Hook

1. Hook Have you ever been giving a writing prompt and you needed something to help you start writing?

2. The Write Tool • We are going to create a tool today that will help you be a better writer. • What we are making is a resource that you can use anytime we write an expository essay in here or in ANY other class where you are writing. • This will be an excellent tool to use on the ACTAAP test you will be taking in 11th grade. You may not be able to have the tool in front of you, but hopefully after using it enough in here, you will have committed it to memory by then. • We are going to take a week or so to create it, stopping and discussing different parts as we go along.

3. The Write Tool • The first step is to analyze the writing prompt you have been given. • T = Topic • A = Audience • K = Key Words/Directions • Let’s create this part of our folder, and then we will figure out how to use this portion of The Write Tool.

4. The Write Tool We are going to analyze a few prompts as I show you how this tool works.

5. The Write Tool 1) Almost everyone has to do chores sometimes. Often teenagers have to do chores as part of learning to be responsible. However, most teenagers do not enjoy these jobs. Write a paragraph about three chores you personally dislike. Be sure to describe these tasks and tell what bugs you about them. Topic: Chores Dislike Audience: Teacher (If no audience is identified, it is the teacher) Key Words: paragraph, three, describe

6. The Write Tool: Analyze this prompt with the people in your group. We will share together in a few minutes. 2) To help you look for a job, your school counselor suggested that you write a description of the skills that would help you to be successful in a job. Before you begin to write, think about the skills that would be helpful in a job. What are those skills? How would those skills help you? Now write about the skills that will help you be successful in a job. Give enough detail so that your school counselor will understand. Topic: Audience: Key Words:

7. The Write Tool: Analyze this prompt on your own quietly. We will share in a few minutes. The United States Postal Service is having an essay contest, and you have decided to enter. This is the topic: The United States Postal Service creates stamps to honor people who have accomplished something important. Who should be on a new stamp? Before you begin to write, think about someone who has accomplished something important. Why should this person be on the new stamp? Now write an essay for the United States Postal Service about a person who should be on a new stamp. Give reasons and enough detail so that your readers will understand. Topic: Audience: Key Words:

8. The Write Tool: Analyze this prompt on your own quietly. We will share in a few minutes. Your school district is considering adopting the following policy: Fifteen minutes will be set aside each day for all students to sweep, dust, and clean classrooms and hallways. You decide to write a letter to the school board expressing your opinion. Before you begin to write, think about cleaning the school for fifteen minutes each day. Is this a good idea? How would this affect your school and students? Now write a letter to the school board expressing your opinion on students cleaning the school. Give enough detail so that the school board will understand. Topic: Audience: Key Words:

9. Review • What does the T stand for? • What does the A stand for? • What does the K stand for?

10. Day Two

11. Add “Stop and Think” • Stop and Think (At least 90 seconds) this will interrupt your process of immediately wanting to pick up a pencil and start writing the essay as well as your need to ask questions immediately. • Create a mental list during this stop and think time. • Now, add “Stop and Think” based on my model.

12. Brainstorming • What is it?

13. Add “Brainstorm” to your tool

14. Brainstorming • Come up with as many ideas as you possibly can…silly or not. You can eliminate later by picking and choosing only the ones you really have enough information to write about. Don’t worry about that during your brainstorming time…just let the ideas flow out of your head. • After we brainstorm, we are NOT FINISHED! We are NOT READY to write yet. We must take all of the thoughts that were floating in our head and are now on our paper and try and to choose the ones we know the most about. Some of the things we brainstorm about are just thoughts and wouldn’t make good paragraphs. They could be details we use later in our paragraphs by combining them with other thoughts, but not actually meaty enough to be a paragraph by itself.

15. Prompt # 1 1) Almost everyone has to do chores sometimes. Often teenagers have to do chores as part of learning to be responsible. However, most teenagers do not enjoy these jobs. Write a paragraph about three chores you personally dislike. Be sure to describe these tasks and tell what bugs you about them.

16. Brainstorm on Prompt #1 Chores

17. Your Turn • Complete the “Stop and Think” step and the “Brainstorming” step for prompt # 2 on your own.

18. Your Turn • Complete the “Stop and Think” step and the “Brainstorming” step for prompt # 3 on your own.

19. Your Turn • Complete the “Stop and Think” step and the “Brainstorming” step for prompt # 4 on your own.

20. Review • How long should you “Stop and Think?” • Why is it important to brainstorm?

21. Brainstorming How do you choose what to write about once you have brainstormed and came up with several different ideas?

22. Add “Pick and Choose” Look at my model, and add the “Pick and Choose” box to your Write Tool. Let’s talk about the Frame of Reference. We can only do this part after we have picked the details we want to address.

23. Frame of Reference on Prompt #1 How do I know what I know? Chores

24. Add “Make a Plan” • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ 1 2 3 4 Topic: __________________________________ _______________________________________ Big IdeasTell Me More 1.____________ 2.____________ 3.____________ 4.____________

25. Group work With your group, use the “Pick and Choose” and “Make a Plan” steps on Prompt #2.

26. Group Share What did you come up with?

27. Independent Practice Now use “Pick and Choose” and “Make a Plan” steps on Prompts # 3 and #4 by yourself. I will be coming around to help you if you need it.

28. Review What does TAK stand for? Why is it important to Stop and Think? What is the Frame of Reference? When we brainstorm, how do we pick and choose what we will write about? Why is it important to make a plan?

29. Day Three

30. The Write Tool Yesterday we were working with making a plan from the brainstorming we completed on Monday. Let’s look over our work from yesterday.

31. “Make A Plan” • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • _____________________ • The E’s • Examples • Explanations • Evidence • Events • Experiences • Expert Opinions • Everyday Life • Effective Illustrations • Elaboration 1 2 3 4 Topic: __________________________________ _______________________________________ Big IdeasTell Me More 1.____________ 2.____________ 3.____________ 4.____________

32. “Make a Plan” for Prompt # 1 • The E’s • Examples • Explanations • Evidence • Events • Experiences • Expert Opinions • Everyday Life • Effective Illustrations • Elaboration • Disgusting • Bag Breaks/Leaks • Collection from around house • Sort • Switch from washer/dryer • Treating Stains • Fold Laundry • Cleaning dirty toilets • Cleaning showers/tubs • Cleaning mirrors/sinks • Mowing in the heat • Raking/bagging leaves • Weed Eating • Watering 1 2 3 4 Topic: ____Chores__________________________ _______________________________________ Big IdeasTell Me More 1._Trash_______ 2._Laundry______ 3._Bathroom_____ 4.__Yard Work_____

33. Prompt #2 Let’s look at our brainstorming notes from prompt # 2.

34. Group work With your group, use the “Pick and Choose/Frame of Reference” and “Make a Plan” steps on Prompt #2.

35. Group Share What did you come up with?

36. Independent Practice Now use “Pick and Choose/Frame of Reference” and “Make a Plan” steps on Prompts # 3 and #4 by yourself. I will be coming around to help you if you need it.

37. Add “Block it Out” Thesis Paragraph Concluding Paragraph

38. Block it out for Prompt # 1 Thesis Paragraph Trash Laundry Bathroom Yard Work Concluding Paragraph

39. Your Turn On your notebook paper, block out prompts 2, 3, and 4. This shouldn’t take long. We’ve already done most of the work.

40. Topic (Thesis) Sentence Number statements Simple Declarative Listing Statements Topic Subordinate Conjunction (situation/stance) But, Or, Yet, So, For, And, Nor Boys Fan Semicolon Statement Leave the bottom portion blank for now.

41. Review What does TAK stand for? Why is it important to Stop and Think? What is the Frame of Reference? When we brainstorm, how do we pick and choose what we will write about? Why is it important to make a plan?

42. Day Four

43. Review Yesterday we started a discussion of ways to write a thesis statement. What were the six ways we discussed? Let’s continue discussing and taking notes on the types that we did not get to cover.

44. Types of Sentences • Simple Declarative: This is a simple sentence that just states a fact. • Example from Prompt #1. • I really dislike doing chores. • Now, you work as a group to come up with an example for Prompt #2.

45. Types of Sentences • Number Statements: These are sentences that feature some type of number. • Rules: You may not use the phrases “There are” or “Here are” or “a lot”. We also want to avoid using actual numbers like “first,” “second,” “one,” “three,” etc. • Brainstorm Number words: • Example from Prompt #1. • Everyday, I must complete a plethora of chores that I dislike. • Now, you work as a group to come up with an example for Prompt #2.

46. Types of Sentences • Listing Statements: These are very specific thesis statements that specifically name each of your big ideas. • Example from Prompt #1. • Specifically, I hate doing chores associated with the trash, laundry, bathroom, or yard. • Now, you work as a group to come up with an example for Prompt #2.

47. Types of Sentences • Boys Fan: These are compound sentences, which means there are two complete sentences put together with a comma and a conjunction. • But • Or • Yet • So • For • And • Nor • Example from Prompt #1. • Doing chores is a big drain on my fun time, but I have to do four major chores everyday. • Now, you work as a group to come up with an example for Prompt #2.

48. Handout I’m going to give you a handout that should help you to write the remaining two types of thesis statements. Please keep this inside your folder.

49. Types of Sentences • Semicolon Statements: This is where two compound sentences are connected with a semicolon, conjunctive adverb, and a comma. • Look at the handout to see a list of conjunctive adverbs. • Example from Prompt #1. • My home cannot clean itself; consequently, I must do a number of chores each day. • Now, you work as a group to come up with an example for Prompt #2.

50. Types of Sentences • Subordinating Conjunction Statements: This sentence contains one complete sentence and one dependent clause. It will always feature the use of a subordinating conjunction. • Don’t forget! If you use the subordinating conjunction at the beginning of the sentence, you will need to use a comma. • Example from Prompt #1. • Even though I don’t like chores, I must do several of them everyday. • Now, you work as a group to come up with an example for Prompt #2.