1. Making your voice heard
Elaboration
Making your voice heard

2. ELABORATION It’s ALL about the elaboration!
The purpose of writing is to convey your ideas to your audience. In order to do that you need to support your ideas with evidence that is sufficient and relevant, but you also need to elaborate on those key pieces of information by explaining how/why the evidence is:
Important
Interesting
Insightful
Significant
Impactful
Compelling
Meaningful E
It’s ALL about the
elaboration!

3. Elaboration = VOICE Writing is about making a point.
Elaboration is where your voice can be heard and how your point is made.
Evidence is needed to back up your point, but elaboration is how you make your point.
Voice is your particular outlook on a topic.
Voice makes your writing distinct.
Voice gives your writing a sense of uniqueness and originality.

4. ELABORATIve TEchniques
But I gave all the details, facts, and evidence to support my point. How do I elaborate?
After providing some evidence to support your point say more by explaining…
what it’s like/unlike
what happened next
why it’s good/why it’s bad
why it’s a big deal
what it means
why it makes sense
how it looks
Distribute Rosa Parks text and organizer. Instruct students to read.

5. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Like/Unlike
This technique allows you to elaborate on, or develop, your point by showing how one thing is similar to another.
…or, by showing how one thing is the opposite of another.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Point/Reason: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Review each technique with students and instruct them to fill in the blanks on the first 2 columns of the organizer.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella). OR
Elaboration: Just like Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks worked for justice bravely and peacefully.
Elaboration: Unlike some people of this time who were too afraid to stand up to unfair laws, Rosa Parks took a great risk.

6. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero..
What happened Next?
This technique allows you to elaborate on, or develop, your point by explaining the results or consequences.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero..
Point/Reason: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella).
Elaboration: Due to this one brave act, Parks helped power a movement that led to equal rights for all Americans.

7. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero..
The Good and the Bad
This technique allows you to elaborate on, or develop, your point by explaining the positive outcomes but also showing drawbacks.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero..
Point/Reason: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella).
Elaboration: While this was a great step forward for humankind, it came with great personal risk for Rosa Parks. She knew she would face arrest but that didn’t stop her from doing what she believed was right.

8. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Big DEAL
This technique allows you to elaborate on, or develop, your point by explaining the big deal; why is it significant or important?
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Point/Reason 1: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella).
!!!
Elaboration: Before this time in history, people didn’t challenge unfair laws. Rosa Parks was a trailblazer in the Civil Rights movement.

9. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
What does That Mean?
This technique allows you to elaborate on, or develop, your point by providing a definition or example.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Point/Reason 1: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella).
Elaboration: Refusing means she stayed seated quietly and simply did not move. This refusal was a bold act of bravery during this unfair time.

10. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
It Just Makes Sense
This technique allows you to elaborate on, or develop, your point by explaining why this is logical or reasonable.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Point/Reason 1: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella).
Elaboration: Obviously this kind of daring action would only be carried out by someone who is heroic and committed to what she believes.

11. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Just Imagine
This technique allows you to elaborate on, or develop, your point by helping your reader create a mental picture.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Point/Reason 1: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella).
Elaboration: Picture her seated quietly unmoving surrounded by white passengers who were likely angry at her boldness. Such an act takes great bravery.

12. Guided Practice
Work with a partner. Using the reason and evidence provided below, try writing elaborative sentence(s) for each technique on your handout.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Point/Reason: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Have students work with a partner and try to write elaborative techniques of their own with the new evidence provided. It’s okay if they struggle a bit. Instruct them to skip ones they get stuck on and come back to them later. Once everyone has had time to work, invite students to share.
Evidence: New laws were passed stating that bus drivers could not make black people give up their seats nor use different restrooms than white people
Fill in the elaboration on your handout:

13. PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Independent Practice
Now put it all together in a well-developed paragraph about why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
PROMPT: Write to explain why Rosa Parks is considered a hero.
Point/Reason: Rosa Parks is considered a hero because she changed the country by standing up for what she believed in.
Evidence: When asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus, Rosa Parks refused (LaBella).
Instruct students to write their paragraph in the space provided on their handout. Remind them to include transitions so that their paragraph flows smoothly.
Elaboration:
Evidence: New laws were passed stating that bus drivers could not make black people give up their seats nor use different restrooms than white people
Elaboration:
Wrap Up: