Practicing Passage-Based On-Demand Writing

1. Practicing Passage-Based On-Demand Writing Jean Wolph Louisville Writing Project

2. AGENDA • Practicing how to read an on-demand prompt • Practicing how to form a claim • Mining a passage for evidence • Writing an introduction • Practicing how to connect evidence to the claim • Learning the components of a strong conclusion

3. Start with B! Writing Part B Writing situation: To improve our health and reduce obesity, our state legislature is considering a new law that would tax sugary beverages. Is this a good idea or not? Should the government have a role in improving our health? Or is it up to the individual? Writing directions: Read/listen to the passages about taxing sugary drinks. Choose your position on the issue. Then write a letter to the governor stating whether Kentucky should tax sugary drinks or not. Use evidence from the articles to support your argument.

4. What do we know about the writing we’ll do?

5. Who are we writing to or for?

6. What are we writing?

7. Why are we writing?

8. How are we writing?

9. The Passages • Should sugary drinks be taxed? http://www.timeforkids.com/news/debate/192101 • Should Sugary Drinks Be Taxed Like Cigarettes? California City Considering Idea http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health-jan-june12-sodatax_06-07/ • Too Much Sugar in Beverages adapted from http://www.caffeineinformer.com/sugar-in-drinks Why do we notice titles and authors? Writers tell their readers WHERE the information came from! They also consider whether they are CREDIBLE or not.

10. Reading for a PURPOSE • FACTS about the issue of taxing sugary drinks that will help us decide on a claim • QUOTES from experts that will help us support our claim What are we looking for?

11. Strategy #1: Get some background, then make your claim. • Read: Should sugary drinks be taxed? • Decide: Take a position quickly. • Jot: Make a working claim. __[WHO]__________ should (should not) _____[WHAT]______because ___________[WHY].

12. Reading 1: Should sugary drinks be taxed? Over the years, many cities and states have tried to pass a tax on sweetened beverages. In November, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than $1 million annually to combat obesity. Makers of soda and other sugary drinks are against the tax. They say singling out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. Sweetened beverages are the biggest source of added sugars in the American diet. High intakes of sugar can lead to obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. Supporters say a tax is a surefire way to help reduce obesity in the U.S.

13. Should sugary drinks be taxed? continued  Too much refined sugar in the diet is linked to many health problems. High intakes of sugar can lead to obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems such as tooth decay. “This is the first generation of children who won’t live as long as their parents,” Dr. Rachel Johnson told Time for Kids. She is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. What do you think? Should sugary drinks be taxed?

14. What is your working claim? _[WHO]__________ should (should not) ____[WHAT]______ because ___[WHY]___________. Most writers state their claim in the INTRODUCTION of the argument.

15. Sample working claims Kentucky should tax soft drinks because our health is at stake. The governor should not tax soda because it violates our personal freedom to choose.

16. Strategy #2: Search the texts for evidence that will support your claim. • Skim the texts, including the one you’ve just read. • Underline key facts (pro or con) • Circle strong quotes • Find info that will help you explain the issue. Why care about pro if I’m con?

17. Sometime we call this Coding the Text • Underline FACTS that show why sugary drinks should or should not be taxed (don’t underline EVERY word, just phrases) • Circle QUOTES we want to use (just a few) that will support our claim

18. TRY IT!Code Reading 1:Should sugary drinks be taxed? Over the years, many cities and states have tried to pass a tax on sweetened beverages. In November, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than $1 million annually to combat obesity. Makers of soda and other sugary drinks are against the tax. They say singling out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. Sweetened beverages are the biggest source of added sugars in the American diet. High intakes of sugar can lead to obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. Supporters say a tax is a surefire way to help reduce obesity in the U.S.

19. Should sugary drinks be taxed? What did you mark? Over the years, many cities and states have tried to pass a tax on sweetened beverages. In November, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than $1 million annually to combat obesity. Makers of soda and other sugary drinks are against the tax. They say singling out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. Sweetened beverages are the biggest source of added sugars in the American diet. High intakes of sugar can lead to obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. Supporters say a tax is a surefire way to help reduce obesity in the U.S. ISSUE CON PRO

20. Should sugary drinks be taxed? What did you mark? Sweetened beverages are the biggest source of added sugars in the American diet. The American Heart Association tells us to have no more than 6 teaspoons or 24 grams (women) or 9 teaspoons or 36 grams (men) of refined sugars each day. Since many are having 4 times that amount, they risk health problems that come from consuming too much sugar in drinks and other foods. Too much refined sugar in the diet is linked to many health problems. High intakes of sugar can lead to obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems such as tooth decay. “This is the first generation of children who won’t live as long as their parents,” Dr. Rachel Johnson told Time for Kids. She is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. PRO PRO

21. Marking JUST the Pro orMarking JUST the Con What reasons and information support your claim? Highlight or underline evidence you can use to support your claim.

22. PBS NewsHour

23. Try it: Code “Too Much Sugar in Beverages” Compiling this list surprised us – the most sugar filled drinks are not what you think they are. In a number of drinks the level of sugar is huge. No wonder soft drinks play such a big role in obesity. The average American consumes around 150 pounds of refined sugars a year. Some drinks and juices have as much sugar as several Snickers candy bars. Sugary beverages contribute to the Type 2 diabetes crisis in our country.

24. Try it: Too Much Sugar in Beverages--What did you mark? Compiling this list surprised us – the most sugar filled drinks are not what you think they are. In a number of drinks the level of sugar is huge. No wonder soft drinks play such a big role in obesity. The average American consumes around 150 pounds of refined sugars a year. Some drinks and juices have as much sugar as several Snickers candy bars. Sugary beverages contribute to the Type 2 diabetes crisis in our country.

25. Too Much Sugar in Beverages What facts could we pull from this chart? Which drinks do our families sometimes buy?

26. Too Much Sugar in Beverages Sunkist Orange Soda has 69 grams of sugar in a 16 ounce bottle. Mellow Yello has 63. Energy drinks are in between with 66 grams.

27. Too Much Sugar in Beverages: Partners A recent study at Maquarie University showed that sugar and caffeine when combined and fed to rats produced lasting changes to brain chemistry. Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco found that those who drink just 20 fl. oz. of sugary soda a day may take as much as 4 years off of their lifespan. Why is so much sugar placed in drinks? Caffeine is bitter. Most people add sugar to caffeinated beverages (like coffee or tea) to make them drinkable. Energy Drinks contain caffeine. They also contain lots of sugar. A typical 16 fl. oz. energy drink contains around 50-60 grams of sugar. This is about 10-12 teaspoons of sugar.

28. Too Much Sugar in Beverages: What did you mark? A recent study at Maquarie University showed that sugar and caffeine when combined and fed to rats produced lasting changes to brain chemistry. Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco found that those who drink just 20 fl. oz. of sugary soda a day may take as much as 4 years off of their lifespan. Why is so much sugar placed in drinks? Caffeine is bitter. Most people add sugar to caffeinated beverages (like coffee or tea) to make them drinkable. Energy Drinks contain caffeine. They also contain lots of sugar. A typical 16 fl. oz. energy drink contains around 50-60 grams of sugar. This is about 10-12 teaspoons of sugar.

29. Planning the Argument • Introduction • Reason for writing/speaking • Overview of the issue • Claim • Reasons/Evidence • Fact and Quotes • Connection/Relevance to claim • Outcome • Conclusion

30. Key Components of the Introduction • Reason for writing • Overview of the issue • Claim A new law is being proposed Argue for or against a tax on soft drinks in Kentucky Some cities and even countries are taxing sugary beverages to reduce obesity and diabetes. _____ should (should not) tax soft drinks because ________.

31. What does a strong opening look like in an argument of policy? Lacks CONTEXT Needs Improvement: “I think Kentucky should not do this because it is against our rights.” Good: “Some cities and even some countries are taxing sugary drinks. They hope to reduce health problems that are related to sugar consumption, such as diabetes and obesity. The legislature should tax sugary drinks so that our health will improve.”

32. Best Dear Governor Brashear: Have you ever wondered how people get heart disease and diabetes? One cause is sugary drinks! I would like your support the new law that the state legislature has proposed. It would tax all sugary drinks because they cause medical problems. One doctor, Dr. Rachel Johnson, even said, “This is the first generation of children who won’t live as long as their parents.” There are other places where this tax is working--including California and even France—and the consumption of sugary beverages has decreased. Because of these serious medical issues, we should tax sugary drinks in Kentucky. hook Reason for writing Background/ overview of issue claim

33. Strategy #3: Use the Key Components of a Strong Introduction • Reason for writing • Overview of the issue • Claim • Try it

34. Strategy #4: Select Your Evidence What are the 3 or 4 BEST facts and quotes that will help you support your claim? Mark your articles with 1 2 3 4

35. Strategy #5: Connect your Evidence to your Claim

36. Strategy #6: Introduce evidence with stems that show the SOURCE. • In an article called ___[title]____ , ___[author]___ reported that ____________. • Research by [organization] shows that _____. • According to _______[author]________, who wrote _____[title]______ published by ___, ____________________________________.

37. Strategy #7: Write a Strong Conclusion • Build a case (summarize the big reasons and tell why these reasons should convince the reader) • Call for action (explain what you want the reader to do) • Emphasize the significance of the issue (imagine the outcome) Try one!

38. Conclusion #1: Building a case The burden on the poorest of our citizens, the infringement on our freedom of choice, and the lack of proof that our health would improve all show why it is not a good idea to tax soft drinks.

39. Conclusion #2: Call for Action Governor, please support the proposed tax on soft drinks in order to slow the rate of diabetes and obesity. It’s time to focus on the health of Kentucky citizens.

40. Conclusion #3: Emphasize the significance of the issue How many children have to develop diabetes and other sugar-related diseases before we stop the flow of sugary drinks? Taxing soft drinks is a small price to pay for their health. Don’t let them be the first generation that doesn’t live as long as their parents.

41. Reflection What have we learned? Where can these skills take us?