1. 4 SQUARE WRITING Helping us write a DBQ!
Based on the writing program of Judith and Evan Gould
Edited by
Donna Stone and Maria Milam

2. How to fill out the graphic organizer…
Day 1: DBQ Writing
How to fill out the graphic organizer…

3. Informational Writing
Directions for Writing:  Using the documents, your answers to the DBQ questions, and your knowledge of Social Studies write a well organized essay about the Civil War. In your essay remember to:
Tell the purpose of slavery from colonial times until the Civil War and how slavery denied people their basic human rights.
Include an introduction, body, and a conclusion
Include details, examples, or reasons to develop your answer
Use the information in the documents in your answer

4. As a writer you need to think about what you are doing as you’re writing! Be sure to think..
Ideas (2Xs)
Organization (1x)
Focus on your topic and genre
Start paragraphs with general ideas
Move to specific descriptive ideas
Narrow your focus
Introduce your topic &engage the reader
Put ideas in a logical order
Use transition words to link ideas, paragraphs, and sentences
Style (1x)
Conventions (1x)
Vary your sentence length: Simple and compound
Word choice: engages the reader, descriptive, figurative
Use compound and simple sentences correctly; write complex sentences
Punctuate correctly
Correct usage (verbs, possessives, contractions. etc…)
Correct mechanics (spelling, capitals, paragraphs…)

5. Prepare the graphic organizer.
Now fold your paper into 4 squares.

6. Slavery was an institution that provided the South with many things.
Topic Sentence
Fold the paper into four squares. Begin with one well written topic sentence placed in a box in the center. This will become the topic sentence.

7. It’s your turn… Write a topic sentence using the prompt
Check your topic sentence with your neighbor. Do they think it is on topic? Have you used Social Studies language? Have you used the question in your topic sentence?
Raise your hand to share.

8. Slavery’s had a purpose. Slavery existed in the south.
Slavery was an institution that provided the South with many things.
Slavery was a cruel institution.
Slavery denied people their human rights.
Add three supporting sentences (one in each box). The fourth box should be a feeling sentence that sums up the other three. All sentences should support the main topic in the center.

9. It’s your turn… Now write your four sub-topic sentences.
Check your sub-topic sentence with your neighbor. Do they think it is on topic? Have you used Social Studies language? Have you used the question in your topic sentence? Look at the model.

10. Slavery existed in the south.
Slavery’s had a purpose.
Slavery existed in the south.
Worked in the fields growing cotton, tobacco
King Cotton
Agricultural society
Slaves worked and did not receive pay
Labored at jobs for master
Clothes,
food given
Slavery was an institution that provided the South with many things.
Slavery denied people their human rights.
Slavery was a cruel institution.
Punished for running away
sold family members
Now add three details to support your sub-topic. This is where your facts, quotes, examples, and details will go! Remember these do not have to be sentences!

11. It’s your turn…
Now write your details and examples. Have you used quotes from the document?
Check your details with your neighbor. Do they think they match the sub-topic? Have you used Social Studies language? Look at the model.

12. Hints From Mrs. Stone’s Social Studies Class for completing your Graphic Organizer
Reread your documents
Do you have a quote from the document you think shows the reader what it was really like?
Can you think of text we have read in Social Studies that will help you provide evidence? (see chapter 5)
Be sure your facts are accurate! Don’t make it up.
Put your opinion and personal thoughts in the conclusion.

13. It’s your turn… Write a topic sentence using a prompt
Check your topic sentence with your neighbor. Do they think it is on topic? Have you used Social Studies language? Have you used the question in your topic sentence?
Now write your four sub-topic sentences.
Check your sub-topic sentence with your neighbor. Do they think it is on topic? Have you used Social Studies language? Have you used the question in your topic sentence? Look the model.

14. How to use the graphic organizer to write… Introductions
Day 2: DBQ Writing
How to use the graphic organizer to write… Introductions

15. First Paragraph (Introduction)
Topic Sentence
Center of 4 Square
Use a hook
Prepares reader
Ties all squares together

16. What kinds of hooks can you use with informational writing?
Question
Interesting fact or quote
Description
Combinations of these
Be careful though you do not want it to sound like a story

17. Again from the graphic organizer to the lined paper………
Again from the graphic organizer to the lined paper……….. Introduction Quote
“The law gives the master absolute power over the slave.” This quote from the document shows the unfair relationship between the master and the slave. This relationship between slave and master existed in the United States from colonial times until the Civil War. Slavery, though it denied people their basic human rights had a purpose, and helped the south to become a powerful cotton producer. ↑
See the quote from the document!
←This sentence comes from the question!

18. Again from the graphic organizer to the lined paper. Introduction
Again from the graphic organizer to the lined paper..Introduction.. Interesting Fact …
“In the 1840’s and 1850’s cotton was called “king.”” in the south. (P.144) This was because cotton was the most valuable resource. It was used in British and Northern textile factories. As a result, a relationship developed between slaves and master in the United States from colonial times until the Civil War. Slavery, though it denied people their basic human rights had a purpose, and helped the south to become a powerful cotton producer. ↑
See the quote from the text!
←This sentence comes from the question!

19. ←This sentence comes from the question!
Again from the graphic organizer to the lined.. Introduction..Description …
Today’s American adults have many choices that they make about their lives. They must make decisions about where the will work, where they will live, and who they will spend time with. No one tells them what time they get up, what they must eat or who they talk to. Yet during the colonial time until the Civil War this was not the case for African Americans. This was because they were slaves. Slavery, though it denied people their basic human rights had a purpose ,was wrong, and helped the south to become a powerful cotton producer. ↑
See the describing!
←This sentence comes from the question!

20. It’s your turn… Use your graphic organizer to write your introduction
Check the first paragraph with your neighbor. Do they think it has a hook/lead? Have you used Social Studies language? Have you used the question in your topic sentence? Highlight your lead in yellow.
Raise your hand to share your introduction. Be ready to tell what type of hook or lead you used.

21. How to use the graphic organizer to write… The Body
Day 2: DBQ Writing
How to use the graphic organizer to write… The Body

22. Again from the graphic organizer to the lined paper..Body
Here I used a dictionary definition to begin…It hooks the reader to begin the body.
Again from the graphic organizer to the lined paper..Body
Slavery, “the state of being under the control of another person,” existed in the United States from colonial times until the Civil War. Its purpose was to forced human beings to work and live so that another person could make money. In doing so, slaves were denied basic human rights of freedom They were not allowed to make choices about their own lives. If they fought many were tortured.
Look at all the language from the document
See how I have used the graphic organizer ideas and reworded them!

23. It’s your turn…
Use your graphic organizer to write your first paragraph of your body
Check the first body paragraph with your neighbor.? Have you used Social Studies language? Do you have quotes from the document or text?
Raise your hand to share your first paragraph.
Continue writing your body using the rest of your graphic organizer.