1. Introduction to Middle School Writer’s Workshop
Finding Your Voice
Introduction to Middle School Writer’s Workshop

3. Writing Territories What’s Important to You?
Special Talents
Free Time Activities
School
A Special Pet
Vacation Places
Friends
An Object or Possession
Movies and Books
Interesting People
Sports/Recreation

4. Writing Territories
Make a list of twenty topics or issues that you would like to write about this year.

5. Heart Map
Directions: Using your Writing Territories and starting from the center, organize your topics from most important in the center to less important as you get to the outer borders of your Heart Map.

6. Baseline Essay 7th Grade Prompt:
If you could choose anywhere in the world to travel where would you go? Explain why you would choose that place.

7. Expository and Persuasive Writing
Think
Ink
Pair
Share 7

8. Expository vs. Persuasive Writing
Sort your cards using the Venn Diagram.
Expository
Persuasive
For sorting activity, you will need to make the materials ahead of time.
In the document folder, find the Sorting Template.doc and print it.
Make enough copies of the template so each group has 1 set of the cards. Make your group sizes to fit your preferences and your class.
Cut the copied templates into cards; mix the cards and place 1 set of the cards into an envelope.
Students, in their groups, will find the 2 title cards “Persuasive Writing” and “Expository Writing.” Then they will sort the rest of the cards under one of those two headings.
Encourage students to look for evidence on the card that would be a clue to its category.
Use the uncut sorting template as a key for categories and matching.
Show slides 18 – 20 to compare and correct their sort.
If you are unclear about persuasive strategies, the document folder contains a handout titled Persuasive Strategies.doc that lists and defines the various strategies.
Define expository writing
Define persuasive writing 8

9. Expository Example Expository writing is explaining.
I would include my skates because I love to ice skate. I especially love ice dancing, a form of ice skating in which you have a partner, don’t jump or do lifts above the boy’s head, and are partly judged on the quality of your edges and interpretation of the music.
This is an excerpt from a 7th grade 2006 expository writing example, scoring 4 on Content, Organization, and Style (COS).
Discuss this example, pointing out why this is an explanation (expository).
Refer back to the characteristics of expository writing. . 9

10. Persuasive Example Persuasive writing is convincing.
Some late work counts as 70% credit, giving kids a C- which is passing. Some kids are happy because they think a C- is a good grade. How can we allow students to turn in all of their work late but still have a passing grade? The kids that have C-’s don’t care about their work because even if they turn it in late, they can still get a passing grade. These kids have sort of twisted the grading system to benefit themselves. This can no longer be allowed.
This is an excerpt from a 7th grade persuasive paper from the 2006 anchor set, scoring 4 on Content, Organization, and Style (COS).
Discuss why this piece of writing is persuasive.
The writer takes a clear position: late work can no longer be allowed.
The writer uses evidence to elaborate and support his/her position.
Use of statistics: 70%
Use of specific details: late work earns a passing grade, some kids don’t care if they get a C-, this twists the grading system, and this can no longer be allowed.
Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. 10

11. What are the purposes of introductions?
Why are introductions
important?
Students should discuss the purposes of introductions and their importance. Their ideas should be charted and then compared to the purposes listed on the following slide that are taken from the Introduction Scoring Guide. With some teacher guidance and prompting, the purposes from the students and those from the Scoring Guide will match (although the language may be different).
Discuss with a partner!

12. Introductions grab the reader’s attention.
clearly imply an organizational structure for the paper.
includes support that is specific and relevant and provides a clear, connected lead-in to a paper’s main idea or thesis.
includes a thesis that is stated or implied.
This slide is taken from the Introduction Scoring Guide. Students should have come up with these purposes during the previous discussion. Point out any purposes that are the same but worded differently. If they have missed something, that purpose should be discussed.

13. Ineffective Introductions
I hope you enjoy…
Hi, my name is…
You are going to learn about…
This essay/letter is about…
I am going to tell you about…
There are three reasons…
Students use the above phrases when they don’t know other strategies for writing introductions.
Discuss why the above phrases are ineffective.
Discuss the ineffectiveness of over-used or clichéd phrases.
This list is not all-inclusive, nor a set of rules. This is a set of discussion points. This would make a good chart and can be added to as the year progresses.

14. Effective Introductions THE HOOK
A writer may begin with
an anecdote or scenario
a quotation or dialogue
a brief history or overview
5 W’s of situation or issue
an interesting fact
a description
a question
taking a stand or making an announcement
a contrasting situation
a combination from this list.
Discuss each of the strategies listed. (This list can be found in the Document Folder titled Intro Strategies.)
Consider focusing on 3-4 strategies at a time, depending on what your students have brainstormed.
This list on this slide is not all-inclusive. Add more strategies throughout the year.
Introduction Strategy Definitions:
an anecdote or scenario – a short narrative or hypothetical situation illustrating the idea/argument
a quotation or dialogue – the exact words of a person or character relevant to the idea/argument
a brief history or overview – background information needed to understand a situation
5 W’s of situation or issue – the who, what, where, when, and why of a situation or issue
an interesting fact – a piece of information that stimulates reader interest
a description – specific details that help a reader create mental images
a question – asking the reader a question to stimulate thinking and involve them in an idea/argument
taking a stand – revealing the writer’s point of view or position
a contrasting situation – presenting opposing sides or opinions of a situation
a combination of the above list - Writers frequently combine strategies to increase impact.

15. WRITE THIS DOWN!!!!
Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. (1-2 sentences)
Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state your position on the issue. I believe…( 1 sentence)
Map Sentence:Choose three arguments you can use to convince your reader of your position. Briefly state these arguments. (1 sentence)

16. Analyze Examples Form a pair with the person next to you.
In your group sort out the parts and glue them down in the correct order.
Then, in your group identify the three parts of an introduction AND LABEL THEM:
Hook
Thesis
Map Sentence
What strategies were used the most?
Which strategies especially made you want to keep reading?
With examples brought to class --
Have students take out their Introduction and Conclusion Strategies handouts.
Direct students to get into groups.
In their groups, students identify and chart primary strategies that are found in their examples.
Post charts on the wall and do a gallery walk in order to answer the two questions on the slide.

17. A Road Map for Your Essay
The Thesis Statement
A Road Map for Your Essay
Introduction
ESSAY
Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph #1
Body Paragraph #2
Body Paragraph #3

18. Definition Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a complete sentence that contains one main idea. This idea controls the content of the entire essay. A thesis statement that contains subpoints also helps a
reader know how the
essay will be
organized.
Definition
Thesis Statement
Look at the introductory paragraph. See
if you can identify the thesis statement and
subpoints.

19. Definition Thesis Statement
When I was young, I always knew that I wanted to become a teacher someday. When I played, I would often gather my dolls together and pretend to teach them how to do math problems or how to read a book. As I grew older, my desire to become an ESL teacher became clearer as I did some volunteer teaching overseas and in the United States. As I look back on my reasons for becoming a teacher, there are three reasons that stand out. They are: my love for the English language, my innate interest in how people learn, and my desire to help other people .
The thesis statement contains the main idea that controls the content of the essay.
Subpoints in the thesis or nearby help the reader know how the essay will be organized

20. Thesis Statement Another Example
Psychologists have argued for decades about how a person’s character is formed. Numerous psychologists believe that one’s birth order (i.e. place in the family as the youngest, oldest, or middle child) has the greatest influence. I believe birth order can have a significant impact in the formation of a child’s character based on my own experience growing up in a family of four children. Birth order can strongly affect one’s relationship with parents, relationships with others, and how one views responsibility as an adult.
The thesis statement contains the main idea that controls the content of the essay.
Subpoints in the thesis or nearby help the reader know how the essay will be organized

21. Key Features Thesis Statement
states the main idea of the essay in a complete sentence, not in a question.
is usually at the end of an introduction.
states an opinion or attitude on a topic. It doesn’t just state the topic, itself.
often lists subtopics.

22. Key Features Main statement for the entire essay
Expresses a complete thought in a complete sentence
Asserts an opinion or idea
It should NOT be a question.

23. Main Idea in a Complete Sentence
Key Features
Main Idea in a Complete Sentence
The sport of cross-country running.
This is not a complete sentence.
The sport of cross-country running has allowed me
to get in better shape and meet some interesting people.
Thesis Statement
This is a question, not a statement.
Why do I want to be a teacher?
Being a teacher is a great profession, because it allows me to work with students and be creative.
Thesis Statement

24. Key Features
Location
The thesis statement is often found at the end of the introductory paragraph so that the reader knows the main idea being presented.

25. Key Features
Location
For most of my life I have lived with bad health, smelly clothes, and a chronic cough. My children and husband begged me to stop the habit that caused these conditions, but I couldn’t. The habit of smoking had wrapped its addicting arms around me and was slowly strangling me until one day I realized I had to stop. This realization came after three terrifying events occurred in my family.
The thesis statement comes at the end of the introductory paragraph. This sentence tells the reader that he/she can expect to read about the events that caused the author to stop smoking in the rest of the essay.

26. State an Opinion or Attitude
Key Features
State an Opinion or Attitude
Good thesis statements often express a writer’s opinion or attitude on a particular topic. This makes the thesis statement more specific and requires the writer to explain or prove his/her opinion in the essay.

27. Key Features States an Opinion or Attitude
I learned to play many musical instruments when I was young.
Learning to play many musical instruments when I was young helped me to become a more intelligent and well-rounded person.
This would not be considered a good thesis statement because it is only expressing a fact. It doesn’t give the writer’s opinion or attitude on playing musical instruments. This thesis statement doesn’t give the writer very much to explain or prove in his/her essay.
This thesis statement is much better because it expresses how the writer feels about the experience of learning to play musical instruments. This thesis statement requires the writer to explain how and why playing a musical instrument made him/her a better person.

28. An Opinion or Attitude Another Example
This would not be considered a good thesis statement, because it is only expressing a fact. It doesn’t reflect the writer’s opinion or attitude on Cancun. This thesis statement doesn’t give the writer very much to explain or prove in his/her essay.
Cancun is a popular vacation spot in Mexico.
Cancun is one of the best vacation spots in Mexico because of its comfortable climate and proximity to some well-known archeological sites.
This thesis statement is much better because it expresses how the writer feels about Cancun. This thesis statement requires the writer to explain how and why going to Cancun is a good choice for visitors.

29. Subtopics provide a roadmap for the essay.
Key Features
Subtopics
Include subtopics or supporting ideas
Provides the reader with a clear idea of what will follow in your essay
Subtopics provide a roadmap for the essay.

30. Key Features Subtopics
The large influx of people to California has had major effects on the state.
No subtopics are named in this thesis statement.
The large influx of people to California has had major effects on the ability of the state to provide housing, electricity, and jobs for all residents.
Housing, electricity and jobs
This statement names three subtopics. Can you find all of the subtopics?

31. Inner-city public schools grapple with some serious problems.
Subtopics
Another Example
Inner-city public schools grapple with some serious problems.
No subtopics are named in this thesis statement.
Some of the most serious problems in today’s inner-city public schools are the overcrowded classrooms, the low percentage of trained teachers, and the lack of resources such as textbooks for students.
Overcrowded classrooms, low percentage of trained teachers, lack of resources
This statement names three subtopics. Can you find all of the subtopics?

32. Key Features
Review
states the main idea of the essay in a complete sentence, not in a question.
is usually at the end of an introduction.
states an opinion or attitude on a topic. It doesn’t just state the topic, itself.
often lists subtopics.

33. Six Strategies to Support Elaboration
Asking Questions
Recognizing Elaboration
Show; Don’t Tell
Concrete Details vs. General Language
Using Appositives
Layering vs. Listing

34. Elaboration answers questions for the reader.
What
problems?
Teenagers have problems.
The yellow boxes demonstrate a “Think-Aloud” that your students may recognize from reading instruction. They illustrate how a proficient reader approaches the text and interacts with it.

35. Elaboration answers questions for the reader.
Teenagers have problems. For example, teens don’t always have enough money to buy what they want.
Hmmm . . .what do teenagers want to buy?

36. Elaboration answers questions for the reader.
Teenagers have problems. For example, 80% of teens don’t always have enough money to buy CD’s, food for after school, and the kind of clothes they want, according to Teen Journal.
Oh…now I understand. Teens want money for CDs, food, and clothes.

37. Words are like rocks.
They come in all sizes. Small rocks represent small words. Big rocks represent big words.
BUT . . .
If you are able to get actual rocks, and even a piece of concrete, they create a solid visual for students.

38. Rocks are not as strong as CONCRETE.
Using CONCRETE details will make your paper stronger, just like CONCRETE makes a building stronger. Concrete details are SPECIFIC.
CONCRETE details are the specific, exact names of things.
Have students generate all the things in which they would find concrete - buildings, a bank safe, foundation for skyscraper, bridge, and even the fillings in teeth are made of a type of concrete.
Concrete makes things stronger. Concrete details will make a paper stronger.

39. Elaboration within a Sentence
Sentences can be expanded by adding elaboration.
Sentences can be combined to add elaboration.
APPOSITIVES
TELL ME
MORE. . .

40. Joel, the youngest player on the team, made the goal.
Appositives
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that follows another noun or pronoun that renames it or adds information.
An appositive is usually set apart from the sentence by commas.
Joel made the goal.
Joel, the star of the team, made the goal.
When you click on the mouse, the sentence with an added appositive appears.
Re: commas. The comma is not necessary when the appositive is restrictive (essential to the basic meaning of the sentence). Example - Twenty-one-year-old student Edna Stuart almost flunked English, but after hard study she managed to pass.
Other phrases not modeled here may be used to elaborate. Some of these include a participial phrase, an absolute phrase, an infinitive phrase, and a gerund phrase.
Joel, the youngest player on the team, made the goal. 6

41. Appositives answer the reader’s questions.
Mom---Natalya is coming over tonight.
Who is Natalya?
Natalya, the girl who sits beside me in band, is coming over tonight.

42. Add an appositive to a sentence.
WHO ?
Ms. Ortega, ____________, is my teacher.
Ms. Ortega, English teacher in room 7, is my teacher.
Crystal Lake, ___________, is my home.
Crystal Lake, a lovely town off Interstate 90, is my home.
WHERE ?
While the appositives are given for these sentences, you may want to have students write different appositives to practice.

43. Elaborate by adding appositives.
Try adding an appositive with a partner.
My school, ______________, is the best.
That lunch, ____________,was the worst.
Mrs. Dennis, ____________, helped me find a site on the Internet.
My car, __________, is a piece of junk.

44. Combine sentences to form an appositive.
We can combine the two following sentences into one power-packed sentence and delete unnecessary words.
John plays varsity basketball for the Springfield Hurricanes basketball team.
He is a senior and the point guard for his team.
John, the senior point guard, plays basketball for the Springfield Hurricanes.

45. Layering Elaboration
A thoughtful writer layers one sentence after another.
Each new sentence adds to or develops the thought
. . .like the rings of a
bullseye

46. Each idea is carefully stacked
on the next. . . like bricks in a wall

47. . . .or rings on a tall tree. Layering seems like
Each idea is carefully stacked
on the next. . . like bricks in a wall
. . .or rings on a tall tree.

48. Every sentence and detail fit with the rest of the topic
It might be helpful to students to discuss nesting dolls and how they represent one sentence added to another and another, each developing further the previous idea. If you actually have nesting dolls or boxes, the tangible example is also useful.
. . .like a set of nesting dolls.

49. Listing
Having lots of choices is the reason why I eat at school. I love nachos. I like the pizza at school. Sometimes I order salad when I am feeling full. I have some favorite vegetables.
While listing can sometimes be an effective elaboration strategy, a less-skilled writer tends to confuse adding list-like information that does not develop the idea. This example gives an unrelated list of foods that the author likes. Notice that they could be in any order without changing the impact.
Activity
Part 1 - Duplicate the Choices-listing.doc from the Document Folder. Cut the sentences into strips and place them into separate envelopes - one set of sentences per envelope. Pair students and give each pair an envelope. Have them find the topic sentence. (Having lots of choices is the reason why I eat at school.) Have students throw the rest of the sentence strips into the air and then place them in the order they land. Students share their results and can clearly see that the order of a list doesn’t matter.
Part 2 - Duplicate the Choices-layering.doc from the Document Folder. Cut the sentences into strips and place them into separate envelopes - one set of sentences per envelope. Pair students and give each pair an envelope. Have them find the topic sentence. (Having lots of choices is the reason why I eat at school.) Have students throw the rest of the sentence strips into the air and then place them in the order they land. Students share their results and can clearly see that the order of these sentences is important and these sentences can’t be placed in any order. Elaboration and internal transitions force the order of the sentences (cohesion).

50. Layering
Having lots of food choices is the reason why I like my school’s lunchroom.
I can select my favorite foods for lunch everyday. I sometimes pick cheesy nachos with the melted cheese sauce smothered over the hot crispy chips. If I don’t want anything that greasy, like nachos or pizza, I can choose a “made-for-me” salad. This means I get to choose what goes on it and my favorite veggies, including olives, peppers, and tomatoes. The best thing is I can pick a food that fits my attitude that day.
This is an example of what layering elaboration looks like. Point out to students how each sentence builds on the previous one. For example, “nachos” builds on “favorite foods,” “greasy” builds on “melted cheese sauce,” and “favorite veggies” builds on “salad.” The order is important.
Have students discuss the difference between this paragraph and the list-like paragraph on the previous slide.

51. What are the purposes of conclusions?
Why are conclusions important?
Discuss with a partner.
Students should discuss the purposes and importance of conclusions. Students’ ideas should be charted and then compared to the purposes listed on the following slide that are taken from the Conclusion Scoring Guide. With some teacher guidance and prompting, the purposes from the students and those from the Scoring Guide will match (although the language may be different).

52. Endings / Conclusions
Students need to discuss the purposes for introductions and be aware of why they are important. This slide is taken from the Conclusion Scoring Guide. Students should have come up with these purposes during the previous discussion. Discuss any purposes that they named differently than on the scoring guide. If they have missed something, that purpose should be discussed.
clearly connects introduction and body of the paper with insightful comments or analysis.
wraps up the writing and gives the reader something to think about.

53. Ineffective Conclusions
I hope you enjoyed reading my…
In this essay/letter you have learned…
In conclusion,…
As you can see/tell…
I just told you about
(exact thesis)…
Students use the above phrases when they don’t know strategies for effective conclusions.
Discuss why the above phrases are ineffective.
Discuss the ineffectiveness of over-used or clichéd phrases, such as “in conclusion,…”
This list is not all-inclusive, nor a set of rules. This is a set of discussion points. Add to the list throughout the year.

54. Conclusion Strategies
A writer may end with
an echo from the introduction
a quotation or dialogue
an anecdote or scenario
an interesting fact
a prediction
a question
a call to action
a generalization from given information
a self-reflection
a response to a “so what?” question
a combination from this list
Discuss each of the strategies listed.
Focus on 3-4 strategies at a time depending on what your students brainstormed .
This list is not all-inclusive. Add more strategies throughout the year.
A WORD version of this slide (Concl Strategies)can be found in the Document Folder.
Conclusion Strategies Definitions
an echo from the beginning of the piece – further developing an image, phrase, metaphor, etc. from the introduction of the essay into the conclusion (not a repetition!)
a quotation or dialogue – the exact words of an expert or a conversation
an anecdote or scenario – a short narrative or hypothetical situation that reiterates or illustrates an idea/argument
an interesting fact – a carefully selected piece of information that emphasizes an idea/argument
a prediction – a statement of possible results that might follow the situation discussed in the writing
a question –a question used to stimulate further thought from the reader
a call to action – asking the reader to take an action
a generalization from given information – drawing conclusions from points made in the paper that can be applied to other situations
a self-reflection – self-examination to connect the reader to the ideas
a response to a “so what?” question – an explanation of why the ideas/arguments made are important
a combination of the above list – Writers use a combination of strategies to increase impact.

55. Analyzing Conclusions in Printed Texts
How does the conclusion connect to the introduction and the middle of the essay?
Does the conclusion provide a satisfying ending?