1. Get out your literacy notebook and your Library book. In your Notes section in your writing composition: Write today’s date 9/14/11 and write INTRODUCTIONS (this should be your first entry in this section) Copy down the first 3 sentences that appear in your library book’s introduction. Beneath those sentences comment on the opening sentences of your book…does the author grab the readers attention? What do you like/dislike about the writing?

2. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 3: Explore your memory for details in your literacy notebook. Memorable Christmas Scenes My house (tense, lonely, Melancholy) Key People Me ( depressed, Resentful, grateful ) Dad ( angry, Bitter, supportive ) Main Events Announce Divorce Lesson I learned from this experience that in life you may be faced with challenges that seem impossible to overcome, but these challenges can end up being blessings in disguise. Parents constantly fighting Have to choose mom or dad Reflect on Divorce & choice Mom ( devastated, Insightful, supportive )

3. INTRODUCTION Step 5: Write an introduction. Include a grabber, some background information, and a hint of the topic. Sitting silently in eighth period surrounded by friends; all eyes on the clock in anticipation for the bell to ring. It was Friday and less than five minutes until the start of the weekend. In the life of a thirteen year old this should have been the best part of the day…for me though, it was the moment I had come to dread. As my classmate’s excitement grew, the knot in my stomach became harder to ignore because of the heart ache that I knew awaited me at home. Not even in my wildest dreams though could I have imagined the challenge I would soon face.

4. LEADS SNAPSHOT LEADCreate a picture in the reader’s mind. The wind blew silently making the soft, green grass swerve back and forth. TALKING LEADStart with a character speaking. “Texas? What do you mean Texas?” I exclaimed furiously as if the world was ending. THOUGHTSHOT LEADStart with a thought inside a character’s head. I couldn’t imagine why my father was hollering for me at 7:00 in the morning. I thought fast about what I might have done. ACTION LEADStart with the main character doing something. I gulped my milk, pushed away from the table, and bolted out of the kitchen, slamming the screen door behind me. I ran down to the dock as fast as my legs would carry me. My feet pounded on the old wood, hurrying me toward the sound of my dad’s voice. ONOMATOPOEIA LEADStart with a sound. Bam! I smacked my head into the wall. BA DA BING LEAD Where were you? What did you see? What did you think? Standing in the kitchen, I stared at my sister’s broken finger, and I realized I was going to be grounded for life.