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Easy steps to becoming a great writer on the PENNSYLVANIA Writing Assessment Expository Persuasive Descriptive Narrative

What is an expository essay? It … • …Gives facts. • …Explains. • …Gives steps in a process. • …Presents ideas in logical order or correct sequence.

What are the key words that show it is an expository prompt? Most people enjoy some type of music. Think about your favorite type of music and explain why you like that particular type of music. Sometimes even the best drivers can get lost at times. Explain how you would direct a lost man to get back to the interstate highway from your neighborhood. Tell how to make a hamburger. YOU WILL FIND THESE WORDS IN THE PROMPT EXPLAIN or TELL HOW.

What is a descriptive essay? • Sensory images are used to describe what the writer sees, hears, smells, touches, and tastes. • It paints a clear description of people, places, objects, or events.

What are the key words that show it is a descriptive prompt? Describe your bedroom. Imagine telling someone who has never visited you. There are many tourist spots to visit in Birmingham. Describe your favorite place to take visitors. You may want to tell what you will see, hear, smell and how you feel when you are there. Tell us what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel on Christmas morning. YOU MUST DESCRIBEOR TELL WHAT A PERSON CAN SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE OR FEEL.

What is a persuasive essay? • You are asked to prove something. • Give reasons why. • Present arguments against your reasons. Show them to be false. • Take a stand • Ask or call for an action.

What are the key words that show it’s a persuasive prompt? • Persuade a close friend to donate blood as part of a blood drive that your school is sponsoring for the Red Cross. • Some of your kid brothers friends have taken up smoking and want him to start too. Write a convincing letter to your kid brother to not take up this habit. • Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper telling why citizens in Birmingham should support a tax increase benefiting the local public schools. YOU WILL NOTICE THE WORDS PERSUADE, CONVINCE OR TELL WHY SOMEONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING.

Tells a story. • Has chronological order and sequence of events. • Has action. • Has conflicts or problems. • Has dialogue. • Has characters. • Has a definite beginning, middle and end. What is a narrative? A narrative…

What are the key words that show that these are narrative prompts? You and your friend find a big box that is labeled “Do Not Open.” Your friend wants to open the box. Write a story about what happens next. Tell about a time when you made a serious mistake. Two little girls found a wallet on the sidewalk. Tell what happened next. NOTE THE WORDS: WRITE A STORYor TELL ABOUT A TIME, or TELL WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.

Ready to write? First determine what type prompt you have. You should read your prompt at least “three” times. • Expository--explain, tell how • Descriptive--describe • Persuasive---persuade or convince • Narrative-- tell about a time when, tell a story Use your scratch paper to brain storm and then make an outline, or web, for a five paragraph essay.

Think – Brainstorm-PACO • P-What is your purpose? • A- Who is your audience? • C- Content --What are your ideas for details, facts, or reasons? • O- Organization --Think how you want to structure your paper. Jot down these ideas. NOWSTART YOUR OUTLINE, OR WEB!

First Paragraph Second Paragraph Third Fourth Fifth Paragraph

FIRST PAPAGRAPH

Let’s prepare to write an essay! Here’s the prompt. There are many good and bad things about being in the seventh grade. Explain what these things are. What kind of prompt do we have? Did you say expository? You’re right!

Use your scratch paper Jot down a few transitions. • What are transitions? • Words or phrases that connect ideas or introduce the topic. • Such as one, if, although, however, finally, in conclusion, first, second, next, additionally,consequently Make an outline or web. Develop a 1-3-1 plan. One Paragraph for intro- Three paragraphs for the body – One paragraph for the conclusion.

This is an important step! Don’t try to write your paper without doing an outline first.Why?! • You will be graded on organization.

Introductions for expository, descriptive and persuasive essays should…. • Grab the reader’s attention. • Or -- Let the reader know what you’re going to talk about. • Or--Show a plan for what you’re going to be talking about in the three body paragraphs. • Or --State what the audience will learn in this essay.

Let’s start on the body. Go back to your web or outline for the second paragraph. Good Fun Things -Changing classes and teachers -Ms. Trunchbull & Ms. Honey More Freedom - no line -See friends at lunch

Look back at your outline for the third paragraph Bad things SAT Test -not like elementary school -compare to stale bread more test and harder -stress stomach hurts -math makes me sick

Look back to your outline before writing the fourth paragraph things that are both good & bad Field Trips -miss school -might be boring PE -clothes sweat -fun to play and compete Homework -too much -pull up grades

Now we are ready for the fifth paragraph – the conclusion which will summarize our main points or key ideas in the body. Good and bad things freedom changing classes SAT test going to school longer tests Good and Bad Homework PE Fieldtrips

Now Let’s Look At Narrative • Tell about a time • Write a story • Chronological sequence of events • Dialogue • Action • Problems, conflicts • Beginning, Middle, End Do you think there is a love story here?

Use this type of web for a Narrative CLIMAX

Some typical story transition words Typically transitions are about time. After, before, since, later • One day • Suddenly • During • Until • Yesterday • Meanwhile • Afterwards • While

How to get your story rolling • Begin by describing a character. LaDarius Smith, a star on our school basketball team, is very lucky.

Get the story rolling with dialogue “What’s that smell?” the seventh graders complained. “Finish your experiment and we’ll head outside to get away from it,” said their teacher. What punctuation goes with the words said? Did you say quotation marks? You’re right!

Get the story rolling Provide a “where” with prepositional phrases: • Near the park • Below the surface of the water • In Chicago • Throughout the crowded room • Inside the lunchroom

Can you tell which passage is narrative and which is expository? Marty and I jumped to our feet. “Ohhhh.” I heard Marty let out a frightened moan. I started to back away. I thought maybe I could scramble out the other side of the car. But the snarling, growling monsters came at us from both sides. “L-leave us alone.” I stammered. A monster covered in tangled brown fur opened After Christopher Columbus’s voyages to the New World, many Spaniards came to this continent to explore. One Spanish explorer was Ponce De Leon. He traveled through present-day Florida to find the Fountain of Youth. A second explorer, Coronado searched for the Seven Cities of Gold. He and his men traveled Narrative Expository

Summary • Identify your prompt • Plan your work with an outline. • Give your work a title with an action word. • Grab interest in the beginning • Build your paragraph with explanations, examples, & evidence following the topic statement or key statement. • Use strong action words • Use vivid adjectives • Use metaphors • Finished? Reread & reread to improve and clarify.

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