Writing

1. Writing How can you make your writing great? Use the elements of the 6+1 Writing Traits.

2. Ideas: Make your ideas stimulating. Effective writing presents interesting and vital information about a specific subject. It has a clear purpose or focus. It has a controlling “vision” (thesis statement) which orders what is being said. The ideas are thoroughly explored and hold the reader’s attention from start to finish. Ideas

3. Logical organization: The basic structure, good writing has a clearly developed beginning, middle and end. Within the text, each main point is supported with examples, explanations, definitions, and specific details (this is the body paragraphs). The overall arrangement of ideas unifies the writing and makes clear the writer’s purpose. Writing in 7th grade-essays are 4 to 5 paragraphs long. Organization

4. Engaging voice: In the best writing, you can hear the writer’s voice-his or her special way of expressing ideas and emotions. Voice gives writing personality: it shows the writer sincerely cares about her or his subject and audience. It is the imprint of the writer on the written page. Voice = personality & interest

5. Word choice: In good writing, the nouns and verbs are specific. The modifiers are colorful. The overall level of language helps to communicate the message and set an appropriate tone. The right words are in all the right places. The writer uses vivid, strong, words and phrases to enhance the level and to keep the reader interested. The writer uses similes and other forms of figurative language. similes Word Choice adjectives • idioms

6. Effective writing flows from sentence to sentence. Sentences vary in length, and they don’t all begin in the same way. Sentence fluency gives rhythm to writing, which helps make it more enjoyable to read. Effective sentence style

7. YOUR best handwriting. Clean copy. Same color ink or pencil. Indented, properly spaced on the paper. 12 point font if typed. Presentation

8. Proper punctuations, usage, and spelling is very important. Conventions/mechanics

9. A thesis statement identifies the focus for your writing. It can highlight a condition or feature of the subject, expresses a specific feeling, or takes a stand. A specific subject + a specific condition, feeling, or stand = an effective thesis statement Thesis statement

10. Writing assignment: essay about opportunities in education. Specific Subject: high school internships Thesis statement: High school internship programs benefit students in three ways. (it does not give facts or text support examples-that is what the body paragraphs are to do) Examples of thesis statements

11. Writing assignment: essay on the civil war • Specific subject: General Georoge McClellan • Thesis statement: General George McClellan’s overcautious tactics (specific subject) prolonged the Civil War. (specific feeling) Thesis statement examples

12. Writing assignment: essay about an outdoor activity • Specific subject: use of barbed hooks for fishing • Thesis statement: Barbed hooks should be banned from fishing. Examples of thesis statements

13. The purpose of an essay of argumentation is to convince readers to accept your position on an important subject that you have strong, genuine feelings about. The quality of your argument depends upon your ability to support your position with solid facts and details and to counter significant opposing points of view. You have to support your claim with solid facts and details. Argumentation essay

14. Process Essay: you explain how something works or how to do or make something. Your challenge is to write clearly and completely so that readers can easily follow the explanation. To do that, you must have a thorough understanding of your subject. Process Essay

15. In this essay, you present a thoughtful analysis of a timely subject. When you develop this type of essay, your fist task is to identify the most important points related to your subject. Your second task is to make clear cause/effect connections between the points. Cause/Effect Essay

16. Essay topic: explores the renewed interest in major league baseball. The writer cites the historic performances of two players as the major cause of this renaissance. See the following slides Example of cause/effect essay:

17. Back in 1994, professional baseball players went on strike because they felt that they were underpaid for their services-underpaid to the tune of an average annual salary of just over $1 million. The strike cost baseball the Word Series that year, which at the time was one of the holiest of all major sports championships. During the year and a half that baseball was on strike, I, along with most of the free world, had a hard time sympathizing with players who had a hard time attracting fans, and some that did show up wore bags over their heads so as not to be noticed and disowned by friends and family. It wasn’t until 1998 that baseball became popular again. A gentle giant names Mark McGwire and a 37 year-old record for home runs in a season (61) played a major role in baseball’s renaissance. Factor in someone named Ken Griffey, Jr., and another player named Sammy Sosa, and the executives in charge of baseball’s public relations were happier than kids on Christmas morning.

18. McGwire and Griffey drew crowds wherever they went because both of them were hitting home runs at a record pace. Then June rolled around, and Sammy Sosa got hot-so hot that he ended up breaking the record for most home runs in one month (2) while keeping his perennial cellar-dwelling team at least 10 games above .500 throughout most of the early season. People started coming out to ballparks in huge numbers, and the ball clubs had trouble keeping their concession stands stocked because of the large crowds. Sosa’s team, referred to as the “lovable losers” for nearly half a century, started playing before standing-room-only crowds because of their success and because of Sosa’s power hitting. Things were going to well that sports fans in Chicago all but forgot about the retirement of a certain basketball star (Michael Jordan). The home-run race continued right up to the end of the season. Mcquire ended up with 70 home runs and Sosa ended up with 66. The entire country was mesmerized by these two men. Sosa’s team also earned a position in the play-offs, which thrilled all of their fans across the country. Add in events such as pitcher David Wells’s perfect game and pitcher Roger Clemen’s incredible winning streak, and baseball again because America’s game. All it took was the impressive performances of a few very impressive players.

19. In a problem/solution essay, you provide readers with a detailed analysis of a subject-from a clear statement of the problem to a full discussion of possible solutions. It is important to examine your subject from a number of different angles before proposing any solutions. Problem/Solution Essay

20. Examine a problem developing in your town- the lack of volunteers for the fire department. This is the introduction: With a fever soaring well above 104 degrees, a toddler goes into convulsions and needs immediate medical attention. Luckily for the parents, help is only a few minutes away. With a quick call to 911, an ambulance soon arrives. Because of the fast response of the ambulance personnel, the child is promptly and properly cared for. This child was me, and I am very thankful for the volunteers who looked after me many years ago. But I am also afraid because my hometown of Nedrow, NY is facing a serious problem. Over the past year, a shortage of emergency volunteer technicians has developed. Without the help of these fine people, stories like mine might not end quite so happily. The ambulance association reports that over the last couple of years, the number of volunteers has significantly dropped, from 35 to 26. At least three, possibily up to six, additional people plan to quite at the end of the year. At this rate there won’t even be an ambulance service in a few years. Two more body paragraphs…. And then the conclusion… An example

21. This is like a pet peeve essay, you react to an annoyance. It is important to give specific details that show why the behavior or situation affects you as it does. Persuasive essay

22. Now you have all the elements of the various types of writing we do in 7th grade. • Furthermore, you know how you will be graded using the 6+1 Writing Traits. Use it…