1. TAKS Essay Writing How to pull writing from the depths of your gut…. (and puke it back up onto paper!)

2. Tee off… Example Prompt: Explain a time when you felt as though you were being persecuted against; a time when you felt as though your back was against the wall. Recall events or experiences which apply to the prompt given. Example Experiences: Your first speech in front of a class Standing up against peer pressure Emotions, feelings, and effects with each experience. Examples: Fear, scared, rattled, anxious, nauseated, stressful, sweaty palms, shaky, relief, confident, pride in work Intimidated, terrified, apprehensive, distressed, overwhelmed, confused, proud, losing friends, making new friends

3. Pick It… Pick one experience from the T- chart. Make sure the experience you choose has enough emotions, feelings, and effects to create a lengthy TAKS essay Remember: expressing your feelings is the key to finding depth in your essay.

4. Chunk It >>> Organize your Ideas Writing Topic Sentences in Outline Format… Introduction Then this happened –Additional description Then this happened –Additional description Then this happened –Additional description Etc…Conclusion Reminder: Your additional description should include your emotions and feelings.

5. Getting Started-The Introduction SCIDD Setting Introduction-begin describing where your experience happened. –It was cold and unfamiliar. I had no clue where I was or how I got there. There were bright lights blinding me; smells of antiseptic filling my nose; and I heard a voice asking me to open my eyes and say my name…

6. SCIDD Character Introduction- Describe the main character in your experience to open your essay –She was small in stature, but her presence was large. She dressed with an air of authority but was always approachable. She smelled like Tea Rose perfume, and her voice comforted those who sought her advice. I miss her. She was my grandmother…

7. SCIDD The “It” Introduction… –This lead describes your theme with three adjectives For example… It was liberating. It was exhilarating. It was emotional. It was freedom.

8. SCIDD Dialogue Introduction-starts off with a conversation between characters un your experience. –“What is going on here?” –“I was just going to start the car and go to the store to get…”

9. SCIDD Definition Introduction Once you have narrowed the theme or major idea for your paper, use the definition to begin. –According to the Webster’s Dictionary, happiness is defined as being of good fortune or lucky. I felt very lucky the day ….

10. Vomit - Your Ideas Rough Draft- It is okay to express yourself using ‘head words’ (examples: happy, sad, glad, mad, angry) in your rough draft. Remember to ‘show’ your feelings not just ‘tell’ about your feelings in your final draft. In other words, you MUST move from ‘the head’ to ‘the gut.’ –Write your story without worrying about spelling and grammatically errors. –Spill your ideas out onto the paper based on your emotions, feelings and experiences.

11. Clean Up… Correct Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Circle your ‘head’ words; then expand those ideas to ‘show’ your emotions, feelings, and experiences as they are felt in your ‘gut.’ Examples: Love My heart ached and my stomach churned whenever he as out of my sight. Lonely I felt as though there was no one else in the world who understood what I was going through. I was all alone on a psychological island.