Informative Writing
Find the TAP, topic, and controlling idea within this writing prompt:
Write an informative essay to students younger than you about how adaptations help plants and animals survive in different environments. Use information from the passages in your article.
T - essay
A - younger students
P - inform/teach
Topic - plant and animal adaptations
CI - how they help them survive in different environments
Find the TAP, topic, and controlling idea within this prompt (there are many right answers for a CI).
Write a story that explains Hilda and Myrtle’s plan to get kids away from their electronics. You will be scored on how well you stay on topic, follow a plot, organize your writing, and use punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and sentence structure. You must include details from the original paragraph in your story.
T - story
A - teacher
P - entertain
Topic - Hilda and Myrtle's Plan
CI - Whatever you want their plan to be. You are the creator - the CI is whatever story you want to create to answer the prompt. That's why it's okay if you fill this out after you read your sources.
Find the TAP, topic, and controlling idea in this prompt:
Write an opinion essay to leaders in your community about if graffiti is art or vandalism. Make sure this is a multiparagraph essay in which you state and support your opinion.
T - essay
A - leaders in your community
P - convince/persuade
Topic - graffiti
CI - either that graffiti is art or vandalism, whichever side you choose to support. It's best if you wait to decide your opinion until after reading your sources, so you can choose the side you have the most support for.
What is the very first thing you should do when you begin your test?
Read your prompt and write down the TAP, topic, and CI (your CI can wait until after you read the sources when you get a narrative or opinion prompt).
True or false: Miss Shores will be happy if you submit, or ask to submit your test before the 10:40 break.
FALSE! I don't care if you think you're done. Reread and revise your work at least until the bathroom break at 10:40. If you need longer than that - awesome!
After you read and take notes over the prompt, what do you write down as bullet pointed notes from the sources when you have an informative prompt?
Any facts that connect to the controlling idea. If it doesn't connect, we don't need it in our notes or our writing.
When you take notes over narrative sources, what can you write down as bullet points?
Any details from the sources that you can use in your story. Because you choose your CI for narratives, you also choose the details that would work and connect to the story you want to tell.
The introduction and conclusion words for opinion writing are HIC and CIC. The most important part in both of those is the claim. What do you think a claim is?
It's a sentence that clearly states your opinion. Should start with opinion language and end with a statement of the side your are supporting.
example: I believe that graffiti is art.
Tell me something important to remember when you are taking notes over your sources during the thinking stage.
Teacher decides because there are multiple right answers. The most important things to think about are writing down things that connect to your CI only, and to categorize your notes when you are down to help you start your plan.
True or False: You cannot earn full points on the test taking rubric without 3 sets of notes.
True! You should create 3 sets of notes. Your prompt notes (TAP, topic, CI), source notes (bullet points that connect to the prompt) and your 2 column notes (your organized plan for your paragraphs).
Once you have taken notes over the prompt, what do you do with those notes before you start your plan?
Categorize them. You can do this with symbols, letters, labels, whatever works for you. You should try to find 3 categories because they become your main ideas (left side of 2 column notes).
What is a strategy you can use to help you pick out your main events? This is something you can make in between taking notes over sources and starting your 2 column notes.
a timeline
After taking notes over your sources, you will choose your opinion and categorize your notes to help you start your plan. Instead of categorizing by main ideas or main events, what categories will you organize your opinion body paragraphs with?
main reasons.
Why is it important to bullet point your details when you are making your 2 column notes plan?
It helps you to know how many details you've planned, it helps you to know when to put periods during the writing stage so you don't have run on sentences, it makes your notes easier to read and use.
True or False: You will not earn higher than a 2 for organization or details without transitional phrases.
True! You should use them to begin all paragraphs after your intro, and within paragraphs to connect ideas and make them flow together.
Name 3 informative features that make good details to help us teach our readers.
Any 3 answers from the informative features poster will work. You should try to include as many of these features as possible in your writing, but remember, only one or two quoted sentences.
Name 3 narrative features that make good details to help you entertain your readers.
Any 3 answers from the narrative features poster will work. You should try to include as many of these features as possible in your writing, but remember, dialogue should be sprinkled, not poured.
What are your main reasons supported by?
Facts from your research and from your own knowledge. Your thoughts and feelings are welcome in opinion writing, but you won't be convincing without facts.
True or false: You start planning by filling in the introduction space on your 2 column notes.
False. Leave room for your intro at the top of your notes, but start by planning your body first, the most important part. You will plan a better introduction when you know what you are introducing.
True or False: You can successfully revise your writing after reading it only once.
False! You should read your writing at least 3 times to look for what you could fix or change. You should always reread your writing after making changes to make sure it makes sense.
The introduction and conclusion words for informative writing are HITS and RITS. What Do they stand for?
hook, importance, TOPIC SENTENCE!
Remember, importance TOPIC SENTENCE!
The introduction and conclusion words for a narrative are HICS and RIFT. What do they stand for?
Hook, background info (not every story has this), characters and setting (remember this is not it's own paragraph. these pieces get woven into your first event so make sure they connect to it).
Reflect, into the future, theme.
The conclusion word for opinion writing is CIC. It stands for claim, importance, and call to action. What do you think a call to action is?
This is where you speak directly to the audience and tell them to stand with you and support your opinion.
Example: I hope that you will stand with me, and support longer recesses for elementary students.
Once you have used your notes to type up organized sentences and paragraphs, what are 2 things you can do when you revise?
Fix mistakes in grammar, fix any wording mistakes, look for typos, think of ways to make things stronger (more interesting word choice, using transitions within paragraphs to make sentences connect)
True or False: You can earn a good score on your writing without including anything from the sources in your essay.
False! For all three types of writing, you have to include information from the sources. However, you should never copy things from the sources without properly quoting because it will score you an automatic zero.