1. Activity 1.7: Timed Writing– Choosing a topic and drafting a personal narrative
Springboard: 7th Grade

2. Learning Targets
I can analyze the elements of, and respond to, a writing prompt.
I can identify and apply the roles within a writing group while sharing and responding to draft texts.

3. Writing Groups Get feedback for revisions.
Work collaboratively to respond to one another’s writing.
Ask clarifying questions.
Sharing and responding strategy to offer suggestions.
Groups responsibility to help strengthen the draft.

4. Roles of the Participants in the Writing Groups:
The Reader
Reads the text aloud.
Begins the conversation after reading.
The Listener(s)
Takes notes and prepare open-ended questions for the writer or makes constructive statements.
The Writer
Listens to their draft and takes notes.
Responds to questions.
Asks the writing group questions on ways to strengthen their draft.

5. Preparing for a Writing Prompt:
Tip One: Address all aspects of the prompt. Make sure you understand what the prompt is asking you to do.
Circle the key verbs in the prompt. The verbs identify what you will do.
Underline the nouns. The nouns identify what you will write about.
List the verbs next to the nouns. This list prioritizes what you have to do when you write in response to this prompt. You can use this list as a checklist to ensure that you have addressed all aspects of the prompt.
We did another version of this when we unpacked the writing prompt (see the unpacking the EA 1 in your Writing Journal)

6. Prioritizing the Prompt:
Verbs
Write
Include
Use
Nouns
A narrative about a choice you made in life
Information about the choice and consequence
Elements of incident, response, reflection
Transitions to connect ideas for your reader
Effects of the consequence
Sensory details and figurative language

7. Preparing for a Writing Prompt
Tip Two: Pace Yourself. You will have 120 minutes to write your essay. How many minutes will you use for each phase?
20 minutes Prewrite: Plan my essay and generate ideas.
50 minutes Draft: Put my plan into action and get my narrative on paper.
50 minutes Revise/Edit: Make sure my narrative is as clear as possible for my readers.

8. Preparing for a Writing Prompt:
Tip Three: Plan Your Essay. Think back the brainstorm you completed regarding choices and consequences. Select one incident in which you made a choice.
Use a prewriting strategy to create a plan for your draft. Consider creating a web, a plot diagram (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution), or an outline.

9. Writing Prompt:
Write a multi-paragraph (4-5) narrative about an incident where you made a choice in life. Include information about the choice you made and the consequences of your action. Be sure to:
Include the elements of incident, response, and reflection
Use transitions to connect ideas for your reader.
Include insights about the effects and consequences of the choice.
Use sensory details and/or figurative language.
Incorporate parallel sentence structure and dialogue.

10. Paragraphs Introduction Incident Response Reflection
Conclusion (if needed)
Dialogue will make it seem like there are more paragraphs, so count the main bodies of paragraphs.

11. Entry/Notes Journal
Coherence Vocab pg.

12. Coherence
The clear and orderly presentation of ideas in a paragraph or essay.

13. Internal Coherence
Refers to coherence within a paragraph. When reading for internal coherence, make sure that each paragraph is organized and clearly written using transition and parallel structure.

14. External Coherence
Refers to coherence between the paragraphs and relates to the entire essay.
When reading for external coherence, check that the entire text uses transitions to move smoothly from one major idea to another in a logical way.

15. Language and Writer’s Craft: Coherence
When responding to a writing prompt, it is important to consider the coherence of your writing. Transitions within and between paragraphs create coherence.
Transitions that you might use to move from idea to idea include: then, next, later, after that, toward the end, in the end, additionally, nevertheless, in addition, however, finally, moreover. There are many additional transitions you might use. Please see the transitions handout.

16. Personal Narrative Structure
Incident
What happened? What was the choice you made in life?
Response
What were your feelings or thoughts about people involved?
What were your feelings or thoughts about the event?
Reflection
Thinking back, what was the lesson you learned from this experience?
How will you use this lesson in the future?

17. Writing Journal
12-7 Narrative Brainstorm pg.

18. Planning and Prewriting: 20 minutes
Plan your essay and generate ideas using a prewriting strategy.
Brainstorming Web
Outline
Plot Diagram

19. Writing Prompt:
Write a multi-paragraph (4-5) narrative about an incident where you made a choice in life. Include information about the choice you made and the consequences of your action. Be sure to:
Include the elements of incident, response, and reflection
Use transitions to connect ideas for your reader.
Include insights about the effects and consequences of the choice.
Use sensory details and/or figurative language.
Incorporate parallel sentence structure and dialogue.

20. Revising Rough Draft Feedback: right hand column MLA Format
12 point font, Times New Roman
Double spaced
Heading is on the left
Your Name
English 7
Ms. Kernan
Day Month Year
Title
Not bolded or underlined
Feedback: right hand column
Underline figurative language and sensory details
Circle all transitions
Bold misspelled words

21. Writing Groups: 4th Period
Hans
Josh M.
Natalie
Natalee
Kiera
Jessica
Richard
Caden
Lawrence
Levi
Kayla
Amber
Maili
Kyleigh
Josh G.
Mia
Laynie
Connrad
Finley
Ariel

22. Writing Groups: 5th Period
Andrew
Johnathan L.
Payton
Wyatt
Coby
Jonah
Jonathan T.
Ethan
Lilly
Miranda
Kailee
Olivia
James
Gabe
Jesse
Kristen
Kelsie
Charlie
McCall

23. Writing Groups: 6th Period
Becca
James
Rebecca
Maddy
Jacob
Gid
Bryant
Mia
Mary
River
Kaylynn
Will
Milayna
Corban
Zach

24. Roles of the Participants in the Writing Groups:
The Reader
Reads the text silently, then aloud.
Begins the conversation after reading.
The Listener(s)
Takes notes and prepare open-ended questions for the writer or make constructive statements.
The Writer
Listens to their draft and takes notes.
Responds to questions.
Asks the writing group questions.

25. Separate Sheet of Paper
Heading
Assignment
Activity 1.7 Revising and CYU

26. Revising Your Essay:
Review your notes from your writing group. Based on the feedback you received, create a revision plan by responding thoughtfully to the following:
After rereading your draft and meeting with your writing group, what do you like best about your personal narrative? Why?
At this point, what do you think could be improved? Why?
What do you plan to change and how will those changes improve the draft?
After reading my draft, I realized that in the next draft I should revise _______________________________________ because __________________________________________________________.

27. Check Your Understanding
Describe how to respond to a writing prompt (i.e. verbs/noun categorizing).
Explain how a writing group can help you improve writing.
*Turn in when completed. If you do not finish it is homework.