Monday, February 22, 2016

Wednesday/Thursday, February 24/25, 2016


Announcements and Reminders:

 District Writing Test Today                                                                  
The class with the biggest improvement (between pretest and post-test)  on this test will have a party.  
Do not forget to register for 8th grade by Thursday, February 25.

 Ms. Dorsey will be working with the Mock Trial Team during Cavetimes for the rest of the week, but will be back to a regular Cavetime schedule next week.
Email me if you have revised an essay 
and are ready for me to check it again. 

Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough said, “Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. That’s why it’s so hard.”   -- and that's why it's so important!  (Ms. Dorsey)

Targets for Today:

I can write an effective argument essay. 


Today’s  Agenda:

Welcome, Mrs. Mace, to B5 and B6!
1. Create an organizer for your essay. 
Instructions:
Fold a sheet of plain paper into 12ths --  3rds longwise, then fold that into 4ths.

Copy these terms onto your paper.
 (Side 1)
Hook






Background Info.
Thesis Statement
Claim & two or three main reasons
Transition:  
First reason stated in a topic sentence




Evidence
Elaboration







Evidence
Elaboration
Transition:
Second reason stated in a topic sentence





Evidence
Elaboration



(side 2)

(more second reason)





Evidence
Elaboration

 Transition:

Counterargument and Rebuttal



CounterclaimRebuttal

Transition:

Concluding Paragraph 



 Restate Thesis with
3 supporting ideas.
Invitation to Reader or other way to Wrap up the Essay

 Citation

Citation

 or

2. Brief instructions on writing a timed essay.  
Taking a timed essay:

  1. Plan your time wisely.
  2. Answer the right question.  Use the RAFTS formula to figure out what you are being asked to do.
  3. Read the provided articles, poems, . . . .  quickly, scanning for helpful information.  Go back to read more closely as needed and to cite the source. 
  4. Collect your thoughts.   Jot down an outline.  
  5. Leave time to revise and edit. 
Adapted from Dennis G. Jerz  

http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/academic1/timed-essays-top-5-tips-for-writing-academic-essays-under-pressure/


3. Lab 224
Today on UtahCompose we will take the district/school writing prompt for argument writing.
You should see it as a Recommended prompt when you log in. 

  • You have 60 minutes and limited times to submit. 
  • You have 2 drafts, but the second is for emergencies.
  • You must be done by the end of class.  No working on this outside of class or at home.
Points are based on improvement and score.


The class with the greatest improvement gets a treat.  How about root beer floats? or. . . ? 


If You Were Absent:

See above. Arrange for a time to take the district test.  This must be done in class. 



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