” say “Writing Test” or “Writing Assessment.” What part of speech is the word “redundant”? An adjective, because it describes the misused word.

Find the redundancies in the following sentences. 1.Meet me at the clock tower at 12 P.M. noon. 2.Any arguments we have had are past history now. 3.You can withdraw money from your local ATM machine. 4.I bought a PC Computer. 5.Getting a box of free cheese was an added bonus. 6.We made an advance reservation for a condo on the beach. 7.We were absolutely certain that the signature had been changed. 8.Don’t forget to plan ahead for emergencies. 9.The police found an anonymous note on the dead body. 10. The planet Venus is visible to the eye at dawn.

Persuasive Writing Topic Writing Situation Rules and laws give us guidelines and keep things running smoothly. Some set age requirements, some protect us, and others protect our rights or the rights of others. Directions for Writing Write an essay in which you describe a rule or law you think is important. Convince the reader that the rule or law is needed, why it is needed, and what rights or people it protects.

Domain 1: IDEAS The more information you have in your prewriting, the more ideas you will have to work with in your rough draft. Get ideas by looking at and marking up the prompt. Writing Situation Rules and laws give us guidelines and keep things running smoothly. Some set age requirements, some protect us, and others protect our rights or the rights of others. Directions for Writing Write an essay in which you describe a rule or law you think is important. Convince the reader that the rule or law is needed, why it is needed, and what rights or people it protects. PERSUASIVEPERSUASIVE Body paragraphs What kinds of rules do you deal with at school?

Strategy: The best source of information you can use in just about any type of timed writing is your own personal experience. What are some experiences MOST seventh graders would have in common? schoolfamilyfriends Extracurricular: sports music art

What are some rules you would have to follow in school: Write an essay in which you describe a rule or law you think is important. No running in the hall No roughhousing No chewing gum Teachers and students must be respected No talking without permission **Some rules, like those having to do with respect and not stealing, for example, can be carried into everyday life. Chances are, you are more likely to know more about school and family rules than you are to know about society’s rules such as those governing driving and public safety.

Can you brainstorm and write about your topic as it relates to school? Chances are that you will have a better idea of what you are writing about since you deal with being at school for the majority of your time. You are likely to pull up better examples and vocabulary for your paper.

Let’s go to the board. Brainstorm ideas for 3 paragraphs about why not talking in class is an important school rule. that the rule or law is needed why it is needed what rights or people it protects. **When is talking allowed?** Remember: Negative side of the argument; that students should be allowed to talk during class What kind of snapshot can you create to go with this essay?

Domain 2: Organization You need: 1. an intro 2. body paragraph 1 3. body paragraph 2 4. body paragraph 3 5. conclusion Somewhere in here, you need to consider the other side of your argument.

Domain 3: Style **Word choice** Make a list of words you can use in an essay about the “No Talking Rule” at school. Pump up your score with STYLE!

Style (continued) Sentence Variety Combine two short sentences into one, more interesting, long one!

Style:

Domain: Conventions Check spelling: Sound out words carefully. Does each sentence begin with an upper case letter? Does each sentence have end punctuation? Check for correct comma use. Make sure you have indented 5-7 letter spaces at the start of each new paragraph. Make sure you use uppercase letters only where it is correct to have them. And now, a word about penmanship…

Watch the clock. Do this: Take a hand-shake break after long runs of writing. For example, take a break after brainstorming, and take a longer break between writing your rough draft and final copies. Form your letters carefully! Print instead of writing if that works better for you!

Okay, so what happens if you get an expository topic? Pretend that you are an authority! Write with confidence! Just as with the persuasive topic, choose a context (situation) with which you are most familiar. School is a safe bet. Avoid words that suggest an opinion such as “I believe…: Remember: with this type of topic, you do not need to convince anyone of anything!

Expository Topic: Write an essay in which you describe a rule or law. Explain the rule or law, what it means, why it is needed, and the rights of the people it protects. Include specific details that would help the reader understand the rule or law. What a BORING topic!! How can I make this fun for the reader and for me??? And hey, who took my legs???

Here we go folks! Brainstorm answers to the questions about this topic asked of you in the prompt: Topic: The five second rule. Explain what it is. Why is it needed? Whose rights or what people does it protect?

Create a snapshot of the five second rule in action. A snapshot makes a great way to get your essay started!

Topic: The rule: Do not date your BFF’s former boyfriend or girlfriend. Explain what it is. Why is it needed? Whose rights or what people does it protect?

Remember to have a topic sentence in both your introduction and your conclusion. If it helps, imagine that your reader is forgetful and needs to be reminded…OFTEN!