Created by Adwowa Annan

WritingPart 1

Prewriting Mini-Lessons

The student consistently uses a writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing. The student

Elements:

a. Plans and drafts independently and resourcefully. b. Revises manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences. c. Edits to correct errors in spelling, punctuation, etc.

Prewriting

Writers also make lists throughout the writing process, especially during prewriting.

Lists not only help writers generate topics, but lists can be useful to help create main points and key details.

You should experiment with listing throughout your writing to find when this strategy works best for you.

When listing, don't be too concerned about detail and development; simply jot down your thoughts one after the other until you run out of ideas.

The simplest way to list is to write one thought down after another, separating your thoughts with line breaks. Feel free to number your list or double-space between items to allow more room to develop your list.

Listing Ideas

Making ListsDon't even write in complete sentences; just gather data.

List images, characters, figures of speech, main points, repetition of words, quotations---anything that catches your interest.

Keep a running list as you read.

Later, your list will remind you of what you noticed as you read.

Look for patterns in these lists; then ask yourself how the patterns work in the text.

Techniques for Getting StartedBy: Diane Matlock

This is were I will work. You will work on your own slides. Take note of my process.

Teacher’s Sample

Practice: What types of lists can you write? Write your answer

here.Write a list of your

own.

Reviewing what you have listed will often prompt one or two more ideas you can add to the list.

Like other prewriting exercises, listing has no formal rules, and you should feel free to modify your list in whatever way you like to help you attain your purpose.

Listing possible thesis statements to begin an essay helps you to structure the topic. Your list will move you toward deciding on what main points your essay should develop to persuade your audience.

Listing Thesis Statements:

First Images

Without looking back at the book, describe three scenes (or images) that you remember best.

These might be lyrical passages, or they might be particularly disturbing scenes.

Once you have described all three, ask yourself why (and how) each one impressed you.

Your answers may lead to the beginning of a thesis.

Techniques for Getting StartedBy: Diane Matlock

This is were I will work. You will work on your own slides. Take note of my process.

Teacher’s Sample

Practice: How do you paint a picture withwords?

Can you paint this picture with words?

Write your answer here.

The prewriting technique used by many journalists and many other writers is questioning.

Sometimes called the "5 Ws," these questions include the following:

Who?What?When?Where?Why?

In addition, many writers include a sixth question: how? These questions allow writers to consider several aspects of their topic. In doing so, writers who use questioning as a prewriting technique often identify a focus in their topic that leads to a thesis for their essay.

Questioning:

First QuestionsWrite down three questions that come to mind as

soon as you put down the book (or any material).

Don't refer back to the text; rely on your own sense of curiosity-or frustration-to think of something.

Your questions should be genuine ones. They should be questions that you want to answer, but not questions that you can answer easily.

Techniques for Getting StartedBy: Diane Matlock

This is were I will work. You will work on your own slides. Take note of my process.

Teacher’s Sample

Practice: How can questions and curiosity help develop ideas?Write your answer

here.What questions do

you have?

When freewriting, however, the focus on ideas is heightened.

As its name implies, freewriting demands that students "write freely" on a topic for an essay assignment.

During freewriting, writers keep their fingers on the keys (or their pen on the paper) and keep typing (writing) for an adequate period of time, at least 10-15 minutes.

Many students who freewrite surprise themselves by how much content they generate in a short period of time when they focus on the topic and not on other issues or steps involved in the writing process.

Freewriting:

Timed FreewritingReading Log

Techniques for Getting StartedBy: Diane Matlock

Set aside 15-30 minutes to write freely about anything in the book.

Don't stop writing.

If you run out of ideas, write about how it feels to run out of ideas.

When you finish take five minutes to read what you have written; then force yourself to draw out one main idea from it.

If you don't think you have a main idea, try to imagine what it might be.

With that single idea in mind, begin a second timed freewriting.

With this technique, you keep alternating until you narrow in on a thesis.

Timed Freewriting

This is were I will work. You will work on your own slides. Take note of my process.

Teacher’s Sample

Practice: Why is freewriting useful?Write your answer

here.What are some of

your ideas?

Keep a journal of your reactions to a book.

Each time you finish a portion of the book, do a 15-minute freewriting. When you are ready to begin a draft of your essay, read all of your freewritings in order to identify your main points.

Reading Log

This is were I will work. You will work on your own slides. Take note of my process.

Teacher’s Sample

Practice: What are you reading?Write your answer

here.Read for 10 minutes,

then write for 15 minutes.