Step-up-to-Writing

Simply one of many ways to approach writing and make the

process clearer

Kinds of Sentences

• Topic sentence (and thesis statement)• Reason / Detail / Fact (RDF)• “The E’s” – Information to back your RDF’s• Concluding sentence

Kinds of Sentences

• Green- Topic Green- Topic sentence starts the sentence starts the reader in the right reader in the right direction.direction.

• Yellow - Slow down Yellow - Slow down and give a reason, and give a reason, detail, or fact.detail, or fact.

• Red - Stop and give Red - Stop and give an explanation, an explanation, elaboration, or further elaboration, or further example.example.

A Basic Paragraph

My favorite amusement park is My favorite amusement park is Disneyland. Disneyland. I love the rides. I love the rides. Space Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain Mountain and Thunder Mountain rollercoasters make my heart race, and I rollercoasters make my heart race, and I like to sing along with It’s a Small World. like to sing along with It’s a Small World. I I also enjoy the shows. also enjoy the shows. I watch the parade I watch the parade and fireworks every time I visit. There is and fireworks every time I visit. There is also a new Snow White show I’d like to also a new Snow White show I’d like to see. see. I love my visits to Disneyland.I love my visits to Disneyland.

Another View

DisneylandDisneyland

RidesRides ShowsShows

Space/ThunderSpace/ThunderMountainMountain It’s a Small WorldIt’s a Small World FireworksFireworks ParadeParade Snow WhiteSnow White

Topic Sentence

• The topic sentence is the heart of your paragraph.

• It is usually found in the beginning of the paragraph.

• It tells the reader what to expect in that paragraph; provides a focus

Sample Topic Sentence

• When I was seven I learned a valuable lesson about what it means to share.

Thesis Statement

• The thesis statement is a kind of topic sentence, except it controls a whole essay rather than one paragraph

• The purpose is to provide a clear direction for the paper

Reason/Detail/Fact

• Every topic sentencetopic sentence needs to be supported by at least one reason, detail, or fact.

• RDF’s are not arguable – they are like evidence in a trial

• RDF’s glue your paragraph together

Sample RDF’s

• It all began the day after my birthday. I had received a bag of candy and a jump rope. My mom specifically told me to share the candy, but I was rarely given sugar, and I had no intention of complying with her order.

“The E’s” back up RDF’s

• Each reason, fact or detail may be supported with an explanation, elaboration, or further evidence.

• “The E’s” are the meat of the paragraph, the part that really shows your thinking

Sample “E”

• When I refused to give any candy to my friends, who of course all wanted a piece, I quickly found that I was alone. All I would get was a stomach ache from eating it on my own. So I decided to give one piece to each friend in order to get my playmates back.

Conclusions

• People like clean endings. A paragraph or paper should provide a “wrap up” to what was discussed.

• The conclusion ties the paragraph together.

Example Conclusion

• The fact that a little sharing made so many people happy, including myself, showed me that selfishness wasn’t worth it. I may not have been happy that my mom was right in telling me to share, but I was old enough to see I learned a valuable lesson.

Sample Paragraph

• When I was seven I learned a valuable lesson about what it means to share. It all began the day after my birthday. I had received a bag of candy and a jump rope. My mom specifically told me to share the candy, but I was rarely given sugar, and I had no intention of complying with her order. When I refused to give any candy to my friends, who of course all wanted a piece, I quickly found that I was alone. All I would get was a stomach ache from eating it on my own. So I decided to give one piece to each friend in order to get my playmates back. The fact that a little sharing made so many people happy, including myself, showed me that selfishness wasn’t worth it. I may not have been happy that my mom was right in telling me to share, but I was old enough to see I learned a valuable lesson.

Assignment

• Write a paragraph about an incident that happened to you. This incident can be good or bad.

Make sure to include:• A Topic Sentence (Circle or highlight in green)• 3 Reasons, Details, and/or Facts (put a*or highlight in

yellow)• 1 Example, explanation, or further elaboration (put a

triangle or highlight in pink/red)• A conclusion sentence or sentences (Circle or highlight

in green)• Incorporate 3 sensory details (Label S.D.)

“Incident” Assignment

Must include:

• Heading

• Prewrite (your choice of what type of prewrite)

• First Draft (Drafting)

• Revising

• Editing (peer editing form)

• Publishing (final draft)